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Located in scenic Garrett County, Maryland, the office of Craig Ingram provides legal and accounting services. Serving the Oakland, Deep Creek Lake and surrounding area, the legal practice concentration is in real estate transactions. Other services include business organization and estate planning, taxation, and administration. The accounting practice primarily serves those clients requiring assistance with federal and state income tax compliance.

322 Alder Street
Oakland, MD 21550
Telephone: (301) 334-3724
Fax: (301) 334-1028
http://www.cingram.com/

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

There were 9 new land/lot listings since January 1, 2010. Some larger parcels and several building lots. THere is also one commercial property that includes several different properties, projects and communities (click for .pdf and more photos/info)

GA7234728 1 TURKEY KNOB RD $44,900 Oakland 1.700ac R

GA7235151 YOUNG WOOD LN W $74,900 Grantsville 10.600ac R

GA7234225 TRAP RUN RD $99,000 Friendsville 19.780ac

GA7229995 GARNER DR $124,500 Deer Park 3.073 LR

GA7234494 681 BOY SCOUT RD $149,000 Oakland 50.020 LR

GA7229867 3 GRAND ESTATES DR $349,000 Mc Henry .573 R

GA7233401 65 WESTWARD WAY $369,000 Mc Henry .574 LR

GA7228856 14 PARKSIDE SOUTH CT $499,000 Mc Henry .520 LR

GA7232486 25297 GARRETT HWY $4,900,000 Mc Henry 36.840 C /

(source: MLS January 1, 2010 - January 12, 2010)

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

There are 5 new residential listings in the Deep Creek Lake/Garrett County area that are now available for sale (click for .pdf):

GA7234937 673 NORTHLAKE VILLAGE $395,000 Mc Henry NORTHLAKE VILLAGE

GA7234193 498 GLEANINGS DR $449,000 Mc Henry THE GLEANINGS

GA7234198 475 PINNACLE DR $449,000 Swanton THE PINNACLE

GA7234716 15 MEADOW MOUTAIN RUN RD $699,900 Swanton MEADOW MOUNTAIN RUN

GA7234339 774 GLENDALE RD $799,000 Deer Park SAND STONES ON THE LAKE

(source: MLS Jan 9, 2010 - Jan 12, 2010)

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

‘Clustering’ now included as an option

Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — A second round of draft updates to Garrett County land ordinances makes more concessions for development and places fewer restrictions on land use, after public protests caused officials to rethink stricter regulations in a previous draft.

The long process of updating the planning and land development ordinances entered a new phase last week with the release of revised drafts for public review. The documents — drafts of the subdivision ordinance, sensitive areas ordinance and Deep Creek watershed zoning ordinance — contain a second round of changes, following the first changes and public comment period that took place in the fall.

The first versions spurred some public uproar over a provision that would affect the development of rural resource and agricultural resource land. That provision would have required at least 66 percent of subdivision land parcels in those areas to be set aside as “resource parcels,” or open land.

The provisions do not affect the entire county, but only areas specifically designated “agricultural resource” and “rural resource.” However, those two areas do span large portions of the county.

The resource parcel stipulation was intended to protect areas of forest, natural resources and farmland from development, according to its language. It would have prevented sprawling development by requiring the majority of a parcel to be set aside, and clustering development onto lots of no minimum size on one-third of the parcel.

“It’s trying to preserve a portion of the land to keep it as productive farmland or productive timberland,” said John Nelson, director of planning and land development. “That’s the real purpose of the clustering. What we’re saying is, create smaller lots but save a portion of the land. Maybe it would belong to a homeowners association, and they could lease it as a farm.”

But many farmers and other landowners spoke out against the measure, arguing that it directly or indirectly placed too many restrictions on how the land could be used.

Paul Miller, president of the Garrett County Farm Bureau board of directors, said his organization objected because they saw the clustering requirement as an infringement on private property rights, affecting the way landowners could sell their land. It could also have driven down property values by restricting potential land uses, he said.

Due to those and other public objections, the clustering requirement has been removed in the latest draft, Nelson said. Instead, the document includes clustering as an option, and contains incentives to attempt to encourage that type of development, he explained.

Miller said the latest draft of the ordinance has addressed his concerns.

“If it holds as it is, we’re satisfied,” he said.

A provision in the first draft of the updated Deep Creek watershed zoning ordinance also caused a stir because it would have put strict requirements on development on crests and ridge lines visible from the surface or shoreline of the lake. The proposed changes also would have required trees to be planted between structures and the lake to screen them from view.

“About four years ago we had held public meetings about people’s views on changes and development in the county,” Nelson said. “The development that is occurring on the ridge lines around the lake was the No. 1 response. People were worried about the development taking away from the natural scenic beauty of those ridges.”

But the strict requirements didn’t sit well with people specifically interested in those properties for the development potential and unobstructed lake views. In the latest draft, the provision has been changed to require only that trees be planted around the sides and rear of new structures to help them blend into the surrounding vegetation, Nelson explained. No trees are required for the front, or lake-facing side.

