Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Carroll County Board of Commissioners Open Session - April 30, 2026

County Commissioners & Boards — Thursday, April 30, 2026

BodyCarroll County, Maryland

SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards

DateThursday, April 30, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:25:13

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

4:03

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Thursday, April 30th, 2026, open session for the Board of Carol County Commissioners.

4:10

As we always do, we'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a Moment of Silent Reflection.

5:00

No, no, this is good.

5:03

Chris, did you get the one picture I sent you?

5:06

Yes, sir.

5:07

Pulling it up now.

5:08

Thank you.

5:15

I I went to a surprise birthday party.

5:19

And I'm smiling.

5:24

I went to a surprise birthday party, and uh Bob Ehrlich decided to show up.

5:29

Uh Bob Leatherwoods on the left.

5:32

He was it was his birthday.

5:34

And uh we joked around and talked a bunch, and then uh he he did a photo, and uh I just think it's neat that uh somebody in Carroll County, he he felt like driving from Annapolis up here to wish him happy birthday.

5:51

And and he was there probably an hour or so.

5:54

But uh I I just thought that was worth mentioning.

5:58

Um Taste of Carroll, uh, that was this week, and and pretty awesome event.

6:07

Um the parking and getting back and forth is cumbersome, but it's a great event, great people, uh great cause, and uh it it's a good event.

6:21

Um chamber wrap up, that was uh legislative wrap up, that was this week, and uh it was interesting to hear those guys.

6:31

And of note, uh to the delegation, every one of you talked over the time limit you were given, but it it minimized the questions at the end, so maybe it was worth it.

6:45

So uh thank you guys for um good feedback.

6:50

We did our BOE commissioner joint meeting.

6:53

Um I'll stop there with that.

6:57

Um good information.

7:00

Um I would like to make a point.

7:03

Uh evidently, and I don't get on Facebook much, evidently on Facebook it says that during meetings, I'm fooling with my phone and doing Facebook posts.

7:18

I rarely do Facebook post.

7:21

I do have an admin um for the election cycle, who and and I I I thought people knew this, but I'm not sure how smart people are.

7:35

Um an admin like that does post for you and does it in the first person as if it was you.

7:41

So if she does a post at 9 30 this morning, trust me, it wasn't me.

7:48

And uh I'm not taking valuable county taxpayer time and playing on Facebook.

7:54

And the other point I'd like to make, because I think all five of us work pretty hard.

8:02

This is considered a part-time job, and I kind of resent somebody saying that at 3 30 on a weekday I'm on county time.

8:11

I'm not sure I'm paid that well.

8:13

Now most days I am, but but you know, it's uh I think all of us uh give the taxpayers their value.

8:23

You know, it's uh and unless unless you do this job, I don't think you realize that it's not a half-time job.

8:31

Um I at Bonamore Metropolitan Council on uh Friday, and that's great information, and I haven't done it yet, but I will.

8:42

The part of that is transportation, and I think there's uh there was some good transportation um PowerPoint presentation that I want to share with I'll I'll copy you guys, but I want to share it with the transit committee.

9:00

Um Veterans Appreciation was in Sykesville this week, and uh that was a great event and great people.

9:08

Um Secretary Rosteen was the uh uh speaker, and he put out so much information about what the state does in a brief period of time.

9:24

And and like he normally does, uh he doesn't talk much about himself, he talks about what happens, and again, it was nice to hear from him at this event and other events, and I heard it before from Tony Woods.

9:42

Um Maryland, citizen service here with the veterans service officers is the example for the rest of the state on how successful they are dealing with veterans, and uh it's it's nice to hear that, and I compliment the county staff that does that.

10:00

And uh it's it's nice to hear that.

10:02

And I compliment the county staff that does that.

10:05

I uh compliment Greg Collard who helps fund it.

10:10

And uh it it's uh and and uh we're gonna talk about veterans celebration, maybe.

10:17

Um there's so many veterans still in this area, and there's some nonprofit groups that work with them too, but I think they either don't know that they can reach out for help or they don't think they deserve the help.

10:31

And uh and one of the things uh that Ross Dean did say is they do deserve the help.

