ICF to bring more money to Garrett than once thought
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
MCHENRY — It is estimated that the September Deep Creek 2014: International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Championships will provide a $20 million economic impact on Garrett County, according to a county commission news release.
Previously, Nicole Christian, president and CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, estimated that the event would bring $10 million to $15 million to the county.
“The ICF World Championships represent much more than a simple competition. It is a gathering of nations from around the globe joining together in sport and camaraderie while establishing the legacy of this Olympic-style event,” states the news release.
At an annual prelegislative meeting in December, Christian requested legislation for a $1 million state bond bill to be used in connection with the event.
Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel are requesting Senate Bill 423 and House Bill 611, which would authorize the creation of state debt not to exceed $450,000 and are requesting the state bond bill. The proceeds would be used as a grant to the county commissioners for the planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction and capital equipping of Adventure Sports Center International. The project will also include upgrading telecommunications and building new and upgrading existing infrastructure and facilities.
These improvements are necessary to fulfill the requirements and obligations necessary to host the 2014 ICF Championship, states the bond bill fact sheet.
Estimated capital costs of the project are about $2 million.
In addition to the project being funded with state bond money, $906,000 will come from an Appalachian Regional Commission grant, $250,000 from an ARC Area Development grant and $500,000 from an ARC Local Access Road Grant.
The ARC and AD grant will require a county match of $94,000 and $350,000, respectively, according to the bond bill fact sheet. The project construction is expected to be complete by May 2014.
It’s estimated that the event will bring more than 1,500 athletes and team support staff from about 50 countries. With 40,000 spectators expected, an additional 150,000 are estimated to attend related events. The ICF World Championships will tie in with the Star Spangled 200 celebrations, which will include a flag relay on water and land from Fort McHenry to the town of McHenry, according to the ASCI website. The relay will include a canoe paddle on the Potomac River and C&O Canal bringing the ICF flag and other historic flags to the opening ceremony in Garrett County on Sept. 16, 2014.
The ICF championships will mark the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Canoe Slalom World Championships held on Savage River in Garrett County, according to the ASCI website. The total economic impact of the 1989 World Championships was $10 million as reported by the Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development.
In spring 2011, ASCI won the bid for the ICF Championships over Vienna, Austria, and Krakow, Poland. In March 2012, the county commission took ownership of ASCI.
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Garrett County's Recycling Rate Is Nearly 51 Percent
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has finalized its review of each county’s Maryland Recycling Act (MRA) Tonnage Report for calendar year 2011. Garrett County had a recycling rate of 50.93 percent, with a waste diversion rate of 51.93 percent.
“This places us fifth amongst the counties in this state,” said recycling coordinator Kim Madigan, Garrett County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling. “In 2010, the recycling rate was 45.17 percent. The higher recycling rate is indicative of an economy beginning to bounce back, with the consumer buying more and producing more waste and recycling materials.”
She congratulated local residents and businesses for the improvement in their recycling efforts.
“Everyone has worked hard to achieve the 51 percent recycling rate,” Madigan said. “However, we will still continue to encourage residents and businesses to not only recycle every day, but also reduce waste at the source.”
In the past, Garrett and other counties were required to divert at least 15 percent of their waste to recycling programs. In the 2012 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill (HB) 929: Environment – Recycling Rates and Waste Diversion – Statewide Goals. Counties will now be required to divert at least 20 percent of their waste to recycling programs.
“Now, more than ever, it will be important to keep up with good recycling habits and fast, efficient reporting,” Madigan said.
She noted that the Maryland Recycling Act Tonnage Report for calendar year 2012 is being sent out now. Local businesses are asked to complete the reports and return them to the landfill office, located at 3118 Oakland Sang Run Road, Oakland.
Persons who have questions about what is recyclable, who can report materials sent out of the area, or who need help completing the tonnage reporting form are asked to contact Madigan at 301-387-0322 or kmadigan@garrettcounty.org.
The Iceman is back!
Bill Sandusky of the Frozen Assets Ice Carving Company is indeed back and in action in the town of Oakland, where the 6th annual Winter Fest will be held this weekend, Feb. 15-17. The annual progressive dinner will take place tomorrow night, with participants taken by sleigh to a number of stops for a complete meal. (Reservations are required and can be made by calling 301-334-3352.) New this year will be the Kick-Off Reception at the Oakland fire hall, located along Third Street, on Friday, 6 to 10 p.m. There will be food, drinks, and music by local band The Reign. (Persons must be 21 in order to enter this event.) The cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple, with proceeds benefiting the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department.
