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IF I COULD HAVE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION, WE'LL[County Council Budget Work Session]
GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE.UM, AS I'VE DONE THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, UH, THIS IS OUR THIRD BUDGET WORK SESSION.
AUDIO PORTION WILL BE LIVE STREAMED AND ARCHIVED ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, IF, IF MR. KEARNEY'S OKAY WITH IT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH MS. HASSLER.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO ALWAYS THE HIGHLIGHT, IF I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN ALL OUR PARTNERS IN THE COUNTY, I'M MARRIED PUBLIC LIBRARY CEO.
AND WITH ME TODAY IS OUR CFO OF PUBLIC LIBRARY,
AND I CAN'T SAY THIS ENOUGH, WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING AND WHAT WE PROPOSE TO RECEIVE HERE.
IT IS A LETTER PERCENT OPERATING ABOUT $2 MILLION.
WE'RE NOT ABOUT EXACTLY 2 MILLION.
UM, I'M VERY BLESSED WHEN YOU'RE THANKFUL.
THEY'RE VERY CRUCIAL TO THE LATEST INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED AVERAGING LIBRARY
I SAID, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
IT'S ABOUT ONE POINT $136,800 SALARY, PLEASE, MORE OR LESS.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, 87,000 WILL BE USED FOR OUR FICA RELATED SALARY INCREASE WITH THE SUB INCREASES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE ARE ADDING NEW POSITIONS, INCLUDING LIBRARY, AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $62,000 TOTAL.
OR WE WILL BE PROVIDING FOUR HOURS A WEEK OF SERVICE IN THAT AREA OF HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE AN ESTIMATED $6,500 INCREASE FOR US.
AND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY CONSORTIUM, WHICH IS THE SCHOOLS THAT COUNTY AND EVERYONE FOR BENEFITS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE CANDY GUMMIES RECEIVING AND THE RETIREES ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THE HEALTH CARE OPTION THAT WE PROVIDE.
LIKE I SAID, TWO YEARS AGO, I'VE LOST TRACK OF YEARS AGO, TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
SO WE HAVE SAVED NOT ONLY ON OUR SIDE, BUT ALSO FOR OUR RETIREES THIS PAST YEAR, WE OFFERED THE OPTION OF A SMALL FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO, UH, LEAVE OUR PENSION WHERE WE PAY 50% OF HEALTH BENEFITS WHEN YOU RETIRE TO GO INTO THE PET PLAN.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT 64 OF OUR EMPLOYEES AFTER POLICE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND KEPT FUNDING WILL INCREASE ABOUT 160 3040 A YEAR IN FISCAL YEAR 22 FUNDING FOR EACH PARTICIPANT IN THE PLAN IS ABOUT $4,179.
AND WE FUNDED THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE OUT OF OUR RESERVES LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THAT WAS ABOUT A $1,000 FOR EACH YEAR SERVICE UP TO $10,000 FOR AN EMPLOYEE.
UM, AND THEN AT FISCAL YEAR 23, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY WE'RE LAUNCHING A NEW COLLECTION AND A NEW MOBILE SERVICE.
WE HAVE THREE LEVEL BANDS ON ORDER.
UM, WE ARE PART OF SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEM.
UM, WE WERE REALLY PLEASED TO FIND ONE LOCALLY, A LOT BACK IN JANUARY.
SO WE SNAPPED THAT UP, READ WHAT ELSE DID, AND THEN WE HAVE TO ORDER, AND THESE WOULD BE VERY NIMBLE, FLEXIBLE BANS, WHERE WE WILL TAKE OUR COLLECTIONS OUT THE BALL FIELDS TO OUR SENIOR CENTERS TO ANYWHERE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE A SAMPLE.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLE.
WASN'T THAT BIG A TAG HAS THE FRONT OF HIM, UH, OF COOKING SAID, UM, TERRY HAS IN FRONT OF HIM, UM, UH, OF FACILITATING COOKING SETS OF LETTERS.
SO THE CAREGIVER CAN DO SOME BAGEL AND THEN EAT.
THAT'S WHY YOU GOT THE COOKING OF BEANS IN FRONT OF, UM, MR. VIOLA.
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HE HAS HIS DINOSAURS.UM, ANDRE ALSO HAS A LITERACY SKILL BUILDING SET.
MR. WOODS ALSO HAS RED LIMITLESS CUSTOMERS OF YOUR PRE-LITERACY SKILLS BUILDING SET PIECES, KIDS.
WE KNOW BY THAT FINE SKILL BUILDING THAT THAT HELPS THEM TO BE READY FOR SCHOOL.
UM, AND THESE ARE JUST A SMALL SAMPLING OF WHAT WE ALSO HAVE BASEBALL KIDS, CROQUET SIT, KIDS, FISHING, RODS, FOOTBALL, KICK BALLS, MINI GOLF, SET, PICKLEBALL VERY MUCH TO A DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND REC.
I DID NOT COME INTO MY CAR AND SOCCER BALLS AND MORE.
AND THEN ON OUR CAPITAL FUNDING REQUESTS, WE ARE RECEIVING 450,000 FOR TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR COMPUTERS FRESH AND READY TO SUPPORT OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EVERYONE THEATERS.
AND ALSO THERE'S FUNDING ALLOCATED ON THE COUNTY SIDE OF THE BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY RENOVATION, AND THEN ALSO COMPLETION FOR THE DARLINGTON LIBRARY AND A FEW OTHER SMALL PROJECTS ON THE SIDE.
SO THAT WRAPS UP MY PRESENTATION.
ALWAYS APPRECIATE HAVING YOU HERE WITH US AND I'M SORRY THAT COUNCILMAN BEULAH IS NOT HERE TODAY.
HE CALLED ME EARLY THIS MORNING AND HE HAS A PERSONAL ISSUE THAT HE'S TAKEN CARE OF THIS MORNING, BUT HE WILL BE HERE, UH, AS SOON AS HE CAN.
HE MISSED THE TOYS THAT'S FOR SURE.
UM, I WANT TO ASK YOU AS I'VE DONE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE PAST, THAT IF YOU WOULD PLEASE FORWARD A COPY OF YOUR COMMENTS THIS MORNING OVER TO MS. HARRIS SO THAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE THEM AMONGST THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THEN IF YOU WOULD JUST GO BACK TO THE DARLINGTON LIBRARY, HOW MANY HOURS WILL THAT BE SERVICING THAT AREA? WE'LL BE IN THE SAME SCHEDULE AS THE REST OF THE BRANCHES, WHICH ARE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM.
AND THEN SATURDAY WE'RE OPEN 10:00 AM.
O'CLOCK AM ALSO, EXCUSE ME, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 10:00 PM TO 7:00 PM.
WE HAVE NOT RETURNED BACK WHERE 8:00 PM, EXCEPT FOR SOCIAL INSTANCES, WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING THOSE SO WE CAN BRING IT AT THAT HOUR, BACK TO ALL THE BRANCHES.
AND THEN IN THE FALL, WE HAVE TO RETURN TO SOME SUNDAY HOURS WATCHING THE COVID METRICS ON ALL THAT.
AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ALL TOGETHER THROUGHOUT ALL THE LIBRARIES.
COUNSEL, MS. SCHROEDER, MR. GINGER, DENNIS.
SO I THOUGHT YOUR, YOUR BEST PART OF YOUR SPRING WAS YOUR GALA.
IT WAS A FUN NIGHT, WASN'T IT? IT WAS, IT WAS, WE, WE, WE DEFINITELY ENJOYED BEING THERE.
SO NOW THE NEXT ONE WHITE NOVEMBER.
SO THERE IS, LET'S GO ON SALE AUGUST 5TH, 1105 AM.
SO YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE BELL AIR LIBRARY IS HAVING AN UPDATE WHAT'S BEING DONE TO CAUSE WASN'T THAT DONE? LIKE IS IT 15 YEARS AGO? IT WAS MORE LIKE 27 YEARS, 27 YEARS AGO, THE BELLER LIBRARY WAS REDONE.
THE BELL, OUR LIBRARIES ARE BUSIEST BRAINS STILL IN THE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF WALK-INS UP SIZE ALSO.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS UPDATING IT.
IT REALLY NEEDS A MAJOR REFRESH.
WE DID THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT FIVE YEARS AGO.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE BUILDING, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT MOVING SOME OF OUR HEADQUARTERS, LIKE MY OFFICE, UM, EXECUTIVE SUITE, UH, SOME OF THE FINANCIAL THINGS OVER TO THE LAYER.
I REALLY FEEL IT'S CRITICAL AS A OF, AND THAT WE ARE EMBEDDED IN PEOPLE ARE USING OUR SERVICES.
SO WHILE WE DO A GOOD JOB WHILE WE'RE REMOTE IN THE CAMP, IT'S NICE TO ACTUALLY SEE PEOPLE COMING IN WITH THE STROLLERS OR THE SENIORS DOING THEIR BOOK DISCUSSION.
AND IT REALLY HELPS MY STAFF WHO AREN'T THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SIDE OF THE HOUSE, BUT THEY'RE THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE HOUSE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, HOW IT IMPACTS OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE LOOKED UP THAT FUNCTIONALITY, WHEN THEY CAN SEE SOMEBODY STRUGGLING TO GET UP THE STEPS WITH XYZ OR COMING DOWN THOSE STEPS IN BEL-AIR, IT REALLY HELPS THEM TO DO THEIR PLANNING FOR FUTURE RESOURCES.
SO THE EXCITING PART ABOUT THAT IS, I GUESS I CAN SAY THIS, IT MIGHT BE SECRET STILL, BUT I WILL SAY IT, UM, WE ARE CHANGING THE ENTRANCE.
IT WILL BE ON THE CORNER OF, UH, HICKORY AND PENNSYLVANIA, INSTEAD OF JUST BEING DOWN THE STAFFS.
WE WILL STILL HAVE THAT ENTRY IN THERE FOR PARKING LOT AND FOR STROLLERS, UM, AND FOR ADA, BUT THE ENTRANCE WILL BE ON THE CORNER AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TAIL SO THAT WE MIRROR THE, THE, ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THE VELOUR AND TOWN, UM, CENTER.
SO, UH, IT WILL BE A LOT UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY IN THE BUILDING.
THESE, IT IS GOING ON 30 YEARS OLD NOW, UM, I'LL SAY NEW OFFICES,
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NEW PUBLIC SPACE, UH, AND REALLY DEVELOP A FLOOR PLAN THAT I THINK WILL WORK REALLY WELL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.WHEN CAN WE SEE THE PLANTS IN THE DESIGN PHASE? WE HAVE FUNDING THIS YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 FOR THE DESIGN PHASE.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THEM THEN.
WELL, I THINK I'M GLAD I ASKED A QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY LIKE MYSELF, DIDN'T THINK THE REHAB ON THE BELL AIR LIBRARY WAS ALL THAT LONG AGO.
I THOUGHT 15 AND I WAS STRETCHING IT.
SO I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT IT'S 27 YEARS, DID YOU FIND WITH THE PANDEMIC AND DO YOU FIND NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE USING MORE ONLINE SERVICES THAN BEFORE, HAS THAT CONTINUED? UM, AND I THINK YOU DO SOME KIND OF STREAMING SERVICES.
I DON'T THINK IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING TO US OUT THERE, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE LIBRARY OFFERS AS WELL, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE DON'T, WE'VE BEEN OFFERING EAT HOT DUCKS AND THAT E PRODUCTS WOULD BE BOOKS THAT BOOKS, AUDIO, BOOKS, EAT MOVIES, FILMS, ONLINE CLASSES.
YOU CAN TAKE ALL SORTS OF SOURCES.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS NOW DURING THE PANDEMIC WHILE WE WERE CLOSED, WE REALLY DID EMPHASIZE THAT.
AND WE HAVE AN ONLINE LIBRARY CARD THAT ANYONE IN THE WORLD AND THE NEW YORK PUBLIC IS GETTING PUBLICITY FOR THIS, BUT WE'VE HAD IT BEFORE THEM, ANYONE IN THE WORLD CAN HAVE A ONE-LINE CARD ACCESS AT ONE LINE PRODUCTS FOR FREE, UM, THAT DID INCREASE DURING LOCKDOWN FORCE.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS IT'S, IT'S STUDYING AT, IN HARBOR CANADA.
MY GUESTS, I'M LOOKING AT ALL OF YOU.
THERE IS A TABLE SOMEWHERE IN YOUR HOUSE WHERE YOU HAVE A POWELL LIBRARY, BOOKS, OR BOOKS THAT YOU'VE PURCHASED, OR YOUR SPOUSE OR YOUR CHILDREN AT STILL RESPECT THAT.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD BALANCE NOW BETWEEN OUR PHYSICAL PRODUCT AND THEN OUR PRODUCTS AND OUR STREAMING.
YES, WE'RE DOING OUR LIVE COOKING SHOW STREAMING.
THIS ARCHIVE IS WITH THE AMAZING CHEF JOHN SHIELDS, AND IT REALLY DOES SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN.
IT'S WHAT'S OUR BUSINESSES, WHICH WOULD BE TRUE.
SO MANY GROUPS IN THESE SHOWS.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, IS WHAT STEM MEANS.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHEMISTRY.
YOU KNOW, THESE, WHEN YOU COOK, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO DO MATH TO UNDERSTAND MEASUREMENTS.
AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A BAKER, IT'S CHEMISTRY, A LOT OF CHEMISTRY IN THERE.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH SALT IN OR TOO MUCH PAPERWORK.
POWDER IS TERRIBLE FOR BAKING SODA, OR, YOU KNOW, REALLY CHANGE IT.
AND I DON'T DEAL WITH LIKE THAT FOR OTHER DID YEARS AGO, MAKING PASTA, YOU WENT STICK TOGETHER, YOU CAN PUT IN BAKING SODA IN THE WATER.
IT WAS NOT, PLEASANT WAS NOT PLEASANT WHATSOEVER.
DID YOU BRING BACK THE MAGAZINES AND THE RACKS AND THE ABINGDON? UM, I USED TO LOVE TO SIT OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THAT BIG WINDOW.
WELL, THE BIG WINDOW IS STILL THERE AND WE DO HAVE LOTS OF RESOURCES THERE.
THE PUBLISHER IS QUITE CUTTING BACK ON PHYSICAL MAGAZINE.
SO WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN ALL THE BRANCHES ARE IPADS.
SO YOU CAN STILL SEE THE MAGAZINE.
IT'S NOT THE QUITE, I MEAN, I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF IT BECAUSE I STILL LIKE A MAGAZINE IN MY HAND.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY ALL THE PUBLISHERS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE SOME STILL PAPER FORMAT, OTHERS ONLY ELECTRONIC, AND YOU CAN ACCESS MAGAZINES AT HOME FOR FREE.
ONE NIGHT YOU CAN GO CHECK THE LATEST PEOPLE MAGAZINE IF YOU LIKE CARS.
THANK YOU, MARY COUNSEL, MR. JOHNSON, THE COUNCIL RESIDENT.
UH, THE AVERAGE, UM, EDUCATIONAL LEVEL FOR, UM, LIBRARIANS.
WHAT, WHAT IS THAT WELL FOR HIM TO BE A LIBRARIAN, YOU MUST HAVE A MASTERS IN LIBRARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS AN MLS OR M L I S.
UM, AND IT MUST BE FROM AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY, IF SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, IT'S GRADUATE SCHOOL.
IT'S GENERALLY TWO YEARS, SOMETIMES THREE YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE PROGRAM, YOU GO THROUGH GRAD SCHOOL AND THEN YOU ARE, UM, YOU HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED THROUGH THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
AND THAT CERTIFICATE IS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR OUR LIBRARY ASSOCIATES, WHICH WE, WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE WITH THE PUBLIC SO MUCH FOR MY RESEARCH USE VERSUS THE LIBRARIAN.
BUT LIBRARY ASSOCIATE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS AN UNDERGRAD DEGREE.
UM, IT CAN BE ANYTHING, AND THEN WE SEND THEM TO TRAIN AND CALL IT LIBRARY.
SO SHE HAD TRAINING INSTITUTE THROUGH THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
IT'S, UH, IT'S ABOUT A YEAR'S WORTH OF TRAINING.
UM, SOME ONLINE, SOME IN PERSON NOW, AFTER THAT, THEY MOVED INTO A LIBRARY ASSOCIATE TO POSITION, AND THEN THEY ALSO ARE CERTIFIED AT STATE OF MARYLAND AND HAVE TO HAVE CREDITS EVERY SO OFTEN TO BE RECERTIFIED.
SO EITHER UNDERGRAD DEGREE OR, UM, IF YOU'RE A TRUE LIBRARIAN, UM, AND IN MARYLAND, THERE'S ONLY ONE POSITION THAT MUST BE A MLS LEVEL.
MATT, AS YOUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR THAT WAS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND YOUR AVERAGE SALARY FOR, FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
UH, IT DEPENDS ON THE SESSION, I THINK.
DID YOU BRING YOURSELF, SHE'LL PULL IT FOR
[00:15:01]
US.I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE IT TODAY.
I WOULD, IF I HAD TO GUESS IF THAT WERE MINUTE SCALE, I WOULD SAY LOW FORTIES, IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT FLOOR LIBRARIAN, UM, SAYING THEY DON'T DON'T DEPARTMENT OF CHILI'S DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE BRANCHES, AND THEN AS BEING MOVED UP, UH, LIBRARIANS MAY SUPERVISE LIBRARY ASSOCIATES.
SO THEIR CAREER TRACK IS GENERALLY THEY'LL MOVE UP TO A MANAGEMENT POSITION, WHICH WOULD BE, UM, ASSISTANT BRANCH MANAGER IN A BRANCH.
AND THEN THEY MOVE INTO A BRANCH MANAGER POSITION AND THEN THEY CAN MOVE INTO A PUBLIC SERVICES, ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION OR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, WHICH IS OUR COO.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THEY CAN MOVE UP TO BE A DIRECTOR OF JEWISH.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ON YOU TODAY, COULD YOU JUST PROVIDE A FORM? OKAY.
I USUALLY DO THAT IN COMPARISON, BUT I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR.
ANYONE ELSE MR. SCHROEDER? YES.
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK ON THE FOUNDATION.
IT'S IT'S BEEN, UH, A NICE ANOTHER RUN FOR ME.
UM, AND YOU GUYS DO A FABULOUS JOB.
UM, IT KIND OF A QUESTION THAT DOVETAILS WITH THAT.
WHERE DO YOU THINK WE ARE WITH THAT 10%? I KNOW IN YEARS PAST, UM, I REMEMBER THAT YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE, UM, FOR THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION AND WHERE WE WERE AMONGST OTHER, THE PEER, OUR PEERS, THAT WE WERE KIND OF LOWER.
AND, UM, I'VE HEARD IN ANNAPOLIS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS WITH, UM, UH, WITH GOING TOWARDS A, UH, A UNIONIZED, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT THING.
SO, UM, DOES THE 10% HELP US OUT ANY WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES? I MEAN, I'M SURE I KNOW IT HELPS OUT, BUT WHERE DOES IT PUT US IN THE PAC COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVENESS DID A FEW YEARS AGO BEFORE COVID, I WANT TO SAY 2019, WE DID A COMP AND CLASS STUDY WITH CBUS AT, UH, OHIO, A CONSULTANT.
AND YOU MAY REMEMBER THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, WHERE I MENTIONED A FUNDING THAT WE FUNDED THAT MATCHED YOUR OUT OF RESERVES, BRINGING EVERYBODY OUT NOW IS EVERYBODY AT $15 AN HOUR.
MY GOAL IS TO GET 15, MAYBE EVEN HIRED FOR OUR STARTING SALARIES WERE A LITTLE BIT LOW ON THAT END, BUT THE 10% WILL REALLY HELP US TO STAY AFLOAT.
UM, WE DO OUR SALARY SCALE THIS YEAR.
WE DO THAT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH OUR PRIMARY COMPETITIVE, UM, COMPETITORS, OUR OTHER LIBRARY SYSTEMS CLOSE BY, WHICH WOULD BE YOUR BOMBER COUNTIES, CARROLL COUNTY, UM, NOT SO MUCH ONES FURTHER OUT.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT WE HEAR IS THAT WE JUST LOST THE CUSTODIAN, I THINK, TO HARPER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, SO I SAW THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT DOES, UH, WE, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT, UM, WHERE YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE MOVING HEADQUARTERS OR PART OF IT TO BEL-AIR AND IT TOWN SEAT.
I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN BELL CAMP, BUT I KNOW IT'S LIKE FLEX SPACE, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIG GARAGE DOORS OFF THE BACK WHERE YOU CAN COME IN AND BRING BOOKS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO IS THERE A WAY TO RECONFIGURE THAT THAT WORKS FOR THAT ASPECT, BUT THEN MAYBE PROVIDES US MORE SPACE FOR THE WELCOME ONE CENTER THERE, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO NEEDED IN HARFORD COUNTY BADLY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVE YOUR OFFICES OUT, MAYBE FREE UP SPACE, BUT THEN ALSO ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MATERIALS TO COME IN AND, AND YOU KNOW, HOW YOU PROCESS THOSE MATERIALS THROUGH THAT KIND OF SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S LIKE A MINI WAREHOUSE.
THAT'S WHAT FLEX SPACE KIND OF IS IN A WAY IT'S LIKE IN AND OUT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO IS THERE A WAY, OR HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANYBODY ABOUT, UM, I KNOW YOU'RE REDESIGNING THIS, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE HORIZON ABOUT RECONFIGURING THAT SPACE? YES, DEFINITELY.
THAT IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THAT AS WELL.
AND I BELIEVE THE THOUGHT WAS TO DO A HOLISTIC APPROACH IN THAT COMPLEX.
WHERE DO YOU GO SEND THE SOCIAL SERVICES TO HELP WITH ALL THE CLIENTS IN THAT AREA? SO THE GAME PLAN IS FOR
AND THEN THAT WOULD FREE UP THAT ENTIRE SPACE FOR WELCOME ONE.
AND DOES EVERYBODY, IT SEEMS TO WORK WELL THERE, I MEAN, THERE'S NO, NO COMPLAINTS OF SERVANT VERY NEEDED SERVICE IN THE COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE WE NEED YOU, WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE BOOKS COME IN SO THEY CAN MOVE TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, AND I'M SURE THEY NEED REFRESHED AND YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU DO WITH THEM DOWN THERE TO FLEX SPACE.
[00:20:03]
I DID, BUT I CAN'T THINK OF IT FOR YOU.IT'S JUST TAKING TIME FOR US TO, UH, FELLERS AND INTERESTING LIBRARY IS IT IS THREE BUILDINGS PUT TOGETHER.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE ODD LITTLE HALLWAYS THAT GO NOWHERE AND LITTLE NOOKS AND CRANNIES.
SO, UM, I HAVE TO SAY WE CAN, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH, UH, WORKING WITH THE ARCHITECTS AND, UM, REALLY COME UP WITH THE FUNCTIONALITY THAT'S GOING TO, I THINK IT'S GONNA WORK GREAT FOR US NOW, BUT ALSO IN THE FUTURE FOR FUTURE AND MR. SROS, MR. WAGNER, CHAD HAPPENS EXACTLY WHERE I WAS GOING.
WAS THE SPACE AT RIVERSIDE, UH, FOR THE WELCOME ONE SHELTER.
JUST IS THERE, IS THERE AN UPDATE THAT YOU CAN GIVE US ON THAT MORE THAN WHAT YOU'VE JUST SAID, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR PROBABLY TWO, THREE YEARS OR MORE EVEN, BUT IS THERE, IS THE MOVEMENT MOVING AHEAD? I MEAN, IS THERE SPACE BEING FREED UP AT 5 43? AND I KNOW YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT MOVING SOME OFFICES UP HERE TO BEL AIR, BUT I GUESS WHAT, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF WHERE ARE WE? WE WILL, UM, THE, THE DESIGN WILL FINISH FOR FILLER FISCAL YEAR 23, AND THEN A CONSTRUCTION WILL START ON THAT PROJECT, JULY 1ST OF 23, RIGHT.
UM, SO, AND THEN MEANTIME, I, I COULDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UH, WELCOME ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
ASK THE COUNTY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WORKING OVER THERE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY A BIG FACILITY THERE.
WE JUST HAVE MAYBE A THIRD OF THE BUILDING.
THEY HAVE A BIG WAREHOUSE UPSTAIRS AND THAT'S THE SPACE IN THE BACK AND THEN WELCOME ONE SHELTER.
SO, UM, I THINK THEY'RE MOVING AS SOON AS THEY CAN GUIDE.
JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHEN SPACE WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR WELCOME ONE SIDE, SO OKAY.
UM, SO, UH, HOW MANY VACANCIES DO YOU HAVE THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY FOR EMPLOYEES? I'M SORRY.
AND A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
HOW'S THAT FOR YOU? I RETENTION IS VERY GOOD.
SO RETENTION IS BETWEEN 10 AND 13%, UM, TURNOVER RATE.
SO THAT'S WELL BELOW THE 20%
SO WE ARE STILL DOING SOME TELEWORKING, UM, ON THE JOB LENDS ITSELF, BUT WE'RE ACTIVELY HIRING OUR RETENTION IS PRETTY GOOD.
WE KEEP PEOPLE A VERY LONG TIME AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD MOVED TO MIAMI BECAUSE OF THE COST OF DOING IT BEFORE WAS, YOU KNOW, CLIMBING.
BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET ALL THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
I HAVE AN OLDER ONE FROM OCTOBER AND THAT NUMBER IS NOT CORRECT.
YEAH, THE THOUGHT OF MY OTHER QUESTION WHEN HE WAS, WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT, AND THAT IS, UM, HAVE YOU, UH, SEEN AN INFLUX OF FOLKS COMING INTO, UH, WORK ON JOB APPLICATIONS AND THERE'S TYPES OF ASSISTANCE THAT YOU PROVIDE AND USING THE COMPUTERS? I KNOW THAT EVERY, EVERY WORD EVERYWHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE HEAR ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, DO YOU SEE ANYBODY STRIVING TO, TO, TO TRY TO GET A JOB? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU SEE AND THAT'S BEEN STEADY.
IT HASN'T, IT'S BEEN PRETTY STEADY ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
I WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE COMING IN, THESE ALL, ALMOST ALL APPLICATIONS NOW ARE ONLINE.
I MEAN, ALL ORGANIZATION HAVE TO DO IT ONLINE AND HELPING PEOPLE WITH, IF YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT A RESUME OR CV, HELPING PEOPLE NAVIGATE THAT, SET IT UP AND FORMAT IT IT'S BEEN STEADY.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S INCREASED, BUT SAY IT'S DECREASED EITHER.
JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, MR. JOHNSON, BUT LIKE ME AND CHAD AND PLAYING PICKLEBALL RIGHT HERE, IT'S A POPULAR THING.
WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD MAYBE BEFORE FOR, UM, TO CAVEAT OFF OF CHANCE, UH, HAS YOUR EXPENSES GROWN, UH, DUE TO BROADBAND AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE WERE FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE A SMALL WORLD GRANT, A GOVERNOR'S GRANT DURING LOCKDOWN STUDY.
SO TWO YEARS AGO, UM, AND TO EXPAND OUR WIFI CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UM, TRYING TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS FOR A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR WIFI HOTSPOTS, IT'S A VERY POPULAR PROGRAM.
WE HAVE SOME FULLY DESIGNATED TO OUR EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES
[00:25:01]
AND CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.AND THAT'S HOUSED AT OUR VELOUR LIBRARY.
THERE'S WHITE SPOTS GO AFTER SIX MONTHS AT A TIME, AND THEN WE ASK THEM TO BRING THEM IN.
SO WE'VE MOVED, REFRESH THEM, MAKE SURE THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY AND THEN THEY CAN GO BACK OUT FOR THE OTHER SEMESTER.
UH, WE JUST HEARD THAT I THINK IT SPRINT AND T-MOBILE T-MOBILE OF EACH OTHER.
SO ALL THOSE HOTSPOTS ARE GOING TO BE CALLED BACK IN, IS THERE, THEY ARE REPLACING THEM ALL WITH BRAND NEW HOTSPOTS.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE SOME TIME IT WAS TAKING PLACE.
AND WE JUST FOUND THAT OUT THIS WEEK.
UM, YES, I COST HAS GONE UP ACROSS THE BOARD AND I REVENUE.
WE ARE PROHIBITED BY STATE LAW FOR, I CAN'T GO OUT AND SAY, HEY, I'M GOING TO CHARGE YOU ALL FOUR TO CHECK OUT THESE TOYS.
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT BY STATE GOLF.
