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City principals among lowest-paid school leaders in state

By Erica L. Green, The Baltimore Sun

5:54 p.m. EST, February 2, 2012
Even as Baltimore principals have been given an unprecedented amount of responsibility over the past four years under schools CEO Andrés Alonso, their average salary has remained among the lowest in the state.

The average salary for city principals this school year is about $108,000, just $2,800 more than their pay in 2008, according to an analysis of school system employee salaries obtained through a Maryland Public Information Act request by The Baltimore Sun.

That leaves city principals — who lead schools with the largest and most academically challenged populations in the state — behind most of their colleagues in the metropolitan area and only slightly above rural counties on the Eastern Shore…

…The highest-paid principals are in Montgomery County, which has an average salary of $131,000; the lowest is Garrett County, at $75,000. The state average is $114,700.

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Local Lawmakers' Bills Scheduled For Committee Review

Feb. 2, 2012

General Assembly committee hearings are under way in Annapolis for legislation proposed by state lawmakers. Bills introduced by Del. Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Edwards will be reviewed during the next several weeks.

The House Appropriations Committee will hold a public hearing for Beitzel’s HB 121: “Dedicated Funds – Prohibition of Transfer – Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund and Bay Restoration Fund” on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. in Room 120, House Office Building.


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This bill would amend the Maryland State Constitution to prohibit the transfer of funds from the two major sources of revenue for bay cleanup efforts in the state.

“The Chesapeake By is a state treasure that needs to be protected, and the citizens of the state are paying to ‘save the bay,'” Beitzel said. “Therefore, the dedicated funds entrusted to the state need to be restricted for their intended purpose.”

Anyone wishing to testify on HB 121 must sign the witness register by 12:50 p.m. on the day of the hearing. Those who have written testimony are asked to submit 40 copies to the Appropriations Committee staff for distribution by 11 a.m. Persons interested in submitting testimony may contact Beitzel’s office at 800-492-7122, ext. 3435, for assistance.

The delegate noted that Gov. Martin O’Malley’s SB 240 would increase the “flush tax” from $30 to $60 for septic system users.

For those who are connected to municipal sewage treatment facilities, the fees will be based on the amount of water used. A $.90 fee is proposed to be placed for each 1,000 gallons for the first 2,000 gallons. Then an additional $1.25 would be charged for each 1,000 gallons thereafter. Under this scenario, Beitzel said, a family of four with an average daily water usage of 70 gallons per person (8,400 gallons/month) could see quadruple the flush tax fee from an original $30 per year to $180 per year.

Betizel noted that during the 2011 General Assembly session, O’Malley’s budget transferred $290 million from the Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake & Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund into the state’s general fund. The funds are to be replenished with general obligation bonds, which require additional interest costs and limit the amount of bond funds available for other state capital projects.

“If these funds were never raided, there would be no immediate need for a [flush fee] increase,” Beitzel said.

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Mild winter weather likely to save Garrett County money

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County will likely see savings as far as snow removal goes thanks to the mild winter.

The county is saving money on the cost of fuel and wear and tear on vehicles used to remove the snow, according to Jay Moyer, general roads superintendent.

The county allocates an estimated $400,000 in winter overtime and this is where they are now showing some savings, said Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator.

“Also, the weather is so hard to predict and we can be creative on our call-out times during the week, but if we go into snow removal operations on weekends or holidays there will be an additional cost,” said Pagenhardt in an email to the Times-News.

“There is still a savings but it’s not as great as it could be if the snow events occurred during the weekday during normal working hours,” said Moyer.

Even though there has been some overtime, there still has been significant savings for this fiscal year as opposed to fiscal 2011, due to scheduling, according to Pagenhardt.

The total overtime so far is $110,005; fiscal 2011 was $169,974.

The appropriate salaries and fringe benefits for all county employees is based on 40 hours per week for 52 weeks.

“We have experienced savings when compared to budgeted expenditures by being creative with our scheduling of employees,” said Pagenhardt. “The public and our employees need to realize that we have been very diligent to operate the county roads department and all other departments with less human and financial resources in an effort to provide quality public service in all areas of governmental obligations. We also have been successful in preserving and retaining jobs for our employees during very difficult financial times.”

The roads department watches the weather and plans ahead for snow storms; scheduling is adjusted accordingly, said Moyer.

“We make sure the roads are in passable condition as early as we can,” said Moyer.

The roads department is funded from the Garrett County general fund, according to Pagenhardt.

This fiscal year, $1.4 million was budgeted for snow removal, including materials, overtime and abrasives, which make up most of the budget. So far, the county has spent $641,390 on snow removal compared to $1.09 million at the same time last year.

The roads department is called out to treat the roads when there is an inch of accumulation, according to Moyer.

“We have to treat an inch of accumulation as if it were 6 to 8 inches because of freezing and icing effects,” said Moyer, who noted that if snow is left untreated, cars traveling on it can pack it down and turn it to ice.

Both Moyer and Pagenhardt agreed that this winter so far has been unseasonably mild.

