EPA Awards $300K To Help Potomac Highlands Region
Apr. 26, 2012
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and American Rivers recently awarded a $300,000 grant to Frostburg State University (FSU), the Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council (WMRCD), and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reduce flooding, restore forests, and promote local food production in the Potomac Highlands region.
In the past, many of the region’s streams have been damaged by harmful logging, mining, dams, and other development, noted U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin.
The $300,000 grant is part of a comprehensive initiative to help protect and restore rivers in the Potomac Highlands region. WMRCD is partnering with FSU, the DNR, and others to convert unused mined land into a five-acre greenhouse complex designed to train community members for high quality jobs, while producing local food and tree seedlings to be used in restoration projects throughout the region.
“This grant is a win-win for everyone involved because it represents a true partnership in which Frostburg State, the WMRCD and the DNR have joined with EPA and American Rivers to initiate a comprehensive environmental restoration effort that will create jobs and help restore the Potomac watershed,” said Cardin, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and chair of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee. “Contamination from mining activities and other development can have a devastating effect, and this grant will help restore the area’s rivers, streams and forests.”
The environmental, social and economic benefits include reducing runoff that contributes to Potomac basin flooding and acid mine drainage,;re-establishing natural forest habitat on strip-mined lands; creating two permanent, sustainable jobs, and a training facility that will help create additional job opportunities; and providing local healthy food to the residents of western Maryland.
American Rivers is implementing the EPA grant program that awards local, innovative solutions to benefit clean water and local economies. A total of $1.3 million is being awarded to seven projects to protect rivers and clean water in the Potomac Highlands region of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The Highlands region is the headwaters of the Potomac River, which flows through the nation’s capital. Cardin noted the region’s forests and streams provide rich habitat for fish, wildlife, and plants, as well as an increasingly popular recreation and tourism destination.
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Garrett County Land Use Management Ordinance Draft.
The Board of Garrett County Commissioners has released a draft land use ordinance with a goal of encouraging county property owners and county stakeholders to examine and provide comment on the working document. Unlike Euclidian Zoning, virtually all land uses would be permitted in all areas of the county under the ordinance with the exception of the Deep Creek Lake area which has had comprehensive zoning since 1975. Uses that may impose adverse impacts on surrounding properties may be subject to a “Special Exception” review process.
A desire to proactively address complex issues such as the continued interest and impact of future industrial wind development to natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation has been the catalyst for the development of the draft ordinance. Attempts to establish fundamental set backs and decommissioning standards for industrial wind development have repeatedly failed to be passed into law in the last four years by the State Legislature.
“As the face of Garrett County is changing, we need open discussion on what we want our county to look like and where we want to be in our economic future,” said Chairman Jim Raley.
After four public work sessions, the Board decided at its regular meeting on May 1, 2012 to release the draft ordinance for a 45 day public comment period which will end on June 15, 2012. The Board invites written public comment and as comment is received it will be posted on the County website, www.garrettcounty.org.
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Garrett County considers raising property taxes
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News — OAKLAND — Garrett County commissioners Tuesday discussed the possibility of raising property taxes more than 7 cents. The proposed tax increase would break down to about a 4.3-cent property tax — to meet a state-projected constant yield — and another 3 cent-plus to match a loss of funding to the board of education and any other losses, according to Chairman James Raley. If residents pay $1,000 on an existing home, they would be looking at a $70 increase, said Raley. The proposed tax increase is being considered to help fund a reduction of $3.6 million in tax revenue and deal with the projected impact of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s “doomsday” budget. “We need to determine how much we want to pay as a community. In many of my discussion with folks … what resonated is how important people feel about community schools,” said Raley. “What didn’t resonate from those meetings was, is the public willing to pay more money to provide those kinds of services to keep community schools intact?” There is a reduction of more than $1.92 million in real estate tax revenue because of a reduction in the gross assessable base from fiscal year 2012 to 2013, according to Wendy Yoder, director for the Department of Financial Services. Property tax revenue is the county’s largest source of revenue, she said. The state has calculated that the constant yield rate should be $1.0331 in order to receive the same amount of real estate tax revenue in fiscal 