The Board of County Commissioners for Cecil County met in regular session in the County Administrative Building, on Tuesday, January 3, 2006. The following members of the Board were present:

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

Constituting a full Board.

The meeting was called to order by President Bolender at 7:00 p.m. and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The minutes from the December 20, 2005 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners Transfer of Development Rights were unanimously approved.

The minutes from the December 20, 2005 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners for the purposes of a rezoning hearing were unanimously approved.

-COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS-

Commissioner Guns – declined comment.

Commissioner Kilby – commented relative to a Land Use Forum to be held at the Cecil Community College Technology Building on January 9, 2006.

President Bolender – declined comment.

Vice President Hepbron – declined comment.

Commissioner Manlove – declined comment.

- TREASURER’S REPORT –

Pamela Howard, Treasurer for Cecil County presented the Treasurer’s Report for the period ending November 30, 2005. A copy of this report is incorporated into these minutes.

- NORTHEAST CORRIDOR TRACK A FEASIBILITY STUDY, PHASE II-

Tony DiGiacomo, Principal Planner, Office of Planning, Zoning, Parks & Recreation presented the Board with an update of the Northeast Corridor Track A, Phase II, Feasibility Study. This study is intended to analyze the market potential for commuter rail service focusing on the 14.5 mile segment between Elkton and Perryville. Phase I of the study investigated the market potential for SEPTA commuter rail service to Philadelphia and Wilmington and was designed to determine at what point would the extension of SEPTA and/or MARC commuter rail service through Cecil County be financially reasonable, given land use and demographic trends.

Mr. DiGiacomo presented the key findings of the study including alternatives being considered, public outreach, rider ship demand, operations analysis, engineering analysis, environmental analysis and a summary of costs and revenues.

- PUBLIC HEARING – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT UPDATE – IKEA CORPORATION –

Roy Clough, Deputy Director, Office of Economic Development presented the Board with an update to the Community Development Block Grant for the Ikea Corporation. In accordance with the grant, Ikea has met all criteria relative to site construction and employment standards as required. At the September 30, 2005 audit it was determined that Ikea’s employment base for low to moderate income Cecil County employees was at 64.2%, with a total of 370 employees currently employed at the facility.

COMMENT:

None.

Upon the recommendation of Mr. Clough, motion was made by Vice President Hepbron, seconded by Commissioner Guns and unanimously carried to affirm to the closure of the Community Development Block Grant relating to the Ikea Corporation.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

John Williams, Elkton – commented about the lack of information pertaining to the upcoming request for amendment to the Master Waster and Sewer Plan from the Aston Pointe Development Group.

- BUDGET AMENDMENTS -

Motion was made by Vice President Hepbron, seconded by Commissioner Guns and unanimously carried to approve Budget Amendment Nos. 75 – 76 and Board of Education Amendment No. 3.

The next regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cecilton Town Hall, 117 West Main Street, Cecilton, MD 21913.

There being no further business of the County Commissioners, the meeting concluded

Alfred C. Wein, Jr.
County Administrator

Approved:
Nelson K. Bolender, President