The county planning commission has been working on the ordinance updates since spring 2009, mainly because state law requires the ordinances to be adjusted to remain consistent with changes to the county comprehensive plan adopted in 2008, according to Nelson.

A public hearing on the latest versions of the ordinances will be held in coming weeks, though nothing has been scheduled yet.

Updated versions of the ordinance drafts and maps are available online on the county Web site at. www.garrettcounty.org


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Some of the pending changes that highlight the press release:

-Changes to the subdivision laws allowing clustered vs non clustered development.
-Traffic Impact Analysis, road design standards, etc
-Allowing for drilling of natural gas in all zones subject to setbacks
-Sensitive Area Ordinance, development on steep slopes

Feel free to take a look, there will be a public hearing scheduled in the near future.

Here is a link to the .pdf file


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

1/8 - Va. man injured in helicopter crash

Cumberland Times-News

GRANTSVILLE — A Virginia man was taken to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center after he crashed his helicopter in an open field near Amish Road early Wednesday evening.

Maryland State Police said Kolby Lee Reese suffered multiple injuries in the incident that occurred at about 6:15 p.m. No information was available concerning his condition.

The incident remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and state police.

The helicopter is reportedly owned by Chesapeake Bay Helicopters in Chesapeake, Va. Unconfirmed reports indicated the pilot was en route to Pittsburgh when the aircraft crashed. The pilot reportedly used a cell phone to report the crash.

Garrett County 911 alerted state police, Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, Garrett County Roads Department, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department and Northern Garrett Rescue Squad.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Allegany, Garrett get thousands in federal funds

Department of Homeland security grant awards decreased for both counties

Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Allegany and Garrett counties have been allocated thousands of federal dollars in Department of Homeland Security grants, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Martin O’Malley.

Through the State Homeland Security Grant program, the federal department allocates funding annually to Maryland’s state government, which in turn distributes the money to county emergency management and law enforcement agencies. The funding is intended to support homeland security projects and preparation at the local level.

Allegany received $233,182, down from about $270,000 in 2008, according to Dick DeVore, chief of the emergency management division of the Allegany County Department of Public Safety. Garrett County received $154,362, about 10 percent less than its allocation in 2008, said Public Safety and Emergency Management Director Brad Frantz. Since fiscal 2007, Allegany has received a total of $822,700 in federal homeland security funds, while Garrett has received $544,000.

The federal department allocated just under $17 million to Maryland in fiscal 2009, part of $861.3 million distributed nationwide.

Garrett County law enforcement will receive about 25 percent of the county's total allocation. Sheriff Gary Berkebile said one of his top priorities for that money is to develop communication interoperability among county emergency services.

“We’re glad to have it and we will put it to good use,” he added.

Allegany County will take advantage of an opportunity provided by a slight change in funding use guidelines, DeVore said.

“Prior to this round of funding, if equipment was purchased with the money it was the county’s responsibility to pay for maintenance,” he explained. “This round of funding now allows us to provide some maintenance to equipment we’ve already purchased.”

At least 25 percent of the funds must be used for planning, training or exercises for law enforcement terrorism prevention, according to the federal department. Up to 50 percent of the grants can be used to pay personnel costs, including operational overtime, intelligence sharing, participation in trainings and hiring consultants. No more than 3 percent can be used for management and administrative costs.

In a Dec. 8 news release, department secretary Janet Napolitano announced a reduction in next year’s total State Homeland Security grants. The total allocation will drop from $861.3 million to $842 million.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Report shows coal production was up in 2008

Coal association director takes issue with results

Michael A. Sawyers
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Surface mines accounted for 76 percent of the coal produced in Maryland in 2008, according to the 87th Annual Report of the Maryland Bureau of Mines, a document the agency is required to publish to comply with state law.

Allegany County operations accounted for 1,217,805 tons of coal mined from the surface. Another 1,112,086 tons were produced in Garrett County.

Deep mines, all in Garrett County, pumped out 718,652 tons.

The coal production in Maryland’s two westernmost counties was up 619,961 tons from 2007, when 2,428,583 tons were mined.

The problem with the bureau’s report, according to Adrienne Ottaviani, executive director of the Maryland Coal Association, is that it is already a year old.

“Those are 2008 numbers and things have changed a lot since then,” Ottaviani said Wednesday.

Coal production is down and jobs have been lost, Ottaviani claims, blaming federal regulators within the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Surface Mining.

“Permits are being held up based upon a multitude of different issues, including the construction of high walls and ground control plans,” she said.

“Between the federal government believing that there is really such a thing as global warming and thinking coal is the culprit, this is not really the season for coal,” Ottaviani said. “They are doing everything they can to stop coal as an energy source. Companies can’t continue to produce coal (as profitably) under the regulations they have.”

Green sources of energy, Ottaviani said, are wonderful, but will never be able to replace the $50,000 to $60,000 per year jobs and fringe benefits generated by coal mining.

