Talbot County Council Meeting Highlights, August 8, 2023
08/09/2023
Category: County Council
Council Member Keasha Haythe awards ChesMRC a Certificate of Recognition that honors the essential work of the nonprofit and celebrates their 10th anniversary.
From left: Brian LeCates, Department of Emergency Services, Nicole Janes, representative of Team Trace and her husband, Wayne Dyott, Rachel Cox, and William Wilson.
Council President Chuck Callahan presents Wayne Dyott and William Wilson of the Talbot Paramedic Foundation with a Certificate of Recognition.
Council President Chuck Callahan presents Nicole and Dereck Janes, representing Team Trace, with a Certificate of Recognition.
Rachael Cox, Special Programs Paramedic for the Department of Emergency Services, demonstrates proper CPR technique.
From left: Matt Watkins, Division Chief, Council Vice President Pete Lesher, Sean Gunshenan, and Brian LeCates, Director of Emergency Services
Emergency Services presented Life-Saving Awards to Sean, and additional personal who answered the call on the day of the emergency.
The Talbot County Council held their regular meeting on August 8, 2023 at 5 p.m. All Council members were present, with Council Member Stepp joining by conference call. Council Member Stepp had to step away toward the end of the meeting, but had provided absentee ballots for items scheduled for vote.
Certificate of Recognition Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC)
Executive Director of ChesMRC, Matt Peters, and Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Victoria Gomez Lazano provided a comprehensive update on the work and services that ChesMRC has offered to the immigrant community in the last 10 years.
ChesMRC services focus on legal residency and citizenship, health information, youth development, immigration information and referral services, language and cultural competency, and collaboration with community organizations and agencies. Currently, they have an office in Talbot County, but plan to expand to surrounding areas.
Since its beginnings in 2012, ChesMRC has provided services to more than 6,500 non-English speakers in Talbot and surrounding counties, providing over 25,000 unique services.
The Council awarded ChesMRC a Certificate of Recognition that honors the essential work of the nonprofit and celebrates their 10th anniversary.
For more information on ChesMRC and the services they offer: https://chesmrc.org/
Talbot CARES Program
The Department of Emergency Services, the Talbot Paramedic Foundation, and Team Trace presented an update on the Talbot CARES Program (Cardiac Arrest and Rescue Emergency Stations), formerly known as Talbot SAVE.
The group has been working together to add and update Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machines in County and Town parks. Together, they have been able to place 200 defibrillators across the county. Most recently CARES stations were placed in North Easton Park, Idlewild Park (Easton), and Home Run Baker Park (Trappe). Additional stations will be placed at the Easton Elementary School parks in the near future.
The Paramedic Foundation works to identify potential locations for the stations and collects funds to support the project. Team Trace, named for Kenneth Daryl “Trace” Knight, III, who passed away in 2012 from a congenital heart defect, advocates for the AED program, provides education on the importance of AED access, and fundraises. Emergency Services procures the AED devices and related equipment and conducts routine maintenance on the machines. Gunther’s Electric assists with providing electrical service to the stations.
Each CARES station contains an AED device, opioid overdose kits, and “stop the bleed” tourniquet kits. The stations are battery powered, providing a temperature-controlled box for the AED and kits. When a cabinet is opened, it activates a signal to local emergency services.
“For every minute that someone needs defibrillation or use of an AED and does not receive it, it decreases their chances of survival by 10 percent,” noted Nicole Janes, representative of Team Trace.
Rachael Cox, Special Programs Paramedic for the Department of Emergency Services, presented both Team Trace and Talbot Paramedic Foundation with certificates of recognition. “Thank you for your support, partnership, and unwavering dedication to providing lifesaving technology for the citizens of, and visitors to Talbot County,” stated Cox in her remarks.
The Council also presented certificates of recognition to each of the groups, honoring their crucial role in the provision of emergency care for residents of, and visitors to, Talbot County.
Cox then provided a brief demonstration of how to provide hands only CPR as well as the use of an AED. The Department of Emergency Services provides training to the community, with approximately 15 certified instructors on staff.
For more information about CPR training, please contact Department of Emergency Services at 410-770-8160.
Life-Saving Awards
Matt Watkins, Division Chief at Emergency Services, briefed Council on a recent story of how CPR training can result in saving a life. Sean Gunshenan, performed life-saving CPR on his father in mid-July, resulting in a full recovery.
Council presented a Council Commendation to Sean for his heroism and use of CPR. Emergency Services then presented Life-Saving Awards to Sean and the additional personnel who answered the call on that day. Awards were presented to: Captain Ben Diefenderfer; Lieutenant Dave Hall; Paramedic Daniel Lloyd; EMT Alex Jewer; EMT Tony Kapela; TCSO Corporal Joey Timms; 911 Communications Specialist RJ Jones; 911 Communications Specialist Josh Willis; Shore Regional Health at Easton Emergency Department.
Other Business
- A majority of the Council voted to include the items Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) requested in their July 21st correspondence to the County in the draft 2023 Report of the Review. It was noted by the County Attorney that MDE only requested that the draft 2023 Report of the Review, inclusive of such items, be provided to MDE and other required stakeholders for review and comment by August 31st.
Additionally, the draft 2023 Report of the Review will be posted to the County website, where the public can review it. Once the review and comment period is complete, the Council will introduce a resolution to adopt the 2023 Report of the Review, and the resolution will follow the standard CWSP amendment process. - Council unanimously approved Bill No. 1538, which authorizes improvements to and expansion of the Chapel District Elementary School
- Council deferred consideration of Bill No. 1545, which amends Chapter 20 of the Talbot County Code (Board of Appeals) regarding proceedings, forms, hearings and procedures to allow time for Council to work with the County Attorney on an amendment.
- Council unanimously approved Bill No. 1546, which authorizes a feasibility study for, and possible construction of, a Talbot County Visitors Center.
- Cassandra Vanhooser presented the Council with a request from Senator Van Hollen’s office to send a letter of support for the establishment of a Chesapeake National Recreation Area as part of the National Park System. Alyssa Hastings, Eastern Shore Regional Director for Senator Van Hollen, spoke to the legislation. The Council motioned to put together a work session so that the Talbot County community can learn more about the impact of the legislation and have time to provide comments or ask questions.
- Brian Moore, Superintendent, Roads and County Facilities, requested Council approval to piggyback on a Caroline County contract for the purchase of a replacement chiller and cooling tower for the Talbot County Courthouse from Electrical Automation Services, Inc. in the amount of $118,702.50. The request was approved 4-0; Council Member Stepp was absent.
- Rich Setter, Head Golf Professional/General Manager of Hog Neck Golf Course, requested Council approval to enter a contract with Portable Restroom Trailers, Inc. for restroom trailers at the Hog Neck event pavilion in the amount of $107,500. The request was approved 3-0; Council Member Haythe abstained and Council Member Stepp was absent.
- Ray Clarke, County Engineer, requested Council approval to award Bid 23-09, Goldsborough Neck Road and Glebe Road culvert replacement, to the sole bidder, David A. Bramble, Inc. in the amount of $591,109.00; and requested approval to award Verizon $72,864.42 for the relocation of two Verizon pedestals and related cable at the site so the Verizon infrastructure is not disturbed during construction. The request was approved 4-0; Council Member Stepp was absent.
The Council’s next legislative meeting will be held on August 22, 2023, beginning at 5:00 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.
See previous Meeting Highlights on the Talbot County Website here: Talbot County Council Meeting Highlights - Talbot County, Maryland (talbotcountymd.gov)
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