Showing posts with label Westminster Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Westminster Council. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Feb. 11, 2019 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council


Feb. 11, 2019 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council

Feb. 11, 2019

What a difference a month makes. A month ago there was standing room only at the Jan. 14, 2019 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council. Monday, in the middle of the snow storm, there were less than 10 folks in the audience and the meeting lasted 15 minutes. I am not quite sure if that is a record or not – but if it is not a record, it is close to it.

https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff/posts/10215803047722723

Agenda for the CITY OF WESTMINSTER Mayor and Common Council Meeting Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7 pm

Council Chambers of City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, Westminster, MD

The weather was bad. It had snowed and rained freezing rain for the last 24-hours. Most of staff did not attend the meeting – as per the request of Ms. Matthews.

1.   CALL TO ORDER The meeting began at 7 p.m.

2.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A)  Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 14, 2019

B)  Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 28, 2019

Approved.

3.   CONSENT CALENDAR

A)  Approval – Standardized Public Works Agreements and other Development-related Documents – Mr.
Mackey

Approved

4.   REPORT FROM THE MAYOR

No report.

5.   REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES

A)  Arts Council – No report.

B)  Economic & Community Development Committee

Ben Yingling had Ms. Matthews deliver a report on the city’s water re-use initiative.

C)  Finance Committee – No report.

D)  Personnel Committee – No report.

E)  Public Safety Committee – No report.

F)  Public Works Committee – No report.

6.   COUNCIL COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION – none.

7.   ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS

Adoption - Resolution No. 19-05 of the Mayor and Common Council of Westminster, amending the adopted Water and Wastewater Allocation Policy for 2018-2024 – Mr. Mackey

The resolution was adopted.

8.   UNFINISHED BUSINESS9. NEW BUSINESS

A)  Approval - Annexation Agreement A-1121 for Parcels 1 and 5 of the EOB and DASY properties – Mr. Mackey

Brooks Leahy attended the meeting with Mark and Dave Bollinger.

10. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

The only report was Westminster Fire Company President Jamie Petry’s report for the fire department.

11. CITIZEN COMMENTS


13. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:15.
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Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun
Westminster Fire Dept. and MTA Lodge #20 Chaplain and PIO​
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Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Peggy Bair and Lori Graham recognized at Westminster Common Council meeting


Peggy Bair (in the left picture,) and Lori Graham (in the right picture,) were presented with a token of appreciation by Westminster Mayor Joe Dominick at the Feb. 12, 2018 Westminster Common Council meeting, for their years of service on the Westminster Planning Commission. Kevin Dayhoff photo
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Peggy Bair and Lori Graham recognized at Westminster Common Council meeting

Monday, February 12, 2018

Two longstanding Westminster Planning Commissioners were recognized at Monday night’s meeting of the Westminster Common Council.

Mayor Joe Dominick presented each with a token of appreciation for their years of service. In a recent surprise development, neither were reappointed to continue serving on the board.

Bair had served since 1989 and I appointed Graham in 2004.


I wanted to go to the meeting and pay my respects to these two great Westminster citizens who have given of their time so selflessly for the benefit of the greater community. Both individuals took time away from their families to contribute to Westminster and Carroll County and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. - Kevin Dayhoff 
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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:
Baltimore Sun - Carroll County Times - The Carroll Eagle: www.explorecarroll.com: http://www.explorecarroll.com/search/?s=Dayhoff&action=GO

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E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/


See also - Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art www.kevindayhoff.com: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, music, culture, opera... Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem. “Deadline U.S.A.” 1952. Ed Hutcheson: “That's the press, baby. The press! And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” - See more at: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/#sthash.4HNLwtfd.dpuf
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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Westminster Mayor Utz recognizes Superintendent John A. Rawlings, Sr., for 30-years of service to the city



Westminster Mayor Utz recognizes Superintendent John A. Rawlings, Sr., for 30-years of service to the city http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/08/westminster-mayor-utz-recognizes.html

My story on the August 10, 2015 meeting of the Westminster Mayor and Common Council got bumped at the very last minute for space limitations. Please find it on my community website, www.kevindayhoff.org - Westminster Maryland Online: everything that is great about Westminster, Carroll County Maryland.

And he ran my picture of Superintendent John Rawlings in the Carroll Eagle section of the Baltimore Sun Sunday edition, August 16, 2015.

