Town Council — 2023-06-01

The Centreville Town Council met June 1, 2023. The meeting opened with an announcement of the passing of Officer Sam Ferracane and the Council approved the May 18, 2023 minutes. In citizen remarks, Sveinn Storm spoke about banning smoking and beer bottles. The Council approved a Providence Farm block party street closure (200 block of Providence Lane) contingent on liability insurance, administered the oath of office to Fred Beu for the Board of Zoning Appeals (term to April 2026), and received Main Street updates from Carol D’Agostino about a one-year MOU with the Centreville Spy, a NASCAR Give-a-thon donation of $1,427.08 held with Chesapeake Charities for business reimbursements, and plans for the June 19 DrinkMaryland event with about 40 artisans and musical entertainment. At the public hearing on the FY2024 budget, the tax rate and public utility tax remained unchanged ($0.535 and $13.00 per $100 assessed value), the General Fund showed a $61,968 positive balance and Enterprise Funds a $26,274 deficit requiring a transfer from Fund Balance, and no speakers spoke in favor. At the public hearing on Ordinance 02-2023 to ban retail plastic carryout bags, multiple residents spoke both for and against the measure; the Council voted 3-2 to allow written comments on the ordinance to be submitted until the July 20 Town Council meeting, and member Beauchamp raised concern about whether a proposed $0.10 fee should be optional rather than mandatory pending input from the Retailers Association.