The Board of County Commissioners for Cecil County met in regular session at the County Administrative Building, 107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland on Tuesday, January 4, 2005.  The following members of the Board were present:

Nelson K. Bolender, President
Harry A. Hepbron, Vice President
William C. Manlove, Commissioner
Mark H. Guns, Commissioner

Constituting a majority Board.

The meeting was called to order by President Bolender at 1:00 p.m. and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The minutes from the December 21, 2004 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners were unanimously approved.

-PUBLIC HEARING –  ELK LANDING ACQUISITION PHASE II -

Ed Slicer, Manager, Department of Parks & Recreation presented the Board with a request from the Town of Elkton for reimbursement of funds available through the FY 2004 Department of Natural Resources, Program Open Space in the amount of $52,953.00 to fund Phase II of the Elk Landing Acquisition.

COMMENTS SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  None

Vice President Hepbron made a motion to disapprove the request. He stated that in his opinion, more funding should be allocated for funding county park facilities.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Manlove.  President Bolender and Commissioner Guns opposed the motion, therefore no action was taken.

VOTE:

Bolender – N            Hepbron – Y             Manlove – Y            

Guns – N

-  COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS –

None.

- PUBLIC COMMENT –

Jim Mullin, Earleville – spoke about the proposed revision to the Master Water & Sewer Plan relating to the Aston Pointe project.

- APPOINTMENTS –

Motion was made by Vice President Hepbron, seconded by Commissioner Manlove and unanimously carried to approve the appointment of Ken Myers, 490 Cherry Grove Road, Earleville, MD  21919 to fulfill the term of Rex Sizemore on the Board of Parks & Recreation, term to expire 12/31/05.

- RESOLUTION – BAINBRIDGE FLEX ONE BUILDING –

Vernon Thompson, Director, Economic Development & Tourism presented a Resolution to the Board for approval, in conjunction with the Board of Directors of the Bainbridge Development Corporation and their mixed-use plan for the development of the former Bainbridge Naval Training Center. This resolution will authorize the Department of Economic Development to make application, through the Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development for the construction of a “flex” building space for the purposes of attracting industrial, commercial industry to this location.

State loan funding through the “One Maryland” Program is available to Cecil County for the purposes of facilitating private investment and generating new tax revenues and job opportunities.

Motion was made by Commissioner Guns, seconded by Vice President Hepbron and unanimously carried to approve the authorization for the Office of Economic Development to formally apply to DBED for a maximum $2,500,000, low-interest loan for the purpose of financing the construction of a 30,000-40,000 square-foot speculative, “flex” building at Bainbridge. 

- RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD LOCUST POINT ROAD CULVERT INSTALLATION –

Matt Carter, Director of Public Works presented the Board with a recommendation for Bid Award for the installation of the pre-cast arch culvert for the Locust Point Bridge Repair Project.

Upon the recommendation of Director Carter, motion was made by Commissioner Guns, seconded by Vice President Hepbron and unanimously carried to award the bid to Pleasanton Excavating & Paving in the amount of $54,680.00.

-DEEDS BETWEEN BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND LUTHER MONTGOMERY ROWLAND, LLC- MONTGOMERY’S FRIENDSHIP I & II & DEED BETWEEN BOCC AND H. BARRY MONTGOMERY – MOUNT GOMERIE, SECTIONS I & II & DEED BETWEEN BOCC AND MONTGOMERY BROTHERS INC, MONTGOMERY PARTNERSHIP-THOMASVILLE, SECTION ONE –

Upon the review and recommendation of Director Carter, motion was made by Vice President Hepbron, seconded by Commissioner Manlove and unanimously carried to approve the above deeds.

-BUDGET AMENDMENTS NOS. – 72 – 74

Upon the recommendation of Craig Whiteford, Budget Manager, motion was made by Vice President Hepbron, seconded by Commissioner Guns and unanimously carried to approve Budget Amendment Nos. 48 – 50.

The next meeting of the Board of County Commissioners will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at the Cecilton Town Hall.

There being no further business of the County Commissioners, meeting adjourned.

Alfred C. Wein, Jr.
County Administrator

Approved:
Nelson K. Bolender, President