John Rawlings is awesome… Westminster councilman Greg Pecoraro and Tony Chiavacci, Westminster council president Dr. Robert Wack, Westminster Mayor Kevin Utz, Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding, Westminster councilwoman Dr. Mona Becker and Suzanne Albert.

The Westminster mayor and common council are doing some good things for our community. Read my article here: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/08/broad-range-of-topics-discussed-at.html

Read all my articles in the Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle here: http://www.baltimoresun.com/search/dispatcher.front?Query=Kevin+Dayhoff&target=all

Please enjoy.

Labels: #Dayhoffphotoblog, Dayhoff photos Westminster govt, Westminster, Westminster Council, Westminster Council Meeting Notes, Westminster Council Meetings, Westminster news, Technology Westminster Ting
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Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: 
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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/


See also - Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art www.kevindayhoff.com: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, music, culture, opera... Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem. “Deadline U.S.A.” 1952. Ed Hutcheson: “That's the press, baby. The press! And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” - See more at: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/#sthash.4HNLwtfd.dpuf
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Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Broad range of topics discussed at the Westminster mayor and common council meeting Monday night

Ting, the Westminster broadband technology project, to begin residential installations soon


At the meeting of the Westminster Common Council Monday night, August 10, 2015, Westminster officials had a wide range of issues on the agenda. From left to right: Dr. Mona Becker, Tony Chiavacci, Council President Dr. Robert Wack, Westminster Mayor Kevin Utz, Suzanne Albert, and Greg Pecoraro.

Broad range of topics discussed at the Westminster mayor and common council meeting Monday night http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/08/broad-range-of-topics-discussed-at.html

Labels: #Dayhoffphotoblog, Dayhoff photos Westminster govt, Westminster, Westminster Council, Westminster Council Meeting Notes, Westminster Council Meetings, Westminster news, Technology Westminster Ting

Ting, the Westminster broadband technology project

- See more at: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/08/broad-range-of-topics-discussed-at.html#sthash.p2me1MHw.dpuf


Westminster Mayor Kevin Utz, (L) recognizes Superintendent John Rawlings, Sr., for 30-yrs of service to the city at Mon night’s council http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/08/at-monday-nights-meeting-of-westminster.html

Westminster Mayor Kevin R. Utz, on the left, recognizes Superintendent John A. Rawlings, Sr., for 30-years of service to the city at Monday night’s council meeting as Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding and Finance Director Tammy Palmer look on. August 10, 2015 by Kevin E. Dayhoff

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

By Kevin E. Dayhoff

At the meeting of the Westminster Common Council Monday night, Westminster officials had a wide range of issues on the agenda; including an employee recognition, new trucks and equipment purchases, a new playground equipment initiative, and an update on the city’s fiber technology project.

The meeting began with a mayor and common council recognition of the city’s wastewater superintendent John A. Rawlings, Sr., for thirty-years of service.

With his wife and family present, Westminster Mayor Kevin R. Utz acknowledged how Rawlings and his department have saved the city a “great deal of money over the years” by their diligence, and innovative management approaches to an ever-increasingly complex aspect of government. Westminster councilwoman Mona Becker, a professor of environmental studies at McDaniel College agreed; reporting how she takes her environmental geology and chemistry classes to the treatment plant for field trips.

This was followed by a progress report on the Westminster Ting fiber technology initiative, by Valerie Bortz, the Westminster Ting city manager.

“Exciting things are happening,” said Bortz as she reported that the city’s fiber project is “getting ready to go live this week.” Bortz reported that soon Ting will begin making scheduled fiber installations in homes in Westminster.

Bortz also reported that the city recently was given a 2015 Community Broadband Innovative Partnership of the Year award by The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA.) According to a recent release found on the city’s Ting broadband fiber web page, “NATOA is a professional association for local governments … [to] help these communities get better access to telecommunications and broadband Internet services. These awards are intended to recognize people, towns, companies and initiatives each year that advanced the cause of broadband deployment and adoption in local communities.”

A discussion among the councilmembers ensued about continued efforts to get the word out about the broadband fiber initiative. It was noted that there remain many questions about “What is Ting;” how does it bring value to the city and what does it means to Westminster citizens.

