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County staff report: community solar at Hobbs Road landfill, detention-center repair and draft burning-ban code
Summary
County staff announced bids for North County Park, described emergency repairs after a detention-center furnace motor fire, outlined a community solar project planned for the closed Hobbs Road landfill to benefit the county and schools, and County Attorney presented a draft county fire-prevention chapter authorizing burning bans tied to drought conditions.
County staff used the Jan. 13 meeting to provide updates on several capital and operational matters.
The county administrator said Recreation and Parks would release bid documents for North County Park. The administrator also reported an emergency furnace motor fire at the detention center on the prior Sunday; fire, sheriff and police responded, there were no injuries, equipment was repaired on an emergency basis and finance is pursuing an insurance claim.
During consent-agenda discussion, commissioners asked about a proposed community solar installation on the closed Hobbs Road landfill. Staff explained the project is structured as a community solar array that will provide a discounted energy benefit to county government and the Caroline County Board of Education; permitting matters including a stormwater and forest-conservation review remain with the developer and staff indicated developer paperwork is in progress.
Staff and the sheriff’s office also briefed the board on heating problems in the back of the sheriff’s office. Public-works and facilities personnel said the recommended solution (a radiant water-cooled system) and related work are expected to exceed $40,000, which would otherwise trigger a formal bid. Staff sought the board’s early concurrence to work with two or three local vendors familiar with the facility to avoid extensive engineering/specification costs before awarding work.
County Attorney Stuart Barrow described a draft Chapter 124 that would adopt the Maryland State Fire Prevention Code as the county’s fire-prevention code and authorize the commissioners, based on the county director of emergency services’ recommendation, to enact burning bans in part or all of the county during drought-related conditions. The draft includes notice procedures, enforcement authority for law enforcement and code enforcement staff, rights of entry to extinguish fires started in violation of a ban and civil penalties for violations.
Commissioners asked staff to follow up with the developer on outstanding paperwork for the solar project, to track the detention-center insurance claim, and to provide guidance on procurement and turnaround specifications for any facility work.
