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Good morning, folks.

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» [clears throat]

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» It's going to be a while, folks.

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I'm testing my volume. Can anyone hear
me?

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» Convene this May 7th Town Council
meeting for the town of Centreville.

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We're going to start with a pledge of
allegiance and a moment of silence.

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» I I allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America,

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and to the republic
for which it stands, one nation under

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God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.

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» Thank you.

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Next is the agenda review. Anybody have
any problems with the agenda?

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Any corrections?
Next is the review of the meeting

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minutes from past meetings for April
9th, 2026 and April 16th,

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2026.
Any corrections?

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» I have none.
>> Need a a motion for approval of the

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minutes.
>> We'll take turns, Sandy.

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» I make a motion to approve the April 9th
and April 16th minutes.

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» I second.
>> All in favor?

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» Aye.
>> Aye.

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» All right. Next is citizens forum.
Citizens have requested to keep their

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comments to 3 minutes. Anybody would
like to speak?

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Yes, ma'am.

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» Make sure that's on.
My name is Margaret Shackley. I'm from

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Northbrook.
I did not have time to make comments

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last meeting on the outer study, so I
have a few things to say.

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When you're faced with a big decision,
it should be a question for every

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decision. It's so important to ask, what
are the unintended consequences when

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you're considering a solution?
So, besides improvement, I'm

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questioning, what is the objective for
this water plant at

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the grand design that it was proposed
for,

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um, and is it for developers to, um,
build on open lands?

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So, here are some of the possible
unintended consequences.

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Exodus of current residents due to
excessive town bills, more traffic, less

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parking, overcrowded schools, then you
will want more money to build schools.

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And the worst case scenario is houses
will not sell because of the exorbitant

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cost of utilities.
Developers who buy the land claiming

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they are building homes might have
trouble selling them and then will claim

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that they need to make a profit and
therefore must sell the property to

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build a data center.
The data center will then take all of

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our water, raise our electricity bills
to astronomical levels when already most

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of us are forced to pay for water we
don't use.

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And this town is proposing to raise the
amount of our water bills to an

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untenable
increase.

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Data centers across this country create
heat islands around them.

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It increases the land in the area to
16.2°

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Fahrenheit in a radius of 6 mi. This
adversely will affect our health, our

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wildlife,
and the very nature of what the Eastern

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Shore and Centreville is.
Data centers create a 24-hour hum that

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will drive us nuts and disturb our
peace.

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Data centers have been refused in
Hartford, Calvert, Prince George's,

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Montgomery. Frederick is having a
referendum on them.

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And Anne Arundel's trying to block them.
Queen Anne's County could be the next

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attempt.
So,

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citizens should have the full
transparency of the total flow of money

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of this proposed water plant. To whom is
the money flowing in this town and

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state? Through what shell companies,
including whoever is proposing to build

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this plant, their subcontractors,
and elected officials who are receiving

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donations?
The presentation did not even mention

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one benefit for
us citizens. The proposed water plant is

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grand.
It should be scaled back, perhaps into

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phases over time.
Why should citizens have to pay for it

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up front for no benefit to us?
We should first have laws preventing

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data centers anywhere
in our town and county first before we

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consider building a grand plant.
And for something of this magnitude,

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we need multiple informational work
sessions scheduled with the citizens on

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different days and times to discuss the
impact and the plans related to the

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water study. Citizens need an open forum
where we can ask questions and get

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answers immediately.
And choices of plans should be

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presented, not just one. This will have
such an impact on our budgets that the

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citizens should get to vote on the
options.

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And I have submitted the scientific
study on data centers for your perusal.

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Thank you.
>> Thank you.

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» Next we have appearances.
Uh

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First is the Linda and Brent Carroll
proclamation.

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» Okay, two of my favorite people. Linda
and Brent, come on up front. We'll read

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you.
I might sing this. Gabe Gabe wants me to

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sing it right there.
>> [laughter]

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» Right there. Right there.
>> Right here.

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» Yes, ma'am.
>> Right here.

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» Right in the center.
>> Yeah, turn around.

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» Right by this microphone.
>> Millions of people watching on the TV as

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you speak.
My wife and her I think that's it.

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Uh I got to tell you my favorite here,
turn around to my

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favorite thing in this county is the
board of ed. At the beginning of every

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meeting they spend the first 10 minutes
of giving out awards. They have the

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teacher of the month, bus driver of the
month, etc., etc. It just sends a nice

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feeling of the whole meeting is like,
"Hey, wow, this is cool. good people.

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You have before you people who run a CPA
business for 50 years in town. But

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here's a hidden secret you don't know.
They don't tell anybody.

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For about 35, 30, 35, Brent and I can't
figure out the exact number. Okay, of

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years, every Easter
down at Mill Stream Park.

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» I think we just had 35.
>> 35 I would go, hey.

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» Good job. 35.
>> To give you an example, this year 200

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kids showed up. The Carrolls get the
candy, get the candies all spread out so

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when the count of 10, all the kids by
age. You have little guys this size,

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ankle biters, and you have people taller
than me. The middle school kids are all

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right. But these wonderful people have
been doing this for 35 years. No one

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ever thanks them. Now they've been doing
it with the Lions Club, but they've been

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doing it with other organizations, but
we really need to thank them. And if I

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can, Lyndon, Brent, uh let me read
>> [laughter]

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» This is the worst part. You got to put
up with this crap. Okay. Uh whereas

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Lyndon and Brent Carroll have
demonstrated extraordinary dedication

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and community spirit through their
leadership and commitment to the annual

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Easter egg hunt Mill Stream Park. Some
of you aren't even 35 years old. This

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has been going on before that. Whereas
for an incredible 35 years, thank you,

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Gay. Lyndon and Brent Carroll have
faithfully organized and sustained this

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cherished community tradition, bringing
joy and connection to generations of fam

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Even if you don't have kids, come to
this. Little kids are jumping up and

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down. They get Easter bunnies. They get
Easter eggs. They get everything. Okay.

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Lyndon and Brent Carroll have gone above
and beyond by coordinating with local

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agencies, organizations, and service
providers. Usually these two, okay,

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uh to enhance the event and foster a
spirit of collaboration within the

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community. Whereas
their selfless volunteerism, tireless

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coordination, and unwavering enthusiasm
have made a lasting and meaningful

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impact on the quality of life. If you
see these little kids

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and you see their parents, the joy on
their face, it's just just amazing. Now,

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therefore, we, the Town Council of
Centerville, Fred and Ohio, Sandy and

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Jethro and I are here, okay? Uh
recognize Linda and Brent Carroll for

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their 35 years of outstanding service,
dedication, and commitment to the annual

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Easter egg hunt in Mill Stream Park and
our sincere extend our deepest

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gratitude, and I'm going to cheat here
on behalf of probably a couple of

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thousand kids over 35 years, okay? Thank
you, Linda. Thank you, Brent.

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» Thank you. Well, I
>> Okay. Here you go.

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» [applause]
>> Okay. Do you want to say something? Go

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ahead.
>> If anyone wants to say something.

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» Yeah.
Well, I'd like to tell a little story

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about the best the best thing I saw the
the kids do a couple years ago. Uh we

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divided into uh 0 to age 3, 4 to 6, 7 to
9, and 10 to 12. The different columns

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they they go, and the little kids are
allowed to be with their parent.

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Well, one year, one little boy didn't
get anything, and he started to cry. He

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was very little.
And another child came up and said,

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"What's wrong?" And "I didn't get
anything." So, she gave him hers.

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And I thought that was really sweet. And
that's an example of the kids that do

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come to that. There's no rushing,
there's no pushing. They're just nice,

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really nice, and that's not that easy to
find super nice kids, but they all seem

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to show up there.
>> Thank you.

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I would I'll just say that uh
the Lions Club

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uh I've been I was president of the
Lions Club for a long time, and we

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we fell below members, and we do need
membership uh to reinstate the club, but

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we've continued this even though we were
temporarily suspended.

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And that the regional people come in and
help do it now. And this past year I

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think was the largest ever that I've
ever we've ever witnessed.

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And we had I mean literally hundreds of
people

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uh there at the event including the kids
and

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» Yeah, they called said we kept the kept
it open for you. The girls in the office

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are great for taking care of things for
us.

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» Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.

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» [applause]
>> Thank you.

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Thank you.

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» Next is Deborah Jones Miller for US
Colored Troops Memorial.

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Come on up.
Yep, right here.

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Make sure that you're close to the mic.

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» Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for
giving me the opportunity to speak this

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evening. My name is Deborah Jones Miller
and I represent the Queen Anne's County

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Veterans Committee along with my
colleague Deborah Hooper. Who's Could

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you raise your hand, Deborah? So

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Um we are a group of local veterans and
community supporters committed to

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honoring the service and sacrifice of
over 480 African-American soldiers from

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Queen Anne's County who fought in the
Civil War.

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These soldiers were referred to as the
United States Colored Troops and they

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were a segment of the 200,000 free and
enslaved African-Americans who fought

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with the Union Army.
Their contribution was not secondary. It

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was decisive.
President Abraham Lincoln stated that

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without the military support of the
black freedmen, the Union could not have

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won the war.
Yet despite their sacrifice, their names

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and their stories have largely gone
unrecognized in the very community they

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helped to preserve. We're working hard
to change that.

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The committee has commissioned
engraved with names, regiments, and

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units of these soldiers.
It will stand at the Kennard African

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American Cultural Heritage Center and
Museum in Centreville, Maryland, a

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visible, lasting acknowledgement of
their service.

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This is not just a monument, it is a
correction of a historical record.

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The cost of this project is $300,000.
To date, the committee has raised

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$127,000.
In addition, we have secured pledges of

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$100,000 from the state of Maryland
through its bond initiative grant, and a

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pledge from Queen Anne's County
Commissioner's office of $50,000.

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So, we've done the work, we've built the
momentum, and now we're asking for your

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partnership.
Tonight, I am requesting a $2,000

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contribution from the town council.
In the scope of your budget, this is a

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modest investment, but in the scope of
this project, in the message that it

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sends, it is significant.
This is an opportunity for you to affirm

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that the service of these men matters,
that their legacy matters, and that this

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community will no longer allow it to be
overlooked.

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We are not simply asking for funding,
we're asking for recognition, for

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acknowledgement, for support in ensuring
that these men are remembered with the

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dignity they earned. I urge you to join
us in this effort. Thank you.

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» Thank you, Dr.
>> Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

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» Just if I can
Gentlemen,

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» May I speak?
>> Uh this is going to be an amazing

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contribution to the town
>> Okay, yeah. Okay.

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» You're talking about that size, 6 ft on
a 3-ft pedestal, placed behind Kennard.

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It will become a national attraction,
national.

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People going to come here. 4 to 600
Queen Anne's County residents

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volunteered to fight for the north
during the Civil War. They have not been

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honored. We put a plaque The group put a
plaque together.

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» Yeah, Brad, I just wanted to remind
everyone that

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» You'll have to You'll have to come
>> You got to get a mic on.

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» You have to come up.

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» Hear me okay? Thank you. So, we are
getting it on the map so that visitors

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coming to the Harriet Tubman will stop
here first. I think that will be real

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good for our economy and our history.
It's part of our two-pronged approach.

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It's not just about the memorial, it's
about letting people know what they

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actually did. Thank you.
>> Thank you. At our last meeting that they

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we'd asked for more information. That's
why they're here. So, if I could, Jeff,

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I'd like to make a motion
that we contribute $200. They've done

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their application work.
$2,000, I'm sorry. Sorry, Debbie.

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I have to make up the difference, right?
Okay. $2,000.

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Uh they go to this What is going to be a
It's going to be a national attraction?

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It's going to be amazing.
Motion made. Are we good?

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» They filled out the application, right?
They have?

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» They They completed Yes.
>> Okay. Okay.

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» I just wanted to remind you we did
receive the full packet in the budget

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binders um from them in time for the
contribution request and it's still in

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your budget binders. So, if you have any
questions.

215
00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,320
» Okay.
It's not a motion.

216
00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:44,920
» So, can I ask someone So, Karen, is it I
know later this evening. So, is it It's

217
00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,600
not been included in the budget,
correct?

218
00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:51,880
» Correct. So, right now we did increase
that line to allow for those from the

219
00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:55,880
discussion at at the last meeting with
all the council members. So, it would be

220
00:18:53,960 --> 00:19:00,440
incorporated in the line that we
increased and be covered.

221
00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:04,120
» With the current draft. Okay. Thank you.
Got a motion. We need a second.

222
00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,360
» Is there any discussion?
>> Yeah, we all yes, we can talk.

223
00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:10,640
» It's a second and then discuss.
>> Discuss. And then discuss.

224
00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:12,840
» Yeah, I would do a second, but have a
discussion.

225
00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:17,880
» Yes, mhm.
>> Um

226
00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:21,320
so again $2,000 is not you know I
appreciate as far as just you come and

227
00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:24,920
I'm really appreciative of all the
fundraising you've been able to do. It's

228
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:28,480
amazing what you've been able to do cuz
and that's just happened in a short

229
00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:32,440
period of time. I know it probably in
the last 2 months, you know, as far as

230
00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:36,520
the large amount that you've done. So
I'm very supportive of this cuz I do

231
00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:41,880
agree this is not only as far as just
for the honor of the soldiers who lost

232
00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:47,240
their lives and and fought. Um but also
as far as historical tourism, historical

233
00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:51,880
tourism and having that as part of the
town. Um that's an important history of

234
00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,400
our town. So
thank you.

235
00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:03,120
» I say one more thing.
So I just want you to think about this.

236
00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:07,000
According to Abraham Lincoln, the war
against the South would not have been

237
00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:14,440
won without the United States Colored
Troops. So imagine what our nation would

238
00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,440
be right now had the South won.

239
00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:18,440
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

240
00:20:17,003 --> 00:20:21,040
» [clears throat]
>> All right.

241
00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:25,560
Does Fred have anything?
>> Do you have anything, Fred?

242
00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:28,000
» I don't know if my volume is up or if I
can be heard there in the meeting.