10:38

And uh Governor Moore renamed his department, Tony Woods was uh Secretary of Veterans of Affairs, period.

10:47

Now it's veterans and family, and uh the family deserves a lot of recognition too.

10:54

So uh if you're out there listening and you're a veteran and whatever, you have a problem with your electric bill, uh let us know.

11:02

And they can they can help you and point you in the right direction for uh services, VA, uh all that.

11:13

And then uh I think we have an employee appreciation event today, so uh look forward to that.

11:21

And like I say, I think they're gonna talk about veteran celebration, but that is on this Sunday.

11:28

And did you guarantee good weather?

11:32

Yes.

11:33

All right.

11:34

That's right now.

11:36

That's because did we have one year that it was okay?

11:40

And haven't had one since then.

11:43

So thank you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Veterans Affairs██████████████████18%

Community Events█████████████████17%

Historic Preservation███████████11%

Procedural██████████10%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%

Elderly Services████████8%

Public Engagement████████8%

Procurement██████6%

Community Engagement█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Carroll County Board of Commissioners Open Session - April 30, 2026

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners held an open session on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 311 of the County Office Building. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a Moment of Silent Reflection, followed by commissioner updates on community events and a special presentation on the U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations. Commissioners then approved a multi-year area plan grant for the Division of Aging & Disabilities, received updates on local 250th commemorations, and awarded several public works contracts. A single public commenter spoke, and the board voted to reinstate the early Friday schedule for county employees during summer months.

Priority Carroll & Commissioner Comments

Commissioners shared highlights from the past week, including the Taste of Carroll event (700 attendees), the Veterans Appreciation Dinner in Sykesville, the BOE-commissioner joint meeting, and the Employee Appreciation event.
Commissioner Kiler noted a social media misconception about phone use during meetings and clarified that an election campaign admin handles some posts.
Commissioner Guerin thanked county staff for the Bring Your Child to Work Day event, which included a simulated fire rescue exercise.
Commissioner Vigliotti highlighted the Earth Day cleanups in Taneytown, the upcoming Union Bridge Community Resource Fair (April 30 at 4:30 p.m.), and a call for citizens to serve on boards and commissions (Environmental Advisory Council, Workforce Development Board, etc.).
Commissioner Gordon recited historical context for April 30, 1789 (George Washington’s inauguration), and announced that Carroll County received a Maryland Preservation Award for the Union Mills Grist Mill.

Veterans Celebration Update

Celene Steckel and Gina Valentine (Division of Aging & Disabilities) presented the 5th Annual Veterans Celebration, set for Sunday, May 3, 2026, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Carroll County Farm Museum.
Activities include a resource fair with 40 veteran service organizations, live music (Westminster Municipal Band, Midnight Run), a Chinook helicopter (confirmed via National Guard), food trucks, a balloon artist, a Gaga pit, and a 250th anniversary interactive booth.
The first 250 veterans will receive a free commemorative tote and t-shirt. A challenge coin presentation will allow veterans to meet commissioners.
Bob Eney (Veterans Advisory Council) thanked the board for ongoing support, stating that Carroll County “is second to nobody in taking care of their veterans.”

Discussion Items

Grant Approval – FY2027–FY2030 Area Plan for Division of Aging & Disabilities

Celene Steckel, Gina Valentine, and staff presented the Area Plan and individual grant applications. The total estimated budget is $4.6 million (approximately $2.8 million in federal/state/private grants and $1.8 million in county funding). Core services include Meals & Nutrition, Dementia Navigation, Medicare Education, Veteran Services, and Disability Programming.
Most grants are flat-funded from the previous year, with minor reductions in congregate meals ($1,400) and home-delivered meals ($1,300). The Supporting Older Adults with Resources (SOAR) grant will be brought back for separate approval when allocations are received.
Commissioner Kiler noted the funding is over 60% from grants, giving taxpayers good value. The board unanimously approved the submission and acceptance of FY27 awards.

