More fun in sun urged for schoolchildren
By Matthew Cella
The Washington Times
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Listen up, Maryland public schools — state Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot has a bone to pick with you.
Mr. Franchot, a Democrat, kicked off a campaign last week urging schools not to start their academic years until after Labor Day in order to help increase revenue for some of the state’s popular tourist spots.
At a Board of Public Works meeting, the outspoken comptroller lamented how school districts in recent years have asked students and teachers to report earlier. The start of school has been pushed up from around Labor Day to a full one or two weeks before the first Monday in September.
Schoolchildren may not have been thrilled with this development, but Mr. Franchot said the biggest losers might be business owners in tourist-heavy areas such as Ocean City, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor or Western Maryland’s Deep Creek Lake whose busy seasons seem to get shorter every year.
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Snow drapes trees, power lines in highest elevations
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
— CUMBERLAND — Heavy, wet snow draped trees and utility lines in the higher elevations Monday after an overnight storm hit that carried a warning to continue into early Tuesday morning.
Schools were canceled in Garrett and Somerset (Pa.) counties and in the Mountain Ridge district of Allegany County. The rest of the Allegany County school system delayed opening by two hours.
Road crews were in service throughout the area removing snow but no major accidents were reported by late morning.
The Allegany County 911 center said a power outage was reported in the North End of the city when a tree downed power lines. The outage occurred at about 4 a.m. and service was restored by Potomac Edison crews by 7 a.m., said a 911 dispatcher.
In Garrett County, the snow emergency plan was implemented after dawn Monday. Interstate 68 was reportedly “bare and wet” at late morning and back roads were described as “slushy.” No major accidents were reported despite reports of several inches of snow that had fallen throughout the county, according to a trooper at the McHenry barrack.
No weather-related calls were reported by the Garrett County 911 center after several inches of snow fell throughout the upper elevations of Western Maryland and nearby West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
In Mineral County, a 911 dispatcher said the emergency center received no weather-related emergency calls. “There’s nothing here. All we have is rain,” said the dispatcher.
At the Hampshire County 911 center, a dispatcher said about 2 inches of snow fell in the Romney area but no weather-related emergencies were reported by noon Monday.
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Two Garrett County grade schools will close
Commissioners offer $500,000 prior to vote affecting Dennett Road, Kitzmiller elementary
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
— OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education voted to close Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools at a special meeting Tuesday.
The decision was made despite receiving $500,000 from the Board of Garrett County Commissioners earlier in the day for fiscal year 2013 and their suggestion to keep the schools open.
“Public education is not only our number one fiscal priority but also a notable objective of our economic development vision,” the commissioners said in a news release. “We recognize and emphasize that the issues and actions regarding school budgets, closure of schools and the overall decision about our school system rest in the elected members of the Board of Education. Any action on the part of the board of county commissioners as the funding source is not intended to usurp your difficult decisions.”
The decision was also made despite school boad president Charlotte Sebold’s suggestion that the schools remain open, instead cutting teaching positions.
“I would prefer to keep the schools open,” said Sebold, echoing the commissioners’ sentiments. “I don’t know how long that would be. We have got to address the fact that we are short $1 million. We have to have a plan.”
Sebold said the teachers’ positions could be brought back if the money from the potential stop-loss revenue comes through. That funding will be determined by a special session of the Maryland General Assembly that will likely be held in May. Before the money was provided by the commissioners Tuesday, 40 teacher positions would have been cut. Now that number would be reduced to 28 positions, according to Sebold.
“Things that we need here to make the economy grow are families and young people in our communities, said Sebold. “If we close schools, unfortunately we are not doing the things we need to do to grow the economy. We can make it without closing schools.”
Sebold also said she was appreciative of the fact that the commissioners were able to provide the money without raising taxes.
“At this time, the Board of County Commissioners plans to set the real property tax rate at the current rate of $0.9900, which will result in $2 million less revenue based on a reduction in assessments,” said the press release.
During their last meeting, the commissioners discussed the possibility of raising property taxes more than 7 cents.
Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools will be closed at the end of the school year and will save about $1 million and $279,000 respectively, helping to close a shortfall of $2 million, according to interim schools Superintendent Sue Waggoner.
“No other district has had as large of a one-year percent decrease as we have,” said Waggoner, noting that it was a 10.27 percent reduction in funding.
