>April 21 Public Hearing - county real property tax rate
>The County Commissioners will be holding a public hearing on the county’s Fiscal Year 2012 Constant Yield Tax Rate this coming Thursday at 7:00 PM in Room FA715, Fine Arts Building Auditorium at Garrett College. The hearing is open to the public and public testimony is encouraged.
The Commissioners are considering not reducing the county’s real property tax rate enough to fully offset increasing property assessments. The County proposes to adopt a real property tax rate of $0.990 per $100 of assessment. This tax rate is 0.3% higher than the constant yield tax rate of $0.9874 and will generate $119,903 in additional property tax revenues.
The county’s overall real property assessable tax base is estimated to increase 0.3% for the tax year beginning July 1, 2011. In dollars, that increase is estimated to be from the current base of $4,533,348,242 to a new assessable base of $4,545,459,693.
The County’s proposed 2012 budget can be viewed online at
http://garrettcounty.org/Commissioners/budget12/2012Requested.pdf
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Deadly bat disease found in Garrett cave
>Site third in Maryland to be infected by white-nose syndrome
For the Cumberland Times-News
The Cumberland Times-News Fri Apr 15, 2011, 11:06 PM EDT
— CUMBERLAND — Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologists have confirmed that white-nose syndrome has been found in a cave in Garrett County, the third documented case of the disease in Maryland.
The cave serves as an important winter shelter or hibernaculum for hundreds of bats. The disease has caused unprecedented bat mortality across the eastern U.S. Affected bats display a white fungus on their muzzles or other exposed skin.
“This is the second new infected site we’ve documented this year,” said Dan Feller, DNR’s Western Region ecologist. “We now have positive sites in all three Maryland counties with bat hibernacula.”
A survey by volunteer biologists from Frostburg State University, working under the direction of DNR, discovered the newly infected population. Three little brown bats and one tricolored bat submitted to the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center tested positive for for the disease.
At an infected site discovered last year in Allegany County, virtually all of the bats were dead, a level of devastation similar to other affected sites in the Northeast. The disease was found in Washington County last month.
“We’re relieved that our surveys found several important hibernating sites still unaffected, including one of the largest populations of eastern small-footed bats remaining in the United States,” said Feller. “But with the spread of this disease having been fast and unrelenting, the future of these sites is uncertain.”
The disease has spread across mines and caves in 14 states and two Canadian provinces, killing more than a million bats. It was first observed at Howe Cave near Albany, N.Y., in 2006. It is caused by a newly discovered cold-weather fungus, Geomyces destructans.
Under the direction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an international, interagency team is mobilizing to slow the spread and find a cure to the disease. It has been shown that bats can transmit the fungus to each other. And although the disease is not harmful to people, it may be possible for cavers to spread the fungus through gear and clothing. State and federal wildlife authorities have asked that people not enter caves. DNR biologists and volunteers investigating the disease follow strict decontamination protocols when working in caves and other bat hibernacula.
Recent research conservatively estimates the value of bats to the U.S. agricultural industry to be $3.7 billion because they eat agricultural pests. Their value to ecology is more complex and harder to measure.
“This level of devastation to our bats is unprecedented and tragic,” said Tim Larney, habitat conservation program manager for DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service. “And it comes at a time when new research indicates that we may have been underestimating the importance of bats in keeping ecosystems healthy and productive.”
For additional information on white-nose syndrome, visit http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/plants_wildlife/bats/nhpbatdisease.asp
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Kitzmiller Elementary students tour state’s first operational wind project
>The Cumberland Times-News Sun Apr 17, 2011, 09:47 PM EDT
— OAKLAND — Students from Garrett County’s Kitzmiller Elementary School recently got a firsthand look at how renewable energy is working in Maryland.
Approximately 40 kindergarten through third-grade students and their teachers were the first local school students to tour Constellation Energy’s Criterion Wind Project in Oakland. The first wind energy project to operate in the state, Criterion Wind produces 70 megawatts of emission-free electricity. The wind project is helping Maryland meet its clean energy goals of producing 20 percent of its electricity with renewable resources by 2022.
Teacher Bridgete Corbin requested the tour as part of a unit she’s teaching on green energy. “We’re exposing students to the idea of renewable energy, and we have this great example of how it works right here in our county,” she said. “The students were really excited to see the wind turbines and to talk about how they make clean energy.”
The Kitzmiller students toured two of the 28 Criterion wind turbines, which stand 415 feet tall with the blades turned up. The two towers the students toured were located on the property of Oakland resident Janet Tichnell.
