New Garrett College head moving across the country
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — Just weeks from now, Rick MacLennan will begin a 2,600-mile journey across the United States, from Washington state to his new home in Garrett County.
MacLennan, the incoming president of Garrett College, will officially step into the position in July. The job means moving out of his family’s home of 12 years and relocating to an unfamiliar place, but MacLennan said he looks forward to the challenge.
“The logistics of the relocation are a little daunting,” he said. “But Garrett County is an absolutely beautiful area.”
The college board of trustees unanimously selected MacLennan for the job, after narrowing down a pool of more than 50 candidates.
MacLennan is leaving a position as vice president for student services at Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash., which he has held since 1998.
Much of his career has been spent as an administrator in student services areas, and MacLennan said student success will remain a main focus of his work.
“I want every single student who chooses to be a part of Garrett College to be successful,” he said. “And all of my programs and what I want to do is centered on that. My sense is that’s what Garrett College is about, and that’s one of the things that attracted me to the school.”
MacLennan will take the reins from interim college president Jeanne Neff, who has served in that role since May 2009.
The two are meeting weekly to orient MacLennan to current issues at the college, he said.
“First and foremost is for me to learn the college and get to know the people who are there, and the community,” MacLennan said. “I’ve heard quite a lot about economic development and regional interest in some of the things that are happening. I need to work with the board initially to get a clear idea of their priorities.”
He feels the college is in “very good shape” from the groundwork laid by Neff and the administrative team.
“They’ve really done some very good work, around accreditation, around policy development, and making some real improvements and changes to the college governance process,” he said.
This will be MacLennan’s first time at the top of the administrative hierarchy, and he acknowledged that it will be a learning process. But as a part of other administrative teams, he’s dealt with many aspects of the president’s work, including budget issues and lately, state funding cuts.
Olympic College was forced by funding reductions to cut nearly $2.5 million from its $35 million budget last year, and will likely cut at least $1 million more this year, he said.
But MacLennan views Maryland colleges, particularly Garrett, as being in a more stable position because they also receive funding support at the county level, whereas schools in Washington state do not.
“I think Garrett College is a little unique, from what I can tell, because they’ve had very strong county support and county commitment,” he said. “That seems to be affording Garrett some stability.”
And he’s interested in maintaining the relationship of community, county government and the college.
“I hope to lend myself and the college to issues that are important to the community … whether it be economic development or other issues around the work force,” he said. “The college is already a part of that, and it’s something I want to continue.”
MacLennan holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Portland State University, a master’s degree in college student services administration from Oregon State University, and a doctor of education degree in educational innovation and leadership from Wilmington University.
He will be moving to Garrett County with his wife, Theresa, and two of their four children, who will be attending local high school.
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
Study shows Deep Creek Lake water could be better
Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — Barbara Beelar pointed at the abundant blue-green algae visible from her dock situated in the southern cove of Deep Creek Lake.
“This is not good,” said Beelar, director of Friends of Deep Creek Lake, a watchdog group of local property owners that aims to protect, preserve and restore the watershed. “Unfortunately, algae is not being sampled (nor is it) scheduled to be sampled.”
While Beelar’s concerns Tuesday have so far not been addressed, a state Department of Natural Resources water quality study on Deep Creek Lake, the state’s largest and oldest lake, was released in draft format to stakeholders. Friends of Deep Creek Lake is one of the groups with a seat at the table.
John F. Wilson of DNR said the study aimed to produce a baseline of information about the 85-year-old lake that boasts approximately 3,900 surface acres. And the data collected from April 2009 through last month suggests the lake’s water quality is pretty good. Beelar agreed.
“Overall, this gives us really good news about the condition of the lake,” said Beelar, who has had an interest in the lake since 1949. “I am very pleased DNR has done the study. Overall, the lake has aged very well.”
Wilson said the study, which cost about $70,000 and was paid for through dock fees that become part of the lake’s operating budget, shows the water quality as being in between poor and great.
Deep Creek Lake is mesotrophic, with a moderate amount of dissolved nutrients, Wilson said — not eutrophic, which contain very high levels of nutrients and are prone to algae blooms.
“Some things are good and some things are worth watching,” Wilson said. “We really wanted to monitor the lake over time to establish some trends. To be honest, we didn’t really have a baseline to compare it to.”
Wilson said one bit of good news is that the lake’s conditions don’t seem to permit zebra mussels, an invasive species, to take root.
