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november 16 2023 meeting minutes

Minutes November 16, 2023 · 4 page(s)

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Town Council of Centreville
November 16, 2023
7:00 p.m.
M I N U T E S
The November 16, 2023 Town Council meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Ashley H. Kaiser at the
Liberty Building located at 107 N. Liberty Street, 2nd floor meeting room. The following members and staff were
present: Ashley H. Kaiser, President; Eric B. Johnson, Jr., Vice President; Daniel B. Worth, Jim A. Beauchamp (via
Zoom), and Jeffrey D. Kiel, Members; Carolyn M. Brinkley, A/Town Manager; Sharon VanEmburgh, Town
Attorney; Karen Luffman, Finance Officer; Gary Phillips, A/Director of Public Works; and Betty Jean Hall, A/Town
Clerk.
• Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Mr. Worth made a motion to approve the October 19, 2023, meeting
minutes and the October 26, 2023 work session minutes, as presented. Mr. Johnson seconded the
motion, which passed unanimously.
Closed Session Statement
(i) The Town Council met in closed session on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 6:17 p.m. at the Liberty Building,
107 N. Liberty Street, 2nd floor meeting room to discuss personnel and consult with Counsel in accordance with the
Maryland Open Meetings Act. (ii) Five members of the Town Council voted to close the session. (iii) The
authority to close the session is found in Section 3-305 of the General Provisions Article.
(iv) The Town Council discussed the following topics:
• Personnel – discussed the performance of a town employee.
• Consult with Counsel – discussed various legal issues with the Town Attorney.
Actions: No actions taken.
The following members and staff were present: Ashley H. Kaiser, President; Eric B. Johnson, Jr., Vice President;
Daniel B. Worth, Jim A. Beauchamp (via Zoom) and Jeffrey D. Kiel, Members; Carolyn M. Brinkley, A/Town
Manager; Sharon VanEmburgh, Town Attorney; and Chief Robert Hobbs, Centreville Police Department.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:52 p.m.
Appearances
a. Oath of Office – Jennifer Wilson, Board of Supervisors of Elections
• Mr. Kiel provided the oath of office for Jennifer Wilson to the Board of Supervisors of Elections for a
three-year term expiring April, 2026.
b. Oath of Office – Heather Watson, Personnel Review Board
• Mr. Worth provided the oath of office for Heather Watson to the Personnel Review Board for a three-
year term expiring April, 2026.
c. Oath of Office – Wendy Hubbert, Park Advisory Board
• Mr. Johnson provided the oath of office for Wendy Hubbert to the Park Advisory Board for a three-
year term expiring April, 2026.
Public Hearing: Ordinance 07-2023 – FY2023 Budget Amendment
• Ms. Kaiser called the hearing to order for Ordinance 07-2023 for the purpose of amending the Town of
Centreville FY2023 Budget and all things generally related thereto at 7:07 p.m.
• Ms. Luffman stated Ordinance 07-2023 is an amendment to balance the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget for
$3,774 in the General Fund and $283,230 in the Enterprise Fund.
• Ms. Hall verified the notice of hearing was publicized in a newspaper circulated in Queen Anne’s County.
• There being no legal matters relating to the jurisdiction of the Town Council of Centreville nor any
objections regarding the Notice of Public Hearing, Ms. Kaiser asked for comments from anyone in favor
of Ordinance 07-2023.
• Ms. Kaiser asked for comments from anyone opposed to Ordinance 07-2023.
• Mr. Worth made a motion to adjourn the public hearing. Mr. Kiel seconded the motion, which passed
unanimously. The public hearing for Ordinance 07-2023 adjourned at 7:11 p.m.
Citizens Comments
No citizens offered comments.
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Old Business
a. Ordinance 07-2023 – FY2023 Budget Amendment – 2nd Reading & Consideration – Sponsored by Council
President Kaiser
• Mr. Johnson made a motion to approve Ordinance 07-2023 for the purpose of amending the Town of
Centreville FY2023 Budget and all things generally related thereto. Mr. Worth seconded the motion,
which passed unanimously.
Council Member Yes No Abstain Absent
Council Member Worth X
President Kaiser X
Vice President Johnson X
Council Member Kiel X
Council Member Beauchamp X
b. Little Kidwell Avenue – Speed Reduction Options – Sponsored by Council President Kaiser
• Ms. Kaiser stated the Council approved and advertised for bids the addition of traffic calming speed
humps on Little Kidwell Avenue and Green Street due to the speeding situation and the intention of
opening Little Kidwell Avenue extended towards Vincit Street at the YMCA. No bids were received.
• Ms. Kaiser would like to have the speed humps installed in the spring, lower the speed limit on Little
Kidwell Avenue from Commerce Street to Green Street to 15 mph during school hours and have
crosswalks installed at the intersections of Little Kidwell Avenue and Green Street as well as Little
Kidwell and Providence Lane.
• Mr. Phillips has requested pricing from Zones for crosswalk striping.
• Mr. Kiel suggested a stop sign be reinstalled at the intersection of Spring Street and Little Kidwell
Avenue.
• Ms. Brinkley stated the use of Highway User Revenue funds are allowed for the cost of speed humps.
• There was consensus among the members of the Town Council to have the speed reduction items
completed pending approval of costs for the crosswalk painting.
New Business
a. Little Kidwell Avenue Extension – Discussion – Council President
• Ms. Kaiser stated there has been a request from the YMCA to the Town to not allow parking on the new
450-foot section of Little Kidwell Avenue. They would like a bike lane.
• Mr. Beauchamp asked if parking could remain on the stub of Little Kidwell Avenue.
