GMP Moves Channel 12 to Channel 95

[Oz]

I'm bad. The actual amount paid back was $87,000. Not getting my info from St. Mary's Today. The money was not budgeted in the FY05 budget and was paid out of that. BS girl does not stand for what you think it does. Did you downloud the FY06 budget? What I can see is that it is not on-line yet. Furthermore, County Govt. is not renovating the building. They have contractors doing that. They need an architect why? I am well versed on the facility.

Honey, I've been reading that damned budget since about February or March - whenever the first draft came out.

I believe the architect was hired due to the historical significance of the building. Since you know so much about the project, which elevation did they choose? There were 2 or 3 different exterior designs which should be fairly easy to describe...

I don't know that I said Co Gov was renovating the building as in manual labor. I meant writing the checks. The money is not coming from your tax money unless you stayed in a St. Mary's County motel/hotel in the last few years and paid the room tax. The county has collected this money for years, and finally, some of that money is being invested into tourism.

PS. Thanks for the red karma, but I'm not the one who left you a red dot. I was rather enjoying the exchange...

 

[BS Gal]

Honey, I've been reading that damned budget since about February or March - whenever the first draft came out.

I believe the architect was hired due to the historical significance of the building. Since you know so much about the project, which elevation did they choose? There were 2 or 3 different exterior designs which should be fairly easy to describe...

I don't know that I said Co Gov was renovating the building as in manual labor. I meant writing the checks. The money is not coming from your tax money unless you stayed in a St. Mary's County motel/hotel in the last few years and paid the room tax. The county has collected this money for years, and finally, some of that money is being invested into tourism.

PS. Thanks for the red karma, but I'm not the one who left you a red dot. I was rather enjoying the exchange...

My point here is that having a Welcome Center is not going to draw tourists, however, the tourists that come will be privy to information given out and maybe they will come back and go fishing or whatever. The $87,000 they had to pay back was because the building is not going to be used for a youth facility. Can we use a place for sheltering youths? You bet we can.

As far as the historical value of the building, the historical people have not made a stink about any changes being made to the building, which bothers me becuase they did when the building was renovated back in the 90's.

I'm not saying that a welcome center is bad. What I am saying is that I don't like the fact we had to reimburse the State. I think that was $87,000 that could have gone towards a new little welcomecenter.

I think most of the people that come here are drawn by the Base.

And I am enjoying the exchange, also........

 

[BS Gal]

My point here is that having a Welcome Center is not going to draw tourists, however, the tourists that come will be privy to information given out and maybe they will come back and go fishing or whatever. The $87,000 they had to pay back was because the building is not going to be used for a youth facility. Can we use a place for sheltering youths? You bet we can.

As far as the historical value of the building, the historical people have not made a stink about any changes being made to the building, which bothers me becuase they did when the building was renovated back in the 90's.

I'm not saying that a welcome center is bad. What I am saying is that I don't like the fact we had to reimburse the State. I think that was $87,000 that could have gone towards a new little welcomecenter.

I think most of the people that come here are drawn by the Base.

And I am enjoying the exchange, also........

And, also, I don't send red. Only green.

 

[desertrat]

We need a Welcome Center because the country extracts hundreds of thousands of dollars in lodging taxes each year from our hotel businesses. The hotel-motel tax isn't general fund money. The county enacted the tax to promote tourism and put more people into the beds where the taxes came from. The tax was created for this very purpose.

So far, we aren't paying for a Navy Museum. But again the justification is that tens of thousands visit the museum each year. A good museum will help to sell the corporate types on doing business at Pax River. Pax River is also the main tourist engine in St. Mary's County. So you want those people to see a first class museum so they return with their families, tell their friends, etc. Going back to the top, a Welcome Center would also help by guiding those same visitors from the Navy Museum to St. Mary's City, to Sotterley, to St. Clements Island, to some of our nice restaurants, etc - hopefully keeping them in St. Mary's County rather than over the bridge in Solomons.

The McKay stuff you mentioned is just a requote of some of Rossignol's foolish headlines. It's Dyson vs McKay politics, and St. Mary's Today is in bed with Dyson. There will be plenty more anti-McKay headlines over the next 15 months. But read them for entertainment value, and then seek the truth from a reliable source.