Ottaviani said there were 1,300 direct jobs in the Maryland coal mining industry in 2008, but that number has dwindled.

“One problem happened when AES Warrior Run had internal mechanical problems and wasn’t buying and burning our coal for a while. Companies had to lay people off. Fortunately, AES got that worked out and is buying local coal again.”

Ottaviani said AES is the shining example of how coal can be burned with low emissions. “They have the lowest emission level in the state and one of the lowest in the country,” she said. “I have been trying for years to get other power plants to retrofit or consider new construction to achieve those same emission rates.”

The annual report from the state mining agency points out as well that the bureau’s Acid Mine Drainage Section in 2008 spent $32,345 to modify the lime-dosing apparatus at the abandoned McDonald Mine where acid drainage continues to pollute lower Georges Creek.

Another $394,500 was spent on the Aaron Run project, a tributary to the lower Savage River that is being restored with the hope that it will once again be the home to native brook trout.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Garrett County in need of more 2010 census takers

Commissioners want residents to take advantage of jobs

Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Uncle Sam needs you — to work for the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010.

That’s according to the bureau’s Frederick office, which covers parts of Western Maryland including Allegany and Garrett counties. The office is stepping up its employee recruitment efforts in the two counties, said Patty Cox, a Frederick Census Bureau employee.

“We have recruiters in Allegany and Garrett, but it’s been more challenging to reach people there because it’s such a large area to cover,” Cox said.

In late February or early March the Census Bureau will be hiring temporary employees in the two counties to work as census takers. Beginning in April 2010, the census takers will go into local communities to collect data from households that do not return a census form by mail.

The issue came up briefly during Tuesday’s public meeting of the Garrett County commissioners. The commissioners released a prepared statement about the importance of the decennial census and local census jobs.

“It would be in the best interest of all citizens of the county to take advantage of not only the census count of 2010, but the jobs which will be available in the early spring,” the statement read in part. “Aside from the importance to the county of an accurate census count, these are good-paying opportunities for our citizens.”

Census taker jobs through the Frederick office start at a pay rate of $15.50 per hour. Census takers are also paid for mileage.

About 3.1 million applicants will be needed to fill census-taker jobs nationwide. Census takers work about 20 to 40 hours per week, usually in the evenings and on weekends, according to the Census Bureau Web site. The jobs are temporary and will last through the data-gathering phase of the 2010 census.

The Census Bureau has been recruiting workers since fall 2008 for the earliest stages of census preparation, but fall 2009 saw the beginning of its full-scale recruitment effort for census takers.

Cox said the bureau attempts to hire local people as census takers whenever possible to go out into communities and collect data. All prospective census takers are required to take an exam. That testing is going on now at the One-Stop Career Center in both Allegany and Garrett counties.

Every household should expect to receive a census form in the mail in March 2010. If the completed form isn’t returned by mail, the Census Bureau will mail a reminder to the same address. If the completed form still isn’t returned, a census taker will visit the address to collect the information in person.

The 2010 census form will look a bit different from those used in previous years. All households will receive a short form survey consisting of 10 questions, some of which are repeated to gather information about every person living at that address.

The Census Bureau did away with its long-form questionnaire altogether. Instead, detailed population information is gathered using the American Community Survey, which is sent to a small portion of the U.S. population — about 3 million households — each year.

People interested in applying to work as census takers can contact the Allegany or Garrett County One-Stop Career Center, call the toll-free U.S. Census Bureau jobs line at (866) 861-2010, or go online to 2010censusjobs.gov.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Cuts create unsafe conditions, reps say

Detention, juvenile centers operating with smaller staffs

Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Representatives of the association responsible for negotiating for six of nine elements of Maryland government workers engaged in “a lively conversation” with all four members of the District 1 legislative delegation on Monday.

Sue Esty, assistant director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Steve Berger, the organization’s Western Maryland representative, gathered with three correctional officers and Ed Shoemake, a resident advisor at Mountain Meadow Youth Center in Grantsville. They stressed during a 90-minute meeting with Sen. George Edwards and delegates Kevin Kelly, LeRoy Myers and Wendell Beitzel that state employees shouldn’t shoulder the load of resolving the state’s budget problems.

There have been enough furloughs and layoffs of state workers. It’s had “serious and tragic consequences for many of AFSCME’s 30,000 members across the state, Esty said.

One female correctional officer said North Branch Correctional Institution has eliminated overtime on her shift and has “collapsed posts” — reducing the number of required officers per shift at certain stations — on certain days of the week. She said the change has created “an unsafe environment for her and her colleagues.

The Times-News has opted not to identify the three correctional officers. Esty said all three feared the possibility of disciplinary action at work.

Berger said NBCI and Western Correctional Institution both are maximum-security facilities but are operated like medium-security facilities in that inmates have access to a gym, an outdoor recreation area and they eat meals with each other.

One male correctional officer said despite budget constraints within the state Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, which oversees all state prisons, programs for inmates have not been reduced.

