19991025 City Space Study Minutes

CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND
CITY SPACE STUDY COMMITTEE

MINUTES
OCTOBER 25, 1999

A meeting of the City Space Study Committee of the Westminster City Council was held in the office of Finance Director Steve Dutterer on Monday, October 25, 1999 at 11:00 a.m.

Present were Committee Members: Public Works Director Thomas B. Beyard, Finance Director Steve Dutterer, City Attorney John B. Walsh, Jr. and Chairman Councilman Kevin Dayhoff. Absent was Councilman Greg Pecoraro.

1. The Mission Statement of the City Space Study Committee was discussed.
That discussion included:

The purpose of the City Space Study Committee is to establish what will be the future administrative office needs of the City of Westminster.

In the new millennium, Westminster, like most municipalities, will increasingly be in the customer service business. Westminster will be forming partnerships and collaborations with the business community and our citizenry. As more Federal and State programs and mandates are being placed at the local level of government, we will need to maximize the most efficient governmental response to these expanding roles and complexities of government.

After projections about our future needs are established, we will formulate an approach as to how we can best meet those projected administrative office needs. Since the City has perpetual existence, it does not appear to make good fiscal sense to rent rather than own a facility.

We believe that it is in the City's best interests and that the public will be best served by the re-centralization of City's administrative services in one administrative office facility located in such a manner that it will further expanding upon the 'City Campus approach'

2. Identification of past considerations and deliberations upon City space study needs. There was some discussion about the City Hall Space Planning and Feasibility Study executed by Cho, Wilks and Benn Architects in May of 1991. Mr. Dayhoff questioned how the determination was made to not implement the centralization as recommended by the study. The Committee lamented the cost of duplication of support functions and lack of expandability that has resulted because the recommended centralization was not executed.

3. The Committee discussed an analysis of the present situation. The Committee asked the Department Heads to develop and divide current and future square footage and staffing needs for 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year increments. In that regard, the following was discussed.

a. Staffing Projections
b. Present square footage requirements
c. Future square footage requirements
d. Identified the need to establish our present cost per square foot
e. Future square footage demands for Council Chambers

4. The Committee felt the need to identify potential sites for future City space needs.

a. The old J.C. Penny Building
1. The status of and the potential for more space from the old J. C. Penny building
2. There was some discussion on perhaps the feasibility of purchasing the old J.C. Penny building.
b. EZ Letter Quick Stick property next to the existing Police Department at 36 Locust Street
c. The Leister property to the rear of City Hall
d. The old Post Office at 83 E. Main Street
e. The Farmer's Supply Site at Liberty and Green Streets.
f. The old Farmer's Fertilizer & Feed Property on Railroad Avenue more recently referred to as the Southern States property.
g. Expand City Hall
h. The Key Lot

5. The Committee discussed the capital requirements of the City's future space needs with respect to the possibility of building a parking garage on the Longwell Parking lot and the expansion of the existing police station.

6. There was some discussion about centralizing all of the space needs for the City's administrative offices and if that direction were chosen, what would be the disposition of City Hall if we were to move the offices out of City Hall. The conversation digressed to the last time the City Administrative offices were moved from the old Fire Hall to the Longwell Mansion in the late 1930's.

7. There was some discussion about what sort of administrative organization might be desired in the future for the City's offices. There was some discussion about centralized, reintegration of staff and offices and maintaining an integrated, contiguous campus from the City's Street Department to the Police Department to City Hall to the Armory Building. At that point discussion followed regarding whether or not the old Post Office would fit in to that central office scheme or whether it would be better to build on the Key Lot or the Leister property.

The Committee indicated its intention to meet on
Monday, January 24, 2000 at 11 A.M. in the office of Finance Director Steve Dutterer to continue its discussions.

The Committee adjourned its meeting at 12:00 p.m.