Students that attend Dennett Road will be redistricted to Yough Glades, Broadford and Crellin elementary schools. Yough Glades will be designated as the special education school and will need about $20,000 to provide the necessary facilities, according to Waggoner. Less money would be needed for the facilities if the work was done in-house, she said.
Students from Kitzmiller Elementary will be redistricted to Broadford Elementary. Both school buildings will revert to county government.
In their statement to the BOE, the commissioners encouraged them to have a discussion with whomever assumes the superintendent position.
“While closing community schools is a simplistic approach, you are encouraged to have an open dialogue with the candidates for the position of superintendent on how to best resolve current expected budgetary issues. It needs to be noted that commissioners cannot obligate or commit to additional funds above this level for FY 2014,” said the news release.
Although Friendsville Elementary was under consideration for closure earlier in the year, it was not included in the recommendation or the vote.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
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GC Public Safety Implements New 9-1-1 Procedure
Apr. 19, 2012
Callers who dial 9-1-1 for emergency medical assistance may notice a significant change in how such calls are handled in Garrett County, according to Communications chief Steve Smith of the GC Department of Public Safety.
“We have just implemented a new program funded through the Maryland Emergency Number Systems Board, which will allow for more timely, comprehensive and accurate information to be collected by the 9-1-1 call taker and passed on to the responding units through our computer aided dispatch software,” Smith said. “This will result in more appropriate response and treatment of the patient, as well as provide an invaluable tool for quality assurance. Callers will notice that the 9-1-1 call taker will ask specific questions, driven by responses about the patient.”
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The new software, known as ProQA, is based on protocols established by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD). ProQA is based on the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS)and provides a standardized format for carrying out the practice of priority dispatching.
It is an automated system that operates by evaluating incoming information according to logical rules built on expert medical knowledge. Smith noted that those using this system must have the very best emergency medical dispatch training, must have a firm understanding of the MPDS system, and must operate within a quality assurance and improvement environment.
“The use of ProQA software by EMDs trained and certified by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch SM results in state-of-the-art emergency medical dispatching,” Smith said.
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No more property tax hikes in Garrett County
Cumberland Times-News
— It was with dismay that I read that Garrett County commissioners are discussing raising property taxes to handle the budget shortfall projected for next year.
In these dire times when the economy is bad and prices are rising, residents of Garrett County are already stretched thin and cannot afford a property tax increase.
Also, there is a proposed closure of Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools because of the short fall in the school budget which is disheartening for the Garrett County residents.
The two operating wind projects on Backbone Mountain are paying about $1.7 million per year in taxes to the coffers of Garrett County for the over 20 years. Additional wind development projects are proposed in Garrett County that could bring $2 to $3 million a year in addition tax revenues for the next 20 plus years.
Besides, these wind projects will bring much needed construction jobs and the developers will be pumping millions into the local economy. You can ask the Oakland area hotels and motels, gas stations, restaurants, fast foods and ice cream shops on Route 219 besides the concrete and stone suppliers, and construction equipment rentals.
These businesses can tell you what it was like during the Backbone mountain wind project construction in 2009 to 2011. We need to thank the previous commissioners that they had the foresight of supporting the development and construction of these two wind projects.
Instead of embracing wind development, the new Garrett County Commissioners are being brain washed by few nay-sayers in the name of aesthetics and are proposing unreasonable setbacks and height restrictions for the wind mills in the name of “Land Management Ordinance” and “Sensitive Areas Ordinance” which in actually amounts to county-wide zoning.
Everyone knows that, except for Deep Creak Lake and few other areas, any kind of zoning in the county will be vehemently opposed by majority of Garrett County property owners. All we have to do is to look towards our neighboring Allegany County, which adopted exactly the same ridiculous setbacks and height restrictions couple of years ago practically killing all wind development.
Now Allegany County is facing a budget shortfall of $3 million and facing cutbacks in services to the residents. Newly elected officials in Allegany County are realizing the loss and have recently negotiated a deal with the Somerset wind project across the border in Pennsylvania giving them transmission access which will bring in $14.5 million to the county and to the property owners over the next 10 years.
After the recent outcome of the Maryland General Assembly, where both Senate and House bills, seeking authority by Garrett County to enforce these setbacks and height restrictions for wind energy projects, failed in Annapolis.
Common sense begs to ask the questions: How can the legislature be expected to approve such bills that basically goes against the state law requiring 20 percent energy from renewable resources by year 2020?