The festival will begin on Saturday at 10 a.m., with events and activities slated throughout the day until 6 p.m. Sandusky and his crew will be in several locations throughout town carving sculptures, which will be displayed and lit for as long as they remain frozen. There will be a wine tasting and live music by the Brothers Short, plus bowling with frozen cantaloupes on a bowling alley made of ice. The crowning of the Snow Flake Toddler Prince and Princess will be held on Saturday, with voting to take place inside Marvin’s. Persons may go into the store for voting instructions. Horse-drawn sleigh rides through town will available, and a snowman-building contest will be held in front of the Oakland Train Station. Weather permitting, snowmobile drag races hosted by High Mountain On-Off Road will take place at Winter’s Dairy field, just outside the town limits along Dennett Road, at 11 a.m. The cost will be $15 per class to race, and free to spectators. Registration will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Oakland Community Center (armory). Crafts vendors will be at the Oakland fire hall and at the Knights of Pythias Building along Third Street. The Oakland Transportation, Oakland B&O Station, and the Garrett County Historical Society museums will all be open throughout the weekend. For more event information, persons may go to www.agreatsmalltown.com/winter-fest, or contact Jim Johnson at 301-616-4008 or the Oakland Town Hall at 301-334-2691.
Area Of Ice To Be Removed At Deep Creek Lake
The Maryland Park Service (MPS) announced this week that, starting this Saturday, Feb. 16, ice along the shoreline of the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park will be removed to open the waters for cold water rescue training. This area will remain unsafe for quite some time, an MPS spokesperson said, and will be marked with reflective buoys.
The water rescue training is for emergency services personnel of several Montgomery County fire and rescue companies and will include the operation of airboats during daylight hours.
“The boats are very loud, and residents and visitors should not be alarmed by the sound,” the spokesperson said.
Ice fisherman, hikers, snowmobilers, and others on or around the lake should stay alert and be aware of potential safety hazards, many of which go unseen, especially at night. Snowmobilers are reminded that surface conditions under bridges are often particularly hazardous from falling salt, and snowdrifts or pressure ridges can act as ramps, causing sleds and snowmobiles to become airborne. MPS urges visitors to the lake to wear, or have handy, a personal flotation device.
Deep Creek Lake is a part of the designated off-road vehicle trail system open to registered snowmobiles only, which may operate at night if equipped with working head- and taillights. Permits are available by mail, at Deep Creek Lake and New Germany state parks, and at Savage River State Forest during normal business hours.
Visitors can access the lake at Deep Creek Lake State Park or with permission from a private landowner with a permit site.
To report people, pets, or wildlife that have fallen through the ice, persons are asked to call either 911 or the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at 410-260-8888.
GC Commissioners Approve Funds To Place Police Officers In Two Schools
Feb. 14, 2013
County administrator Monty Pagenhardt has announced that the Board of Garrett County Commissioners will provide funds that will be directed to the placement of two school resource law enforcement officers (SROs) in Garrett County public schools. One officer, Dep. Dave McLaughlin, will be assigned to the Northern Garrett High School/Middle School complex, and the other officer, Sgt. Clark Warnick, will be placed at Southern Garrett High School.
“The decision by county government and the Board of Education to place school resource officers in the Garrett County school system is an instrumental step in keeping our students safe,” said Sheriff Rob Corley. “Our children are our most valuable resource. They are future sheriffs, teachers, community leaders, and sports heroes. The SROs will not only serve as a safety net for the schools but more importantly serve as role models and mentors. I look forward to working with the Board of Education and my staff in creating the most effective School Resource Officer Program that we can.”
Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget for fiscal year 2014 has proposed that grant funding be appropriated to local jurisdictions for the purpose of public school security, and if those funds are approved, a third officer will be assigned to Southern Garrett Middle School, Pagenhardt noted.
“I’d like to thank Sheriff Corley, county administrator Pagenhardt, and Superintendent Wilson for quickly working to address security needs in the wake of the Newtown tragedy,” said Commissioner Gregan Crawford, who serves as the ex-officio member on the Garrett County Board of Education. “Through their efforts, the presence of SROs and implementation of additional security measures that they have identified, parents of school-age children, including myself, can be reassured that concerns are being addressed to make our schools safer. I support their recommendations and will work to see that they are funded and implemented.”
According to Pagenhardt, the cost of the SRO program per officer will be about $88,333, which includes salary, fringe benefits, vehicle expenses, and training. The total cost of the program will be about $265,000, which will come from the county’s general fund. He noted, however, that the allocation will be offset by whatever grant funds are secured.
“As a deputy, drug education officer, and now the sheriff of Garrett County, I know firsthand the effect of positive police interaction with students, as well as all youth,” said Corley.
Pagenhardt said the county plans to have Warnick and McLaughlin complete SRO training at a police academy and be in the schools for the 2013-2014 school year. Two new officers will be hired to replace them at the Sheriff’s Office.