_____________________
Kevin E. Dayhoff, Chair

19990901 Maryland Municipal League (MML) Synopsis by Kevin Dayhoff

Maryland Municipal League (MML) Synopsis

By Kevin Dayhoff

Wednesday, September 01, 1999

The Maryland Municipal League, founded in 1936, works as a advocate for municipalities throughout the State of Maryland, strengthening the role and capacity of municipal government through research, legislation, technical assistance, training and the dissemination of information for its members.

MML is a statewide organization in Maryland composed solely of municipal officials.

The Maryland Municipal League represents 154 municipal governments and 2 special taxing districts throughout the state of Maryland. The MML is a voluntary, nonprofit, nonpartisan association controlled and maintained by city and town governments.

Wednesday, September 01, 1999 / ked

May 30, 2005 UPDATE

Disclosure: I served on the Maryland Municipal League Board of Directors annually for five consecutive years, from June 2000 to May 2005.

I graduated from the University of Maryland Academy for Excellence in Local Government in June 2001.

I served on the Maryland Municipal League’s Legislative Committee in 1999-2000 and 2001-2002.

I served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Carroll County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League for five years (12/07/1999 – 05/16/2005).

I was first elected to the Westminster City Council in May of 1999 and served as the Mayor of Westminster from May 2001 until May 16th, 2005.]

19990827 City Space Study Com Original memo

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor Kenneth A. Yowan

FROM: Council Member Kevin E. Dayhoff

DATE: August 27, 1999

RE: Space Study Committee

At its last meeting, The Mayor and Common Council agreed to an extension of the City's lease of space at Winchester West, located at 56 West Main Street. As you know, for the past five years, the City has rented space at that location for its Finance and Housing offices. The current five-year lease expires on February 28, 2000, and the extension which was approved at the last meeting, extends that period for an additional five years.

Due to time constraints and other operational issues, I fully concurred with the recent action in approving the extension of the lease. However, it is my recommendation that a Space Study Committee be established promptly to look at the issue of the City's space needs in the near and distant future. I make that recommendation for three reasons:

1. Since the City has perpetual existence, it does not appear to me to make good fiscal sense to rent rather than own a facility;

2. Even a cursory view of the current space occupied by Finance and Housing indicates that it is used almost to its maximum. There is very little room for expansion; and

3. There are other sites which may be more suited for the City's needs over the long haul.

In that regard, I believe that the City has a wide range of possible options with respect to its future space needs. Those options include the possibility of building above City Hall where the City currently owns land, the use of the Southern States property or the Farmers Supply property, or the purchase of an existing facility.

This memorandum will advise you that I am willing to chair such a committee or serve as a member. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss this matter further.

CC: All Council Members
Thomas B. Beyard, Director of Planning and Public Works
Stephen V. Dutterer, Director of Finance
John B. Walsh, Jr.

19990510 City of Westminster Statement Or Return Of Election

City of Westminster Statement Or Return Of Election

May 10^th, 1999

The following "Statement or Return of Election" was presented by Chief Election Judge, Nancy A. Smelser:

"STATEMENT OR RETURN OF ELECTION

To The Mayor and Common Council of Westminster:

We the undersigned Judges and Clerk of the Biennial Municipal Election, held in the City of Westminster, Maryland, on Monday, May 10, 1999, (between the hours of 7 o'clock A.M. and 7 o'clock P.M.) for the election of three Common Council Members to serve as members of the Common Council for the City of Westminster for four years commencing on the Third Monday of May, 1999, do hereby certify that the polls were opened at 7 A.M. and closed at 7 P.M. on this 10th day of May, 1999, and that at said election the whole number of votes cast was 456 and of that number those cast for the candidates for the respective offices was and is as follows:

FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS NUMBER OF VOTES

Suzanne P. Albert 284 or 62% of the vote

Kevin Dayhoff 348 or 76% of the vote

Gregory Pecoraro 286 or 63% of the vote

Frank Wagner 242 or 53% of the vote

And it appearing that Suzanne P. Albert, Kevin Dayhoff and Gregory Pecoraro for Common Council received a majority of the votes cast, we the undersigned Judges and Clerk of the election, do hereby certify and proclaim that the aforenamed persons were duly and fairly elected to their respective offices for four years.

