Garrett board of education warns of bleak times ahead
Garrett board of education warns of bleak times ahead
Between 2009 and 2014, state aid dropped $4.5 million
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Tue May 07, 2013, 11:15 PM EDT
CUMBERLAND — OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education posted an open letter to citizens on its website to alert them that the financial forecast for the next couple of years looks bleak.
The board adopted Superintendent Janet Wilson’s fiscal 2014 budget during a special meeting April 18. During that meeting, projections relating to the anticipated fiscal 2015 revenue and 2016 revenue shortfalls were shared.
Garrett County Public Schools receives more than 90 percent of its revenue from state and local sources.
State revenues have continued to decline in recent years as a result of the county’s increasing wealth and the school system’s declining enrollment.
Between fiscal years 2009 and 2014, revenues from state aid have declined by more than $4.5 million, while corresponding aid from county government has increased by $2.2 million.
Last year, Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools closed permanently because of a $2 million shortfall, and other programs were cut.
The decision was made to close the schools despite receiving $500,000 from the county commissioners.
Bloomington Elementary was closed in 2011.
“Last-minute funding offered by the Board of County Commissioners came with no promises of future funding which would have required the advisory group process, and the emotional turmoil that goes with the process, to be repeated the following year,” said the letter.
If reliable and sustainable streams of revenue cannot be identified and committed in a timely manner for fiscal 15 and beyond, the school system is required by state code to begin the advisory process to determine if school closures, consolidation and redistricting are necessary, according to the letter.
“This time, every school (all eight in the county) will be involved in the process requiring that the advisory meetings begin this summer,” said the letter.
The school board will obtain a facility study and the results will be given to the advisory committees.
The study will be conducted on Accident, Broad Ford, Crellin, Friendsville, Grants-ville, Route 40, Swan Meadow and Yough Glades Elementary schools.
The results of the study will help to ensure that the best decisions regarding any school closures, consolidation and redistricting are made for 2015 and for the future of the county schools. Decisions regarding closures, consolidation and redistricting for fiscal 2015 must be made by April 1, 2014.
In fiscal year 2015, the board anticipates that the state aid revenues will decline by an additional $1 million.
The board invited commissioners to discuss the future of the Garrett County Public School System on April 24, but the commissioners couldn’t attend because the meeting precludes the final approval of the county’s fiscal 2014 budget, which will be adopted at the June 4 public meeting.
“Public education is certainly a priority for the county and the identification of long-term financial planning has been and will continue to be a high priority,” said Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator. “Just as the public school system is experiencing a reduction of funding, all other county government core areas of public interest must be cognizant of the current economic times.”
The board has no revenue-generating authority and is squarely dependent on the commissioners’ commitment to providing an adequate operating budget, according to the letter.
The county is proposing to allot $26.2 million to public school system for fiscal 2014, according to Pagenhardt. The largest portion of the county’s fiscal 2013 budget allotted $26,023,714 to the board.
Without additional aid from the commissioners, the approximate fiscal 2015 budget gap for the board would be $1.7 million, according to the letter.
Projections indicate that in fiscal 2016, the school system faces an additional $450,000 deficit.
“The local share of the current county government’s budget does not represent an adequate amount to operate our school system and has not been adequate for some time,” states the letter.
The commissioners will conduct an informational budget meeting today at 7 p.m. at Garrett College auditorium.
“It is our hope that the fiscal 2014 budget discussion will include a promise of revenue that will secure the future of the school system in fiscal 2015,” said the letter. “Without guaranteed streams of funding and with the additional requirements of reform focusing on massive change at the classroom level, there will be consequences.”
The board needs a committed amount of revenue for 2015 and beyond in order to avert the need for school closure, consolidation and redistricting advisory meetings and to plan for instructional programs necessary for current reforms, according to the letter.
Wilson, Pagenhardt and respective staff will get together to develop cooperative points of interest regarding the budget and set up a meeting at a later date.
The letter can be read in its entirety at http://www. ga.k12.md.us/. The county budget can be viewed at www.garrettcounty.org.
