KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND
COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S

PUBLIC HEARING - 4/10/2001

Code Home Rule Bill No. 3-2001

A Public Hearing was held on Tuesday, April 10, 2001, at 9:45 a.m. in the County Commissioners' Hearing Room, County Government Center, Chestertown, Maryland on Code Home Rule Bill No. 3-2001 which is: an Act to add new Section 152.5 to Chapter 152, Taxation, of the Code of Public Local Laws of Kent County, Maryland, providing for the sale of real property to enforce liens for unpaid water and wastewater unpaid benefit assessments or other charges levied by the Kent County Department of Water and Wastewater Services in addition to other remedies as set forth in Section 9-658 of the Environment Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

By the 1^st day of January of each year the County Commissioners of Kent County shall cause to be delivered to the County Treasurer a certified list of property owners whose water and wastewater assessments, charges, and fees are deemed to be in arrears and are a lien on the real property for which made. This list shall contain the name, mailing address, and the amount due to the state tax identification number. On the 5^th day of March of each year the County Commissioners of Kent County shall cause to be delivered to the County Treasurer a certified list of property owners whose water and wastewater assessments, charges, and fees are deemed to be in arrears and are a lien on the real property for which made. This list shall contain the name, mailing address, the arrearage, a brief description of the property, the district of its location and such other description as the County Treasurer may deem necessary. The County Treasurer shall conduct a sale of real property to enforce a lien based on unpaid benefit water and wastewater assessments, charges and fees. The procedure for establishment, notification and enforcement of a lien authorized by the governing body shall conform to the provisions of Paragraph 152.4 of the code, governing collection of real property taxes in arrears.

County Commissioners Ronald H. Fithian, Larry B. Beck and W. Michael Newnam were in attendance as well as Roger Williams, Treasurer, Wayne Morris, Director, Department of Water and Wastewater Services, two citizens and members of the media.

Notice of the public hearing was read into the record by Commissioner Fithian.

Mr. Morris advised that this action was to update the local law to be consistent with State law in the procedure for treating delinquent water and waste water accounts the same as arrears in taxes, via a tax sale.

There was not anyone present who wished to speak for or against this proposed legislation.

The third reading of this proposed legislation will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2001, the next legislative day.

This hearing was taped for reference and adjourned at 9:50 a.m.