2013 as was received in fiscal 2012. That state-projected constant yield rate is 4.31 cents higher than the current tax rate of 99 cents, according to Yoder. The progression of the county’s fiscal 2013 budget was delayed because it was contingent upon the outcome of the General Assembly, but now the county has decided to operate under the assumption that the “doomsday” budget holds, according to Yoder. “This is probably the first year in the budget process that I can remember where the budget has been this uncertain, while awaiting the outcome of the state,” said Yoder. “A special session could be called, which could change the impact on the county, but we have no other option at this time but to move forward to operate under the governor’s ‘doomsday’ budget.” Raley said he wasn’t optimistic that the board of education’s losses would be capped at $1.5 million. “As Mrs. Yoder said, we have to move forward at this point. The school board has to move forward,” said Raley. “The unfortunate and hard reality is we have to make our decision now based on the ‘doomsday’ budget because that is exactly what we have to work from.” In its current form, the “doomsday” budget reduces or eliminates state aid in a number of areas, many of which deal with education spending, according to the Associated Press. For example, $70 million in cuts would come from a reduction in per-pupil spending, which would drop from $6,761 to $6,650. The indirect impact of the budget caused a total $2.2 million loss in the state aid formula for the BOE, because of the elimination of the loss limitation. In the past, the county has always been able to go above and beyond in its appropriation to the BOE because of the maintenance of effort, said Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator. “We have been hit really hard here because of wealth and our assesments, which are actually down for next year and the declining student population,” said Pagenhardt. “It’s a double-edged sword.” In 2009, over $8 million in capital funding was used to renovate the county’s public schools, according to Pagenhardt. “We are very proud of that. In saying that, it is not the case today,” he said. The budget will also cause a 10 percent reduction to Garrett College, the elimination of cost-shifting teacher pensions and a reduction in library aid. “We did receive word that the reduction to the library system and the per-pupil reduction in state aid formula will not go into effect even though they were included in the “doomsday” budget. Because the General Assembly does not have the authority to cut mandated education aid without passing statutory changes,” said Yoder. Raley said he was fairly certain there would be a special session to address teacher pensions, adding there was $200 million of education funding on the table. The teacher pensions issue was one of the stalemates in the state budget process because the Senate had one version and the House had another version, said Raley. Pagenhardt said he was disappointed about the state’s failure to come up with a budget. “It’s a shame that the legislature couldn’t come up with a budget, which is their responsibility to do,” said Pagenhardt. “We are going to be OK. We haven’t overextended ourselves,” he said, adding that the county has been able to operate with less human and financial resources in the past. If the taxes were to be raised it would not likely stop the closings of Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools, but instead would prevent the closing of other schools in the future, according to Raley. During a special meeting on April 24, the BOE will make a final decision on the school closings. Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com More here. 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!
Montgomery County foreclosure rate plummets in March
Montgomery had the second-lowest rate in the state by Gazette Staff The rate of home foreclosure filings in Montgomery County last month plunged 39.9 percent from February and 44.8 percent from March 2011, according to data in a new report from RealtyTrac of Irvine, Calif. The statewide rate in March also fell, although not as steeply: 3.7 percent and 28.1 percent, respectively. With one foreclosure filing per 3,722 households, Montgomery had the second-lowest rate in the state. Only Garrett County in Western Maryland had a lower rate, although with a much smaller sampling size. More here. 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!
Garrett officials appoint acting adventure sports center director
For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News — OAKLAND — Michael Logsdon has been appointed acting executive director of Adventure Sports Center International, the man-made whitewater rafting course located at Deep Creek Lake. The appointment was announced Wednesday by the Garrett County Commission, in cooperation with the Board of Trustees of Garrett College, according to a news release. Last month, county commissioners voted unanimously to take ownership of the financially-struggling facility. Logsdon will ensure ASCI management operates effectively and efficiently, according to the news release. “ASCI is a valuable asset to our overall economic development strategy and I know Mike (Logsdon) and the entire staff will work tirelessly to make the project one for which we can all be proud,” said commission Chairman Jim Raley. Logsdon joined the college faculty in 1976 and has served as director of the college’s adventure sports program since 1992. He served as executive director of the Adventure Sports Institute in 2004 and his works have been published in a number of professional adventure sport journals. He holds a master of science degree in electrical engineering. More here. 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!