SO OUR REVENUE, WE DON'T CHARGE OVERDUE FINES RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE JUMPED ON THAT BANDWAGON DURING KOBE BECAUSE WE WENT TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND WE WILL PROBABLY SUSTAIN THAT THROUGH FOREVER IN A DAY.
UM, THERE WAS STATE LEGISLATION PASSED TWO YEARS AGO NOW FOR CHILDREN'S MATERIALS WHERE WE CAN'T CHARGE OVERDUE FINES.
WE CAN CHARGE IF YOU LOSE IT OR YOU DAMAGE IT.
UM, BUT EVEN THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE KNOWN FOR BEING VERY LENIENT WITH THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST VERY LENIENT.
WE WILL WORK WITH THE CUSTOMER OR THE FAMILY, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THAT, UM, WHERE OTHER LIBRARIES WERE NOT IN THE STATE, UM, THEY'RE VERY HARDCORE AND GOT BLOCKED.
UM, SO WHAT WE CAN CHARGE FOR, WE CAN CHARGE YOUR PASSPORT PROCESSING.
UM, BUT THAT KEEPS STRIKING TOO BECAUSE, UM, WE CAN'T CHARGE FOR RENEWALS, BUT WE'VE GOT A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT WE ARE A MODEL FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT, FROM PITTSBURGH PROCESSING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ENTITIES COME TO US FOR TRAINING.
IF YOU COME TO THE BRANCH, I'M GONNA CHARGE YOU.
I THINK IT'S 25 CENTS, 25 CENTS A PAGE, AND IT'S NOT COLOR.
WE DON'T CHARGE YOU THAT, BUT HEY, IF YOU DO IT REMOTELY, UNLESS IT WILL BE FREE UP TO 20 PAGES OF JUST SAYING, UM, SO OUR REVENUE HAS GONE DOWN DRAMATICALLY.
UH, WE HAVE MEETING ROOMS, BUT OF COURSE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WEREN'T HAVING MEETINGS THE LAST TWO YEARS IN PERSON.
UM, HOW MUCH WAS THE CHARGE FOR MEETING ROOM IT'S FOR NON-PROFITS, UH, $30 OF FOR FOUR HOURS, IF IT'S YOUR BUSINESS IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS, UM, BUT THERE'S THERE'S RULES.
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW, UM, DIFFERENT ROLES.
AND I THINK ALL OF YOU HAVE USED OUR MEETING ROOMS AND SOME PEOPLE DO NOT GET CHARGED, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHO THEY ARE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT ON OUR WEBPAGE, IT'S CLEAR, UM, BUT YOU CAN NOT MAKE MONEY OUT OF OUR MEETING ROOMS OR RUN YOUR BUSINESS OUT OF OUR MEETING ROOMS, BUT ONLY THE LIBRARY AND LIBRARY FOUNDATION COULD DO THAT.
UH, CYNTHIA, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, I SAY YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT, UM, TECH REFRESH IS IN CAPITAL BUDGET AND NOT A BUDGET FINE.
THE HARBOR COUNTY LIBRARY HAS BEEN A 4RUNNER IN TECHNOLOGY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IS THERE ANY REASON THAT WE CANNOT MAKE IT PART OF THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S A RENEWABLE EVERY YEAR IT COMES AS CYNTHIA.
THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET TOO.
IT'S IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND THEN ALSO HE'S DONE IT WITH THE CAPITAL WAY.
SO, UM, I DON'T, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND A CHANGE IN IT.
UM, BUT OF COURSE THE COUNTY COULD DECIDE THEY WANT TO JUST PUT AN OPERATING, BUT RIGHT NOW, AND I, I, I WASN'T HERE WHEN THAT STARTED.
SO I DON'T, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE HISTORY IS.
SO IN THE FUTURE, IF, IF THE CAPITAL WERE NOT TO BE APPROVED, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AT THE RATE YOU HAVE NOW, WHICH IS BUDGETED? NO, THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD, I WOULD BE BEGGING AT KIM'S FOR STUFF OR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT BUDGET LINE.
UM, BECAUSE WE RELY ON THAT CAPITAL FUNDING OR THE AMOUNT THAT'S ALLOCATED IN THERE.
IT DOES VARY, UM, ON IT, BUT WE DO RELY ON THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? ARE YOU SEEING NONE? MARY, LET ME, UM, YOU MAY HAVE COVERED IT IN YOUR EARLIER COMMENTS, BUT THE AMOUNT OF, UM, I GUESS CONTACTS AT A HARTFORD COUNTY CITIZEN HAS IN THE LIBRARIES.
HOW MANY VISITS DO YOU? UH, WELL, PRE COVID IN 2019, WE HAD MORE THAN 2 MILLION VISITORS, UM, INTO THE BRANCHES, INTO THE DRIVE-THROUGHS, UM, ATTENDING OUR PROGRAMS, UM, HIGH NUMBERS.
SO I WOULD SAY I HAVE THAT WITH ME.
UM, AS A MARCH OF 20 TWOS WOULD START FROM, UM, TOTAL VISITORS.
UM, FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, WE HAD 73,347 VISITORS.
UM, WE HAD 67,814 WALK-INS THAT'S COMING INTO THE BRANCH
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AND THEN THE DRIVE-THROUGHS WERE 505,533 YEAR TO DATE VISITORS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR ARE 584,381.AND THEN, UM, IT'S AN INCREASE OF 327% BECAUSE OF COVID.
UM, AND I ASKED OUR STATISTIC PERSON FOR, I CAME OVER FROM BELL CAMPUS AND MORNING.
UM, I LIKE TO COMPARE IT TO 2019 NUMBERS.
2019 WAS I'M REFERRING TO AS OUR BASELINES STATISTICS NOW IS THAT WAS OUR LAST FULL YEAR OF, UH, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS SINCE COVID.
SO, UM, SHE DID NOT GET TO INCLUDE THAT WITH ME, BUT I LIKE TO KEEP THAT I WILL CHEER WHEN WE GET BACK TO THOSE NUMBERS.
SO IF YOU WOULD INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR COMMENTS OVER TO US, I'D APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I ASKED THAT BECAUSE, UM, AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M ALL OVER THE COUNTY, INTERACTING WITH OUR CITIZENS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND I'M IMPRESSED BY HOW MANY OF THEM, UH, USED THE LIBRARY ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HOW THEY ADVOCATE ON YOUR BEHALF WITHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWING IT.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE, THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE ALL THE CITIZENS FAR FOR COUNTY.
AND IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE.
HOW DO YOU GET THIS? SO YEAH, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT, BUT HOW DO YOU ASSURE THAT YOU GET THIS STUFF? MARILYN, SO I COULD CHECK THOSE OUT.
THEN I CAN CHECK THE EVENT THAT IF YOU HAVE OTHER COOKING STUFF TO WORK IN WE'LL WE'LL, UH, WE'LL START TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WHAT'S UP? GOOD MORNING, DR.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING HERE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START, UM, BY SORT OF SENDING A THANK YOU TO OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR THE PROPOSAL, THE PROPOSAL TO FULLY FUND OUR OPERATING BUDGET REQUEST, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST IS ALSO VERY WELCOME.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A QUICK PREAMBLE, UM, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS SITTING AT THE TABLE, BUT I'LL INTRODUCE THEM FOR THE SAKE OF THE RECORD THAT DEBRA JUD, OUR, UM, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR FINANCE AND BUDGET AND CHRIS MORTON FROM OUR CONSTRUCTION, BUT HE'S REPRESENTING OPERATIONS IN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET HERE TODAY.
AND BEHIND ME, I HAVE OUR VICE PRESIDENT BOARD, CAROL MUELLER, AS WELL AS OUR CHRIS, CHRIS, SORRY.
ERIC HAS A DIRECTOR IN FINANCE AND BUDGET, AND HE'S THE GUY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES DOING ALL THE PREPARATION OF THESE DOCUMENTS.
UM, SO WITH REGARD TO SORT OF PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO THE BUDGET, I MEAN, I KIND OF BOIL IT DOWN TO TWO THINGS YOU CAN EVER GET ASKED FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT.
UM, AND SINCE OUR BUDGET IS 85% BASED ON PEOPLE IN POSITIONS, IT'S, IT'S REALLY ABOUT, CAN WE PAY MORE PEOPLE OR WE CAN, CAN WE PAY THE PEOPLE WE HAVE CURRENTLY MORE AND THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CREDIBLE PRESSURES WITH REGARD TO THE BLUEPRINT, UH, FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE, YOU KNOW, MANY TO DO ITEMS COMING OUR WAY, IT WAS KIND OF AN INCENTIVE THERE TO BRING MORE PEOPLE ON TO HELP WITH THAT WORK, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES AND EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN, THE STRATEGY WE'VE TAKEN IS TO, UM, BETTER SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYED WITH US.
SO NEARLY THE ENTIRE INCREASE WE'VE ASKED FOR IN THE BUDGET HAS TO DO WITH INCREASING SALARIES.
UM, WE HAVE NEGOTIATED A 7% COLA FOR OUR
[00:35:01]
EMPLOYEES, WHICH WHILE NO BUDGET IN THE STATE IS FINALIZED YET, WE BELIEVE WILL BE THE LARGEST COLA FOR ANY DISTRICT THAT, THAT SUITE THAT SPREADS ACROSS ALL EMPLOYEES.AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY INFLATION HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THAT BARELY KEEPS THEM LEVEL, BUT, UM, IT WILL, UH, MEAN, I MEAN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT.
I KNOW THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS SUPPORTED OUR STAFF, PARTICULARLY OUR TEACHER'S SALARIES, UM, THROUGHOUT HIS ADMINISTRATION.
IT WAS COUNCIL SUPPORTED THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT WAS IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
UH, AND WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER FOLKS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE LABOR SHORTAGES.
SO THE IDEA OF TAKING THAT APPROACH WITH OUR BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT SORT OF REALLY BIG PICTURE OVERVIEW, I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO MS. JUDD TO PRESENT THE SLIDES THAT WE HAVE ON THE SCREEN HERE FOR YOU.
JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, SALARIES AND BENEFITS AS DR.
DYSON SAID 85% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET AND PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE RESTRICTED BUDGET.
DOESN'T GET IN ACADEMIC RELATED FEDERAL FUNDS AND OUR FOOD AND NUTRITION BUDGET IS PREPARED UNDER THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM MODEL.
ALL INDICATIONS ARE TELLING US THAT THE WAIVERS WILL EXPIRE JUNE 30.
WE ARE WAITING ON FINAL WORD FOR THAT, WHICH COULD COME RIGHT UP TO THE POINT OF SCHOOL STARTS.
SO, UM, OUR PLAN AT THIS POINT IS TO NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, AN OVERVIEW OF THE REVENANCE YOU'LL SEE IN THE LOCAL CHANGE, THAT 30.4 MILLION IS WHAT WE HAVE REQUESTED OF THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT WOULD BE A 10.4% INCREASE.
OUR MARYLAND STATE REVENUE IS, UM, ALMOST 17 MILLION.
WE ARE WAITING ON FINAL STATE NUMBERS YET FOR THAT.
UM, WE NEED TO REVIEW THAT WHEN THAT COMES IN, UH, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING ANY FEDERAL CHANGE, UM, OR OTHER IN OUR OTHER REVENUES, WHICH WOULD DRAIN, UM, WE ARE INCREASING OUR FUND BALANCE USAGE BY 1.8 MILLION.
SO OUR TOTAL BUDGET WOULD INCREASE TO $568.8 MILLION, WHICH IS A NINE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE, VERY SMALL ON THE SCREEN.
UM, THIS IS A DETAIL OF THE INCREASE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET.
SO AT $6.5 MILLION, A TOTAL OF 89.2 POSITIONS, THE FIRST SECTION IS RELATED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UH, THE BULK OF THIS IS NEW, UM, PROGRAMS AT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO WE HAVE, UM, AN EXPANSION AT MEADOWVALE ELEMENTARY CHURCH CREEK ELEMENTARY AND ABINGTON ELEMENTARY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WHICH DOES REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF IN THOSE, UM, IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
SO WE ALSO HAVE 60 POSITIONS THAT WE ARE TRANSFERRING FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO OPERATING, AND THAT'S 60.6 POSITIONS, ALMOST $4 MILLION.
AND THEN WE HAVE GENERAL SUPPLIES AND SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT POSITIONS IN THOSE PROGRAMS AS WELL.
THE NEXT AREA IS EDUCATION SERVICES.
WE HAVE THE TOTAL NET POSITIONS OF 10 FTE AND ABOUT $2.70.
SO WE ARE TRANSFERRING ALL OF OUR PRE-K STAFFING TO GRANT FUNDING, UM, TO THERE'S 40 POSITIONS, WE'LL MOVE TO THE RESTRICTED BUDGET, BUT WE ARE ALSO MOVING POSITIONS IN THAT WE'VE ADDED TO THE BUDGET FROM THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED 57 POSITIONS INTO THE OPERATING.
SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE TEACHERS IN OUR BUDGET.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO, UM, REQUESTING ONE ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ADDITION.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS SHARING AN AP AND BY ADDING THIS ADDITIONAL POSITION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ONE FULL 80 ADDITIONAL AP AT EVERY SCHOOL.
AND THEN OUR OFFICE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY.
MOST OF THAT DEVICE, UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE ENTERED INTO DEVICE LEASES WHEN WE WENT ONE, ONE, WE ARE SLOWLY BUILDING BUDGETS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THOSE LEASES.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITEMS. WE HAVE UTILITIES INCREASE THAT LINE ITEM.
WE WANT TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES, BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN COST OF UTILITIES.
UM, OUR TRANSPORTATION BUDGET, SIX POSITIONS, THOSE ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
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THAT I JUST HAVE.AND 3.6 MILLION OF THAT TOTAL IS RELATED TO OUR BUS CONTRACT OR CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE OUR INSURANCE AND FIXED CHARGES.
UM, WE'RE ESTIMATING AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $200,000.
AND THEN THE $30.4 MILLION REFERENCE THAT BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF 46.7 MILLION IN WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR BASELINE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PROJECT BASED ON PROGRAMS. THE NEXT SCHEDULED INCREASES, UH, WE SHOW OUR PRIORITY SCHOOLS ENHANCEMENT, WE'VE IDENTIFIED PRIORITY SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADD 29 POSITIONS TO THOSE SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE TEACHER SPECIALISTS POSITIONS, A LITERARY LITERACY SPECIALIST FOR THREE SCHOOLS, UM, ELLA MENTOREE LITERACY AND MATH SPECIALISTS AND LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS FOR PRIVATE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF 15 POSITIONS.
AND THEN WE ALSO ARE LOOKING TO ADD INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, EIGHT OF THOSE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS TESTING COORDINATORS FOR THOSE PRIORITY SCHOOLS, JUST SUMMARY OF THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
AGAIN, 49, 20 $200, 5%, 46.7 OF THOSE WE'RE CONSIDERING, UM, AS PART OF OUR NORMAL BUDGET INCREASES THAT WE HAVE LIKE COMPENSATION AS WELL AS CONTRACTS AND ADDITION OF, UH, PROGRAMS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE REQUIRING.
AND THEN, UM, ENHANCEMENT TO OUR PRIORITY SCHOOLS AT $2.4 MILLION.
THIS IS A SUMMARY OF OUR POSITIONS.
SO WE'RE INCREASING OR NOT THAT I'M GOING THAT FAR IN BOTH THE UNRESTRICTED AND THE RESTRICTED CATEGORIES.
WE ARE NETTING 66 POSITIONS, 138 INCREASE IN THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET OR OPERATING BUDGET.
BUT 69.6 OF THOSE ARE REALLY COMING FROM THE RESTRICTED POSITION.
SO WE'RE REALLY JUST MOVING FROM RESTRICTED TO UNRESTRICTED POSITION INCREASES VERY BROAD HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED NUTRITION THAT I REFERENCED.
OUR RESTRICTED BUTTON IS $39.4 MILLION.
THAT REALLY REPRESENTS THE BULK OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SPENT FROM OUR PANDEMIC FUNDING.
SO WE STILL HAVE TIMES THEN THOSE DOLLARS WE RECEIVED THEM.
THE REVENUE'S BEEN IN PRIOR YEARS, BUT WE DO HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND GOING FORWARD.
AND WE HAVE PLANS THAT WE'RE CONTINUALLY REVIEWING THOSE FUNDS TO SEE WHERE THE NEEDS ARE AND ADJUSTING THOSE AS NECESSARY.
AND OUR FOOD AND NUTRITION BUDGET IS ABOUT $19 MILLION.
OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, THE TOTAL PROPOSED CAPITAL BUDGET IS 80.6 MILLION.
THE STATE PORTION OF THAT IS 29.7 AND THE LOCAL PORTION IS 50.8 MILLION.
AND THE DETAIL OF THAT CAPITAL BUDGET IS LISTED HERE.
SO THAT'S A VERY BROAD HIGHLIGHT OF THE BUDGET.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LARGE BUDGET.
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL IN THERE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR REVISIT ANY OF THE PARTICULAR SLIDES AT THIS TIME.
UM, FOR ME, SO I CAN KEEP UP WITH YOU AS YOU GO THROUGH HERE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING POSITIONS, ADDING POSITIONS.
UM, LET'S GO BACK TO PAGE FOUR IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND LET'S START RIGHT THERE WITH A SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS FOR OPERATING.
YOU REFERENCED A NUMBER 82 89.
SO ARE SOME OF THESE POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE NOW AND MOVING.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN? YES.
SO 60.6, THE TOP LINE ITEM, THOSE POSITIONS CURRENTLY EXIST IN A RESTRICTED BUDGET RIGHT NOW FILLED POSITIONS RIGHT NOW.
HE SAID, YES, WE DO HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP THESE PILLS.
DO YOU KNOW CURRENTLY HOW MANY YOU HAVE? THEY COULD.
SO ONE THING THE STATE IS CHANGING HOW THEY DO THE FOUNDATION FUNDING.
[00:45:01]
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT KIND OF CHANGED PLACES.AND THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING WAS ONE THAT'S ALWAYS COMING IN A RESTRICTED GRANT FOR THE CURRENT RESTRICTED GRANT, BUT IT'S COMING AND RESTRICTED.
THEY MOVED THAT OVER INTO THE UNRESTRICTED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE SHOW OUR FOLKS MOVING OVER.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE WERE PRETTY DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
UM, BUT THEN THERE WERE SOME THINGS RELATED TO THE BLUEPRINT THAT SLID FROM THAT WERE NORMALLY AN OPERATING BEFORE THIS SLID OVER INTO RESTRICTED.
SO THAT'S ONE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING TRACK OF THE MOVE BETWEEN NORMALLY RESTRICTED.
ISN'T A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
IT USED TO BE REALLY CONSISTENT THAN THAT WITH THE FEDERAL MONEY AND THE CHANGES HAPPENING WITH BLUEPRINT, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE HARDER TO KEEP TRACK.
UM, AND THEN ON PAGE FIVE, UH, ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, YOU'RE ADDING A NEW POSITION THERE.
WE SHARED, I MEAN, WE HAD SHARED, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE MADE THOSE CUTS, WE HAD A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WERE SHARED.
WE'VE BEEN KIND OF WALKING THAT BACK AND THIS WAS THE LAST ONE.
AND ON PAGE SIX, UH, THREE NEW BUS DRIVERS IN THREE NEW, UH, ATTENDANCE.
SO THOSE ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO PAGE FOUR WHERE WE REFERENCED THE NEW PROGRAMS, THE ALL CHURCH.
AND THEN FINALLY FOR ME, CAUSE I NEVER, EVERYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW FOR ME, BUT PAGE SEVEN, WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE 29TH, UM, I GUESS POSITIONS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IS DIFFERENTIATING HOW WE SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS BASED ON NEED.
WE HAVE OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, SO WE HAVE 10 TITLE, ONE SCHOOLS, AND THOSE ARE YOUR, YOUR HIGHEST POVERTY SCHOOLS.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE NEXT TIER OF POVERTY AND IMPACT.
SO THE SCHOOLS WE'VE HAD IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY SCHOOLS AND IT WAS SIX SCHOOLS.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN ARE KIND OF THE NEXT LEVEL.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR HIGHEST PERCENTAGE POVERTY AND THE TITLE ONE, OUR PRIORITY SCHOOLS NOW ARE KIND OF THE NEXT BAND.
AND SO, AND CURRENTLY OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS ARE ALL ELEMENTARY.
THIS ACTUALLY INCLUDES OUR HIGH.
I MEAN, YOU WOULD, YOU COULD PROBABLY NAME THEM ARE HIGHEST IMPACT SCHOOLS, EDGEWOOD, MIDDLE MAGNOLIA, MIDDLE JOPPA TOWN, HIGH SCHOOL, EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN TWO ELEMENTARY IS I THINK IT'S CHURCH CREEK AND ROY WILLIAMS. SO, UM, THE SCHOOLS WERE IDENTIFIED BASED MOSTLY ON THE POVERTY AGAIN, WHICH PUTS THEM ADJACENT TO THE TITLE ONE SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT ALSO THOSE ARE SCHOOLS IN MOST CASES, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT IN MOST CASES THEY'RE ALSO SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HA HAVE HAD HIGHER RATES OF STAFF TURNOVER.
AND SO GETTING SUPPORT IN THERE TO HELP STABILIZE THAT AS WELL.
HOW ARE YOU? UM, ENROLLMENT, WHERE'S OUR ENROLLMENT AT BETWEEN NOW WHEN PANDEMIC LEVELS PRIOR PANDEMIC LEVELS.
WHAT'S THE ENROLLMENT SIMPLE ANSWERS FOR DOWN.
WE'RE STILL DOWN BY FOUR TO 500 STUDENTS.
I THINK AT THE PEAK, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE SNAPSHOTS, BUT I THINK THAT POINT WE WERE DOWN CLOSER TO 2000 STUDENTS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HIRE SOME NEW STUDENTS.
IS THAT GOING TO BRING DOWN? I KNOW WE DON'T PAY OUR STUDENTS YET.
IS THAT GOING TO BRING DOWN THE CLASS SIZE? IS, IS THAT SOME OF THE INTENTION AND MAYBE IF SOME OF THE TEACHERS THAT POSITIONS YOU'RE FILLING WILL THAT DECREASE THE CLASS SIZE THAT'S BEEN, WE CAN START A LOT OF TEACHERS.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT HAPPENED DURING A PANDEMIC WAS WE ADD THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL AND WE'VE GOT A THOUSAND STUDENTS MOVE OVER TO THERE.
SO WE ADDED TEACHERS, BASICALLY, WE ADDED TEACHERS TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT WHAT THAT MEANT IS AS THOSE THOUSAND STUDENTS CAME OUT OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS AND LOWERED THE CLASS SIZES AND THOSE SCHOOLS, AND WE PRETTY MUCH LEFT THOSE SCHOOLS KIND OF HARMLESS IN OTHER WORDS.
SO THEY'VE HAD A NATURAL IMPROVEMENT IN CLASS SIZES CAUSE THE ROMAN'S GONE DOWN BY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.
UM, SO MOST OF THE TEACHERS WE'VE ADDED THE TEACHERS THAT YOU'D SEE HERE ARE EITHER THOSE WHO ESSENTIALLY ACCOUNT FOR THOSE WHO WENT TO THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL AND THEN IN THE SPED, THE NEW SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS OR OTHER PLACES FOR THAT.
BUT THAT'S JUST AN INCREASED POPULATION OF SPECIAL ED.
SO, UH, BEFORE HE GOES FURTHER, THE NUMBER OF ENROLLMENT, YOU SAT DOWN 500.
SO IS THAT 37 5? WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT TODAY NUMBER.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT TODAY? NUMBER? YEAH.
I MEAN, I CAN SEE THE LAST TIME I GOT, IT WAS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021 WAS 37,897.
THAT'LL GO UP AND DOWN ON A DAILY BASIS AS KIDS LEAVE, LEAVING ROUGHLY AROUND THAT NUMBER.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE NOW AND TO PICK UP NO, THAT'S OKAY.
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ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE A SORROWS, ALL THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE SROS.UM, ANYTHING THAT ON YOUR END, THAT WITH YOUR, IN YOUR BUDGET, I DIDN'T SEE IT HERE TO HELP WITH THE SROS OUTSIDE OF SORROWS.
SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP SINCE WE PRESENTED THIS BUDGET.
UM, IT IS WE'VE TAKEN, WE'VE GONE BACK AND TAKEN A REALLY INTENSIVE LOOK AT BEHAVIOR SECURITY THAT'S THING.
WE DID A PRESENTATION TO OUR BOARD JUST RECENTLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL DO IN A KIND OF END OF YEAR CORRECTION TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE'RE, WE WANT TO INTRODUCE, WE HAVE CURRENTLY EIGHT SECURITY LIAISONS, BUT BASICALLY, I MEAN, WE USE THAT, THAT TERM.
I MEAN, YOU COULD CALL THEM SECURITY GUARDS, BUT THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE SCHOOL TO HELP WITH MAINTAINING ORDER ESTABLISHING A SAFER ENVIRONMENT.
THEY WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT OF THEM, UM, IN OUR KIND OF HIGHEST NEEDS SCHOOLS FOR BEHAVIOR.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE ONE OF THESE LIAISONS IN EACH OF OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, IN ADDITION TO HAVE A TEAM OF FIVE WHO COULD FLOAT AS NEEDED FOR BOTH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY.
SO WE WOULD HAVE A TEAM OF FIVE SECONDARY FLOATERS, FIVE ELEMENTARY FLOATERS, AND THEN ONE EACH AT A SECONDARY JUST TO PROVIDE THOSE EXTRA HANDS.
SOME SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE SECURITY TEAMS. UM, MANY DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE SRO, BUT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT IN THIS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO AS AN ADJUSTMENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, JUST BASED ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING THROUGH THIS YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S ALL MY HANDS FOR RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE 29 POSITIONS CAME UP THAT, UH, ACCOUNTS PRESIDENTS AND HE TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN WHEN I, ALL MY FINGER OVER THERE, IT SAYS TEACHER SLASH COUNSELOR SLASH PSYCHOLOGIST.
UM, DO YOU HAVE LIKE A, A FURTHER BREAKDOWN BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE'S MORE AND MORE MENTAL ILLNESS.
I'M KIND OF HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THREE, THREE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, A TEACHER'S A TEACHER, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING THAT JUST KIND OF CAN DEAL WITH THE MENTAL ILLNESS SIDE.
UM, BUT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD ELABORATE THERE SINCE IT'S ALL, YOU EXPLAINED THE DIFFERENT TIERS AND THAT'S WITHIN YOU EXPLAIN THAT, BUT, AND THIS REPRESENTS NEW POSITIONS AND OF COURSE THE TEACHERS HERE, YOU SEE THE TEACHER COUNSELOR, THAT'S REALLY THE SHIFT FROM RESTRICTED POSITIONS THERE, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON.
FIRST, THE PRIORITY SCHOOLS IS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE SEE MORE HELP GOING FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND ALSO JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE STATE OF MARYLAND MSDE, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UH, RELEASED A GRANT, I THINK IT'S THEIR REMAINING, UH, STIMULUS FUNDS.
AND W ONE OF THE THINGS WE PROPOSED IN THAT GRANT SHOULD, AND WE'LL FIND OUT IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, IF WE GOT APPROVED IS ACTUALLY TO, UM, INCREASE THE RATE AT WHICH WE BRING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
AND SO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS ONE OF THE THINGS UNDER THE BLUEPRINT WHERE YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORTS FOR THINGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTHY FAMILIES, UM, SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS IN THAT WAY.
AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
WE ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE UNDER THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING OF WE'VE GOTTEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, BUT WE'RE HELPING TO ACCELERATE THAT.
BUT THEN OF COURSE THE MENTAL HEALTH WORK REALLY IS.
I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO THIS AS SHARED AMONG A TEAM OF PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR COUNSELORS, YOU HAVE YOUR SOCIAL WORKERS, YOU HAVE YOUR PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKERS, YOU HAVE THE PSYCHOLOGISTS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A SORT OF MORE DEFINED ROLE.
UH, AND SO ALL OF THESE FOLKS DO THAT WORK IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, BUT WHEN I GUESS I CAN CUT A TEAM UP, LIKE IF YOU HAVE A SITUATION SOMEWHERE, YEAH.
WE'VE KIND OF MOVED THEM IF YOU'RE WEIGHTED SOMEWHERE ELSE, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE GOING TO PRIORITY SCHOOLS FIRST AND THOSE TIERS, BUT IF YOU NEED IT, THEY CAN.