“There’s a G.E.D. program for inmates with life sentences,” he said.

Shoemake, at Meadow Mountain Youth Center, said policy requires at least one staff person for every six children at the Garrett County facility. In reality, it frequently operates with a radio of 10 children for each of its four employees. Shoemake said he suffered injuries after being involved in an altercation with a child who stood 6-feet, 8-inches tall and weighed 360 pounds.

“I didn’t have staff to back me up, Shoemake said. “You cannot staff that facility with that amount of people” in a facility that never closes.

“Not only am I at risk, but the public’s becoming at risk,” he said.

Esty and Berger offered eight revenue-producing possibilities — including six taxes on alcohol, gasoline, Internet purchases and services such as auto repair that met with something less than enthusiasm from the delegation. The two also suggested using $325 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund and removing the sunset provision of the “millionaire’s tax” which, they claimed, could generate an additional $100 million.

Kelly said Allegany County is the second poorest county in Maryland and resented efforts to increase taxes on an already burdened constituency.

“Do you support new revenue?” Esty asked Kelly.

Kelly said that every one of Esty’s proposals were a tax on the people.

“I can not think of any (taxes I support) right now,” Kelly said.

Esty argued that the “economy has changed” and the proposed solutions each are “things that are responding to the economy.”

By taxing the services in a service-based society, she said, it could even lead to a lower tax rate.

Edwards countered that the solution can’t simply be to “tax people.” He said the delegation could consider refusing to endorse any new tax ideas without first changing the attitude in Annapolis.

Edwards said a primary goal should be to get lawmakers to consider cutting programs before considering any new taxes. He also said state colleges might have to raise tuition costs instead of freezing rates for a sixth consecutive year.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Population decreasing in Allegany, Garrett

TINA IRGANG
CNHI News Service

WASHINGTON — Until a few years ago, things were looking up for Western Maryland. A sound national economy and a desire for country living brought workers from Baltimore and Washington to the fringes of the state, causing the demand for domestic and commercial real estate to skyrocket.

But since the beginning of the recession, this trend has reversed. As a lack of job security and the high costs of commuting drive workers closer to urban centers, Western Maryland hopes to strengthen its local economy by embracing green jobs.

Frederick has been the most successful of the western counties in this regard. Its population has grown by 49 percent since 1990.

Frederick’s success is also a product of its proximity to Washington, D.C.

“When D.C.’s doing well, it brings Frederick up with it,” said Anthony Stair, associate professor of economics at Frostburg State University. “You see the growth extend outward. I think it’s also hit Hagerstown a little bit, but it hasn’t gotten to Cumberland yet.”

Between 2006 and 2008, Frederick households had a median income of nearly $80,000, far above the Maryland average of $70,000.

Garrett and Allegany households earned $45,000 and $37,000, respectively. In addition, the Census Bureau reports, about 13 percent of Allegany and Garrett County residents lived below the poverty line.

Development through local green industries could prove a solution to the woes of other western counties, said Andy Moser, assistant secretary at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The problem, he said, is that the area is caught in transition.

“Western Maryland was home to a lot of manufacturing,” Moser said. “A lot of these manufacturers have pretty much moved out of that area.” The westernmost counties remain at a disadvantage simply “because they’re farther removed from population centers and major employers.”

But the area’s rural character could also be an asset: Allegany’s and Garrett’s open country lends itself to green technology, such as wind energy.

Moser is optimistic that Western Maryland’s former employers “will be replaced in the future by other ones, but we just haven’t seen it yet.”

So far, it seems the western counties lack incentives to make their residents stay. Garrett County saw a 6 percent population growth during the 1990s, which turned into a net loss after 2000. Allegany County has lost more than 3 percent of its population since 2000.

David Nedved, an economic development representative with the Allegany County government, thinks green technology could be a viable strategy for pulling people and jobs into his county, saying the government has discussed establishing a wind turbine plant in the area.

He also said he hopes Allegany’s low cost of living will continue to lure people away from the urban centers as economic recovery trickles down.

“We are seeing people moving into this area from the more urban areas down state,” Nedved said. “The trouble is we’re in the middle of this huge recession.” In Garrett County, natural resources are key to a local economy based heavily on the hospitality industry, according to Frank Shap, a development specialist with the county.

Over the years, Garrett’s economy was bolstered by second-home owners and retirees attracted by the county’s natural beauty, but the recession has diminished this source of income, said Michael Bello, owner of a photography business in McHenry. “Home building and everything right now is down in Garrett County, like it is everywhere,” Bello said. “That certainly affects everybody’s business. Even the visitors, while they’re still coming, are not spending as much while they’re here.”

As a result, Garrett has worked to diversify its economic portfolio to include specialty manufacturing and green technology. Down the road, Shap hopes, the county’s experience with natural resource extraction will attract the biofuel industry.