And it further appearing that Suzanne P. Albert, Kevin Dayhoff and Gregory Pecoraro were the three candidates who received the highest number of votes cast for Common Council we do hereby declare that they will hold office for the four years.

And we do further certify that the above statement is correct in all and every respect, and that notice has been given to the candidates of their election.

Witness our hands this 10th day of May, 1999

s/ Nancy A. Smelser

s/ Fred L. Plunkert

Chief Judges"

19990413 More candidates file for May elections By KEVIN GRIFFIS, Times Staff Writer

19990413 More candidates file for May elections By KEVIN GRIFFIS, Times Staff Writer

http://www.carrollcounty.com/news/tue3.htm

First published in the Carroll County Times Tuesday, April 13, 1999

More candidates file for May elections

Chapin won't seek re-election in Westminster

By KEVIN GRIFFIS, Times Staff Writer

There were only a few last-second filings Monday for Carroll's May municipal elections.

Most of the action took place in Hampstead and Taneytown, while in Westminster a city councilman who had waffled about whether he would run again decided to forgo another race.

In a town that has what could become the most interesting mayoral race this year, county political newcomers Keith A. Heindel and Denise Justus both filed to run for Hampstead city council seats the last day they could, said town clerk Pat Warner.

That brings the total candidates for the two open seats to five. Incumbents Lawrence H. Hentz Jr. and Stephen A. Holland and challenger Steven Balaz have also declared for the race. Balaz ran and lost in 1997.

Mayor Chris Nevin filed for re-election April 8, Warner said. He will battle councilman Wayne H. Thomas for Hampstead's top spot.

Nevin ousted incumbent C. Clinton Becker by running on a slow-growth platform in 1995. The mayor, though, has taken heat recently for approving a 66-condominium development in the Roberts Field housing development.

Thomas has served on the city council since 1991 and was re-elected in 1997.

In Taneytown, Henry C. Heine Jr. is running unopposed for mayor, while at the last moment Bobby Wales joined Daryl Hale and incumbent Brian Long in the race for two city council seats.

Westminster incumbent councilman Stephen R. Chapin had said he would play it down to the wire before making a decision on whether or not he would run for re-election. He said he was waiting to find out whether another fiscal conservative would file. That didn't happen, but Chapin still decided not to run again.

Chapin said he's become an advocate for term limits. It's time for some new blood, he said. Chapin, a self-described fiscal conservative and eight-year council veteran, said he hopes someone else steps forward on the council to watch the town's pennies.

There are only four candidates running for three open seats in Westminster.

In 1995, five people ran for three council seats and the city experienced the lowest election-day turnout of any municipality in the county.

City officials attributed the low turnout and dearth of election day choices in 1995 to a lack of hot-button issues and have said the same about this year's race.

Incumbents Suzanne Albert and Gregory Pecoraro are running with challengers Kevin Dayhoff and Frank Wagner.

New Windsor has three open seats and five candidates have filed to run. Councilmen Paul Garvey, Ronnie Blacksten and Terry Petry are running against last-minute filers Samuel Pierce and Kevin Null.

Potential candidates in Union Bridge, a town that passed a water rate hike in January, have until 4 p.m. today to declare their candidacy. As of Monday afternoon, only incumbents Mayor Perry L. Jones Jr. and Councilmen Bret D. Grossnickle and Donald Wilson had filed.

At the Sykesville Town Council meeting held Monday night, town council members William R. Hall, Michael Kasnia, Jeannie Nichols and Michael H. Burgoyne announced they will seek re-election. They will, however, by challenged by five other candidates. Three full-term seats [four years] and one partial-term seat [two-years] will be up for grabs. Each candidate must have been nominated in person at the meeting in order to be declared as an offical candidate.

The other candiates nominated are Charles B. Mullins, Scott Hollenbeck, Constance Lee Higgins, Cynthia DeBari Campbell and Garth Adams.