[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6251938,"mediaKeyId","3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e","parentId",3192184,"title","County approves transitional contract for county jail leadership and reclassifies prosecutor office role","audioSeconds",50,"startMs",5182000,"endMs",5232000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e&start=5182&end=5232","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e/thumbnail_5182000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6251938/Washington-County/Maryland/County-approves-transitional-contract-for-county-jail-leadership-and-reclassifies-prosecutor-office-role","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251938-5a5d048049cb9e8b5bd736749a7fb139/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955368&Signature=moq4blO5cCm682XAIT481SUYKLqHxSw-M9xTzJYxLTney-ECeWv8CslcTFFSDQuUcUx4PfEIUnkOK8Jy5G0I1JIkDSGuoHC6aUxFE9EmNBFqb6qWaSGh-09a5GICD4F0Bi3dX9F4yJYvfRJ3J8hxMcYS1N-Fcy73mmWjnnLkYlvRl6piY9QM~gyxKKgvpTBCairSZcDwV1cJP-kEQH6Umzy1Wr97pD7wSxKdCcAIhzGjiDBQvN1nHhjG9t4n1LqcAlEa1gpaNQ42GKuWcqt2EmZ7b4tde9FlUTMw8XxVTpb1HB~BP-SKGAL6KegQectkoKlKQACPki44A5LHv-I6oA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-05T21:13:19.933Z","article","Washington County commissioners voted unanimously to approve two human-resources actions Tuesday: a transitional contract for Colonel Pete Plasich and a reclassification in the state's attorney’s office.

Chip Rose, director of human resources, requested approval of a transitional contract for Colonel Pete Plasich effective July 1, 2025, through the end date read into the record (the contract text as read said “December 30 first of 2026”). Rose said the contract would ensure continuity until Brian Albert’s appointment as sheriff takes effect. Rose told the board the requested salary would be based on Plasich’s 2025 hourly rate of $83.13.

The board also approved reclassifying a state's attorney's office caseworker position from grade 8, step 16 to a digital evidence technician at grade 10, step 1. Rose said the reclassification will save the county about $15,413 annually while addressing digital-evidence processing needs.

Both motions were made, seconded and approved by recorded 4‑0 votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioner Meeting - April 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commissioners approved a transitional contract for Colonel Pete Plasich to provide continuity ahead of the newly appointed sheriff’s start date and reclassified a state's attorney office caseworker to a digital evidence technician, saving the county money annually.","taxTitle","Washington County, Maryland","taxId",4677,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6251942,"County awards multiple road, construction and equipment contracts totaling several million dollars",1547,4696000,6243000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e&start=4696&end=6243","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e/thumbnail_4696000.jpg","/articles/6251942/Washington-County/Maryland/County-awards-multiple-road-construction-and-equipment-contracts-totaling-several-million-dollars","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251942-a4b90e8adb5ce56d9f20b0b731119180/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955368&Signature=Ft2JOpBUOrpleLdswHqM8V8YeOqGmnRBjQu5dQnhT0ek9e0TEsrc~U5Ev0ATDv9zxgwUedB4V7nn0d5p5oJvYHiRro~h3cpuatGrHffWFlK9IeigyLxS7SlvhzZ1I3l5~RRtU8UEa2DaC71SJsJ47fsR5MV3RcMNxgCNmR0wZAx2zkd83kz4N3bL6vRYKPltQuhmoQIYZT~e03bhxXKNT9bsvNNCAIGZxLqE8MBXqyTF43JlsYfgf0mFzZwzNMJJkhn~TzqRZ20Q6ak73FQf-195fWWd5zF~Q5G3nB-2DV~m1NJbAIinT5NaEYePqhjMki79UE0TSAMrtbZmX2l78Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Washington County commissioners approved a series of construction and equipment contracts and intergovernmental purchases Tuesday, awarding multiple bids that county staff said are budgeted in capital improvement accounts.

Engineering Director Scott Hobbs recommended and the board approved a $1,362,145.30 contract to Russell Standard Corporation for FY25 chip-seal pavement maintenance and rehabilitation work. Hobbs said the contract covers about 22 miles of rural roads and includes standard State Highway Administration liquid-asphalt price adjustments.

Also approved was a $2,184,611 low-bid award to C. William Hetzer for Professional Boulevard phases 3 and 4, to extend the boulevard about a quarter-mile from Yale Drive to Rosewood Village. The project is a budgeted capital improvement and carries standard liquidated damages for delayed completion.

Purchasing Director Brandy Kintner presented an intergovernmental cooperative purchase of a pavement-scanning survey from StreetScan USA for $207,770, to support long-term pavement preservation decision-making. The board authorized staff to use the contract awarded by Pierce County, Washington.

The commissioners approved a $210,740 award to STH for cellular remote-monitoring and control equipment for pump stations; county staff said an EPA grant will cover 80 percent of equipment costs (about $168,592) and the remaining roughly $42,148 will be capital funds from the Department of Water Quality.

The county also authorized an intergovernmental purchase of a fire-training tower from WHP Training Towers for $1,608,582.75 and approved a procurement of 60 Liberty grinder pumps and 52 control panels from BT Plumbing Supply for $123,436 to replenish inventory and support retrofits.

