FOR MORE INFO CALL
301 739 8577 x111
Regular Session Recap - December 20, 2011
12/20/2011
Hagerstown’s City Council approved several measures that support public safety, youth education in the community and a continued dedication to professional baseball at Municipal Stadium. Those were some of the items on the agenda for the 60th regular session, which marks the last session of Mayor and Council for 2011.
The Mayor and Council voted to allot an additional $50,000 to fund improvements at Municipal Stadium. The move shows Hagerstown’s commitment to keep professional baseball in the Hub City and providing fans an enjoyable experience at Municipal Stadium during the 2012 season. The money will go towards expanding deck seating, improving the bleachers and making various other improvements to the facilities, all of which are long-term enhancements that will serve fans beyond the 2012 season. The funding comes from the Capital Improvement Program contingency funds.
The elected body also supported speed cameras in school zones, passing a new ordinance with a unanimous vote. The presence of the cameras will promote the safety of pedestrians and motorists around City schools. Brekford Corporation of Hanover, Maryland will provide and maintain up to 16 cameras. Hagerstown Police will study school zones to determine the future placement of the cameras and will discuss their findings with Mayor and Council in January. Drivers going 12 miles per hour over the posted speed limit will be cited and issued a $40 fine, but there will be no points accrued on the driver’s license. There will also be signs to warn the motorists that they’re approaching a school zone monitored by speed cameras. The new ordinance is in compliance with Maryland state transportation law that was adopted in 2009.
The Hagerstown Police Department will also be working with more cameras to further public safety in the City. Mayor and Council approved the purchase of 50 fixed and mobile cameras, which will expand the City’s current system. Forty of the cameras will be placed in fixed locations while 10 others can be moved to different areas where law enforcement would like to have an increased presence. The purchase is fully funded by federal COPS technology grant funds. The existing cameras have proven successful in both crime prevention and investigation, and these additions will enhance police services in and around the City Center.
Mayor and Council also approved a motion to provide $17,921 to support an after-school program at the Memorial Recreation Center. The City sees the program as a long-term strategy to give kids an alternative for positive opportunities and personal growth after school. The funding, which was already budgeted in the General Fund C-SAFE fund, will allow the program to expand and include a piano teacher, dance instructors and a media/photography specialist. Students will also be able to take field trips, and the additional funding will allow another counselor to stay at the center if students would arrive later in the afternoon. The City previously supported after-school programs through the Housing Authority like the Parkside Community Center, demonstrating a continued commitment for the youth in the community and the agencies that encourage them.
The City continues to make enhancements to Hagerstown’s parks and open spaces, as made clear in their application for Program Open Space Projects for FY 2013. Each of the proposals includes enhancements for youth and family-oriented outlets in the City. Most notably, the City is pushing for the creation of “Memorial Park” on the corner of Potomac Street and Memorial Boulevard, which would feature a wall honoring veterans and other noteworthy citizens of Hagerstown. The Engineering and Parks Department would also like to improve the walkways at Hellane Park, widening them and adding park benches. The City wants to purchase portable metal bleachers to be used throughout area youth baseball league sites as well as a pavilion to provide shade at C.M. Potterfield Pool. The funding comes from the State of Maryland, but the City files an application through Washington County. In addition, Mayor and Council also approved an agreement with the State Highway Administration to expand the walking trail at Mills Park.
The next work session is scheduled for January 10, 2012 at 4:00 p.m.