May 17-18: Maryland in the War of 1812: A Living History Event at the Garrett County Fairgrounds, Md.
May 17-18: Maryland in the War of 1812: A Living History Event at the Garrett County Fairgrounds, Md. Learn about “The Star-Spangled Banner” and hear ballads and sea chanties, with presentations from historians such as Chris George, Vince Vaise, Mike Dixon and David Hildebrand. 301-387-4386.
Last day for Garrett County students June 12
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Thu May 02, 2013, 10:30 PM EDT
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education approved changes to the end of the 2012-2013 school calendar during Tuesday’s meeting. The final day for students will be June 12. The staff will participate in professional development sessions June 10 and 11 in the afternoon, after student departure.
The board unanimously approved the recommendation of Keith Harvey, director of human resources, according to a news release. According to the teacher contractual language, if student days are waived then teacher days must be waived, too. This resulted in some inequities for other employee groups because this language was not in their contracts.
The board granted a three-day waiver for students and employees.
The final three days, June 10, 11 and 12, will change from a two-hour early dismissal to a three-hour early dismissal for students. This adjustment, per conversation with middle and high school principals, will not affect the time needed for final exams, according to the news release.
The afternoon of June 12 will be a record-keeping time for staff as contractually agreed. June 13 will be a professional day and the final day for staff with a seven-hour, 36-minute work day.
To make the waiver equitable for all employee groups, it was proportionally calculated to the number of days each group works, according to the news release. There will be three waiver days for 10-month employees, four waiver days for 11-month employees and five waiver days for 12-month employees.
In March, the Garrett County Board of Education made a request to the Maryland State Board of Education to waive five student days, and that request was granted.
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Spring 2013 Deep Creek Lake Resort Report
Meet the new owners at Wisp Ski Resort, catch up on Blue Moon Riding at DCL, and an update on DeepCreekLake.com! Read more here.
MDA to Treat 12,000 Acres for Gypsy Moth
MDA Preparing to Treat More than 12,000 Acres for Gypsy Moth Invasive Pest Threatens Forest and Shade Trees
Weather permitting, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) will begin aerial spraying next Thursday (May 2) in some southern areas of the state to combat the destructive Gypsy Moth, an invasive pest that destroys forest and shade trees. However, most of MDA’s gypsy moth spraying will take place later in the month in Western Maryland.
On Thursday, MDA is scheduled to spray a small portion of St. Mary’s County along MD Route 235 and Bay Forest Road. MDA will also spray a small portion of Worcester County on Rt. 12 (Snow Hill Road) at the Wicomico County line. Most spraying will be done later in May in Garrett County where MDA will spray more than 11,000 acres over 58 individual areas across the county. All property owners directly affected by the spraying have been notified by letter.
Maps of areas to be sprayed as well as the spray schedule are on MDA’s website at: http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/gypsy_moth_spray_schedule.aspx
When MDA begins spraying, residents can follow MDA’s Gypsy Moth Twitter feed for frequent updates on the progress of the helicopters. Follow @MDGypsyMoth.
Every year, MDA monitors the presence and severity of gypsy moth infestations and assesses potential damage and tree loss. Predators, parasites, and diseases often kill gypsy moths; however, when the natural enemies fail to suppress high infestations, MDA will work with federal and local governments to conduct aerial insecticide treatments to protect and preserve forest and shade trees. In FY 2012, MDA surveyed more than 467,000 acres and treated 2,530 acres – all of it in Garrett County. The last major outbreak was in 2007-2008 when more than 68,000 trees lost most of their leaves and MDA treated more than 99,000 acres.
For more information about the Forest Pest Management Program, see: http://mda.maryland.gov/Documents/ag_brief/AgBrief_FPM_FINAL.pdf
See a recent blog post about the Gypsy Moth Program: http://news.maryland.gov/mda/mda-blog/2013/04/15/april-is-national-invasive-plant-pest-disease-awareness-month-learn-about-marylands-most-unwanted-pests-2/
For more comprehensive info on gypsy moth, see: http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/gypsy_moth_program.aspx
Fourmile Ridge wind farm gets PSC approval
Building begins after Garrett issues permits
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
FROSTBURG — The Maryland Public Service Commission approved the Fourmile Ridge wind project on Wednesday.