243
00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:30,120
» you.
>> Um

244
00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:33,280
I'm
very, very impressed with what they've

245
00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:37,120
been able to accomplish from a
fundraising standpoint. Quite frankly, I

246
00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:41,680
was skeptical at the beginning that you
would be able be able to

247
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,280
achieve that kind of fundraising, but
particularly in this short amount of

248
00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:49,400
time. So
clearly there's real support not only

249
00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:53,880
from the state, from the county and
yeah, I want to put in my two cents here

250
00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:58,240
from the community.
Uh you know, that we're fully behind

251
00:20:55,840 --> 00:21:02,000
that or at least I am and I know most
all of the community is as well. So I

252
00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:05,600
just want to congrat
ulate you

253
00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:11,320
for all you've done and how important
this is going to be is recognition

254
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:16,480
for all their efforts um you know during
the war and what the cost to them with

255
00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:20,800
their lives and also to their families.
So um you know if it has not been

256
00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:26,120
seconded
uh I'd be happy to um you know second

257
00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:28,400
that proposal.
>> Thank you.

258
00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,440
All in favor?
>> I.

259
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,440
» I.

260
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,320
» I.
>> Yep.

261
00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,720
» Yep.
>> Okay.

262
00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:45,920
All right.
>> Thank you.

263
00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,280
» Uh-huh.
>> Good job.

264
00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:48,680
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

265
00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,240
» Next is old business.
>> Debbie, you can run. I know you got to

266
00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:53,240
go somewhere. Take the statue and run,
Doc. She's hungry.

267
00:21:52,635 --> 00:21:56,800
» [laughter]
>> Next is old business.

268
00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:59,680
» Gosh, that's heavy.
Holy cow.

269
00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:06,200
Yeah.
>> Old business, ordinance 2-2026 chapter

270
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:09,800
150 vacant properties, second reading.
It's sponsored by President Ashley

271
00:22:08,120 --> 00:22:13,040
Kaiser.
This is the ordinance of the town of

272
00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:17,280
Centerville
Council of Centerville adding a new

273
00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:21,120
chapter 150 of the town code to
establish the proceeding

274
00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:25,360
procedures and requirements for vacant
properties and matters generally related

275
00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:28,240
to there there to.
This is the second reading, so we'll

276
00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:31,320
have a
>> We'll have a um

277
00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,520
public hearing.
>> Public hearing.

278
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,920
» Public hearing, thank you. And at the
next meeting, right? Is that was on the

279
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:40,840
next meeting. Yes.
So this and the purpose of this is just

280
00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:44,960
to create language
um for properties around town that are

281
00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:49,560
you know, whether they've been
foreclosed on and no one is living there

282
00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:54,720
or the family has passed on, just
regulations to um

283
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:58,080
to make sure they're
kept

284
00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,080
um

285
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:05,080
they have the upkeep and um and a
registry, so we know who to contact.

286
00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:10,160
» Okay.
Next is

287
00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:10,160
Ordinance 3-2026.

288
00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:13,680
Yes, sir.

289
00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,160
That's right.
>> Yeah,

290
00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:22,720
when I first learned about this
ordinance, yeah, I was

291
00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:27,040
I I had questions about it. But,
I'm very involved with the economic

292
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:31,800
development efforts for our community,
and having a registry like this, I think

293
00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:35,880
will also give us opportunities to
benefit those property owners if we can

294
00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:41,360
bring other potential businesses and
organizations into the community by

295
00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:47,720
being aware that these properties are
available, may be vacant, they may

296
00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:52,560
require some additional rehab, but, you
know, there can I think be a tremendous

297
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:56,360
benefit to the community by going
through this effort and and developing a

298
00:23:55,080 --> 00:24:01,160
registry
for these properties that are currently

299
00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:05,440
not occupied. So, I just wanted to
provide the community with some

300
00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:11,960
additional benefit to why we're doing
this ordinance and how this may

301
00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,960
contribute back to the community.

302
00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:18,600
» Anything else?
>> Yeah, the only thing I mean, I am

303
00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:22,800
supportive of this ordinance as well,
and cuz I think it's important and it's

304
00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:25,640
not an ordinance that is unusual for
towns. I want to make certain that's

305
00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:29,880
clear.
This is not an outlier, it's what towns

306
00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:33,960
do to be um
to maintain their properties of their

307
00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:38,040
town and be proud of their town and
making certain that properties are

308
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:43,200
maintained. And it just helps the town
manage that process, makes it visible,

309
00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:45,880
and as
as was said, [clears throat]

310
00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:48,520
if there's opportunities for that
property owner if they're having

311
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:52,600
problems or they would like to sell
their property. So, I think it just

312
00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:56,200
creates um
you know, added value for all property

313
00:24:54,440 --> 00:25:00,120
owners in the town
because it will elevate property values

314
00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:04,400
within the town because we're taking
care of all of our properties. So, it's

315
00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:09,320
really important and I just wanted to to
speak to my support for this as well.

316
00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:13,880
» Okay.
Next is ordinance 3-2026

317
00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:17,000
solar arrays. This is the second
reading.

318
00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:19,800
This is sponsored by Vice President
Keel.

319
00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:23,000
Uh it's an ordinance to the town of
Centreville amending the town of

320
00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:27,320
Centreville zoning ordinance, which is
the chapter is chapter 170 of the code

321
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:32,400
of the town of Centreville to allow
solar arrays as a special exception use

322
00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:38,200
in the residential R1 zoning district.
We're going to forward this for to the

323
00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:41,640
planning commission for review and see
what they think.

324
00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:49,160
» Jeff, can I just ask a question?
Uh this might go to Paul. Uh nine

325
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:53,680
981. A property
uh proposing to have a solar array shall

326
00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:56,880
be at least two acres in size. Why is it
two acres? Is that just

327
00:25:55,320 --> 00:26:00,600
» So, [clears throat] right Well, Peter
can go ahead and up that.

328
00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:04,520
» So, the two acres comes from um we've
already allowed this in other

329
00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:10,520
residential districts in
uh I think the ordinance was in 2016,

330
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:14,440
where we allowed rooftop solar and um I
don't know if it was because the school

331
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:20,720
wanted to put up that solar array, so it
got added into R2 and then R3 inherits

332
00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:25,480
all of the R2 um things, so it's so it's
currently allowable in R2 and R3 and

333
00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:29,640
this um
extends that to the larger R1 properties

334
00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:33,600
as well.
>> Yes, the individual who I think

335
00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:39,280
originally went to Jeff back in November
or whatever and I think the town act

336
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:43,040
wasn't the process started at 415
Chesterfield?

337
00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:45,520
Is this a What does that leave him? Cuz
he's inquired at least two members of

338
00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,760
council.
>> Well, that he's in R1 and he has he has

339
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,320
his land, yeah.
>> Okay, that's what I wanted to know. So,

340
00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:53,920
he's covered. Okay.
>> Yep.

341
00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:57,040
Thank you.
>> Thank you.

342
00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:59,920
Anything else?
Anything, Fred?

343
00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:06,360
» Does this in any way impact the ability
for homeowners to have this on their

344
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:11,920
roof, or is it only
>> for stand-alone solar

345
00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:16,240
fields,
you know, based on land?

346
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:22,400
» It does not impact the homeowner's
ability for their roof. The

347
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:27,960
The solar arrays are a special exception
in the code, and the roof-mounted solar

348
00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:32,920
in all of the residential districts are
as just a permitted accessory use. So,

349
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:39,960
that will still be That will still be
the same. This just extends the same

350
00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:45,720
special exception to the R1 district
that exists in the other R districts.

351
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:49,960
» Does a homeowner then still need to get
approved a special approval or an

352
00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:52,960
exception to have it on their roof, or
or not or not?

353
00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:57,840
» No, no, the the homeowner currently a
roof-mounted solar is is just a standard

354
00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:01,320
building permit process. You come into
the town.

355
00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:05,680
They're pretty easy to get.
So, this would just be for the arrays,

356
00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:10,400
the stand-alone ground-mounted arrays.
>> Got it. Appreciate the clarification.

357
00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:10,400
» Thank you.

358
00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:17,480
» Next
is the trash recycle bids.

359
00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,480
» The packet

360
00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,560
» Yeah, my feet don't touch.
>> Hm?

361
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,920
» My feet don't touch.
>> Good evening, folks.

362
00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:34,209
» Good evening.
>> We can [clears throat]

363
00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:39,720
tack this however you want, since
there's actually two issues here. One is

364
00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:43,560
the
um

365
00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,880
to award a bid for the
>> curbside.

366
00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,000
» I think we should
>> Sure.

367
00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,760
» go with that first.
Okay.

368
00:28:48,564 --> 00:28:51,920
» [laughter]
>> That's fine.

369
00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,920
» Maybe we can

370
00:28:52,494 --> 00:28:56,080
» [snorts]
>> Okay.

371
00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:04,000
As we had said before in our meetings,
we went out to bid for curbside

372
00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:11,040
municipal
solid waste pickup.

373
00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:15,160
We had six bidders that responded.
Of those six bidders,

374
00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:19,840
myself
and staff

375
00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:19,840
reviewed the

376
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,040
» Did you want the recycle or the trash
first?

377
00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,080
» Trash first.
>> Oh, trash first. I'm sorry. I thought

378
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:30,720
you said recycle.
>> No, trash. The easy one first.

379
00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:37,240
We reviewed all the bid documents and
all the information with it.

380
00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:42,560
Of the six bids,
the cheapest of them was Big Time Trash.

381
00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:47,400
And
with that being said,

382
00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:51,960
staff is recommending
to go with Big Time

383
00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:56,680
for that contract.
This will raise

384
00:29:54,960 --> 00:30:02,080
the
the fees to the

385
00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:06,840
on quarterly utility bill.
You should have before you package that

386
00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:13,080
shows
exactly what it is and how it works out.

387
00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:16,040
» It's the last page of the packet.
>> Yeah.

388
00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:19,880
» Looks like this.
Does that help you at all?

389
00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:22,160
» It's on the back of of the um
breakdown.

390
00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:24,520
Same.
>> Same.

391
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:30,120
And there were some other questions
about which we've answered in all this

392
00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:34,240
paperwork before you have that.
You know, things

393
00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:39,720
things such as what other
towns does this company

394
00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:44,880
collect from? That's included in there.
There's There's of them.

395
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:47,040
One of them I believe was Denton.
>> Do you want me to read them off, Ken?

396
00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:48,720
» I'm sorry.
>> Do you want me to read them off?

397
00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:52,240
» Sure, thank you.
>> Rock Hall, Ridgely, Greensboro,

398
00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:54,520
Sudlersville, Denton, Federalsburg, and
Trap.

399
00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,560
» Great.
So,

400
00:30:55,480 --> 00:31:01,440
um
of them, yeah, Denton's the closest to

401
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:03,480
our size. So,
uh

402
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:10,800
all of their references came back very
good. Um

403
00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:13,280
the age of their trucks are
you know, fairly

404
00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:16,800
new
uh

405
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:22,440
compared to some of the other bidders.
Uh we also found out that they're on a

406
00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:26,440
very rigorous maintenance plan with
their trucks.

407
00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:31,600
Uh the reason we knew that also was
because they take it to the same place

408
00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:35,360
we deal with for the street sweeper and
the backhoe trucks.

409
00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:41,480
Um
I was we were very impressed with

410
00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:46,560
their service and the total package for
so,

411
00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:48,960
uh if you'd like to take that one first
help yourself.

412
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:52,240
» Mr. Mayor, I have a question if I may.
>> Mhm.

413
00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:57,000
» Well, whenever you're ready and excuse
me if I'm being premature with this.

414
00:31:54,120 --> 00:32:01,000
On the last page of this packet, it
appears that there's two different

415
00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:04,760
options of what the
uh

416
00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:09,520
cost would be to the individual users.
Uh one would include recycling and the

417
00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:13,480
other one recycling was not included,
but it reduced the overall cost to the

418
00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:17,480
resident.
Could you explain how recycling would be

419
00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:21,560
handled if it
and it

420
00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:25,720
do the residents have an in fact a an
option to choose one versus the other?

421
00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:29,440
» This
the this is the reason we did the

422
00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:35,560
uh
trash bids first so that you can uh uh

423
00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:38,360
review that
you know,

424
00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:42,400
uh come up with
an idea of what it's going to consist of

425
00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:50,040
and everything and then we'll we'll
review the recycling after that. And

426
00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:55,880
no, residents don't get a choice as to
whether they choose to go with the

427
00:32:52,360 --> 00:33:01,000
town's recycling or trash. If the town
does it, everybody has to pay towards

428
00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:01,000
it. So.

429
00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:06,320
» So the

430
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:13,120
So that's not an option that you would
recycling is automatic and every

431
00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:16,640
everyone will need to
participate with that. Is that correct?

432
00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,440
» If that's chosen.
>> If that's chosen.

433
00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:22,160
» There's two options, right?
>> Yeah, there's two options.

434
00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:24,600
This is just trash right now.
>> This is just Yeah, it's just This is

435
00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,480
just for trash.
>> The next piece we're going to the

436
00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:29,280
» No, no, you're good.
>> You're good.

437
00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:30,920
» Can I make a motion then and then we
have discussion?

438
00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:33,040
» That would That would
>> I

439
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,640
» Well, you have discussion after you have
the first motion.

440
00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,960
» Okay, go ahead. [laughter]
>> Uh

441
00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:42,840
» I make a motion that we accept the
town's trash or solid waste uh

442
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:45,760
recommendation. Uh you tell me how you I
don't care how you word it.

443
00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:47,840
» So you're going to recommendation number
two.

444
00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,720
» leave out the recycling
>> to go with that?

445
00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:52,240
» Recycling is not part of it.
>> Number two on that.

446
00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:55,560
» Number two, okay. Let me read that and
then we'll get a second or whatever and

447
00:33:53,600 --> 00:34:01,000
then we have discussion. Uh I make a
motion to award the municipal curbside

448
00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:07,840
solid waste collection contract uh
without curbside recycling to the

449
00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:10,320
What is it? Big Time Trash and LLC in
the amount of yada yada yada.