• Mr. Johnson suggested asking the County to revisit the sidewalk removal on the side of Little Kidwell
Avenue that abuts the Vincit Building property.
• Mr. Beauchamp made a motion to allow for curbside parking on the YMCA side of Little Kidwell
Avenue and the opposite side of Little Kidwell only adjacent to the existing residential lot, no bike lanes
will be permitted. Mr. Kiel seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Council Member Yes No Abstain Absent
Council Member Worth X
President Kaiser X
Vice President Johnson X
Council Member Kiel X
Council Member Beauchamp X
b. FY2023 Audit Update – Council President
• Ms. Luffman reported the audit was completed early, it was a perfect audit and everything has been
submitted to the State of Maryland and all agencies requiring it.
c. End of Year Requests – Council President
• Ms. Kaiser reviewed the memo included in the Council packets for end of year requests.
• Mr. Johnson made a motion to approve a $15 gift card, employee Christmas breakfast on Friday,
December 8th, employee holiday bonus of $100, and cancellation of the December 21st Town Council
meeting. Mr. Worth seconded the motion.
• Mr. Worth stated the December 21st Town Council meeting may work better to reschedule to December
14th for review of the Comprehensive Plan.
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• Mr. Johnson agreed to amend the motion to reschedule the Town Council meeting of December 21st to
December 14th. The amended motion passed unanimously.
• The Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner will be held on January 20, 2024 and gifts for the volunteers
were discussed.
Reports of Boards and Commissions
a. Maryland Municipal League
• Mr. Beauchamp had nothing to report.
b. Council of Governments
• Mr. Kiel had nothing to report.
c. Economic Development
• Mr. Johnson had nothing to report.
d. Park Advisory Board
• Ms. Kaiser reported new picnic tables have been placed at the wharf, electricity will be in the new towers
at the slips by the end of the month. The Park Board accepted bids for plantings at Pop Taylor Park,
updated landscaping will be planted in that space soon. A member of the board shared trail maps that
other Town’s have to attract birders and other organizations to participate in the use of their trails. The
Park Board voted to share in the cost of improvements to the Santa house.
e. Planning Commission
• Mr. Worth stated the Planning Commission has incorporated all the changes into the Comprehensive Plan
that the Council requested over two work sessions.
• PUD language was removed from the Comprehensive Plan and has focused on the update of Zoning
regulations and the Subdivision regulations to implement the complete neighborhood concept.
• A greenbelt map and a tier map of sewer service areas will be added.
• A public hearing will be required to be held by the Town Council. This hearing will be scheduled for
December 14th.
Reports of Department Heads
a. Town Manager
• Ms. Brinkley reported the following:
• The Town submitted an application for amendment to the County water and sewer plan. There was
an information meeting held on Tuesday, November 14th with the County Commissioners. The
Commissioners will hold a public hearing for the request on November 28th.
• Met with a contractor about the design and installation of the security door for Town Hall as well as
the key card access. An update will be given after receipt of final costs.
• The 2012 bond has been paid off 9 years early. It was to refinance the wharf property, the
reconstruction of Railroad Avenue and Broadway. This has placed 177,000 back into the Town’s
funds each year and savings of $191,000 in fees and interest.
• The January 10, 2024 Council of Governments meeting will be the tax differential meeting with the
County.
b. Town Attorney
• Ms. VanEmburgh confirmed the Transportation Article 21-803 does authorize Municipalities to
reduce the speed limit to 15 mph in school zones during school hours provided the Town pays the
cost of placing and maintaining the signs.
Citizen Comments:
Jamie Johnson, Little Kidwell Avenue offered comments.
Council Roundtable
• Mr. Kiel attended a meeting at the Centreville Library concerning the Mid-Shore Regional Landfill. They
may be approaching Council after the first of the year to appear at a meeting.
• Mr. Beauchamp had nothing to report.
• Mr. Worth encouraged members of Council to attend the County Commissioners hearing on November 28.
• Mr. Johnson reported shirts have been ordered for the Community Patrol. A Town Holiday calendar will
be distributed on social media and uploaded to the Town’s website. The Holiday Committee will meet for
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the last time this year on Monday, November 27. The Town purchased additional holiday decorations that
will be placed around the courthouse square.
• Ms. Kaiser reported the Menorah lighting will take place on December 9 at 4:30pm. The Symphony
Village community held a forum with a representative from Green Thumb Industries (GTI) to discuss their
odor mitigation efforts being researched. There are engineers on site now who believe they have found the
concentration points of the smell which does not stem from the outdoor grow but the drying of the plants.
Motion to Adjourn
There being no further business, Mr. Johnson made a motion to adjourn the November 16, 2023, meeting. Mr. Kiel
seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Betty Jean Hall
A/Town Clerk
Council Action Items:
1. Approved the October 19, 2023, meeting minutes.
2. Approved the October 26, 2023, work session minutes.
3. Approved Ordinance 07-2023 for the purpose of amending the Town of Centreville FY2023 Budget and all
things generally related thereto.
4. Reached a consensus to lower the speed limit to 15 mph during school hours on Little Kidwell Avenue from
Commerce Street to Green Street and have crosswalks installed at the intersections of Little Kidwell Avenue
and Green Street as well as Little Kidwell Avenue and Providence Lane pending approval of costs for the
crosswalk painting.
5. Approved the allowance for curbside parking on the YMCA side of Little Kidwell Avenue and the opposite
side of Little Kidwell only adjacent to the existing residential lot, no bike lanes will be permitted.
6. Approved a $15 gift card, employee Christmas breakfast on Friday, December 8th, employee holiday bonus
of $100, and rescheduled the Town Council meeting of December 21st to December 14th.
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