City Council
Minutes of City Council Meetings | Agenda for next City Council Meeting

MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND
MAY 14, 2001

QUORUM:

A Meeting of The Mayor and Council was held in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, on the evening of May 14, 2001 at 7:00 p.m.Mayor Yowan; Council President Halstad; Council Members Albert, Calwell, Dayhoff, and Pecoraro; Department Heads Dutterer and Joneckis; Town Planner Katrina Tucker; and City Attorney Walsh were present.

MINUTES:

The Minutes of the Meeting of April 23, 2001 and Budget Hearing of May 8, 2001 were approved as presented, on Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Calwell and duly passed.

CONSENT CALENDAR:

On Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Dayhoff, and unanimously passed, the Consent Calendar was approved, consisting of a bike ride fundraiser and an adjustment in legal fees.

REPORTS FROM MAYOR:

. . . read the Mayor's Proclamation designating the week of May 14, 2001 and National Police Week, noting that Tuesday, May 15, 2001 was to be commemorated as Peace Officer's Memorial Day.

. . . made an announcement inviting the public to attend the ceremonial planting and dedication of a Colorado Blue Spruce in honor and memory of Chief Sam R. Leppo.The event will take place on the east lawn of City Hall on Monday, May 21, 2001 at 5:00 p.m.

. . . commended the candidates in the election for conducting fair campaigns, and wished the best to all involved.

REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES:

Messrs. Calwell, Dayhoff and Pecoraro offered praise and accolades to Mayor Yowan for his time and effort during his tenure in public office.Mr. Pecoraro also noted that it will be necessary for the Mayor-elect to immediately resign from the Council thereby creating a vacancy on the Council.He further stated that City Code states the vacancy must be filled in no less than three weeks and no more than 6 weeks, noting that the appointment should be made at the regular Mayor and Council Meeting of June 11, 2001.Upon the consensus of the Council, the City Clerk was authorized to make the appropriate arrangements to advertise the vacancy.

ORDINANCES:

On Motion of Mr. Pecoraro, seconded by Mr. Dayhoff and unanimously passed, Tax Levy Ordinance No. 669 was adopted for Final Enactment.

Stormwater Management rewrite Ordinance No. 670 was approved for Final Enactment on Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Calwell and unanimously passed.The rewrite was undertaken in order to comply with federal and state requirements.The Maryland Department of the Environment has reviewed the rewrite and has indicated its acceptability.

City Attorney Walsh gave a brief overview of Resolution R01-5 (7th Amended Local Government Insurance Trust Agreement) The amendment refers to a portion of the agreement pertaining to the provision of health benefits funding in which the City does not participate, therefore, the amendment does not affect the City.However, because the City is a participatory member of the pool of municipal members, it is required to approve the amendment to the Trust.Thereafter the Introduction for First Reading of Resolution No. R01-5, was Moved by Mr. Dayhoff, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and unanimously approved.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Finance Committee Chairman Pecoraro offered the FY 2001-02 General, Water and Sewer Fund Budgets and Capital Improvements Program for Final Enactment with the adjustment of the figures in the Budget by an additional$15,000 to increase the City's support of the Fire Department to $20,000 to assist the Department in meeting some of their obligations.He further suggested that the funds be taken from the street overlay program.On Motion of Mr. Calwell, seconded by Mrs. Albert and unanimously approved, the FY 2001-02 General, Water and Sewer Fund Budgets and Capital Improvements were passed.

NEW BUSINESS:

The following "Statement or Return of Election" was presented by Chief Election Judge, Nancy A. Smelser:

"STATEMENT OR RETURN OF ELECTION

To The Mayor and Common Council of Westminster:

We the undersigned Judges and Clerk of the Biennial Municipal Election, held in the City of Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, May 14, 2001, (between the hours of 7 o'clock A.M. and 7 o'clock P.M.) for the election of the Mayor and two Common Council Members to serve as members of the Common Council for the City of Westminster for four years commencing on the Third Monday of May, 2001, do hereby certify that the polls were opened at 7 A.M. and closed at 7 P.M. on this 14th day of May, 2001, and that at said election the whole number of votes cast was 807 and of that number those cast for the candidates for the respective offices was and is as follows:

FOR MAYOR: NUMBER OF VOTES:

Suzanne P. Albert372

Kevin E. Dayhoff423

FOR COUNCIL MEMBERSNUMBER OF VOTES

Edward S. Calwell, Sr. 265

Roy L. Chiavacci 487

Damian L. Halstad 572

Frank E. Wagner, Jr. 152

And it appearing that Kevin E. Dayhoff for Mayor, and Damian L. Halstad and Roy L. Chiavacci for Common Council received a majority of the votes cast, we the undersigned Judges and Clerk of the election, do hereby certify and proclaim that the aforenamed persons were duly and fairly elected to their respective offices for four years.

And it further appearing that Kevin E. Dayhoff, Damian L. Halstad and Roy L. Chiavacci were the three candidates who received the highest number of votes cast for Mayor and Common Council we do hereby declare that they will hold office for the four years.

And we do further certify that the above statement is correct in all and every respect, and that notice has been given to the candidates of their election.

Witness our hands this 14th day of May, 2001

s/ Nancy A. Smelser

s/ Fred L. Plunkert

Chief Judges"

Upon the presentation of the Election results, Mr. Dayhoff read a brief, prepared statement in which he resigned from his seat on the Common Council and thanked the public for their support in electing him to the position of Mayor of the City of Westminster.

On Motion of Mr. Dayhoff, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and duly passed, the Mayor and Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, May 28, 2001 was cancelled due to the Memorial Day Holiday.

The Mayoral reappointments of Romeo Valianti, Gary Beard and Stewart Zendgraft to the Board of Zoning Appeals was approved on Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Calwell and unanimously passed.

The Mayoral appointments to the newly created Housing Appeals Board, consistent with the requirements of Property Maintenance Ordinance No. 662, were Moved of Mr. Pecoraro, seconded by Mr. Dayhoff and unanimously passed, as follows:Lori Graham, Darcel Harris, Ober Herr, Robin Kable and J. Brooks Leahy.

The Mayoral appointment of Jay C. Voight to the Parks Board was approved on Motion of Mr. Dayhoff, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and unanimously passed.

On Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and unanimously passed, the Nextel Communications Site Lease Agreement (Sawgrass Water Tank) was approved.The agreement allows for the use of the City's Sawgrass Water Tank in Wakefield Valley by Nextel in connection with its federally licensed communications business.

Mr. Pecoraro was appointed as Council Liaison to the Arts Council Board on Motion of Mr. Calwell, seconded by Mr. Dayhoff and unanimously passed.Mr. Pecoraro will serve to facilitate communications between the City and the Arts Council during the period of the Carroll Theater renovation project.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:

Mr. Walsh reported that at the previous meeting Mr. Mark Miller presented the Summer Slam 2001 program and received approval conditional upon the Public Safety Committee being satisfied with respect to liability concerns.Mr. Walsh advised that it was determined that this is a City sponsored event and after meeting with the Public Safety Committee, any concerns had been subsequently alleviated.

ADJOURN:

The meeting was adjourned by the Council President at 8:15 p.m.

LAURA A. WOMER

Acting Secretary