Westminster Common Council Report: Budget woes dominate Westminster council meeting

Budget woes dominate Westminster council meeting
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Westminster Common Council Report: http://explorecarroll.com/news/3493/budgetwoe/

By Kevin Dayhoff Posted 10/05/09

The meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council last on Sept. 28 began with plenty of smiles, but the mood quickly turned somber as a discussion on budget woes dominated the balance of the evening. By Kevin Dayhoff Posted on http://www.explorecarroll.com/ 10/05/09

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Photo caption for [20090928 COWMCCMtg 2mccb]: Westminster City Hall Sept. 28,2009 - The meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council last on Sept. 28 began with plenty of smiles, but the mood quickly turned somber as a discussion on budget woes dominated the balance of the evening. By Kevin Dayhoff Posted on www.explorecarroll.com 10/05/09 VLeft to right: councilmember Dr. Robert Wack, councilmember Tony Chiavacci, council president Damian Halstad, councilmember Greg Pecoraro, councilmember Suzanne Albert. (Photo by Kevin Dayhoff)

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http://twitpic.com/kkupu Budget woes dominate Westminster council meeting http://tinyurl.com/ycvrd2q

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Historical Society of Carroll Co, MD State Budget, People Chiavacci Tony, People Graham-Lori, Westminster Council Mtgs, Westminster Council Pres Halstad Damian, Westminster Finance Budget

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Tom Beyard explains comprehensive plan at council meeting

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Westminster director of planning Tom Beyard explains comprehensive plan at recent Westminster Common Council meeting

At the September 28, 2009 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council, Mayor Kevin Utz conducted a public hearing on the 2009 Comprehensive Plan for Westminster. Planning director Tom Beyard explained that the comprehensive plan was the culmination of two years of work and that it was due to be adopted by October 1, 2009 in order to conform with Maryland State law.

The development of the plan, which began in earnest in October 2007, was broken into three phases, Beyard said. The first phase was a citizen survey, followed by additional public outreach, followed by the drafting phase.

Beyard advised that the municipal planned growth footprint and the planned water and sewer service area had not changed since its boundaries were agreed upon with the county government two years ago.

The plan did incorporate for the first time a water resource and municipal growth element. Both of which are new mandates from the Maryland General Assembly.

The city was “probably one of the first (municipalities in the state) to submit the water resources element… many municipalities had asked for an extension,” said Beyard.

Council president Damian Halstad remarked, “I’d just like to highlight that the state found it to be an incredibly thorough plan… very detailed…”

Later in the meeting the council voted to adopt the plan after more discussion of how proud the council and staff were to have received such good feedback from the state on how well the plan was developed and written.

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Photo caption: At the September 28, 2009 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council, Mayor Kevin Utz conducted a public hearing on the 2009 Comprehensive Plan for Westminster. Planning director Tom Beyard explained that the comprehensive plan was the culmination of two years of work and that it was due to be adopted by October 1, 2009 in order to conform with Maryland State law.

From left to right: Westminster planning director Tom Beyard, Westminster public works director Jeff Glass, Westminster recreation and parks director Ron Schroers, Westminster Common Council members Dr. Robert Wack and Tony Chiavacci. (Photo by Kevin Dayhoff)

20090928 sdosm Tom Beyard explains comprehensive plan at council meeting

Westminster Planning Dir Tom Beyard, Westminster Council Mtgs, Westminster Planning Zoning, Planning, Dayhoff writing essays land planning, Westminster PW Dir Jeff Glass, People Chiavacci Tony,

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The newly elected mayor of Westminster, Kevin Utz, hits the ground running

The newly elected mayor of Westminster, Kevin Utz, hits the ground running.

By Kevin Dayhoff June 4, 2009

Westminster, MD - Yesterday afternoon, I had “Off Track Art” studio duty in downtown Westminster.

While I kept shop I had the opportunity to talk with a number of the downtown Westminster merchants.

The shopping district was all-abuzz over newly-elected Westminster Mayor Kevin Utz taking the time to stop and talk with the merchants this morning.

Hats off to the newly elected mayor of Westminster; apparently he took the time to ask questions, answer questions, and look into some opportunities to fix some things.

In a phone conversation later in the afternoon with Mayor Utz, he said that he had some time available during the annual Torch Run and really enjoyed getting out and talking with folks.

Mayor Utz, a local businessman in the real estate business, knows the value of doing business with local business and it is expected that we will see much more of Mayor Utz in downtown and at local community events.

In a later phone conversation – and a broad-sweeping conversation with Mayor Utz, the former Westminster Fire Department chief, - after the monthly fire department company meeting yesterday evening, he reiterated that after he gets settled into office, reinvigorating the downtown shopping district will be one of his first priorities, along with pursuing increasing the supply of water for Westminster, for the purpose of facilitating economic and employment development.

At the moment, in addition to getting feedback from citizens and the downtown merchants, he is meeting with Westminster city government department heads and supervisors to take stock of Westminster’s current strengths, challenges, and opportunities, from the Westminster staff point of view.

It certainly appears that he has hit the ground running.

In addition, I have had the opportunity since the election on May 11, 2009, to talk with newly-elected councilmembers Damian Halstad and Tony Chiavacci; and both appeared to have many good new ideas and have a great deal of fresh new energy for Westminster and Westminster government.