CAN WE HAVE SOME ART SUMMER ITINERARY? ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PRACTICES WE'VE GONE TO IS I THINK WE CALLED IT A STUDENT SUPPORT.
UH, EACH SCHOOL NOW HAS A STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM, WHICH CAUSES THOSE PEOPLE TO COLLABORATE AROUND UNIQUE NEEDS.
SO THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE PRACTICES THAT WE EMPLOY, I THINK THAT STARTED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND IT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
IT BRINGS THOSE DIFFERENT SKILLED PEOPLE IN THIS TOPIC TOGETHER AT EACH SCHOOL TO FOCUS ON THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THAT SCHOOL.
AND THEN WE CAN DEPLOY AS NEEDED FROM, YEAH, I KNOW THE PANDEMICS JUST BEEN HARD ON ALL OF US, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE.
[00:55:01]
UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY SOME WE'VE HAD SOME, UH, ATTEMPTS FOR SUICIDE AND SOME THAT HAVE ACTUALLY HAPPENED.UM, AND YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY BEING ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WORK AS A TEAM TO HANDLE THOSE SITUATIONS WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST.
AND, UM, I GUESS OFTEN, I GUESS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A SITUATION LIKE THAT.
IT CAN SNOWBALL IN THE OTHERS BECAUSE OF, UH, PEOPLE BEING FRIENDS WITH PEOPLE AND IN THAT KIND OF TRICKLE EFFECT WITHIN ONE SCHOOL.
SO I ASSUME THAT YOU SEND THE, A TEAM OF YEAH, BUT WE JUST, AND WAS ALSO, IT'S A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
SO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT OF COURSE THE CRISIS CENTER HAS BEEN A HUGE ADDITION AND THEY'RE NOW SERVING, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'RE SERVING YOUNGER CHILDREN ALSO, I THINK, DOWN TO AGE FIVE.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS A VERY MUCH A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, ON THIS TOPIC, I THINK WE'RE ON DECK TO COME PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL MORE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TIME MAY, MAY 9TH, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
AND I GUESS ALSO ON THAT, ARE WE GOING TO BE GETTING BACK IN THE SCHOOLS WITH LIKE THE PLAYS OF PLAY ADDICTED AND GETTING, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY SERVICES BACK IN THE SCHOOLS ONE AND MAY NINE? CAUSE I'LL HAVE, YEAH.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE.
WE REALLY NEED TO LIKE COME TOGETHER.
PART OF THE SCHOOLS NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE HEALTH CURRICULUM.
IT NEEDS TO, YOU KNOW, YOU INTO SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? COUPLE, COUPLE OF THINGS AS WE GO THROUGH, UM, I SEE THE TICKET BOOTH AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL WAS, UH, ON, ON, UH, THE DOCKET TO GET DONE.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT, UH, WHAT DATE THAT MIGHT BE COMPLETED? I DON'T THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE FUNDED THAT WASN'T ONE OF THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THERE.
THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING A REQUEST, BUT IT'S NOT FUN.
IT WASN'T ON THE LIST THAT GOT FUNDED.
THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO DID JUST GO TO, UH, AN ONLINE TICKETING PROCESS.
SO TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE WHOLE CASH PART OF TICKET BOOTHS ANYWAY.
UM, HEARD IN THE LAST YEAR, AND THEN WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, UH, UH, YOU'VE GOT $20 MILLION EXPANSION AT HARTFORD TECH, RIGHT? LIKE CHRIS TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WHAT'S THAT GOING TO, WE WANT TO MOVE INTO CAPITAL.
NO, YOU CAN, YOU CAN STAY WHERE YOU ARE FOR NOW, THEN IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO PULL UP AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO ALL OF IT.
I GUESS HE BROUGHT IN UP SOMETHING TO NOW TRIGGERED.
SO, UM, I LOVE WATCHING HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AND MENTIONED IT YESTERDAY.
W W WHEN IT WAS, WHEN I CAN'T WATCH OUR WATCH WHEN, UM, HARFORD TV, BUT WHEN I CAN GO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW YOU HAVE TO GO TO AN APP AND YOU PAY, BUT THERE'S A SERVICE CHARGE.
AND I'M HEARING A LOT ABOUT THIS SERVICE CHARGE BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU BUY A CUP OF COFFEE OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T PAY MORE THAN $5, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO A CONVENIENCE STORE OR COFFEE SHOP AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE THE DESK BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PAY A SERVICE CHARGE.
WELL, THE SERVICE CHARGE, MY UNDERS IT'S LIKE A LOT OF MONEY IN COMPARISON TO THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TICKET.
SO LET'S SAY YOU'RE BUYING A $5 TICKET.
IT'S SOMETHING SILLY, LIKE A DOLLAR CHARGE, EXTRA FOR A SERVICE CHARGE.
AND I JUST THINK THAT'S CRAZY.
I MIGHT, I MEAN, SOFTWARE THAT WE BUY AND I JUST WANT TO PAY YOU THE FIVE BUCKS.
I DON'T LIKE PAYING FIVE BUCKS PLUS ONE, UNFORTUNATELY THOSE SERVICE CHARGES ARE WHAT BANKS CHARGED YOU THE CREDIT CARD.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, IF YOU PAY CASH FOR MILK, AND I PAID THE CREDIT CARD, WE'RE BOTH ABSORBING AND PAYING THAT SERVICE CHARGE.
IT'S IN THE FEE WHEN WE SET UP THOSE FEES.
AND I, I WASN'T PART OF THE SETUP FOR THE ATHLETIC PORTION, BUT I DO KNOW THE FEES.
OR MAKE IT OPTIONAL, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT TIP OPTIONAL.
LIKE EVERYWHERE YOU GO, IT'S AN OPTION.
IF YOU WANT TO PAY 20% OR A DOLLAR, BUT HAVEN'T MANDATORY THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY 20% MORE THAN WHAT YOUR TICKET IS.
THAT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR IS A BETTER, MORE, BETTER CONTRACT WITH MORE INEXPENSIVE.
UNFORTUNATELY NOW, I MEAN, IT'S WHAT THEY CHARGE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE MAINTAINING THEIR SYSTEMS. SO THEY HAVE THE SERVICE CHARGE.
THEY'RE PAYING THE FEES ON THE CREDIT CARDS FOR US.
SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS ALLOW YOU TO BUILD IN THE SERVICE CHARGE TO WHAT YOU'RE CHARGING.
AND THEN I THINK IT WILL BE BETTER THAT WAY.
IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE PAYING AND THEN YOU SEE IT AND YOU GOTTA HIT.
IT'S LIKE, JUST MAKE IT PART OF IT.
YOU'RE GOING TO START HAVING PEOPLE JUMP THE FENCE BECAUSE THEY'RE TIRED OF PAYING
[01:00:01]
THERE'S CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY FEES OR NOT BEING TRANSPARENT WITH ME.SO THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR MAY REQUIRE IT TO BE SET UP THAT WAY I CAN, I'M BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
PEOPLE ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S SO EXPENSIVE, ALREADY IS INFLATION, EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT NOW IT'S LIKE, YOU GOT A GAME.
I HAD FIVE, I WENT THROUGH THE MACHINE, I GOT FIVE BUCKS.
AND THEN I GO THERE AND I GOT TO DOWNLOAD AN APP.
IT JUST LOOK LIKE YOU HEAR ME.
THEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IT.
SO WE'VE BEEN, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING FOR ME.
THAT'S A GOOD CONVENIENCE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY ONLINE, BUT THE EXTRA, YEAH.
UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T CONTROL, BUT I'M THE MESSENGER AND CONSTITUENT TOO.
THANK YOU, MR. SHURTZ MR. JOHN, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
CHAD, EVERY TIME I GO TO THE, TO THE GROUP, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING, AND I SEE THAT GRATUITY ALREADY IN THERE, I'M LIKE EVERYTHING, MY SHIRT CHARGE, YOU COULD BRING UP.
UH, THE, THE QUESTION I HAVE, UH, IT'S KINDA SIMILAR TO CHAD'S QUESTION IS, IS THAT, UM, PAY THE PLAY FIG THING, RIGHT? SO, UM, WHERE DO THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE ATHLETES OR EXTRACURRICULARS, WHERE DO THOSE FUNDS AND WHAT DO THEY, WHAT DO THOSE FUNDS SUPPORT? IT HAS TO SUPPORT SOMETHING, RIGHT? IT'S SUPPORTING THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM.
SO, AND IT'S A PORTION OF THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM THAT COMES IN.
I MEAN, WE TRANSPORT OUR ATHLETES TO WHEREVER THEY NEED TO GO FOR GAMES.
SO IT'S THAT IT'S UNIFORMS, IT'S ALL PART OF THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S RECORDED AS REVENUE IN OUR BUDGET.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE ATHLETIC BUDGET LINE ITEM, WHICH IS MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN AND HOW, AND, AND IF IT SUPPORTS THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE ATHLETES OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY MONEY FROM PAY TO PLAY? IS IT ANY MONEY LEFT OVER AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT YOU KNOW, IS PUT BACK INTO, I GUESS, WHAT GENERAL FUNDS, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, OR DO YOU USE IT ON, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT FULLY COVERING THE TOTAL COST.
WE HAVE THE, UM, UH, I CAN'T THINK OF WHAT THAT THE, NOT THE TRAINERS, THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS.
AND THEN THE, THAT, THANK YOU.
AND YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE BUDGET BOOK.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 1 66, 1 67, THAT'S OUR INTERSCHOLASTIC INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC BUDGET.
IT'S JUST UNDER $3 MILLION OF REVENUE.
WE GET OFFSET THAT IS
EACH OF THOSE, SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE LESS, SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE MORE DEPENDING ON GAMES AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO WE GET UP OUT A MILLION DOLLARS TO OFFSET 3 MILLION OTHER, TWO MILLIONS COMING FROM JUST OUR GENERAL LOOK.
THERE'S NOTHING LESS THERE'S NO.
AND, UH, THE FINAL QUESTION IS, UH, FOOD AND NUTRITION.
UH, I KNOW A FEW YEARS BACK THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH KIDS HAVING AN ENORMOUS DEBT ISSUE.
UM, HAS THAT BEEN RESOLVED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC? WE WEREN'T CHARGING ANYTHING FOR MEALS BECAUSE STUDENTS WERE ALL RECEIVING FREE MEALS AND THROUGH DONATIONS AND RIGHT OFF A VERY OLD BALANCES.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DEBT RIGHT NOW, UM, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
THERE IS A CONCERN GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR THAT THAT COULD CONTINUE TO, TO GROW AGAIN.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO DO, IF THE WAIVERS TRULY EXPIRE, WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A COMMUNICATION PLAN TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE TO APPLY FOR FREE AND REDUCED NEXT YEAR, IF THEY WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO BE FREE, OTHERWISE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO PAY FOR THEIR MEALS OR SEND THEIR STUDENTS WITH, WITH LUNCH.
SO, UM, MR. JAMES, DANNY, GO AHEAD.
SO THIS INCREASE IN THE BUDGET, UM, I, DON'T GOING BACK TO MR. JOHNSON AND THE SPORTS AND THE SCHOLASTICS, WHY CAN'T THERE BE FUNDING TO FUND THE SCHOOLS SO THAT THE KIDS DON'T HAVE TO PAY? WHY, WHY CAN'T THERE BE WHY CAN'T, WHY CAN'T THERE HAVE ALL THIS FUNDING THAT WE HAVE, WHY CAN'T THERE BE ENOUGH FUNDS ALLOCATED? SO THE KIDS DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY FOR HER SPORTS.
[01:05:01]
THERE WERE $3 MILLION, I MEAN, BUT WHY? WELL, I MEAN, THIS PAY TO PLAY, THAT WAS A NEW EVENT A FEW YEARS BEFORE I GOT HERE, BECAUSE WE WERE IN A VERY DIFFERENT BUDGET TIME.UM, AND SO IT BECAME KIND OF A FIXED ITEM IN THE OPERATING BUDGET.
I MEAN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER LINE ITEM INCREASE.
WE COULD HAVE PUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS BACK IN IF THAT HAD BEEN AN INTEREST TO DO THAT, UM, AS SORT OF BASICALLY AN INCREASE TO OUR REQUEST THAT WE DIDN'T MAKE THAT DECISION.
IT WASN'T, UM, I MEAN, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER FOR THE FUTURE.
THERE'S AN INTEREST IN, UM, TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COACHES COMPLAIN ALL ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR SALARY.
I MEAN, THEY'RE CERTAINLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE, THESE KIDS NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAY AND THE KIDS THAT ARE IN UNDERPRIVILEGED AREAS DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
WHERE DO THEY FIND THE MONEY TO PLAY IN? THEY GOTTA PAY FOR YOUR UNIFORMS. I THINK, AND THEN YEARS AGO THEY WANTED TO CUT THE SWIMMER PROGRAM.
THEY WANTED TO CUT THIS PROGRAM.
I THINK THERE'S NO REASON THAT YOU GET $30 MILLION AND YOU CAN'T FIND A WAY TO FULLY FUND THE, THE ATHLETES, THE STUDENT ATHLETES.
I MEAN, IT KEEPS THEM OUT OF TROUBLE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, FOR SOME OF THESE KIDS THAT COULDN'T PLAY, I MEAN, THE PANDEMIC WAS WRECKED HAVOC ON SPORTS.
I MEAN, I JUST, I, I JUST, UH, FREE AND REDUCED STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING READY TO SAY THAT THE FEE IS WAIVED FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
SO, AND THAT GOES WITH MY QUESTION TO ME, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A MOTIVATION TO GET THEM TO SIGN UP FOR FREE AND REDUCED.
BUT SOME OF THEM WORK, THEY WERE EMBARRASSED, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY WERE NOW SIGNING UP AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS DONE THE FREE AND REDUCED.
THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF, A LOT OF CHALLENGE THERE.
AND THE FACT THAT THE MEALS HAVE BEEN FREE, FEWER PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP.
THAT'S A STATEWIDE ISSUE BECAUSE ON THE BOOKS, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR FREE AND REDUCED PERCENTAGES HAVE DROPPED DRAMATICALLY WHERE WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVEN'T GOTTEN LESS POOR AT THAT SCALE.
AND THERE'S REALLY JUST THE UNDER-REPORTING AND THAT'S ACTUALLY AFFECTED THE FUNDING FROM THE STATE BECAUSE WE GET A LOT MORE MONEY FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE ACKNOWLEDGED AS FREE AND REDUCED.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
BUT IT'S ALL WHERE YOU ALL, YOU'RE ALWAYS, MY UNDERSTAND WAS TOTALLY RELATED.
AND THAT WAS EXACTLY WHY IT WAS DONE.
I WAS OUT, YOU GUYS WEREN'T HERE THEN, BUT I REMEMBER THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS DONE BECAUSE I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAND IN A FORM THAT ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.
SO THAT STUDENT SLASH ATHLETE HAS TO NOW HAND THAT IN.
AND BEFORE HE WAS KIND OF FINE UNDER THE RADAR, MAYBE, BUT BECAUSE HE WAS NOW, THEY WERE HANDING THIS IN, THEY WERE GOING TO BE COUNTED AS FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH THAT WAS GOING ON, THEN GIVE US MONEY FROM ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THAT'S WAS ALWAYS WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS THERE.
SO, UM, YEAH, I KNOW IT'S NOT, I DIDN'T SAY IT PERFECTLY, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S THE OVERALL REASON.
SO, UM, WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT COVID THROUGHOUT THESE SESSIONS AND I'M SURE IT'S ON EVERYONE'S MIND, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, HOW MUCH FEDERAL FUNDING HAVE YOU RECEIVED? UM, BECAUSE OF COVID ABOUT $80 MILLION, $80 MILLION, AND THAT $80 MILLION IS IN YOUR BUDGET.
NOW YOU'VE, YOU'VE SPENT THAT MONEY, THE RESTRICTED BUDGET, AND WE HAVE SPENT SOME OF IT, SOME OF IT HAS EXPIRED AND WE USE THAT MONEY, BUT THERE'S STILL FUNDS REMAINING WITH THEIR START TIME TO SPEND.
SO WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE USED AND I'M SURE THAT YOU ALL LIKE EVERYONE, ELSE'S JUST LIKE OUR COUNTY TREASURER IS LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, AT SOME POINT THAT MONEY MAY DRY UP.
UM, SO WHATEVER YOU'RE PUTTING THAT MONEY IN TODAY, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WAYS TO COVER IT INTO THE FUTURE? SO OUR FIRST PRIORITY WAS FOR ONE-TIME EXPENSES.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN THAT MONEY'S GONE, IT'S GONE.
WE DID ADD TEACHERS FOR THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL.
WE NEEDED TO HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS TO STUDENTS.
SO THOSE ARE IN THE RESTRICTED BUDGET.
AND PART OF THIS BUDGET, THERE WAS A LINE ITEM WHERE WE TRANSFERRED 57 POSITIONS FROM RESTRICTED TO OPERATING SO THAT WE COULD KEEP THOSE TEACHERS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE HIRED WITH THOSE FUNDS AND INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE BUDGET.
SO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE'LL HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING AFTER WE EVALUATE WHETHER WE NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THOSE POSITIONS.
AND IF THE DECISION IS YES, THEN WE WILL MOVE THOSE INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET.
[01:10:01]
CAUSE LIKE OUR, OUR BIGGEST FEAR IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT MONEY DRIES UP OR, YOU KNOW, UM, VERY MUCH SO, MR. TRUTH, SECOND PART TO MY LAST QUESTION.UM, THE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER SPORT, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND, AND, AND KEN IT'S ATTRIBUTED TO A LITTLE BIT OF THE LABOR SHORTAGES.
AND, AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT I'VE ASKED, BUT ATI, UH, PROVIDES, UM, ATHLETIC TRAINING TO THE SCHOOLS AT A FREE COST.
BUT WITH HOPES, I GUESS THAT AFTER A SPORT, YOU GO TO THEIR FACILITY.
SO IT'S KIND OF DONE THAT WAY.
BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS IS THAT ALL THESE FAMILIES THAT ARE PAYING A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR EACH OF THEIR KIDS, MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PER SPORT.
SO IF THEY PLAY THREE SPORTS, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, $300 OR IF THEY HAVE TO GET UP, THEY HAVE TWO KIDS AT PATRIK.
HE HAD 600 BUCKS AND, AND YET THERE IS NOT AN ATHLETIC TRAINER ON SITE.
SO THERE COULD BE A GAME GOING ON, ON AT ANY ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, YOU GET A BASEBALL GOING ON, LACROSSE GOING ON, UM, TRACK ONE, WHEN YOU CAN HAVE ALL THESE THINGS GOING ON, AND THERE'S NOT A TRAINER THERE.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY GETS INJURED ON THE FIELD, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO COME OFF THE FIELD.
THERE'S NOBODY TO REALLY LOOK AT THEM IN A LOT OF CASES.
LIKE THERE USED TO BE, I ALWAYS REMEMBER AN ATHLETIC TRAINER BACK WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, THEY WERE SAT TO THE SIDE, SOMEBODY COULD DEAL WITH THEM.
THE COACH COULD CONTINUE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IF A FAMILY MEMBER, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A BIGGER INJURY, THEY CAN COME DOWN AND BE WITH THEM AND THE ATHLETIC TRAINER.
SO WE CAN KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING THAT REALLY DOES NEED TO CHANGE.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS, IS THAT LOOK, A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE PAYING, THEY'RE NOT ON THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.
WE'RE PAYING AT A HUNDRED HOURS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE WE REALLY GETTING HERE? I KNOW THAT IT PAYS FOR THE REFS AND ALL OF THIS, BUT, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR KIDS ARE HEALTHY.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP MANY TIMES.
OUR SUPERVISOR OF ATHLETICS IS ADDRESSED VIA.
AND JUST BY HAVING ONE PROVIDER, I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS OUT THERE, OTHER, UM, COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES AND THEIR NEEDS, I THINK RATHER THAN JUST HAVING ONE PROVIDER, YOU COULD SPREAD IT OUT OR DO IT BY REGION OR WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO.
BUT I THINK WE REALLY DO NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
UM, WE DON'T WANT OUR KIDS GETTING HURT, BUT THERE'S NOBODY THERE TO S A PROFESSIONAL IN CERTAIN CASES THAT CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
SO THAT WAS THE SECOND PART OF OTHER, THANK YOU, MR. CHARADES, MR. WAGNER, YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD RECEIVED THE $80 MILLION OF COVID FUNDING.
UM, THE EXTRA MONEY THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PUT IN THIS BUDGET, UM, WAS, IT WAS THERE COVID FUNDS THAT THAT WAS DERIVED FROM, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
HE ADDED 20 MILLION OVER HOW MUCH 20 MILLION OVER STATEWIDE, 30 MILLION OVER NINE IS THE TOTAL REQUEST AND THAT HE FUNDED, HE FUNDED, RIGHT? SO IT WAS COVID MONEY INVOLVED IN THAT.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT ANSWER? NO.
SO, I MEAN, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ALL GENERAL GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
AND WE HAVE NOT PLACED ANY OF OUR COVID MONEY, ANY OF OUR, OUR BALL, OR CARES MONEY INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
NOW IN PRIOR YEARS THAT, UM, OUTSIDE OF THEIR APPROPRIATION, UM, THE, THE, THERE WAS SOME, UM, COVID CARES MONEY THAT WENT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, UM, FOR, UM, FOR SOME TECHNOLOGY AND THE, LIKE DURING 2020 AND 21, BUT NOT, UM, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE DONE ANYTHING IN ABOUT A YEAR WITH, WITH THAT CELL.
SO I GUESS, AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS FROM A STANDPOINT OF PRIOR YEARS, WE'RE IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT PLACE THIS YEAR THAN WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN, IN PRIOR YEARS.
UM, AND PRIOR, UM, UH, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS WOULD COME IN WITH A, WITH A WHOLE LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY WANTED.
AND THEN IT WAS THE COUNCIL'S JOB THEN TO TRY TO TRIM DOWN AND SAY, WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR TOP PRIORITIES? AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR A SUPERINTENDENT TO SAY, HERE'S MY THREE.
AND IN FACT, ONE OF THEM ONE TIME SAID TO ME THAT I GOT TO BRING THE WHOLE LIST.
I CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE IF I TRIM IT DOWN AND I SAY, WELL, HERE THEY ARE, THEN THEY'LL LOOK LIKE THEY'RE NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR EDUCATION BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS IN THAT EDUCATION BUBBLE.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO ASK YOU IS ON THE OPERATING SIDE, FOR SURE.
YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH WELL HEALED THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? AND UNTIL WE START TRYING TO DO THE BLUEPRINT, WHICH YOU THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO BE ON OUR GOVERNING BOARD FOR THAT.
TAKE A STEP UP AND HIT SPEED, THE FIRING LINE, RIGHT PAST.
THAT'S A CONCERN WE'RE GOING TO SHARE,
[01:15:01]
UM, THAT, THAT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE TO DO LIST THAT I THINK WE FEEL NEEDS MORE ATTENTION FROM THE STATE IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE FUNDING IT.UM, AND WE NEED TO GET A GOOD HANDLE ON WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING US TO DO LOCALLY TO SUPPORT THAT AND THIS BUDGET.
SO YOU SEE AN INCREASE COMING IN FROM THE STATE.
SO ALL THE POSITIONS AND EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE KIND OF COVERING WITH THE STATE SIDE OF IT.
OUR REQUEST TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WAS AT 30.4 MILLION, WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME NUMBER IS THAT SALARY PACKAGE.
UM, THOSE OTHER POSITIONS, IN SOME CASES, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PRIORITY SCHOOLS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE CONNECTED TO BLUEPRINT.
NOW WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE AHEAD OF THE GAME BY TRYING TO DO MORE OF IT OURSELVES TO ACCELERATE THAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A GENEROUS BUDGET, UM, FOR THIS COUNTY.
I MEAN, WE, WE APPRECIATE THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THEY'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, MANAGING THE FINANCES IN THIS COUNTY TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO FUND THIS, UM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THERE'S PLENTY MORE COMING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
UM, AND WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO COVER SOME OF THOSE, BUT AGAIN, FOR THIS BUDGET, THERE'S NO USE IN US REALLY SEEKING OUT IN, SEARCHING FOR MONEY TO BE CUT FROM OTHER BUDGETS TO THROW.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE THAN WE ASKED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR.
THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CASE.
HE HAS, AGAIN FOR THIS IS THE THIRD BUDGET IN A ROW HE'S FULLY FUNDED.
OUR PROPOSAL WAS VERY GENEROUS THIS YEAR, FOR SURE.
AND FOR THE TEACHERS, YOU'VE GOT A, A MYRIAD OF ISSUES IN YOUR SCHOOLS THAT I CERTAINLY COMMEND THE TEACHERS THROUGHOUT ALL THE SCHOOLS FOR HAVING TO DEAL WITH ALL THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS ALL THROUGHOUT.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A VERY DIVERSE, UH, POPULATION THAT THEY ALL HAVE TO, UH, COPE WITH AND DEAL WITH AND, AND TRY TO HELP OUT AND, AND YOUR SRS, OR ARE WAY MORE THAN JUST, UH, UH, THE RESOURCE THEY'RE MENTORS TOO.
AND, AND WE'RE VERY, UH, VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO WITH THE KIDS.
IF YOU GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND VISIT, YOU'LL SEE WHAT THEY DO AND, AND THE RESPECT THEY GAIN AND, AND THINGS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE HANDS ON, ALWAYS.
SO THEY'RE YOUR FIRST LINE FOR SURE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO JUST GO BACK AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE ON THIS BUDGET, AND I THOUGHT THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD BE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT HONESTY, TAKING MR. WAGNER AND ROBBIE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, THE 30.4 MILLION FOR THE WAGE PACKAGE IS GOING TO BE REOCCURRING, CORRECT? YEAH.
I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE SCHOOL THAT, THAT, THAT GENERAL FUND BUDGET BECOMES PART OF THEIR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL MORE OR LESS KIND OF LOCK IN, UH, THE PER PUPIL AMOUNT.
SO IF, IF, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT ONGOING FUNDING, BUT IF ENROLLMENT WERE TO GROW, THEN THAT WOULD ALSO THEN TRIGGER, UM, IT, A PER PUPIL INCREASE IN WHATEVER THE PER PUPIL DOLLAR AMOUNT IS.
AND HOW OFTEN DO WE DO OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS OF SEE ON THE NEWS HERE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR STUDENTS THAT AREN'T IN SCHOOLS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S OUR CASE HERE, BUT I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION, THE FUNDING FROM THE STATE IS BASED ON ONE DATE, ONE SNAPSHOT, BUT OF COURSE WE MAINTAIN OUR ENROLLMENT, BUT FOR THE COUNT THAT IS CONNECTED, THE FUNDING, CAUSE IT'S ALSO A YEAR DELAYED, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S NOT THE SAME YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY THE ISSUE IS IF YOU'RE QUICKLY GROWING OR QUICKLY SHRINKING THE FUNDING, DOESN'T QUITE MATCH UP FOR THAT GIVEN YEAR.
BUT, UM, THAT ALLOWS FOR THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
UM, ANYONE ELSE, MR. TIBBS? I'M SORRY, I WASN'T HERE EARLIER.
YOU'RE FORGIVING, BUT A LITTLE WITH HARVARD PROGRAM IS SO EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL THAT NOW THEY'RE GETTING MORE PEOPLE APPLY FOR THE MAGNET AND THEY CAN ABSORB.
IS THERE ANY FUTURE PLANS TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM THIS PARTICULAR YEAR? I THINK THEY'VE HAD 180 PEOPLE.
THEY CAN ONLY THINK SOMETHING LIKE 88 YEAR.
OUR, ALL OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS HAVE HAD WAIT LISTS.
WE HAVEN'T HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EXPANDING IT.
UM, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING I AGREE WITH YOU, IT'S, IT'S A FABULOUS RESOURCE AND FOR THE STUDENTS HERE, UM, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EXPANDING IT, BUT WE, WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN AN ANALYSIS OF ALL OF OUR MAGNETS AT ONCE, BECAUSE SUPPLY IS NOT MATCHING DEMAND AT THE MOMENT.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF A QUESTION FOR ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT, AND I KNOW A LOT OF GOING OUT OF THIS MAGNET PRO, ESPECIALLY BARBARA GOING TO OUT-STATE COLLEGES COME BACK AND THEY'RE WORKING HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR.
[01:20:01]
YOU, MR. TIBBS, MR. SIDDIQ.UH, SO A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND THEN, UH, QUESTION.