In a recent e-mail interview with Westminster councilmember Tony Chiavacci, he noted, “As far as the value. There is a lot. True high-speed internet access … not what we currently have; but gig service - is going to be as important in the future as electricity and roads are to us today.

“We feel this project puts us many years ahead of most of the rest of the nation and it will position Westminster to be on the front of this technology. The hope is by us being out in front, we will attract business and individuals to Westminster that need this level of service, and cannot get it elsewhere. Thus, providing high paying jobs opportunities, increasing the average income, and pushing property values up in our area. As well as allowing people to work where they live versus commuting out of the area every day.”

With Ting, “you are driving a Ferrari instead of a Chevette,” said Chiavacci at the council meeting.

Jeff Glass, the city’s public works director then presented several equipment and truck bids for the council’s deliberation and approval. Glass also asked for the approval of this year’s annual roadway resurfacing and paving contract. This past winter was hard on Westminster’s streets and the councilmembers are anxious to begin addressing the roadway repairs and improvements.

Abby Gruber, the director of recreation discussed with the mayor and council a project to rebuild the aging playground equipment at Dutterer Park. According to a release by Gruber, after an upcoming planning session, on “October 9, 2015, volunteers from The City of Westminster, The Boys & Girls Club of Westminster, and Habitat for Humanity, along with BGE will build a great new place for kids to play in one day. The project is in partnership with KaBOOM!, the national nonprofit dedicated to giving kids the childhood they deserve by bringing play to those who need it most.”

In other news, Utz reported that the Wakefield Valley golf course task force recently held its first meeting to develop long term planning for the use of the large property at the west end of town that will be transferred to the city in the near future.

There were no ordinances or resolutions – or old business to discuss and after departmental reports the meeting adjourned after a little over an hour. 
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Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: 
Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/


See also - Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art www.kevindayhoff.com: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, music, culture, opera... Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem. “Deadline U.S.A.” 1952. Ed Hutcheson: “That's the press, baby. The press! And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” - See more at: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/#sthash.4HNLwtfd.dpuf
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Changes




Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last night I covered the Westminster mayor and common council meeting for the newspaper: “Broad range of topics discussed at the Westminster mayor and common council meeting Monday night http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/08/broad-range-of-topics-discussed-at.html. And I had spent almost all day in church at Grace Lutheran Church in Westminster. 

At the end of the day, as I was writing the article on the council meeting, I could help but to recall one of my all-time favorite sermons about change.

Both Westminster city government and Grace Lutheran Church need to continue to change in order to continue to relevant.

Fortunately, Grace Lutheran, under the leadership of Pastors Martha and Kevin Clementson, and church council – especially Council President Ron Fairchild are continuing in the correct direction of adapting with the times.

Along with my sister-in-law, United Methodist Church Pastor Sarah Babylon Dorrance, this simply must be some of the brightest and best church leadership around.

Same goes with the Westminster city government.

As I sat last night in the Westminster council chambers beside city attorney Elissa Levan, I reflected upon the fact that I have now been going to Westminster City Hall since the late 1950s and have always been impressed with the level of care, diligence and expertise exhibited by our government at work.

But the current administration simply must be one of the best in the state of Maryland – and the current mayor and common council are going some great things. We should all be proud and help in any way we can.


So, anyway, this one of my all-time favorite sermons…. June 14, 2001: "Sharing Faith in a New Century” By Lutheran Bishop H. Gerard Knoche

"Sharing Faith in a New Century”
By Lutheran Bishop H. Gerard Knoche

** Here is the text of the sermon by Lutheran Synod Bishop H. Gerard Knoche at Synod Assembly Opening Worship, June 14, 2001, based on Acts 17:16-34; given at Western Maryland College in Westminster, MD.

Permission is given for congregations to reproduce it for their own use.