“People are really interested in seeing the windmills,” Tichnell said. “I was more than happy to help coordinate the tour with the schools. It was a good learning experience for the children.”
The Criterion Wind Project is built over an 8-mile stretch along Backbone Mountain east of Oakland. The project began producing commercial power in late December.
Constellation Energy, headquartered in Baltimore, is a leading competitive supplier of power, natural gas and energy products and services for homes and businesses across the U.S.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Garrett Crime Solvers run by sheriff’s office
>From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Sheriff’s Office recently adopted the full-time responsibilities for the county’s Crime Solvers Program.
The Sheriff’s Office worked with former Garrett County government intern Andrew Sauder of Oakland, who took on the project to put Garrett County Crime Solvers on the web during the fall of 2010.
Sauder worked with the sheriff’s office staff over a six-month period to develop a website tailor-made to the sheriff’s request.
“Sauder’s hard work will be a tremendous benefit to the citizens of Garrett County,” said Sheriff Rob Corley.
Sauder developed www.garrettcountycrimesolvers.org to be a user-friendly website that allows anyone using a computer to leave the sheriff’s office a tip on specific or general crimes, drug information and information on individuals with outstanding warrants. It also allows citizens to view specific cases that are being worked, all a mouse click away while remaining anonymous. Tipsters have the opportunity to check the website to see if their specific tip — which is pass-code protected — earned them a cash reward.
Corley urges county residents to become involved with his office by visiting the Crime Solvers website to become familiar with it and suggested adding it to their favorites list.
Corley said, “Even though you may not have information on a crime, you may know someone that does and can pass the site on to them through e-mail. Or, you may think the information you have is not important, but it may turn out to be a substantial lead in a case.
“We are excited about the future of Crime Solvers and hope the citizens of Garrett County join us in the fight to keep the streets free of crime,” he said.
The sheriff also invites citizens to their local town meetings that will be conducted this month. The meetings will include staff members who will give a presentation on Crime Solvers.
Crime Solvers is fully funded by private donations from citizens and businesses. Anyone wishing to donate monetary funds to the Crime Solvers reward fund may do so by contacting Garrett County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Assistant Brenda Reckner during business hours at 301-334-1911.
The sheriff’s office is planning annual fundraisers and will rely heavily on private business for their donations.
“Citizens and businesses working together will greatly increase a positive outcome to crime in this county. Crime Solvers is one more tool to help that move forward,” said Corley.
The original landline number for Garrett County Crime Solvers, 301-334-1975, will also be maintained at the sheriff’s office. However, the new Web-based program will be the preferred and most efficient means to leave a tip.
Sauder is a student at Frostburg State University where he is majoring in information technology. The 20-year-old Frostburg resident was raised in Garrett County. He is a 2008 graduate of Southern High School.
Corley expressed his gratitude to Sauder, presenting him with a gift card and a certificate of recognition for his outstanding community service.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Lake access lot + dock -953 Pine Tree Point- GA7563903
>
953 PINE TREE POINT RD
SWANTON, MD 21561
Lake access building lot with dock slip near Turkey Neck. Part of the Pine Tree Point Association (community water access & shared dock slips – no other HOA requirements), this lot fronts on a county maintained road and is a very short walk to Deep Creek Lake. Deep water & a very private cove make this a great spot for swimming, fishing & kayaking, too!
Contact Jay Ferguson @ 301-501-0420 or DeepCreekLaker@Gmail.com for more information or to setup a private showing for this property.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Cardin Pushes For Oversight Of Gas Fracking
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Apr. 14, 2011
by Laura E. Lee
Capital News Service
WASHINGTON – Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., on Tuesday called for a change to federal law to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”
Cardin, chairman of the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, held a hearing on Capitol Hill to examine the advantages and challenges of fracking.
“We want to be able to tap into the natural gas reserves of this nation,” Cardin said, “and we want to do it in a safe and environmentally sound manner.”
Gas companies could use the hydraulic fracturing process to extract natural gas from the Marcellus shale formation, which runs under Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, West Virginia, and western Maryland.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Bill To Stop Natural Gas Drilling Fails, Along With Other Environmental Legislation
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Apr. 14, 2011
by Kerry Davis
Capital News Service
ANNAPOLIS – A bill that would have imposed a two-year moratorium on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale formation while an environmental impact study was completed stalled in the Senate this legislative session after easily passing the House.