“I do not recall as mild a winter for sure in my tenure with the county (16 years) or maybe since I have lived here,” said Pagenhardt.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com

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Technominds Prove Best In Maryland


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Feb. 2, 2012

Broad Ford Elementary’s First LEGO League Team, the Technominds, claimed the top prize in mechanical design last week after besting over 70 teams from across the state in the Maryland FLL Championship Tournament. The competition, for students ages 9 to 14, was held in the activities center of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The 10-player teams were asked to focus on team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking, while competing to solve an engineering challenge modeled after a real-world problem. The team’s members are pictured above, from left, with their trophies. In the first row are: Peyton Missimer, Zach Rohrbaugh, Jessica Storck, Will Meagher, Katie Catulle, and Parker Meyer. In the second row are: Nick Ponceroff, Carter Bowers, Jordan Rohrbaugh, and Jamie Kight. Standing in the back are team coaches Angie Meyer, Kathy Meagher, and Jenny Neville.

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A Crystal Wonderland


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The mountaintop was encased in ice over the past weekend, with a significant ice storm taking place early Saturday morning that turned the county into crystal. And even though the sun shone throughout the day on Sunday, the ice remained, creating views in every direction that were nothing short of stunning. This photo was of course taken near the Oakland train station, with an iced red berry in the foreground. The forecast is calling for a mixed bag of ice and rain early this weekend, turning to all snow on Sunday. Photo by Lisa Rook.

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Del. Beitzel Proposes Amendment To "Lock Down" Chesapeake Bay Fund

Jan. 26, 2012

With the likelihood that the General Assembly will be asked to double, triple, or even quadruple fees paid by Maryland’s citizens for Chesapeake Bay cleanup, Del. Wendell Beitzel filed House Bill 121. The bill would amend the Maryland State Constitution to prohibit, or “lock down,” the transfer of funds from the two major sources of revenue for bay cleanup efforts in the state.


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The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund was established in 2004 for the purpose of providing funds for bay cleanup, wastewater treatment plant upgrades, cover crop funds, and septic system upgrades. One of the sources of funding is an annual fee, which has popularly been called the “flush tax.”

“Each year, Maryland’s citizens are required to pay for cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay,” Beitzel said. “This bill simply provides that if citizens are told that the fees they are paying are dedicated for bay restoration, then government should be required to use the funds only for this purpose.”

During the 2011 General Assembly session, Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget transferred $290 million from the Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays’ 2010 Trust Fund into the state’s general fund. The funds are to be replenished with general obligations bonds, which require additional interest costs and limits the amount of bond funds available for other state capital projects, according to Beitzel.

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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!

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Dates For 2012 Winter Fest Are Announced

Jan. 26, 2012

The fifth annual Oakland Winter Fest celebration will be held Feb. 17 to 19, as announced this week. Sponsors are currently being sought to help fund the ice sculptures that will be carved on site throughout the town for the weekend celebration of winter.

Volunteers are also needed to help with the events of the weekend, which will include live ice sculpting by professional ice artist Bill Sandusky, a progressive dinner on Friday, Feb. 17, and ice games on Saturday such as ice bowling and a snowman building contest. If the weather is right, a snowmobile race will also take place.


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Jim Johnson is heading up the event, assisted by several individuals, including Ray Miller, who will provide horse-drawn sleigh rides and who assists in planning the progressive dinner, the traditional kick-off event. Participants will depart from the town’s new Transportation Museum for the first course of the meal, and have each course at a different locale.

Lillian Steele is organizing vendors for the event, and Regina Gearhart is serving as the event treasurer. Flyers are being distributed with detailed information, and more information will be published as the event nears. There will be a bonfire, a Snowflake Toddler contest, and many other events.

To offer assistance or to sponsor a sculpture, persons are asked to contact Johnson at 301-334-3352 or 301-616-4008.

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Governor's Proposed FY '13 Budget

Jan. 26, 2012

Gov. Martin O’Malley presented his proposed fiscal year 2013 budget for the state of Maryland last Wednesday. As predicted by local officials and lawmakers, the document includes reductions in state aid to Garrett County, particularly in the area of education.


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Total aid to local government is a proposed $31.95 million (including retirement payments for the Board of Education, Ruth Enlow Library, and Garrett College personnel). This is $2.625 million, or 7.6 percent, less than for FY 2012.

The governor’s budget calls for a 9.9 percent, or $2.264 million, decrease for local primary and secondary education funding, which includes allocations for special education and student transportation. This cut is mainly the result of an increase in the county’s wealth (based on a state formula) and a decrease in student population.

O’Malley also plans to cut state aid for local teacher retirement by 1.9 percent, or $914,000. The total loss in state aid for local primary and secondary education, therefore, is a proposed 11.8 percent, or $3.178 million, compared to FY ’12.

Garrett County will not be alone in its loss. Entities across the state will be asked to begin paying for their educators’ retirements.

“Among the tough choices in the FY 2013 budget is sharing teachers’ retirement costs with local governments,” the O’Malley administration states in the budget document. “Currently, the state pays the en­tire cost of teacher pensions, totaling $946 million in FY 2013. Teacher salaries, the key cost driver of pen­sion costs, are determined by local jurisdictions.”

