[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 22 DASH 27.UM, I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE FILED BY THE OPENING PRAYER I PLEDGE TO ALLEG THROUGH THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE COME TOGETHER THIS EVENING, WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THANKS FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS AND GIFTS YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE PRAY FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND WISDOM IN OUR LIVES AND IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS THIS EVENING.
LORD, TOMORROW WE REMEMBER THE ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY AND THE LIVES LOST AND SACRIFICES MADE.
THE ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL HARBOR IS A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN FREE.
WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
LET US NEVER FORGET THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE AND THE SACRIFICES THAT THEY'VE MADE FOR US.
LORD, FILL US WITH YOUR GRACE, PEACE, AND, AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER.
ALL THESE THINGS WE PRAY IN YOUR NAME LORD.
IF I MAY, UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED OVER THE PAST, WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE FIND A SEAT AND SHUT THAT DOOR? OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS AND THROUGHOUT TODAY, THE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS CONCERNING THE STATUS AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT F MR. BENNETT.
IT'S CLEAR THAT NOTHING WILL BE DECIDED HERE TONIGHT AND THAT THIS ISSUE MAY VERY WELL BE DECIDED IN A VENUE OTHER THAN THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
HARFORD COUNTY EMBRACED HOME RULE IN 1973 AND ADAPTED.
ITS ADOPTED ITS CHARTER, THE CONSTITUTION OF HARFORD COUNTY.
YESTERDAY, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TOOK AN OATH OF OFFICE TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND A CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND THE CHARTER OF HARFORD COUNTY.
WE TAKE THIS RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT WILL BE AT A REQUEST TO GO INTO A CLOSED MEETING TO RECEIVE A LEGAL BRIEFING FROM OUR ATTORNEYS CONCERNING THE ISSUE OF WHETHER A SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED AS A HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE UNDER THE CHARTER SECTION 2 0 7, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, THE COUNCIL WILL PERFORM OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN THIS MATTER.
AGENDA NUMBER FIVE, OR EXCUSE ME.
NUMBER FOUR, PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS.
[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]
WE HAVE NONE.AGENDA NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS.
COUNCIL, VICE PRESIDENT MAY HAVE A MOTION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE TONY G OR TONY G JARO AS OUR VICE PRESIDENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND MR. PRESIDENT? I'D LIKE TO SEC THAT MOTION.
AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF COUNCILMAN JAN.
JORDANA IS VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE TERM DECEMBER, 2022 UNTIL DECEMBER, 2023.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE? ZERO IN A NEGATIVE.
THE APPOINTMENT IS HERE BY APPROVED COUNCIL PERSONNEL COMMITTEE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION COUNCIL PRESIDENT? I'D TAKE MAKE A, MAKE A MOTION.
MR. PENMAN, I MAKE A MOTION FOR THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENTS TO THE COUNCIL PERSONNEL COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT TONY JAN JORDANO.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEION GUTHRIE AND ALTERNATE COUNCIL MEMBER JIM RILEY.
AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS OF VINCE JAN JORDANO GUTHRIE AND RILEY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE.
THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HERE BY APPROVED 2022.
[00:05:01]
MAKO LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND ALTERNATE.MAY I HAVE A MOTION COUNCIL PRESIDENT MRNA? I MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN PENMAN IS COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND JESSICA BLAKE AS ALTERNATIVE? MAY I HAVE A SECOND? AYE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. MR. JACOB, MR.
THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, COUNSEL.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, WE WILL MOVE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TOGETHER.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. RILEY? I'D LIKE TO PULL THE HR DIRECTOR OUTTA THE, UH, GROUP SO I CAN, UH, ETHICALLY ABSTAIN.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT MR. JANINA, I MOVE TO APP APPROVE.
ROBERT MCCORD, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION.
ROBERT SANDIS, DIRECTOR OF TREASURY.
JOSEPH SMAC, DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
TIFFANY STEVENS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES OR AM I PULLING THAT OUT? JUST PULLING THAT OUT.
YOU PULLING THAT OUT? OKAY, FINE.
TIFFANY STEVENS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
JOSEPH CAC, DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
NICHOLAS CUBA, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY.
BARBARA RICHARDSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
PAUL MAGNUS, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
RICHARD TRUIT, DIRECTOR OF INSPECTIONS, LICENSES AND PERMITS.
AND RICHARD HEIRS, ACTING DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ALL DIRECTORS STATED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MS. STEVENS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. JAN JORDANO, DID YOU HAVE, UH, YEAH, I JUST, JUST, JUST A BRIEF THING.
UM, UH, UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH ROBBIE SANDIS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, UM, EXTREMELY COMPETENT.
ALSO WORKED FOR JOE CAC, DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I KNOW HE IS ACTING DIRECTOR, BUT, UH, VERY, UM, THE STUDENT, WHAT HE DOES.