I don't know anything about the budget, but I'm pretty sure what draws the "corporate types" to Pax is Navy money, not a museum. As far as drawing tourists, the only time that happens on a scale large enough to matter is the air expo. The rest of the time they couldn't get on base. I wouldn't be surprised to find out the oyster festival draws more out of towners, just for the visit, than the base does, just for the visit, all year long.
I'm enjoying your and BSG's little exchange though. You both seem well informed.

 

[Oz]

My point here is that having a Welcome Center is not going to draw tourists, however, the tourists that come will be privy to information given out and maybe they will come back and go fishing or whatever.

You are correct. Once the Welcome Center is in place, then we see how good DECD's Tourism director is... :gasp:

Can we use a place for sheltering youths? You bet we can.

That building wasn't a shelter before. It was an office. It doesn't matter if the State or the County owned that building, it would need major renovation for any future use. (Have you been in there since the youth organization moved out?) No AC, death trap staircases, no fire escape from upper levels, etc. etc...

As far as the historical value of the building, the historical people have not made a stink about any changes being made to the building, which bothers me becuase they did when the building was renovated back in the 90's.

I don't disagree with you at all. I am merely speculating as to why they went to designers in Baltimore, and that perhaps the history of the building was part of the reason. If you remember correctly, the designers simply appeared and were paid from DECD's budget. Even if county staff designed and renovated the property, we're still paying for it.

I'm not saying that a welcome center is bad. What I am saying is that I don't like the fact we had to reimburse the State. I think that was $87,000 that could have gone towards a new little welcomecenter.

If I had to put a Visitors Center in St. Mary's County, it would go in Leonardtown close to the Route 4 and 5 intersection, where you could draw people from 234/235/4 and 5. Plus you're 6 miles from the demographic center of the county at that place. But this was also a little bacon for Commissioner Jarboe's district... As for the $87K I guess you have to look at it as money that was saved years ago, but the rules require it to be paid back to change the use. Similar to the way the airport terminal building was constructed with State and Federal money, so use of the building must relate to aviation or the business of aviation.

And, since the room tax money is the source of funding for the Welcome Center, you don't have the argument about YOUR tax dollars being spent on the building.

 

[Oz]

So far, we aren't paying for a Navy Museum. But again the justification is that tens of thousands visit the museum each year.

Read the budget. Read old budgets. The Navy Museum has been funded by the county for a number of years.

I don't know anything about the budget, but I'm pretty sure what draws the "corporate types" to Pax is Navy money, not a museum.

But the museum could be a selling tool for Pax River. There is merit to a Navy Museum. I'm not sure the county needs to operate a glass palace down there. But a classy, comtemporary presentation of Pax River would benefit the military and contractor community.

As far as drawing tourists, the only time that happens on a scale large enough to matter is the air expo. The rest of the time they couldn't get on base. I wouldn't be surprised to find out the oyster festival draws more out of towners, just for the visit, than the base does, just for the visit, all year long.

I'm sure Air Expo is #1. I'm also sure that the Oyster Festival is probably #2. The key is to have all of those people who visit the base for business, spend their time and money in St. Mary's County, and not Solomons or Charles. Maybe they see enough during their travel day to bring their girlfriend/wife/family back for a relaxing long weekend. Or come back for a fishing charter. Air Expo gives the county a great opportunity to reach many people. A Welcome Center and a Navy Museum could be the centerpiece to connect all of the sites, and bring them back.

If you really want to worry about where your tax dollars are being spent, look at that Navy Museum. It has albatross written all over it at the moment.

 

[desertrat]

Read the budget. Read old budgets. The Navy Museum has been funded by the county for a number of years.



But the museum could be a selling tool for Pax River. There is merit to a Navy Museum. I'm not sure the county needs to operate a glass palace down there. But a classy, comtemporary presentation of Pax River would benefit the military and contractor community.