SO FIRST I WANTED TO JUST ECHO THE COUNCILMEN UP HERE.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PAY TO PLAY, IF YOU'RE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES, EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU PULL THAT MIC DOWN HERE? YEAH.
SO, UH, REGARDING PAY-TO-PLAY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, UM, FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY, UH, FOR ME LIKE, UH, UH, THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF ME, I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T PAY FOR THAT.
IF ONE, IF WE CAN SAVE ONE STUDENT FROM HAVING AN ADVERSE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT, BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY COULDN'T PLAY A SPORT BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS WERE EMBARRASSED TO DO FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES.
AND THEN THEY, THERE WAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
I THINK IT'S LIKE LOW HANGING FRUIT, RIGHT? WHY CAN'T WE PAY FOR THIS? AND THEN FOCUS.
I MEAN, ME, I'M A, FIRST-GENERATION AMERICAN, THE SPORTS THAT I PLAYED IN HIGH SCHOOL NOT ONLY HELPED ME DEVELOP, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW I SPEAK ENGLISH WELL, BUT HELPED ME DEVELOPING THIS, BUT ALSO IT TAUGHT ME A LOT OF VALUES FROM THE COACH.
AND IT DID SO MUCH IN MY LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE COUNSELOR SAYING THAT, BUT I ALSO DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T PAY FOR THE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE LOW HANGING FRUIT, UM, REGARDING, UH, MR. TIMPSON'S COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MAGNET, UM, THE OTHER LOW HANGING FRUIT I FEEL IS, UH, SO WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, UH, WHICH WASN'T THAT LONG AGO I GRADUATED 2011, UH, COLLEGE WAS REALLY PUSHED ON ME.
UH, LOOKING BACK NOW THAT CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM AT GEORGETOWN WOULD HAVE BEEN, IT WAS STILL A VERY VALUABLE WHAT, UH, WORK IS BEING DONE TO PUSH TRAITS, UH, IN SCHOOLS AND, UH, TELLING THE STUDENT NAME, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I WAS TOLD IT'S COLLEGE OR NOTHING.
AND MY DAD ALSO SUPPORTED THAT.
HOWEVER, UH, I MEAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE LAST TIME I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, UH, AN ELECTRICIAN APPRENTICESHIP PUSHED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR TAKE ON THAT.
THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING THERE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR FIRST EVER, WE HAVE A PILOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW AT THE LEADING EDGE ACADEMY, WHICH IS NOW, SO THIS IS THE COLLEGE QUESTION GETS TRICKY BECAUSE OUR PROMOTION OF CAREERS, PRETTY BOAT ALWAYS INVOLVED INVOLVES HTC.
SO THERE'S STILL A COLLEGE IN THE MIX.
UM, BUT WE HAVE MANY PATHS THAT LEAD TO TRADES OUR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN RAMPING UP AND GROWING IN A LOT OF PLACES.
AND EVEN A STUDENT COMING OUT OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM AT JOPPA TOWN, SOME MAY BE ABLE TO GO STRAIGHT TO WORK, SO MAKE, GO TOWARDS ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES, BUT THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEAR DEGREES THAT COULD FOLLOW THAT AS WELL.
THE PROGRAM WE HAVE AT THE LEADING EDGE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW IS DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN TO GO TO COLLEGE.
AND WE'RE, WE'VE JUST STARTED IT IN JANUARY.
THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME TRYING IT, BUT THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS.
EVERY STUDENT WHO GOES THROUGH IT GETS A CUSTOMER SERVICE CREDENTIAL THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THEY CAN TAKE WITH THEM TO HELP FIND A JOB.
BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, PRE-CONSTRUCTION TRAITS CERTIFICATE.
WE HAVE ONE FOURTH, LIKE A HELP DESK SUPPORT, AND THEN A MICROSOFT OFFICE CAN JUST CERTIFICATIONS THAT DON'T REQUIRE A STUDENT TO GO OFF AND GO ADDITIONALLY TO COLLEGE, BUT THEY COULD TAKE THESE AND ENTER THE WORKFORCE IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE RELOOKING LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT CAREER CERTIFICATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO AREN'T POINTED TOWARD, YOU KNOW, TWO OR FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREES, UM, AS WELL AS THE TRADITIONAL PUSH FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHER ED, THE OTHER MORE TRADITIONAL HIGHER ED.
SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE MOVE TOWARD THAT NOW OUR TRADITIONAL TRADES PROGRAMS. CAUSE I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE SAY TRADES, WE THINK OF, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICIAN PLUMBER, THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, WE DON'T SEE THE HUGE WAIT LISTS THERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WITH THE MAGNET PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE TURNING AWAY TWO OR THREE KIDS FOR EVERYONE WHO WE ADMIT, UM, THOSE PROGRAMS WERE PRETTY CLOSELY MATCHED WITH THE DEMAND THAT'S COMING FROM THE STUDENTS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE LONG WAIT LISTS IN OUR CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM, BOTH AT HARTFORD TECH, AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR P-TECH PROGRAM AT JOPPA TOWN, WHICH IS BRAND NEW IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
SO SHORT ANSWER IS THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING ON THIS.
UM, AND WE VERY CLEARLY HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, OPTIONS THAT AREN'T STRICTLY, AND I WOULD QUALIFY THAT AS NOT STRICTLY FOUR YEAR COLLEGE FOCUS, BUT YOU KNOW, DIRECT TO CAREER WITH A SHORT RUN THROUGH HARVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH GREAT RESOURCES FOR CAREER ORIENTED.
AND I DIDN'T MEAN THE FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE BECAUSE I MEAN, ESPECIALLY MY GENERATION, I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS THAT WENT TO COLLEGE AND AREN'T IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DEBT.
AND I WOULD SAY THE MOST VALUABLE, AND I WOULDN'T SAY THE MOST VALUABLE, BUT ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE EDUCATIONS I'VE HAD IS THE PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATE I GOT FROM OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UH, THAT WAS $5,000 AND I WAS MAKING GREAT MONEY RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
UH, REGARDING YOU SAID THERE WASN'T AS MUCH DEMAND FOR LIKE THE TRADITIONAL TRADES, IS THAT, WOULD YOU SAY MAYBE THAT'S
[01:25:01]
IN PART BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN ADVERTISED AS WELL AS, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH, UH, RELATIVE PAST TIMES WHEN MAYBE TRAITS WEREN'T PUSHED, LIKE HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH OF IT IS THAT BECAUSE THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS DEFINITELY THERE RIGHT.FOR ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS AND ALL THAT.
SO IT'S INTERESTING YOU SAYING THAT THE DEMAND ISN'T THERE, UM, STUDENTS, WELL, I MEAN, WE ADVERTISE ALL THESE PRETTY CONSISTENTLY.
UM, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR MAGNET NIGHTS AND, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE PROGRAMS, I MEAN, SEATS AT HARTFORD TECH ARE VERY MUCH, UH, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS ARE VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING TO HARTFORD TECH, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT AGAIN, EVEN THE ENROLLMENT, SO YOU WOULD GET THE STORY, YOU HEAR ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE AT HARTFORD TECH, WHICH IS WHERE WE DO MOST OF THOSE TRADITIONAL TRADES PROGRAMS. BUT AGAIN, THEN THE NUMBERS APPLYING IN THOSE AREAS.
SO YOU'D HAVE THE SAME SORT OF MARKETING FOR THOSE, BECAUSE REALLY IT'S ABOUT MARKETING ARM FOR TECH.
UM, BUT THEN WHAT ARE THEY SETTING UP FOR? AGAIN, OUR BIGGEST WAIT LIST IS IN THE CYBER SECURITY PROGRAM, I BELIEVE.
UM, NOW THE ONE MORE TRADITIONAL TRADE THAT WE DO HAVE A LARGE WAIT LIST IS THE COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM, WHICH IS A LITTLE HARDER ONE TO STAFF BECAUSE THE SEATS AND THE LICENSES AND, UM, UH, BUT SO THAT IS THE, OF ALL THE, AGAIN, TRADITIONAL TRADES.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST WAIT LIST.
UM, SO, UH, CHANGING GEARS A BIT, UH, MENTAL HEALTH, OF COURSE, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, THIS VIRTUAL SCHOOL, UH, HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? I MEAN, BECAUSE I IMAGINE THERE'S VALUE IN HAVING A STUDENT IN A CLASSROOM, A TEACHER MAY BE RECOGNIZING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH RISK FACTORS.
HOW DOES THAT WORK ON A VIRTUAL SCHOOL? AND ALSO OUR SPORTS, OUR VIRTUAL STUDENTS ABLE TO PLAY SPORTS BECAUSE OF THAT, I MEAN, WOULD BE A HUGE, POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY.
UM, BUT WE MADE SURE PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THAT WHEN THEY APPLIED.
UM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, EVERY ONE OF THESE STUDENTS HAS THE OPTION OF GOING TO THEIR HOMESCHOOL.
THE LAW IN THE STATE ACTUALLY JUST CHANGED IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WILL REQUIRE SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO OFFER SPORTS.
NOW THEY HAVE TO PLAY AT THEIR HOMESCHOOL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO RUN SPORTS PROGRAMS OUT OF THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING NEW THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK THE DEADLINE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE, I THINK WAS 24.
UM, NOW WITH REGARD TO THE MENTAL HEALTH, WE DO HAVE SUPPORTS, WE OFFER TO STUDENTS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, SO THE SCHOOL HAS STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH FOLKS WHO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S DONE DIFFERENT VIRTUAL.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WAITING TO FIND OUT IS WHAT OUR ROLE WILL LOOK LIKE IN THAT SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE KNOW SOME PERCENTAGE OF THE FAMILIES THAT WERE THERE WERE THERE TO AVOID COVID OTHERS WERE THERE BECAUSE THEY FELT THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM WAS THE BEST FIT FOR THEIR LEARNER.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HOW THAT SHAKES OUT OVER TIME.
UM, BUT ALL THESE OTHER SUPPORTS, WE, YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK DIFFERENT IN A VIRTUAL SETTING JUST LIKE TELE-HEALTH IS DIFFERENT IN A VIRTUAL SETTING.
UM, SO WE OFFER THE SERVICES, THE SPORTS WILL BE COMING, UM, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO A LEARNING PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR NOW RUNNING THE VIRTUAL EDUCATION LIKE THIS.
UM, RECENTLY YOU, UM, PERFORMED THREE DISTRICT GAME.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO THAT? UM, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME? UM, NOT THAT OFTEN.
IT'S A ONE ACTUALLY THING WE DID PUT IN OUR REDISTRICT FROM PROPOSAL WAS TO ADJUST SO THAT WE CAN, BECAUSE ACTUALLY OUR REQUIREMENT IS WE'RE DOING EVERY DISTRICT AND WE HAVE TO DO IT COMPREHENSIVELY.
AND WHAT THAT CAUSED, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT A POLITICALLY POPULAR MOVE FOR A BOARD, FOR A COUNCIL, FOR ANYONE WHO GOT WRAPPED UP IN IT.
UM, AND SO I THINK IN THE PAST, IT WAS KIND OF EASY TO PUSH IT DOWN.
THE LINE ONE ADJUSTMENT WE'RE MAKING IS THAT WE'RE CHANGING OUR, OUR REGS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS A LITTLE MORE IN AN ONGOING WAY.
BUT IN TERMS OF REGULAR REDISTRICTING, WE DON'T HAVE A SCHEDULE TO DO IT REGULARLY.
UM, JUST THIS MORNING ON THE NEWS HOWARD COUNTY IS GOING TO THERE, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THAT'S GOING TO THEIR COUNCIL TO ASK FOR MONEY FOR MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS FOR ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS.
DO WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH, SIGNIFICANT APPOINTED PERSON IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT IT TO FIND IT LIKE, AS I, AS I, UH, ANSWERED EARLIER, AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, STUDENT SERVICES TEAMS WHO, SO EVERY SCHOOL HAS ACCESS TO NOW, NOT EVERYONE HAS A FULL TIME OF EACH OF THESE POSITIONS, BUT SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, PUPIL, PERSONNEL WORKERS WHO DO A LOT OF THE HOME VISITS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, OBVIOUSLY YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS.
SO ALL OF THEM HAVE A ROLE IN MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, AND IN OUR STAFFING AROUND US HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST FEW BUDGETS AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE UNDER THE BLUEPRINT.
[01:30:01]
BUT SPECIFIC TO POSITIONS THAT HAVE TO KIND OF GO ONE BY ONE.SO DOES EVERY ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL HAVE A SCHOOL COUNSELOR? YES.
AND SO THAT PERSON WOULD BE THE MENTAL HEALTH PERSON, IF NOBODY ELSE WAS THERE ON ONSITE AT A MINIMUM, BUT THERE, THERE WOULD BE OTHERS ON SITE.
I JUST FEEL WITH COVID AND WITH THE WAY OF THE WORLD.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT ECONOMIC ABILITY TO PAY TO PLAY, YOU KNOW, AND HOW THE STUDENTS FEEL THAT I GUESS SUBPAR BECAUSE THEIR FAMILY MAY NOT HAVE THE $300 THAT IT COST, ET CETERA, THAT WE'RE JUST PUSHING OUR STUDENTS FURTHER AND FURTHER DOWN THE MENTAL HEALTH BORDERLINE OF NOT GOOD.
UM, I REALLY, I REALLY THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO TAKE A GREATER LOOK AT THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING, NOT NECESSARILY JUST IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT ON THE PLAYGROUNDS AND, AND I, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE IT.
I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND WHEN WE PRESENT ON MAY 9TH.
UM, AND IN FACT, WE HAVE MORE CONTENT TO COVER THEN WE CAN DO.
AND WHAT WOULD BE A REASONABLE LENGTH PRESENTATION FOR THIS COUNCIL? THERE IS A LOT GOING ON.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, MY HEAD OF STUDENT SERVICES ISN'T HERE TODAY, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO PRESENTATIONS KIND OF IN ANY SETTING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS QUITE A LOT.
AND I THINK OUR INTENT HERE AT THE COUNCIL IS TO HAVE DR.
BOLSON NOW THAT COVID IS BEHIND US FOR THE MOST PART, HAVE DR.
BOLSON AND HIS TEAM COME ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, WHEN HE HAS TIME, BECAUSE HE'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT MANY THINGS ON THEIR PLATE, BUT TO GIVE US UPDATES ON, ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS, UM, HE'S WILLING TO DO THAT.
UH, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ONGOING FOR A WHILE NOW.
SO, UM, AND BEFORE WE GO TO CAPITOL, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT ON REDISTRICTING.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WHEN THE COMMUNITIES GOT THE FIRST BLUSH OF WHAT YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT DOING, I WILL TELL YOU THAT DR.
BOLSON AND HIS TEAM WERE EXTREMELY OPEN TO MY COLLEAGUES AND I, AND OTHERS, MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE AND WHATEVER, UH, WHEN IT CAME TO REDISTRICTING TO TAKE A LOOK AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY, GO BACK AND EVALUATE THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, SO I'M SORRY, MR. SCOTT, I JUST, YOUR COMMENTS REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING.
WHAT IS, HOW, HOW DOES THE SCHOOL SYSTEM REACH OUT TO THE FAMILIES TO MAKE THEM AWARE THAT THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE? BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN MY KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL AND A LOT OF CASES, THE FAMILIES DIDN'T KNOW THAT CERTAIN THINGS WERE AVAILABLE TO THEM IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE.
SO HOW DOES THE FAMILY KNOW THAT THERE'S A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR OR A PSYCHOLOGIST OR, OR WHATEVER THEY MAY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AVAILABLE FOR A DISCUSSION WITH THE STUDENT? YEAH.
I MEAN, THE COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST THING.
AND ONE OF THE LINES I USE TO HELP ILLUSTRATE THIS AS YOU JUST CAN'T PUT EVERYTHING IN BOLD, BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE, YES, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS WE TOUCH ON.
I MEAN, EVEN IN THE CONVERSATION, WHEN WE GO FROM SPORTS TO BUILDINGS, TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, UM, COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE NEW TO TRY TO HELP COMMUNICATE THAT IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE, ONE OF OUR BIG PUSHES IS PARENT EDUCATION.
AND WE HAVE A LIBRARY NOW OF DOZENS OF VIDEOS WE'VE CREATED ON A WHOLE RANGE OF TOPICS.
AND IN FACT, OUR PARENT ACADEMY, WHICH MARY BETH STAPLETON LEADS, AND SHE'S OFTEN THE HOST TO THESE, UM, THE LAST THREE CONVERSATIONS WERE ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY, SOMETHING ELSE WE TALKED ABOUT, WE'VE DONE OUR PRESENTATION AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, THAT MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER IN THESE VIDEOS.
SO THE VIDEOS ARE ONE LIBRARY OF RESOURCES THAT WE PUSH OUT TO FAMILIES TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO IT.
UM, BUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, OUR CHALLENGE IS WHEN WE DO THE CALLS HOME FOR SPECIFIC CHANNELS, AND YOU GOTTA KIND OF WALK A BALANCE WITH HOW MUCH PEOPLE WANT TO GET CALLED AT HOME ABOUT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS, I THINK COMMUNICATING THE RANGE OF SUPPORTS, WHETHER THEY'RE ACADEMIC, MENTAL HEALTH, SAFETY, AND SECURITY, WHETHER IT'S RELATED TO ATHLETICS, COMMUNICATE THAT RANGE IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE PEOPLE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH BANDWIDTH TO TAKE IN THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS ALSO, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THAT AND RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND IMPROVING THAT COMMUNICATION, WE'VE TRIED TO FIND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT.
UM, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I MEAN, THE WEBSITE IS HELPFUL.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO REWORK OUR WEBSITES TO MAKE A LITTLE MORE ACCESSIBLE PEOPLE, BUT, UM, WEBSITES ARE TRICKY TOO, BECAUSE
[01:35:01]
AGAIN, THE COVER SO MUCH GROUND PEOPLE REALLY HAVE TO SEARCH FOR THINGS A BIT.UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A CONSTANT CHALLENGE.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO COMMUNICATE THESE THINGS.
THE TROUBLE IS EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, PARTICULARLY SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN YOU'RE IN A CRISIS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO KNOW IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET YOU THAT INFORMATION IN THAT MOMENT.
SO WE'VE GOT TO FIND WAYS FOR YOU TO FIND IT, WEBSITE CRISIS CENTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOLS.
SO SAY FIRST PLACE TO START IS CALL AND REACH THE COUNSELOR BECAUSE THEY'RE OFTEN THE CONDUIT TO THOSE SORTS OF SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS.
AND IT'S PROBABLY VERY VARIES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, TO SCHOOL, CERTAINLY, AND LEVEL OF ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE HIGH AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT AND MS. JUDD, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO CAPITAL NOW, DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING? THE SLIDE, UM, THE CAPITAL BUDGET SLIDE SLIDE 12 OF THE PACKET SHOWS THE DETAIL OF THE, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE APPROVED AND WANTS TO SHARE ANYTHING ELSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT MORE QUESTIONS ON IT.
WHY DON'T WE JUST, MR. WAGNER, YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTIONS THEN? UM, WELL, GO BACK, START WITH THE, UM, THE LESSER OF SOME OF THEM GO BACK TO THE TICKET BOOTH.
IF YOU DON'T MIND THAT ABERDEEN IT'S, UH, I SEE IT'S SLATED FOR 23, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT I SAW? IT WAS PART OF THE REQUESTS, BUT WAS NOT FUNDED, CORRECT.
AND YOU WERE LOOKING AT ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE THAT NOT NECESSARILY NEGATES THE TICKET BOOTH, BUT IT WOULD HELP THE SITUATION, I SUPPOSE.
THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO REVISIT WHAT'S ON THAT LIST FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER PROJECTS, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF SMALLER PROJECTS BECAUSE W W WHAT YOU SAID, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF SUBSCRIPTION FOR ONLINE TICKET SALES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF WALK UP LIKE YOU HAVE.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN OUR TRADITIONAL WAY OF DOING THINGS, BUT, UM, I KNOW IT'S A NEED THAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME TIME THAT THEY NEED THAT FOR SECURITY REASONS AND OTHER THINGS TOO.
UM, THE JOHN ARCHER SCHOOL, UM, I SAW THAT IN THERE AS A, AS A CAPITAL, UH, PROJECT, UM, WHAT, WHAT'S THE STORY ON THAT? WHERE'S THAT HEADED? SO THE JOHN ARCHER SCHOOL, WE, UH, ISSUED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND WE RECEIVED, UH, YOU KNOW, 15 SUBMISSIONS.
UH, AND WE, UH, UH, FLIP TO THE BOARD, UH, ON MONDAY, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE GROMIT PARKER, ARCHITECTS TO START THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, THAT WILL BE A COMBINATION, UH, JOHN ARCHER REPLACEMENT FACILITY ON THE CAMPUS WHOLE SITE SHUTS ROAD, ALONG WITH A COMBINATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL LOOK AT MULTIPLE OPTIONS, ONE THAT SITE, UH, WE'RE ALSO EXPLORING, UH, JOINT USE OR, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AS PART OF THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, AND THEN DEVELOPING THE BUDGETS TO BE ASKED, UH, TO BE IN A POSITION TO ASK FOR LOCAL PLANNING APPROVAL NEXT YEAR, AND THEN CONSTRUCTION FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS AFTER THAT, THERE'LL BE A MULTI-YEAR FUNDED PROJECT.
THE GOAL IS TO OPEN IN 26, 12 26, 26.
AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE GOT SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT TRYING TO PUT BOTH OF THOSE ON ONE FOOTPRINT FOR SIZE OF WHAT YOU HAVE THERE AT THAT CAMPUS HILL SITE.
CAUSE WHAT IS ONLY NINE ACRES OR SO IT'S ALL LIKE 32 ACRES.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING A, UM, TWO FACILITIES ON WHAT WOULD BE WATER AND SEPTIC, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S NOT, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT AT JOHN ARCHER, UH, CURRENTLY WITH A SYSTEM IT'S ANTIQUATED AND FAILING AS WELL.
SO, SO THERE'S A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT WAS ADDED.
NOW THE DRAIN FIELDS, I'D HAVE TO GET YOU MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE, UM, I'M NOT AS STRONG ON THE MAINTENANCE OPERATION SIDE, SO I CAN TALK WITH, UH, UH, PATTY JO BEER, MY, YOU KNOW, MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S.
SO THEN YOU'RE GOING TO VACATE THOSE SITES, CORRECT.
AND WHAT WOULD THEY DEVELOP INTO FUTURE? WE HAVEN'T ESTABLISHED YET.
YEAH, IT IS A PLACEHOLDER IN OUR FUTURE CAPITAL TO DETERMINE THAT.
SO WE DON'T PLAN ON DEMOING IT.
WE PLAN ON MAINTAINING THAT FACILITY
[01:40:01]
AND THEN WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE TO REPURPOSE THAT FACILITY.UM, WASN'T IT, HARTFORD TECH DIDN'T INQUIRE SOMETIME BACK ABOUT THE FIELDS AT HARTFORD TECH, UH, WHERE THEY IN POOR REPAIR.
UH, THE QUESTION I BELIEVE, UH, MR. RAGNAR WAS ABOUT THE TURF FIELD.
IT, IT, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, UH, SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH PARKS AND RECS.
WE'VE ESTABLISHED A PRIORITY ORDER AND, UH, UH, MR. GLASSMAN AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS BEEN FUNDING THOSE PROJECTS.
SO THAT IS THE NEXT PROJECT THAT IS FUNDED AND WE'RE WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH PARKS AND RECS TO, UH, REPLACE THE, THE TURF AND ALSO, UH, RESURFACE THE TRACK.
UM, PORTABLES WERE, WAS IN THE BUDGET FOR 900,000.
I SAW THOSE MOVES ALL HAVE BEEN DESIGNED.
IT'S OUT ON THE STREET FOR BID.
WE HAVE A PART OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, ALTHOUGH WE LIKE TO CALL REBALANCING ENROLLMENT, SORRY.
OH, YOU HAD TO DRAW A LESS FIRE.
UH, SO AT THE END OF, UH, THE GRANDFATHERING PERIOD, WE DID HAVE THE NUMBERS AND ACTUALLY, UH, BOTH FACILITIES, UH, FALSE, THE MIDDLE AND BELAIR WILL GO UNDER THE A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, UTILIZATION RATE.
UH, SO WE'RE MOVING FOR RELOCATABLES FROM ALL OUR METAL OVER TO FALLSTON.
UH, AND THEN WE'RE MOVING TO PORTABLES FROM FALLSTON HIGH, OVER TO RED PUMP AND ONE ALL FROM HOMESTEAD, WAKEFIELD, FROM A WAKEFIELD BUILDING OVER TO HAVING A GREAT SOLID BATTERY.
SO MOVING FORWARD THE SONG, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN INVENTORY FOR THAT YOU OWN FOR PORTABLES? DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY YOU'VE GOT IT'S APPROXIMATELY 40? I CAN GET YOU THESE.
SO AT PRESENT, BECAUSE BEFORE YOU HAD TO GO OUT AND BRING THEM IN FROM SOME OTHER SOURCES AS WELL, RIGHT.
AS LEASE TYPE SITUATIONS, WE'VE KIND OF MOVED TO A LEASE MODEL FOR THESE LARGER CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, JOPPA TOWN HIGH.
WE LEASED IT FOR THE TWO YEAR CONSTRUCTION PERIOD AND A CLASS FROM UNIT, AND THAT WILL GO AWAY THIS SUMMER.
AND WE ARE LEASING A 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF, UH, LEASED UNITS FOR THE HOMESTEAD PROJECT.
AND THAT LEASE WILL TERMINATE AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, AS UNITS WILL GO AWAY AND NOT BE PART OF OUR PERMANENT EMPATHY.
AND IN HARTFORD TECH, YOU HAD A $20 MILLION WORTH OF RENOVATIONS IS LOOKING AT THERE.
WHAT, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO ENTAIL? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE WAS TALK SOMETIME BACK ABOUT POSSIBLY, UM, UH, WELL, CERTAINLY ENLARGING IT GOING ALONG WITH MR.
JUST BEING A GREAT PLACE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND HIGHLY DESIRED BY THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET INTO THE TRADES.
I THINK YOU COULD EXPAND IT MORE THAN WHAT $20 MILLION WOULD DO, BUT JUST WHAT'S THE 20 MILLION BIAS.
SO, SO FIRST IT'S, IT'S A MULTI-YEAR FISCAL PROJECT, SO THAT'S JUST THE FIRST YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE HARPER TECH PROJECT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND BECAUSE OF THE BUILD, THE LEARN, ACT MONEY THROUGH THE STATE.
WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT MONEY, WHICH IS KIND OF A SEPARATE POT OF STATE MONEY.
AND IT'S, ONE-TIME, UH, TOWARDS THE HOMESTEAD WAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT, WHICH FREEDOM, OUR NORMAL CIP MONIES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE AND OUR NEXT, UH, SYSTEMIC PROJECT, LORD SYSTEMIC PROJECT WAS HARFORD TECH.
BUT WHEN WE GOT WITH ROB LEMPERT AND STAFF AND DR.
SUSAN BROWN, WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS, UH, PROGRAMS FROM THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL THAT WERE NEVER, EVER TOUCHED FROM WHEN THE BUILDING WAS BUILT.
SO EXPANSION OF, UH, THE, UH, HOSPITAL ECOLOGY COMPLETELY GOT REDO THE WHOLE COSMETOLOGY, THE WELDING, UH, THE CAD PROGRAM UPGRADES, UH, THE ACADEMY OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
SO THERE'S SOME PROGRAM AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AT JOPPA TOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
[01:45:01]
IT'S, IT'S A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT THE STATE IDENTIFIES THE PROJECT.IT'S CALLED A LIMITED RENOVATION, BUT THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET RIGHT NOW IS, UH, $46 MILLION BECAUSE IT WAS MULTI-YEAR FUNDED.
AND, UH, THE MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE LONG OVERDUE FOR THE MAIN BUILDING BECAUSE IT'S STEAM AND THAT HAS LIKE A LIFESPAN OF 20 YEARS.
SO ALL OF THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, THAT'S ONE OF OUR LAST TWO THAT HAS A PRIMARY SERVICE THAT WE'RE CONVERT WITH WORKING WITH BGE TO A SECONDARY SERVICE CAUSE THAT'S, UH, SO ALL THAT OR BE REDONE AND THEN SOME OF THESE SPECIAL PROGRAM AREAS, IT DOES NOT, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE EXPANDING THAT FACILITY.
