Calvert - County Times

3 Thursday, August 23, 2012The Calvert GazetteBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterThe Aug. 16 Chesapeake Beach TownHall meeting started out heated, with onecouncil member asking to postpone the introductionof an ordinance amending theannual budget for an increase to the utilityrates.Mayor Bruce A. Wahl opposed thepostponement.“Taking this off the agenda tonightputs our budget in peril” he said in responseto the motion.Council Member Patrick Mahoneythen reminded Wahl that the council passeda balanced budget “which you vetoed, sir.”“What’s the point of having elected officials?”Mahoney asked.The council voted unanimously topostpone the introduction of the ordinance,but later got a presentation from UtilityBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterTwo years ago, Mayor Bruce Wahl appointed a committee to study municipal electionstandards in Chesapeake Beach. Now the committee has come back with suggestions, whichwere the topic of conversation at the Town Council work session Monday evening.The committee studied reporting requirements for campaign financing, said chairpersonand town council member Bob Carpenter. They looked at three areas – campaign finance reporting,contribution limits and discernments.The committee recommended three reports be filed, one eight weeks before an election,which coincides with the final day to file candidacy, one two weeks before the election and onea week after, with reports filed every 48 hours the two weeks before an election to take intoaccount last minute contributions so they don’t come to light after the election.They also discussed limits to the amount an organization, business or individual can giveto a candidate, and whether an individual’s place of employmentshould be part of the report. Carpenter said they are starting witha recommended $250 limit, and if three or more individuals inone family with to contribute separately they are allowed to.He said the question about reporting places of employmentfor an individual donor is so anyone who wants to can see is severalindividuals from one business gave separately. In that typeof situation, Carpenter said the cause could be as sinister as abusiness trying to circumvent the upper donation limit using itsemployees or as innocent as those individuals genuinely likingthat candidate and wanting to help. The question is of making allthe information readily available.Carpenter said they looked at what other jurisdictions rulesare, as well as the state and local election standards. He said thecommittee’s goal is not to shake everything up, but update it andmake it more user friendly.“We’re really not looking to reinvent the wheel here,” Carpentersaid.In the future, the recommendations will be to work withthe town attorney to come up with an ordinance and introducethe ordinance for council and public comment, Carpenter said.In other elections news, a vote at the Town Council meetingAug. 16 moved the municipal polling location from it’s traditionallocation in town hall to the Northeast Community Center.Carpenter said the town has out grown the previous location,and for many this will make it “one stop shopping” during theelections, because 70 percent of the community’s polling locationis also at the community center.For anyone interested in getting more involved in elections,Chesapeake Beach is looking for individuals to serve as electionjudges at the Nov. 6 Town elections.For more information about elections and the town council,visit www.chesapeake-beach.md.us.sarahmiller@countytimes.netCOUNTYNEWSTown Council Still Sore Over BudgetChesapeake Beach ElectionStandards Under ReviewRates Commission Chairman John Baconon the commission’s recommendations forchanges and updates to the utility rates,which includes a combined rate structure.Bacon said under this plan, fixed costs willbe divided by the number of users per class,detailing three proposed class types, andvariable costs divided by the number ofgallons of water used. The structure wouldapply to both water and sewer systems.Although the rates will be higheracross the board, Bacon said ChesapeakeBeach residents would be paying less thanother individuals throughout Calvert.“If you want a lower water bill, moveto Leonardtown,” Bacon said.He said aging infrastructure and meterswill also need to be updated. The councilwill discuss the commission’s recommendationin work sessions before bringingit back to a town council meeting.During the meeting, is was also announcedChesapeake Beach residents willnow be able to pay their utility bills onlinewith credit cards.For more information, visit www.chesapeake-beach.md.us.sarahmiller@countytimes.netFree InItIal ConsultatIonThe law offices of P.a. 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