AND, UH, RON MCCORD, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A WHILE AND HIS EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND, UM, CERTAINLY IS A GREAT ASSET TO THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION.
SO I I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF REMARKS ON THAT AND, UM, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT TIFFANY AND I'LL TALK ABOUT HER LATER.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. JACOB? I, MR. JACOB, I KNOW I WAS GONNA SAY I'M USED TO BEING AROUND FIVE YEAR OLD
THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE FIRM AS ZERO.
UH, THE DIRECTORS ARE HERE BY APPROVED.
NOW MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON MS. STEVENS? COUNCIL PRESIDENT? MR. G? TONY G I MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT TIFFANY STEVENS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND I SECOND THAT.
THANK YOU MR. PIMAN, IF I MAY, IS TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT? YES.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE COUNSEL? YES.
IT'S BEEN MOON A SECONDED TO APPROVE MS. STEVENS AS A DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. JANER? ENTER AGAIN.
UM, TIFFANY'S BEEN IN THAT POSITION FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
UH, SHE BEFORE, BEFORE THAT SHE WAS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
I'VE TALKED TO MS. STEVENS MANY TIMES ON VARIOUS ISSUES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY BEING IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND WITH, UH, I, I GET A LOT OF PHONE CALLS ABOUT BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING.
I'VE ALWAYS TALKED TO, UH, TIFFANY OR JIM RICHARDSON BEFORE.
SHE'S MOVED SOME STUFF AROUND FOR US, SAVED US SOME MONEY.
SO, UM, UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE HER BACK AND I THINK SHE'LL DO A FA FABULOUS JOB AS SHE'S DONE BEFORE.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. PRESIDENT? MR. BENNETT? UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITHOUT MUCH DISCUSSION, I KNOW WE ALL LOOKED AT THE, UH, RESUMES THAT WERE PUT BEFORE US.
I FOUND THEM TO ALL BE HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE.
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WITH LACK OF DISCUSSION, I KNOW WE ALL TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO THINK THIS OVER BEFORE WE VOTED.ANYONE ELSE? MR. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. RILEY AB MRS. BOYLE SETTLES AYE.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
ONE ABSTENTION THAT THE APPOINTMENT IS HERE BY APPROVED AND ON THE AGENDA IT HAS DEPUTY DIRECTORS, BUT THERE ARE NO DEPUTY DIRECTORS BEING LOOKED AT TONIGHT.
UH, AGENDA NUMBER SIX, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.
[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THERE ARE NONE.NUMBER SEVEN, APPROVAL OF MINUTES FALL 2022 BOARD OF HEALTH UPDATE.
ZONING APPEAL CASE NUMBER 59 68.
JOHN AND HAZEL ADA, LEGISLATIVE DAY 2226.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS? THE MINUTES STAND APPROVED AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, INTRODUCTION TO CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE NO BUSINESS INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AT NUMBER NINE.
NUMBER 10, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS.
CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS.
12 ENROLLMENT OF BILLS, NOTHING.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS WE HAVE NOTHING.
[14. NEW BUSINESS]
14.UM, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH A COPY OF A RETAINER AGREEMENT WITH A LAW FIRM, RIFKIN, WEINER AND LIVINGSTON LLC.
UH, THE COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY USED THIS FIRM FOR HELP WITH COMPLEX LEGAL ISSUES AND MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE REQUEST? MR. PRESIDENT? MR. GUTHRIE A VOTE.
DO WE GO TO CLOSED SESSION? NO RETAINER.
UM, WE'RE IN NEW BUSINESS, RIGHT? NO, WE'RE IN NEW BUSINESS, BUT UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RETAINER AGREEMENT.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT MR. JAN, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RETAINER AGREEMENT WITH RIFKIN WIENER LIVING EXTEND LLC LAW FIRM.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. GOT MR. PENMAN? HI MR. JANNO.
MR. BENNETT ABSTAIN THERE BEING SIX IN THE, IN A POSITIVE ONE, ABSTENTION IS HEREBY APPROVED.
UM, ALSO, UM, AT THIS TIME I PROPOSED THE COUNSEL GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED UNDER SECTION THREE DASH 3 0 5 A, ONE OF THE GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL TO OBTAIN THE LEGAL ADVICE AS PERMITTED IN SECTION THREE DASH 3 0 5 B SEVEN, MORE SPECIFICALLY AS PROVIDED BY B DASH 3 0 5 B SEVEN.
I PROPOSE THAT WE CONSULT WITH OUR RETAINED OUTSIDE COUNSEL, MICHAEL BERMAN OF RIFKIN WIENER LIVINGSTON LLC AND OUR COUNSEL ATTORNEY CHARLES KEARNEY, TO DISCUSS AND TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE ABOUT THE HARFORD COUNTY CHARTER SECTION 2 0 7 COUNTY CODE SECTION FOUR DASH EIGHT, THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, ARTICLE 35, THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND STATE CODE AND THEIR COLLECTIVE EFFECT UPON THE ISSUE OF WHETHER A SWORN MEMBER OF THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL CAN ALSO SIMON CONSCIOUSLY SERVE AS A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE.