Many folks that I have talked to since the election are excited about the new administration. There is certainly a lot of work to do.

20090603 Hats off to the newly elected mayor of Westminster

Westminster File Main St, Westminster Econ Dev, Westminster Mayor 2009 Utz Kevin, People Chiavacci Tony, Westminster Council Pres Halstad Damian, Westminster Elections 20090511, Restaurants Giulianova Groceria,

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Newly elected councilmember tackles hit and run driver and sits on him until police arrive

Law and order Councilmember Chiavacci

Newly elected councilmember tackles hit and run driver and sits on him until police arrive.

By Kevin Dayhoff Sunday, May 31, 2009

Westminster councilmember Tony Chiavacci (submitted photo)

[Note: This is an update of an earlier story from Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:00 pm: Law and order councilmember Tony Chiavacci Westminster Maryland - Newly elected councilmember tackles alleged hit and run driver and detains him until police arrive, by Kevin Dayhoff. A shorter – edited version of this story appears in the Westminster Eagle, “Dayhoff: New councilmember tackles alleged hit and run drive” Published June 1, 2009 by Westminster Eagle]

Westminster Maryland - If you aspire to be an alleged hit-and-run driver in Westminster, you may not want to do it in front of newly elected Westminster Councilmember Tony Chiavacci’s house on Willis Street, just a couple houses down from Westminster City Hall and the Westminster police station.

Reports of the councilmen’s heroic law-and-order behavior travelled quickly through town last Sunday morning.

Usually the most activity on Willis Street on any given Sunday are the squirrels frenetically frittering about doing, well, whatever it is the bushy tailed critters frantically do, birds singing and a few bunny rabbits nibbling on some grass.

However, last Sunday the bucolic story-book calm of the historic tree-lined street noted for its large stately homes and well manicured lawns was shattered abruptly by the sounds of a roaring engine, squealing wheels and a car crash.

When it was all over, even the squirrels, birds, and bunnies stopped in their tracks and the only frantic critter on the street was a reckless hit-and-run driver flailing about with the grass flying and a councilmember sitting his back.

Witnesses revealed that a hapless eastbound driver on Willis Street, had apparently rounded the corner and traveled at a high rate of speed from the direction of Westminster City Hall towards Center Street when he hit several parked automobiles.

Soon after the parked cars were hit, the offending auto stopped in the street like a wounded beast and the driver attempted to flee. That’s when councilman Chiavacci sprang into action by eventually running-down and tackling the individual.

As a crowd of older citizens, assorted family dogs, birds, bunnies, squirrels, and children gathered around, the alleged offender was reported to have been heard screaming, “Get off of me.” A request that Chiavacci, the son of a career retired Maryland State Police officer did not seem to be in the mood to oblige.

Later that evening in a telephone interview, Councilman Chiavacci, a former Army military police officer who is known for his good-natured smile and easygoing personality - but who is also about the size of a small Sherman Tank – calmly recalled the morning’s events.

“Today is my birthday and my kids made me a birthday breakfast,” said the father of five children proudly in a soft, measured voice. “I was sitting in the living room reading the Sunday paper, when all the sudden I heard a car engine roaring, tires squealing – and then a loud crash.”

Now, no longer worried that an idiot was on the loose on Willis Street, Chiavacci’s annoyance turned into concern. “I was worried that someone may have gotten hurt, so I hustled out of the house and down the driveway to see a damaged mini-van sitting in the middle of the street.”

“Then this guy gets out and starts beating the feet on down the street towards Center Street…” Chiavacci’s police training immediately kicked in as he noticed the vehicle did not have tags on it, “and I wondered why this guy was taking off?”

Chiavacci went on to say that “I asked the guy to stop and get back to his car.”

At which time the driver of the wounded mini-van said, “I’ve gotta get to work man.”

Quickly getting a grip on the situation and transitioning from big-breakfast-eating, newspaper-reading slumbering-Sunday Dad to concerned citizen; Chiavacci said he realized that “something wasn’t adding-up, so I asked him again to ‘stop right there,’ more colorfully,” shared Chiavacci in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, as if he were talking about the weather.

Meanwhile the offender is picking up the pace, not running, but moving even more quickly. “I caught up to him and asked him again to stop.” At that the gentleman pushed back against Chiavacci.

Other accounts suggest that the offender struck Chiavacci, however according to Chiavacci, “ah, he just pushed me and said something like ‘leave me alone.’”

Three strikes and a shove and you’re out. Besides, the bad guy interrupted Chiavacci’s Sunday morning with his kids.

Chiavacci reports that he “was nice enough to ask him to stop one more time,” as the offender continued to try and take off. “So, I just leveled him in the yard,” at the northeast corner of North and Willow Streets.

“My MP training just took over. I was worried for all the kids that were out … and my elderly neighbors… and fortunately I knew how to stop him without hurting him.”

“He kept fighting me, but I had the better of him and I just waited for the police to come…”

Fortunately for the alleged hit-and-run driver, Westminster city police arrived quickly and took control of the situation.

Afterwards, the children in the neighborhood resumed playing; the squirrels went back to – whatever it is that they do and Chiavacci, well, “after the police took the guy away, I went back to being a birthday Dad and reading the paper.”

All in a day’s work.

-30-

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at kevindayhoff AT gmail.com.

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20090601 SDOSM Law and order Councilmember Chiavacci

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