I'M JUST ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU, MR. WAGNER, ANYONE ELSE MR. JOHNSON? THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I KNOW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I BROUGHT THIS UP, UH, ABOUT THE, UH, LEAD ISSUE.
UM, HAVE WE ADDRESSED THAT AND OR IF DO YOU PLAY IT ON ADDRESSING, SO ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, WORKED TO TEST THAT I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST HERE.
CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUT OF MY LANE, BUT I KNOW ENOUGH TO HOPEFULLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND WENT FROM TESTING 20 PARTS PER BILLION TO FIVE PARTS PER BILLION.
UH, WE DID THROUGH THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS SUBMIT AND RECEIVE APPROVAL, UH, AND, AND THE LOCAL MATCH FOR CONSUMPTIVE FIXTURES AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF TESTING.
AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LITERALLY BIDDING AND, AND, UH, ADDRESSING THOSE CONSOLES CONSUMPTIVE MEANS.
AND I'M SORRY, THINGS THAT YOU WOULD DRINK OR POTABLE WATER.
SO THERE IS A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD ON ALL SEVERAL SCHOOLS ADDRESSING THE CONSULTATIVE AND, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO FUND THE NON-CONSUMPTIVE.
SO WE WOULD GO INTO THE DESIGN AFTER JULY ONE WHEN THE MONEY'S AVAILABLE AND START IDENTIFYING, WORKING ON THOSE AREAS THAT, THAT ARE NOT CANCELED.
AND HAVE WE IDENTIFIED WHAT THAT COST IS GOING TO BE? SO WE HAVE A BUDGET IN HERE AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT ON HAND, THEN YOU CAN JUST SEND IT OVER WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU DO FIND IT.
I THINK IT'S EVEN BECAUSE IT WAS ONE MORE, IT WAS LUMPED IN WITH ONE THE OTHER CATEGORY.
SO, UH, OUR REQUEST, UH, UH, 2 MILLION 8, 16, 6 5 IS RECOMMENDED.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT HAS TO, UH, AND THEN THE NON CONSULTANT IS ALSO THAT'S THE MATCH TO THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS FUND.
AND THEN WITH THE LARGER AMOUNT, THAT BE THE NEXT THING WITH, WITH THE WATER TESTING, YOU KIND OF HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE AND THAT RETEST AND THEN SEE WHAT YOUR LEVELS ARE, AND THEN DIGGING DEEPER TO SEE IF IT'S JUST A LEAD FITTING AT THAT LOCATION, OR IF YOU HAVE A MORE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE PIPING ITSELF.
SO IT'S KIND OF WERE, WERE, WERE TESTING THE WATERS AS WE SHOULD.
I GIVE YOU THE LAST TIME THAT, UH, I BROUGHT THIS QUESTION UP, UH, I GUESS THE, THE NOTION WAS, WAS THAT MAYBE THE LEAD ISSUE WAS COMING FROM THE LEAD UP FROM THE ACTUAL FIXTURES.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS IN THE WORKS OR IN THE PLAINS TO FIX THAT ISSUE.
THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, ANYONE ELSE MR. TIBBS ON YOUR EDUCATIONAL FACILITY PROGRAM, IS THAT THE MAIN OFFICE BUILDING? IS THAT WHERE THAT IS? 3, 3, 3 85.
THE SECOND ON YOUR YES, I, I I'M GOOD NOW.
SO THAT THAT'S MADE UP OF THREE, UH, FREE PROJECTS, UH, SOUTH HAMPTON, MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, RIVERSIDE, AND ALSO MINOR UPGRADES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AND ACTUALLY THESE, NOW THESE ARE THE FUTURE
[01:50:01]
PROJECTS, THE PROJECTS WITH THE, WE ARE, WE JUST AWARDED OUR GO TO DO THE SUMMER, SORRY.AND THEN THE BALANCE OF THE PROJECTS ARE, UH, FOR CAREER TECH AND EDUCATIONAL REFRESH, UH, PROFESSIONALS, FOODS, LAB, AND SEE MOULTON, UH, CHILDCARE LAB AT C MILTON AND A PROFESSIONAL FOODS LAB AT POLSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THOSE, ALL OF THE NEWER HIGH SCHOOL FACILITIES HAVE ALL THESE PROGRAMS. THEY'RE VERY UP-TO-DATE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY GRACE JOPPA TOWN HAS IT NOW.
AND THE OLDER SCHOOLS LIKE MOLSON HAD SYSTEMIC THOSE PROGRAMS, WEREN'T UP TO DATE LIKE THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS.
WHEN WE DID THE NEW HOSPITALS, WHAT I WAS GETTING AT WITH THIS $3,385,000.
BUT IF WE COULD GET $10,000 OUT OF IT FOR A DRILL OR A NORTH HARTFORD, HE KNOWS, IS THAT A POSSIBILITY, OH, IT'S NOT PART OF THIS TOTAL.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OUT OF THIS, BUT I MEAN, CERTAINLY NOT SAYING THIS IS NOT A POSSIBILITY.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS TRAILER FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS AND WE GET ALMOST THERE AND THEN SOMETHING GETS PULLED BACK.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
IF YOU CAN HELP MR. TIBBS OUT, I'D APPRECIATE HIS COULD BE AS LAST TO GO OUT OUT.
NO, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE ANYMORE.
HE'S ASKED EVERY YEAR, WE'LL BE GREAT AND WE CAN NAME IT AFTER HIM.
WE COULD PUT A PICTURE OF THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY.
I DON'T WANT TO OWN THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THIS CHALLENGE, TRAILER OR LIVESTOCK TRAILER, AS WE WITH NORTH WALKER LOGO ON THE SIDE OF IT GOING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD, CARRYING ANIMALS.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN ADVERTISING FOR YOUR PROGRAM AND HOW MUCH YOU, THAT THE KIDS HAVE ACTUALLY MADE THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THIS TRAILER OUT OF IT.
AND THEN, I MEAN, IF THEY, IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WANTS, I THINK KIDS WOULD BE WILLING TO DO IT ALL.
I CAN SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND THE INTEREST.
I MEAN, IT'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILAR.
I KNOW THIS ISN'T A LARGE NUMBER.
THERE'S A LOT OF REQUESTS LIKE THIS.
WE, WE DID PUT IN FOR A GRANT FOR THIS THAT GOT DENIED.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN REVISIT IT, BUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS WE HAD IN PLACE BEFORE, AND WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT, ALL THAT HAD TO BE WORKED THROUGH ALL THOSE PROBLEMS. SO THAT'S NOT THE CONCERN.
NOW WE JUST NEED TO GET THE FUNDING FOR IT.
BUT YES, I MEAN, THIS IS A BIG BUDGET.
WE CAN TAKE A LOOK, BUT SO DR.
HALL WAS ALSO COVERING A LOT OF GROUND.
VOLSAN YOU JUST SAID THE LIABILITY ISSUE IS NOT THERE.
NOW WE'VE MANAGED TO WORK OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S NOT JUST FUNDING THE MONEY RIGHT NOW.
WOULD THAT BE, TELL YOU WHAT THESE KIDS WANT TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY TAKE THEIR MONEY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. JANITOR, JANA.
SO ONE OTHER QUESTION, UH, I DID FINALLY GO TO BEL AIR AND IT WAS OPEN AND I SAW A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE.
I REALLY LIKED THE FOOD SERVICE, UM, ISSUE THAT THEY HAD, THAT FOOD SERVICE FACILITY HAD.
AND THEN THEY HAD A, A SHOP WHERE THEY WERE WORKING, CREATING THINGS, WHICH I THOUGHT IS A GOOD SEGUE INTO ANYBODY WHO MAYBE WANTS TO GO TO HARTFORD TECH.
UM, I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS, UM, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, ELECTRONICS CLASSES OR SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN GET PUT IN THESE SCHOOLS TO GET THE KIDS INTERESTED.
UM, LIKE I KNOW YOU GUYS ALL EAT RESTAURANTS, YOU'RE ALL GOING OUT INTO RESTAURANTS, RIGHT.
SO WHY IS HARTFORD? TECH'S CAFETERIA NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO RESTAURANTS, EVERYBODY'S EATING.
WHY CAN'T WE GO THERE AND DO THAT? IT'S CLOSED NOW.
RIGHT? SO ONE POINT I WANT TO SHARE, AND I APOLOGIZE, I SHOULD SHARE WHEN MR. WRIGHT DROVE THE CAR.
SO PART OF THE HARTFORD TECH PROJECT, AND I WON'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT IS TO BRING ALL THE PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN UP TO THE PROPER STANDARDS, REDO THE WHOLE KITCHEN AND THE STUDENT KITCHEN AND THE CAFETERIA.
SO ANY REASON WHY IT'S NOT OPEN WHEN EVERYBODY GOES TO RESTAURANTS AND EVERYBODY EATS OUT, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT RIGHT NOW.
WHY WE'RE AT WHERE WE'RE THERE NOW I KNOW THEY'VE OPENED
[01:55:01]
IT IN THE PAST.ALL, I GUESS IT WAS ALL SINCE PANDEMIC AND IT'S STILL CLOSED.
SO HOW DO WE GET AN ANSWER ON THAT AND HOW DO WE GET THAT RESOLVED? I THINK THEY MAY HAVE JUST READ OPENED UP NOW THAT OPEN TONY'S MEATBALLS ON FRIDAYS, MAYBE NOT TO THE OUTSIDE, THEY'RE NOT OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER NET, BUT I JUST KNOW THEY'RE NOT OPEN TO THE OUTSIDERS.
IT JUST STARTED REOPENING INTERNALLY BECAUSE THAT METAL GOING ON OVER THERE.
BUT THAT'S WHEN WE KNOW IN OUR OPERATIONAL STATUS, WHICH IS DEFINED, YOU KNOW, DID ATHLETIC CAPACITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE PRETTY MUCH OPENED IT WIDE UP BY APRIL.
BUT IF WE DIDN'T MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT, I'M SORRY.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK.
I JUST TOLD HIM BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE THEM TO RAMP UP FOR THAT.
SO I'M TELLING HIM A PHONE THAT, UH, GRADUATION, I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AT RIPKIN AGAIN FOR GRADUATION AND NOT IN SCHOOLS.
UM, MORE SPECIFICALLY AND PERSONALLY FOR ME, HAPPY GRACE.
I DID BRAND NEW SCHOOL, 105 MILLION PLUS, AND WE'RE STILL NOT IN IT.
WELL, THAT WAS THE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THE ONLY SCHOOL WHERE WE DID GRADUATIONS IN THE STREET, OUR PLAN ACTUALLY, AND I THINK HAVING A GRACE WAS PLANNING TO MOVE THEIR GRADUATION TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND WE HAD ORIGINALLY HAD OUR CONTACT WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE THIS YEAR, BUT THE TROUBLE IS WE HAD A MUCH BIGGER IMPACT IN COVID THIS YEAR THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ENDED UP MAKING THAT CHANGE, I THINK IN NOVEMBER, WHICH WAS LATE BECAUSE THINGS WERE STILL SO UNCERTAIN.
SO WE MADE THE CHANGE TO, TO RIPKIN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FANTASTIC PARTNERS.
WELL, YEAH, I'M NOT SAYING THAT I JUST DISAPPOINTING.
AND THAT MAY BE A QUESTION GOING FORWARD BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ALWAYS TRADE OFF.
I KNOW IT WAS A TRADITION TO DO THAT, HAVING A GRACE, BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD EVEN BRITISH HERE.
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE COLLEGE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST HAVING GRACE.
I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HEARING IT FROM A LOT OF PARENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE TRADITIONAL GRADUATIONS AND BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND, AND, UM, NOT BE LOOKING THROUGH A BACKSTOP, YOU KNOW? SO I'D DEFINITELY BE CONSIDERING THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE CLOSE TAKE A RECESS, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A BALANCE BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF TICKETS THAT FAMILIES WANT TO.
I MEAN, FOR YEARS I BATTLED WITH NORTH HARVARD.
LIKE EVERYBODY WANTED TO HAVE IT AT THE NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER THEY'RE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OR WHATEVER, BUT WHEN YOU ONLY GET THREE TICKETS, NOW THEY GET SIX.
BOLSON THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR COMING.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE NINTH.
AND I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, AN INTERESTING, UH, SESSION.
WE'LL RECONVENE AT TWO O'CLOCK.
SO, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START OUR AFTERNOON SESSION.
AS I'VE BEEN TELLING EVERYONE, UH, THE AUDIO PORTION OF THIS WORK SESSION IS BEING, UH, LIVE STREAM AND ARCHIVED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND, UH, COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'LL BE STARTING WITH MR. LAUDER, UH, DIRECTOR DILL.
ON PAGE 4 39 IS THE DIRECTOR OF DELP'S OFFICE.
THEY HAVE AN INCREASE THERE, 1 32 0 44.
AND I BELIEVE AS YOU'LL SEE FOR HIS WHOLE DEPARTMENT, IT IS THE ONLY CHANGES ARE IN PERSONAL SERVICES, BUT FOR THE DIRECTOR OF DOPES OFFICE THERE'S, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE 27TH PAY 24,000 7 38, THE MERIT INCREASE OF 3% AND 7% COLA OF 64, 5 88.
AND THEN THE OTHER LARGEST INCREASE THERE IS FOR THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OPEB AT 20,471, THERE ARE NO CHANGES IN ANY OF HIS OTHER LINE ITEMS OR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES DOWN TO BUSINESS AND TRAVEL.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE 4 42 BUILDING SERVICES THERE INCREASED, THERE IS 1 33, 4 15.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALL PERSONAL SERVICES.
86 7 85 IS FOR THE MERIT INCREASE IN NICOLA 32, 4 48 IS FOR THE 27TH PAY.
OPEB IS 5,000 1 46 AND PEP IS $4,300 ON PAGE 4 46.
[02:00:01]
SERVICES.THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 1 12, 3 72.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE HIGHER INCREASES IN PERSONAL SERVICES, 58 0 69 FOR THE MERIT AND COLA 21 7 25 FOR THE 27 PAY HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASE THERE AT 10,000 5 71.
AND THEN OPEB IS 1,388 ON PAGE FOUR FORTY EIGHT LAST, UM, CALL CENTER.
AND THAT INCREASE IS FOR ELECTRICAL SERVICES OF 96 1 0 1.
60,000 4 53 IS FOR THE MERIT AND COLA.
AND THEN $15,015 IS FOR OTHER POSTS AND ONE THAT BENEFITS OUR OPEC.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MATER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
ARE YOU GOOD MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? UM, JUST WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MINUTE.
THANK THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNCIL FOR ALL THE PREVIOUS BUDGETS AND WHAT YOU GUYS DO FOR US EVERY YEAR.
UM, I WANT TO THANK MY EMPLOYEES FOR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE HAD CHALLENGING TIMES AND WE HAVE NEVER MISSED A BEAT.
OUR EMPLOYEES TOOK THAT CHALLENGE ON AND WE KEPT OUR SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC, TO THE STAKEHOLDERS, TO THE CONTRACTORS.
AND, UM, WE'RE STILL DOING IT AND WE'RE BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS.
NOW IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE NORMAL, I GUESS, IF WE CAN USE THAT WORD.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO REALLY THANK THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS, LICENSING DEPARTMENTS.
CAUSE THEY DID A, THEY DID A FABULOUS JOB GETTING THROUGH IT.
UM, AND WHAT THAT, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE FOR ME.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY, I'M REALLY, REALLY GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE THIS AFTERNOON, BECAUSE COUNCILMAN JIM HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU FOR THREE DAYS.
EVERY TIME SOMEBODY SITS AT THAT TABLE, HE SAYS, THIS IS THE TIME FOR ME TO SPEAK TO MR. LAUDER.
SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PLEASED TO SEE YOU HERE.
UM, BUT, UH, ON A SERIOUS NOTE, WE DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, UM, THAT YOU'VE BEEN THERE EVERY DAY, UH, FOR THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY, UH, WHETHER IT BE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL OR ON A BUSINESS LEVEL, WHETHER IT BE A DEVELOPER BUILD OR WHATEVER, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, ABILITY TO HELP OVER TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHEREVER NECESSARY, UH, APPRECIATE YOU, UH, TRYING TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS SO THAT, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND DELP CAN WORK CLOSER TOGETHER TO MOVE THESE PROJECTS ALONG AND GET INSPECTIONS AND PERMITS DONE QUICKER.
UM, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL AND HE ONE MR. JAN, JORDANNA MR. WATER.
I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
I'VE HEARD FROM CONTRACTORS WHO SAY THAT TO GET THE PERMITS FROM YOU GUYS IS THE EASIEST IN ANY COUNTY BY FAR, I THINK THE ONLINE PERMIT, UM, THAT THE, THESE CONTRACTORS TELL ME ABOUT, UM, THEY PRAISE YOU GUYS UP AND DOWN FOR, FOR GETTING THESE THINGS DONE AND, AND DOING THAT SO KUDOS TO YOUR ENTIRE STAFF.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM ALL THE CONTRACTORS I HAVE INSURED AND HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT THEY CAN GET THINGS DONE THAT WAY.
WE WERE THE ONLY, WE CURRENTLY, WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTY WHO WAS SET UP THIS WAY AND YOU GUYS DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
SO IF ANY OF YOUR STAFF IS HERE, TELL THEM AFTER NOT HERE, TELL THEM, UH, I HEAR FROM MY CONTRACTORS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL.
MY PLEASURE, MR. BUIL, I DIDN'T HAVE MY HAND, RIGHT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW YOU DOING PAUL DOING FINE TODAY.
HOW ARE YOU, SIR? I'M DOING WELL.
I WASN'T LOOKING FOR YOU PERSONALLY.
I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO COMMENT ON THE PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS.
I ONLY ASKED TWICE, BUT, UM, TWO, I WANT TO ECHO, UM, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN MY DISTRICT AND I'VE GOT NOTHING, BUT, UM, PRAISE AND COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE AMAZING JOB THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE DOING EACH AND EVERY DAY, HE DIDN'T MISS A BEAT.
SO NOTHING, NOTHING BUT POSITIVE COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE DEVELOPERS AND OTHERS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET STUFF WORKED OUT IN THEIR HOUSE.
AND EVEN ME PERSONALLY, SO FIVE STAR SERVICE.
UM, BUT MY THING, UM, THE QUESTIONS OR THAT I HAD FOR YOU CONCERNING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND PRIMARILY YOU AND I HAVE FOCUSED ON THE, UH, YOU KNOW, DILAPIDATED HOUSES ALONG THE ROUTE 40 QUARTER RIGHT THERE AND HAVING DEGREES.
[02:05:01]
SOME CONSTITUENTS THAT'S CALLING ME ABOUT OTHER PROPERTIES.UM, YOU KNOW, SHALL WE SAY IN THE INTERIOR STUFF LIKE THAT, UM, COULD YOU, UM, KIND OF ELABORATE ON THE PROCESS OF THAT IF, UH, SAY, UH, SOMEONE HAS A NEIGHBORS AND THEIR HAD PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I HAD SOME DOWN IN PARAMIN HOW, UH, HOW THEY MIGHT GO ABOUT THAT CALLING YOUR OFFICE.
WHAT'S THE PROCEDURE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE GUIDELINES, BECAUSE I KNOW I HAD SOME PROPERTIES THAT WERE QUESTIONABLE, YOU KNOW, THE ROOF MAYBE WAS DAMAGED, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, SO JUST, COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? CAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO KNOW, SAY PROPERTIES, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE JUST ELABORATED I SORES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO THE, FOR US, THE PROCESS IS WE FOLLOW UP ON ANY COMPLAINT.
WE'RE A COMPLAINT DRIVEN DEPARTMENT.
SO IF THEY CALL US UP AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A SITUATION THAT IS DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC THEN, OR TO INDIVIDUALS, THEN WE WILL BE GLAD TO DO A CODE CASE AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON IT.
AND WE WILL MEET WITH THE, FIND THE PROPERTY UNDER MEET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, WHETHER IF WE CAN'T FIND THEM, WE'LL SEND THE LETTERS TO THE APPROPRIATE PLACES.
UM, AND THEN WE TAKE IT FROM THERE.
IF IT'S A SITUATION TO WHERE IT'S A STRUCTURAL DEFECT AND WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S EMINENT DANGER, THEN WE CAN KIND OF ESCALATE THAT SITUATION IF IT IS A COSMETIC DEFECT.
AND IT IS BECAUSE THE HOMEOWNER DID NOT REPAIR THEIR PROPER PROPERTY IN A TIMELY FASHION, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO.
WE CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CREATING A PROBLEM OR A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, IF IT IS CREATING THE LIGHT SAFETY ISSUE, THEN YEAH, WE MAKE, WE REACH OUT TO THEM.
WE GIVE THEM A SCENARIO OF, HEY, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS EITHER NEEDS TO COME DOWN.
OR, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEED TO HAVE A LETTER FROM A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER GIVING US THAT FIX IF IT'S THAT BAD.
UM, BUT WE GIVE THEM THOSE OPTIONS.
WE TRY TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY.
WE DON'T WANT TO JUST TELL SOMEBODY ON THE PROPERTY THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS TO BE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
WE, WE GIVE THEM THEIR OPTIONS.
ONCE THEY GET THEIR OPTIONS, THEY USUALLY COME BACK TO US.
UM, IF THE OPTION IS DEMO, THEN WE GET A DEMO PERMIT AND WE WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND WE GET THAT DEMO PERMIT AND THEY WOUND UP TAKING IT DOWN.
IF IT'S GETTING A CONTRACTOR IN THERE JUST TO REPAIR THE ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED, THEN WE GET A PERMIT AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
BUT THAT ALL GENERATES FROM A CODE CASE.
AND THAT'S JUST SOMEONE CALLING OUR DEPARTMENT AND SAYING, I THINK WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE.
SO, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO NARROW THIS DOWN.
SO YOU HAVE COSMETIC ISSUES AND YOU HAVE, SHALL WE SAY STRUCTURAL ISSUES? SO JUST BECAUSE A HOUSE HAS A HOLE IN THE ROOF THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT A STRUCTURAL ISSUE MAY OR MAY NOT.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LOADED QUESTION, A HOLE IN THE ROOF FOR HOW LONG, LIKE IF IT'S A HOLE IN THE ROOF AND THEY CAN COME OUT AND PUT A PIECE OF PLYWOOD ON IT AND SHINGLE, IT, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE, RIGHT? IF IT'S A HOLE IN THE ROOF FOR FIVE OR 10 YEARS, THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM, A LITTLE BIT LARGER.
CAUSE NOW WE'RE INTO THE WALLS AND THE FLOOR SYSTEM THEN, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU, THEY CONTACT YOU EVEN, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I HAVE SOME HOMEOWNERS WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T CUT THE GRASS WHERE THE HOUSE IS ABANDONED AND YOU KNOW, THE GRASS IS SIX FOOT HIGH, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
THEY'RE THERE, THAT'S NOT SOME, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY CALL YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THEY WOULD NOT, THEY WOULD PROBABLY CALL IT THAT WOULD BE PLANNING AND ZONING AND DPW, I THINK FOR GRASS CUTTING.
I THINK SOMEHOW THE TWO OF THEM ARE TIED TOGETHER, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TOTALLY ON THAT.
IT'S NOT MY, NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.
WE AIN'T, HE ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WHILE WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ANYWAY.
BUT YEAH, I APPRECIATE ALL YOU'RE DOING IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING OUT ON ROUTE 40 THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES.
UM, BUT I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED A LOT, SO SEE IT WASN'T THAT BAD.
THANK YOU MR. BRILL, ANYONE ELSE MR. WAGNER THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, UH, WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT YOU WERE PARTICULARLY, I GUESS THE MAJORITY OF YOUR PERMITS AND STUFF ARE ACTUALLY GENERAL OIL REQUESTED AND GENERATED ONLINE.
NOW IT DEPENDS ON WHICH PERMITS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THE TRADE PERMIT, UH, INDUSTRY HAS EMBRACED THE ONLINE AND IT'S 85, 90% COMING ONLINE, BUT WE, WE OFFER THE OPTION TO COME INTO THE OFFICE, DO IT ONLINE OR SUBMIT IT ELECTRONICALLY.
BUT OF COURSE IT'S NOTHING LIKE WHAT IT WAS YEARS AGO.
WHEN YOUR DEPARTMENT WITH PEOPLE WALKING UP TO THE COUNTER AND GETTING TRAFFIC IS DECREASED DRAMATICALLY, RIGHT.
UM, AMERICA, AMERICAN RESCUE ACT FUNDS.
UM, HOW HAVE THEY HELPED YOUR, YOUR DEPARTMENT THROUGH, UM, THE PANDEMIC? YOU SEE, YOU'VE SEEN SOME COVID MONEY? UM, WE, I THINK WE DID
[02:10:01]
USE A LITTLE BIT OF THE COVID MONEY, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT, NOTHING.I MEAN, YOU HAD NOTHING GENERATED THAT YOU NEEDED IT FOR TO, TO SPEND IT ON WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
WE PUT SOME MONEY INTO, AND I THINK I'M CORRECT ON THIS.
WE PUT THE MONEY INTO, UM, TYING SOME OF THE CODE LANGUAGE TOGETHER.
SO WHENEVER WE HAVE LOCAL AMENDMENTS, WE HAVE THE BUILDING CODE AND LOCAL AMENDMENTS.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE SPENT MONEY TO CREATE ONE DOCUMENT THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT THAT HAS THE CODE AND THE LOCAL AMENDMENTS RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT CODE SECTION.
UM, AND THEN, I MEAN, IN ADDITION TO ANY OF THE, THE, THE PPE THAT WE WOULD HAVE USED, THOSE CARES AND ARPA MONEY FOR, FOR, UM, YOUR STAFF AS WELL AS REST OF THE COUNTY AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE.
AND THIS TIES INTO THE ONLINE THING IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE SOME OF, UM, UH, THE CARERS AND ARPA-E MONEY TO OFFSET THESE CREDIT CARD FEES THAT, THAT YOU'D HAVE TO PAY, UM, TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO ONLINE AND NOT COME INTO THE BUILDING AND THE LIKE, HMM.
UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF A LOADED QUESTION, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IT OF YOU.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANY PLACE WHERE YOU THINK YOU CAN IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES IN THE OFFICE? WELL, WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE WHEN WE STOP IMPROVING AND WE START GETTING, I JUST FIGURED IT WOULD BE SOMEPLACE THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY POP, POSSIBLY THROW A DART AND HIT IT AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR THE CUSTOMERS GOING FORWARD.
UH, IS THERE A FAST TURNAROUND IT CAN BE IMPROVED OR IS THAT ABOUT WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE? AS FAR AS TURNING PERMITS AROUND? I FEEL LIKE OUR TURNAROUND'S REALLY GOOD FOR, I MEAN, WE, WE USUALLY GET PRETTY GOOD ACCURATE RATES ACROSS THE STATE.
I FOUND OUR TURNAROUND, IT GOES OUT THE DOOR PRETTY QUICK.
LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF SAME DAY TURNAROUND, 24 HOUR TURNAROUND.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S HARD TO KIND OF NAIL IT DOWN BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
YOU DEAL WITH THE LARGE COMMERCIAL PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TURN AROUND IN 24 HOURS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE A BIT TO TURN THAT PROJECT AROUND.
UM, WE ALWAYS DO BRAINSTORM AND THINK ABOUT THINGS, HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER.
UM, WE WERE LOOKING, WE WERE KICKING AROUND AN IDEA AND WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT IT TO ANY ATTENTION YET, BUT, UM, MAYBE LOOKING AT SOME TOUGH PADS FOR THE INSPECTORS VEHICLES SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE PROFICIENT ON ENTER GOV.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO.
ONE QUESTION I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, UM, WE TALK AND YOU SAID, UM, I BELIEVE THAT YOUR BUDGET, WHICH I DON'T SEE IT IN HERE, YOU ALLOCATED, UH, 25,000 ANNUALLY FOR DEMOLITION.
SO OUR, OUR DEMOLITION BUDGET IS $25,000 A YEAR.
DO YOU FEEL, I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE I KNOW THEN ONCE YOU DEMONSTRATE, UM, DEMOLISH PROPERTY, WHATEVER, THEN YOU TRY AND COLLECT THAT FROM THE OWNER.
ACTUALLY, WHAT WE DO IS PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, PUT A LIEN ON THE PROP MONEY, COMES BACK TO THE COUNTY.
HAVE YOU BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH GETTING ALL THAT BACK? IN MOST CASES? I WOULD SAY WE GET IT BACK ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT MELISSA WAS TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF FOR SOME REASON, CAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA.