“That’s a concern,” Wilson said. “It’s been spreading throughout the country. It appears, currently, that it is not a suitable habitat. That doesn’t mean to say we’re good forever. We’ve still got to be ever-vigilant in making sure boats that are coming from waters that do have zebra mussels aren’t bringing them to Deep Creek Lake.”
Zebra mussels colonize on docks and clog discharge pipes. And while they can’t — at least for now — live at Deep Creek Lake, other invasive species such as aquatic plants, zooplankton and fish could “survive/thrive in the lake,” according to the report.
Wilson said the study shows the need for continued monitoring. In addition to water samples, this year DNR will map submerged aquatic life — which Beelar called “a major step forward.”
Beeler said she was grateful for the study, the first of a handful of reports about Deep Creek Lake that are expected to be released in the next few months. The state Department of the Environment, acting as an agent of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the U.S. Geological Survey also are conducting tests.
Friends of Deep Creek Lake has obtained a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to cull together information from all available studies into a solid document, Beelar said, in order to gain a true picture of the lake’s health.
While happy with the overall good news, Beelar said the methods used in the 2009 study produced limited results because samples were taken only from the middle of the lake and not near the shoreline.
“What I’m concerned more about is what is referred to as ‘near-shore’ conditions and coves,” Beelar said. “This gives us a real good picture of the middle of the lake but doesn’t give us a picture of the coves.”
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
April Real Estate Update - Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County Maryland
April was a better month for real estate sales at Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County, Maryland. Out of the 17 total sales in April 2010 (up one from last month and ironically, one from last year during the same period), 6 of those sales were for full price – or higher! That seems much more like the real estate market that Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County sellers were accustomed to seeing a few short years ago. My interpretation of this is that sellers, buyers & agents alike are starting to get on the same page in terms of pricing. Prices have come down – everywhere. Now, the buyer activity seems to be picking up, as well. I’ve had more buyer calls about property in the last 2 weeks than….well, it’s been a while. People are looking to buy again. And there are some great deals out there.
There are 49 properties currently under contract compared to 44 last month.
9 of the 17 sales appear to me to be vacation homes, or at least in the Deep Creek Lake area. The rest seem to be primary residential homes.
The average list vs. ORIGINAL sales price was 70.67%, up 1% from last month. The biggest part of this number is the high listing numbers that sellers start with. I blogged about this a few months ago. Sellers are starting to get the picture now, and those who can afford to sell for less, are.
The ADJUSTED list vs sale price is 90.47% – up again from last month. Once the market reacts and adjusts to prices & competition, the Realtors who assist in pricing property can adjust the asking price of properties for sellers who are willing & able to react. This number is a very telling stat – it shows that we are starting to narrow in on the price points for the local real estate market. The best evidence of this stat I can offer is that the 6 sales that were full price or higher. We are narrowing in on the true market values.
The current number of active/for sale residential listings is 665 as of today. This is up from last month (605) and will continue to grow as the spring and summer continue. April & May are huge listing months in Garrett County & Deep Creek Lake – this year is no different. I fully expect 700+ listings by this time next month.
Here are the statistical breakdowns:
Average Sale Price: $332,294 (last month) $404,031
Average Days on Market: 219/219 (last month 220/275) (days on market with current broker/total days on market)
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
Price reduction: 1104 Alexander Ln -$324,900 GA7297438
If you haven’t seen this house yet, you are missing out! And, its now even more affordable! This is by far one of the better selections in the Oakland market. Countless upgrades and improvements ranging from a new kitchen with granite to a media room on the lower level. A must see – by appointment only.
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
The Stables at Herrington Manor - Open House Saturday
Jessica & I took the kids to the open house Saturday @ the Stables at Herrington. Our good friend Autumn Newcomb is involved with the project and Kayleah wants to learn to ride horses. Autumn was the previous owner of the stables and I assisted her in the process of selling to John & Terry Fram, the current owners. WOW. They have completely update the place! We got to meet a few horses, pose for some pictures and watch a great demonstration of riding styles from Terry’s daughter. The weather could not have been better, so it turned out to be a great day.
Stop out and see them sometime – they have a lot of fun activities, lessons and boarding services available, as well.
Here a few pics:
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
Mountain Laurel Medical Center opens doors to new facility
Megan Miller Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — A ribbon-cutting celebration marked the official opening of Garrett County’s Mountain Laurel Medical Center Friday afternoon.
Federal, state and local officials gathered for the ceremony at the new facility on Memorial Drive. The medical center actually opened to patients in November.
The center provides primary, preventative and pediatric care to county residents, including low-income residents and those without medical insurance.
