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City Council
Minutes of City Council Meetings | Agenda for next City Council Meeting
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND
SEPTEMBER 24, 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 September 24, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Dayhoff; Council President Halstad; Council Members Albert, Chiavacci, Ferguson and Pecoraro; Department Heads Beyard and Joneckis; Supervisor of Accounting Dale Taylor; and City Attorney Walsh were present.
The Legislative Body observed a moment of silence in memory of those persons who lost their lives in the tragic terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, on September 11, 2001. Mayor Dayhoff gathered together the group of Americans, primarily of Middle Eastern origin attending the meeting, and read the following statement:
We, the elected leadership of the City of Westminster, have brought together to this evening's Westminster City Council meeting a number of our friends, colleagues, brothers and sisters from the greater Westminster and Carroll County community.
I'd like to read a statement and then share a proclamation. It is only fitting that we take this time to recognize the terrible events that have taken place in our country since our last City Council meeting on September 10th. For the very next day, on September 11th, our world was unexpectedly turned upside down.
Ever since the tragic events of September 11, I have felt a profound inability to find the words that will convey my concurrent feelings of sadness and anger at such a display of senseless violence. For a writer, this horrific assault on our sensibilities has caused me to fully understand how truly fragile and inadequate words are at time like this.
But because we are the leaders and the role models of our community, we have a basic responsibility to respond in some manner that is meaningful and helps create an environment of trust, confidence and a positive sense of the future. We would like to take this opportunity and share a few thoughts.
First, let us all extend our hearts and our prayers to the victims, the rescuers, the families, the friends and all the lives that have been irrevocably scarred by this senseless tragedy.
Secondly, we have all been truly inspired by all the accounts of heroism that were recounted over and over from the tragic minutes and seconds as the events unfolded. As General Norman Schwarzkopf once said, “Most great leaders [and heroes] are ordinary people thrust into extra-ordinary circumstances.”
Thirdly, in order to remain strong, we need to return to our routine, not to forget the terrible events of September 11 but in spite of the terrible events of September 11.
Fourth, we need to reach out and make sure that our firefighters, police officers, rescue workers, emergency personnel and all men and women in uniform, are aware that we appreciate their day to day sacrifices and the enormous ultimate sacrifice that many of them made in New York City and at the Pentagon.
Now we ask each and every one of you, what can WE do here, in Westminster, in Carroll County, in Maryland - to make a difference at such a difficult time.
Which brings us to our last point. One of the most important things we can do - is we can reject racism, isolationism or any other ethno-centric response to this crisis. We must honor the rules that set us apart as Americans. We must all have the courage to come together and walk together in this dark valley that recent events have created. It is at a time like this that we all need to come together as a community. We need to be responsible for this greater community that we've created. A community that is represented by folks of all sizes, shapes, colors, creeds, religions, backgrounds and beliefs. A community that is glued together by a common sense of purpose that we are ALL Americans. At a time like this we need to come together and look after each other and pull each other through.
Yes, the terrorists have attacked the very principles that make America a great country. In the face of these attacks, we must resolutely preserve and protect the rights and safety of all members of our community including those who are members of the Muslim faith, or are of Middle Eastern origin, or are Hindu, Sikh or of Indian descent. Just as we will not tolerate the attacks of the terrorists on our nation, we must not tolerate any acts of violence or harassment against any persons, because of where they, or their ancestors have come from, or because they look differently or speak differently. We must stand up for what is right, and believe and act as responsible members of the very democracy that we all seek to defend.
However we respond, we must understand that we can never go back to where we were before the fateful events of September 11. It's not necessarily the problem that counts, it’s the response to the problem, and our response must not be beyond prudence, justice or a basic
responsibility to the very moral fabric of the greater community that we are a part of and the values we represent. We are all brothers and sisters who need to come together. We all need the courage to deal with our pain. We all need faith, wisdom, strength of soul and a sense of humanity. We are all Americans. God bless America.
And now for my Proclamation:
Mayor's Proclamation
Celebrate Diversity Day - September 24, 2001
WHEREAS, the City of Westminster is committed to promoting diversity, racial equality and justice as a fundamental aspect of a healthy community. That in Westminster, we come together in our day-to-day lives to celebrate our differences and our diversity which unites us together as a strong community; and,
WHEREAS, on September 11th, 2001 terrorists attacked the very principles that make America a great country; and in the face of these attacks we resolutely preserve and protect the rights and safety of all members of our community including those who are of different races, national origins, or religions; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Westminster extends our hearts and our prayers to the victims, the firefighters, Police Officers, the rescuers, the families, the friends and all the lives that have been irrevocably scarred by this senseless tragedy; and,
WHEREAS, in order to remain strong we need to return to our routine, not to forget the events of September 11th but in spite of the events of September 11th.