450
00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:14,040
» You got to say it.
>> Okay, $363,864.60

451
00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:18,159
per year
for a

452
00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,120
three-year
>> I assume that's a three-year term.

453
00:34:19,639 --> 00:34:22,000
» Correct.
>> Three-year three-year term.

454
00:34:21,963 --> 00:34:26,280
» [clears throat]
>> Got a second and then discussion.

455
00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:29,679
» I can't Well, again, unless cuz I have a
discussion about this as far as I'm not

456
00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:32,960
approving it at this point because I
think

457
00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:37,120
So again, from a formality, do you want
to second it and have the discussion or

458
00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:41,159
because the issue is we haven't talked
about recycling. So, this we're we're

459
00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:44,520
assuming we're not going to do recycling
and we haven't discussed it yet. So,

460
00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:48,639
that's the that's the issue I have right
now in voting for or you know,

461
00:34:46,879 --> 00:34:51,159
» So, you want to go back to
>> It's not a like an assumption that we're

462
00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:53,280
not.
>> that you're not. It's two separate

463
00:34:52,919 --> 00:34:54,714
things.
>> I understand that.

464
00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:57,000
» And that's how we
>> [clears throat]

465
00:34:54,720 --> 00:35:00,960
» But what he what he just what I'm sorry.
>> What I just said was without recycling.

466
00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:05,440
» Yeah. So, that's Cuz the cost is
different between the two.

467
00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:09,720
» But only for that current contract.
>> by doing this motion,

468
00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:13,200
we're saying we're not going to do
recycling. We have Now, but we haven't

469
00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:16,760
had the discussion yet on the cost.
>> That's just saying this current

470
00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:20,520
contractor isn't This is inclusive of
trash only, not recycling with the

471
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:22,880
current contractor. And so, the next
piece

472
00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:27,120
» Well, they have two motions on here.
They have one that includes curbside

473
00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:29,520
recycling.
>> And I just made you know, so you're

474
00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:31,920
right. What we probably should have done
is put you should have

475
00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,320
» recycle first.
>> Got you.

476
00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,480
» So, you should have maybe done
>> You can withdraw your motion if you want

477
00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:39,600
to and then we can do
>> Can I Can I ask the chair if we could go

478
00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:41,720
back and discuss the issue of recycling?
>> Thank you.

479
00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:44,400
» So, we'll go with recycling.
>> Okay.

480
00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:48,000
» You all right there, Fred?
We're going to talk about recycling.

481
00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:52,760
» I I think the discussion of one
>> to have greater clarity.

482
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,760
» Yep.

483
00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:56,200
» All right.
>> Okay.

484
00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:59,320
On with the recycling.
>> Yep. [laughter]

485
00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:01,240
» Sorry.
>> Okay.

486
00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:08,080
» Again,
uh this was put out in a separate

487
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:11,120
separate request for uh bids for the
cuz not all

488
00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:17,200
uh
solid waste handlers do recycling

489
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:20,960
service. So, it was easier to get a
better

490
00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:20,960
um

491
00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:31,040
a better list of bidders for one
than combined service. Actu- as you see

492
00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:36,120
there was three
bidders that

493
00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:40,480
submitted packages. Um
the

494
00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:43,000
cheapest one was Bates Trucking.
Okay.

495
00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:46,400
Um
staff is recommending that we actually

496
00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:51,040
go
with

497
00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:54,320
the next bidder in line which was MBG
reuse refuse.

498
00:36:53,240 --> 00:37:00,400
They
um

499
00:36:55,080 --> 00:37:05,120
reason is the town had Bates Trucking uh
close to 12 years ago.

500
00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:11,680
And with the recycling part that they
did with that contract

501
00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:16,720
we had so many complaints about broken
recycle containers, cans, that kind of

502
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:20,440
stuff. Uh
we felt they weren't always handled

503
00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,920
properly.
Um

504
00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:30,840
I can only tell you what happened here.
I can't speak for the rest of their

505
00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:39,560
clients or anything. They are a fairly
large company. They uh serve in a

506
00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:44,560
uh many places on western shore besides
places on the eastern shore. Um and much

507
00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:49,160
larger
uh

508
00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:53,400
municipalities than Centreville is.
So

509
00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:53,400
um

510
00:37:53,680 --> 00:38:02,480
There's uh an additional part to it is
uh staff met with Connie Tolson from

511
00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:07,760
Queen Anne's County. She is the
recycling and and

512
00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:13,280
refuse manager for the county and Earl
Wood who is the recycling coordinator

513
00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:18,200
for Maryland Environmental Services.
Uh they currently have a drop-off

514
00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:21,760
recycling site behind the health
department with recycling dumpsters

515
00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:25,480
there.
Um,

516
00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:30,680
that uh
that particular

517
00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:35,840
place is used most of the time two or
above its capacity. So,

518
00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:42,240
uh, we met with them and talked about
possibly setting up a second site in

519
00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:46,280
town behind the firehouse at the on the
town's property where the water tower

520
00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:49,600
is.
Uh,

521
00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:56,080
with that being said, there is plenty of
room there. It still allows parking on a

522
00:38:53,240 --> 00:39:01,480
portion of that property. Uh, which the
other county buildings in the area use

523
00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:08,120
for parking, also. And it would not
interfere with the the fire companies

524
00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:08,120
you know.

525
00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:13,480
Uh,
>> And there's no cost to the town.

526
00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:18,000
» Yes, and there's no cost to the town for
this. Um,

527
00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:24,200
this is one of
this can be set up whether you do or do

528
00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:29,480
not choose to go with a curbside
recycling. It can still be an option for

529
00:39:27,240 --> 00:39:36,000
residents. And it's not just for
residents of the town of Centreville,

530
00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:36,000
residents of the county. So,

531
00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:43,120
with that [snorts] being said, there's
uh,

532
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:49,560
probably two portions to this as well to
consider. One would be

533
00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:55,280
uh, if you would choose to to allow the
MES to go ahead and set that uh,

534
00:39:52,440 --> 00:40:01,200
second recycling area up behind
firehouse. Um, the town will make

535
00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:06,480
frequent stops through the week, make
sure that it's kept clean and neat. Any

536
00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:09,600
blowing recyclables would be picked up
and everything.

537
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:13,560
So,
and like I said, there's no charge to

538
00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:19,160
the town for that.
Um,

539
00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:24,000
the other part about this is in this
uh

540
00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:30,480
we, like I said, uh we're recommending
that you go with uh GMB

541
00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:35,040
refuse for curbside recycling if you
choose to do that. There's several

542
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:39,160
papers in here
uh

543
00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:43,680
that reflect the difference in prices
uh and what they would be quarterly per

544
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:46,120
resident, also.
So

545
00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:48,400
» And I also reached out. Sorry.
>> No, that's okay.

546
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:53,560
» I was going to tell you.
I sent to some other [clears throat]

547
00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:57,880
towns, um Berlin, Chestertown, Denton,
Easton, Snow Hill, and um

548
00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:04,720
Berlin, they they do uh trash and
recycle. It's also It's included in

549
00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:08,600
their taxes, not quarterly bills, and
their town is the one who picks up trash

550
00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:13,800
and recycle.
Um Chestertown does not provide recycle

551
00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:20,440
curbside recycle. They currently do not
charge their residents for trash. That's

552
00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:25,720
going to change soon. Um Denton um does
not do recyc- uh does not do recycling.

553
00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:31,640
Um and the cost is included in their
taxes. Easton is They do have a I think

554
00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:37,240
it's uh total of $81 for trash and
recycle. And Snow Hill does um trash.

555
00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:42,880
Um
they only the the town staff picks up

556
00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:46,520
cardboards on Wednesdays, but then they
have the um

557
00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:50,360
the dumpsters
um for recyclables of others.

558
00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:55,840
» To drop off for to drop off.
>> Tell them what we're talking about.

559
00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:58,600
» Chestertown also has a drop-off um for
uh recycle.

560
00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:02,520
» And the quarterly charge

561
00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:07,080
» Go ahead, Frank.
>> I'm sorry, just for my clarification,

562
00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:12,480
Chestertown and it sound like two or
three other communities are not the the

563
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:18,320
The is not picking up recycling, and the
residents are taking it to a a central

564
00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:23,120
or multiple central uh
the distribution

565
00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:28,160
dumpsters or something for for recycling
and that's been acceptable

566
00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:32,960
by the citizens in those communities.
>> Yeah, um mainly because it's just the

567
00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:37,360
change in recycling over the last few
years, it's become extremely expensive.

568
00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:41,880
I mean, you look at what our residents
have been paying for the past five

569
00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:45,440
however many years, it's $6 and some odd
cents. It does not cover the cost of

570
00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:51,360
recycling anymore.
Um now it's gone up to 20. I can't $35

571
00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:57,240
$35
um a quarter. So, instead of $6 a

572
00:42:53,800 --> 00:43:01,520
quarter um
So, yeah, the the um

573
00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:05,920
Chestertown used to have curbside
recycling, um but they stopped because

574
00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:09,120
of all the issues with the recycling
now.

575
00:43:06,840 --> 00:43:11,360
» And your recycling contractor went out
of business.

576
00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:16,800
» Went out of business. Okay.
>> Mhm. Mhm.

577
00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:23,120
» So, we're not the president if we allow
the residents to not pay the $35 for

578
00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:27,800
recycling, but to then
personally dispose of the recycling at

579
00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:30,440
the distribution locations. Is that
correct?

580
00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:37,480
» I think this is the toughest issue we've
had for a while. And Kip, thank you. Kip

581
00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:41,920
spent some time with me. [clears throat]
And I also Connie Tolson who used

582
00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:44,760
» Spoke with Connie. I used to do TV
together.

583
00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:49,800
And my son worked with her. She's the
Queen Anne's County

584
00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:53,960
recycling refuge manager.
So, I got so complicated. I just made a

585
00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:57,240
chart of pluses and minuses. There's
some things that jump out at you.

586
00:43:56,240 --> 00:44:00,760
I don't think anyone's against
recycling. It's kind of like motherhood.

587
00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:04,800
Yeah, come on. We're going with it.
It's extremely convenient, especially

588
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:08,840
for senior citizens, the curbside.
That's no problem. Simple, right? My

589
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:11,560
wife has a special can, says Fred, put
it in the blue box once a week and you

590
00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:15,000
got it made.
And environmentally it's sound. You

591
00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:18,360
know, come on, this is for the future.
But you weigh that against it and some

592
00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:23,400
concerns and Fred, kind of what you were
tip of the iceberg you knocked off.

593
00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:27,160
We're currently paying for recycling
homeowners $6.63

594
00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:31,640
apiece.
We're talking about a quarter. We're

595
00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:34,240
talking that going up to 35.22.
That's a you know, that's a significant

596
00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:38,400
increase.
Uh

597
00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:42,080
Now, with recycling we're talking
in the in the future

598
00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:46,840
uh 92.71
with recycling, 59.84 without cycling.

599
00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:50,680
Again, you're beginning to run a dodge.
Look, it's one of those issues where you

600
00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:55,640
know you want to recycle, but then it
gets more complicated. Uh Connie Tolson

601
00:44:53,160 --> 00:45:02,080
sent me to a couple websites today.
Uh you realize 16, this is a national

602
00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:06,480
average. 16 to 25% of our recycling goes
into trash.

603
00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:10,560
And that's called a contaminated. Now,
if I'm a layman, keep if I screw this

604
00:45:08,720 --> 00:45:14,400
up, you straighten me out.
If the decision is made either locally,

605
00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:18,520
the guy throwing the back of your his
truck and then throwing a dead one trash

606
00:45:16,040 --> 00:45:22,840
can across your yard, that's trash in
there that's inappropriate for

607
00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:27,000
recycling, that stuff is not recycled.
And they're talking about out of every

608
00:45:23,960 --> 00:45:31,000
100 lb, you're talking about 25 lb not
being recycled. And there's some

609
00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:35,040
question if that's not a low figure,
very low figure.

610
00:45:32,720 --> 00:45:41,200
Uh if you keep going down, if we go with
the Maryland Environmental Service like

611
00:45:36,840 --> 00:45:46,040
we have under the water tower, a 100%
of their stuff is recycled. 100%.

612
00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:51,000
Okay, and then that's from the boss
today, okay? Uh so, what we're talking,

613
00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:54,840
you got to weigh the cost factor. I I
don't think anyone's against recycling,

614
00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:58,200
but uh
I flipped on this and would save the

615
00:45:56,320 --> 00:46:01,560
town, again, Karen, help me if my number
is wrong.

616
00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:05,320
If we eliminate the recycling part of
it, we save about $275,420.40.

617
00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:09,200
» Yeah, that's about right.
>> Now, in tough times, that's a lot of

618
00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:13,200
money.
>> And that's all a pass-through, you know,

619
00:46:10,920 --> 00:46:15,160
so it's it's all it's the residents that
pay that.

620
00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:18,800
» So, and I also
um MES is open and kept this would be a

621
00:46:17,040 --> 00:46:22,720
staff-type decision.
Look at the water tower, that's fine.

622
00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:26,480
That's a done deal, it'll be done. But,
you also, if you went to the citizens

623
00:46:24,680 --> 00:46:29,360
and if the town's comfortable, why
couldn't we look at something at

624
00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:33,600
Northbrook if the citizens want it as a
drop-off spot or Symphony Village? And

625
00:46:32,640 --> 00:46:38,240
you're saying,
"No, MES ES wants to have as many sites

626
00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:42,120
as they can."
So, that's opens a door. Now, it's

627
00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:45,720
especially for us older people, this is
a big inconvenience. So, that means Ms.

628
00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:49,760
McNeal has to say to me every Tuesday,
"Fred, get off your duff and drive

629
00:46:47,480 --> 00:46:55,080
somewhere to do it." But, I think that
$275,000

630
00:46:52,080 --> 00:47:00,600
is a significant amount of money, uh and
we're 25% of our stuff, if not higher,

631
00:46:58,840 --> 00:47:04,160
isn't even being recycled.
Did I've seen and and I'll be quiet

632
00:47:02,240 --> 00:47:07,680
after this. I've seen and I've watched
it, I sit on my front porch, I've seen

633
00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:09,720
the people first come by and get the
trash, okay?