I'm sure Air Expo is #1. I'm also sure that the Oyster Festival is probably #2. The key is to have all of those people who visit the base for business, spend their time and money in St. Mary's County, and not Solomons or Charles. Maybe they see enough during their travel day to bring their girlfriend/wife/family back for a relaxing long weekend. Or come back for a fishing charter. Air Expo gives the county a great opportunity to reach many people. A Welcome Center and a Navy Museum could be the centerpiece to connect all of the sites, and bring them back.

If you really want to worry about where your tax dollars are being spent, look at that Navy Museum. It has albatross written all over it at the moment.

I'm missing something. Is this the same museum you were defending? Or is this some one else posting? As far as the welcome center paying for itself which I guess would be the goal, how much would it cost over say a five year period to upgrade and maintain and do we really think it will generate that much revenue? Oh, and who exactly gets it? The business men of our county. So if it's really only built with hotel taxes I guess thats fine. If, however, if it costs us taxpayers money and puts it in the pockets of hotel owners, resteranteurs (sp?) and charter boat captains, then I would have a problem. Oh wait thats the way it works, forgot.

 

[BS Gal]

Actually, County Government is currently running quite efficiently under this Board of Commissioners. Where we get screwed is in Annapolis...

Let's get back to that original post. They fired Lacer. Lacer had a contract they didn't recoginize. This is going to cost the County millions.

 

[Oz]

Let's get back to that original post. They fired Lacer. Lacer had a contract they didn't recoginize. This is going to cost the County millions.

Lacer had no business running county government. He's a much better attorney. If you know anything about that situation, you know that the previous board had written a contract with Lacer that extended 2 years after those cats were voted out of office. If a new board comes in, they are entitled to hire their own staff, particularly someone as important to the Commissioners agenda as the County Administrator.

The right thing happened to Lacer.

George Forrest has more integrity and leadership in his pinky than most people could ever hope for.

The previous board never should have extended the contract 2 YEARS into the next board. That is arrogant. Arrogance is why three of those folks were swept out of office. I'd like to see legislation that prevents contract extensions longer than the fiscal year in which the election falls. Annapolis could have protected our tax $$ in that case.

If Lacer was earning $130k or so annually, with 20 months left on his contract, hopefully the appeal process will limit the damages that LEGIT has to pay out.

 

[BS Gal]

Lacer had no business running county government. He's a much better attorney. If you know anything about that situation, you know that the previous board had written a contract with Lacer that extended 2 years after those cats were voted out of office. If a new board comes in, they are entitled to hire their own staff, particularly someone as important to the Commissioners agenda as the County Administrator.

The right thing happened to Lacer.

George Forrest has more integrity and leadership in his pinky than most people could ever hope for.

The previous board never should have extended the contract 2 YEARS into the next board. That is arrogant. Arrogance is why three of those folks were swept out of office. I'd like to see legislation that prevents contract extensions longer than the fiscal year in which the election falls. Annapolis could have protected our tax $$ in that case.

If Lacer was earning $130k or so annually, with 20 months left on his contract, hopefully the appeal process will limit the damages that LEGIT has to pay out.

You are correct. OMG, I am agreeing with you.....Lacer had no biz running County Govt. George Forrest is a gentleman, but can't be real effective when he cannot do what he feels he needs to do; however, he is a wonderful man.

The previous board should not have extended that contract, but they should have offered to buy him out (maybe they did and we don't know it) rather than firing him. It was, after all, a contract. I don't know what LEGIT will pay out, but it will be whatever the Court decides. I think we have to also think about the "damage" to Lacer's reputation, which is probably something worth way more than the contract amount, whether we buy off on it or not. I think that will play into what gets paid out. The existing Board did buy out Rohrbaugh, who had a year left on his contract (extended by the previous Board), so that was leads me to believe that buying out Lacer's contract was an option. Maybe they offered that to Lacer and he said, hahahahahaha?

As an aside, the approved FY06 budget was not posted until after I checked on it on the 26th in the moring.....I knew the recommended was there, but the approved got posted on the 26th. Recommended and approved are not always the same. In the same token, they are unsure if FTE will be required at the Welcome Center. They are banking on volunteers to run the center. Betcha lunch next year that we have County employees up there working?