I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY, WHAT IT TO DEMO IT AND ALL THAT STUFF.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU RUN OUT OF MONEY, SAY MIDDLE OF THE YEAR AND YOU GOT THREE PROPERTIES FIT, YOU KNOW, ON THE LIST TO BE, I KNOW IT PROBABLY HASN'T HAPPENED, BUT WHAT HAPPENED? DO YOU JUST, IF WE HAD TO, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A TRANSFER IN THE BUDGET.
SO YOU JUST DO A SIMPLE TRANSFER, SO IT WOULDN'T HOLD UP ANY OKAY.
THE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS IF WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S EMINENT DANGER.
THANK YOU MR. BILL COUNCIL, RESIDENT, MR. JOHNSON.
HEY PAUL, HOW YOU DOING? SO THE QUESTION I HAVE IS IS THAT, UM, AND I THINK THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN SROS KIND OF ANSWERED THIS THE OTHER DAY FOR ME.
SO CODE ENFORCEMENT DOESN'T FALL UNDER YOU, DOES IT? OR DOES IT FALL ON A P AND Z? I, I WOULD BE THE CODE OFFICIAL FOR HARFORD COUNTY.
AND SO TO COUNCILMAN BUELLER'S QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT THE HYPE OF WHETHER SOMEBODY IS CUTTING THE GRASS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THAT DOES NOT FALL UNDER CODE ENFORCEMENT, OR IT DOES, THAT DOES NOT FALL UNDER INSPECTIONS, LICENSES, AND PERMITS.
IT PROBABLY FALLS UNDER CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR PLANNING AND ZONING.
SO TO COUNCILMAN WAGNER'S QUESTION ABOUT HOW COULD YOU IMPROVE AND STREAMLINE BECAUSE YOU HAVE DOPE, YOU HAVE P AND Z AND
[02:15:01]
THEN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO CALL AND YOU'RE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AT ALL OF THIS.SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE THOSE COMPLAINTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE GETTING VETTED AND ACTUALLY FIXED? WELL, THE EASIEST WAY THAT I'VE TOLD PEOPLE IS WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A STRUCTURE, STICKS AND BRICKS, WHEN YOU'RE DIGGING IN THE GROUND AND YOU'RE BUILDING UP, THAT'S US, WE ARE NOT WE'RE FROM THE FOUNTAIN FLOODING TO THE ROOF.
IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF THAT SCOPE, IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW I KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE TRY TO PUT THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITES.
UM, I DO BELIEVE PLANNING AND ZONING PROBABLY HAS AN AREA WHERE THAT MIGHT BE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR PLANNING AND ZONING AGAIN, THAT'S NOT MY DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, YEAH, WE, WE, WE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.
WE TRY TO GUIDE, UH, WE DON'T EVER SEND ANYBODY JUST TO A RANDOM DEPARTMENT.
WE MAKE SURE WE FIND OUT WHAT THEIR QUESTION IS AND WE SEND THEM TO THAT.
I KNOW I, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT ANY MORE ON YOUR PLATE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS GOT SO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE, BUT I THINK FOR THE CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE TO HAVE A STREAMLINE OF WHERE EXACTLY TO GO AND TO FACILITATE THEIR NEEDS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT P AND Z IS DOING, AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, THEN INFORMATION IS BEING BOUNCED ALL OVER THE PLACE AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SH WE COULD, AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FIX THOSE ISSUES, BUT THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE FOR YOU.
THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR US APPEAR.
UM, AND FINALLY, DO, DOES YOUR OFFICE WORK WITH SOME OF THE, UM, OR MANY OF THE, UH, HOS IN THE AREA? JUST CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S, UH, I ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I HAVE AGING HOS IN MY, IN MY AREA.
AND YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THESE HOS ARE, UH, SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OPERATING WITH IMPUNITY, SO TO SPEAK AND THINGS AREN'T GETTING FINISHED BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY IS SAYING, WELL, THAT'S AN HOA PROBLEM.
THE CITIZENS ARE SAYING, WELL, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO.
SO HOW HAS THAT DIALOGUE BETWEEN YOU, THE HOA AND THE COMMUNITY, IT AT AN, AT, AT A WHOLE, OR IS THERE ANY DIALOGUE THERE? TECHNICALLY WE ARE, WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION OVER AN HOA AND THEY SHOW A, IS SOMETHING THAT'S PUT TOGETHER AMONGST THAT COMMUNITY.
BUT EVEN, BUT EVEN IF THERE'S STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE, THEN THEY WOULD CALL IN A COLD CASE LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND IF THERE'S, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S A HOUSE IN THE COMMUNITY IS DAMAGED, THEN THEY WOULD CALL US, MAKE THE COMPLAINT AND THEN WE WOULD FALL OFF ON THAT DAMAGED HOUSE.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE HOA.
SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD PUT PRESSURE ON THE HOA TO FIX ANYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, ANYONE ELSE MR. SCOTT? UM, IF YOU COULD HELP REFRESH MY MEMORY AS THE DEPARTMENT, YOU HANDLE THE PERMITTING AND INSPECTIONS IN THE THREE MUNICIPALITIES.
WE ARE SUBCONTRACTORS TO THE THREE MINUTES.
SO WE DO THE REVIEW AND WE DO THEIR INSPECTIONS.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER, IS THERE A FEE ATTACHED TO THAT? THEY PAY BACK TO THE COUNTY FOR THAT THEY COVER OUR PERMIT FEE.
SO EACH MUNICIPALITY WILL CHARGE A FEE AND THEY WILL SEND US WHATEVER OUR FEE IS.
AND THAT'S HOW FOR THE PERMIT, NOT FOR THE PERMIT, IT WOULD BE JUST OUR FEE.
THEY WOULD SEND US OUR FEE AND THEY'D KEEP THEIR PORTION OF IT.
THAT FEE COVERS INSPECTIONS AS THE FEE THAT GET WOULD, IT'S JUST OUR PERMIT FEE.
BUT SOMETIMES I'M JUST SYNCING SAMPLE.
I DO BELIEVE, AND I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK.
I DO BELIEVE WHEN WE CAN RESEARCH IT AND MAKE SURE WE GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
LET'S JUST SAY THE TOWN HAVE TO GRACE.
THEY MIGHT CHARGE THREE TIMES WHAT WE CHARGE.
SO OUR FEES COVERED AND THEN THEIR FEES ARE COVERED.
UM, MY MEMORY SERVES ME, CORRECT.
THE FEE PROBABLY DOES NOT COVER YOUR ACTUAL COST.
[02:20:02]
OH, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DISCUSSION, BUT NO, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A IT'S AGAIN, LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE, SO IT'S NOT A ENTERPRISE FUND.HASN'T WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE PERMITTING FEES WERE IN? I THINK IT WAS AROUND 6 0 8.
BACK WHEN I WAS, YEAH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE FEES HAVE BEEN VISITED, PROBABLY TRUE ACROSS IT PROBABLY IS.
THANK YOU MR. SCOTT, AND ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. LOADER.
CAN I ON PAGE 4 38, WE HAVE A DIRECTOR OF DOPE AND ALSO DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
AND THEN WE TURN OVER ON PAGE 4 41 AND WE HAVE THE SAME FINITE IT'S BECAUSE I'M ON PAGE 4 38.
THAT'S THE SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
JUST WONDER TO WISH MY MAMA HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY.
SHE'S STILL WITH US AND I'M GOING TO GO HOME AND GET HER AN ICE CREAM CAKE.
TELL HER I SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND WE ALL SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
THANKS FOR ALWAYS BEING AVAILABLE TO POLL.
WHEN I CALL YOU, YOU WILL ALWAYS PICK THIS UP.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ON PAGE 300, INTRODUCE HERSELF.
NOT JUST SHE WILL KNOW, BUT SHE SAID YOU WERE LATE.
MR. TIPS TO WATCH HOW TO GET HER DRY CLEANING PAGE 300, THE DIRECTOR BEING THE SERVICES.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 2 66, 6 95, 1 26 95 IS FOR PERSONAL SERVICES.
51, 5 95 IS FOR THE MERIT AND COLA TEAM.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES $5,000 AND THIS WAS ADJUSTED BASED ON ACTUAL EXPENSE EXPENDITURES FOR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES INCREASES 20,500.
THIS IS FUNDS FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED EVERY OTHER YEAR FOR THE RESOURCE GUIDE AND TOOLKIT PUBLICATION.
UM, SO WE FUNDED THAT FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN UNDER CONTRIBUTION.
YOU'LL SEE THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF $11,000.
I AM NOT GOING TO LIST ALL OF THEM, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE FOR AS WELL AS UNDER GRANT NATE AWARDS.
UM, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 1 0 9 5, AND THIS IS THE LIST OF WHO WAS AWARDED THE FUNDS AND WHAT THEY WILL BE RECEIVED ON PAGE ONE, PAGE 3 0 6 AS THE OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY.
3 15 0 21, 12,205 IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
15 NINE IT'S THE NET OF 15,000 9, 23 FROM A MERIT INCREASE IN THE COLA.
TEMPORARY SALARIES INCREASES BASED ON ACTUALS FROM 9,008 50.
UH, THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS WENT DOWN BY 23 8, 2 87.
ALTHOUGH WE DID ADJUST FOR THE RE, UH, INCREASE IN COST.
UM, AND THEN OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AS $9,751 ON THE 27TH PAY 7,000 1 23 UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE THERE OF 600, $13,815.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF THE ADDICTIONS CONNECTIONS RESOURCE FUNDING.
WE MOVED THAT FROM MISCELLANEOUS AND PUT THAT UNDER CONTRACTUAL.
PLUS THEY DID RECEIVE A ALMOST $300,000 INCREASE FOR THEIR SERVICES.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THAT, IN THAT CALL CENTERS, BUT ON PAGE THREE 11 OFFICE ON AGING, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 220,009, 14
[02:25:02]
PERSONAL SERVICES IS 365, 6 39 OF WHICH THE MERIT AND COLA IS AT A COST OF 1 15, 3 0 8, TEMPORARY SALARIES INCREASES $65,000.THIS IS FOR, UM, SENIOR CENTER COORDINATORS.
UM, AND THEN UNDER HEALTH BENEFITS, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE.
38, 360 4 TAB INCREASES ONE 20 TO 120, $2,001.
AND THEN OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS INCREASES 27,430.
THERE WAS A DECREASE BASED ON NATIONAL EXPENDITURES IN CONTRACTUAL, 12,550, AGAIN IN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS FOR COMMERCIAL PRINTING OF 7,000 TO 75.
AND THEN UNDER MISCELLANEOUS, THERE'S A DECREASE THERE 1 24, 900.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE THE FRENCH MONEY PAYING FOR SOME HELP.
AND WITH THAT GOOD AFTERNOON, BEFORE I KICK OFF, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE TEAM THAT'S WITH ME TODAY.
I DEPUTY DIRECTOR SYLVIA BRYANT IS WITH ME AND ALSO MY AMAZING AS A THING, KATHY STEWARD IS WITH ME.
UM, SO, SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR COMMUNITY SERVICES HAS PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICE TO MORE THAN 98,449 CITIZENS IN HARTFORD COUNTY, MENTAL HEALTH, HUNGER, AND HOMELESSNESS AS WELL ALONG WITH RISING HOUSEHOLD COSTS REMAIN THE TOP CONCERNS AMONG OUR AT-RISK POPULATIONS AND THE NONPROFITS THAT SERVE THEM.
THE KLEIN FAMILY CRISIS CENTER SERVED 2,692 INDIVIDUALS, UH, THUS FAR THAT IS A 60% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR.
THE OFFICE ON MENTAL HEALTH, ONE 800 NEXT STEP HOTLINE HAS RECEIVED TWENTY FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN CALLS AND DISPATCH THE MOBILE CRISIS TEAM 530 TIMES ADDICTION CONNECTIONS RESOURCE PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICE TO 1,862 INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TREATMENT FOR ADDICTION IN 2021, THAT IS A 43% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
THE OFFICE ON AGING, OUR OUTREACH AND CASEWORK STAFF HAVE RESPONDED TO 65,734 REQUESTS SO FAR THIS YEAR.
AND OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE OFFICE ON AGING HAS EXPERIENCED THE 62% INCREASE IN CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE.
THE OFFICE ON DRUG CONTROL POLICY HAS PROVIDED OUTREACH TRAINING AND SERVICE TO MORE THAN 9,450 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING SUICIDE PREVENTION, TRAINING, THE PLEDGE PROGRAM, CELL PHONE SAFETY TRAINING AND MENTAL HEALTH.
FIRST AID, AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THE INCREASES OF FOOD AND UTILITIES HAVE DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED OUR FAMILIES HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY FOOD PANTRIES, AND ALL OF OUR ZIP CODES ARE EXPERI EXPERIENCING STEADY INCREASES IN THE DEMAND FOR FOOD AND ASSISTANCE.
HARPER COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY REPORTS, A 24% INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THIS MARCH.
OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE TESTED AS IT HAS NEVER BEEN BEFORE.
UM, BUT WE'RE STRONGER TODAY THAN IN YEARS PAST DUE TO THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN REINFORCED NEW COLLABORATIONS AND THE INNOVATIONS IN WHICH WE'RE DELIVERING CRITICAL.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS ASHLEY ADDICTION'S CLUBHOUSE, UH, WHICH PROVIDES NATIONALLY RENOWNED MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES TO AT RISK YOUTH AFTER SCHOOL AND ON WEEKENDS FOR NO COST TO FAMILIES EXPANDED YOUTH PROGRAMS AT THE CLIENT CRISIS CENTER, MY DEPARTMENT, THE HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE LOCAL CARE TEAM AND NEW RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING AT ACR, WHICH WILL HELP FAMILIES OVERCOME THE EXPENSES AND OBSTACLES TO FINDING QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN PROBLEMS LIKE THE FIRST RESPONDERS ROLE, EXCUSE ME, PROGRAMS LIKE THE FIRST RESPONDERS ROLE IN RECOVERY, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN, UH, HARTFORD COUNTY BY MY TEAM OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY.
AND JUST RECENTLY ADOPTED BY THE STATE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING EMBEDDING OUR PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS AND AN ARRAY OF SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND MAKING TREATMENT AND SUPPORT ACCESSIBLE 24 7 AND ENSURING THERE IS NO WRONG DOOR WHEN SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR HELP SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PARENTS, TO TEENS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AS WELL AS TAILORED PROGRAMS TO AT-RISK POPULATIONS LIKE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THE MILITARY AND FAMILIES IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, COLLABORATIVE RESOURCE FAIRS WITH HUNDREDS OF VENDORS THAT SERVE THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES LIKE THE SECOND CHANCE JOB.
THEY'RE A YOUTH AND FAMILY RESOURCE FESTIVAL AND TOMORROWS PROJECT HARTFORD CONNECT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HOMELESSNESS IN HARPER COUNTY, WHATEVER THE OBSTACLE, MY TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS DILIGENTLY AND CREATIVELY TO BUILD A SAFETY NET FOR ALL OF THE FAMILIES AND CITIZENS IN
[02:30:01]
HARTFORD COUNTY.THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT FOR MY DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN F Y 23.
AND BEFORE I TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, I DID HEAR THAT COUNCILMAN SCHRODE IS TESTING OUT THAT NEW ANKLE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TEST IT, I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD BE REALLY TESTED.
AND SO, UH, MY COLLEAGUE DIRECTOR PARISH HAS BROUGHT A HOVERBOARD.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY, THAT'S ALL GO OUTSIDE.
THANKS FOR YOUR, UH, REPORT AND YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE ALL THE SERVICES THAT YOU BRING TO THE COUNTY AND ADD TO THE COUNTY'S QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
SO APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR SURE.
I WOULD ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR PRESENTATION TO MS. HARRIS.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR AND MR. WAGNER, I AM ESPECIALLY THANKFUL THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS CHOSEN TO PUT MONEY IN SOME OF THE CATEGORIES THAT ARE SORT OF A PASSION TO ME, THE ACR, AND CERTAINLY THE OTHER, UH, ANYTHING ADDICTION WISE.
UM, WE SAW, UH, ADDICTIONS HAD A PRESENCE AT HALL'S CROSSROADS, JUST PATENT THIS LAST WEEK FOR THE SAFETY FAIR THEY HAD THERE.
AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THEM OUT AND AROUND AND IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE OUT AND AROUND.
SO, BUT PASS THAT ALONG TO, UH, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR.
I'M STILL TRYING NOT TO LAUGH.
SO, UH, MRS. RHODES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
SO ON THE, UH, GRANT IN, IN AID AWARDS, UM, I SEE THERE'S AN INCREASE, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE PRIOR AMOUNTS THAT WERE LISTED SO I COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE AWARDS FROM PRIOR YEARS.
IT JUST SHOWS THAT THERE'S A A HUNDRED, 9,500 CHANGE.
IT DOESN'T SAY WHERE THE INCREASES ARE COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 22 OR, OR BEFORE THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN GET? ABSOLUTELY.
HOW DOES HE COME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS? SO, UM, WE HAVE A ANONYMOUS BOARD THAT WE BRING TOGETHER THAT GOES OVER EACH OF THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES FOR GRANT NEED.
UM, THEY'RE NOT A MESS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANY OF THE NONPROFITS, UM, REACHING OUT TO THEM IN ADVANCE AND PLEADING A CASE.
UM, BUT I CAN ALSO GIVE YOU THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SERVED ON THAT BOARD THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT THEY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN IT COMES TO OUR DEPARTMENT UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING MATERIALLY, UM, OFF BY THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEN WE, WE LOOK AT IT, UH, FREQUENTLY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MORE THAN THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT COME DOWN BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS OR WE'LL WORK WITH LEN'S OFFICE, WHICH ALSO HAS GRANT NEED IN IT.
AND IF SOMEBODY HAS APPLIED TO BOTH OFFICES, SOMETIMES WE'LL TRY TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESSES BY PUTTING EVERYTHING IN ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS INSTEAD OF BOTH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO REPORT TWICE.
SO IS THIS SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY FILED THE REPORT AND THEY ASKED FOR X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS OR IS THAT HOW SOMEBODY, THEY GET SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, HEY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR 25,000 FOR THIS, OR WE'RE LOOKING FOR 40,000 FOR THIS, OR IS IT BASED OFF OF WHERE THEY WERE LAST YEAR? AND THEY JUST AUTOMATICALLY GETTING INCREASED BECAUSE IT'S SOWS DECREASES AND INCREASED.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS DECREASED, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW SOMEBODY NUMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, COME HERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY GET FIVE, FIVE GRAND AND SOMEBODY GETS 35 GRAND AND THEN SOMEBODY GETS 125 GRAND.
SO IT'S BASED ON THEIR REQUEST, UM, TO US NOW THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS FULLY FUND ALL THE REQUESTS, BUT WHAT WE WILL DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR REQUEST.
WE, THEY MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND A BUDGET.
AND SO THERE'LL BE TIMES WHERE WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO FUND THIS PIECE OF THE BUDGET, BUT NOT THAT PIECE OF THE BUDGET.
SO LIKE A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UM, LAST SOWS, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY APPLY TO TWO DIFFERENT, UM, BUCKETS OUT OF, UM, MY COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT NEED BOTH, UH, YOUTH AND FAMILY AND ALSO AT RISK.
UM, IF I FUND THROUGH THEIR YOUTH AND FAMILY, UM, A SALARY PACKAGE FOR THE, FOR THE EMPLOYEE, THAT'S WORKING ON IT, THEY MAY HAVE IN BOTH GRANTS AND INCLUDED THAT SALARY PACKAGE, EVEN THOUGH THE SAME CASEWORKERS WORKING ON BOTH GRANTS, I'LL SUBTRACT OUT SINCE WE'RE ALREADY PAYING OUT OF ONE GRANT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE ALREADY PAYING
[02:35:01]
ONE GRANT THEIR SALARY OUT OF ONE GRANT, THEN THEY MAY NOT NEED IT OUT OF THE OTHER.AND SO WE'LL MAKE THE CHANGE THERE.
I UNDERSTAND, UM, IT'S SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR THIS YEAR.
AND IF YOU LOOK IT AT ALL THE OTHER INCREASES, MAYBE NOT ALL THE OTHER INCREASES, BUT LIKE COLA, THAT WAS 3%.
WAS THERE A REASON WHY WE DIDN'T THE, OR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIDN'T LOOK TO DO, YOU KNOW, A COST OF LIVING INCREASE BASED ON THIS, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THIS 109,500? SO THAT'S BASED ON THEIR REQUEST.
THEY, I MEAN, GRANT NEED IS BASICALLY DESIGNED TO HELP THE NONPROFITS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, COVER THE OPERATIONAL COST FOR THEIR COMPANY.
SO, UM, AND WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ASK FOR AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF COST OF LIVING OR, UM, FOR A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS SENIOR RIDE SHARE HAS A SMALL INCREASE BECAUSE GAS IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
UM, SO YOU, THOSE ARE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET, BUT FREQUENTLY ARE, UM, WE HAVE OVER 30, UM, REQUESTS FOR GRANT NEED.
I BELIEVE TO MY DEPARTMENT ALONE AND FREQUENTLY, THOSE NONPROFITS ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THEY GET FROM THE COUNTY THAT THEY REQUEST FLAT FUNDING THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU, MR. JANITOR, MR. SCOTT, THIS IS MAYBE A QUESTION MORE FOR KIM OR ROBBIE THAN, THAN AMBER.
UM, WHY WAS THE DECISION MADE TO MOVE IT FROM THE 70 CHARACTER TO THE 20 CHARACTER FOR THE 311,000? IT WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER TO KNOW WHAT, HOW MUCH IS GOING JUST FOR ACR, JUST TO HAVE A DIFFERENT, SOME OBJECT.
THAT'S ALL, IT'S, IT'S STILL KIND OF A CONTRACT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACR.
WELL, THE 311,000, WHICH I SEE HAS BEEN INCREASED.
IT'S ALL LUMPED INTO CONTRIBUTIONS BEFORE AND IT'S KIND OF HARD.
AND EVEN CRYSTAL HAS ADVISED, WE NEED TO LIKE TRY TO SEPARATE THEM OUT AS MUCH.
SO WE PUT THAT UNDER CONTRACTUAL, JUST SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S 615,000 GOING TO ACR.
SO IT'S MORE TRANSPARENT, NOT JUST LUMPED IN WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO THE ACR FUNDING WERE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR TO GRANT AND AID.
UM, THEY SEND US THEIR INVOICES AND THEN AFTER WE REVIEW THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS, UH, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE AND WHAT WE'RE FUNDING, THEN WE REIMBURSE THEM.
THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT, CYNTHIA.
UM, ON PAGE 3 0 2, THERE'S A LINE ITEM OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT FOR $4,000.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT IS DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT? UM, W SO THAT, UM, IS OUR DISAPPOINTMENT DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT, LUNCHEON AWARDS LUNCHEON, WHERE WE RECOGNIZE BOTH THE, UM, EMPLOYERS THAT HIRE INDIVIDUALS OF DIFFERING ABILITIES AND ALSO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, THAT, THAT WORK AT DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT, UM, COST IN THERE IS ACTUALLY REIMBURSED TO THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE WE HAVE SPONSORSHIPS THAT COVER THAT EVENT.
SO YOU'RE NOT EMPLOYING INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERING ABILITIES.
ARE YOU WITH ANY FUN? UM, WE HAVE HAD, UM, ARC EMPLOYEES WORK IN OUR OFFICE, UM, AS INTERNS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHT NOW.
AND SO SEAN, UM, FROM THE ARC IS PRESENTED ALREADY.
UM, AND IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE WHOLE COUNTY NOT, AND YOU DO A TREMENDOUS JOB.
I I'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, BUT THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY MIGHT LOOK AT THE PRODUCTIVITY OF HIRING FROM THE ARC TO MAKE THE COUNTY MORE COMPLETE, THAT WE DO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WITH DIFFERING ABILITIES WOULD BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE INTO OUR WORKFORCE, WHICH IS HUGE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT, UM, SOME OF THE ARCS, UM, FOLKS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH US HAVE BEEN AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT IN THE SUNSHINE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR OFFICE EVERY MORNING.
SO I CHOOSE TO USE THAT COURAGE, UH, EVERYONE TO LOOK AT THE ARC FOR, UH, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
COULD IT BE THAT ACR WAS ALSO SEPARATE, IS THAT ONE OF THOSE ONE SOURCE PROVIDERS WHERE THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO AN ARRAY OF ORGANIZATIONS MAYBE WAS THAT ALSO, I DIDN'T HEAR IT, BUT MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY WERE SINGLED OUT DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER NONPROFITS.
[02:40:01]
THEY ARE A SINGLE SOURCE FOR WHAT THEY DO IN OUR COUNTY.UM, BUT I THINK LARGELY THE REASON WHY THEY WERE PULLED OUT WAS JUST TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON TREATMENT AND THE COUNTY AND RECOVERY, MR. WEBER AT THAT POINT.
UM, CAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER AGENCIES WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT DO MUCH THE SAME THING, VERY SIMILAR, NOT AS BIG AS ACR AS A, AS A TOP OF THE PYRAMID, BUT YOU'VE GOT SOME OTHER, UM, FACTIONS OUT THERE.
WE GIVE THEM GRANTS, UH, GRANT FUNDING AS WELL.
UM, I'M THINKING OF VOICES OF HOPE AND SOME OF THOSE ENTITIES, VOICES OF HOPE AND ACR DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND AC SOME CROSSOVER, WE TRY TO KEEP THEM SOME, I MEAN, ACR IS THE ONLY, UM, PROVIDER IN TOWN THAT WE SEND PEOPLE TO PRETTY MUCH 24 7 AND THEY NEGOTIATE TREATMENT AND, UM, ASSESS THEM AND FIND OUT WHERE COPAY GAPS LIE AND, UM, PUT PEOPLE INTO RECOVERY HOUSES.
DID WE, DO WE GIVE ANY MONEY TO THE OTHER? UM, SO HAVE A FUND WITH VOICES OF HOPE.
THEY ASKED US FOR GRANT FUNDING.
WE DID SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TO GET FUNDING THROUGH THE OCC AT THE STATE.
THANK YOU, MR. WAGNER, MR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
UM, THANK YOU, AMBER, TO YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE AMAZING JOB THAT YOU DO, UH, FOR THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, MENTAL HEALTH ADDICTION AND, UM, HOMELESSNESS.
UM, BUT ONE QUICK QUESTION, AS FAR AS, UH, HOUSING VOUCHERS, DO YOU HAVE HOUSING VOUCHERS FALLS? RIGHT.
YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PARISH, WELL, HEY, I'M BETTER THAN TONY.
YOU GOT TO MEET PAUL WATER EARLIER, IF YOU WOULD HAVE BUSY, LET'S MOVE ON HERE.
ANYONE ELSE WITH A QUESTION, ERIC? THANK YOU.
JUST BACK TO THE ACR, UM, RELATIONSHIP, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO RECALL THE HISTORY BEHIND THAT.
DID THEY REPLACE, UH, A FUNCTIONAL DEPARTMENT WITHIN YOUR GROUP OR WAS JUST ALWAYS BEEN OUTSOURCED? I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT THEY DO.
I KNOW WHAT THEY PROVIDED, BUT I JUST TRIED TO GET AN UNDERSTAND HOW THAT KIND OF EVOLVED.
SO ACR IS A MODEL TO BE FOLLOWED FOR OUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THEY, UM, THEY WERE, NON-PROFIT STARTED BY THREE MOMS AND, UM, STARTED HELPING PEOPLE FIND TREATMENTS.
THE COUNTY HAS FOUND THEM UNDER THE GLASSMAN ADMINISTRATION, AMAZING PARTNER, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY THE ONLY FOLKS THAT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK, BUT THEY, UM, SO THEY'RE NOT COMPETING WITH ANY OTHER PROVIDER IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEY WORK WITH ALL THE PROVIDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO LOOK FOR BEDS.
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY'RE A, NON-PROFIT, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE BEDS AT A DISCOUNTED RATE AND THE COUNTY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE A 5 0 1 C3 THEY CAN.
SO WE LOOK AT THEM AS A VALUE ADDED SERVICE TO WHAT THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HELPS.
I LOOK AT THEM AS PARTNER PARTNER IS A CLOSE PARTNER IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTION.
UM, WE SCHEDULED, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEXT, BUT UH, I GOT A CALL OR A TEXT MESSAGE FROM STATE'S ATTORNEY.