634
00:47:09,632 --> 00:47:12,880
» [clears throat]
>> And then pick up the dadgum blue cans

635
00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:15,360
and throw in the back of the trash,
also.

636
00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:18,680
» Sometimes.
>> Sometimes, [clears throat] correct,

637
00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:22,840
sometimes.
>> Well, we we've already established our

638
00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:26,120
our current contractor is not recycling.
So, all the recycling is going to the

639
00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:28,240
landfill right now.
>> 100%.

640
00:47:27,240 --> 00:47:32,080
» 100% of it is.
>> So, we're not

641
00:47:29,240 --> 00:47:35,120
Look at, no one is against recycling, no
one.

642
00:47:33,240 --> 00:47:35,960
But, it also gets to be a financial
thing.

643
00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:39,440
» Yes.
>> And also, they're not making It used to

644
00:47:38,320 --> 00:47:43,040
be you could make some money off of
recycling. You could sell the recycled

645
00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:46,880
products and I'm sorry the Americans
written driven by the dollar.

646
00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:50,920
So, I'm wondering if perhaps we
shouldn't consider one person's opinion

647
00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:54,160
discussion.
I think it's an issue we got to work on.

648
00:47:52,720 --> 00:47:56,680
And but for temporarily, I would say
that's I think the The

649
00:47:55,680 --> 00:48:01,880
for the
solid trash is outstanding. I think as

650
00:47:59,800 --> 00:48:06,240
much as I'm I'm going to going against
what my heart wants me to do, I think

651
00:48:03,880 --> 00:48:10,600
because of the the cost and cars are
more, houses are more, food is more,

652
00:48:08,440 --> 00:48:15,600
everything is more. If we can save some
homeowners some money, uh I think we we

653
00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:19,520
need to do that.
>> So, I mean, I agree with everything you

654
00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:24,040
just said. Um and I think what's been
good for the uh process and I'm glad we

655
00:48:21,520 --> 00:48:28,960
held off on the vote until this town
council meeting versus the prior cuz I

656
00:48:27,000 --> 00:48:34,080
um wanted to see what other towns were
doing cuz I think that's important. That

657
00:48:31,840 --> 00:48:37,520
Centreville, other towns on the Eastern
Shore what they're doing. And so, this

658
00:48:35,720 --> 00:48:41,160
proves that
what we're probably getting ready to

659
00:48:38,600 --> 00:48:44,080
approve is like what most are doing. And
I just think that's important to do to

660
00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:48,200
do your due diligence, to do your
homework relating to

661
00:48:46,080 --> 00:48:52,720
what other towns are doing and are we
being, you know, fair and competitive

662
00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:56,560
with other towns. So, I'm glad that we
did that work and I appreciate

663
00:48:53,960 --> 00:49:00,400
everybody's work in doing that. Um
because I do agree. I think right now

664
00:48:58,440 --> 00:49:05,080
it's a financial burden.
Um economics have changed for recycling.

665
00:49:02,680 --> 00:49:13,240
That's why it's going from $2. It really
was nothing to 35. And again, as it

666
00:49:09,160 --> 00:49:17,120
relates to what people put into the dump
I'll call them the dumpsters, okay?

667
00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:22,200
Behind the um health department and the
fire, those will be taken to where where

668
00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:25,080
the recycling go?
>> It's Let me ask Maryland Environmental

669
00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:29,320
» Right.
>> Services doing it. I don't know what

670
00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:31,600
facility they take them to.
>> 100% guaranteed that it's recycled.

671
00:49:31,040 --> 00:49:36,160
Right.
>> Yeah, but the the

672
00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:39,920
uh two contractors that we're speaking
of here, uh

673
00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:41,080
Bates and um
uh

674
00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:42,560
» MBG.
>> MBG.

675
00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:46,200
» Right.
>> Uh

676
00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:50,480
they take it to the Western Shore.
There's a um

677
00:49:47,720 --> 00:49:57,280
Waste Management has a recycle facility
there. And I do know that

678
00:49:53,680 --> 00:50:02,840
uh Waste Management uh has little
tighter restriction

679
00:49:59,880 --> 00:50:07,720
and they can turn down loads that are
brought in uh

680
00:50:05,120 --> 00:50:15,200
to the point that
they'll charge the hauler $1,000 for

681
00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:19,040
Plus
they're going to load it up and give it

682
00:50:16,600 --> 00:50:22,800
back to the hauler and then they have to
take it to the landfill and pay those

683
00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:24,880
charges.
>> Right.

684
00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:29,960
» The tipping fees as well.
>> So, the cleanest process back to

685
00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:34,520
um what Fred had said that the best
clean way to do it is just having these

686
00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:37,520
dumpsters so we know that it's getting
recycled. Am I characterizing that

687
00:50:36,840 --> 00:50:39,240
correctly?
>> Exactly right.

688
00:50:37,880 --> 00:50:43,080
» So, I think just given all the
information, I mean, I would agree from

689
00:50:41,280 --> 00:50:45,920
that perspective to support that
approach.

690
00:50:44,200 --> 00:50:48,000
» And can I just make the motion again?
>> Yeah. And

691
00:50:46,480 --> 00:50:49,400
» I got I got something first.
>> Yeah. Just yeah.

692
00:50:49,060 --> 00:50:52,600
» [laughter]
>> Yard waste.

693
00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:56,680
How
can you do you we have a figure of how

694
00:50:54,560 --> 00:50:59,000
many tons that we use
yard waste do Where do we take the yard

695
00:50:58,440 --> 00:51:03,640
waste?
>> We take care of the

696
00:51:01,000 --> 00:51:06,440
a contractor collects it for us. We take
care of it in house and it's ground up.

697
00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:09,200
» Okay.
>> Um

698
00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:13,600
tonnage-wise,
when

699
00:51:10,520 --> 00:51:19,040
we were able to take it to Baker's, the
nearest facility that was taking it,

700
00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:22,440
yes, we could tell you how many tons we
did.

701
00:51:19,640 --> 00:51:25,040
» But at at this point, we don't
it's not ran across the scale or

702
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:27,800
anything.
>> Right. Because it give it out to the the

703
00:51:26,960 --> 00:51:30,240
farm, right?
>> Yeah.

704
00:51:28,960 --> 00:51:36,560
» How many
has Do any other towns do yard waste?

705
00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:40,240
» Um yes.
Um I didn't look that up, but um

706
00:51:38,720 --> 00:51:44,240
» That's why I'm just saying thinking
Yeah, there are some other $13.

707
00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:47,400
» And that's
our current contract

708
00:51:46,520 --> 00:51:52,880
um
for the yard waste is like we're still

709
00:51:50,520 --> 00:51:56,320
in the terms of the contract. I think
we've had two or three years on that.

710
00:51:56,480 --> 00:52:02,520
» I'd like to find out who else does What
other towns do it?

711
00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:06,080
» And I think some of them like I can't
remember which town sweeps them out in

712
00:52:04,760 --> 00:52:10,560
the street and then they come by with
the vac truck.

713
00:52:08,040 --> 00:52:15,240
Um and those are just leaves cuz a lot
yeah yeah just leaves. So I agree so

714
00:52:13,400 --> 00:52:20,400
when the future comes up on that you
know discussion but I think a lot of you

715
00:52:17,800 --> 00:52:24,120
can speak to this as far as people when
that discussion happens they're cleaning

716
00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:28,280
their yard they're putting the sticks
out. I think that's a real benefit that

717
00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:32,200
I think a lot of people in the town and
we can always pull it or I get some feel

718
00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:36,880
for it but there's a lot there's a lot
more than leaves I think than people use

719
00:52:34,600 --> 00:52:41,200
um that yard waste when that period is
open.

720
00:52:39,240 --> 00:52:44,960
» And didn't the town used to pick it up
didn't we used to pick it up right?

721
00:52:42,920 --> 00:52:48,160
» We used to pick it up ourself.
>> Okay.

722
00:52:45,360 --> 00:52:50,720
» Um but it had gotten to the point that
um

723
00:52:49,440 --> 00:52:54,000
people were putting that stuff in well
the town staff

724
00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:58,240
was
it was taking them three days to collect

725
00:52:56,200 --> 00:53:03,240
it. Um
and we didn't have time for

726
00:53:01,120 --> 00:53:06,360
you know the repairs that need to be
done maintenance on other stuff. And

727
00:53:05,720 --> 00:53:09,920
that's probably
>> water leak and then on a Monday you

728
00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:13,480
don't get your yard waste picked up and
then it had to be the next

729
00:53:10,840 --> 00:53:17,800
» Right that did cause a a lot of angst
with the

730
00:53:14,520 --> 00:53:21,800
» What's the number for annual yard waste?
How much do we pay?

731
00:53:19,280 --> 00:53:24,840
» It's It's actually in here.
>> $13 I'm just trying to find

732
00:53:23,160 --> 00:53:27,840
» I'm talking about the total.
>> Oh.

733
00:53:25,640 --> 00:53:27,840
Oh.

734
00:53:28,280 --> 00:53:30,800
26

735
00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:35,000
» Yeah.
>> 27

736
00:53:33,680 --> 00:53:39,080
» 27,000
>> Yeah it's like 27,000 annually.

737
00:53:37,360 --> 00:53:42,360
» Okay.
Wait when I when Kip and I had a we had

738
00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:43,760
a great meeting
Yeah.

739
00:53:43,240 --> 00:53:47,280
» Go ahead, Pat.
>> Can I make my comment on the yard waste?

740
00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:51,280
There's another option for all
residents. I've never put yard waste out

741
00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:55,840
on the street. I've always taken it
every two or three weeks. Yeah, I have a

742
00:53:53,560 --> 00:54:01,960
pickup truck, not everybody does. I take
it out to the county landfill and I pick

743
00:53:58,680 --> 00:54:05,960
up a you know a a booklet at Ace
Hardware and give them a ticket every

744
00:54:03,920 --> 00:54:10,240
time I go. So, that's how I dispose of
my yard waste. So, there's another

745
00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:13,800
option with that. But, at least with the
current budget with what's projected,

746
00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:17,880
that cost will not go up for the
citizens. I'm just concerned about you

747
00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:25,080
know with the recycling, if there is in
fact another option to try to you know

748
00:54:21,880 --> 00:54:30,640
save the the the local residents
that is very significant, over $30

749
00:54:27,600 --> 00:54:35,800
increase per month on the recycling. And
I think we all have to recognize

750
00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:40,000
you know that a lot of the people rather
than taking it to the distribution

751
00:54:37,560 --> 00:54:43,400
locations, which I'll be doing and I
hope and I want to encourage everybody

752
00:54:41,440 --> 00:54:47,960
else to do that. But, I'm sure a lot of
folks will just end up putting that the

753
00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:53,400
what what was being recycled into their
normal garbage. And and as we know

754
00:54:51,720 --> 00:54:57,240
unfortunately
for the last several months or year,

755
00:54:55,040 --> 00:55:01,840
it's been you know taken to garbage
anyway and rather than being recycled.

756
00:54:59,320 --> 00:55:07,000
But, so some of it may go there, but I
think if the town can put out you know

757
00:55:05,200 --> 00:55:11,080
some really effective communication
about encouraging people to take it to

758
00:55:09,800 --> 00:55:16,840
these distribution you know the
recycling to the distribution locations.

759
00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:21,400
You know for the betterment of
of

760
00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:26,040
you know our ecology, but also
you know

761
00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:30,960
as a way to save their
their expense. You know rather than

762
00:55:28,440 --> 00:55:33,320
increasing the rates. So, I know we've
had a

763
00:55:31,720 --> 00:55:38,760
fairly broad discussion. I'm glad we
have. I thought it was important for the

764
00:55:34,880 --> 00:55:38,760
recycling. But,

765
00:55:39,280 --> 00:55:47,240
I would just suggest, you know, if we do
decide to go forward uh, with with

766
00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:51,400
without adding the recycling process,
uh, and we uh,

767
00:55:49,320 --> 00:55:56,920
just do a very effective communication
from the town out to the public in

768
00:55:54,200 --> 00:56:01,920
multiple media about uh, you know, that
process for them to drop it off and the

769
00:55:58,680 --> 00:56:01,920
importance of doing that.

770
00:56:02,153 --> 00:56:05,600
» [clears throat]
>> Yeah, I totally agree with that

771
00:56:04,200 --> 00:56:09,320
communication. It should be on the
website as well. So, people when you're

772
00:56:07,680 --> 00:56:15,200
going, you're trying to understand like
how do I dispose of things, trash, then

773
00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:18,520
it's there on the website, easy to find,
as well as quarterly update, whatever,

774
00:56:16,920 --> 00:56:22,560
just so people are aware because people
forget or they come, they go,

775
00:56:20,920 --> 00:56:24,840
um, just so they're aware of just their
opportunities to recycle if they'd like

776
00:56:24,360 --> 00:56:28,800
to
>> recycle.

777
00:56:25,680 --> 00:56:35,040
» And it's currently the we've always kept
stuff on the website that tells what can

778
00:56:32,040 --> 00:56:38,800
be recycled, what can't be.
You know.

779
00:56:35,720 --> 00:56:42,280
» Now they're advertising it on TV. Yeah,
now you know, pizza box if it got grease

780
00:56:40,600 --> 00:56:44,680
on top, you throw it throw this part
away and throw this part in the

781
00:56:43,320 --> 00:56:49,000
recycling.
>> So, when is the current contract up for

782
00:56:48,240 --> 00:56:52,360
» June 30th.
>> trash?

783
00:56:49,680 --> 00:56:56,400
» For the trash? Yeah, June 30th is our
last day.

784
00:56:53,960 --> 00:57:00,920
» So, we have time to put if we go the
route of the

785
00:56:58,760 --> 00:57:04,000
recycling things, we can put it out on
on the on social media and we make them

786
00:57:03,320 --> 00:57:06,560
aware of
>> Yeah.

787
00:57:04,920 --> 00:57:08,200
» Yeah, make a decision what you want to
do.