 

[Oz]

As an aside, the approved FY06 budget was not posted until after I checked on it on the 26th in the moring.....I knew the recommended was there, but the approved got posted on the 26th. Recommended and approved are not always the same. In the same token, they are unsure if FTE will be required at the Welcome Center. They are banking on volunteers to run the center. Betcha lunch next year that we have County employees up there working?

George Forrest is probably the most effective County Administrator we've had since Ed Cox.

Welcome Center is contracted for FY06. So anything could happen after July 1.

That's a sucker bet because the Sheriff's office will have an outpost there so of course there will be county employees working in the Welcome Center building.

Leaving County Government didn't damage Lacer's reputation, but dragging the County through a lawsuit might. But his removal as County Admin did NOT damage his reputation one bit in my opinion. I find it curious that you care about his reputation in the first place?

 

[BS Gal]

George Forrest is probably the most effective County Administrator we've had since Ed Cox.

Welcome Center is contracted for FY06. So anything could happen after July 1.

That's a sucker bet because the Sheriff's office will have an outpost there so of course there will be county employees working in the Welcome Center building.

Leaving County Government didn't damage Lacer's reputation, but dragging the County through a lawsuit might. But his removal as County Admin did NOT damage his reputation one bit in my opinion. I find it curious that you care about his reputation in the first place?

I agree about GF. Ed Cox sealed his deal when he ran off with the County Attorney's secretary WHILE his wife had cancer. I have no respect for that man anymore.

I'm not talking about the Sheriff's Dept. being there. That's a given. Sheriff's Department = County employees (hope they don't bring their dogs cause then there is the flea issue). I am betting on the fact that County employees will be staffing the Welcome Center next year. Lunch bet is on that. When the FY07 budget comes out, we'll figure out who is buying lunch.

I'm not concerned about Lacer's reputation because, personally, I don't like the guy. What I'm saying is that he is going to bring that into the lawsuit, I bet.

 

[Oz]

I am betting on the fact that County employees will be staffing the Welcome Center next year. Lunch bet is on that. When the FY07 budget comes out, we'll figure out who is buying lunch.

I don't totally disagree with you. The county can't staff the center as cheaply as the contractor can. There won't be enough operational history for the County to attempt to staff it in-house if they don't open until next Spring. You're on for next year, but I won't take that bet for FY'08 when the contractor gets tired of subsidizing an underfunded budget...

 

[BS Gal]

I don't totally disagree with you. The county can't staff the center as cheaply as the contractor can. There won't be enough operational history for the County to attempt to staff it in-house if they don't open until next Spring. You're on for next year, but I won't take that bet for FY'08 when the contractor gets tired of subsidizing an underfunded budget...

The County will have figured out the operational history to staff it in-house. They will figure out the grade of the position, how many FTE's they need, and put it in the budget. I'm figuring one FTE and two part times, miniumum, since it will probaby operate 7 days per week, with the FTE getting benefits. The department will budget what they need when the budget is due and then the Finance Dept. will cut the budget BEFORE the BOCC sees it, as is the common practice, and the place will be short staffed from the start of the County operating it. Year before last the County budgets were required to be turned in as flat and a separate budget of -5%. This year they required them to turn the budgets in flat. Some departments complied and got screwed. Some didn't and got more $. Keep taking on more buildings and more staff and submitting a flat budget and public services, such as road maintenance, etc., are going to suffer because the departments are required to cut back on services to the public in order to keep County Govt. running.

 

[Oz]

The County will have figured out the operational history to staff it in-house. They will figure out the grade of the position, how many FTE's they need, and put it in the budget. I'm figuring one FTE and two part times, miniumum, since it will probaby operate 7 days per week, with the FTE getting benefits.

The location of that building, and the operating hours will make it very difficult to operate without 2 people in the building at all times. Otherwise, the location has a security issue if you place one employee there alone. The Deputies won't be there in the basement constantly/daily/regularly. Its not even a full time operation for close to 5 months of the year (weekends only,) so you really need all part-timers. I doubt if DECD wants to manage the headaches of (roughly) 6 part time employees.