This one of my all-time favorite sermons…. June 14, 2001: "Sharing Faith in a New Century” By Lutheran Bishop H. Gerard Knoche http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2001/06/thisone-of-my-all-time-favorite-sermons.html

Labels: #Dayhoff5EasyPieces, Change, History This Day in History 0614, Religion Grace Lutheran Church, Religion Lutheran, Religion Lutheran Bishop H. Gerard Knoche, Religion Shrinking Church - See more at: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2001/06/thisone-of-my-all-time-favorite-sermons.html#sthash.MTtrx3fN.dpuf
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If we do not share faith in the new century many of the congregations in the Delaware-Maryland Synod will die.  I am sorry that my first words as a preacher at Synod Assembly carry bad news.  But in my travels around the synod in these last nine months, I have come across too many congregations where the largest demographic group in the congregation is over 55.  Two urban churches have closed since I took office, both being sold to other denominations that expect to make a go of it.  If they can do it, why can’t we?  It was almost shocking last Sunday to be in a congregation where there were more teenagers worshiping than in any other church I have attended (20 or 25 at least).  “If this church can do it, why can’t others?”  I asked myself.  Churches that will survive, that will grow, are churches that have, as our assembly theme suggests, learned how to share the faith in a new century.

The lesson from Acts tells the story of Paul sharing the faith with a group of people who are new to him.  Paul has been left in Athens and is depressed to see the city is full of idols.  Apparently there were beautiful statues to every imaginable Greek god or goddess throughout the city.  He is waiting for Silas and Timothy and so decides to argue for the faith with the Jews in the synagogue and with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers.  Like other Athenians, the text says, they “spent their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.”
This evening I would like to look at Paul’s speech to see what it might tell us about Sharing Faith in a New Century.  First, Paul went out to the Areopagus, the public square where folks gathered to talk.  Unlike times past, we cannot expect folks to come to church looking for us.  Those who do that are largely those who have had some experience with the church in their background.  Increasingly, there are many Americans who have had no contact with Christianity, know nothing about it—and may even feel it is irrelevant or may be hostile to it.  A telling commentary on our culture is the fact that ”spell check” in Windows 95 does not have all the books of the Bible in its list, much less many of the Biblical names.  They are not part of the general basic knowledge base.  In campus ministry it was not unusual to have a student come in timidly saying, “I’m dating a Christian.  I have no idea what that means.  Can you tell me?”  To share faith in the new century we will need to go to the unchurched where they are.

Secondly, Paul knew the world-view of those with whom he wanted to communicate.  He had discovered their altar to an unknown God and he knew that they shared his belief that God had created all things.  He spoke the gospel to them in a form they were most likely to understand and accept.  We need to be more attentive to our audience.  Leonard Sweet is one of the writers who has researched what the postmodern culture is like. I don’t have time to share all the characteristics, but I will say that it is a culture more interested in spiritual experience than spiritual arguments.  They want to feel God more than they want to understand God.  Stories of personal belief are more convincing than explanations of doctrine.
Today’s culture also seems to be able to hold two contradictory notions at the same time.  F. Scott Fitzgerald said that the test of a first-class mind is the ability to be able to hold two opposing ideas in the head at the same time and still be able to function.  Book titles catch the doublespeak with ”Ordinary Miracles” or “Open Secrets” and movies with “True Lies.”  More significantly, it is true that new houses are bigger while families are smaller; more farmers are making big bucks and more farmers are facing financial catastrophe; more people are becoming rich than ever before and more people are becoming poor than ever before.  The postmodern is able to handle paradox, which in other days we have called dialectics.  We need to understand the worldview of the unchurched if we are to share the faith in a new century.

Thirdly, and perhaps most obviously, we need to know the gospel ourselves. 
Paul makes his connection to their thought world and then moves on to talk of
God’s judgment, of their need to repent, and of the resurrection.  It pains me to read that pollsters have determined that four out of ten folks who call themselves Christians are unable to name the four Gospels.  If the way that
Jesus speaks to us and guides us in our life is through the Scriptures, then
if we don’t know the Scriptures we don’t know Jesus very well either.  There
is no question in my mind that the key factor in churches that are reaching
out to share the faith is the rostered and lay leadership.  Folks who know Jesus, know the Bible, and are excited about sharing that relationship with
others do it best.  To share faith in the new century, we need to deepen our
Biblical knowledge and our love of Jesus, so that we will have something
fresh and dynamic to share.

One of the fears about changing the way things have always been with new
music or the use of the Internet or coffee house churches is that what is most precious to us will be lost.  The story is told that in the early days of the Tennessee Valley project, a dilapidated homestead was going to be torn down.  They were damming the river and the valley would be flooded out.  A new split-level ranch house was built for the Appalachian family on a hillside nearby.

