SNOW HILL — During this week’s meeting of the Worcester County Commission, salary increases were approved for several county positions, an update on controversial Phosphorous Management Tool (PMT) legislation was given and a long contested state requirement was adhered to after years of protest.
The following is a synopsis of topics covered during the meeting.
Salary Increases
Approved For
Sheriff, Orphans’
Court Judges
The commission this week approved a pair of salary raises, starting with the county sheriff. Currently, the position of Sheriff of Worcester County has an annual salary of $85,000. This puts it tied with Wicomico County and just under Dorchester County in the salary rankings of Eastern Shore sheriffs.
“Sheriff’s salaries on the nine Eastern Shore counties currently range from a low of $60,000 in Somerset County,” wrote Kelly Shannahan, Assistant Chief Administration Officer, “to a high of $85,750 in Dorchester County.”
However, this falls short of the actual state average salary of $92,279 for the position. The commissioners approved a 3.5-percent pay raise, up to $88,000. However, that will not go into effect until after the upcoming election for the 2014-2018 term. Currently, Sheriff Reggie Mason, a Republican elected in 2010, has a primary opponent in Eden resident and fellow Republican George Truitt.
In a related move, the commission approved a raise for county Orphans’ Court Judges. At the moment judges have a $5,000 salary with an additional $1,600 for travel expenses. This is compared to neighboring Wicomico County, which has a $6,400 salary and is considering a $3,000 raise to that this year.
Worcester judges have requested a pay bump to $8,500. While this would represent a more than 50-percent increase, it has been nearly a decade since any raise has been requested.
“While they certainly recognize and respect the economic situation in our country and our county,” wrote Charlotte Cathell, Register of Wills, “it has been eight years since they have even considered applying for an increase.”
The county agreed to meet them in the middle, approving a salary increase to $7,000.
Multiple Bills Call
For Slowing Down
Controversial PMT
Now that the General Assembly is in full swing in Annapolis, an effort is underway to delay or alter a new PMT proposed by the state. Hundreds of Eastern Shore farmers and dozens of elected officials have protested the new set of regulations that would accompany the PMT. State representatives for the shore have responded by logging almost half a dozen bills asking for changes to the tool or additional research before it is implemented.
“There are five bills basically dealing with phosphorous and or analysis of what it will mean if this thing got passed,” reported Shockley Tuesday, adding that the commission has sent a letter of support for each of those bills.
The legislation has been filed in both the House and Senate, with several bills requesting that the PMT be delayed to allow for a comprehensive economic impact study of the potential effects of the regulations on farmers and poultry growers, especially on the Eastern Shore.
County Agrees To
Additional Ground
Monitoring Wells
Five new groundwater monitoring wells will be installed at the Central Landfill at a cost of $38,000.
Worcester has fought against the installation of those wells since the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) first requested and then required them, starting in 2010.
“I feel as though the county has done everything we could to argue the fact there is no need for the additional wells,” wrote John Tustin, director of Public Works, in a memo to the commission, “however, we have now come to the realization that MDE will not back down from their position.”
Tustin told the commissioners that the county argued “valiantly” that new groundwater wells are a completely unnecessary expense. The Central Landfill currently has wells spaced every 1,000 feet, which was originally approved by MDE 20 years ago.
“We did it exactly the way they wanted us to do it,” said Commissioner Virgil Shockley.
Tustin agreed but noted that requirements change and MDE is now forcing the county to space wells every 500 feet to better monitor for any possible leaks from the landfill. This seemed like an arbitrary adjustment to Tustin, who asked MDE how often landfill leaks actually occur.
“However, I will say when I inquired to the regulators ‘how often do these lined facilities leak’ the answer was ‘never,’” he wrote.
“Is this when you feel like banging your head against the wall?” Commission President Bud Church asked Tustin.
It was, replied Tustin, but it’s also become evident that MDE will not change direction and Worcester should admit defeat and install the wells. The $38,000 needed is available but was not budgeted. The commission unanimously approved the expense.
Piggy-back Accord
Should Save County
More Than $250K
A small project agreement between Worcester and privately owned Castaways, Suns Castaways RV, LLC should be a “win-win” for both groups, according to Church.
“The purpose of the agreement is to move forward with the proposed sewer connection between Castaways,” wrote County Attorney Sonny Bloxom, “and Mystic Harbour Service Area and for the County to ‘piggy-back’ on the design and construction contracts for its 6” treated effluent force main which will be placed in the same easement area at the same time.”
The agreement kills two birds with one stone, Bloxom told the commission Tuesday. It gets Castaways into the Mystic Harbour service area while constructing a needed force main, which the county would have had to do anyway at some point.
“And by doing that we’re going to save a lot of money,” Bloxom said.
The county had originally estimated $500,000 for the project if it did it itself but now expects costs to come in at only around half of that. The anticipated cost is $211,675 plus 40-percent of the cost of the survey. Because those are only estimates, however, the county has also included a 10-percent cap on any variance to those costs. If the cap is exceeded, the commissioners would have a chance to re-examine the agreement.
“We’re not saying we’re not going to do it, we just want to see what it will be,” Bloxom explained. “We’re not going to give a blank check.”