788
00:57:07,240 --> 00:57:09,240
» Yeah, I just want to make sure we have
time

789
00:57:08,800 --> 00:57:12,080
» Yeah.
>> to let the residents know if we go that

790
00:57:11,400 --> 00:57:14,400
route.
>> Mhm.

791
00:57:12,680 --> 00:57:19,320
» And then once we make once you guys make
the decision, I'll update the budget for

792
00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:23,240
the second reading just to adjust. It's
not going to change the bottom line,

793
00:57:21,800 --> 00:57:26,320
it'll just change the revenue and the
expense. But, I'll have that on the next

794
00:57:25,200 --> 00:57:30,880
for the second reading.
>> All right. Jeff, can I just Kim, and I

795
00:57:28,240 --> 00:57:35,640
appreciate most people I didn't
understand that what the water bill

796
00:57:32,400 --> 00:57:40,000
entails. It's just not water a kit and
this is this is a great eye-opener for

797
00:57:37,520 --> 00:57:44,680
me. Besides the solid waste we're
getting rid of cycle the yard trash, the

798
00:57:42,360 --> 00:57:48,320
sewer, but also there's a mandate from
the state kit that most people don't

799
00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:54,400
know that you have to include in that
bill and we have to pay. So this isn't

800
00:57:51,720 --> 00:57:58,600
all local asking for money or
Okay. This is from the state as well. So

801
00:57:56,920 --> 00:58:01,920
that water bill and that might be
something we put out when you put out

802
00:58:00,480 --> 00:58:06,000
this announcement I was going to do it.
Hey look at your water bill consists of

803
00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:08,120
more than just water cuz I think I
didn't understand it Kip until you

804
00:58:07,320 --> 00:58:10,400
explained it to me.
>> Yeah, we can do that again.

805
00:58:09,800 --> 00:58:13,840
» Yeah.
>> And that's important.

806
00:58:11,920 --> 00:58:17,080
» Right.
>> You want the motion now or okay.

807
00:58:16,840 --> 00:58:18,600
My
>> So there'll be two different ones,

808
00:58:18,160 --> 00:58:20,160
right?
>> Yeah, I'm giving you number two.

809
00:58:19,720 --> 00:58:23,480
» Okay.
>> All right.

810
00:58:20,720 --> 00:58:27,440
» Are we doing recycle right now?
>> Yeah, we're going to do the whole thing.

811
00:58:25,520 --> 00:58:32,760
I'm going to say I make a motion to
award the municipal curbside solid waste

812
00:58:30,120 --> 00:58:36,200
collection contract without curbside
recycling

813
00:58:34,280 --> 00:58:40,600
to the BTT
LLC in the amount of $363,864.60

814
00:58:42,200 --> 00:58:47,440
per year for a 3-year term. Is that all
right?

815
00:58:45,120 --> 00:58:49,840
» And then the other motion for the MES
dumpsters on the other

816
00:58:49,200 --> 00:58:51,320
» Okay, you want
>> Recycling.

817
00:58:50,200 --> 00:58:52,720
» You want to do one at a time you want to
add that on?

818
00:58:51,760 --> 00:58:55,280
» I want one at a time.
>> One at a time exactly.

819
00:58:53,600 --> 00:58:58,440
» Okay, I got the motion.
>> I second that motion.

820
00:58:59,000 --> 00:59:01,840
» All in favor.
>> Aye.

821
00:59:00,680 --> 00:59:05,200
» Aye.
>> Aye.

822
00:59:02,960 --> 00:59:05,200
» Aye.

823
00:59:05,560 --> 00:59:08,920
» Does someone else want to do the MES?
>> Or you want me to do the MES?

824
00:59:07,880 --> 00:59:12,040
» Go ahead. Go ahead.
>> Cuz I can't find it.

825
00:59:09,960 --> 00:59:16,480
» You can do the MES if you want.
>> Uh I make a motion that we go with the

826
00:59:14,000 --> 00:59:20,000
MES. Kip make sure I word this right. A
kind offer. Okay, supply us with Okay,

827
00:59:19,720 --> 00:59:24,720
thank you.
>> Yeah, number two. Yep.

828
00:59:22,280 --> 00:59:29,840
» Uh I make a motion to allow the MES to
set set recycling at the water tower

829
00:59:27,360 --> 00:59:33,800
behind the firehouse on Powell Street at
no cost to the town.

830
00:59:32,960 --> 00:59:37,240
Sorry.
Got their attention.

831
00:59:34,680 --> 00:59:38,760
» I second that motion.
>> All in favor, say I.

832
00:59:38,440 --> 00:59:40,200
» I.
>> I.

833
00:59:39,240 --> 00:59:43,080
» I.
>> I.

834
00:59:40,840 --> 00:59:45,200
» Okay. Yep.
All right.

835
00:59:46,480 --> 00:59:48,480
Thank you, Jeff.
>> Mhm.

836
00:59:47,880 --> 00:59:50,840
» Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.

837
00:59:49,440 --> 00:59:55,040
» Jeff, can I just say
Kip made me aware of something. This is

838
00:59:52,240 --> 00:59:57,760
tied directly to the water sewer bill.
We have two water Kip, if I say

839
00:59:56,720 --> 00:59:59,880
something wrong, you tell me. These are
from the notes. We have two water towers

840
00:59:59,680 --> 01:00:02,800
in town.
>> Bring that up around round table.

841
01:00:01,560 --> 01:00:05,240
» You want to do it around table? Okay.
You're fine.

842
01:00:03,800 --> 01:00:10,840
» Yep.
>> Next is uh new business.

843
01:00:08,640 --> 01:00:16,440
The first one is 4-2026
is the budget the first reading.

844
01:00:13,120 --> 01:00:21,280
And Karen Luffman, the finance officer.
>> So, I'll just quickly overview um

845
01:00:19,560 --> 01:00:26,760
the changes from the previous work
session. So, what's included now would

846
01:00:23,840 --> 01:00:32,840
be the four general fund capital request
in the amount of 78,120.

847
01:00:29,600 --> 01:00:37,440
We did change the QACTV line in the
general fund to account for um

848
01:00:35,960 --> 01:00:41,800
there's extra charges when we have the
Zoom meetings. And so, to do that we had

849
01:00:39,880 --> 01:00:45,640
already been over the current year's
budget, so we added a little bit more to

850
01:00:43,680 --> 01:00:50,000
cover for next year.
Um with those changes, the current fund

851
01:00:47,960 --> 01:00:55,240
balance summary has a surplus in the
general fund of 51,516

852
01:00:52,320 --> 01:00:59,120
and the enterprise fund has a surplus of
6,685.

853
01:00:57,200 --> 01:01:02,320
Both funds remain in a positive
position. And then next week when I

854
01:01:01,200 --> 01:01:05,120
bring you the second reading, I'll
adjust the the trash and recycling.

855
01:01:04,400 --> 01:01:07,240
» Yeah, please.
>> And for

856
01:01:06,520 --> 01:01:10,240
» Yes.
>> 2,000.

857
01:01:08,320 --> 01:01:14,800
» The two Yeah, which is already actually
the updated line in your donations line

858
01:01:13,000 --> 01:01:16,120
is it's already accounted for.
>> It shows not.

859
01:01:15,720 --> 01:01:17,640
» Mhm.
>> Oh, okay.

860
01:01:16,680 --> 01:01:19,440
» Yeah, we you guys have
>> Oh, it's just the allocation of it.

861
01:01:18,960 --> 01:01:21,320
Sorry.
>> Right. It's just yep.

862
01:01:20,720 --> 01:01:25,360
» Got you. Yep.
>> Thank you.

863
01:01:22,600 --> 01:01:25,360
Anything, Fred?

864
01:01:26,080 --> 01:01:34,280
» No, I'm I'm comfortable.
>> Okay.

865
01:01:29,680 --> 01:01:34,280
All right. Next is ordinance 6-2026.

866
01:01:34,560 --> 01:01:38,920
Short-term short-term rental moratorium.
>> You skipped one.

867
01:01:38,400 --> 01:01:44,360
» Skipped one?
>> Oh, I'm sorry. Ordinance 5-2026

868
01:01:42,480 --> 01:01:49,680
amending planning commission membership,
first reading.

869
01:01:46,040 --> 01:01:49,680
Sponsored by the council president.

870
01:01:50,440 --> 01:01:56,960
This is an ordinance of the town council
of Centreville to amend the provisions

871
01:01:54,240 --> 01:02:00,840
of chapter 20, article 5 of the town
code related to the town Centreville

872
01:01:58,720 --> 01:02:03,840
planning and zoning commission.
Um so we'll have the second reading next

873
01:02:02,760 --> 01:02:06,240
meeting.
>> No.

874
01:02:04,560 --> 01:02:09,640
» In the next meeting, right?
>> Um

875
01:02:07,520 --> 01:02:12,000
we'll have a Yeah, second reading. We
don't have This one is not ready for a

876
01:02:11,400 --> 01:02:13,400
public hearing.
>> We asked questions in this one.

877
01:02:13,040 --> 01:02:16,680
» Sure.
>> Oh,

878
01:02:14,280 --> 01:02:18,960
uh I just have my notes here. Why? Why
do we go to Why do we want to go to

879
01:02:17,960 --> 01:02:20,000
eight to five? Can I just
>> Yeah.

880
01:02:19,400 --> 01:02:26,120
» So what are the reasons?
>> Well, I I I can cuz it actually I am the

881
01:02:23,320 --> 01:02:30,280
one who brought it up. We have an issue
sometimes with um

882
01:02:28,840 --> 01:02:34,160
all the planning commission members
being there. We attended a county

883
01:02:32,200 --> 01:02:39,000
planning commission meeting a few months
ago and there were five members there

884
01:02:36,600 --> 01:02:43,760
and I thought, "Ooh,
you know? So I brought it up to the

885
01:02:41,520 --> 01:02:48,280
planning commission chair.
Um I brought it up to our council

886
01:02:45,680 --> 01:02:54,280
president. I spoke to Sandy as the
liaison to the planning commission. Um

887
01:02:51,760 --> 01:02:58,560
and I also last night spoke to the whole
planning commission. Everyone was in

888
01:02:56,000 --> 01:03:00,800
favor and thought that it was a it was a
good idea to

889
01:02:59,760 --> 01:03:04,800
» Everybody likes the idea.
>> Yeah. Yep.

890
01:03:03,400 --> 01:03:08,360
And still
um it still has the two alternates on it

891
01:03:07,440 --> 01:03:12,400
as well, so
>> Okay.

892
01:03:10,320 --> 01:03:16,880
All right. Now
ordinance 6-2026

893
01:03:14,400 --> 01:03:20,360
short-term rentals moratorium, first
reading, sponsored by Council President

894
01:03:18,800 --> 01:03:24,400
Kaiser.
This is an ordinance of the town as town

895
01:03:22,760 --> 01:03:29,120
council of Centerville adopting a
temporary moratorium on the application

896
01:03:26,840 --> 01:03:35,080
for approval of construction of
expansion of

897
01:03:30,960 --> 01:03:39,360
processing of or issuance of any
Board of Appeals building permit, any

898
01:03:36,800 --> 01:03:42,320
zoning certificate application for
any

899
01:03:40,560 --> 01:03:45,000
I'm assuming this is boarding houses,
not boating houses. Have you read this

900
01:03:44,400 --> 01:03:46,560
» Oh, okay.
>> Thanks.

901
01:03:45,840 --> 01:03:51,200
» For
>> boarding houses, bed and breakfasts,

902
01:03:49,480 --> 01:03:56,040
and any short-term rentals and pending
consideration and adoption of a revised

903
01:03:53,840 --> 01:04:00,560
zoning ordinance provisions as the town
council may consider advisable.

904
01:03:59,440 --> 01:04:03,520
And that's the first
>> here if you have any questions.

905
01:04:02,274 --> 01:04:06,360
» [laughter]
>> It's It's boarding houses, Peter, not

906
01:04:05,520 --> 01:04:08,200
boating houses.
>> He's not the one who wrote who typed

907
01:04:07,960 --> 01:04:10,680
that.
>> the typo.

908
01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:17,360
» I got it. Peter, I have a question about
the the the overall intent of that

909
01:04:16,360 --> 01:04:24,600
ordinance,
uh because we don't have any hotels

910
01:04:22,040 --> 01:04:28,680
or motels in the area, and I don't know
if if

911
01:04:26,200 --> 01:04:34,160
this is or or if an unintended
consequence would be reducing

912
01:04:31,400 --> 01:04:41,160
uh short-term rentals or or or
lower-income rentals for folks that

913
01:04:37,760 --> 01:04:46,680
may not yet have found a permanent
residence. I just I was just curious to

914
01:04:43,720 --> 01:04:53,520
get a better sense of the overall intent
of this, and if there may be some

915
01:04:49,520 --> 01:05:01,040
uh undesired uh unintended consequences.
>> So, the intent of this is simply to give

916
01:04:58,320 --> 01:05:06,000
the Planning Commission time to put
together a comprehensive

917
01:05:03,400 --> 01:05:12,680
ordinance regulating short-term rentals.
Our current process is

918
01:05:08,600 --> 01:05:18,160
very very vague. Um it was created over
10 years ago when short-term rentals

919
01:05:15,240 --> 01:05:23,760
were just starting to become a thing and
we're starting to have more people apply

920
01:05:20,880 --> 01:05:29,360
for short-term rentals. Um, in this
calendar year, we have had

921
01:05:26,800 --> 01:05:35,320
four short-term rentals.
Um, one of them did not have to apply

922
01:05:31,320 --> 01:05:38,480
because it was in a uh, commercial zone
and so they they had to get a zoning

923
01:05:37,040 --> 01:05:43,040
certificate, but they did not have to
get the special exception because it was

924
01:05:40,480 --> 01:05:47,040
an allowed use. So, that leaves three
that, um,

925
01:05:45,200 --> 01:05:51,160
had to go through the special exception
process.

