Talbot County, Maryland

01/17/2024

Category: County Council

The Talbot County Council held a Special Legislative Day on Tuesday, January 16th at 4 p.m.; all Council members were present. The meeting was scheduled following the cancellation of the regularly scheduled legislative day, Tuesday, January 9, 2024 due to inclement weather.

Amendment No. 1 to Resolution No. 348

Council Vice President Pete Lesher proposed an amendment to Resolution No. 348.  The amendment, known as Amendment No. 1 clarifies and confirms the water and sewer classifications of certain parcels in the Town of Trappe as requested by the Maryland Department of the Environment.  Vice President Lesher’s proposed amendment would also clarify and confirm the water and sewer classifications of certain parcels in the Lakeside Development in response to a request from the Public Works Advisory Board.  Amendment No. 1 to Resolution No. 348 was introduced by all five Council members.

Other Business

• Council unanimously approved Bill No. 1550, which creates an exception to the market test for a single Class E Beer, Wine, and Liquor License in any municipality within the county, thus ensuring that each municipality has at least one Class E alcohol dispensary. Presently, the Town of Trappe is the only municipality that does not have a Class E alcohol dispensary because of the market test.
• Council unanimously approved an amendment to the County’s lease with the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry (OBFY, Inc.) to provide for a renewal term of five (5) years, from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2029, as well as the option for an additional five-year renewal term. The original lease, scheduled to expire in June of 2024, and provided for five (5) one-year renewal terms.
• During the Council Comments portion of the meeting, Vice President Lesher requested that the Office of Law draft an amendment to Resolution No. 347, incorporating the language from Resolution No. 338, and Amendment No. 1 to same, “as a means of offering options to the Planning Commission to get this must-pass legislation of finding of consistency from the Planning Commission.” The amendment will be scheduled for introduction on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The amendment will also be reviewed by the Public Works Advisory Board during their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, January 18, 2024 and by the Planning Commission at its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 7, 2024.

The Council’s next legislative meeting will be held on January 23, 2024 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Bradley Meeting Room located in the South Wing, Talbot County Courthouse, 11 North Washington Street, Easton.  The meeting open to the public.

Joint Meeting with Talbot County Board of Education

Following the special legislative session, the Council held a joint meeting with the Talbot County Board of Education at 5 p.m. at the Talbot County Education Center, 12 Magnolia Street, Easton.

Matters scheduled for discussion included:  update on Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (Kirwan), FY25 Budget Discussion, update on Chapel District Elementary School renovation project, and discussion on MABE Health Center program.

council highlights board of education cwsp