Newly elected Westernport Mayor Amel Morris announced that the city owes exactly $367,972.49 in bills, and he plans to address the city’s financial problems through various efforts, most notably a continued spending freeze.
“I did issue a spending freeze last Monday evening,” said Morris. “If it’s not a necessity, we’re not going to spend money until further notice.”
The town owes $200,000 to UPRC — the Upper Potomac River Commission — to pay back a long-standing sewer bill.
Morris then announced that an informal mining committee was formed — the Westernport Regional Mining Committee, which he said was formed to oversee mining in the city.
“We have potential mining occurring above Hampshire Hill,” said Morris. “This committee will keep us informed of the mining going on in this area. I gave them authority to act on our behalf on mining issues.”
Morris added that any concerned citizen can appeal any of the mining occurring within city limits.
City attorney Jim Carskadon confirmed that this group was formed and that they do possess authority over mining issues within the town.
Discussion on the acquisition on the former Westmar Middle School/old Bruce High School building was next on the agenda.
Morris confirmed that the school was not yet in the city’s possession. “However, we are getting it,” he said.
“The comptroller hasn’t signed off on that yet,” said Morris. “From my understanding, there is a big stack of papers to sign off on and we are at the bottom of the stack.”
Morris formed another committee to oversee the buildings uses, which from past discussion, will turn into a community building housing several different entities.
Former police commissioner and current finance commissioner Tammy Kady was next in line to speak as she shared a letter she had composed about her husband, Tim Kady, and his recent dismissal from his position of lead foreman/supervisor for the city.
“The town has always had a lead supervisor/town foreman and for the mayor to say the position was made for my husband is completely untrue,” said Kady, about Morris’s saying Kady’s position was not needed in the city. “When Tim was hired, he found 400 gallons of gasoline that was unaccounted for and mostly all town vehicles are ran on diesel. Tim also found several personal purchases planned on the town’s bills, and saw many employees who had worked overtime with no evidence of actually working.”
In addition, Kady said her husband had cracked down on the late water bills, cutting the list down from five pages to three people.
“This is exactly why businesses have supervisors that watch over and supervise the business and make them accountable,” said Kady.
Kady concluded by asking the commission why there are three employees working in the city office and if they felt it was necessary to have that many town clerks.
Tim Kady was the only employee who was fired since Morris took office as mayor.
Council then voted unanimously to pass a motion changing the first month’s late fee for water bills to $10 instead of $20.
The new payment schedule, according to Water Commissioner Tuck Morris, will be $10 late fee the first month, an additional $20 the second month, and then their name will appear on the shut-off list.
“This will start on July’s bill — on July 25,” said Martin.
Martin also shared that the filter plant upgrade project is currently on hold with the United States Department of Agriculture.
“We are trying to schedule a meeting with engineers so we can sit down face-to-face and figure out how much money we have now and how much money Westernport will be responsible for,” said Martin.