CUMBERLAND — A law firm already representing Dorchester County has offered its services to members of the Maryland Rural Counties Coalition, including possible legal challenges to the state’s Chesapeake Bay clean-up program.
Funk and Bolton made the presentation at the rural coalition’s Oct. 8 organizational meeting in Annapolis, according to the organization’s minutes. The firm has offices in Annapolis, Baltimore and Chestertown.
The firm will offer research and analysis, complete and finalize watershed implementation plans, work on the relicensing of the Conowingo Dam and challenge the total maximum daily load model for bay cleanup, which is believed to be flawed.
TMDLs are “an estimate of the maximum amount of an impairing substance or stressor (pollutant) that a water body can assimilate without violating water quality standards,” according to the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Those numbers are being used to calculate the amount each county contributes to the pollutants entering the bay and provide a target number of how much the county must reduce of its pollutant output.
Funk and Bolton estimated the costs of their representation at about $300,000, or $30,000 per county, if 10 counties would participate. The firm also suggested encouraging municipalities to participate in any proposed legal action or services.
While details from the minutes are sketchy, Funk and Bolton are being scheduled for a presentation to Allegany County commissioners during an upcoming work session, said County Administrator David Eberly during Thursday evening’s commission business meeting.
With the recent additions of Caroline and Wicomico counties, the coalition now represents nine counties populated by nearly a million citizens.
Caroline County commissioners and the Wicomico County council both voted unanimously to join the coalition recently. Coalition members also include Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Somerset and Washington counties. The coalition began with four counties in December.
Also during the rural coalition meeting, coalition chairman and Allegany County Commission President Michael McKay named Allegany County finance director Jason Bennett to serve as treasurer for a one-year term, and Ragen Cherney from the Frederick County Manager’s Office to serve as secretary for a one-year term. McKay named Carroll County Commissioner Richard Rothschild to serve as chairman of the coalition’s land use committee.
The legislative committee will be led by Wicomico County council member Joe Holloway. Bennett said the coalition had a $6,148.13 cash balance.
McKay said there is no formal dues structure and that each county was encouraged to donate the amount they believe to be “necessary and able,” according to the minutes. There is a plan to institute individual membership fees.
Coalition members also voted to retain a representative for the 2013 General Assembly session. No decision was made on who would represent the coalition, but nominations by coalition members can be sent to the chairman or secretary, according to the minutes.
For the 2012 session, the coalition paid $10,000 to Bruce Bereano and $7,500 to Bill Miles for their representation.
Minutes of the meeting were released to the media by McKay.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com.
Latest news
Coalition mulls law firm in bay cleanup
Cost for rural counties near $300K
- Latest news
-
-
County: Increase in water rates planned
Many customers in Allegany County will likely see a small increase in their water and sewer rates during the upcoming fiscal year.
-
Rocky Gap Casino Resort flush with visitors; 1,000 estimated on first day
Nearly 300 people were waiting outside and in the lobby Wednesday when Rocky Gap Casino Resort officials emerged at about 4 p.m. to announce they had received a call from the Maryland gaming commission that they were approved to open.
-
Live music takes center stage at 6th DelFest
With more than 30 musical acts set to take the stage at the 6th annual DelFest this weekend, now might be a good time to let folks know about some of the bands that will headline this four-day music festival.
-
Bear in tree
A crew from the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service successfully removed a young female bear from a tree in South Cumberland Thursday morning, eventually releasing the bruin on state-owned land in Allegany County.
-
Frostburg adopts $9.7M budget, keeps alley open
The Frostburg mayor and city council have voted to adopt a $9.7 million budget for fiscal year 2014 and to keep open an alley that many citizens feared would be closed by the city.
-
6th annual DelFest has arrived
Thirty national recording artists are preparing to step into the Cumberland spotlight this weekend at the Allegany County Fairgrounds as DelFest rolls into town for its sixth annual musical festival.
- Rocky Gap casino opens
-
‘Time just kind of stood still’
Helmeted rescue workers raced Tuesday to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children.
-
City hopes economic strategies clear way for job creation, growth
Shawn Hershberger, economic development coordinator for the city, gave an update of the strategies being pursued for economic growth, including developing an educational center at the former Human Resources Development Commission location.
-
Protesters rally at FirstEnergy meeting
At least 200 union workers picketed FirstEnergy’s annual shareholder meeting in West Virginia on Tuesday, demanding the Ohio-based utility hire enough people to keep the power on without forcing an ever-shrinking labor force to work as many as 1,800 hours of overtime a year.
- More Latest news Headlines
-
County: Increase in water rates planned