The day of the flooding arrived and the bulldozers were there to tear down the old house.  The family refused to move out of the homestead.  Finally, out of desperation, a social worker was called to find out what the problem was.  “We ain’t goin’ anywhere” was the reply.  The social worker pleaded with them to tell her what the problem was and why they would not move into their beautiful new home.

”See that fire over there?” the man asked, pointing to a blazing fire in the
primitive hearth of the log cabin.  “My grandpa built that fire over a hundred years ago,” the man explained.  “He never let it go out, for he had no matches and it was a long way to the neighbors’.  Then my pa tended the fire, and since he died, I tended it. None of us let it die, and I ain’t goin’ to move away and let grandpa’s fire go out.”

The social worker got an idea.  She arranged for a large apple butter kettle
to be delivered to the home.  The hot coals would be scooped up and transported to the new home, kindling would be added, and the grandfather’s
fire would never go out.  The Appalachian family accepted and moved up to the
split-level rancher on the hillside after they knew that they would have the
fire of their ancestors.

As we share faith in the new century, we will keep the fire—of water, of bread and wine, of the book that is a love letter from God, but we will move to new places, where we do things differently, lest the flood of modernity wipe us out.  Paul and Jesus would want it that way.  Then, just like with Paul, some will scoff; others will hear us again; and some will become believers.
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Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: 
Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/


See also - Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art www.kevindayhoff.com: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, music, culture, opera... Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem. “Deadline U.S.A.” 1952. Ed Hutcheson: “That's the press, baby. The press! And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” - See more at: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/#sthash.4HNLwtfd.dpuf
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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Mona Becker McDaniel College Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair



Mona Becker McDaniel College Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair 

http://www.mcdaniel.edu/information/media-center/experts-sources/expert-mona-becker

May 14, 2015

Topics she can discuss include:

Climate Change
Environment
Environmental Education
Environmental Policy
Geology
Sinkholes
Stream Health

About Mona Becker

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair Mona Becker teaches courses in Introductory Environmental Science, as well as upper-level classes in Environmental Geology, Chemistry and Climatology. Her research with students focuses on anthropogenic effects in streams and soils. Recent projects undertaken with students have included the creation of a sinkhole density map for Carroll County, Md., evaluating the use of biosludge in agricultural practices, determination of pathogens in contaminated stream water in McDowell County, W.Va., and reforestation mapping.

An avid proponent of service learning, Becker encourages students to become engaged in the community in which their research is taking place. She has supervised service-learning in Westminster, Md., as well as community projects in McDowell County, W.Va., where the poverty rate for families is 30 percent.
Becker has published several research articles in academic publications and frequently presents papers at conferences, often with her student collaborators. She is the 2014 recipient of the Service Learning and Civic Engagement Faculty Award, Maryland-DC Campus Compact. She is advisor to the Green Life club on campus.

She serves as a member of the Westminster City Common Council. She also served as Past-President of the Maryland Association of Science Teachers and President of the Maryland Association of Science Teachers.

Becker received a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science with a concentration in Engineering Geology from Millersville University, a master’s in Geology from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. in Geology from SUNY Stony Brook.
In the News

Elections results: Westminster, towns pick new council Carroll County Times article about Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, being elected to the Westminster City Council. (May 13, 2015)
Becker picked for council vacancy The selection of Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, to the Westminster City Council is covered in the Carroll County Times. (Dec. 9, 2014)

Organic farming reaps benefits The Carroll County Times publishes a letter written by Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, about how organic farming can help with climate change. (Oct. 6, 2014)

Environmental Film Festival, meetings, and other Maryland green events 
The Baltimore Going Green Examiner blog mentions that Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, is speaking at a Sierra Club event in Westminster, Md. (March 16, 2014)

Anti-climate change stance disturbing 
The Carroll County Times publishes a letter written by Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, about the Carroll County Commissioners anti-climate change agenda. (Jan. 11, 2014)

Crews fill 5-foot deep sinkhole near The Arc Carroll County 
Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, is quoted in the Carroll County Times about the prevalence of sinkholes in Carroll County, Md. (Oct. 29, 2013)

Man discovers hole near Sykesville train tracks 
The Carroll County Times quotes Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, about a sinkhole near train tracks in Sykesville, Md. (May 22, 2013)

Groundbreaking Research: McDaniel student maps sinkholes for senior project 
Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, comments in the Carroll County Times on a McDaniel College student's senior capstone project on sinkholes in Carroll County, Md. (April 6, 2013)

