Wicomico Council Refuses to Waive Tipping Fees, Approves Pollitt Department Heads

At Tuesday’s meeting the Wicomico County Council decided not to waive tipping fees for ShoreUp! and approved all department heads submitted by County Executive Rick Pollitt. 

ShoreUp!, a social services non-profit, asked the council to waive a $30 / ton tipping fee for tree stumps to help lower the cost of a construction project they are undertaking.  ShoreUp! was represented by Del. Rudy Cane (D-37A).  Councilmen Joe Holloway and Matt Holloway supported the measure.  Council members Gail Bartkovich, Bob Culver, and Stevie Prettyman opposed the measure.

While recyclable material such as tree stumps do not carry a tipping fee for county residents, there is a $30 / ton fee for commercial haulers.  Cane stated that the hauler was performing this service for ShoreUp! at no charge.  However, Bartkovich and Prettyman both cited their fear of setting a precedent of waiving tipping fees for area non-profits.

Councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes abstained because she is an employee of ShoreUp!.  Councilman Bob Caldwell was absent.

The council also approved nine department heads submitted by Pollitt.  Three department heads:  John Redden of Public Works, Michele Ennis of Human Resources, and Sharon Morris of Administration are “acting” directors.

Culver asked that the confirmations be tabled; citing that the submissions were already past the deadline set by the county charter and that they should be approved along with the reorganization plan to be submitted by Pollitt.  Only councilman Joe Holloway supported Culvers motion to table.

In a work session the council discussed altering the county’s education impact fee.  Citing the need to stimulate construction in the county, Bob Culver proposed eliminating the fees.  Joe Holloway suggested changing when the fees were assessed.  Currently the impact fee is paid when the building permit is granted.  Holloway suggested that waiting until a certificate of occupancy is issued would help to mitigate some of the burden.  Local developer and realtor Bill Martin concurred that this would help, although he supported repeal of the impact fee.  Prettyman opposed any change to the impact fee structure.