I wonder if the county’s business experts ever bother to conduct any economic analysis to figure out the potential revenue losses by proposing these restrictions to kill potential wind development.
I believe in renewable energy. While the experts are studying the natural gas fracturing option for groundwater contamination from pumping chemicals in the ground, let us move forward with wind development in Garrett County.
Wind energy has none of the harmful emissions, is a clean and safe source of energy and wind turbines are generally quiet in operations.
For this reason, the American Lung Association uses windmills in their advertisement for clean energy. Wind development will help us avoid school closings, avoid reduced services and budget shortfalls. Let’s be smart and pro-business and support clean energy.
Robert Spangler
Frostburg
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New 9-1-1 Dispatch Tool Now In Use
The Garrett County Department of Public Safety implemented a new computer software program this week called ProQA to better serve 9-1-1 callers with medical emergencies. With the help of this automated system, which evaluates incoming information according to logical rules built on expert medical knowledge, callers will be asked specific questions about their situations.
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“This will result in more appropriate response and treatment of the patient,” said Communications Chief Steve Smith. See story for details. Pictured, left to right, in the county’s dispatch room at the courthouse in Oakland are dispatcher Kenny Collins and Smith. Photo by John McEwen.
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It’s time for the commissioners to address education and jobs
To the Editor: Cumberland Times-News
— To the Honorable Commissioners:
You are to be commended for your efforts in dealing with issues affecting our county such as ASCI, CARC and zoning, to name a few. Now it’s time to address what really matters, educating our children and employing our citizens.
It’s become painfully obvious that elected officials such as Gov. Martin O’Malley and Sen. Michael Miller are more concerned with bipartisan politics and pet projects (i.e. off shore wind farms and Prince Georges county casinos), than with our needs.
In our time of crisis, they adjourned, with no consideration for Garrett County. Isn’t it curious that our county generates substantial tax revenues, much of which comes from nonresident sources, yet those funds are inequitably allocated elsewhere in the state? How is it justified that the teachers and administrators in our county are paid substantially less than those in other counties?
How is it justified that it’s Garrett County that must close its schools?
The children of Garrett County are just as important, and the teachers of Garrett County are just as talented and committed as those in other counties.
Until the elected officials down state rectify this crime, in a fair and objective manner, this is the only issue the commissioners need to address. We need our county leaders to lead, and elected officials to act.
Because of the fiscal responsibility of current and prior commissioners, the county has virtually no debt and enjoys a surplus of funds. It is important to be in this position for a “rainy day.”
Commissioners … it’s raining!
Don’t let the closing of schools and destruction of communities happen on your watch. Don’t let loss of jobs, hopes, and dreams be your legacy.
Prove that you genuinely have concern for the people of Garrett County that those in Annapolis clearly don’t.
You have the power and means to get this county through this crisis until times improve. Short-term inaction will surely result in long-term harm to our children and teachers.
Time is running out.
Katelyn O’Brien
Swanton
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Legislators review session; ‘worst year’ for Edwards
Matthew Bieniek Cumberland Times-News
— CUMBERLAND — Local legislators painted a bleak picture of the General Assembly session that ended earlier this month.
Sen. George Edwards said it was a “contentious year, the worst year since I’ve been in the legislature.” A special session is planned for May 14, Edwards said, to pass a budget instead of falling back on the so-called “doomsday budget.”
Edwards was speaking at the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Wrap-Up Breakfast at the Holiday Inn downtown. Also attending were Delegates Wendell Beitzel, Kevin Kelly and LeRoy Myers Jr. A second special session in the summer could deal with gaming issues, he said.
“The problem is … they picked winners and losers (in the ‘doomsday budget’),” said Edwards. The senator said he would have preferred a level funding approach. “That way you are treating everybody the same,” Edwards said. No matter what happens “we still have a very serious structural deficit,” Edwards said.
While Edwards said he thought income taxes would likely go up for some people, other taxes were nixed during the session and will stay dead for the special session.
“One thing I don’t think you have to worry about is a gas tax increase,” Edwards said. Edwards said mass transit programs should be funded as they are in several other states by a local mass transit tax. “We need to have that conversation,” Edwards said, rather than raise the gas tax.
“You will pay 30 more dollars when you flush your john,” Edwards said, referring to the increase in the Chesapeake Bay restoration fee increase. Edwards was successful in exempting those living in Garrett County west of the Continental Divide, since their streams do not flow into the bay.
