Minutes of last month's Town Council Meeting

The Mayor and Council of the Town of Manchester met on the above date. Those present were Mayor Chris D'Amario, Stephen Bankert, Mary Minderlein, Dale Wilder, Ryan Warner, Daniel Riley, Kelly Baldwin and Steve Miller.

Mr. Bankert made a motion and Mr. Riley seconded the motion to approve the June 11, 2002 minutes as printed. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Wilder made a motion and Ms. Minderlein seconded the motion to receive the June 2002 Treasurer's Report. The motion passed unanimously.

Mayor D'Amario gave his monthly Mayor's report. Mr. Bankert presented the Fishing Derby awards.

Chief Lewis gave his monthly Police report.

Mr. Miller gave his monthly Public Works Report.

Mr. Warner made a motion to approve the purchase of a 2003 Dump Truck from Bare Truck Center in the amount of $90,566.31. Mr. Riley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Miller explained the need for the change order from Bollinger and Brooks for work done at Wertz Avenue and Michael Drive. Mr. Riley made a motion to approve change order in the amount of $7,875.00. Mr. Wilder seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Riley explained that Preston Wilhelm telephoned him asking if the Town was interested in buying his timber rights for $30,000. Mr. Riley stated that the rights were for timber on the sprayfield property we purchased from Mr. Wilhelm. The discussion was tabled in order that more research be done on this topic.

Mr. Wilder read Ordinance No. 142 which increases the fees associated with the discontinuance of water service from $15 to $25. In addition, only cash, certified checks or money orders will be accepted when water is discontinued for non-payment of a water bill.

Mr. Wilder read Emergency Ordinance No. 143 which increases the penalty for those who violate the water ban. The proposed penalty will be increased from $25 to $100 for the first offense and from $50 to $200 for subsequent offenses. Ms. Minderlein made a motion to approve Ordinance No. 143. Mr. Bankert seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

William Tracey, a resident on Bachman Court, was inadvertently omitted from the customer list provided to the contracted trash hauler, Hughes Trash. Therefore, the Tracey's were paying for a service already provided by their municipal taxes. They requested reimbursement from the Town for monies paid to Hughes. Mr. Warner made a motion to prepare an agreement which would offer to reimburse Mr. Tracey the current trash collection rate ($53.36) for a period of 5 years. Mr. Riley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Wolfe approached the Mayor and Council again regarding the stormwater management area located near his property on Mindi Drive. Discussion followed. Mr. Wilder stated that a survey would be necessary in order to get an exact location of the property boundaries and easements. The Council explained to Mr. Wolfe that there were no monies available for his project this year. However they would consider placing it in the FY04 budget as a capital project. Mayor D'Amario instructed Mr. Miller to contact Carroll County Sediment Control and have them assess the current situation. Also, the Town will continue to maintain the area on a regular basis.

Mr. Dave Black expressed his concerns regarding a potential stormwater problem on Park Avenue near Forest Street. Mr. Black asked the Mayor and Council to consider enacting a rental housing ordinance like the City of Westminster. Mr. Warner stated that the Planning & Zoning Commission has been working on a draft ordinance.

Council members gave committee reports.

Mr. Riley made a motion and Ms. Minderlein seconded the motion to adjourn the general session. The motion passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Kelly J. Baldwin

Department of Public Works

The Town of Manchester is in the middle of a drought situation. We at the Public Works Dept. cannot stress enough the importance of Conservation of Water during this time. Everyone watns to help conserve valuable resources and water is one of the most valuable we have. The following are a few suggestions that each individual or family can do to help:

1. Check every faucet in your home for leaks. A slow drip can waste 15-20 gallons of water a day. Fix it and you could save almost 6,000 gallons a year.
2. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Let is stand for a few minutes to see if the color shows in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons or more of water a day from one of these invisible toilet leaks.
3. Try to cut back on time in the shower or the depth of bath water.
4. Try to use automatic dish washers and clothes washing machines with full loads only.
5. Should you hear water running through your pipes or see water pooling around your house, running down the street, DO NOT WAIT, contact the Town Office ASAP at 410-239-3200 or 410-492-0516.

In addition, please follow these few preventative tips before going on vacation, so that when you return, hopefully you won't be faced with any water-related problems.

1. Inspect all interior water pipes and valves for leaks.
2. Make sure the valves are shut off to your washing machine hoses.
3. Make sure all outside spigots and hose bibs are shut off utilizing the inside valve.
4. Make sure the last person out of your home checks all the sinks, spigots, and especially the bathroom toilets to make sure all the toilet tanks have filled and have shut off before leaving.
5. Should you be on vacation for an extended period of time, contact the Town of Manchester and we will shut off your water at the curb valve until you return.

M.A.M.A. News

Mark your calendars for the Annual Christmas Open House, sponsored by MAMA, which will be held on Friday, November 29 (the day after Thanksgiving). Visit the town businesses from 6-9PM and attend the Christmas Tree lighting at the Town Hall at 6PM. Manchester Area Merchants Association meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7PM at various MAMA businesses. Watch the town TV channel for details.

Our second annual Holiday Decorating Contest will be held in December. Entries in both the business and residential categories will be accepted at the Town Office from November 11 through December 3. Judging will occur on December 4 and 5 and prizes will be awarded at the December 10 Town Council meeting.

Community Watch News

Neighborhood Watch meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:30PM at the Town Hall. Upcoming meeting dates are September 12, October 9, and December 13. Neighborhood Watch is concerned with crime prevention and community involvement.

Manchester Police Department News

We would like to remind everyone of the parking regulations within Town. Parking on Main Street has a 2-hour limit. Signs regulate all other streets, and in most areas, no on street parking is allowed.

We would also like to invite any interested citizens to attend our Neighborhood Watch Meetings. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held at the Town Office, and start at 7:30 PM. In September we will be holding the second "M"Games this year. Since the weather was not the best in May, we will hold a second skating competition in September. Look for signs as to the date and time.

In September the Police Department will be hold the Youth Olympics another event planned is a public safety day.

We are working hard trying to have these and other events for our youth, but we need help. If you wish to volunteer for any of these events, or if you have any suggestions, problems, or ideas, please contact Chief Lewis at 410-239-6900.