Updates on US 250th Celebrations and Commemorative Coins

Daphne Daly (Planning & Land Management), Jason Illari (Historical Society), Joe Thompson (Carroll County Public Library), and Bonnie Staub (Tourism) provided an update.
A Semi-quincentennial Planning Advisory Committee has organized over 40 programs since fall 2024, with 1,300+ attendees. Signature events start with the Veterans Celebration on May 3, followed by a Revolutionary War reenactment at Union Mills in June, the July 4th Fireworks at the Farm Museum, and an exhibit “Carroll at 250: People, Place, and the Making of History” at the Historical Society.
A traveling 250th exhibit is currently in Taneytown and will move to Hampstead. Banners with QR codes are being placed on county buildings and in towns. A $15,000 state grant matched county funds to support re-granting to local groups.
The Carroll County Coin Club helped produce a commemorative coin (designed by Carroll Community College student Rachel Hughes). Coins are $10, available at museums and the Veterans Celebration; proceeds support the 250th fund.
The “Celebrating America Summer Passport Adventure” starts May 15 for students.
Commissioner Vigliotti praised the collaboration and noted the challenges of this milestone anniversary.

Contract Awards and Approvals – Public Works

Hot Mix Asphalt Paving 2: Awarded to Gray & Son, Inc. (Timonium, MD) for $7,870,416.80. The project covers approximately 18 miles on 58 road segments (e.g., Antler Lane, London Bridge Road, Piney Ridge Parkway). Three bids received; the low bid was 0.75% below the second bidder. Unanimously approved.
Replacement of Water Intake Pump (Freedom District Water Treatment Plant): Awarded to Progress Marine, Inc. (West Chester, PA) for $50,000. One of three submerged raw water pumps failed; a commercial dive team will perform underwater removal and installation. Unanimously approved.
Micro Surfacing Road Treatment: Approved with Slurry Pavers, Inc. for $355,882.73, covering 6.86 miles on four roads (Basler, Brodbeck, Grave Run). Procured via Howard County contract; cost equivalent to $3.93 per square yard. Unanimously approved.
Shotcrete Linings – Watersville Road: Approved with Proshot Concrete, Inc. for $59,112 to pneumatically apply shotcrete to two severely deteriorated corrugated metal pipes (48-inch and 72-inch) at 6719 Watersville Road. The road has experienced ground collapse; work includes steel joint repairs and full-circumference lining. Unanimously approved.
Chip Seal Surface Treatment: Approved with American Paving Fabrics, Inc. for $861,217.55. The project comprises two parts: annual pavement preservation (7.07 miles on seven roads) and continued gravel road hardening (7.41 miles on nine roads). Cost per square yard is $3.84 for the single seal. Unanimously approved.
Pipe & End Wall Replacement – Nicodemus Road: Awarded to Kibler Construction Company, Inc. (Finksburg, MD) for $214,379. Work involves replacing two corrugated metal pipes with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes (one upsized from 36 to 48 inches for better flow), and a new headwall. Four bids received; the MDE permit has been obtained. Project expected to start mid-June after school ends. Unanimously approved.

Administrative Session – Open

Commissioner Kiler mentioned the passing of Madge Shriver Franklin (Shriver family, active with Union Mills Homestead).
Commissioner Kiler proposed reinstating the early Friday schedule (off two hours early) from Memorial Day to Labor Day. All commissioners agreed, citing its positive impact on employee morale. Motion to approve was made and seconded; unanimously carried.

Public Comments & Testimony

Catherine Adelaide (Carroll County Republican Central Committee) spoke in support of former President Trump, announced the committee’s purchase of a full-page ad for the Maryland Right to Life Convention (May 16), promoted the MDGOP Spring Convention (May 8–9), and the Tri-District Republican Club gubernatorial debate (May 5). She also encouraged attendance at the Veterans Celebration and closed with a prayer for the weekend.

Key Outcomes

Unanimously approved submission of the FY2027–FY2030 Area Plan for the Division of Aging & Disabilities and acceptance of FY27 awards.
Unanimously approved the Hot Mix Asphalt Paving 2 contract ($7,870,416.80) to Gray & Son, Inc.
Unanimously approved the water intake pump replacement contract ($50,000) to Progress Marine, Inc.
Unanimously approved the micro surfacing treatment contract ($355,882.73) to Slurry Pavers, Inc.
Unanimously approved the shotcrete lining purchase ($59,112) to Proshot Concrete, Inc.
Unanimously approved the chip seal surface treatment contract ($861,217.55) to American Paving Fabrics, Inc.
Unanimously approved the pipe and end wall replacement contract ($214,379) to Kibler Construction Company, Inc.
Unanimously approved reinstating early Friday departures (2 hours early) for county employees from Memorial Day to Labor Day 2026.
The meeting adjourned after agenda review for the weeks of May 4–17, 2026.