Meanwhile, Garrett is investing in its future, Shap said, by providing incentives for the next generation of local workers to stay. Among other things, the county created a special scholarship program at Garrett College that covers tuition and fees for recent Garrett County high school graduates.

“We cannot rely on hospitality alone,” Shap said. “Work force skill development is very important for us to keep our economic growth.”



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Budget cuts, taxes concerns for Garrett County residents

Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY —­ Don’t mind Joyce Bishoff if she is a bit perplexed.

During a November tourism conference in Ocean City, the interim president of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce heard Gov. Martin O’Malley state that tourism is the only industry in the state that is showing a return on government’s investment.

Why, then, Bishoff asked Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel, would the state Office of Tourism slash Garrett County’s appropriation by 40 percent?

Bishoff said state tourism officials have signaled to her that the remaining 60 percent soon could be unavailable.

“This is causing some severe pains through the tourism industry,” Bishoff asked on Wednesday during the legislative delegation’s pre-legisative session at Garrett College. The two-hour event was coordinated by the local League of Women Voters chapter. Twelve speakers at the meeting discussed a wide range of topics, including tourism, wind turbines, natural gas, emergency services and funding for public education.

Bishoff said a request to the delegation by the Garrett County commissioners to introduce legislation that could lead to an increase in the accommodation tax, which would impact all hotels and beds-and-breakfasts in the county. The commissioners want the ability to increase the tax to up to 8 percent from the current 5 percent rate.

“We will continue our dialogue with the county commissioners as to our reservations,” Bishoff said. “We’re very concerned about raising any taxes. With so many areas of our economy in crisis, I think we need to do what we can do to encourage people to come here and spend their dollars from the city.”

James R. “Smokey” Stanton, chairman of the Garrett County Democratic Central Committee, asked the legislators to reject the commissioners’ request.

Stanton, who is expected to run for the District 1A delegation seat currently occupied by Beitzel, called it “a bad bill” and that area businesses depend on tourism. If rates were to go up, consumers would have a choice of other places such as Ocean City. Stanton said if such a bill is introduced, funds raised from that legislation should not be earmarked for a specific purpose.

“I would suggest that is a really bad idea,” Stanton said.

Representatives of Garrett County vacation rental agencies expressed their displeasure at the proposed legislation during the commissioners’ public meeting with the delegation in Oakland on Nov. 17. Wendy Yoder, county director of finance, said an increase of 1 percent could generate about $300,000 in new revenue.

Edwards said either bill would only permit the county commissioners to consider passing such a rate increase. It would not require them to do so “if they didn’t want to,” Edwards said. Most of the issues discussed during the public forum regarded state and local budgets. Beitzel said some economists have said the current crisis is the worst financial meltdown since the Great Depression. But one key Garrett County industry — coal mining — is at risk despite its economic benefits, Beitzel said.

“I know there’s been a big effort to stop mountaintop removal of coal,” Beitzel said. “We don’t do that in Western Maryland (but) it turns out it may actually apply to all mountaintop mining. Coal has become a dirty, four-letter word, and we really need to fight and defend that industry here in Western Maryland.”

James M. Raley, member of the Garrett County Board of Education, said at the board’s meeting Tuesday, members learned that the board is looking at a decrease in funding from either the state or the county — or possibly both.

Next year, Raley said, the board is looking at a $2 million deficit, and there’s concern that there will be a push in Annapolis to shift the burden of funding teachers’ pensions to county governments. Currently, it is a state responsibility.

“That just compounds (the county’s) problem in regards to funding public education,” Raley said.

Garrett County Commissioner Fred Holliday shared Raley’s concern.

“There is no way we could eat it,” Holliday said. “We’d have to raise taxes. Then the commissioners are the bad guys.”



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Open Space acquisitions will protect forest land

Board of Public Works also approves local parks,

From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — More than 300 acres in Western Maryland will be protected as a result of Program Open Space property acquisitions and a donation from The Nature Conservancy.

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the purchase of 299 acres in Allegany and Garrett counties and accepted the nine-acre donation of wooded land with rock outcrops as an addition to Potomac State Forest in Garrett County.

“The Nature Conservancy is delighted, through this donation, to contribute to the state of Maryland’s efforts to protect our outdoor heritage here in Western Maryland,” said Donnelle Keech, Allegany forest project director for The Nature Conservancy of Maryland. “Giving people the firsthand opportunity to enjoy our Maryland forests now is one of the best ways to make sure our children have the same chance in the future.”

The Program Open Space purchase of 244 acres in the Savage River State Forest area southwest of Frostburg for $365,625 contains rare mountain peat land, unusual red spruce forest and sensitive wetlands with numerous state-listed threatened species, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The Allegany County acquisition of 30 acres of forestland and trails for $75,000 is an addition to Green Ridge State Forest that will encompass the forest hiking trail named in honor of retired forest manager Francis Zumbrun, which has received a national trail designation.

“Today’s acquisitions are important as we move toward a sustainable future,” said Gov. Martin O’Malley.