Garrett County graduates One Maryland program
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News — OAKLAND — Garrett County has been advised by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development that it has graduated from the state’s One Maryland Plan, effective April 1, according to Jim Hinebaugh, county director of economic development. The county’s business growth over the past nine years led to the accomplishment. “While graduation from the One Maryland program represents progress, it also reflects hard work, financial investment and commitment to the local area by local businesses,” said county commission Chairman Jim Raley in a news release. The One Maryland program was developed and implemented during Cas Taylor’s tenure as speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, Hinebaugh said. “The intent of the program was to help the economically displaced counties develop and grow their economy,” said Hinebaugh during Tuesday’s commission meeting. Under the program, economically distressed jurisdictions are defined as having a two-year unemployment average greater than 150 percent of the statewide rate and an average per capita income of less than 66 percent of the two-year state average, according to the news release. Graduation from the program means the county’s businesses are no longer eligible for tax credits and other incentives provided by the program. “It’s one of those good news, bad news stories,” said Hinebaugh. “The good news is we graduated. The bad news is we can’t use the program anymore. We are very proud of the fact that we have come a long way.” To qualify for those incentives, eligible businesses had to create a minimum of 25 new jobs, make a capital investment of at least $500,000 and be located in a state-approved priority funding area. Several county-based businesses used the program to help facilitate business expansions over a 10-year period. The expansions resulted in the creation of more than 300 new jobs and a capital investment of more than $20 million, according to Hinebaugh. The county technically graduated April 1, 2011, but through the efforts of state Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel, last year’s legislative session grandfathered the county for another year, said Hinebaugh. In 1997, the county’s average unemployment was 13.7 percent, Hinebaugh said. “We went five straight years at 5.1 percent or less. We were always at the bottom,” said Hinebaugh, noting that in February 10 other jurisdictions had higher unemployment rates than the county did. “Graduation from this One Maryland program is an indication that we are making progress. That’s not to say that we don’t have a lot of challenges to do. There are still a lot of people that need work …” The county is experiencing growth. Jim Henry, program director in the office of finance programs for the state, will be spending the next few days with the economic development department and will meet with two businesses that are considering expansion, Hinebaugh said. “We are going to talk about a new start-up business. I think it’s good news,” said Hinebaugh. “It’s an indication that even though things are tough and kind of slow, we are still working hard. We are still prospering.” In other commission news, county officials will hear an update on broadband on May 1, Hinebaugh said. Hinebaugh stressed the importance of broadband to the county, stating, “It’s one way of leveling the playing field. I’m excited about being able to improve access. Our goal is to get where 90 percent of the residents of the county have broadband access.” The commissioners also announced that Bloomington Volunteer Fire Department was interested in the purchase of the former Bloomington Elementary School for $50,000, with the condition that the county raze the building. More here. 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!
Unclaimed Prop. Listings Included in Today's Republican
Apr. 19, 2012
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot wants Maryland residents to be on the lookout for his agency’s annual unclaimed property advertising insert. The 184-page insert, which is in today’s issue of The Republican, is designed help reunite Marylanders with nearly $51 million in unclaimed property.
The unclaimed property unit of the comptroller’s office is the guardian of bank accounts, contents of safe deposit boxes, security deposits, wages and insurance benefits, and proceeds that have been unclaimed for more than three years. Property such as parcels of land or homes is not included.
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By law, financial institutions, insurance companies, utilities, and other companies are required to notify the comptroller of any property that has gone unclaimed, or without activity, for more than three years. Once the comptroller’s office is notified, the staff try to locate the rightful owners to match them with their property.
Even though the comptroller is the guardian of the property, the items continue to belong to the owners or their rightful heirs, and are available to be claimed at any time. There is no deadline on when the owners can collect their funds.
“The number-one priority of the comptroller’s office is to serve the citizens of Maryland,” said Franchot. “In that respect, we take our responsibility for reuniting Marylanders with what is rightfully theirs very seriously. Many of the unclaimed property accounts on our books are simply forgotten by the owners. But, in other cases, the property is something left behind by a relative, which no one knew about until he/she checked the list.”
Franchot urges all who find their names in the insert to telephone his office toll-free at 1-800-782-7383 to find out how to reclaim their lost property. The agency’s complete list of 970,000 accounts, worth more than $985 million, is also available online at any time, for free, at www.marylandtaxes.com or www.missingmoney.com.