HE'S GETTING READY TO WALK IN THE DOOR AND UM, HOPEFULLY PRETTY SOON OR WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE HIM WAIT.
HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN THE DOOR, GETTING THE SEARCHED STATE'S ATTORNEYS JUMPING AHEAD OF HIM.
LET'S ROLL 6 82 OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS A INCREASE OF 212,000 6, 58.
IT'S ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
UM, 90 2001 89 IS FOR THE MERIT AND COMA 10,190 IS FOR POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH PLAN PEP THE 27TH PAY FOR COST
[02:45:01]
OF 32, 3 96 AND THEN OPEB FOR COST OF 11,000 4 72, EXCUSE ME, WHICH THE PAGE NUMBER 6 82 ON PAGE 6 87 IS TOURISM AND MARKETING.THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF $2,800,000.
AND THIS IS THE RESULT OF, UM, FUNDING APPROPRIATED FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT CONTRIBUTIONS, MILLION DOLLARS TO RIPKIN SPORTS, 500,000 TO THE DISCOVERY CENTER, 500,000 FOR HARMERS TOWN ART CENTER, 500,000 FOR THE HAVERTY GRACE AUDITORIUM ROOF, AND 300,000 FOR THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY RESTORATION OF THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND THE, AND THEN ON PAGE 6 88, YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE IS NO FUNDING, UM, OR HARTFORD TRANSIT.
WE HAVE MOVED THAT FUNDING PER SE TO GRANTS.
THEY ARE FULLY FUNDED BY GRANTS AND WE HAVE THE GRANT MATCH NOW COVERED UNDER OUR GRANT MATCHES ON PAGE 6 92 AS HOUSING SERVICES.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 2 13, 2 8 8 1 0 5, 6 91 IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
38, 7 46 IS FOR TEMPORARY SALARIES, 44 0 12 IS THE MERIT AND NICOLA 9,565 IS FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PENSION AT $4,262.
AND THEN HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASES $34,042 ON PAGE 6 93.
YOU WILL SEE, UM, THE GRANT AND AID, UM, FOR, UH, THE HOUSING SERVICES AND THE AMOUNTS LISTED THERE TOTAL 5 4800.
UM, THERE IS ALSO ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THOSE IN RECOVERY AND THE HOME PROGRAM MATCH.
AND THAT INCREASES 1 25, 7 95.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AFRICAN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UH, WE ARE A MAJORITY OF GRANT FUNDED DEPARTMENT, I THINK, AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGH OUR BUDGET.
SO, UH, EVERY YEAR WE LOOK FOR WAYS THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UM, PUT MORE AND MORE OF OUR SALARIES AND MORE AND MORE OF OUR COSTS, UH, ONTO THOSE GRANTS.
UM, THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR BEING ABLE TO SHIFT, UH, TRANSIT INTO OUR MATCH CATEGORY ENTIRELY TAKING THAT INTO, INTO COUNTY MATCH.
UM, SO REALLY GETTING CREDIT FOR THAT AND THAT'S MOVED OVER TO THE TREASURY SIDE.
UM, SO WE NO LONGER EVEN HAVE AN INDEX FOR THAT IN THE BUDGET.
UM, AGAIN, HOUSING SERVICES, UH, CONTINUED TO PUSH AS MUCH AS WE CAN UNDER GRANTS.
UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, OBVIOUSLY WE ALSO, UH, TOOK ON MUCH OF THE CARES FUNDING AND MUCH OF THE OTHER FUNDS THAT CAME IN THROUGH THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND TRYING TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE ALSO.
SO, UH, ON A TYPICAL YEAR, WE PROBABLY OPERATE, UH, 20 TO $22 MILLION OF THE COUNTIES, 25 TO 26 MILLION THAT COMES IN FROM OUR FEDERAL AND STATE ENTITIES.
UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT'S BEEN CLOSER TO 50 TO $60 MILLION A YEAR THAT HAS BEEN FLOWING THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, ALL THROUGH FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS.
UH, MOST OF WHICH WE TRY AND GET DIRECTLY BACK OUT INTO OUR ECONOMY.
SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AMONG ANY OF OUR DIVISIONS.
AND THEN, UM, I'M SURE ALL THOSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE PAST TWO YEARS.
I'M GOING TO START WITH MR. BUELLER.
HOW YOU DOING LANE? WONDERFUL.
AND THANKS FOR THE JOB YOU'RE DOING WITH ALL YOUR DEPARTMENTS.
YOU'RE ALWAYS QUICK TO RETURN MY CALLS.
WHEN I HAVE A QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW WHY I ASKED A QUESTION.
I KNEW YOU HANDLED VOUCHERS, BUT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROCESS, AS FAR AS PRIORITIZING, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO GOES, WHO GETS THE VOUCHERS FIRST, UM, AND IF YOU COULD, WHAT'S THE WAITING LIST RIGHT NOW? SO WE ACTUALLY RECENTLY DID A PURGE TO OUR WAITING LIST, BASICALLY MEANS, UH, WE SENT LETTERS TO EVERYONE ON IT, AND THEN THEY RETURNED THE LETTER BASICALLY SAYING THAT THEY'RE STILL INTERESTED IN IT.
UM, WHAT THAT DOES IS TAKES AWAY ANYBODY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HAS MOVED OUT OF STATE OR THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE NO LONGER EVEN AVAILABLE.
UM, SO IT KEEPS OUR NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY SHOULD BE.
SO ARE, WE WAS CURRENTLY, UH, IS AROUND 3,400 PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT WAS, UH, IN THAT FIVE TO 6,000 LANES.
SO, UH, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THROUGH THAT, UH, PERCH.
SO RIGHT NOW, 3,400, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT A CURRENT YEAR, WE HAVE ANY, ANYWHERE 10 TO 15 PEOPLE, LET'S SAY ROLL-OFF A MONTH.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE REPLACING BACK ONTO THE WAIT LIST.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT A NUMBER OF 3,400 ON A WAIT LIST, AND WE'RE ONLY PROBABLY BRINGING ON,
[02:50:01]
UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 200, 250 A YEAR, THAT WOULD BE A FAIRLY SEEDY, FAIRLY LONG WAIT LIST IN TERMS OF YEARS OF THAT, THAT PEOPLE COULD SIT ON IT.AND THEN IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING, UM, WE HAVE, UM, BASICALLY HAVE IT SET UP THEN OUR WAITLIST, UH, ANYBODY THAT'S ON IT, SELF-SELECTS, UH, CERTAIN THINGS THAT, UH, THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR IN TERMS OF, UH, I GUESS WE WOULD CALL THEM PREFERENCES.
UM, THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE A VETERAN, IF THEY'RE A, UH, A WORKING ADULT, IF THEY ARE SOMEONE WITH CHILDREN, UH, IF THEY'RE ELDERLY, DISABLED, UH, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GIVEN EQUAL PREFERENCE.
BUT, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU WERE TO CHECK MULTIPLE BOXES, THAT OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE HIGHER, UH, IN THE WEIGHTLESS SELECTION THAN SOMEBODY WHO ONLY CHECKS MAYBE ONE OF THOSE BOXES.
UM, SO YOU HAVE A WAITING LIST OF ABOUT 3,400 RIGHT NOW.
AND I DON'T KNOW MAYBE THIS LOADED QUESTION, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING CALLS.
I MEAN, I WAS ACTUALLY AT, UM, TOUR THE PORT OF BALTIMORE AND A LADY CAME UP TO ME AND SHE WAS A RELATIVE HERE IN EDU, UH, HAD A RELATIVE IN EDGEWOOD.
UH, SO IT'S A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE MORE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE WOULD GET INTO THAT PROGRAM, THE MORE DODGERS WE COULD DISTRIBUTE, UM, WE CURRENTLY OPERATE PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THROUGH THAT.
SO IT'S NO LONGER JUST THAT THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER, WE ALSO HAVE VASH, WHICH IS VETERANS ASSISTED SUPPORTING HOUSING.
SO WE HAVE ONES DIRECTLY FOR VETERANS.
WE HAVE ONES THAT ARE MAINSTREAM, WHICH ARE NON ELDERLY, DISABLED INDIVIDUALS.
UH, SO WE TRY AND GET THEM IN.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE SOLUTION REALLY RESTS IN, UH, IN VOUCHERS THOUGH.
I THINK IT'S MORE IN, IN CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GENERAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, THAT IS MOSTLY FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE.
UH, AND, AND, UH, HOGAN RECENTLY HAS ANNOUNCED SEVERAL MORE INITIATIVES, $30 MILLION IN ONE POT, $20 MILLION IN ANOTHER POT OF MONEY TO GO IN TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH LOW HOUSING LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM THAT THE STATE RUNS.
UH, WE HAVE NO SAY IN ANY OF THAT, OURS IS BASED IF, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ZONED FOR APARTMENTS, THAT THEY COULD BUILD IT THERE AND THEY WOULD APPLY FOR THAT FINANCING AND EVERYTHING THROUGH THE STATE.
UH, BUT THE MORE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT'S, THAT'S MORE OF THE SOLUTION FOR HOW TO, HOW TO GET MORE PEOPLE.
AND I'D RATHER TAKE PEOPLE OFF OF OUR WAIT LIST, UM, GET THEM THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, GET THEM EMPLOYED, UH, WORKING WITH SWIM, SUBSEQUENT A WORKFORCE NETWORK AND SOME OF THOSE HEADS OF TEES, UM, AND HAVE THEM RENT THEIR PLACE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
THANK YOU, MR. BILL, MR. JANUARY.
SO ARE THOSE, UM, STATE FUNDED PROGRAMS? WHAT ARE THEY SPECIFICALLY CALLED? IS THERE A NUMBER ON THOSE, UH, ORDAINING? WHAT ARE THEY CALLED? YEAH.
IN OTHER WORDS, IS THAT THE SECTION EIGHT 11 WHERE, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO RENTAL HOUSING WORKS IS ONE OF THE FUNDS THAT, THAT IT GOES THROUGH, BUT IT'S MOSTLY THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT.
THE SECTION EIGHT 11 IS A, IT'S ANOTHER VOUCHER PROGRAM.
THAT'S ACTUALLY FEDERALLY FUNDED.
THAT'S FOR A, DUNNART REALLY DISABLED, SIMILAR TO MAINSTREAM, BUT THAT'S FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, IT'S ACTUALLY AN 11 AND THAT HAS ITS OWN WAIT LIST WITH THE STATE FOR YOU THAT'S.
AND IF YOU HAVE A LYTEC PROJECT, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE LIKE SOME SECTION EIGHT, 11 UNITS IN IT THAT WOULD BE PRIORITY PICKED FROM THAT WEIGHTLESS FROM THE STATE.
UM, YOU COULD ALSO ACCEPT HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY CLIENTS OF OURS.
SO YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SUBSIDY LAYERS IN EACH PROJECT.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR OFFICE FOR ALL WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID FOR THE PANDEMIC, GETTING FUNDS AVAILABLE, WORD OUT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESSES.
UM, I KNOW I HAD A LOT OF PHONE CALLS ACROSS THE COUNTY, UM, AND PEOPLE WERE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF IT.
UM, I DID TELL A LOT OF THEM THAT PROBABLY WAS GOING TO BE A SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING THAT CAME THROUGH.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A BIG HELP.
THEY DID KEEP A LOT OF BUSINESSES AFLOAT, SPECIALLY THE RESTAURANTS, THEY, THEY SEEM LIKE THEY WERE HURT THE BIGGEST OF THAT.
AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANTS OUT THERE THAT STILL RUN.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT I CERTAINLY REFER THEM TO THE WEBSITE.
IF THEY TRAIN SOMEBODY AND THEY'RE SENDING THEM SOMEWHERE THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN GET NOT ONLY THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT THE PERSON WORKED AND IT'S NOT IN THE OFFICE, BUT THE ACTUAL COST FOR THE TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANT.
AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY MONEY AVAILABLE AND I REACHED OUT TO BONNIE AND SHE'S BEEN GREAT, UM, FOR BUSINESSES EXPANDING AND STUFF.
CAN YOU MAYBE GO OVER THAT BRIEFLY OF WHAT KIND OF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, BUSINESSES EXPANDING, MAYBE OPEN UP A SECOND LOCATION, NOT THE SAME TAX ID AND WHAT, WHAT DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEM AT THIS POINT? UM, IS THERE ANYTHING, UH, SO BASICALLY WHAT WE DO IS MATCH WHATEVER THE STATE IS WILLING TO MATCH ON SOME OF THOSE, UH, PROJECTS.
UM, IT'S MOSTLY FUNDED THROUGH MEET AF, WHICH IS,
[02:55:01]
UH, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE WHAT, WHAT THAT STANDS FOR.UH, BUT IT'S A COMMERCE PROGRAM, STATE ACCOUNT, STATE OF MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, UH, PROGRAM.
AND MOST OF THOSE FUNDS GO FOR A JOB CREATION.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT JOB CREATION.
IF THEY'RE CREATING A GOOD NUMBER OF JOBS, UH, THE STATE ARE SOMETIMES PUT IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY TOWARDS THE PROJECT AND WE USUALLY DO ABOUT A 10% MATCH, WHATEVER THAT IS.
UM, SO PART OF OUR MONEY GOES TO THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE, UH, STILL LIKE SOME FACADE IMPROVEMENT LOADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY AND ASSIST COMPANIES WHEREVER WE CAN HIND TO FIND A GOOD MATCH FOR THEM.
IF YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE AN SPDC PROGRAM OR SOME OTHER PROGRAM OUT THERE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP AS WELL.
DON'T GIVE ME THE ACRONYMS. UM, ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
SO I REACHED OUT TO BONNIE, HOPEFULLY SHE'LL GET BACK.
I'M SURE SHE WILL GET BACK TO ME.
UM, AND THEN I'LL PUT THE TWO PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY THEY COULD FIND SOMETHING.
SO I, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU, MR. GINGER, DAN AND MR. SCHROEDER.
GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, OR I GUESS YOUR WAY TO CATCH UP ON THE VOUCHERS THAT HE MENTIONED BY, BY BUILDING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I JUST DISAGREE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE MORE WE BUILD THE MORE WILL COME UNLESS THE CITY OF BALTIMORE CITY TURNS ITSELF AROUND AND THEY HAVE A LOWER, LOWER CRIME AND BETTER SCHOOLS IT'S NEVER, EVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT'S NEVER EVER GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WANT TO COME OUT TO HARFORD COUNTY IF THEY'RE BEING BUILT.
SO I JUST, I'D LOVE TO AGREE WITH YOU, BUT I LOVE TO PLAY THIS THING BACK AND FORTH AS WE DO AS FRIENDS.
BUT, UM, I JUST DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.
AND I, I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S FEDERAL MONEY AND I KNOW THAT IT'S VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE AND, YOU KNOW, IF I WERE EVER THROWN OUT ON THE STREET, I'D BE ON THAT LIST FOREVER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T CHECK AS MANY OF THE BOXES, RIGHT.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO HIGHLAND SENIOR CENTER.
AND I KNOW IT'S ALSO, UM, PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION, UM, UP TO A SENIOR HOUSING CENTER CENTER AND IT'S ALLOWING THEM TO NOW COME TO HIGHLAND.
SO I APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATION.
BEN, WHEN YOU GUYS BOTH MET ME UP THERE, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY, VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN EVEN EXPAND IT TO ANOTHER DAY AND SEE HOW IT GOES, BUT I THINK IT, IT COULD, IT COULD BUILD.
THANK YOU, MR. SCHROEDER, MR. BILL.
UH, TWO QUICK QUESTIONS FIRST, THE HOMELESS.
UM, WHAT DO YOU DO TO HELP THEM, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS DIFFERENTLY? SO, UM, WE, UH, BASICALLY REFER ANY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AT COMMUNITY ACTION AND SEEK FOR SCREENING FIRST AND FOREMOST.
UH, ONCE THEY GET TO AFRICAN, WE ACTUALLY NEED TO SEE THEY'RE SCREENED A VULNERABILITY INDEX, UM, THAT BASICALLY DETERMINES, UH, HOW LIKELY THEY ARE TO, YOU KNOW, TRULY BE, UH, LIVING ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW, IN SOMETHING NOT HABITABLE AS, UH, AS A, AS A RESIDENT.
SO, UH, IT COULD BE A CAR, YOU KNOW, 10, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IF THAT'S THE CASE, UH, DURING WINTER WEATHER, UM, IF IT'S FREEZING WEATHER PLAN, THEN WE GUARANTEE POLICEMEN, UH, DURING THAT TIME.
UM, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS FIRST AND FOREMOST, A REFERRAL TO ONE OF OUR SHELTERS, IF THERE'S NO ROOM IN ANY OF THE SHELTERS, UM, THAT IT WOULD BE TO A HOTEL.
UM, WE PARTNER, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WINTER WITH OUR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY TO RUN, UH, AN EMERGENCY WINTER SHELTER.
UM, THAT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS BEEN, UM, LOCATED IN OUR HOTELS, UH, LOCALLY IN ABERDEEN.
UM, THEY DO USUALLY 15 WEEKS AND WE'RE HELPING, UM, ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 25 ROOMS DURING THAT TIME.
SO IT COULD BE INDIVIDUALS COULD BE FAMILIES IN THOSE ROOMS. IT WAS A MIXED LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT THOSE ROOMS WERE FULL THE ENTIRE WHERE, UM, IF IT'S NOT DURING THAT WINTER TIME, UM, IT CAN BASED ON THAT VULNERABILITY, IF THERE'S A, IF THEY ARE SOMEBODY THAT'S TRULY, UH, SOMEONE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THERE IS ROOM AND ONE OF OUR SHELTERS BEFORE IT GOES TO THE SHELTERS, IF NOT, THEY'RE PLACED ON A WAIT LIST.
AND AS SOON AS THERE IS AN OPENING, THEN THEY ARE SENT A REFERRAL TO THEM.
UM, ONCE IN OUR SHELTERS, WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS THAT WORK CLOSELY WITH PEOPLE TO TRY AND GET THEM OUT.
IT'S USUALLY A 90 DAY UP TO 90 DAY STAY.
UM, THAT CAN BE EXTENDED IF, IF SOMEONE'S WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, WORKING DILIGENTLY TOWARDS, UM, GETTING A JOB OR GETTING A PLACE, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, BOTH FOR FAMILIES AND FOR INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT'S THE CASE.
SO IT'S REALLY A LOT OF CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, A GOOD NUMBER OF NONPROFITS OUT THERE THAT, THAT WORK WITH, UM, THERE'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND TRY AND SUPPORT THEM, UH, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR EPICENTERS IN ABERDEEN OR EDGEWOOD OR, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A LOT OF THE LOT OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES, UH, AS WELL PROVIDING SERVICES.
[03:00:01]
UH, PARTNERS IN THAT PROCESS.THIS IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SEPARATE AS FAR AS VOUCHERS COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY.
SO YOU HAVE A HOMELESS PERSON, CAUSE I KNOW WE, UH, WE'LL PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE IF THEY, IF THERE'S AN APARTMENT AVAILABLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT NOW, DO THEY GO, IS THAT A SEPARATE LIST? THEY DON'T GET A VOUCHER.
YOU JUST PROVIDE THEM WITH ASSISTANCE.
YEAH, THE BOUCHER'S DIFFERENT.
UH, WE PROBABLY FUND MOST OF THEM THROUGH, UH, WHAT'S CALLED RAPID REHOUSING.
SO RAPID REHOUSING IS ANOTHER FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
UM, THEY USUALLY PROVIDES FIRST MONTH'S RENT AND UP TO A, IT SUPPORT FOR AT LEAST UP TO A YEAR.
UM, USUALLY THAT'S RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME SORT OF INCOME, SO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO EVENTUALLY TAKE OVER THAT RENTAL PAYMENT.
UM, SO WE KIND OF GIVE THEM THAT HELP TO GET THEM STARTED AND GET THEM GOING, UM, WITH THAT FIRST MONTH'S RENT SECURITY DEPOSIT.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, UP TO 12 OR MORE RENTS MONTHS OF RENT JUST TO TRY AND GET THEM IN.
UM, AND A OF TIMES WE, WE DON'T, UH, JUST GO FROM PROVIDING SOME MENTAL ASSISTANCE TO NONE.
WE KIND OF WEAN THEM OFF OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO THEY CAN SLOWLY TAKE OVER THAT ASSISTANCE ON THEIR OWN.
SO THAT'S GOTTEN A LOT BETTER BECAUSE, UH, I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THE COUNCIL, UH, WE TALKED IN, I THINK BACK THEN SEVEN, SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS AGO, YOU ONLY PROVIDING $500.
SO NOW YOU WILL DO THE SECURITY DEPOSIT THE FIRST MONTH'S RENT, GET THEM IN THE APARTMENT IN UP TO 12 MONTHS.
ACTUALLY IT'S UP TO 15, BUT YEAH, UP TO 15.
WELL, WE USUALLY START WITH 12, 12.
UH, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU SPENT LAST YEAR? UM, SHELTER, UM, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLE IN HOTELS, UH, 75,000 SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND.
UH, AND ONE LAST QUESTION, THIS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE ROOF ON THE AUDITORIUM AND HEAVY GRIS THAT REFER THAT TO THE ADMINISTRATION REQUEST TO MR GLASSMAN FOR THE ROOF AT THE AUDITORIUM.
THAT'S THE AUDITORIUM THAT WE SOLD TO THEM FOR.
AND I THOUGHT THAT ROOF WAS REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS AGO OR WAS IT JUST PART OF THE ROOF THAT WAS REPLACED, BUDDY? I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST THE PORTION OVER THE AUDITORIUM.
I THINK THIS IS THE REST OF IT AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT WASN'T JUST LIKE A TEMPORARY TYPE CAUSE IT'S SOME KIND OF DIFFERENT, SO I'VE GOT A VINYL THING.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. PARISH.
FIRST, TOM, IN THE PAST COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IS ONLY OPERATED MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NINE TO FIVE, AS THEY EXTENDED THEIR HOURS TO 24 7.
UH, THEY'RE NOT 24 7, BUT THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE.
THEY'VE DONE, UM, EXTENDED THEIR, UH, PANTRY HOURS, UH, ONE DAY A WEEK.
SO THEY WERE DOING WEDNESDAY EVENINGS.
UM, THAT'S CHANGED A COUPLE OF TIMES WHETHER IT WAS A THURSDAY EVENING OR TUESDAY BACK AND FORTH, BUT, UM, THEY HAVE DONE THAT.
THEY WERE DOING, UH, BY APPOINTMENT ON SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE MAKING APPOINTMENTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE STILL DOING THAT.
UH, AND THEN DURING FREEZING WEATHER PLAN, THEY ARE, UH, TWENTY FOUR SEVEN WITH A CELL PHONE.
SO THAT'S THROUGH POLICE AGENCIES.
SO ANYBODY THAT, UH, THE POLICE COME ACROSS THAT ARE, THAT ARE HOMELESS, NEED A PLACE TO GO.
THEY HAVE A CELL PHONE NUMBER TO CALL.
SO IF I HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS, IT NEEDS TO BE DURING WORKING HOURS OR TO CALL THE SHERIFF, I WOULD SAY YES.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, AND FORGIVE ME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REDKIN ABERDEEN EXPERIENCE TOTALLY.
BUT CAN I ASK WHY WE'RE GIVING A MILLION DOLLARS TO THE RIPKIN SPORTS FACILITY? I WOULD AGAIN, REFER TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ON THAT, BUT, UM, I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A, UH, YEAH, THIS IS A SPORTS TOURISM, UH, PLAY AND IT IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE, UM, THEN MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS OFFICES BACK INTO HARTFORD COUNTY.
SO THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, SO THEY'VE COMMITTED TO MOVE THEIR HEADQUARTERS.
AND AGAIN, THIS COMES TO A, TO A JOB THING.
UM, THIS WILL BE PARTLY A MATCH TO COMMERCE, UH, MONEY STATE OF MARYLAND'S PUTTING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO THEIR MOVE BACK.
SO THIS WILL BE A, THAT IS A PORTION OF OUR MATCH TO GO TOWARDS THAT.
SO THE $4,880 IS, OH, TOURISM GENERATED TAX MONEY.
AND IT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE, IT'LL PROBABLY BE NORMAL COUNTY.
[03:05:02]
AND THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE BRING IN ABOUT, UH, WELL, IT'S GONE DOWN TO AROUND $2 MILLION A YEAR FROM, FROM HOTEL TAXES, PROBABLY MORE LIKE 1.8 OR SO, MOST OF THAT GOES TO THOSE TOURISM GRANTS.UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE USED THEM IN THE PAST FOR SOME OTHER LIKE CAPITAL PROJECTS AS WELL, THAT ADDITIONAL, UM, THIS, THIS TYPES OF MONEY WILL PROBABLY BE FAR IN ADVANCE OF THIS, SO THAT IT'LL ALL JUST BE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
AND CAN, CAN YOU TELL, I DON'T KNOW, THE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HARMERS TOWN ART CENTER.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IT IS? IT'S A FACILITY.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE VALLEY, THE GIRL ALLEY, AND WE'RE GIVING THEM A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT IT IS? IT'S THE GIRL ALLEY IN HAVRE DE GRACE IS WHAT I KNOW OF IT.
I MEAN, I CAN GIVE YOU MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
SO IF I MAY, IT'S A VISION OF A RESIDENT IN HAVRE DE GRACE WHO HAS INVESTED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO L BRING TOURISM TO HARFORD COUNTY IN GENERAL, NOT JUST HAVRE DE GRACE, BUT IT'S A HUGE, UH, FACILITY THAT WILL HOUSE, UH, MANY, UH, ARTISTS CARVERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, AND OPEN IT UP AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
IT'S A TACTILE AND VISUAL ART, I'M SORRY, TILE AND VISUAL ART.
YES, I'M BACK TO HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WHEN MARY HASKELL WAS HERE FROM THE LIBRARY, WE KIND OF TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER MOVING HER HEADQUARTERS TO BEL-AIR THAT FREEING UP SOME SPACE DOWN AT WELCOME ONE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD ELABORATE ON THAT PROJECT, HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK, MAYBE SERVE OUR HOMELESS POPULATION A LITTLE BIT BETTER INTO THE FUTURE.
I THINK THAT THE OVERALL VISION IS TO EVENTUALLY USE THAT BUILDING MORE FOR, TO EXPAND THE HOMELESS SERVICES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THAT BUILDING.
SO RIGHT NOW WELCOME ONE IS HOUSED IN A PORTION OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE LIBRARIES ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, BUT, UH, ALSO A LOT OF THEIR FACILITIES AND WAREHOUSING IS OUT OF THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS, UH, THE REDESIGN OF THAT BUILDING.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY TWO OR THREE MORE STEPS THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE POLICE BEFORE, UH, THAT COULD REALLY BE USED FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.
BUT THE EVENTUAL VISION IS, IS TO PUT MORE, UM, NON CONGREGATE HOUSING IN THAT BUILDING.
SO, UH, MORE INDIVIDUAL SPACES FOR PEOPLE.
UM, AND THAT'S BOTH FOR INDIVIDUALS AND POTENTIALLY, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING SOME SORT OF FAMILY PROGRAM THERE AS WELL.
UH, THAT WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THERE.
AND THEN, UH, IDEALLY AGAIN, ADDITIONAL CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND SCREENING AND POTENTIALLY FOOD PANTRY ALL IN ONE, ONE BUILDING.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE VISION FOR THAT BUILDING.
THANK YOU, MR. SCHROEDER, MR. TIBBS.
I JUST HAD ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION HERE ALSO.
WHAT IS THE DISCOVERY CENTER? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT? SO DISCOVERY CENTER IS, UH, UH, UH, UH, AGAIN, A VISION FOR WHAT WILL BE EVENTUALLY LIKE A SCIENCE CENTER SIMILAR TO THE, TO THE MARYLAND SCIENCE CENTER.
UM, SO IT'S A GROUP, A NON-PROFIT GROUP THAT'S PARTNERED WITH, UM, ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, AND I GUESS THE COUNTY AND SEVERAL OTHER, UH, ENTITIES TO DO A LOT OF, UM, STEM RELATED, UH, WORKFORCE TYPE TRAINING THINGS FOR KIDS.
SO IT'S, DO THEY HAVE A LOCATION OR IS IT SO THEY WILL BE, UH, HOW'S THE WATER'S EDGE FOR PREVIEW CENTER FOR NOW? SO THEY'VE GOT, UM, THE BUILDING NEXT TO THE POST OFFICE AT WATER'S EDGE.