“All persons living in Garrett County will now receive the same quality of care, regardless of socioeconomic status, or whether they’re insured or uninsured,” said Beth Little-Terry, Mountain Laurel’s CEO. “This is truly the community’s medical center.”
Little-Terry said the new facility has 12 exam rooms and is fitted with state-of-the-art diagnostic and other computer equipment.
“This is another example of how things can get done when all levels of government work together,” said state Sen. George Edwards, who spoke during the ceremony.
Delegate Wendell Beitzel said he hopes the new facility will help officials develop a solution to the ongoing struggle to secure OB/GYN services in the county.
“In the long term, we’re hoping we can work with the new facility and family doctors to provide needed medical attention to mothers and children in this county,” he said.
Other speakers included Maurice Denis, associate vice president of the National Association of Community Health Centers.
According to Denis, the Mountain Laurel center is one of 7,500 community health centers in the nation. Together, they serve approximately 20 million people, and provide services that are, on average, 30 percent lower in cost than private practice physicians and emergency services.
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
Lawmakers, DNR secretary to meet about alcohol ban
Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin is expected to meet with local lawmakers to discuss the recent ban of alcohol in state forests.
The issue has sparked emotions from tourists, government officials and business owners alike. Chief concerns include the lack of public notice and the fact that only a handful of people are causing trouble. Why punish everyone by preventing hunters, fishermen and other recreational enthusiasts from enjoying a cold adult beverage in a responsible manner?
Delegate Kevin Kelly said Griffin is coordinating a time to meet with the District 1 legislative delegation to Annapolis. That meeting is not yet scheduled but, Kelly said, will be a public meeting. However, Kelly said the ban “makes some sense.”
He said top officials within the Natural Resources Police, the agency charged with enforcing DNR policies, have cited concerns for the safety of their 25 law enforcement officers who operate in Allegany and Garrett counties.
“Manpower is down because of budget cuts,” Kelly said. “That’s not a lot of police officers. There are very few officers for the amount of territory which they have to cover.”
A lone officer who comes upon a rowdy, alcohol-imbibed group of visitors is outnumbered and can be a safety issue, Kelly said.
About one-quarter of land in Allegany County is owned by state government. Garrett County has more than 84,100 acres of publicly owned land — more than any jurisdiction in the state. Combined, the two counties have about 83 percent of the state’s 138,288 acres of state forest.
Kelly said when DNR made a similar ban at state parks in 2009, there was not much feedback on the issue and seemed taken aback by the controversy sparked by the expansion of the alcohol ban. Kelly said NRP officials said the new policy is similar to adjoining states but did not immediately have specifics available.
The Allegany County Board of Commissioners took up the issue at the end of its Thursday public meeting. Commissioner Dale Lewis asked his two colleagues to draft a letter to Griffin, Gov. Martin O’Malley and local lawmakers to notify them of their discontent over the issue.
“If they’re gonna put off limits to people who want to have a social beer at night around a campfire or after a day of deer hunting … I think that’s wrong,” Lewis said. “I think we have to let them know that (and) ask them to consider rescinding or reconsider.”
As for officers’ safety, “I would like to know how many tickets they gave to somebody actually drinking in the (forests),” Lewis said.
Sgt. Art Windemuth of the Maryland Natural Resources Police has previously told the Times-News that in 2009, officers dealt with 12 incidents in Savage River State Forest and 59 incidents in Green Ridge State Forest that were classified as criminal and/or alcohol. A breakdown of solely alcohol-related incidents was not available.
Commissioner Jim Stakem agreed and said existing law and policy on unruly behavior should be sufficient.
“If somebody’s misbehaving, you remove them,” Stakem said.
Stakem said it’s been the No. 1 issue mentioned to him in recent weeks and that he empathizes with critics of the policy even though “I don’t fish … I don’t do that sort of thing, but a lot of people do. I fully support a letter.”
Commissioner Bob Hutcheson didn’t address the alcohol ban directly but said he was “concerned about timing and the lack of notice. I think it was the wrong approach.”
Stakem said the manner in which the policy was implemented was “under the table.”
“Talk about transparent government,” Stakem quipped. “That’s an abuse right there. I don’t care who hears it. I think we should be very strong on our request.”
Kelly agreed with Hutcheson about the approach DNR took to implement the policy.
“It should have been handled differently,” Kelly said, “no question about it.”