More here.
Garrett residential refuse tags on sale
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Department of Solid Waste & Recycling announces that the 2013 residential refuse permits are on sale.
Residents can purchase their permits online, by mail or in person at the landfill on Oakland Sang Run Road or the Garrett County tax office. The $50 fee can be paid in person using cash, check or money order.
Applications are available at all collection sites, online and at the Grantsville Library, Garrett County tax office and the landfill office.
For more information, go to www.co.garrett.md.us or call 301-387-0322.
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Kitzmiller school, swamp land on Maryland agenda
Transfer of property from BOE comes from cost-cutting closure
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — The transfer of the ownership of Kitzmiller Elementary School in Garrett County to the county’s commissioners is on the state Board of Public Works agenda for Wednesday.
Also listed are the acquisition of a 256-acre parcel of land owned by the Cassellman Basin Coal Company with $550,000 in Project Open Spaces funds, along with several other local items.
The transfer of the school from the Garrett County Board of Education to the county comes after the school was closed May 30, following the school board’s April vote to do so in a cost-cutting measure.
The county voted later to allow Garrett County Community Action Committee to continue to use the former Kitzmiller school for Head Start during the current school year.
Approval of the transfer of the seven-acre site is recommended by The Interagency Committee on School Construction.
“As a condition of approval, the Garrett County government shall obtain approval from the Board of Public Works before transferring any right, title or interest to any portion of the facility,” the agenda said.
The coal company land acquisition will be the first for the new Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area, according to the Board of Public Works. The land is ecologically important, according to board documents.
“The property supports several rare and listed species, including Wood horsetail (only one other is recorded in Maryland), bristly sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida), Nashville warbler, alder flycatcher and silver-bordered fritillary.
“The property’s large size, wetland community quality, species diversity and the number of rare species present make it an extremely high protection priority for the state,” a summary of the property’s environmental importance said.
The land will be protected from mining and surface discharges through agreements with the U.S. government, which owns most of the mineral rights under the land.
“Additionally, the MDE permitting process would prevent surface mining on Cunningham Swamp for any reserved coal rights,” the board’s agenda said.
Also on the agenda is the addition of 14 acres to complete a multi-parcel easement in the Mountain Ridge Rural Legacy Area in Allegany County. The land includes a significant golden eagle flyway. The full area includes some 30,640-acres.
The agenda also includes a $23,000 grant for Constitution Park pool upgrades and $14,000 for renovation of basketball courts at Frostburg Community Park.
More here.
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Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!
New wing of hospital starts spring 2013
Garrett medical center wants to have renovations on third floor complete by October ’14
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — The groundbreaking of the new wing expansion at the Garrett County Memorial Hospital will likely be done in the spring of 2013, according to Donald Battista, the hospital’s president and CEO.
“We are getting closer. Our Health Services Cost Review Commission review has been docketed … and so has our Certificate of Need,” said Battista during his presentation to the county commissioners Tuesday. “So, we are assuming they will have some adjudications of those applications somewhere in the November/ December time frame.”
The first additional wing expansion on the third floor will ostensibly be completed in October 2014, said Tracy Lipscomb, chief financial officer for the hospital.
“We have been working on this since about 2010,” said Battista.
The wing expansion will include a new four-story addition to the existing hospital with a focus on improvements to inpatient units.
This will be the first improvement to the inpatient bed facility since 1980.
All the inpatient units will be enhanced with major renovations, according to Battista.
The proposed plan includes eight new private med-surg rooms — each allows for existing semiprivate conversions to private.
These additional rooms will allow enhanced patient privacy and safety and improved infection control management. The rooms will be sized to accommodate new patient care technology, said Battista. The plan proposes an additional 19,504 square feet.
Rehabilitation and renovations will be done to approximately one-third of the existing facility, or 41,938 square feet.
The proposed work will be done in four phases to be completed in about 36 months.
The hospital will stay operational during the construction process, according to Battista.
“You build the wing, then you start filling in some of the inpatient areas within that building,” said Battista. “It’s very thoughtfully considered; it’s not a short-term project. The basement area is an important part of this project.”
The improvement of the basement allows for renovations to the dining serving area and to the kitchen, increasing serving line and eating spaces, according to Battista.
The renovations to the basement will take place in Phase I, according to a handout provided at the meeting.
Total renovations to the hospital are expected to be completed in June 2016, said Lipscomb.
The total cost of the project will be about $23.5 million, with about $17.5 million in construction costs, according to Lipscomb. About $7.5 million of funding will come from hospital operations and cash reserves and $1 million will come from fundraising.
The county will be a co-signer for the $15 million that the hospital is going to borrow, according to Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator. The hospital would then pay off that debt service at 5.25 percent for 20 years, according to the handout. The hospital has borrowed money from the county in the past.