“By approving the nearly 300 acres in Western Maryland and with the help of The Nature Conservancy, we are preserving vital forests and trees, which will continue to help clean our water, air and natural resources.”

The three-member Board of Public Works is comprised of O’Malley as chairman, Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

The board also approved the following Program Open Space and Community Parks and Playgrounds projects:

• $15,000 to install handicapped-accessible playground equipment at the Barton Little League field and basketball court.

• $25,000 to install a handicapped-accessible playground at Barton Meadow Park.

• $45,000 to construct a concession building, rest room and storage building at the Frostburg Recreational Complex.

• $143,000 to construct a parking area at the Lonaconing Recreation Area and for renovations to the concession/rest room/storage building; upgrades to the baseball field; a new handicapped-accessible playground; and native tree plantings.

• $74,000 to replace an outdated concession stand, rest room/storage building and bleachers in Westernport for the Hot Stove League.

• $8,000 to install safety lighting next to the Grantsville Community Park walking trail and build a gazebo next to the town’s fishing pond and library.

• $88,000 to upgrade the concession stand, picnic area, lifeguard stands, ticket booth and playground equipment at Broadford Lake Recreation Area in Oakland.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

To the Editor:
Cumberland Times-News

The Maryland Highway Administration will conduct a public meeting with the Garrett County commissioners in the commissioners’ meeting room on Oct. 2 at 10 a.m.

One of the projects discussed will be the No. 1 priority given to the U.S. Route 219 Oakland bypass by the Garrett County Planning Commission. This highway project has been declared off budget by Gov. O’Malley (declared at a public meeting at Frostburg State University) and also denounced by former Gov. Parris Glendening in correspondence to the writer of this letter.

It appears the planning commission is not listening to the honest opposition to this $42 million-plus abomination that will destroy not only farmland but the downtown business community, rather listening to the developers who are trying to establish a new business district.

If for one moment you think this will be a limited access highway, think again, and drive from Uno’s restaurant on Route 219 along the lake to McHenry and determine how limited that is, and think how many rear-end accidents occur there during the summer months. This bypass will last about 10 minutes at the outset from being limited access.

We ask the planning commission to direct their priorities to state Route 495, a more direct route from the Northern Industrial Park to the Southern Industrial Park. This proposal was made in the Garrett County Comprehensive Plan of 1974 signed by Garrett County commissioners Wayne Hamilton, Don Bender and George Edwards, now Sen. Edwards. The purpose was to divert thru-traffic away from Deep Creek Lake.

We invite everyone with an interest for or against the bypass to attend this meeting and express your views. We also invite each county commissioner to make a public statement as to their individual position. This is extremely important and will affect our community forever.

DeCorsey Bolden

Chairman

Garrett Countians

for Smart Growth



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Animal Owners Schedule Meeting To Discuss Humane Society Issues


Oct. 30, 2008

A group of local residents who want to change the way animal neglect cases are investigated will hold its second public meeting on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. in the Garrett College Auditorium in McHenry.
"There will be ample seating room, so we urge you to come to the meeting and make a difference," said group spokesperson Kermit Yoder.

He and seven livestock owners met earlier this month with the Garrett County commissioners to express their concerns about the Humane Society and its ability to investigate alleged neglect/abuse cases and to seize animals. Members of the Humane Society, HART, and PAWS (Partners for Animal Welfare & Safety) also attended.

A state law currently places most of the authority of investigation and seizure on "an officer of a humane society." The commissioners said at the October meeting that the county could not arbitrarily change the law. They suggested that the group and Humane Society meet again and come up with "good, legitimate changes" to the law that could be presented to the General Assembly.

"This [second] meeting will give concerned citizens a chance to participate that didn't know about the first meeting," Yoder said.

He will open the November meeting, then turn it over to Nevin Umbel to moderate the rest of the event. Persons attending the meeting are asked to sign in and to note if they plan to speak.

"The Humane Society members will be given an opportunity to speak and air their feelings," Yoder said.

He also asks that HART, PAWS, and the Garrett County Animal Shelter/Control have representatives at the meeting to help answer questions from the public.

Yoder cautioned that some of the statements made at the event and the way they are conveyed may not be appropriate for underage children.

Some of the current laws that the Humane Society operates under will be discussed at the meeting, as well as possible changes to those regulations. Yoder's group has suggested at least three items that it would like included in a new law. Those are as follows:

• The Humane Society must give pet or livestock owners a chance to correct problems before they seize the animals.

• All Humane Society members must educate themselves on animal health and behavior.

• Humane Society members should be required to pass drug tests so when they make a decision to seize an animal the public can be "confident that their judgment is not impaired."

Yoder's group has also discussed the idea of starting a winter food bank for animals. Owners who may have trouble feeding their livestock until spring would receive assistance.

A hotline may also be implemented. Owners whose animals are about to be seized by the Humane Society could call the hotline if they felt they were being treated unfairly.