UH, THERE'S A VACANT SPOT THERE, UH, JOINING THE POST OFFICE THAT, UH, THEY HOPE TO OPEN A WELCOME CENTER BY THIS FALL IF THEY CAN.
UM, WELL THAT'S THE, THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, UH, PREVIEW CENTER OF WHAT WILL BE, UH, EVENTUALLY THE, THE CENTER, WHICH THEY HOPE TO HAVE AT THAT SITE.
THE IDEA IS THAT THE POST OFFICE WILL BE MOVING OUT AND EVENTUALLY THEY WANT TO BUILD, UH, A 30,000 SQUARE FOOT DISCOVERY CENTER.
THERE THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A SCIENCE CENTER FOR HARFORD COUNTY, THE $500,000 THAT'S GOING TO, THAT WOULD BE A GRANT TO GET US STARTED.
THIS WOULD BUILD OUT THE WELCOME THE, YEAH, THIS IS THE CONTRIBUTION.
TO, TO BUILD OUT THE PREVIEW CENTER.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. PERRY.
APPRECIATE YOU, MR. STATE'S ATTORNEY.
I TRIED TO HOLD THEM UP FOR YOU, BUT YOU WERE LATE.
WANT THAT ON THE RECORD? NO, HE WAS AGREEABLE, BUT YOU TOOK TOO LONG TO GET HERE.
[03:10:01]
REAL QUICK.I HEAR SOMETHING WITH MY NAME.
I, HER TOLD ME I HAD TO HURRY UP.
SO 1,629,854 IS HOW MUCH THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INCREASED.
THE RESULT OF PERSONAL SERVICES, 11,000 3 44, UM, IS THE INCREASE FOR TEMPORARY SALARIES, A MERIT INCREASE OF 3%, AND THE 7% COLA IS 5 49, 6 48.
THEIR COSTS FOR THE 27TH PAY IS 2 29 FOR 37.
UH, WE ADDED NEW POSITIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR FOR THE BODY-WORN CAMERA PROGRAM, UM, OR LEGAL ASSISTANCE, AND TWO ATTORNEYS AT A COST OF 5 75, 5 43 HEALTH BENEFITS WERE ADJUSTED FOR AN INCREASE OF 1 51, 8 27.
UH, OPEB COST FOR THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS 98,004 30.
AND THEN POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH PLAN, UM, INCREASES 18, 9 20.
UM, THE ONLY, UH, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WOULD BE UNDER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS OTHER THAN PERSONAL SERVICES.
AND THAT IS FOR MEALS SPECIAL PURPOSES, AND THAT'S FOR QUARTERLY OFFSITE MEETINGS, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, FROM PURCHASE AT $15,000 INCREASE.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, FOR TRYING TO FIT ME IN A LITTLE EARLY AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WOULD BE REMISSED IF I DO NOT RECOGNIZE MS. FIDDLER, THIS WILL BE HER LAST BUDGET MEETING AFTER 30 YEARS.
SO I THINK THIS IS HER 30TH AND FINAL BUDGET MEETING.
UM, SHE'S IRREPLACEABLE, SO I'M GOING TO MISS HER TREMENDOUSLY.
SO WHEN I'M HERE NEXT YEAR, IT MIGHT NOT BE AS ORGANIZED.
SO WE'LL PLAY MS. FIDDLER, BUT NO, SO, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY MS. VIZARD DOES ALL THE HARD WORK.
I'M JUST A FACE HERE FOR YOU GUYS TODAY.
SO WE DIDN'T SAY PRETTY FACE THAT BEING SAID, UM, REALLY WE NEED TO THANK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK WE WERE PRETTY MUCH FULLY FUNDED ON EVERYTHING WE REQUESTED AND TO KEEP THAT SIDE OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE, THE, THE SECOND HALF OF IT OPERATING FULLY TO KEEP HARFORD COUNTY SAFE.
UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY ISSUES THAT WE ARE HAVING.
I LIKE TO CALL IT THE CRYSTAL BALL LINE ITEM, WHICH IS CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THAT IS THE ITEM THAT MS. FIDDLER TRIES TO DO HER BEST ONE AND HAS DONE IN THE PAST 30 YEARS ESTIMATING, BUT IT IS REALLY BASED UPON CORE COSTS.
SO WHEN WE'RE BRINGING WITNESSES IN, FROM OUT OF STATE, UM, SEVERAL OF HER OCMS OUR OFFICE, THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERS HAVE RITA LEFT THERE AND HAVE GONE OUT OF STATE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T, WE STILL NEED THEM BACK.
UM, IF WE'RE DOING EXTRADITIONS, MEANING PEOPLE HAVE FLED THE STATE ON THEIR CRIMES.
WE, IT IS OUR DIME TO BRING THEM BACK HERE TO PROSECUTE THEM.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S A CRYSTAL BALL.
WE ARE BACK UP FULLY RUNNING COVID IS NOT EFFECTING US ANYMORE.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD FOUR TRIALS A FEW WEEKS AGO, FOUR TRIALS IN ONE WEEK.
SO WE ARE FULLY UP AND FUNCTIONING.
UM, SO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE ESTIMATED.
SO I DON'T WANT TO ANTICIPATE COMING BACK OR GOING OVER BUDGET, BUT THOSE, IF WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CASE THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, EXTRADITION FROM FLORIDA CAN COST US ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO $5,000 TO BRING THAT PERSON BACK.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
OTHER THAN THAT, I WOULD ASK YOU FOR QUESTIONS, UM, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE COUNTY DID FULLY FUNDED US, SO WE HAVE NO COMPLAINTS THIS YEAR.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT.
DOES YOUR, YOUR TEAM, UM, JUST REAL QUICK QUESTION FOR ME.
UH, LAST TIME WE SAT HERE, WE TALKED ABOUT BODY WORN CAMERAS AND FOOTAGE AND, AND BODIES TO VIEW THOSE, THAT FOOTAGE.
HOW ARE YOU FIT FOR THAT TODAY? WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
IT'S, I'M STILL PROCESSING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT.
UM, IF YOU RECALL, WE SPLIT OUR TOTAL NUMBERS.
WE STARTED WITH FOUR AND THEN WE ADDED SIX.
UM, WE CHOSE TO TAKE THE POSITION OF TRYING TO DISTRIBUTE THAT WORK EQUALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE OFFICE.
WE HAVE 34 LAWYERS IN 42 PARALEGALS, UM, WITH ADDING THOSE 10, UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE BODY CAMERA UNIT TO WATCH FOOTAGE, UM, WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP UP, WE'RE DOING OKAY, THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
UM, THERE ARE STILL A LOT GOING ON WITH COORDINATING BETWEEN US AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, OBVIOUSLY HAS THE MAJORITY OF THAT BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE COMING THROUGH.
UM, I CAN ATTEST PERSONALLY AFTER OUR SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT ON SATURDAY, I HAVE PROBABLY WATCHED CLOSE TO 35 HOURS OF BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE MYSELF.
UM, WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT RESPONSE FROM THE COUNTY AND RIGHTFULLY SO, UM, FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES, EVERYBODY THAT RESPONDED HAD A BODY CAMERA AND EVERYBODY RESPONDED MOST LIKELY HAD AN IN-CAR DASH CAM.
SO FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS THERE FOR AN HOUR, IT'S TWO HOURS OF REAL
[03:15:01]
TIME FOOTAGE THAT WILL BE REVIEWED.UM, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT INTO TO EVERYONE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE OPERATING OKAY RIGHT NOW.
UM, OBVIOUSLY DISTRICT COURT IS WHERE IT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
OUR TURNAROUND TIME FROM AN ARREST TO AN ACTUAL FIRST TIME TRIAL DATE COULD BE APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS.
SO THAT BODY CAM FOOTAGE HAS TO BE DOWNLOADED PROCESS SENT TO US, AND THEN WE REVIEW IT AND THEN WE SEND IT OVER TO DEFENSE COUNSEL UNDER DISCOVERY OBLIGATIONS.
UM, SO DISTRICT COURT IS OUR BIGGEST TIME CRUNCH.
UM, AS WE SAID, SO AVERAGE DWI COULD EASILY HAVE FOUR HOURS OF VIDEO FOOTAGE THAT HAS TO BE REVIEWED.
UM, AND WE'RE MAINTAINING, IT'S TOUGH, BUT WE'RE MAINTAINING RIGHT NOW.
UM, UNTIL I'VE ASKED FOR MORE, WE NEED, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING FIRST AND IT'S STILL, WE'RE STILL IN THE INFANCY STAGES.
UH, COUNSEL QUESTIONS, MR. GINGER, DAN.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRICE CENTER.
UM, SO ARE WE WHEN IT GETS TO COURT, UM, IS THERE A PERCENTAGE OF CASES THAT WE'RE TRYING AND DIS AND PLEA BARGAINING IS THAT UP OR DOWN PAST YEARS? WHERE DO WE STAND WITH ALL THAT? I WILL SAY THAT AS A CONSISTENCE FACTOR, PRETTY MUCH OUR AIR COURT SYSTEM OPERATES WITH THE PRESUMPTION THAT MOST CASES WILL END UP ULTIMATELY BEING A PLEA BARGAIN.
WE FUNCTION WHERE WE HANDLE APPROXIMATELY 10,000 CASES THROUGH THE OFFICE.
WE PROCESS ABOUT 10,000 CASES THAT SOUNDS HIGH, BUT THAT ALSO INCLUDES ALL OF OUR INCARCERAL TRAFFIC CASES ALSO.
SO DWI DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE, IF YOU CAN THEORETICALLY GO TO JAIL, THEN WE ARE INVOLVED AS AN OFFICE.
SO IF A SPEEDING TICKET WE'RE NOT INVOLVED WITH.
UM, SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE ARE OPERATING THREE COURTROOMS IN DISTRICT COURT RIGHT NOW ON A DAILY BASIS.
THAT'S 15 DOCKETS A WEEK, UM, AVERAGING 20 TO 30 CASES A DAY.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, IF EVERYBODY WENT TO THE TRIAL, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FUNCTION.
WE CAN TRY MAYBE TO THREE IN DISTRICT COURT BECAUSE OUR JUDGE TRIALS.
AND AS I SAID, AS HIGH AS WE DID, I THINK IT WAS FOUR WEEKS AGO.
WE DID FOUR JURY TRIALS IN CIRCUIT COURT THAT WE HAD ALL FOUR COURTROOMS UP AND RUNNING.
UM, AND IN CIRCUIT COURT WE HAVE A
UM, SO WE TRY TO BE RUN AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE AND START THOSE JURIES RIGHT AT NINE O'CLOCK TO BE GET THROUGH THEM.
UM, WE COULD NOT FUNCTION IF EVERYBODY WENT ON THE TRIAL.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT NATIONAL AVERAGE AND ALSO STATE AVERAGE IS PROBABLY IN THIS LITTLE BALLPARK.
I COULDN'T GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT PROBABLY ABOUT 95% OF THE CASES, IF NOT A LITTLE HIGHER WE'LL RESOLVE BY WAY OF, UH, A PLEA, UM, OR AFTER MOTIONS, YOU KNOW, MOTIONS ARE SMALL, SMALL MINI TRIALS.
BASICALLY, IF WE LOSE EMOTION, THEN WE WILL LOSE OUR EVIDENCE.
AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A TRIAL.
WE WIN OUR MOTION THAN A DEFENDANT IS IN A DIFFERENT POSITION, KNOWING THAT ALL THAT EVIDENCE IS COMING IN COULD EASILY CHANGE HIS ELECTION OR HER ELECTION FROM NOT GUILTY, GUILTY.
AND THEN WE RESOLVE IT BY GUILTY PLEA.
UM, AND THOSE WERE HEARD BY JUDGES.
SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
SO A LOT OF FACTORS GO INTO PLAY, BUT IT PROBABLY ABOUT A 95 TO 97% ARE BEING RESOLVED BY WAY OF A GUILTY PLEA.
HOW ARE WE DOING AS FAR AS, UH, RETAINING CURRENT STAFF? IS THERE A BIG TURNOVER? DO WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, ATTORNEYS THAT ARE, UM, BEEN WITH US FOR AWHILE? WE, WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE AN EVEN SPLIT BASICALLY.
UM, THERE IS TURNOVER ACROSS ALL BUSINESSES, AS YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S THIS, YOU KNOW, THE GREAT RESIGNATION THAT REALLY LIKES TO TALK ABOUT IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UM, ON OUR LOWER LEVEL, UM, ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS, WE DO HAVE A LITTLE MORE TURNOVER THERE.
I HAVEN'T LOST ANYBODY REALLY TO ANOTHER STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I'VE LOST THEM TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND APG RIGHT UP THE STREET PAYING ENTRY LEVEL PROSECUTOR THAT I'M STARTING AT, WE'LL SAY A LITTLE AROUND 60,000.
UM, I THINK OUR BOOKS 8 53, 4, BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT.
OH, CAUSE I CAN'T COMPETE WITH 53 4, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FORTUNATELY HIRE JUDICIAL LAW CLERKS.
THEY'VE HAVE A YEAR OF EXPERIENCE.
WE CAN BRING THAT YEAR IN AND WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR SALARY OFFER.
OUR BENEFITS ARE ALWAYS GOOD, BUT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S OFFERING A SIX DIGIT SALARY TO THAT SAME INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS $150,000 STUDENT WOUND, IT MAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.
SO I LOST SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I LOST INDIVIDUALS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO OVER, TO, TO FOR RETIREMENT.
UM, BUT WE WERE REALLY LISTED, FULLY STAFFED RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WOULD SAY WE'RE OPERATING AT MAYBE ONE VACANCY OUT OF 77 AND I WOULD CONSIDER THAT FULLY STAFFED IN TODAY'S WORLD.
UM, SO AS RECRUITMENT IS, IS GOOD.
WE, WE, WE KEEP OUR FEELERS OUT CONSTANTLY.
I THINK WE HAVE A REPUTATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF BEING A GOOD OFFICE TO BE IN AND A GOOD OFFICE TO WORK WITH.
SO WHEN WE CAN FIND PEOPLE AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES PRETTY QUICK.
UM, SO WE'RE PRETTY LUCKY FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE,
[03:20:01]
BUT WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TURNOVER, BUT OUR SENIOR LEVEL POSITIONS THAT ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH IN FELONY COURT AND OUR FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT HAVE SEEN THAT TURNOVER THERE, UM, WHICH IS FORTUNATE.AND WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE COME BACK AND IT WAS JUST VERY FORTUITOUS THAT WE HAD A SENIOR LEVEL PERSON RETIRE.
I GOT A PHONE CALL ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER AND SAID, HEY, CAN I COME BACK? AND I SAID, GOOD TIMING.
UM, SO INSTEAD OF GOING AND LOOKING RECRUITING, WE BROUGHT SOMEBODY BACK.
NOBODY LIKES LAWYERS, SHARKS LAWYERS THAT COURTHOUSE TOMORROW I WOULD ANTICIPATE A RELATIVELY FULL FULL COURTROOM WILL SAY YES, SIR.
AND I QUITE FRANKLY, I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH NOW, SO IT'S MAKES IT EVEN TOUGHER TO LEAVE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT AFTER 30 DAYS I'VE TRIED TONY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COOKER SOME.
ON PAGE 5 77 CIRCUIT COURT, THEY HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CALL CENTERS.
SO I'LL BREEZE THROUGH THEM REAL FAST.
UM, CIRCUIT COURT HAS AN INCREASE OF 3 82, 7 80 TO 3 22, 1 74 IS PERSONAL SERVICES OF WHICH 1 55, 6 94 IS FOR THE MERIT OF 3%.
THERE ARE 27TH PAY COST OF 58,000 8 87.
HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASES 36,000 360 7 OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AT A COST OF 34, 9 66, PEP INCREASES 12,770 UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF $21,000.
AND THIS IS FOR THEIR AUDIO VENDOR.
THE ANNUAL SERVICE CONTRACT INCREASE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS INCREASES $5,000.
AND THAT'S BASED ON ACTUAL WELLS FOR THEIR GENERAL OFFICE SUPPLIES, BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES $2,500.
AND THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL BOOKS, PERIODICALS AND UNDER CAPITAL OUTLAY.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE 30 2001 10.
AND THIS IS TO INSTALL COURTROOM AB UM, PRESENTATION SYSTEM AND UPGRADE THEIR SOUND SYSTEM IN THE CEREMONIAL COURTHOUSE COURTROOM.
SORRY, ON PAGE FIVE, 80 IS JURY SERVICES.
THERE IS A CHALLENGE AND THAT FUNDING LEVEL, AND THAT REMAINS AT 278,000 SAME THING FOR GRAND JURY ON PAGE 5 81, IT REMAINS A 14,000.
AND THEN ON PAGE 5 82 AS THE JURY COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE 55,000 3 91.
UH, THE MAJORITY IS IMPERSONAL SERVICES.
29,204 IS FOR THE MERIT AND COLA.
AND THEN HEALTH BENEFITS IS $4,544.
THE COST FOR OPEB IS 4,000 7 27, AND THEN PEP IS $1,290.
THERE IS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF $150 FOR GENERAL OFFICE SUPPLIES ON PAGE 5 86 IS MASTER'S.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE 30 3003 45.
AGAIN, THAT IS MAINLY ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
UH, THE MERIT INCREASE IN THE COLA IS $20,083 27.
AND THEN OPEB IS 3,445 ON PAGE 5 89 COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES, WORK SERVICE, SORRY, THERE'S A, UM, INCREASE THERE OF 70 1001 44.
AGAIN, THAT'S MAINLY IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
30,000 3 83 IS FOR THE MERIT AND COLA.
[03:25:01]
THE 27 PAY IS THAT A COST OF 11,000 4, 22 HEALTH BENEFITS.THERE WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND FOR THE INJURIES OF 22 TO 47, AND THEN THE OPEB COST IS 8,000 TO 11, BUT NOT LEAST FAMILY COURT SERVICES DIVISION ON PAGE 5 93.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF $105 AND $105,012 AND 89, 4 47 IS IMPERSONAL SERVICES.
AND THAT IS FOR THE MERIT AND COLA AT A COST OF 44, 8 33, THE 27TH PAY TO COST THE 17 1 57, ALL BENEFITS INCREASED 14,207 AND THEN OPEB COST 13,000 1 21 UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THERE INCREASED, THERE IS 15,000.
THIS IS, UM, PROVIDES FOR CONTRACTUAL EVALUATORS AND MEDIATORS, AND THAT'S BASED ON ACTUAL EARNINGS PLACE OF 15,000 AND THEN SUPPLIES THE MATERIALS, JUST A SMALL INCREASE OF $565.
AND THAT'S FOR COMPUTER SOFTWARE.
AND WITH THAT, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I AM THE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE FOR THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR HARFORD COUNTY.
AND I OFFICIALLY TOOK THAT POSITION ON, ON MARCH 23RD, JUDGE EASE, UH, WHICH YOU ARE ALL USED TO SEEING, UH, HAS BEEN ELEVATED TO THE COURT OF APPEALS, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE HONOR FOR HARFORD COUNTY.
UH, IT'S BEEN OVER I THINK A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING YEARS THAT SOMEONE FROM HARFORD COUNTY HAS SERVED ON THE COURT OF APPEALS.
AND I KNOW THAT SHE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE WITH THE INCREDIBLE DISTINCTION THAT SHE HAS SERVED THIS COUNTY.
SO NOW I AM IN THIS ROLE AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE BIG SHOES TO FILL.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU, UM, HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU AS WELL AS THE, UH, COUNTY FOR THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT YOU HAVE ALL GIVEN US THESE PAST TWO YEARS, COVID HAS BEEN, UM, CHALLENGING FOR THE COURT SYSTEMS AROUND THE ENTIRE STATE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS HAVE STOPPED, UM, WE WERE SHUT DOWN, UH, JURY STOPPED, UM, AND WE HAD TO BECOME REALLY CREATIVE, UH, IN THE WAY WE OPERATED, UH, WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS.
UM, WE BECAME VERY CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE IN THE WAY WE CONTINUED THE RESUMPTION OF COURT TRIALS.
AND IN PARTICULARLY OUR JURY TRIALS IN THIS COUNTY, WE HELD THE FIRST JURY TRIAL WHEN, UM, THE COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED AND IT WAS A HIGH PROFILE CASE.
AND BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM THE, AND THE FUNDS, WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO A REMOTE SITE, HOLD OUR JURIES AND OUR REMOTE SITE.
AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT CASE TO A CONCLUSION, UH, FOR THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES IN THAT CASE, WHICH WAS, WHICH WAS, UM, A HORRIFIC TIME IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, I HAVE VERY, JUST VERY BRIEF REMARKS IN THAT REGARD TO JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN THE COURTHOUSE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, UM, THROUGHOUT MY TENURE.
WELL, THANK YOU YOUR HONOR, FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY, AND WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU INTO THE FUTURE AND, UH, WISH YOU WELL AND WELCOME YOU, UH, AT THIS TIME, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, COUNCILMAN, ANYONE, MR. JANDER DANNA, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE, UH, GREINER.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE MET.
I HOPEFULLY I NEVER GET TO MEET YOU IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR PLACE OF BUSINESS.
I, UH, SO, UH, BUT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU'LL DO A FABULOUS JOB AND, UH, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO UP HERE, I'M SURE TO HELP, UH, WITH YOUR OFFICES WILL BE MORE THAN, MORE THAN HAPPY.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY I'LL NEVER GET TO SEE YOU IN THERE.
THANK YOU, MR. JAN, ANDREW DAN, AND ANYONE ELSE, CYNTHIA, YOUR HONOR, IN THE PAST, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT SPACE IN THE COURTHOUSE AND THAT WE'VE OUTSOURCED AND WE'VE USED BALLOONS TO MOVE THE WALLS AS BEST WE COULD.
IS THAT STILL A CONSIDERATION THAT SPACE IS HORRENDOUS OVER FOR YOUR ABILITY TO WORK? I NEVER WANT TO CALL THE COURTHOUSE HORRENDOUS BECAUSE IT IS SO, UH, HISTORICAL AND BEAUTIFUL, BUT, UH, WE ARE BEYOND FULL CAPACITY.
UH, WE ARE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. WE ARE CREATIVE EVERY SINGLE DAY IN TRYING TO MANEUVER WHERE WE ARE PLACING.
WE HAVE USED A LOT OF SENIOR JUDGES.
UM, WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SLATED.
I BELIEVE THE LAST ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE BY THE JUDICIARY.
WE WERE SLATED FOR 7.5 JUDGES.
UM, WE HAVE STAFF AND WE ARE CERTAINLY BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. SO WE DO NEED A BIGGER SPACE AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT WE ARE BEING CREATIVE IN HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS PROBABLY TO ROBBIE OR TO
[03:30:01]
MR.IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE BOARD ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE SPACE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS? SO THERE WERE SOME RENOVATIONS MADE, UH, AND YOU'VE BEEN CONTINUING TO MAKE RENOVATIONS TO THE COURTHOUSE AND THEN TO ALSO JUST TRY TO MOVE YOUR OFFICE AREAS AROUND.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF CONSISTENTLY TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT IN WAYS THAT WE CAN KIND OF, UH, CONSOLIDATE AND MOVE AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE, IF THERE'S SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THE COURTHOUSE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE IN THE COURTHOUSE, WE CAN TRY TO MOVE THOSE OTHER PLACES.
UM, SO WE'RE KIND OF CONSTANTLY, UM, IN THE PROCESS OF THAT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY ON THE IT'S ON THE RADAR.
IT'S NOT AS IF IT'S A, THAT'S NOT, UH, NOT UNDERSTOOD AND, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIMITATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S A SECURE ENVIRONMENT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BUT YEAH, WE JUST, HAVEN'T HAD A CONVERSATION THIS YEAR AS WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST.
THANK YOU, CYNTHIA, MR. SHRUGS, I THINK ON THAT NOTE TOO, IS THAT, UM, I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE WITH COVID, EVERYTHING'S DIFFERENT, WE KIND OF LOSE TIME, BUT REGISTER OF WILLS OFFICE WAS MOVED TO 18 OFFICERS.
THERE IS A NEW COURTROOM WITH A NEW JUDGE.
SO ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH YOU'RE ALREADY BUSTING AT THE SEAMS, IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT WE WERE, WE WERE ONE WHOLE JUDGE DOWN IN ONE WHOLE COURTROOM DOWN.
SO, I MEAN, I'M SURE THAT THAT MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE, TREMENDOUSLY, TREMENDOUSLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE BUILT A BRAND NEW JURY ROOM, UM, AND THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO BRING A BIGGER PANELS.
UM, OF COURSE COVID PREVENTED US FROM MOVING A LOT OF THE CASES, BUT WE ARE BACK UP AND RUNNING AND BRINGING IN LARGER JURY PANELS.
WE CREATED THAT COURTROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR BY MANEUVERING AND SWITCHING PLACES AROUND.
AND, UM, THAT COURTROOM HAS BEEN, UH, GREAT FOR US.
UH, WE ARE OBVIOUSLY ADDING A JUDGE NOW WITH JUDGES LEAVING AND, UM, ARE CHANGING OFFICE SPACE AROUND SO THAT WE CAN MAKE ROOM FOR THAT JUDGE.
WE ALSO, UM, JUDGE LEAVES, ALTHOUGH SHE WILL BE, UH, ON THE COURT OF APPEAL, SHE HAS A LOCAL OFFICE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HER TO HAVE HER OWN OFFICE AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE BEING CREATIVE AGAIN.
AND THE JUVENILE JUDGES IN THE, IN THE BASEMENT.
AND THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
UM, COURTROOM THAT HE'S IN CAN ACTUALLY BE A JURY ROOM, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OUR JUVENILE CASES, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN, THERE'S SOME SECURITY ISSUES.
THEY ARE IN THE BEST PLACE RIGHT NOW, UM, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE, UH, THE, THE LARGE VOLUME OF CASES THAT WE HAVE IN THE JUVENILE COURT.
AND I THINK THE ONE THING THAT MAY HAVE CAME, CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC TOO, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN IS, UH, WITH TECHNOLOGY AND THE ABILITY TO, UM, USE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS REMOTELY THAT MAYBE SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WHERE YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME IN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE ATTORNEYS TRAVELING, UH, ACROSS COUNTY LINES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TO COME TO WHAT IS REALLY A QUICK MEETING, AND IF MAYBE MORE OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WERE DONE FROM A COMPUTER SCREEN THAT MAY FREE UP SOME SPACE AS WELL.
WE DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE REMOTE HEARINGS THAT WE'RE STILL USING.
UM, IN SOME SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES, OUR GUARDIANSHIP CASES, CHILD SUPPORT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING REMOTE HEARINGS.
OUR MAGISTRATES HAVE BEEN HOLDING HEARINGS REMOTELY.
AND I KNOW THAT JUDICIARY RECENTLY UNDER, UH, UNDERTOOK A STUDY TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH CAN WE INCORPORATE REMOTE PROCEEDINGS BECAUSE WE REALIZED DURING COVID, THIS IS A WAY OF THE FUTURE.
AND COULD MAYBE FREE UP SOME OF THAT SPACE.
YOU KNOW, THESE WERE MADE PERMANENT OUT.
AS WE MOVE OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE CAN CHANGE OUR JURY TRIALS ARE A CRIMINAL JURY TRIALS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM CONSTITUTIONALLY IN-PERSON.
UM, SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, THAT ALWAYS PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE.
SO WHILE WE WANT BIGGER SPACE, WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH, WITH WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
I'M ON THE VETERANS COMMISSION AND I KNOW THAT SOME JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE AREA HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A VETERANS COURT.
UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT SINCE WE HAVE ABOUT 19,000, ALMOST 20,000 VETERANS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY LOOK INTO IN THE NEAR FUTURE? UM, I BELIEVE THAT IN YEARS PAST, UM, A MEMBER OF OUR BAR ASSOCIATION IS A VETERAN AND HE HAS LOOKED INTO TRYING TO SEE DEVELOPING, UM, WHETHER OR NOT HARFORD COUNTY CAN SUPPORT A VETERANS COURT.
I KNOW BALTIMORE CITY'S HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER JURISDICTION HAS IT, BUT I KNOW THAT THE ONE IN BALTIMORE CITY HAS WORKED VERY WELL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATUS IS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS LOOKING AT IT.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, HE'S VERY PASSIONATE
[03:35:01]
ABOUT AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT.THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, ANYONE ELSE, OR YOUR HONOR WITH NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR FUTURE.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
UH, THIS WILL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE THIS, THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING, AND WE'LL START AGAIN IN THE MORNING AT NINE.