Allegany County work session previews consent items on transit change, property sale and flood-relief warehouse lease

At a brief Allegany County Board of Commissioners work session, county staff said the board will consider three consent-agenda items at tonight’s public meeting: continuing the Fiscal Year 20 role of the Allegany County Health Department, converting the Purple Line fixed route to a demand-response service after a public hearing, and authorizing sale of a surplus parcel at 1 Shortest Day Road to Tim and Tracy Wharton for $4,540. Staff also requested adding a draft lease with Beitzel Resources in Grantsville to the consent agenda to store flood-relief supplies.

“FEMA’s on-site doing an assessment,” said Shuan, a county staff member, noting crews are working in the flood-affected area. “...kind of light today on the work session” because much of staff capacity is focused on flood response, Shuan added.

Why it matters: the items touch on service delivery, property disposition and flood-relief logistics as the county responds to recent flooding. The transit change could alter how riders on the Purple Line access service; the property sale would add the parcel to the tax rolls; and the warehouse lease would provide local storage and distribution capacity for donated relief supplies.

On the transit item, county staff said the change of the Purple Line from a fixed route to a demand-response service has been discussed over the last year, was advertised on March 12 and had a public hearing on April 17 that drew no public comment. Staff described tonight as “a chance to take action.” The work session did not record a formal vote; staff indicated the board may consider the item on the consent agenda at the public meeting.

On the surplus-property sale, staff said the parcel at 1 Shortest Day Road adjoins property owned by Tim and Tracy Wharton. The stated sale price is $4,540; staff said the sale would add the parcel to the tax rolls. No formal action was taken at the work session.

Staff also said a draft lease agreement with Beitzel Resources in Grantsville was finalized the afternoon of the work session. Beitzel Resources has agreed to provide warehouse space to store donated flood-relief items; staff described the Grantsville location as a central receiving point that would feed four smaller pickup locations listed by staff as Coney, Midland, Barton and Westernport. The county requested the lease be added to the consent agenda so the agreement can be executed following the public meeting. “They've been kind enough to donate warehouse space to us, to allow us to store...the flood relief items,” Shuan said.

No formal votes or motions were recorded during the work session. Commissioners present raised no changes to the proposed consent agenda items during the session; one commissioner said staff should add the Beitzel Resources lease to the consent agenda for the public meeting. The items will return for formal consideration at the county’s public meeting later the same day.