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
National Resource Police officer honored for Deep Creek rescue
From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News
SWANTON — A Maryland Natural Resources Police corporal was honored recently by the agency for his rescue of a man from Deep Creek Lake while on patrol Aug. 1.
Cpl. Jeffrey Sweitzer was presented a certificate of merit “in recognition of his dedication and professionalism while performing above and beyond the call of duty in a life-threatening situation,” according to an NRP spokesman.
Sweitzer was patrolling the Holy Cross area of the lake after midnight when he observed a vessel traveling at a high rate of speed that passed very close to another vessel that was stationary. Sweitzer attempted to pursue the speeding vessel, but the speed and restricted visibility on the lake prohibited him, so he proceeded slowly in the direction that the vessel was headed.
After he had reduced the speed of his vessel, Sweitzer heard a person calling for help. He located a person in the water who was intoxicated, disoriented and not wearing a personal flotation device.
When safely aboard Sweitzer’s vessel, the unidentified victim advised that he had just fallen off the family’s vessel, but he was unable to provide the address of the residence.
When the vessel failed to return to the location where the person was found and contact with the Garrett County 911 center with the name of the rescued person yielded no reports for assistance, Sweitzer continued to patrol in the direction of the vessel.
Eventually, the person’s residence was located, his family was contacted and the operator of the vessel was charged with negligent operation. Nine other passengers aboard the vessel were unaware that the victim had fallen overboard.
Sweitzer was honored during a ceremony recently in Annapolis.
Also honored were officers of Western Region Area 8, District 6, including Cpl. Harold Cage (Flintstone); Cpl. James Clise (Lonaconing); Cpl. Michael Friend (Friendsville); Officer Gary Crowe (Mount Savage); Officer Curt Dieterle (Rawlings); Officer James Satterfield (Frostburg); Officer Angela Englehart (Big Poole); Sgt. Michael Kueberth (LaVale); Cpl. Jeffrey Herndon (Clear Spring) and Lt. Bradley Stafford (LaVale).
All the officers were cited for “outstanding performance and dedication above and beyond the call of duty in a specific situation or incident.”
Cage was also promoted to sergeant of Garrett County.
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
SHS Students Attending Classes At Cinemas During Mercury Clean-Up
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Apr. 29, 2010
Southern Set To Reopen Monday
The clean-up of mercury at Southern High School is nearing completion, with the school system expecting to reoccupy the building on Monday morning, according to a report issued this morning by the Garrett County Health Department.
Mercury was inadvertently released on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 21, and the school was closed immediately for the decontamination process. As of Tuesday of this week, the 863 students and 87 staff members have been holding classes at Garrett 8 Cinemas in McHenry.
With the exception of the auto shop area of the high school building, mercury has been removed in all areas of the school to below targeted levels set by state and federal officials, according to Rodney Glotfelty, county health officer. This target level was set at 50 times less than the federal regulatory limit for long term workplace exposure.
“The verification of the removal of mercury to these exceptionally low levels provides assurance that children and staff can safely re-enter the school environment,” Glotfelty said.
The Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Garrett County Health Department are all in agreement that upon receipt of confirmatory laboratory results this morning, the school is now ready for resumption of classes and activities.
Read the rest here
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
Myers Inducted Into Chamber Hall Of Fame
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Apr. 29, 2010
Karen Myers, president of Recreational Industries Inc., the firm which owns and operates Wisp Resort, and president of Mountaineer Log & Siding Company Inc., was one of three Marylanders formally inducted last night into the Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s Maryland Business Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport and attended by an estimated 500 of the state’s top business leaders.
Myers is the first Western Maryland business leader to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, which now includes 32 members. The Hall of Fame was established to recognize entrepreneurs and business executives whose contributions have helped advance the quality of life for Marylanders and improve the state’s business climate.
Myers, who represents the 10th generation of her family in Garrett County, is a member of a number of boards and organizations, including the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival, Garrett County Board of Realtors, Garrett County Development Corporation, and Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, on most of which she has served as a director and/or officer. She was twice named to the Daily Record’s Maryland’s Top 100 Women, and was selected Garrett County Woman of the year and Garrett County Employer of the Year. She is an active member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Oakland, and of the Garrett Community Concert Band.
“It is my high honor to accept this recognition on behalf of my partners at Wisp, Steve Richards and Gary Daum; the Wisp management team; and our 125 year-round employees and 700 seasonal employees,” Myers said in her acceptance speech. “We’re in the ‘fun’ business, and it is our goal to generate smiles on [the faces of] each of our customers. It is not a one-person show; it is a team…
If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350