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that I, Kevin E. Dayhoff, Mayor of the City of Westminster do hereby proclaim September 24, 2001 as Celebrate Diversity Day in the City of Westminster in order to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring racial equality and justice in our city and urge all citizens of Westminster to join together to support this effort.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we understand that we can never go back to where we were before the fateful events of September 11th. We understand that our response to this terrible tragedy must not go beyond prudence and justice.
Signed at City Hall, this
Twenty-fourth Day of September
In the year Two Thousand One.
KEVIN E. DAYHOFF
Mayor
Attendees at the meeting and members of the Council expressed their sincere sentiments, in full support of the Mayor’s statements and Proclamation.
MINUTES:
The Minutes of the Meeting of September 10, 2001 were approved as presented, on Motion of Mr. Pecoraro seconded by Mrs. Albert and duly passed.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
The Consent Calendar was approved, on Motion of Mr. Ferguson, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and duly passed, consisting of August Departmental Operating Reports.
BIDS:
On Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Chiavacci and unanimously passed, the following actions were taken in connection with the award of the bid for Renovations to the Clock Tower:
1. Reject the bid of GRC General Contractor, Inc., 243 East Main Street, Westminster, MD 21158 in the amount of $91,359.40 for the clock Tower renovation project:
2. Approve the bid of Steeplejacks of America, P.O. Box 360756, Strongsville, OH 44136 in the amount of $42,790 to complete the Clock Tower renovation project; and
3. 3. Transfer $20.000 from the City Playground retaining wall project (Account No. G18.13003) to the Clock Tower renovation project (Account No. G10.-9233).
The sole bid of $74,906.30, submitted by Stearns and Wheler, LLC, of Bowie, Maryland shall be awarded the contract for Engineering Services for Replacement of the Existing Gaseous Disinfection System at the Wastewater Treatment Plant project, on Motion of Mr. Chiavacci, seconded by Mrs. Albert and unanimously passed.
On Motion of Mr. Pecoraro, seconded by Mr. Ferguson and unanimously passed, the Engineering Services for the Locust Lane Project – Part 1 bid shall be awarded to Whitney, Bailey Cox and Magnani, LLC of Baltimore Maryland, in the amount $34,651.
REPORTS FROM MAYOR:
. . . stated that the Maryland Municipal League Legislative Committee will focus on sewer infrastructure and undergounding utilities issues at the Fall Legislative Conference in College Park, Maryland.
. . . reported that Fallfest 2001 will be held on Wednesday evening, September 26, 2001 through Sunday September 30, 2001.
. . . noted the recent retirement of Street Department employee Glenn Burk.
ORDINANCES:
The Final Enactment of Zoning Ordinance No. 672 was Moved by Mr. Ferguson, seconded by Mr. Chiavacci and unanimously passed. The legislation provides for multi-family housing for older persons as a special exception use in the R-7,500 Residential Zone.
NEW BUSINESS:
Mayor Dayhoff presented Certificates of Congratulations to the following persons in recognition of their graduation from the City’s Family Self Sufficiency Program; Laura Cash, Deborah Gesell, Kathleen Ryan and Betty Skahill.
City auditor, Randy Rager, a member of the Rager, Lehman and Houck, P.C. auditing firm, presented a brief overview of the new Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement #34 regulations. Mr. Rager stated the new rules are the biggest change in the history of public sector accounting, and designed to improve accountability of all municipal finances. Major new requirements include managements discussions and analysis, government-wide financial reporting, infrastructure reporting and depreciation accounting. Compliance is required by the year starting July 1, 2002, with an estimated 50% initial increase in auditing costs.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:
Chief Joneckis advised of several programs and achievements occurring within the Police Department, including the second year $2,500 Governor’s Crime Prevention Council grant, for the benefit of the West Side Community Organization.
Mr. Beyard announced that the efforts of employees Marianne Sheehan and Dale Taylor have earned the City an Award for Excellence in Claims handling and reporting, presented by the Local Government Insurance Trust.
CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Several Boy Scouts from Troop 9, Upperco, Maryland attended the meeting, to fulfill merit badge requirements.
Webster Street residents Laura Dulany, Marie Isaac, and Anand Sivaramakrishnan complained abo0ut the excessive noise created by motorists on their street. Chief Joneckis arranged to meet with the group immediately following the Mayor and Council Meeting, to further discuss the matter.
ADJOURN:
The meeting was adjourned by the Council President at 8:45 p.m.
JOHN D. DUDDERAR
City Clerk
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