Some items held by the Unclaimed Property division of the comptroller’s office are eligible for auction on eBay to obtain the best return in value for the rightful owners. The auction program has been in place for six years, and nearly 6,100 items have been sold, totaling more than $1.2 million These items can be viewed and bid on by clicking the eBay icon at www.marylandtaxes.com.
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Maryland public schools should start after Labor Day, Franchot says
Baltimore Business Journal by Ryan Sharrow, New Media Editor
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2012, 11:27am EDT
Ryan Sharrow
New Media Editor – Baltimore Business Journal
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot on Thursday called for all state school systems to begin classes after Labor Day, arguing $4 million is being lost annually for state and local governments.
Franchot, who wants a statewide policy change on the issue, traveled to Ocean City to make the announcement. He was flanked by Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and members of the local business community.
The resort town, for example, can generate almost $5 million in state and local revenues during an August week, Franchot said, adding that small businesses are dependent on the busy tourism season.
“Not only does this cut into the opportunity for Marylanders to spend more time together as a family, but it also has a negative impact on small businesses that rely on the tourist trade,” Franchot said, also pointing to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Deep Creek Lake. “During these tough economic times, we need to be doing all that we can to support the tourism sector and find ways to foster even more growth.”
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Officials Moving Forward With County Budget, Despite State Budget Dilemma
Apr. 19, 2012
The Garrett County commissioners announced Tuesday afternoon that the Bloomington Volunteer Fire Department will purchase the former Bloomington Elementary School from the county. As a cost-saving measure, the GC Board of Education closed the facility at the end of the last school year.
Commission chair Jim Raley noted the county had advertised that the building was for sale, but no one expressed an interest in purchasing the 21,123-square-foot school building, situated on 1.25 acres.
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“So we approached the Bloomington Fire Department to see if there would be interest on its part,” Raley said. “And at this point the department has expressed an interest in purchasing the facility, with the condition that the county raze the facility in some agreeable manner.”
Based on recent discussions between the commissioners and fire department, the BVFD would pay the county $50,000 over a 10-year period for the property and the expense of razing it.
“The county would pick up any additional amounts to that,” Raley said about the razing cost. “That would give the property’s full rights and ownership to the fire department.”
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CitizenShale Group Notes Successes, Failures Of Gas-Drilling Legislation
Apr. 19, 2012
CitizenShale, a local citizens’ group formed last year to provide education and information about issues related to natural gas drilling in Maryland, expressed appreciation this week for the work of the county’s Annapolis delegation in securing some new legislation pertaining to this industry. The group also noted other efforts evolving to ensure public and environmental safeguards, should hydraulic fracturing for gas come to Maryland.
The organization began working with Delegate Wendell Beitzel and Senator George Edwards last December on drafting three bills to reform key provisions of the gas leasing process, in response to land-owner and lease-holder concerns about misinformation and a lack of transparency in gas leasing. One of those bills did become law.
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Complaints were lodged with the Maryland Attorney General’s Office during the last year about the way energy companies and leasing representatives allegedly misrepresented the dangers associated with “fracking” for natural gas, about the extremely low prices paid for leases, and about misleading clauses in the leases that allowed them to be automatically renewed after the original term.
Lease prices of $5 or $10 per acre were standard in Garrett County, during a period when leases purchased in nearby Pennsylvania often topped $2,000 per acre. Leasing began in Garrett County in 2006, and approximately 120,000 acres – some 600 individual leases – were secured.
“People who were not interested now see issues to be concerned about,” said CitizenShale board president Eric Robison, an Oakland area resident.
He noted that the organization conducted numerous public education programs in the county during the last year.
“What was a local conversation is now part of a national conversation. People are starting to appreciate the cautious approach the state is advocating,” he said.
“Despite differing philosophies about the long-term value of natural gas drilling for our state and county, we were able to work effectively with Del. Beitzel and Sen. Edwards. We greatly appreciated that opportunity,” Robison said.
House Bill 402, introduced by Del. Beitzel to address record-keeping shortcomings that had been cited in an earlier law dealing with dormant mineral interests, was passed into law with an amendment late in the session to require that all gas leases filed after Oct. 1 of this year include a standardized “intake sheet” summary of the lease.
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