"Our elected officials cannot make a judgment from hearsay," Yoder said. "That's why it's important for you to be at the meeting so they can hear it firsthand. It may be too late for your situation, but you can make a difference for someone in the future."


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GC Officials Hear Update Reports; Award Bid For Career Training Ctr.


Oct. 30, 2008

The Garrett County commissioners held their regular public meeting on Tuesday. Agenda items included a report on a federal housing program, an update from the Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development, and a bid award for the proposed Garrett County Career Technology Training Center.
Garrett County Community Action Committee president Duane Yoder gave an update report on the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, under which Maryland will receive $26 million. Of that funding, $20 million will be primarily distributed to rural communities with high rates of foreclosures and sub-prime lending.

Yoder said Garrett County does not have a large number of foreclosures, but other program criteria may enable it to qualify for as much as $1 million. The funding can be used for housing acquisition and rehabilitation, housing construction for ownership and rental, homeownership assistance, and infrastructure.

A draft of how the county would use the Neighborhood Stabilization grant is due at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development office by Dec. 5. The final draft is due in January.

Yoder noted that the funding must be used within 18 months after it is awarded.

The commissioners also heard an update report from Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development staff members. Director John Nelson noted that public hearings will be held in the near future for two proposed county ordinances.

One outlines provisions for establishing local agricultural land preservation districts. The other ordinance would establish a local permitting process for electrical work.

Permits and Inspections Division chief Jim Torrington also reported on building permit activity in the county. He noted that the total number of permits issued for all types of construction was down nearly 16 percent for the first nine months of this year, compared to the same time frame for last year.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the commissioners accepted Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates' bid of $152,587 for architectural/engineering services. The company will design the first phase, the welding component, of the Garrett County Career Technology Training Center. The facility will be established in the old Phenix Technologies building in Accident.

A bid review committee, composed of county staff members, had recommended that the commissioners accept a $180,480 bid submitted by Hayes Large Architects because of the company's references, interest in the project, and other factors. Crabtree was the committee's second choice.

The commissioners accepted Crabtree's lower bid because of the cost-savings factor.

"For the program," Commissioner Denny Glotfelty said, "we felt this was the best way to do it."

The commissioners have allocated $500,000 for the Career Technology Training Center. The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development has also earmarked $1 million for the project.

The commissioners will hold their next public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 13.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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Garrett County To Receive $183K From Homeland Security Program


Oct. 30, 2008

Gov. Martin O'Malley announced last Thursday that nearly $26.7 million in homeland security grant funds had been awarded to local communities in Maryland. The funds are part of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs for state and local government.
Garrett County will receive $183,077, the least amount of the state's counties and three select cities. Allegany County was awarded $326,137.

Baltimore City will receive the most Homeland Security funding in the state at $2.42 million, plus $11.39 million from the Baltimore Urban Area Security Initiative. Annapolis will receive $404,763, and Ocean City will get $400,531.

Baltimore County was awarded the most Homeland Security funding, $1.25 million, of the counties, followed by Prince George's, $1.34 million, Montgomery, $1.27 million, and Anne Arundel, $1.06 million.

"Even in difficult economic times, providing safety and security for the people of Maryland remains one of government’s primary functions," noted O'Malley. "The demands on our public safety community do not decline when available resources are limited. In spite of a reduction in federal funding, we remain committed to providing the resources necessary for the brave men and women who serve as first responders."

Once again this year, the governor passed through 85 percent of the available funds under the State Homeland Security Grant Program to local governments, despite a minimum legal mandate of 80 percent. The state also passed through 98.5 percent of the Baltimore Urban Area Security Initiative.

Funds are being provided to every county in Maryland, Baltimore City, Ocean City, and Annapolis. Funding amounts were determined by providing a baseline amount to each jurisdiction, with the balance of funds allocated using a formula calculating each jurisdiction’s risk level. The formula was developed by the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) in coordination with emergency management and law enforcement personnel from local jurisdictions.

"We understand that many local jurisdictions in Maryland are facing severe budget conditions, which is why we continue to pass though more homeland security money to local governments than federal law mandates," said MEMA director Richard Muth. "I would like to thank my staff at MEMA and their colleagues at other state agencies, along with our local partners, for spending this money where it will do the most good."

Each of the local jurisdictions receiving funds – the 23 counties, plus Annapolis, Baltimore, and Ocean City – will receive an average of about 11 percent less than last year, mirroring the reduction in total funding to the state.

Funds will be used for a variety of projects, including providing protective equipment to first responders, hardening critical infrastructure, and building interoperable communications systems.

The $2.7 million in funds for the state will be used to support equipment purchases for state agencies, state-funded regional response units, and other state-wide initiatives. Local responders and emergency managers will also benefit from much of the state's portion of the federal funds, according to O'Malley's office.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

courtesy Republican News


Oct. 30, 2008

by Megan Lahman
With Sunday sales of alcohol being on the ballot in Garrett County for the first time since 1998, the issues of morals, personal rights, and business are at the forefront.

