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Garrett County commissioners to hold meeting in Finzel

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners have announced the agenda for their next public meeting, scheduled for Tuesday at the Eastern Garrett County Volunteer fire hall.

The session will include a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant application for the proposed Bloomington Water Treatment Plant.

In addition, the commissioners will make appointments to the Garrett County Health Planning Council and Garrett County Law Enforcement Personnel Retirement Board, review a real property tax exemption request from the Accident Community Housing Corporation and consider adoption of a resolution to adopt an all-terrain/snowmobile ordinance.

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Garrett County commissioners to meet on Tuesday

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners will hold their next public meeting Tuesday at the county courthouse in Oakland beginning at 4 p.m.

Agenda items include recognition of the retirements of Michael Saunders, 30 years, Garrett County Public Safety Communications, and James Spiker, 11 years, Garrett County Department of Facilities and Maintenance. The commissioners will also honor the Garrett County Department of Public Works – Roads Division’s bridge crew.

Bid awards will be considered for parking lot and sidewalk replacement projects at the Garrett County Health Department and a HVAC unit replacement at the Visitors Center in McHenry.

The commissioners also plan to announce their decision on Resolution 2017-6, an ordinance that would allow a person operating a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, under specific conditions, to cross a county-owned road or drive on a designated portion of a county-owned road.

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Garrett dissolves fracking advisory group

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County commissioners have decided to discontinue meetings of the Garrett County Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Advisory Committee until the state completes its work.

The advisory committee will meet on an as-needed basis, which will be determined by Bob Gatto, county commission chairman, the commissioners announced during Tuesday’s public meeting.

Commissioner Jim Raley, who serves as an ex-officio, or nonvoting, member on the advisory committee and is on Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, indicated that the committee should continue to meet to discuss the issues surrounding shale drilling. The best practices management report from the state will be out soon, according to Raley.

“I would love for the local committee to make sure they look at it (the report) and see if they view anything that has been missed,” said Raley. “There are things I think the committee can do. I don’t believe in meeting just to meet. The jury is still out on whether (shale drilling) is an economic boom or economic bust.”

A survey that was sent to the 22 advisory committee members indicated that 62 percent wished to discontinue the meetings while the state and others try to develop best practices and 38 percent wanted to continue as is, according to Gatto.

No one favored the option of disbanding the advisory committee.

Raley stressed that there shouldn’t be gaps in the regulation of Marcellus shale.

“In the wind industr,y there are gaps and we are facing the consequences of those gaps because the state put nothing regulatory in place. Now we are backpeddling, trying to fill that gap,” said Raley. “I don’t want to see that happen with shale gas development.”

Rodney Glotfelty, advisory committee chairman, asked that the commissioners communicate the mission of the advisory committee again.

“The majority of the public comments (during the meetings) have been very useful, making sound recommendations,” said Glotfelty. “I think there is an expectation on some of the public’s part that the committee should recommend to you to ban hydrofracking in Garrett County. That is really not our purpose. The committee was established to look at the process of permitting hydrofracking in Maryland and in Garrett County specifically.”

If fracking were to come to the county, the committee would look at what could be done locally to mitigate any environmental impacts and what could be done to maximize the economic benefits.

“As long as that is the mission of the committee, I think we won’t get bogged down in some of these inflammatory arguments that go on,” said Glotfelty.

Raley agreed with Glotfelty and said the commissioners would give the advisory committee direction at times.

“Obviously, it’s a sensitive issue. When you try and put the committee together it’s virtually impossible to find someone who is totally neutral,” said Raley. “The public has not been as kind and considerate some nights.”

Raley stressed that he hopes information would continue to be provided via the advisory commission website.

Eric Robison, president of the nonprofit group CitizenShale, said the advisory committee should be looking at local issues such as emergency management, road bonding, gas pipelines and tourism.

“With us not having the ability with comprehensive zoning, we have got to be looking at how permitting is going to be able to address those types of things,” said Robison.

The committee has made recommendations to commissioners on emergency management and pipelines, according to Glotfelty.

Robison suggested setting standards or guidelines that are specific to the gas industry.

“This is the industry that may impact us more prominently than the wind turbines,” said Robison. “I am really bothered that we are going to shelve this temporarily until we find items that need to be addressed. There are items that need to be addressed right now.”

The committee has been meeting for more than two years and was formed around the same time the governor’s commission was formed, according to Gatto.

“I’m very proud of the work the committee has done in the last two years,” said Glotfelty.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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GC Commissioners Approve Funds To Place Police Officers In Two Schools

Feb. 14, 2013

County administrator Monty Pagenhardt has announced that the Board of Garrett County Commissioners will provide funds that will be directed to the placement of two school resource law enforcement officers (SROs) in Garrett County public schools. One officer, Dep. Dave McLaughlin, will be assigned to the Northern Garrett High School/Middle School complex, and the other officer, Sgt. Clark Warnick, will be placed at Southern Garrett High School.

“The decision by county government and the Board of Education to place school resource officers in the Garrett County school system is an instrumental step in keeping our students safe,” said Sheriff Rob Corley. “Our children are our most valuable resource. They are future sheriffs, teachers, community leaders, and sports heroes. The SROs will not only serve as a safety net for the schools but more importantly serve as role models and mentors. I look forward to working with the Board of Education and my staff in creating the most effective School Resource Officer Program that we can.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget for fiscal year 2014 has proposed that grant funding be appropriated to local jurisdictions for the purpose of public school security, and if those funds are approved, a third officer will be assigned to Southern Garrett Middle School, Pagenhardt noted.

“I’d like to thank Sheriff Corley, county administrator Pagenhardt, and Superintendent Wilson for quickly working to address security needs in the wake of the Newtown tragedy,” said Commissioner Gregan Crawford, who serves as the ex-officio member on the Garrett County Board of Education. “Through their efforts, the presence of SROs and implementation of additional security measures that they have identified, parents of school-age children, including myself, can be reassured that concerns are being addressed to make our schools safer. I support their recommendations and will work to see that they are funded and implemented.”

According to Pagenhardt, the cost of the SRO program per officer will be about $88,333, which includes salary, fringe benefits, vehicle expenses, and training. The total cost of the program will be about $265,000, which will come from the county’s general fund. He noted, however, that the allocation will be offset by whatever grant funds are secured.

“As a deputy, drug education officer, and now the sheriff of Garrett County, I know firsthand the effect of positive police interaction with students, as well as all youth,” said Corley.

Pagenhardt said the county plans to have Warnick and McLaughlin complete SRO training at a police academy and be in the schools for the 2013-2014 school year. Two new officers will be hired to replace them at the Sheriff’s Office.

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