Commissioners OK $80 million bond sale

The Board of County Commissioners last week approved the sale of $80 million in general obligation bonds to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at a rate of just under 4.37 percent.

According to County Comptroller Rob Burk, Citigroup placed the lowest bid of the nine financial institutions vying to issue the bonds.

All the bids were within the range of 4.37 to 4.47 percent. Settlement between the county and Citigroup is set for Nov. 25.

On Nov. 10, Standard & Poor's upgraded the county's bond rating to AA+. The rating is significant because the higher the rating, the lower the interest rate paid on a particular bond issue.

The two other bond rating agencies, Fitch and Moody's, reaffirmed Carroll's previous ratings at AA+ and Aa2, respectively.

Of the current issue, $56 million of the bonds will be repaid on a 20-year schedule and the remainder on a 15-year schedule.

Sam Ketterman, senior vice president of Davenport & Company LLC, which advises the county on financial matters, said the 4.37 percent interest rate is "better than the AAA (interest rates) in the (current) marketplace."

Ketterman attributed this to the county's sound financial management, and also because "Maryland is a high tax state and people like our bonds."

About $40 million of the bond revenues will be spent on the construction of the Manchester Valley High School, scheduled to open next year.

Another $10 million will go toward construction of Carroll Community College's new classroom building, and $6 million is for the project expanding the Freedom Water Treatment Plant.

Road paving and improvement will receive a $6.8 million allocation, $5.5 million is budgeted for preserving agricultural land, $3.8 million will go toward refurbishment of the old New Windsor Middle School and $3.6 million will be used to build a fine arts addition at South Carroll High School.

FACC meeting focuses on South Carroll crime

The Freedom Area Citizens' Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at the South Carroll Senior and Community Center, Bartholow Road, Eldersburg.

Representatives from the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and the State Police Barrack in Westminster will speak on crime trends in the Freedom area and offer prevention tips. Business owners and residents are invited.

Sykesville department launches toy drive

Eldersburg area residents have a chance to make a sick child's Christmas better through the Sykesville/Freedom Dist. Fire Department's third annual toy drive.

The drive, which is underway, benefits sick children at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore.

Since the inception of the toy drive, the community has donated more than $10,000 in toys to the center, according to a news release by the fire department.

Unwrapped new toys can be dropped off at the fire station, 6680 Sykesville Road, Flohrville, through Monday, Dec. 15.

For more information, call 410-795-9311.

Va. man arrested on burglary tools charge

Carroll County Sheriff's Office last week arrested a McLean, Va., man for possession of burglary tools and other charges while in the Winfield Shopping Center.

Deputy First Class Brant Webb found Andrij George McConnell, 23, at about 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 12 parked behind the shopping center on the corner of Woodbine and Liberty roads in Winfield.

According to a news release issued by the Sheriff's Office, McConnell had a mask, bolt cutters, two portable radios, various tools, a machete, smaller knives and other items, which led to a fourth-degree burglary charge of having burglary tools and possession of concealed dangerous weapon.

The report noted that Webb said the suspect was "nervous and offered contradictory information as to why he was at the location."

McConnell was also driving on a suspended Virginia license and only produced a U.S. passport.

He was released from the Carroll County Detention Center after posting $2,500 bail.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 410-386-2900 or the Anonymous Tips Hotline at 888-399-8477.

S&K Roofing collects for Md. Food Bank

S&K Roofing of Eldersburg is collecting non-perishable food items for its fifth annual Holiday Food Drive to benefit the Maryland Food Bank.

Canned and non-perishable food may be dropped off at the drop box in the company showroom, 5399 Enterprise St., Eldersburg, though Dec. 17.

For more details call 410-795-4400 or go to www.SKRoofing.com/FoodDrive.

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