Synergics is planning on constructing 24 wind turbines in two arrays with an eastern array located on the west side of Big Savage Mountain and western array located on Fourmile Ridge.
Construction will begin on the project as soon as the permits are issued by Garrett County, according to Frank Maisano, spokesman for the Synergics project.
The county has provided Bennett Brewer and Associates of Frostburg, the engineer of record for the project, on the sediment and erosion control plan as well as the stormwater management plan, according to Jim Torrington, chief of the Garrett County Permits and Inspections Division.
“There are a host of things that need to be added to plan; it needs a major revision,” said Torrington. “We are awhile out before a permit for activity can be issued.”
The project is also awaiting Federal Aviation Administration approval because there was an issue with the Grantsville VOR/DME system.
The FAA is proposing to decommission the Grantsville VOR/DME system and that request is under way, according to Maisano.
Ed Kelley, manager of the Garrett County Airport, and the Maryland Aviation Administration have expressed opposition to the plan to decommission the Grantsville VOR/DME system.
With Garrett County as an ideal spot for wind turbines, all of the projects will and do affect the safety and economic outlook of the Garrett County Airport, said Kelley in a letter to Melinda George of the FAA.
“Local economic growth and commerce could be lost by the proposed decommissioning causing additional economic hardships to Garrett and Allegany County Airport,” he wrote. “The region cannot afford to lose critical all weather, en route and terminal access in the National Airspace System.”
The PSC recommended that Fourmile Wind Energy LLC’s request of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity waiver application be granted but with conditions.
The conditions are similar to those that Synergics was required to meet when constructing the Roth Rock project, which prevented it from going into operation until such conditions were met.
The project raised concerns with environmentalist because a major portion — 75 percent — of it is in the state’s designated “sensitive areas.”
Matt Brewer, a partner with Bennett Brewer and Associates, indicated during a PSC public hearing that the project was adjacent to those “sensitive areas.”
“We have been fully cognizant about that through the design process. We have very deliberately avoided impact to those areas,” said Brewer.
“We have completed numerous environmental studies and testing over the last three years and have incorporated those studies into the design.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article. Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
DNR won't poison pesky Deep Creek Lake plant
SWANTON, Md. — The Department of Natural Resources says it won’t use a herbicide to attack an invasive aquatic plant in western Maryland’s Deep Creek Lake this year.
The agenda for Monday’s meeting of the Deep Creek Lake Policy and Review Board includes an update on the state’s assessment of Eurasian water milfoil. Some area residents say the plant threatens to strangle recreational boating on the lake.
The DNR says a study last year found that milfoil was not outcompeting native aquatic plants. The agency says it will study the matter further this summer but won’t try to kill the invasive plant.
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Railey Realty is growing, adds second Deep Creek lake location
Railey Realty has a brand new location at Deep Creek Lake to serve you! Stop by our Midlake Office, by McDonald’s, at the intersection of Glendale Rd.
Railey Realty is proud to announce the addition of long-time Deep Creek Lake REALTOR ® and Associate Broker Lisa Goodfellow and her team of professionals to their real estate brokerage. In addition to Lisa, the Goodfellow Group includes licensed salespersons Nancy Geisler, Cindy Sanders, Cindy Mahoney, Jim Wilmot, Susanne Roszell, and Kevin Heselbach. Lisa has been selling real estate for 26 years and has won many prestigious sales awards throughout her career.
Railey Realty co-owner Mike Kennedy commented “We are extremely excited to add the Goodfellow Group to our existing team of top producing real estate agents. They are a natural fit at Railey Realty with their many years of experience, high sales volume, and attention to customer service.”
Garrett County’s largest real estate brokerage now has two offices to better serve their clients. In addition to their main sales office located at 2 Vacation Way in McHenry, the Railey group purchased the former Goodfellow Real Estate Services building near the Dry Dock Plaza. The Goodfellow Group will continue to operate out of their existing location at 19567 Garrett Highway in Thayerville which is now a Railey Realty branch office.