It is unclear how heavily the bill’s failure will actually affect drilling into the Marcellus shale formation via hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” since a hold has already been unofficially placed on drilling there.
The Maryland Department of the Environment has been holding permit applications for drilling since October 2009, citing potential environmental effects. Those applications for fracking were the first ever filed in the state.
The Department of the Environment is not expected to approve the applications without Gov. Martin O’Malley’s approval. O’Malley has said he wants a thorough study done before fracking begins.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Talking turkey: be safe
>The only time I ever came close to causing a hunting accident happened during a turkey hunt.
I won’t bore you with the particulars except to say that I thought I had a clear shot until my friend’s head popped up from the far side of a downed tree. It scared me to Sunday school and did nothing for my steady hand.
Monday is the start of the month-long spring wild turkey season. Last year hunters killed 2,847 wild turkeys, a 2 percent decline from the 2009 total of 2,910. The western counties proved to be the best hunting grounds. Garrett County led the state with 345 birds, followed by Allegany (327) and Washington (303). Charles and Dorchester (213) rounded out the top five.
Approximately 10,000 hunters pursue turkeys annually during Maryland’s spring season and about 25 percent are successful in taking at least one turkey.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>DNR Discusses Trail Situation At State Forests
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Maryland Department of Natural Resources representatives met with interested parties on April 7 at Green Ridge State Forest to discuss the closings of Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) trails in Green Ridge and Savage River state forests. Both trails are being closed this month to all ATV, bicycle, and equestrian use. These closures stem from the trails’ proximity to areas of the forests that are designated as wildlands, which is Maryland’s version of a wilderness designation.
The closings were recommended by DNR in response to an Off-Road Vehicle Trail Assessment and Report, which is available at www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/ovreport.asp
In addition, DNR is preparing for an audit at the end of April that will secure a Sustainable Forest Initiative certification. There is reportedly controversy over whether the SFI is independent or highly controlled by the paper and timber industry. For more information on this, persons may visit www.foestethics.org.
In attendance at the meeting were Steve Koehn, state forester; John F. Wilson, deputy director of public lands policy and planning; Bob Webster, Western Region’s forester; Paul Peditto, director of DNR wildlife and Heritage Service; Ken Jolly and Mark Beals, Green Ridge foresters; Donelle Keech, Nature Conservancy; and representatives from both local and statewide ATV trail clubs and the Citizen Rights and Heritage Group.
Wilson assured attendees, “We don’t want to close trails to legitimate recreational use,” and that he recognizes the economic impact to the community in doing so.
As the DNR maps high conservation value forests, the ORV trails become “an incompatible use,” and DNR will only allow activities that enhance the wildlands.
Steve Koehn noted that “ORV usage can be compatible” if trails can be found that don’t cause adverse impacts.
ATV participants provided ideas during the meeting.
Randy Beeman, Lonaconing, stated that the economic benefit to Western Maryland could be significant. For example, studies by Marshall University found that West Virginia’s Hatfield-McCoy Trail garners $7.1 million of out-of-state revenue for the state. Economic Development and Tourism departments in western Maryland could encourage local benefits, and grants are available from ATV manufacturers to design and build suitable trails. In addition, national organizations such as the Blue Ribbon Trail Association would also be available to assist in the efforts, Beeman noted.
Read the full article here.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>3 Additional Maryland Counties to Benefit from ICE Program
>Additional Maryland Counties to Benefit from ICE Program to Enhance Identification and Removal of Aliens Convicted of a Crime
On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began using the Secure Communities program in Alleghany, Garrett and Washington counties to help federal immigration officials identify criminal aliens in state prisons and local jails by running their fingerprints against federal immigration databases when they are booked into the system.
Baltimore, MD (Vocus/PRWEB) April 13, 2011
On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began using the Secure Communities program in Alleghany, Garrett and Washington counties to help federal immigration officials identify criminal aliens in state prisons and local jails by running their fingerprints against federal immigration databases when they are booked into the system.
With the expansion of Secure Communities to Alleghany, Garrett, and Washington counties, ICE is using this capability in 21 Maryland jurisdictions, including: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Saint Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot and Worcester counties.
“Secure Communities enhances public safety by enabling ICE to identify and remove criminal aliens more efficiently and effectively from the United States,” said Secure Communities Acting Assistant Director Marc Rapp. “As we expand ICE’s use of biometric information sharing nationwide, we are helping to keep communities safe and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.”
For more information about Secure Communities, visit http://www.ice.gov/secure_communities.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