On November 4, voters throughout the county will decide whether or not to allow restaurants and bars in their voting districts to sell alcohol with a meal. Exceptions for this vote are the voting districts of Avilton and Elbow, which have had Sunday sales for the last 10 years.

"There is no law that says you can't drink on Sundays," said Charlie Neely, senior manager of the Black Bear Tavern in McHenry, who has been in the restaurant business for 10 years.

Originally from Annapolis, Neely was quite surprised at first by the absence of alcohol sales in restaurants on Sundays. From working at other restaurants in the area, he has his fair share of stories concerning the issue. "I’ve lost business because of no Sunday sales. People would just get up and leave, all because they couldn't have a glass of wine with dinner," he said.

Currently, the Black Bear isn't open on Sundays because it wouldn’t be profitable for them to just serve food. "I’m all for Sunday sales. I feel people would stay longer in the area if they could have a beer with their food while watching the big Sunday football game or NASCAR race," said Neely.

At Uno's in Deep Creek Lake, manager Jamie Durst said that the majority of negative feedback received about the lack of Sunday sales has come from tourists, especially those who are hoping to have a beer with pizza while watching a football game. While the restaurant is opened on Sundays, the revenues made can't compare to other days, he said.

"During the summer, the restaurant along with the Honi Honi Bar generates an average of $5,000 to $6,000 a day in alcohol sales. There have been times where we’ve been just as busy on Sundays as Saturdays in terms of food sales, but the numbers for Sundays will show that we made less than Saturdays," said Durst.

As for why there are sometimes higher food sales on Sundays, Joe Brag, another manager at Uno's, said that not having the sale of alcohol doesn't detract from business. "People are going to eat regardless," he said.

In terms of the county’s economy, Jim Hinebaugh, director of the county's Department of Economic Development, said that despite no actual economic studies conducted, there is merit and value to having Sunday sales.

President of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Charlie Ross said that Sunday sales won't change the economy or society much.

"Most restaurants will admit that their sales come from alcohol more than food, they also know that the county already has a secure economy for tourism. At the same time, this is a matter of personal choice," said Ross, who believes that Garrett County will remain a safe, moral place for families regardless of voting results.

Bobbie Watson, a waitress at Uno’s, believes that the citizens' wishes should come before business. "I like the law, honestly. We do so much business without selling alcohol on Sundays. It's not worth selling on Sundays because it's what the local people want. Why make them upset?" she said.

Oakland native Thomas Doyle is opposed to the idea of Sunday sales. For the last few weeks in this newspaper, he has placed ads that feature claims about drunk driving and alcohol related deaths.

"This has nothing to do with religion, but with public safety and health. I want Garrett County to remain safe for families," said Doyle.

Garrett County Public Health Officer Rodney Glotfelty said that it doesn’t matter what day people drink, but how they do it.

"There are public health impacts with drinking. It may lessen the impact by having no Sunday sales in restaurants, but it won’t make a major difference. People can still drink at home. No matter what day it is, the key is not drinking to excess, and to not drive after having a drink," said Glotfelty.

Pastor Phillip Matthews of the Oak Grove Church of the Brethren in McHenry was unaware of the ballot measure until Doyle contacted him a month ago. Matthews' objection to Sunday sales is faith-based.

"Out of respect for the Lord, the county should strive to keep the one dry day as a dry day," said Matthews.

Along with the Oak Grove Church of the Brethren, which funded its own newspaper ad, other area churches have joined the cause against Sunday sales. Across the street from Uno's is the Deep Creek Baptist Church, which has a sign in the yard making its position known. The sign reads, "Keep Our Sundays Alcohol Free."

Black Bear Tavern patrons Pat Becker and Terri Hopler, both of Baltimore, questioned the religious influences behind the lack of Sunday sales.

"I get wine at church, so why can’t I get it when I go to Sunday brunch?" said Becker.

"We come up a couple of times a year, but we’d be here more if they would allow Sunday sales," added Hopler, whose husband is a pastor.

When asked about any resentment locals might have towards the successful tourism industry at Deep Creek Lake, Pastor Matthews said, "The most upsetting thing for locals that I’ve seen is the expectation that is placed upon them (from tourists) that they have to cater to the tourists' lifestyles."

Owner of the Long Branch Saloon and Steakhouse in Mountain Lake Park, Rebecca Williams agrees with Matthews about the feelings about Deep Creek Lake, but she disagrees with him on the issue.

"I've been in the bar and restaurant business for 30 years. There is a local resentment towards the lake, but it would be nice to see sales get approved," she said. Williams' restaurant and bar are also closed on Sundays because of not being allowed to serve alcohol.

Donna Beckman, a local patron at the saloon, said that the citizens against Sunday sales won’t buy alcohol no matter what the law is.

"I, too, am a Christian, but I believe in personal freedom," said Beckman. "If you don't like it, then don’t buy it."

Megan Lahman is a senior journalism major at the University of Maryland.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350