The Agricultural Land Preservation Act, which effectively limits septic systems for large subdivisions will heavily affect rural Maryland, Edwards said. The effect will be a decrease in the value of farmland throughout the state, he said.
In the last three years “the governor has raided every fund you can possibly, think of,” said Beitzel, who introduced legislation to put a lock box on the bay fund. The legislation failed.
“We haven’t drilled one well in Maryland, but we had 22 bills on natural gas,” Beitzel said. Beitzel said the one bill that did pass dealing with natural gas drilling in Marcellus Shale created a presumption of fault by a gas company for problems within 2,500 feet of a well.
“This is a very difficult thing for the companies to deal with,” Beitzel said.
Education funding was also a disappointment for Beitzel. Garrett County had the biggest loss of education funding of any county in the state, he said, and that has led to decisions to close schools in the county.
Myers said one of his biggest concerns is the state business climate.
“We are becoming even more of a business-unfriendly state,” he said. The population of the state is increasing, Myers said, but not the number of taxpayers.
“Attracting new business to Maryland is just not happening,” Myers said.
Myers said the special session will cost taxpayers $50,000 a day, “which is wrong.”
“I wonder if as a state we really know where we are going,” Myers said.
Kelly believes allowing table gaming in the state, which would require a statewide vote, could benefit Rocky Gap. The General Assembly spent a great deal of time on same-sex marriage, which all the local delegation members oppose. Kelly said he believes voters will nullify the state’s same-sex marriage law if it goes to the expected referendum in November.
Kelly said he believed the May special session would last two to three days.
Beitzel said he felt the administration was “getting even” with rural Maryland. Edwards said the general view in Annapolis is that it’s cheaper to live out here, but Edwards said he wasn’t sure that was the case. “The fees add up,” Edwards said.
Maryland is the richest state in the nation, but Allegany County only has a median income of $38,000 and therefore a gas tax increase or $30 fee increase “means a lot more to someone here than out there,” he added. Edwards cited the median income of Howard County as $102,000.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com.
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Local reps take case for 219 to governor's office
By KATIE WALKER Daily American Staff Writer
11:23 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2012
A- | A+
Representatives from three counties met with Gov. Tom Corbett’s staff Wednesday to discuss the progress of completing Route 219 from Meyersdale to Somerset.
Kathleen Duffy Bruder, deputy chief of staff to Corbett, Jim Ritzman, deputy secretary for planning for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and county commissioners from Somerset, Cambria and Garrett County, Md., attended the meeting. Staff from the offices of state Sens. John Wozniak and Richard Kasunic attended as well as representatives from the North/South Appalachian Highway Coalition.
“We were making our case, as we try to do all the time to get 219 built,” Glenn Miller, an executive committee member of Continental 1, said.
The Continental 1 corridor is a proposed 1,500-mile direct route from Toronto to Miami intended to develop business growth and faster, safer travel. The organization’s current goal is to complete Route 219 from New York through Pennsylvania.
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SHA cleaning, painting 8 Garrett bridges
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
GRANTSVILLE — The Maryland State Highway Administration has begun a project to clean and paint eight bridges in Garrett County.
Most work will occur below the bridges; however, daytime single-lane closures could happen Mondays through Thursdays between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., and Fridays from 6 a.m. to noon. SHA will provide variable message signs, drums and arrow boards to guide motorists through the work zone. The projects should be completed by fall, weather permitting.
Titan Industries of Baltimore was awarded the $1.2 million contract to work at the following locations.
• State Route 38 over the North Branch of the Potomac River in Kitzmiller.
• Water Street over the Youghiogheny River in Friendsville.
• East and westbound spans of Interstate 68 over Water Street and the Youghiogheny River.
• Frost Road over I-68 near Grantsville.
• U.S. Route 219 over I-68 in Grantsville.
• East and westbound spans of I-68/U.S. 219 over Shade Hollow Road in Grantsville.
Maryland now features free traveler information by calling 511 or 855-GOMD511 or go to www.md511.org. Questions about the bridge projects may be directed to SHA’s District 6 Office at 301-729-8400 or 800-760-7138.
SHA recently announced road work and bridge projects in Allegany County as well with a $3.3 million contract for improvements at the U.S. Route 220/I-68 interchange. SHA will spend $879,000 for bridge paintings in the county and $850,000 to upgrade traffic barriers in both Allegany and Garrett counties.
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