McDaniel students do five-week research projects during summer break 
Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, is quoted in the Carroll County Times about student-faculty summer research. (July 8, 2012)

Planet Carroll brings discussion on sustainability, climate change to local level 
The Carroll County Times mentions that Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, is speaking on climate change at Planet Carroll environmental conference. (April 16, 2012)

Master gardeners, McDaniel team up on Westminster wetlands project An article in the Carroll County Times mentions Environmental Studies students at McDaniel College taught by Mona Becker, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Department Chair, helped to rehabilitate a wetlands area in King Park, Westminster, Md. (April 6, 2012)

More on Mona Becker

Environmental Studies professor named to Westminster City Council 
News@McDaniel (Jan. 20, 2015)

Preserving the health of a vacation paradise 
News@McDaniel (Sept. 16, 2014)

McDaniel's climate expert on the weather and global warming 
News@McDaniel (Feb. 25, 2014)

McDaniel students join peers in nationwide call for environmental reform 
News@McDaniel (Oct. 29, 2013)

Students collaborate with professors on summer research projects 
News@McDaniel (June 25, 2013)

Environmental studies students present capstone projects 
News@McDaniel (May 2, 2013)

Environmental Studies senior maps Carroll County sinkhole density 
News@McDaniel (Feb. 26, 2013)

Students improve local stream health during 'Day to Serve' 
News@McDaniel (Sept. 24, 2013)

Student-faculty research projects garner awards at research symposium 
News@McDaniel (Nov. 6, 2012)

McDaniel service learning touches Native American community 
News@McDaniel (Sept. 25, 2012)

McDaniel recognizes students, professors and alumnus 
News@McDaniel (April 30, 2012)

Students take on community park wetland rehab for class project 
News@McDaniel (April 16, 2012)

McDaniel students, professor participate in community Earth Day activities 
News@McDaniel (April 12, 2012)


Six professors join McDaniel's distinguished faculty 
News@McDaniel (Aug. 5, 2010)
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Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: 
Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/


See also - Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art www.kevindayhoff.com: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, music, culture, opera... Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem. “Deadline U.S.A.” 1952. Ed Hutcheson: “That's the press, baby. The press! And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” - See more at: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/#sthash.4HNLwtfd.dpuf
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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Westminster MD Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 12, 2015


Westminster MD Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 12, 2015

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/01/westminster-md-mayor-and-common-council.html

Labels: Westminster Council, Westminster Council Meeting Notes, Westminster Council Mtgs

AGENDA CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 12, 2015

My running rough notes from the meeting – Kevin E. Dayhoff January 13, 2015

Update, Heather Cobun has published a well-written and informative article in the Carroll County Times about the council meeting. Find the article here: http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/ph-cc-westminster-meeting-011315-20150112,0,2701792.story

Westminster selects fiber network operator

Toronto-based Ting began as mobile service provider, expanding to fiber networks

By Heather Cobun, Times Staff Writer

9:59 p.m. EST, January 12, 2015

Some areas of Westminster could see high-speed Internet by the spring if the pilot phase of the city's fiber network stays on schedule.

The Mayor and Common Council voted unanimously Monday to select Toronto-based Ting, a subsidiary of Tucows Inc., as its Internet network operator. The firm will devise a fee structure and manage a fiber optics network being built by the city, which will retain ownership of the network. Though the fee structure has not been set, Ting officials hope to keep the price under $90 a month.

The city budgeted $6.3 million in the current fiscal year for network construction.

"From the very beginning, it was obvious that they understood what we were trying to do," said Council President Robert Wack. "We got a lot of feedback from other responses that was questioning to flat-out skeptical."

Read the entire article here: http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/ph-cc-westminster-meeting-011315-20150112,0,2701792.story

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This was a really good meeting. Lots of exciting things happening and everyone seems to working well together – at least as far as the public face of the mayor and council and department heads. This is in stark contrast with the openly hostile disagreements aired publicly at the county state of the county event Tuesday morning January 13, 2015.

There appears to have been a reception before the meeting. I think that maybe it was for the broadband initiative.