All procurement motions carried by recorded 4‑0 votes. County staff said the awards will be posted on the county website and contractors will coordinate notice-to-proceed dates with the divisions involved.","At its meeting the board approved bids and intergovernmental purchases including chip seal pavement work, Professional Boulevard phase 3–4, a pavement-condition survey, cellular monitoring for pump stations, a fire-training tower and grinder pumps; all motions passed unanimously.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6251947,"Commissioners approve three sheriff grants and Day Reporting Center grant application",3602,5172000,8774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e&start=5172&end=8774","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e/thumbnail_5172000.jpg","/articles/6251947/Washington-County/Maryland/Commissioners-approve-three-sheriff-grants-and-Day-Reporting-Center-grant-application","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251947-0609f06014c1a5a05ceab35dbd35be87/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955368&Signature=jwi3wV9aqRL06XnYem8~rUdkLhbBVABBOPpWv4-BCJ~ycmsxfIF8QcetVPv05os5NWHrnk7kHOxxxOVA9RVLXvG7rMvuRJX9FV0MLdosb0sgFqBkgG5kh-9K0GpDl6ojTYIM7y7O6Xra65E3dRRrFBMyHvCRvgfFVzlOAI8S-A3mXm8DPKM-j5-bwuLoYwp9OWVPUV9xSqtVBYEtQLI7rEIkwlLVycmYrIpyBMGXNq5x~-Z9EMVeypf95EzimFOokk3LBZ0IxD~QE0PcfJ0v5LOXgnMcXSrm1Gi9iFfFt~xKpI2WIAbl9RdgMcSiBIjaazEmV8k3pvOlllSACCx3Vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washington County commissioners voted unanimously to approve three grant applications supporting the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and to authorize the Day Reporting Center to apply for state funding.

Karsten Ahrens of the Office of Grant Management presented three Sheriff's Office requests. The board approved an application for a warrant-apprehension grant of $49,980 to fund overtime for targeted warrant sweeps and investigative work. Commissioners also approved a $29,500 FY‑26 domestic-violence unit grant to fund overtime and certified records personnel to enter protective orders into CJIS within the mandated 24-hour timeframe. Finally, the board approved an application for a $48,980 FY‑26 recruitment and retention grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services; the sheriff’s office said the funds would be used for recruitment and retention incentives and protective gear items.

All three grants were described as state funding administered through the governor’s office rather than federal pass-through funds.

Separately, the board authorized the Washington County Day Reporting Center to submit an application to the governor’s office of crime prevention for $270,000 and to accept award funding if offered. Megan Willis, director of the Day Reporting Center, and Karsten Ahrens presented the item and the board voted 4‑0 to approve the application submission.

All motions carried by a 4‑0 recorded vote.","The board unanimously approved three Washington County Sheriff Office grant applications for warrant apprehension, domestic-violence unit overtime and a recruitment/retention incentive, and authorized submission of a Day Reporting Center grant application to the governor's office.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6251952,"Public commenters press county over new citizen-participation rules; commissioners reiterate decorum standards",391,441000,832000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e&start=441&end=832","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e/thumbnail_441000.jpg","/articles/6251952/Washington-County/Maryland/Public-commenters-press-county-over-new-citizen-participation-rules-commissioners-reiterate-decorum-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251952-aeb58cb17b0125466106c8106384c3b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955368&Signature=lc7IdDjNTlkrw98F6F8cTXlf8g1irW6pLXtYMuTrL7qePUMxx9J2XqpHnqvkc2gRiliZnOZF1ImArUvWoPRb9dUMeAwA5tmnliPA4SNX9CkHarBphwGVB8nKY3pvNTLOoSitlc6aj81HedaF9zz9R1Gz2qc5cPmA~ZSFcvIXrWBiEQk4N7SpU1CdlQThIbEX-2IXG-qPmjUKi50Rffm7L5nMixQqJIhSX8tEnwOuJtSeSuNTvGxhTDB8z6XfuJUTp5LkAxu1F-O4ejLRRLk3r~QTWqxyYIcta25m19NOtqfp7brngGsszQGImu4Zpv91mavU0qeJVRQN6HkVLXJYZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At Tuesday’s Washington County commissioners meeting, several members of the public used the citizens-participation period to challenge recently adopted rules governing public comment and to urge preservation of First Amendment protections.

A presiding official opened the session by reading the revised rules and explaining they are intended to be viewpoint-neutral and aimed at preserving order so meetings can proceed. The presiding official said federal courts permit limited speech restrictions in a government-controlled limited public forum when rules prevent disruptions and are applied without regard to viewpoint, and warned that excessive profanity or threatening conduct could be curtailed.

Several speakers responded. Curtis Ray of Hagerstown said the county’s rules risk abridging speech and questioned why a fellow community member had been barred from meetings despite using only his allotted three minutes. Dave Williams urged opposition to a proposed Washington County Board of Education change to Policy KD that would require public speakers to sign up 24 hours before a meeting, saying the change would “stifle public comment.” Jeremy Tindall (Bridal) urged commissioners to avoid escalating confrontation and noted a Maryland Office of the Attorney General opinion had warned against broadly banning attendees via trespass orders related to open-meetings rules.