O’Malley’s proposal requires locals to pay 50 percent of the combined costs of Social Security and teachers’ retirement con­tributions. Local entities currently pay for Social Security only, which accounts for one-third of the combined costs.

“The administration is proposing several measures to mitigate the impact of this cost shift, including increasing local revenue, enhancing aid to less wealthy jurisdictions, and providing targeted budget relief,” the budget plan states.

The proposed budget lists $3.756 million for Garrett College. This includes direct aid, unrestricted grants, and optional/state retirement. The FY 2013 allocation would be $20,000 more than the previous year’s.

Local libraries are slated to receive $119,000 in state aid, plus $72,000 for personnel retirement payments.

O’Malley’s capital budget includes $122,000 for the Loch Lynn Community Park Trail Project, $95,000 for Oakland’s Glades Park Path Extension/Fence Repair Project, $260,000 for the Grantsville Waterline Extension Project, and $300,000 for Oakland Water System improvements.

Funding for Department of Natural Resources’ development projects includes $150,000 for the planning phase of trail construction in local state parks; $150,000 for the planning phase of the Western Maryland Recreational Access and Trail Restoration Project in Garrett County; $20,000 for new roofs for Bear Creek Fish Hatchery Wildlife Management buildings; $15,000 for cabin chimney renovations at Herrington Manor State Park; $500,000 for cabin renovations, $15,000 for new fuel dispensers, and $30,000 to stabilize the nature center foundation at New Germany State Park; $37,000 to renovate the exterior of the Savage River State Forest office; and $15,000 to renovate the office/store at Swallow Falls State Park.

Under “Miscellaneous,” the proposed budget shows $437,000 in local health grants, $2.538 million in disparity grants, and $76,000 for local Program Open Space projects.

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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!

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Myers’ bill revives a BOE battle

Kristin Harty Barkley Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Little Orleans parents lost several battles last year in the fight to keep their children in Washington County schools — first to the Allegany County Board of Education, then to a circuit court judge, then to the Maryland State Board of Education, which rejected an appeal.

But the war isn’t over yet. The latest skirmish is taking place before the General Assembly in Annapolis.

On Monday, Delegate LeRoy Myers Jr. introduced a bill that would allow children in Maryland to attend public school in an adjoining county if they live more than 30 miles away from the closest school in their home county, with the home county providing funding.

House Bill 335 drew immediate criticism from local school officials, who voted to end the decade-old Washington County School Choice program last summer because of budget concerns.

In an email on Tuesday, Superintendent David Cox asked other members of the Western Maryland Delegation — Sen. George Edwards and delegates Kevin Kelly and Wendell Beitzel — to oppose the bill, saying it would be “further financially devastating.”

Both Allegany and Garrett county school systems have lost a significant amount of state funding because of declining enrollment and other factors. Last year, state funding for Allegany was cut by around $5.3 million, and the governor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 includes $4.3 million in cuts.

For the last decade — ever since consolidation closed Flintstone School — about 40 Little Orleans children have attended middle and high school in Hancock, which is geographically closer than Cumberland. But last spring, the board voted to phase out the program, while allowing about 20 high school students to finish their education in Hancock. Another 20 middle school students were not included in the grandfather clause, prompting a group of about three dozen families to file a lawsuit against the Allegany BOE.

In August, Allegany County Circuit Court Judge Tom Leasure denied a temporary injunction to allow middle school students to continue attending Hancock, saying that long bus rides to school did not “constitute irreparable injury.”

During months of turmoil over the issue, Myers announced that he intended to file legislation to address the problem, allowing students to attend school in an adjoining county if it is closer.

Myers filed the bill as a statewide bill — not an Allegany County bill — so it doesn’t need the support of a majority of the Western Maryland Delegation. The bill has been assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Kelly said he doesn’t believe the bill will gain much momentum, adding that he expects opposition from the Maryland State Board of Education, the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, and the Maryland Superintendent’s Association.

Edwards and Beitzel couldn’t be reached Tuesday for comment.
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“I haven’t spoken to LeRoy about it at all, nor did I expect to,” Kelly said. “If the bill would come out of committee, which would be somewhat surprising, I would not support the legislation.”

Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kbarkley@times-news.com

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Garrett County saving money thanks to lower premium

Liability insurance costs drop 18 percent

For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County government is paying a lower liability insurance premium this fiscal year, resulting in a $98,639 savings to county departments.

The annual premium decreased by 18 percent from the previous year, the county commissioners announced in a news release Tuesday.

The Local Government Insurance Trust, the county’s liability insurer, offers longevity and loss control credits toward the annual premium. The trust also offered for the first time a $1 million limit for excess liability at no additional charge. This saved the county $8,000 on the annual premium.

Liability claims and losses have been down for all county departments, which contributes to the decease of the premiums, the commissioners said.

Garrett County has been a member of the trust’s self-insurance program since 1987. The trust was founded by the Maryland Association of Counties and Maryland Municipal League to assist local governments with securing affordable insurance.

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