Incentive

The New York firm that evaluates Washington County Public Schools' Teacher Incentive Fund project recently had its contract picked up for a second year. The Board of Education unanimously approved its Aug. 16 consent agenda, which included renewing the contract with Measurement Incorporated Evaluation Services of White Plains, N.Y., according to a video of the meeting on the school system's website. The cost of the second year is $82,006, according to presentation documents. In April, the board approved hiring Measurement Inc. for $45,735 for an abbreviated first year.

ANNAPOLIS - The state is offering Washington County a $2.6 million incentive to boost teacher salaries by 10 percent over the next two years. cont. from front page Under the statewide challenge issued Tuesday, Washington County would have to give teachers a 4 percent raise in 2001 and another 4 percent raise in 2002. The state would provide another 1 percent salary boost each year. The question now becomes whether the county will be able to afford the raises at a cost of $2.18 million the first year and $4.59 million the second year.

The center of what once was the Martin's Food Market at Fountainhead Plaza sat empty for more than three years before it was demolished this winter to make way for a new free-standing office building that could open by the end of this year. The space could have continued in its boarded-up status for another year if it weren't for two new incentive programs that Washington County approved in recent months, said Asad Ghattas, who owns Fountainhead Plaza north of Hagerstown. Those incentive programs are for the creation of “pad-ready” sites for commercial and industrial uses and a tax credit for high performance or “green” commercial buildings, said Ghattas, who also is president and owner of Ghattas Enterprises, the real estate development company handling the project.

The Washington County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $10,000 cash incentive to help with the construction of a new professional office building off Eastern Boulevard. The three-story, 54,000-square-foot building, to be constructed by Investor Trilogy Enterprises Inc. in Light Business Park, will be leased in part to Capital Women’s Care, a group of obstetrics and gynecology practices, said Timonthy R. Troxell, executive director of the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission.

The financial services company approved for a potential county incentive payment last year “probably will not be coming to Washington County,” County Administrator Gregory B. Murray said Tuesday. Murray also elaborated on the incentive agreement, saying the Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to spend “up to” $100,000 on a potential incentive for the company, but actually offered only $50,000. The incentive was also contingent on the company moving to the county, creating a certain number of jobs and meeting other conditions that would benefit the county, he said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- The Washington County Commissioners took another stab on Tuesday at setting up a job-creation incentive program, but, without a deciding vote, the proposal was put off again. For months, the commissioners have talked about an "employment boost" for businesses that need help starting or expanding. The plan came back before the commissioners on Tuesday afternoon and was modified. But two of the four commissioners present wouldn't commit to the program.

The Hagerstown City Council is to vote tonight on whether to increase financial incentives to renters and home buyers in an effort to stimulate residential growth downtown. City Community Development Manager Larry Bayer said if the council approves, the amount that the city would offer to downtown renters as part of the Downtown Residency Initiative would increase from $100 to $150 a month. The amount that could be borrowed to purchase a home would increase from $1,500 to $2,500 on homes selling for $150,000 or less, and from $1,500 to $5,000 on homes selling from $150,001 to $250,000, he said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- The Washington County Commissioners agreed Tuesday they were interested in offering a short-term incentive program to boost housing starts and bolster the local economy. Such an incentive program could either reduce the excise tax rate that builders pay per square foot or waive the excise tax for up to a certain square footage, said county permits and inspections director Daniel F. DiVito, who agreed to draft some options for the commissioners to consider at their Oct. 6 meeting.

Jefferson rejects skipping exams By DAVE McMILLION / Staff Writer, Charles Town CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Jefferson High School's practice of allowing students to skip semester exams in exchange for good attendance records has been voted down by the Jefferson County Board of Education. For at least two years, Jefferson High students who missed four days or fewer of school and who maintained an 80 percent average in a course were allowed to skip the final semester exam in the class, said Jefferson County Board of Education spokeswoman Liz Thompson.

Two high-ranking Hagerstown police officers were paid roughly $20,000 each to retire earlier this year, according to City Finance Department records. Longtime city officials said it is believed to be the first time the city ever gave "severance incentives" to employees. [cont. from front page ] Former Capt. Robert Voytko was paid a total of $112,870 for the 1999 fiscal year, which included his salary of $51,699, according to city records. The rest included $9,276 for unused vacation time, $31,030 for unused sick leave, and a severance incentive of $20,865.