Other public commenters raised local issues: Jill Katz said she was worried about traffic near a new Wawa and asked that the Traffic Advisory Committee address it; Austin LaRue said federal budget freezes could affect county funding; and Arthur LaRue said he expected unresolved First Amendment questions to be settled in court.

County staff answered specific procedural questions: the presiding official and staff reiterated that rules limit conduct, volume and repeated profanity to prevent disruptive behavior; they said the rules are not intended to restrict viewpoints. The county administrator later clarified that separate policy changes being considered by the Board of Education (Policy KD) and an independent Board of Zoning Appeals decision on a cell tower are not decisions the board could overturn.

No formal change to county citizen-participation policy was made at the meeting; the commissioners reiterated the rules and invited community feedback.","Multiple speakers during the public-comment period told commissioners they object to recent refinements to citizen-participation rules and school-board public-comment changes. Commissioners emphasized order and explained legal grounds for limited, viewpoint-neutral restrictions.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6251957,"Commissioners defer Elmwood Farms APFO decision, ask developer and staff for mitigation options",2074,5689000,7763000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e&start=5689&end=7763","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192184-4f74e3aed51fd165233fd56c12a66d6e/thumbnail_5689000.jpg","/articles/6251957/Washington-County/Maryland/Commissioners-defer-Elmwood-Farms-APFO-decision-ask-developer-and-staff-for-mitigation-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251957-6ec69fe76b894645f2968d3001f63dbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955368&Signature=hGieU7Rnc-RHzy5LccQWO8L4s9sGEim-SocemuVSzL46d0o814-~Hnr2zySP60tZiyyjV1CTaTxq-OS9dvaMVneIKV1UPjUZgT8xCrerD-K70sf~kxniwSWqiV7ZA0MVth2bIJNj67xlFLB1jS33cqsCOPD63bSra0OxUWfkFn3urtvlm7LOL6JFV0pe9TFtsq9oD5-xkc8RIXZhXPJ1Qwmcuxwp1lxAvb9FClcgfcRN7ErU8YffxkQkTWg-Z0u8TRXl4PkPB4eifi4b7afb5p3WMiY0o11mzJo5k8m62Mktl5oI9vbXypT8IU-UhfgrFCRQfPhFa0~13Uj1B9DQlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washington County commissioners on Tuesday declined to approve a developer’s request to proceed under the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance’s alternate mitigation contribution for Elmwood Farms Section 5D and instead asked staff and the developer to return with concrete mitigation options.

The request covered 19 remaining lots in Elmwood Farms’ Section 5D. Developer John Del Valle and attorney William C. Watts asked the board to allow the project to use an alternate mitigation contribution tied to a prior preliminary plat approval dating to February 2005. Del Valle said completing the 19 lots would generate county revenue and that the developer has already invested in off-site work, including an off-site water line and Kendall Road improvements.

The county planning staff recommended against allowing the developer to rely solely on the alternate mitigation contribution because Fountain Rock Elementary School is over 120% of state-rated capacity and the developer’s proposed additional lots exceeded what was authorized by the earlier preliminary plat. Jill Baker, planning staff, told commissioners that when a development causes a school’s utilization to exceed 120%, the APFO requires a mitigation plan beyond the default payment.

Commissioners and staff discussed mitigation options the board could require, including: additional funds above the per-lot contribution, school-site dedication (not appropriate here), or delaying building permits until the new school opens. County staff suggested the developer could proffer a condition such as deferring building permits until capacity is confirmed after the new school is in service.

County staff and the developer also disputed how the 2005 preliminary-plat grandfathering applies after later replats and lot splits. The developer said the alternate contribution previously accepted for other sections amounted to roughly $3,300 per lot and that the total alternate-contribution amount for the 19 lots had been calculated at about $63,600; planning staff said those prior allowances do not automatically apply because the current request increases the number of lots above the old approval.

After extended discussion about student yield, capacity projections, and prior infrastructure contributions the developer has made (including a water line and road work), the commissioners directed staff to prepare mitigation options and to coordinate with the developer. The item will be returned for decision at a future meeting.

Speakers who spoke directly on the item included William C. Watts (developer representative), John Del Valle (owner/developer), Jill Baker (planning staff), Commissioner Klein, Commissioner Harvey, Commissioner Bartlett and Commissioner Wagner. No APFO waiver or mitigation acceptance was approved at the meeting.","Washington County commissioners did not approve the developer’s request to use the alternate APFO mitigation contribution for Elmwood Farms Section 5D. Commissioners asked staff and the developer to return with specific mitigation options that address school-capacity impacts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County approves transitional contract for county jail leadership and reclassifies prosecutor office role

County awards multiple road, construction and equipment contracts totaling several million dollars

Commissioners approve three sheriff grants and Day Reporting Center grant application

Public commenters press county over new citizen-participation rules; commissioners reiterate decorum standards

Commissioners defer Elmwood Farms APFO decision, ask developer and staff for mitigation options