Lots of folks here. Roy Chiavacci, Sam Greenholtz, Lisa Breslin, Missy Wilcox, Lyndi McNulty…

This is the first council meeting that I have attended for some time. Many of the positions have changed…. Some have not… Tammy Palmer is the finance director, Jeff Spaulding is the police chief. Steve Horn is the planning director, Marg Wolf is the city administrator, attorney Elissa Levan, public works director Jeff Glass, recreation and parks director Abby Gruber, and … …

1.   CALL TO ORDER: Council president Dr. Robert Wack brought the meeting to order at precisely 7 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

2.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE MEETING DECEMBER 8, 2014 Motioned and approved,

3.   PUBLIC HEARINGS No public hearings

4.   CONSENT CALENDAR Motioned and approved.

Approval of November 2014 Departmental Operating Reports

Approval of 4th Amendment to LaserCraft Agreement – Chief Spaulding

Approval of Delta Plus Licensing Agreement – Chief Spaulding

5.   REPORT FROM THE MAYOR Welcome the new council member. Attended the NAACP breakfast. Meetings with the county commissioners

6.   REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES and 7.   COUNCIL COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION

Paul Whitson attended the NAACP breakfast.

Suzanne Albert Welcomed the new council woman.

Tony Chiavacci mentioned a positive meeting with Mayor Utz, Chief Spaulding and the new State’s Attorney Brian DeLeonardo... 

Dr. Becker… NAACP breakfast, the Civil Rights tour…

8.   BIDS

Approval of the selection of the broadband network services operator—Dr. Wack

A discussion of the history and the initiative. Unique approach. Interviewed all the folks back in October.

Right from the very beginning, it was clear that Ting Fiber … they were interested in a partnership.

“We’re thrilled with the opportunity… It makes sense that the municipality own the infrastructure… Customer service a strong point. We have a unique business model in that we specialize in going to places where the customer service is poor and we are nicer.

9.   ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS None.

10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None

11. NEW BUSINESS

Approval of the establishment of a Broadband Policy Group

Mayor’s announcement of a policy group… Barbara Biller, Sam Greenholtz, Jason Stambaugh, Mark Krider, Davis…. et al. It was approved.

APPOINTMENT OF BROADBAND POLICY COMMITTEE

Tonight is the culmination of six month’s concerted effort by the city to bring the most expansive infrastructure project in our area to fruition. This project will bring jobs, allow for telecommuting, encourage technology startups and broaden business markets and will be the first open access gigabit municipal broadband network in the Mid-Atlantic region. The President of the Common Council, Dr. Robert Wack, was the visionary on this project and he convinced the Common Council that this investment in a broadband network would result in a diversity of services and competition which will provide the best quality and pricing for City residents. Dr. Wack will provide more detail on this project later in the agenda.

To assist the City with this Broadband network project by providing advice and guidance as we move to connect every residence in the City to the network, I am asking Council for a motion to approve the appointment of a Broadband Policy Committee composed of the following residents and business owners with specialized knowledge of the broadband community:

Barbara Biller
Samuel Greenholtz
Josh Kohn
Jason Stambaugh
Mark Krider and
Patti Davis

This Committee will provide advice and guidance to the City as we move forward with the implementation of this city-wide project.

Presentation of Financial Statements and Audit Report – Tricia Bush, McGladrey LLC

A report on the financial statements and audit report…

Auto Zone @ 140 Village Shopping Center; Public Works Agreement (A-1087)—Steve Horn

Cactus Willys will be razed and replaced with an Auto Zone. Motioned and approved…

Weis Market Gas-N-Go; Public Works Agreement (A-1088)—Steve Horn Motioned and approved…

12. DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Jeff Glass Hyde’s Quarry

Abby Gruber various events; working through minimum wage increased… Jacob’s latter exercise equipment.

Finance Director Tammy Palmer RFP for a new auditor and working on the budget… Assessment lagging.

Jeff Spaulding new Main Street police officer. Mike Beaumont… Spends 40-hours a week working with the businesses… Working on the heroin challenges in the community. The polar plunge.

Steve Horn – reminding folks to clean the sidewalks

Elissa Levan no report

Marg Wolf budget issues.

5 pm Wednesday at Calvert House for a legislative reception.

13. CITIZEN COMMENTS 7:45 pm There were no citizen comments.

14. ADJOURNMENT: We adjourned at 7:45 p.m.


It was a good meeting. Lots of new and exciting approaches and initiatives. 
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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

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E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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