926
01:05:48,520 --> 01:05:55,720
And as that process has played out, um,
if if you read that part of the code,

927
01:05:53,680 --> 01:06:04,720
you know, there's there's like five or
six criteria that are very, very easy to

928
01:05:59,320 --> 01:06:11,520
meet. Um, and in the modern times of,
uh, short-term rentals, the planning

929
01:06:07,000 --> 01:06:15,880
commission strongly feels that, uh, a
moratorium should happen while we

930
01:06:13,360 --> 01:06:20,440
consider over, you know, we're we're
planning on having this completed within

931
01:06:17,760 --> 01:06:23,480
a 6-month period, um, you know, kind of
a comprehensive, uh, short-term rental

932
01:06:22,680 --> 01:06:30,080
plan.
>> And this is also to do we're also

933
01:06:26,720 --> 01:06:33,080
creating a rental registry and a rental
property

934
01:06:33,840 --> 01:06:39,160
um, ordinate or well
>> Yeah.

935
01:06:36,960 --> 01:06:43,680
» guidelines as well as part of this.
>> Right. So, so it it's all kind of meant

936
01:06:41,720 --> 01:06:47,200
to be a comprehensive thing to really
just align our code into the 21st

937
01:06:45,760 --> 01:06:51,040
century. Um,
you know, I I agree that it I personally

938
01:06:49,520 --> 01:06:56,680
agree that it needs to happen as a
zoning administrator. Um, it needs to be

939
01:06:53,800 --> 01:07:00,280
a a plan that works. It needs to be
moved out of the special exception

940
01:06:58,400 --> 01:07:05,000
process. Um, you know, when when
everything that comes in for a certain

941
01:07:02,640 --> 01:07:08,760
special exception is super vague and
they essentially have to approve it,

942
01:07:06,720 --> 01:07:13,840
that process is broken.
Um so, you know, I'm in favor of this as

943
01:07:11,240 --> 01:07:18,440
well and I think at the end of it we can
have, you know, a good thing and like

944
01:07:16,360 --> 01:07:23,080
you said, Fred, we don't have hotels. I
think short-term rentals can and should

945
01:07:20,360 --> 01:07:28,160
be a part of the strategy of this town.
Um it just needs to be thoughtfully

946
01:07:25,120 --> 01:07:30,560
considered and uh amended.
>> So, you're basically asking for 6

947
01:07:29,520 --> 01:07:34,520
months.
Just to figure this out.

948
01:07:32,720 --> 01:07:38,080
That's That's all this is asking for.
>> and I think um

949
01:07:36,040 --> 01:07:42,480
because I I think it can be done in 6
months here. I don't think it's that

950
01:07:41,000 --> 01:07:48,680
I think there's some good models that we
have again close to us to look at. Um

951
01:07:46,080 --> 01:07:52,040
I know um Rockport, I think, has had to
do it because they have a lot of

952
01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:56,720
short-term rentals there as it relates
to their boat traffic. So, I think we've

953
01:07:54,040 --> 01:08:00,240
got some good examples that Peter can um
look at and it's been a discussion of

954
01:07:58,240 --> 01:08:03,840
towns and it's really not become a
problem. It's just we don't have a good

955
01:08:02,080 --> 01:08:07,040
process. That's really what it is. It's
not It's not like we're overrun by them,

956
01:08:05,720 --> 01:08:11,000
but we want to get in front of it
basically and just have a good process.

957
01:08:09,000 --> 01:08:14,680
» Yes.
>> So, this um the council would need to

958
01:08:13,200 --> 01:08:18,440
make a recommendation to the planning
commission or not a recommendation,

959
01:08:16,799 --> 01:08:20,160
forward to the planning commission for
review.

960
01:08:19,080 --> 01:08:22,839
» All right, we're going to forward it to
the planning commission for review.

961
01:08:22,319 --> 01:08:25,880
How's that?
>> Good, Jeff.

962
01:08:25,080 --> 01:08:27,200
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

963
01:08:26,560 --> 01:08:29,720
» Thank you, Peter.
>> Thank you, Peter.

964
01:08:31,680 --> 01:08:37,240
» Next is the summer meeting schedule.
>> We're going to cancel all the meetings

965
01:08:36,160 --> 01:08:40,720
for summer.
>> That's fine with

966
01:08:39,080 --> 01:08:45,120
You're not going to fight us.
So, this is a yearly thing that we

967
01:08:44,440 --> 01:08:48,440
What's that?
>> On the on-call meeting list?

968
01:08:46,480 --> 01:08:51,279
» On-call meeting list, yeah.
Um so, this is a yearly

969
01:08:50,520 --> 01:08:56,040
um
decision the council makes. Um you

970
01:08:54,080 --> 01:09:00,720
there's typically one meeting in the
months of definitely in the months of

971
01:08:58,440 --> 01:09:05,400
August or July and August. Sometimes,
depending on the budget process, whether

972
01:09:03,319 --> 01:09:11,200
there's a second one in
June or not. So, right now,

973
01:09:09,640 --> 01:09:14,520
um
the we definitely have our first

974
01:09:12,759 --> 01:09:18,680
meeting. That's when our public hearing
is scheduled for the budget. Um the

975
01:09:16,920 --> 01:09:23,240
first meeting in June.
The second meeting is June 18th, which

976
01:09:20,600 --> 01:09:26,200
is the day after we come back from MML.
Um

977
01:09:24,839 --> 01:09:29,759
and
um

978
01:09:27,120 --> 01:09:34,160
July July 2nd is our town fireworks, so
we obviously don't we won't have a

979
01:09:31,560 --> 01:09:38,759
meeting that night. July 16th would be
our normal

980
01:09:35,560 --> 01:09:44,680
um third Thursday.
And then August 6th or August 20th for

981
01:09:42,200 --> 01:09:49,920
um as a decision and whether you want to
do

982
01:09:45,759 --> 01:09:49,920
the second meeting in June or not.

983
01:09:50,120 --> 01:09:55,200
And then
um

984
01:09:52,680 --> 01:09:58,480
whether you want to go with July 16th or
one of the other dates.

985
01:10:00,760 --> 01:10:03,440
» June.

986
01:10:03,960 --> 01:10:10,480
June 18th we need
Do the June 18th if we need it, if

987
01:10:07,560 --> 01:10:14,640
something comes up. If we have to.
Are you all right with that?

988
01:10:12,600 --> 01:10:17,400
If we I mean if I don't see anything
pressing, if there's something pressing

989
01:10:16,280 --> 01:10:20,680
we have to have a meeting, we have to
call a meeting.

990
01:10:18,960 --> 01:10:25,400
» Well, my comment would be because I I
thank you as far as for MML cuz I know

991
01:10:23,400 --> 01:10:28,200
Fred and I are going to MML.
>> And we have Yeah, we have all our staff

992
01:10:27,960 --> 01:10:33,160
are
>> as far as staff, so I again being

993
01:10:30,920 --> 01:10:37,520
sensitive to that cuz staff put together
things for us and we have to like

994
01:10:35,640 --> 01:10:42,040
appreciate them and make certain we
don't like put bear, you know, we want

995
01:10:39,520 --> 01:10:47,120
them to enjoy the conference and not be
working at the same time. So, my

996
01:10:44,640 --> 01:10:52,400
recommendation would be um
to do it on June 25th, not do it on the

997
01:10:50,440 --> 01:10:55,000
18th, but move it to the following
Thursday if it's available for people's

998
01:10:54,280 --> 01:10:58,440
calendars. Of course.
>> Yeah, there there was I did check with

999
01:10:56,600 --> 01:11:06,000
the county and there is a potential
conflict um for this. I also send this

1000
01:11:03,040 --> 01:11:10,120
to um
President Kaiser today just to see cuz I

1001
01:11:08,640 --> 01:11:14,720
know with her work schedule if any of
these dates were a conflict. Um

1002
01:11:12,840 --> 01:11:19,164
» And I got a conflict with the 25th, so
>> Her her recommendation was cancel the

1003
01:11:16,880 --> 01:11:20,640
second meeting in June and then do July
[clears throat] 16th.

1004
01:11:20,120 --> 01:11:24,480
» we have to
>> Yeah, and if we have to, we we can we

1005
01:11:23,000 --> 01:11:28,840
could do it.
Um and then

1006
01:11:25,560 --> 01:11:32,400
July 16th and then whatever in August.
>> Can I Can I add

1007
01:11:30,280 --> 01:11:35,600
You guys work that out. Could we also at
sometime have a discussion on meeting

1008
01:11:34,360 --> 01:11:40,480
times?
Could we sometime discuss I'd like to

1009
01:11:37,640 --> 01:11:43,760
see the meetings move from 7:00 to 6:00
and if for a couple reasons. I mean just

1010
01:11:42,040 --> 01:11:47,800
just be talking out loud and that
Uh citizens

1011
01:11:45,560 --> 01:11:50,400
People get off work 4:30 to 5:00 and
people say to me, "Fred, I'd love to

1012
01:11:49,040 --> 01:11:54,480
come to the meetings, but what happens
now? I get home

1013
01:11:52,360 --> 01:11:58,240
and I take off my shoes and, you know,
once the shoes hit the floor, I ain't

1014
01:11:56,040 --> 01:12:02,240
going anymore type philosophy. But if we
had 6:00 like the Board of Ed, like the

1015
01:12:00,160 --> 01:12:06,000
library boards at Restell
uh

1016
01:12:03,640 --> 01:12:09,120
then they'd be over earlier, but for
citizens, I think you'd more likely to

1017
01:12:07,400 --> 01:12:12,720
get some people. I haven't got any proof
of that. We can do some type of survey.

1018
01:12:10,800 --> 01:12:17,040
Also, I think for staff
I mean, sometimes I think the staff

1019
01:12:14,880 --> 01:12:19,280
I mean, these meetings go on late.
>> Some of them, yes.

1020
01:12:17,680 --> 01:12:22,840
» Yeah, some of them, not all of them. And
some of the staff, why not consider and

1021
01:12:20,960 --> 01:12:27,400
this is something you how you work out
the agenda, but we could consider

1022
01:12:25,000 --> 01:12:31,000
uh going from 7:00 to 6:00. I think it
benefits citizens I think we get more

1023
01:12:28,840 --> 01:12:35,320
citizens here and I think it'd certainly
be easier on my staff. Our staff that

1024
01:12:33,800 --> 01:12:39,360
have to stay here sometimes 8:00 or
9:00. And we can still get everything

1025
01:12:37,160 --> 01:12:42,280
done and just an hour earlier.
Anyway, for discussion, if you could put

1026
01:12:40,880 --> 01:12:45,200
it on the agenda somehow.
>> We'll discuss it, yeah.

1027
01:12:47,040 --> 01:12:52,000
So, you're going to get what So, let me
just

1028
01:12:49,280 --> 01:12:56,120
» So, right now cancel June 18th unless
for some reason we need it um if

1029
01:12:54,360 --> 01:13:01,360
something comes up.
Uh July 16th and then

1030
01:12:59,680 --> 01:13:06,080
if we
um

1031
01:13:03,320 --> 01:13:10,440
and then either August 6th or the 20th.
I don't know if people have you know if

1032
01:13:08,320 --> 01:13:13,720
one day works better if people have if
any of you have vacation scheduled or

1033
01:13:13,160 --> 01:13:15,680
huh?
>> August 6th

1034
01:13:14,600 --> 01:13:19,560
» August 6th
>> Okay. Everybody's okay with that.

1035
01:13:17,160 --> 01:13:23,320
» Yeah, mine's open. I don't know. Again,
but she's

1036
01:13:20,800 --> 01:13:25,680
» She's not.
>> I don't think Kaia's your schedule. I

1037
01:13:24,720 --> 01:13:30,040
don't know her schedule.
>> She's She said it either date in August

1038
01:13:27,920 --> 01:13:36,560
worked for her. She it didn't Yeah,
either date. Fred, do you have um

1039
01:13:33,600 --> 01:13:43,240
Do you Do you have any um conflicts with
any of the dates?

1040
01:13:39,680 --> 01:13:49,000
» August 6th, I'm okay with. July
16th, I'm okay with.

1041
01:13:45,880 --> 01:13:53,200
And in June, when would we be meeting?
>> June would be except for the first

1042
01:13:50,880 --> 01:13:56,240
meeting in June, we would cancel the
second meeting.

1043
01:13:54,920 --> 01:14:00,880
» So the first meeting would be on the
June 11th?

1044
01:13:58,160 --> 01:14:04,240
» June 4th.
>> I'm sorry, June 4th the first Okay.

1045
01:14:03,080 --> 01:14:06,760
» Yep.
>> Um

1046
01:14:07,800 --> 01:14:12,200
Yeah,
that works for me. I've got a dentist

1047
01:14:10,600 --> 01:14:17,200
appointment but that that's not going to
interfere.

1048
01:14:14,600 --> 01:14:19,640
» All right.
All right.

1049
01:14:18,400 --> 01:14:24,720
Anything else?
>> Next is reports of boards and

1050
01:14:21,080 --> 01:14:29,080
commissions, Maryland Municipal League.
>> That's Ashley.

1051
01:14:25,800 --> 01:14:35,080
» Ashley. She's not here so no report.
Council of Governments is next Wednesday

1052
01:14:32,480 --> 01:14:40,600
in Queen Anne.
So I have no report.