*Note: The meeting included a brief fire alarm evacuation earlier in the day (sump pump smoking), which was handled safely.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Thursday, April 30th, 2026, open session for the Board of Carol County Commissioners. As we always do, we'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a Moment of Silent Reflection. No, no, this is good. Chris, did you get the one picture I sent you? Yes, sir. Pulling it up now. Thank you. I I went to a surprise birthday party. And I'm smiling. I went to a surprise birthday party, and uh Bob Ehrlich decided to show up. Uh Bob Leatherwoods on the left. He was it was his birthday. And uh we joked around and talked a bunch, and then uh he he did a photo, and uh I just think it's neat that uh somebody in Carroll County, he he felt like driving from Annapolis up here to wish him happy birthday. And and he was there probably an hour or so. But uh I I just thought that was worth mentioning. Um Taste of Carroll, uh, that was this week, and and pretty awesome event. Um the parking and getting back and forth is cumbersome, but it's a great event, great people, uh great cause, and uh it it's a good event. Um chamber wrap up, that was uh legislative wrap up, that was this week, and uh it was interesting to hear those guys. And of note, uh to the delegation, every one of you talked over the time limit you were given, but it it minimized the questions at the end, so maybe it was worth it. So uh thank you guys for um good feedback. We did our BOE commissioner joint meeting. Um I'll stop there with that. Um good information. Um I would like to make a point. Uh evidently, and I don't get on Facebook much, evidently on Facebook it says that during meetings, I'm fooling with my phone and doing Facebook posts. I rarely do Facebook post. I do have an admin um for the election cycle, who and and I I I thought people knew this, but I'm not sure how smart people are. Um an admin like that does post for you and does it in the first person as if it was you. So if she does a post at 9 30 this morning, trust me, it wasn't me. And uh I'm not taking valuable county taxpayer time and playing on Facebook. And the other point I'd like to make, because I think all five of us work pretty hard. This is considered a part-time job, and I kind of resent somebody saying that at 3 30 on a weekday I'm on county time. I'm not sure I'm paid that well. Now most days I am, but but you know, it's uh I think all of us uh give the taxpayers their value. You know, it's uh and unless unless you do this job, I don't think you realize that it's not a half-time job. Um I at Bonamore Metropolitan Council on uh Friday, and that's great information, and I haven't done it yet, but I will. The part of that is transportation, and I think there's uh there was some good transportation um PowerPoint presentation that I want to share with I'll I'll copy you guys, but I want to share it with the transit committee. Um Veterans Appreciation was in Sykesville this week, and uh that was a great event and great people. Um Secretary Rosteen was the uh uh speaker, and he put out so much information about what the state does in a brief period of time. And and like he normally does, uh he doesn't talk much about himself, he talks about what happens, and again, it was nice to hear from him at this event and other events, and I heard it before from Tony Woods. Um Maryland, citizen service here with the veterans service officers is the example for the rest of the state on how successful they are dealing with veterans, and uh it's it's nice to hear that, and I compliment the county staff that does that. And uh it's it's nice to hear that. And I compliment the county staff that does that. I uh compliment Greg Collard who helps fund it. And uh it it's uh and and uh we're gonna talk about veterans celebration, maybe. Um there's so many veterans still in this area, and there's some nonprofit groups that work with them too, but I think they either don't know that they can reach out for help or they don't think they deserve the help. And uh and one of the things uh that Ross Dean did say is they do deserve the help. And uh Governor Moore renamed his department, Tony Woods was uh Secretary of Veterans of Affairs, period. Now it's veterans and family, and uh the family deserves a lot of recognition too. So uh if you're out there listening and you're a veteran and whatever, you have a problem with your electric bill, uh let us know.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com