Hospitals in Maryland are funded differently than hospitals in West Virginia, said Battista.
“Maryland is the only state left that is regulated in terms of Medicare and Medicaid differently than the other 49,” said Battista. “The other 49 states are under something called Critical Access Hospitals.”
CAH is a special designation for rural health care under Medicare, according to Battista.
“It’s really low-volume, low-market areas that have to have some kind of health care for the citizens to access,” said Battista.
CAH provides cost-based reimbursements from Medicare that allow buildings to be constructed. The new Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser, W.Va., was built under CAH status, according to Battista.
“There is no such thing in Maryland,” said Battista.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
More here.
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Garrett County changing material applied to roads during winter
MDE claims department in violation of state code
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Roads Department is planning on using anti-skid only on the roads next year as opposed to a blend of anti-skid and bottom ash, announced General Roads Superintendent Jay Moyer during the county commission meeting Tuesday.
The decision was made because the Maryland Department of the Environment told the department it is in violation of state code and because of budget constraints, according to Moyer. Moyer requested a waiver from MDE for the violation and was denied it.
“My recommendation is we are going to go ahead this year … will use those piles down,” said Moyer, who noted that next year nothing will be added to the anti-skid piles except in those areas where salt is used.
Bottom ash is the result of coal combustion and is a byproduct, according to Moyer. The anti-skid blend is used to loosen up ice on the road surfaces so that the Roads Department can plow them.
In March, Mitchell Welsh of the Compliance Division of MDE, who specializes in the Solid Waste Program, visited the department and observed a violation in the way the bottom ash was stored at the four garages.
“This is a safety issue. That is what this boils down to,” said Moyer. “We have never had a violation. We have never been cited in the past. It’s never been an issue before with this being used as a product.”
Currently the department uses salt in a limited fashion only in areas that are heavily traveled by tourists such as New Germany, Lower New Germany, Glendale and Sand Flat roads.
“We have also signed a contract with (the) State Highway Adminstration recently that will allow us to buy up to $250,000 worth of salt per year for the next five years,” said Moyer. “But it’s expensive; it’s $68 a ton versus $6.75 a ton for bottom ash.”
MDE advised the county that it needs an industrial storm water permit at the sites where the anti-skid is stored.
Moyer indicated in a letter to Edward Dexter, program administrator for the MDE Land Management Administration Solid Waste Program, that the Roads Department has sediment control ponds at each of the four garages. Moyer also indicated that the department had applied for the storm water permit.
The anti-skid has been stored at each of the garage sites for many years with little or no environmental impact on the surrounding areas, according to Moyer.
“The bottom ash is monitored by the (U.S.) EPA (Environmental Protection
Agency). It is tested and certified as having no significant impact on the environment,” said Moyer.
MDE is OK with the department using the bottom ash on the road but is worried about it blowing out from the stockpile into the atmosphere and washing away during rain events, according to Moyer.
“When we are done, we encapsulate those piles in pure anti-skid, which prevents any wind issues,” said Moyer.
Along with his request for a waiver from the MDE, Moyer attached a product analysis provided by Belmont Aggregates.
“… test results that you supplied indicated that the leachate to be expected from this material is likely to exceed the state and federal drinking water standards for antimony, and to exceed Maryland’s groundwater standards for antimony and iron,” wrote Dexter in re-sponse to Moyer’s request for a waiver. “At this time, there are no barriers to prevent the escape of chemicals leaching out of the piles into the surface and groundwater. Garrett County has not demonstrated how the existing storage system can meet the storage requirements.”
Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator, wrote a letter to Dexter expressing his disappointment over the fact that waiver request was denied. Pagenhardt indicated that because of the costs associated with fixing the violation that it “left the county in a position to redirect funds from other public services at a time when revenue from every source is being diminished.”
MDE recommended that the department construct buildings at the garage storage sites to cover the abrasive stockpile or to cover it with a tarp, according to Moyer. Building construction would cost about $200,000 for each site.
“With the current economic climate and impending close of the winter operation’s season upon us, it would be very expensive, cumbersome and offer little guarantee of obtaining the required results to try to cover the stockpile with tarps in order to try and achieve the required results,” wrote Moyer.
The county’s Department of Engineering has measured the stockpiles and determined that it would take a tarp the size of an acre to cover one bottom ash pile, according to Moyer.
“Their (MDE) answer back to that was just use smaller tarps,” said Moyer. “Well these are huge anti-skid piles.”
Moyer indicated that it would be dangerous and time-consuming for the road department employees to remove snow from the tarps in order to get to the anti-skid.
“To me that’s not an option; the tarps are out,” said Moyer.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
More here.
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Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!