1053
01:14:37,080 --> 01:14:44,640
Economic Development Fred
>> Yeah, just uh very quickly

1054
01:14:42,600 --> 01:14:49,440
uh I'm happy to announce that after all
the uh months of recruiting our folks

1055
01:14:47,920 --> 01:14:54,400
and getting them uh
uh sworn in. At the last meeting, we we

1056
01:14:51,840 --> 01:14:57,160
did have our first CED meeting
uh Central Economic Development

1057
01:14:55,520 --> 01:15:01,640
Authority meeting uh
uh about a week and a half ago, and that

1058
01:14:58,880 --> 01:15:09,160
went I think very well. Our next and the
first uh operating meeting will be

1059
01:15:05,240 --> 01:15:12,200
uh May 19th at 6:00 at The Wharf. So,
we're

1060
01:15:10,240 --> 01:15:17,200
uh looking forward to having everyone in
attendance at that, and that appears to

1061
01:15:14,440 --> 01:15:21,720
be uh a good time and date for uh
everybody to participate with that. So,

1062
01:15:20,360 --> 01:15:27,680
uh I'm happy that we're finally moving
forward and making progress, and lot lot

1063
01:15:24,200 --> 01:15:30,600
of really good feedback and comments
uh

1064
01:15:28,600 --> 01:15:35,320
with some ideas on how we can actually
be taking action, not just uh

1065
01:15:33,080 --> 01:15:40,640
be working on strategic plans, but
actually implementing them. So, we're

1066
01:15:37,400 --> 01:15:43,320
excited about that moving forward.
>> I'm going to I want to personally thank

1067
01:15:42,200 --> 01:15:47,280
you, too, because I've been on the
council for

1068
01:15:44,800 --> 01:15:51,360
This is my fifth year, and this is
probably the first time I heard a group

1069
01:15:49,320 --> 01:15:55,400
that's going to get together.
There There's been a lot of talk about

1070
01:15:53,480 --> 01:16:00,080
it, but no nothing ever any any
seriousness. So, thank you for all your

1071
01:15:57,560 --> 01:16:03,600
hard work on this.
>> You got it. My pleasure. It's uh I think

1072
01:16:02,280 --> 01:16:08,080
it's important for the community, and
I'm just real excited and enthusiastic

1073
01:16:05,960 --> 01:16:12,360
about the people that have agreed to uh
sign on for a 3-year term on this. So,

1074
01:16:10,680 --> 01:16:15,920
uh but thank you. I appreciate it.
>> Mhm. Yeah.

1075
01:16:14,200 --> 01:16:18,640
» The tree board I mean park advisory
board.

1076
01:16:16,480 --> 01:16:21,600
» Ms. Wendy, are you okay? Did you Is that
sling new from the meeting? You didn't

1077
01:16:20,640 --> 01:16:23,960
have that on
>> I

1078
01:16:22,160 --> 01:16:26,760
Well, I I saw the doctor
>> Oh.

1079
01:16:24,880 --> 01:16:29,200
Okay. Wendy's been kind enough to come
in and talk about Arbor Day, and I

1080
01:16:27,840 --> 01:16:32,720
apologize, Wendy, they couldn't get the
film the pictures up for some reason.

1081
01:16:30,760 --> 01:16:34,760
So, can you wing it?
Just tell them what we did. No pictures.

1082
01:16:34,040 --> 01:16:36,400
I apologize.
>> up front, though.

1083
01:16:35,440 --> 01:16:37,600
» Yeah, come on up.
>> Okay.

1084
01:16:37,240 --> 01:16:39,320
Um
>> Is your arm okay?

1085
01:16:38,920 --> 01:16:42,480
» Yeah, it's fine.
>> Okay. Great. Microphone right there.

1086
01:16:41,600 --> 01:16:48,000
Yeah.
>> Hello. Hi. Hi. Hi. Um so, we

1087
01:16:47,120 --> 01:16:54,000
» You can pick Yeah.
>> Okay. So, we um planted one uh winter

1088
01:16:51,440 --> 01:16:58,200
king hawthorn tree and four autumn
brilliant service berries down at the

1089
01:16:56,080 --> 01:17:03,560
Mill Street Park for Arbor Day. And it's
sort of phase one of a two-part plan

1090
01:17:01,400 --> 01:17:09,040
that we have. We put them right kind of
to delineate that northern border of the

1091
01:17:06,760 --> 01:17:13,000
park between the park and the What is
it? The funeral home? Yeah, so it

1092
01:17:11,400 --> 01:17:18,920
continues the existing tree lines and
sort of separates um the grassy area

1093
01:17:16,280 --> 01:17:24,760
from the the bush behind it. So, phase
two is going to be um

1094
01:17:21,400 --> 01:17:31,680
turning each of those five sort of uh
trees or large shrubs into the center of

1095
01:17:27,920 --> 01:17:35,560
an edibles area. So, each tree or shrub
service berries then going to have some

1096
01:17:33,240 --> 01:17:40,920
highbush and lowbush blueberries,
um maybe some a native viburnum, maybe

1097
01:17:38,480 --> 01:17:44,960
some chokeberry. Um but it will create
these different little groupings of

1098
01:17:42,680 --> 01:17:49,400
edibles that are both for wildlife and
people. Um and eventually they'll sort

1099
01:17:48,000 --> 01:17:53,240
of all grow into each other and be a
natural

1100
01:17:50,720 --> 01:17:57,520
area that people can come, wildlife can
come. So, the master We're working with

1101
01:17:55,120 --> 01:18:01,200
the master gardeners. Uh hopefully we'll
do a big volunteer project and we'll

1102
01:17:59,840 --> 01:18:05,880
come do the planting probably in the
fall. Um and Unity I I got a really good

1103
01:18:04,800 --> 01:18:10,960
price from Unity. We're getting
wholesale pricing. So, everything is

1104
01:18:07,720 --> 01:18:14,480
really affordable. Um and um the next
step is to see if they can hold every

1105
01:18:12,760 --> 01:18:17,800
all the plants and babysit them until
we're ready to plant in the fall.

1106
01:18:16,560 --> 01:18:20,280
That's that.
>> Great. That's great.

1107
01:18:18,960 --> 01:18:23,840
» And by the way, Carolyn's right on
Remember the the P A B asked me one

1108
01:18:22,720 --> 01:18:25,520
about the signs?
>> Yes.

1109
01:18:24,480 --> 01:18:27,720
» She's right on it.
>> Okay.

1110
01:18:26,280 --> 01:18:31,040
» She might Michael's already got the
information. And the other one is about

1111
01:18:29,320 --> 01:18:33,360
PR for the pavilion. Yeah.
>> Yeah.

1112
01:18:31,400 --> 01:18:37,000
» Right on it. So, you got the answers are
out there in cyberspace. Okay.

1113
01:18:34,600 --> 01:18:38,800
» Great. Awesome. Okay. Thanks. you.
>> you. Thanks for coming in.

1114
01:18:38,160 --> 01:18:41,520
» Thank you.
>> Mhm.

1115
01:18:39,520 --> 01:18:46,200
» Next Planning Commission.
>> Yes, last night's meeting

1116
01:18:43,960 --> 01:18:51,240
there was a giraffe that Peter presented
to the Planning Commission and for the

1117
01:18:48,760 --> 01:18:54,400
ADU language.
It was very thorough. There's a couple

1118
01:18:52,840 --> 01:18:58,160
things we need to look at but there
really wasn't a big discussion of any

1119
01:18:56,200 --> 01:19:01,520
edits and I think there's just some
things that we need to look at to make

1120
01:18:59,640 --> 01:19:08,880
certain we're complying with the state
law. ADU is Oh, sorry. The

1121
01:19:05,480 --> 01:19:13,760
accessory dwelling units. My apologies.
I used the acronym.

1122
01:19:11,280 --> 01:19:18,920
I see everybody knows
that's inconsiderate. So

1123
01:19:16,480 --> 01:19:24,400
So yeah, that was a new law that's
effective this year and so every

1124
01:19:21,640 --> 01:19:27,920
municipality must comply. So we're we
are

1125
01:19:25,680 --> 01:19:31,560
writing that so there'll be additional
language updates

1126
01:19:29,800 --> 01:19:36,720
but I think for the first meeting went
very well at the Planning Commission.

1127
01:19:33,680 --> 01:19:41,640
Then there was the final edits to the to
the fence code. We've been working on

1128
01:19:39,080 --> 01:19:45,000
that for a little bit of time and I
think it's in good shape and my

1129
01:19:43,240 --> 01:19:48,320
understanding is it's going to be coming
to the next town council meeting as far

1130
01:19:47,200 --> 01:19:52,240
as for us to review.
>> Not next one. The the first one in June.

1131
01:19:50,640 --> 01:19:56,200
» Okay. First one in June. That's why I'm
looking to make certain which one. So

1132
01:19:54,200 --> 01:20:00,160
first one in June so
it'll be presented at that time and

1133
01:19:59,080 --> 01:20:04,480
to
to get that finalized.

1134
01:20:02,840 --> 01:20:07,560
» Got it.
>> Next report from our department head,

1135
01:20:06,720 --> 01:20:11,680
town manager.
>> I just two quick things.

1136
01:20:09,880 --> 01:20:15,880
Chestertown
has a new town manager that started in

1137
01:20:13,920 --> 01:20:20,200
February so
I had a meeting with him

1138
01:20:18,200 --> 01:20:24,360
it [laughter] was last week.
Mhm.

1139
01:20:22,000 --> 01:20:29,440
Maybe two weeks.
And so really nice person.

1140
01:20:27,920 --> 01:20:32,480
He has
He's actually

1141
01:20:31,520 --> 01:20:39,680
um,
Pennsylvania, but he

1142
01:20:35,600 --> 01:20:43,840
worked in towns in around Hagerstown and
southwestern Maryland. Um,

1143
01:20:41,800 --> 01:20:46,040
he has a child still in high school, so
his

1144
01:20:44,680 --> 01:20:50,000
they haven't moved over here yet. So, he
has a little apartment, but um,

1145
01:20:48,080 --> 01:20:54,520
so we we talked about a lot of things,
met for a while, and um,

1146
01:20:53,040 --> 01:21:00,560
and then I attended the first CDA
meeting um, two weeks ago and uh, it was

1147
01:20:57,880 --> 01:21:05,200
great. They they had a great start and
I'm looking forward to uh, to see what

1148
01:21:02,880 --> 01:21:08,480
they do.
>> Chief of Police.

1149
01:21:07,080 --> 01:21:11,600
» I'm not
All right.

1150
01:21:10,240 --> 01:21:16,240
» Town Manager Attorney.
>> Nothing for me tonight.

1151
01:21:13,960 --> 01:21:19,480
» I need a bottle.
>> Director of Public Works.

1152
01:21:25,400 --> 01:21:30,080
» Try and make this fast.
>> Are you done yet?

1153
01:21:28,976 --> 01:21:32,720
» [laughter]
>> Wish I was.

1154
01:21:31,840 --> 01:21:35,320
It's been a
long week.

1155
01:21:33,720 --> 01:21:38,800
» Yes. Kit's been at a conference this
week and just got back today.

1156
01:21:36,800 --> 01:21:43,000
» Yeah, about um,
uh,

1157
01:21:40,320 --> 01:21:49,040
the contractor is going to start the
paving work out at Providence Farm phase

1158
01:21:46,120 --> 01:21:53,880
four and five tomorrow morning.
He's going to be repairing some of the

1159
01:21:51,360 --> 01:21:57,040
areas of the base pave which needs to be
done before he does the final

1160
01:21:56,280 --> 01:22:00,080
uh,
course on it.

1161
01:21:58,720 --> 01:22:04,080
Um,
then weather permitting, his plan is to

1162
01:22:03,040 --> 01:22:08,360
work
Tuesday,

1163
01:22:05,280 --> 01:22:12,880
Wednesday, and if needed, Thursday next
week to do the

1164
01:22:10,640 --> 01:22:20,040
uh, top course paving.
There's no parking restrictions at this

1165
01:22:15,640 --> 01:22:25,920
point for tomorrow. However,
unless something changes,

1166
01:22:22,880 --> 01:22:30,920
on Tuesday and Wednesday, and if he
needs it on Thursday,

1167
01:22:28,160 --> 01:22:38,040
anybody that needs to get in and out
needs to be parked on Little Kidwell

1168
01:22:34,360 --> 01:22:43,040
Avenue before 7:00
next Tuesday morning.

1169
01:22:40,360 --> 01:22:48,640
Uh tomorrow we will be pushing out
notices uh

1170
01:22:45,920 --> 01:22:52,800
door-to-door notices
on Facebook

1171
01:22:50,760 --> 01:22:57,880
and on the um
town website and I need to blast.

1172
01:22:56,040 --> 01:23:00,360
» Okay. Putting all this out.
>> Uh

1173
01:22:58,560 --> 01:23:01,880
and like I say, this is all weather
permitting.

1174
01:23:01,160 --> 01:23:04,240
» Yes.
>> Yep.

1175
01:23:02,320 --> 01:23:09,840
» But I want to try
let the residents know. Sorry for the

1176
01:23:06,200 --> 01:23:14,040
short notice because all this just kind
of finalized about 5:30 tonight.

1177
01:23:12,440 --> 01:23:15,320
» Mhm. I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to
get the road done.

1178
01:23:14,600 --> 01:23:17,080
» Yeah.
>> Yeah, I'm pretty sure they'll

1179
01:23:16,320 --> 01:23:18,840
» Yep.
>> Yeah.

1180
01:23:17,840 --> 01:23:19,720
» So, thank you.
>> Thank you.

1181
01:23:19,240 --> 01:23:22,040
» Thank you.
>> You're pretty good. Thank you.

1182
01:23:21,080 --> 01:23:26,520
» You're welcome.
>> Town clerk.

1183
01:23:23,800 --> 01:23:29,720
» A little brief little brief uh Main
Street America, which we are a

1184
01:23:28,080 --> 01:23:34,800
designated Main Street, but every year
we have to reapply for our our grant and

1185
01:23:32,680 --> 01:23:38,360
our status, and we were notified
yesterday that we um have once again

1186
01:23:37,160 --> 01:23:44,280
received the highest national
designation recognizing the town of

1187
01:23:40,520 --> 01:23:49,120
Centre Row um as a um Main Street
America accredited program. So,

1188
01:23:46,720 --> 01:23:54,560
once again, we we maintain our status
and uh it's really a great um work from

1189
01:23:52,760 --> 01:23:58,080
uh Carol to get that done.
And um

1190
01:23:56,600 --> 01:24:00,480
we look forward to
to continuing that program for the next

1191
01:23:59,720 --> 01:24:02,480
year.
>> Mhm.

1192
01:24:01,640 --> 01:24:06,080
» That it?
>> Yep.

1193
01:24:03,920 --> 01:24:09,640
» Next is the second citizens forum.
Citizens are requested to keep their

1194
01:24:07,520 --> 01:24:15,120
comments to 3 minutes.
I see no one. See nobody here.

