Published: November 18, 2009 11:22 pm      

Garrett makes legislative requests

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners asked Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel for legislative help in matters ranging from the power of its Emergency Services Board to requirements dealing with wind turbines to the ability to sell the houses of citizens who don’t pay their water and sewer bills.

The elected officials told Commissioners Dennis Glotfelty, Ernest Gregg and Fred Holliday during their Tuesday public meeting that they would help as much as possible when the General Assembly session begins in January in Annapolis.

Emergency Services Board

The commissioners seek a state law that would outline the powers and responsibilities of the county’s Emergency Services Board.

For example, the board would be authorized to levy annually a tax of up to 4 cents per $100 of assessed value of real properties and up to 10 cents per $100 assessed value of operating real properties of public utilities which would be paid to existing or future volunteer fire departments.

The funds would allow the companies to purchase, maintain and repair apparatus and equipment and also to construct appropriate buildings.

The draft legislation deals with a number of items, including the requirement that the volunteer units file annual reports.

Wind turbines

The commissioners want legislative authority to adopt local ordinances that would establish minimum setback requirements for commercial-grade wind turbines.

“Do you want the authority to decommission turbines?” Edwards asked. “You could require that the wind company post a bond to remove the turbine. Otherwise, they could run a turbine for six months, shut it down and leave it to rot and fall over.”

The commissioners agreed that they would like that authority as well.

Sewer, water delinquents

County officials seek to have public sales of homes of residents who are 60 days or more delinquent in the payment of water and sewer bills, similar to the process that already is in place for those who have not paid property taxes.

According to Linda Lindsey, director of the Department of Public Utilities, two other Maryland counties — Allegany and Kent — have such laws in place.

As of right now, the county is out $282,000 in water and sewer bills that have not been paid, Lindsey said.

The various requests of the legislators by the commissioners will be the topic of further public discussion at a meeting to be scheduled, Edwards said.

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.