The future of a new tax abatement program in the Waynesboro area remains in limbo after several hours of discussion Monday. The Washington Township (Pa.) Supervisors held the first public hearing about a proposed Local Economic Revitalization Tax Abatement (LERTA) program. Washington Township is partnering with the Borough of Waynesboro, Quincy Township and the Waynesboro Area School District to develop the program. If a LERTA program is put in place locally, eligible industrial or commercial property owners could receive tax savings for 10 years after making improvements to their properties.

A retirement incentive approved this week by the Waynesboro Area School Board was designed to seek early retirement notices from teachers and professional staff. The school district will pay $500 to people who submit written notices of their retirement by March 15, according to the motion passed Tuesday by the school board. Retirees shall withdraw from active service and the drawing of an annuity from the Pennsylvania School Employees' Retirement System, the motion stated. Early notifications of retirements allows the district to find candidates for openings prior to summer training workshops, Superintendent Sherian Diller said.

City officials said Wednesday that they will look into providing a package of incentives for a potential pitch to the Washington County Board of Education to entice the relocation of the schools' administrative offices to downtown Hagerstown. As outlined in a study compiled by a Greater Hagerstown Committee task force on potential downtown sites, city incentives could include any absorption of costs associated with land acquisition or demolition as well as concessions to provide employee parking, possibly to include an additional parking deck built nearby.

Name: David Scott Gysberts Date of birth: Oct. 28, 1977 Address: 795 Hamilton Blvd., Hagerstown Education: Master of Arts, counseling Occupation: School counselor Party affiliation: Democrat Political experience: Five years on the city planning commission; previous run for mayor in 2009; applied for open council seat in 2006 Q: A significant amount of public taxpayer money over a long period has...

The Antrim Township Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution to create a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program that it hopes will be a shot in the arm for the Greencastle-Antrim business community. The program provides incentives for owners of eligible commercial properties to undertake improvements by easing the usual burden of increased taxes that come with an improved property and higher tax assessment. “In the short term, it would mean less tax revenue, but in the long term, it would mean a potential for drawing in more business and more tax revenue,” Antrim Township Administrator Brad Graham said.

Washington County Public Schools will pay almost $1 million to 148 teachers and school administrators who participated in the first year of an evaluation pilot program and were deemed to be effective or highly effective, according to Program Manager Stacy Henson. A total of $944,250 in bonuses will be paid to all participants in the program, Henson said. The average bonus for the teachers will be $6,046, she said. Most of the cost of the pilot program, which includes considering student academic growth, is covered by a $7.4 million federal Teacher Incentive Fund grant.

The financial services company approved for a potential county incentive payment last year “probably will not be coming to Washington County,” County Administrator Gregory B. Murray said Tuesday. Murray also elaborated on the incentive agreement, saying the Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to spend “up to” $100,000 on a potential incentive for the company, but actually offered only $50,000. The incentive was also contingent on the company moving to the county, creating a certain number of jobs and meeting other conditions that would benefit the county, he said.

Move over, Los Angeles. Production companies are looking to Baltimore as a backdrop for filming locations, thanks in part to state funding used to lure them to Maryland. And film industry people say Maryland's economy is reaping the rewards. “For 'Veep,' we re-created the entire second floor of the Eisenhower Building,” said John Latenser, stage manager of “Veep,” an HBO political comedy starringJulia Louis-Dreyfus. “It takes a lot of lumber, and a lot of supplies ... and it was all bought locally.” Latenser is one of many film industry crew members who live permanently in Maryland.

Lured by incentives from Washington County, Allegiant Air is taking another go at providing air service from Hagerstown to Orlando, starting May 25, county and airline officials announced Thursday. The company, which flew the same route in 2008 through 2010, will again offer twice-weekly flights, generally on Mondays and Fridays, from Hagerstown Regional Airport toOrlando-Sanford International Airport, Allegiant Manager of Airports Eric Fletcher said. Tickets are already on sale, with an introductory rate of $59.99 each way for tickets purchased by April 12. The service will fill the gap left last August when Direct Air ended its service from the county-owned airport to Myrtle Beach and Lakeland, Fla. Currently, the airport's only commercial service is its commuter flights to Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

The center of what once was the Martin's Food Market at Fountainhead Plaza sat empty for more than three years before it was demolished this winter to make way for a new free-standing office building that could open by the end of this year. The space could have continued in its boarded-up status for another year if it weren't for two new incentive programs that Washington County approved in recent months, said Asad Ghattas, who owns Fountainhead Plaza north of Hagerstown. Those incentive programs are for the creation of “pad-ready” sites for commercial and industrial uses and a tax credit for high performance or “green” commercial buildings, said Ghattas, who also is president and owner of Ghattas Enterprises, the real estate development company handling the project.