1195
01:24:13,080 --> 01:24:17,840
Next is council round table. I'll go
with

1196
01:24:16,560 --> 01:24:21,000
Fred.
Anything for council round table?

1197
01:24:19,960 --> 01:24:26,320
» Just
uh very briefly, um

1198
01:24:22,640 --> 01:24:32,040
in preparation for CEDA moving forward,
I thought and I spoke with Peter, our

1199
01:24:29,440 --> 01:24:35,920
planning director,
that it would be important for him to

1200
01:24:33,480 --> 01:24:42,320
have involvement in being able to update
CEDA with what's in the works in

1201
01:24:38,320 --> 01:24:45,440
planning so that we can be aware of
the nuances

1202
01:24:43,720 --> 01:24:50,840
both short-term and long-term of what's
happening there. And he is, I think,

1203
01:24:48,120 --> 01:24:55,640
happily agreed to participate with our
meetings and to

1204
01:24:53,400 --> 01:24:59,960
you know, give updates at each of our
meetings and to be a liaison back to

1205
01:24:58,200 --> 01:25:05,680
planning
as we're going forward. And just to kind

1206
01:25:02,000 --> 01:25:11,640
of plant a seed from CEDA
and I'll be working with Peter and the

1207
01:25:08,600 --> 01:25:16,760
town council. I think it's going to be
important for us as we move forward have

1208
01:25:15,080 --> 01:25:22,160
a more specific plan, but when we
identify potential businesses that we

1209
01:25:19,360 --> 01:25:27,040
feel are appropriate as employers and
will add in a constructive way to the

1210
01:25:24,040 --> 01:25:31,640
community that it may be for us to be
competitive with other surrounding

1211
01:25:29,120 --> 01:25:36,200
communities that we may have to be
considering some sort of either

1212
01:25:33,600 --> 01:25:41,480
incentive or reduced
fees that are normally assigned

1213
01:25:40,120 --> 01:25:45,480
and required of some of the new
businesses coming in. So, I just want to

1214
01:25:43,400 --> 01:25:50,320
plant that seed
so that we're more effective and not

1215
01:25:48,080 --> 01:25:55,040
just more aggressive, but
more competitive with other surrounding

1216
01:25:52,720 --> 01:25:58,000
areas as we're moving forward with this.
So,

1217
01:25:55,920 --> 01:26:03,080
uh nothing firm with that. I just want
to put that out there that that's

1218
01:25:59,680 --> 01:26:03,080
something we'll be talking about.

1219
01:26:04,560 --> 01:26:09,040
» Forget to zoning administrator, do you
have anything?

1220
01:26:09,600 --> 01:26:12,800
You'll forgo your time.

1221
01:26:13,120 --> 01:26:18,600
Sorry.
Uh Council member McNeal.

1222
01:26:16,520 --> 01:26:21,920
» Yes, just if if I give wrong
information. When I met with Kip, one of

1223
01:26:20,640 --> 01:26:26,080
the we talked about the water bill
again. Okay, one of the ways maybe we

1224
01:26:23,960 --> 01:26:31,280
can look at the future of saving um
money. We have two water towers in town,

1225
01:26:28,720 --> 01:26:36,240
Kip? Three, okay. Are some of them
redundant, perhaps?

1226
01:26:34,040 --> 01:26:39,080
Oh, okay. Well, I have my notes as we
have the North Fork one and the Comet

1227
01:26:38,080 --> 01:26:42,760
one.
We're duplicating staff, equipment,

1228
01:26:41,160 --> 01:26:45,560
maintenance, and contractors. Am I
totally wrong?

1229
01:26:47,310 --> 01:26:49,330
» [snorts]

1230
01:26:49,760 --> 01:26:57,480
» I think what you're referring to is
water plants. We have two water plants.

1231
01:26:55,520 --> 01:27:02,000
We have three water towers. The water
towers are standpipes. Uh

1232
01:27:00,200 --> 01:27:04,800
I mean, the redundancy with the water
towers is great

1233
01:27:03,920 --> 01:27:10,360
um
for capacity management, that type of

1234
01:27:07,280 --> 01:27:15,640
thing. Um
things that we were talking about was

1235
01:27:13,200 --> 01:27:19,000
uh the cost of the water bill, the water
and the sewer utility rate.

1236
01:27:17,920 --> 01:27:26,080
Um
most towns, unless they're much larger

1237
01:27:22,080 --> 01:27:30,320
than Centreville, usually only have one
water treatment plant.

1238
01:27:28,160 --> 01:27:36,680
Centreville has two water treatment
plants. So, you have double the utility

1239
01:27:33,440 --> 01:27:41,280
bills, double the maintenance, uh
all those type of things.

1240
01:27:38,920 --> 01:27:46,760
They also Also, the other thing that we
talked about with the water bills,

1241
01:27:44,360 --> 01:27:50,800
please try and remember
if you're trying to compare

1242
01:27:48,160 --> 01:27:56,085
Centreville's water bill
to Chestertown's water bill or any other

1243
01:27:54,360 --> 01:27:58,440
town,
>> [cough and clears throat]

1244
01:27:56,880 --> 01:28:03,560
» we've done
three rate studies in 12 years.

1245
01:28:01,800 --> 01:28:06,440
Um
and

1246
01:28:04,480 --> 01:28:11,000
made the the
moved forward with adjusting the rates

1247
01:28:08,600 --> 01:28:15,760
and everything.
These other towns

1248
01:28:13,400 --> 01:28:18,560
haven't adjusted rates for 10 years or
more.

1249
01:28:16,400 --> 01:28:21,800
» Yeah, that is Chester Town. I spoke with
the town manager and they have not done

1250
01:28:20,320 --> 01:28:26,320
rates in
12 or more years.

1251
01:28:23,640 --> 01:28:30,520
» So, please remember that when you look
and say, "Oh, Centerville's high the

1252
01:28:28,880 --> 01:28:34,120
highest one there."
We're not necessarily the highest

1253
01:28:32,680 --> 01:28:36,920
always.
But, there's a reason the others are

1254
01:28:35,640 --> 01:28:39,040
cheaper, also.
>> Right.

1255
01:28:37,440 --> 01:28:41,880
» And one day
they're going to wind up in the same

1256
01:28:40,720 --> 01:28:44,000
situation.
>> Exactly.

1257
01:28:42,400 --> 01:28:49,400
» The other thing, too, when people talk
about, you know, they came from

1258
01:28:46,560 --> 01:28:52,400
wherever and, you know, their bill was
not, you know, if they came from Bowie

1259
01:28:51,320 --> 01:28:55,960
and
you know, they come here, well, their

1260
01:28:53,520 --> 01:28:59,160
water bill is distributed among however
many

1261
01:28:56,800 --> 01:29:03,480
20,000 residents.
>> Right. And we've got, you know, 1,900

1262
01:29:02,120 --> 01:29:05,600
homes.
Um,

1263
01:29:04,320 --> 01:29:09,040
I don't know how many homes Bowie has,
but

1264
01:29:06,760 --> 01:29:13,080
tens of thousands of homes, I guess. So,
you know, there is a difference between,

1265
01:29:10,720 --> 01:29:18,480
you know, if we had
another

1266
01:29:14,280 --> 01:29:22,480
uh, 5,000 homes, um,
you know, then they would be even

1267
01:29:21,120 --> 01:29:25,800
cheaper, but
>> No, that's a great point. So, to

1268
01:29:23,920 --> 01:29:31,320
piggyback on that, so when you're
comparing financial information, you

1269
01:29:28,360 --> 01:29:35,200
have to have all the facts. And so, once
you gather those facts and and share

1270
01:29:33,480 --> 01:29:38,640
that information,
it's important and then also

1271
01:29:36,760 --> 01:29:41,880
communicating it to the community cuz
you're right, it starts with people I'm

1272
01:29:39,840 --> 01:29:45,320
just look at this and this or these and
I'm always saying, "Are these

1273
01:29:42,840 --> 01:29:50,800
comparable? Are they not?" Because
again, from a financial perspective, if

1274
01:29:47,760 --> 01:29:54,840
towns are not or any municipality are
not keeping up on the cost of whatever

1275
01:29:53,080 --> 01:29:59,040
it may be. It doesn't, you know, if it's
their wastewater treatment, it's their

1276
01:29:57,120 --> 01:30:02,520
their wa- whatever,
it'll catch up at some time and that's

1277
01:30:00,760 --> 01:30:07,000
very true. So, are they working in a
deficit? What is their financial

1278
01:30:04,560 --> 01:30:10,520
position look like? So, there's a lot to
it and I don't disagree with you at all.

1279
01:30:08,880 --> 01:30:13,680
It's more about just the conversation
associated with that and making certain

1280
01:30:12,200 --> 01:30:17,040
that we are
adequately communicating to you, the

1281
01:30:15,240 --> 01:30:20,680
community, and among ourselves with
staff as we kind of look at these to

1282
01:30:19,600 --> 01:30:24,800
make certain we're looking at it
appropriately. So, it's a great comment,

1283
01:30:22,160 --> 01:30:27,120
Kip. I agree.
>> Was there anything else I can help you?

1284
01:30:26,160 --> 01:30:29,560
» No, that's good.
>> Thank you.

1285
01:30:30,880 --> 01:30:37,120
» Um no, um other than um
we had mentioned [clears throat]

1286
01:30:35,480 --> 01:30:40,800
um
Councilman Bew and I went to and also

1287
01:30:38,960 --> 01:30:46,120
Peter also went to the Delmarva
Waterways session, which is a great um

1288
01:30:43,560 --> 01:30:51,760
educational session just 2 weeks ago.
And um we went around we went to various

1289
01:30:48,840 --> 01:30:55,080
towns, Delmar, Laurel, Greensboro,
and um it was really I thought

1290
01:30:53,480 --> 01:30:58,520
educational
um and we networked with different

1291
01:30:56,360 --> 01:31:01,720
people of the town relating to planning
and zoning. There's some great takeaways

1292
01:31:00,200 --> 01:31:05,400
relating to that as it relates to your
wastewater treatment plant best

1293
01:31:03,760 --> 01:31:09,240
practices. So, I thought it was very
good and educational from that

1294
01:31:07,280 --> 01:31:14,000
perspective to give us information as we
move forward on different projects. And

1295
01:31:12,120 --> 01:31:16,760
uh Greensboro was really fascinating as
well as far as their green

1296
01:31:15,320 --> 01:31:22,120
infrastructure planning that they have
done. And I have to say I think we both

1297
01:31:19,360 --> 01:31:24,640
as we went through the towns and then
looking at what we've done in

1298
01:31:23,080 --> 01:31:28,200
Centreville, we've done a good job in
Centreville. So, I think that's another

1299
01:31:26,360 --> 01:31:32,840
reason you get other towns as it relates
to our park system, our trail system,

1300
01:31:30,680 --> 01:31:37,080
what we've done um
at the Wharf. We've There's been a lot

1301
01:31:34,960 --> 01:31:41,600
of great things done in Centreville. And
so, um

1302
01:31:38,520 --> 01:31:45,880
that needs to be recognized as well um
and the positive things associated with

1303
01:31:43,400 --> 01:31:49,600
our town. So, I think that was very um
very eye-opening and just reconfirming.

1304
01:31:47,960 --> 01:31:55,560
I knew it already, but it's always good
for me to reconfirm that as I

1305
01:31:52,120 --> 01:31:58,560
as I um look to other towns. So, um so,
I was glad that we did that. I thought

1306
01:31:56,800 --> 01:32:04,080
it was very beneficial.
Um and also um again this year as far as

1307
01:32:01,760 --> 01:32:08,760
um I'll be working with Shore Rivers and
um there's a three-year grant so this

1308
01:32:06,200 --> 01:32:13,080
third year as far as the grant which is
it's called tree to shore from Shore

1309
01:32:11,440 --> 01:32:17,000
Rivers
and we're just seeing where trees should

1310
01:32:14,800 --> 01:32:21,600
be planted what makes the most sense so
you want to take advantage of that and

1311
01:32:18,560 --> 01:32:26,000
as it relates to increasing our canopy
in the town cuz of all the benefits it

1312
01:32:23,200 --> 01:32:29,000
provides. One of them being as far as
just relating to the heat that we're

1313
01:32:27,200 --> 01:32:33,080
having every summer it just gets worse
every summer and the more trees that we

1314
01:32:30,560 --> 01:32:37,640
have the cooler our town will be and as
well as those who are walking along the

1315
01:32:34,880 --> 01:32:40,480
sidewalks so that will happen this year
and we'll probably plant in the fall

1316
01:32:39,040 --> 01:32:43,880
we're just looking to see what makes the
most sense and we'll come back to town

1317
01:32:41,920 --> 01:32:48,240
council and we'll talk about that.
Kiernan I don't know and maybe if it's

1318
01:32:46,240 --> 01:32:53,520
not as far as what was discussed at
planning commission relating to the

1319
01:32:50,640 --> 01:32:56,040
shopping center or not at this time.
Cuz it was discussed there.

1320
01:32:55,240 --> 01:33:00,440
» Um
>> No okay very good so that was it.

1321
01:33:01,200 --> 01:33:08,760
» I have a couple things I want to
personally thank Kip and his staff for

1322
01:33:05,160 --> 01:33:13,200
the the working through the trash
and recycling things.

1323
01:33:10,920 --> 01:33:18,360
I also want to thank Karen and her staff
for the budget because

1324
01:33:15,480 --> 01:33:24,320
the last two or three budget cycles have
been pretty amazing short and

1325
01:33:21,040 --> 01:33:27,360
sweet and we yep and that's only thing
that's all I got.

1326
01:33:25,920 --> 01:33:30,160
» I agree.
>> And I want to personally thank all the

1327
01:33:28,680 --> 01:33:33,160
council people
going getting going through the budget.

1328
01:33:31,800 --> 01:33:35,440
» Yes thank you.
>> Yes.

1329
01:33:34,400 --> 01:33:39,400
Everybody.
>> Yep.

1330
01:33:36,600 --> 01:33:43,120
» That's all? Motion to adjourn?
>> Second.

1331
01:33:40,640 --> 01:33:45,440
» I got it. First second.
>> Thank you.