I'M SORRY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION MR. PRESIDENT? MR. GUTHRIE, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO TO CLOSED SESSION.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.
WE HAVE A FURTHER MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. PRESIDENT? UM, IF THIS PASSES, I'M VOLUNTARILY CHOOSING TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN TONIGHT'S CLOSED SESSION BASED ON THE GUIDANCE OF MY OUTSIDE ATTORNEY.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
SIX IN THE POSITIVE ONE ABSTENTION IS HEREBY APPROVED.
COUNTY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED UNDER SECTIONS THREE DASH 3 0 5 B SEVEN OF THE GENERAL PROVISIONS
[00:15:01]
ARTICLE, THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND.AFTER THE CLOSED SESSION, THE COUNCIL WILL RETURN TO OPEN SESSION AND THEREAFTER CONTINUE ON TO COMPLETE THE AGENDA.
A COPY OF THE CLOSING STATEMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY PERSON PRESENT IF THEY WANT ONE AND CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR.
THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS THIS PUBLIC SESSION AND RECONVENE AND CLOSE SESSION UPSTAIRS IN THE COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM AND FOLLOWING THE CLOSED SESSION, THE COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE IN THESE CHAMBERS TO CONTINUE ITS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY GO TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 17, COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS.MS. DISKIN, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? WE DO.
MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE 15 THIS EVENING, I BELIEVE.
UM, AS I ALWAYS DO, I'M GONNA REMIND YOU OF BE MINDFUL OF YOUR TIME AND BE RESPECTFUL OF THIS ROOM AND EVERYONE IN IT CALL YOU FIRST SPEAKER AMY NELSON, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL RUEN.
NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
UM, MY NAME IS AMY NELSON AND UH, MY ADDRESS IS ON FILE, BUT I, NO MA'AM, I NEED YOUR ADDRESS.
OH, YOU NEED THE ADDRESS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, SEVEN 15 NORTH JUTA STREET HAVE GRACE, MARYLAND.
UM, SO I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT, UH, TO SAY HELLO GREETS TO ALL OUR NEW AND RETURNING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, PROMPTED TO SPEAK TONIGHT BASED ON YESTERDAY'S UH, LITTLE STUNT.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY DISRESPECTFUL TO NOT ONLY COUNCILMAN, UM, JACOB BENNETT, BUT ALSO TO THE VOTERS OF DISTRICT F TO NOT INCLUDE HIM IN THE PUBLIC SWEARING IN CEREMONY.
UM, I FOUND THAT VERY DISAPPOINTING.
SO I UNDERSTAND BASED ON INFORMATION THAT'S COME OUT TODAY, UM, AND THE DISCUSSIONS EARLIER THAT COUNCILMAN BENNETT WAS EXCLUDED BASED ON HIS EMPLOYMENT WITH, UH, HARPER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HOWEVER, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNCILMAN BENNETT RECEIVED LEGAL ADVICE ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE PRIOR TO EVEN BEGINNING HIS CAMPAIGN.
UM, HE DID HIS HOMEWORK, HE GOT LEGAL COUNSEL AND UNDERSTOOD THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE FINE FOR HIM TO BE ON THE COUNCIL AND BE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
UM, IT WAS ALSO NEVER A SECRET THAT HE'S BEEN A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
IT'S BEEN ON ALL HIS CAMPAIGN MATERIALS, UM, ALL HIS FLYERS, EVERY PERSON WHO VOTED FOR HIM, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTERS IN DISTRICT F, ALTHOUGH IT WAS A CLOSE RACE, UM, EVERY VOTER WHO VOTED FOR HIM VOTED KNOWING FULL WELL THAT HE IS A TEACHER.
UM, AND THERE'S A PRECEDENT FOR A TEACHER BEING ON THE COUNCIL, UH, AS AN ALUMNI OF ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL.
I REMEMBER WHEN COACH SLUTSKY WAS OUR TEACHER AND ALSO SERVED ON THE COUNCIL AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS HE DID A GOOD JOB ON BOTH.
UM, SO I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM THERE, UM, BUT I DO SEE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS AN ATTEMPT TO DISENFRANCHISE THE, UH, VOTERS OF DISTRICT F AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT.
CRYSTAL RAU, 700 HESTON COURT, BEL AIR, MARYLAND.
YESTERDAY, ONE OF YOUR NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS WAS EXCLUDED FROM A CEREMONY THAT YOU ALL TOOK PART IN.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT WASN'T YOUR DECISION TO MAKE, UM, BUT YOU WERE AWARE THAT JACOB WOULD BE EXCLUDED.
IT'S EASY TO ADVOCATE FOR CITIZENS WHOSE VIEWS THAT YOU SHARE.
IT TAKES LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT OTHERS ARE HEARD.
YOU CAN'T SERVE WELL WHEN MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY AREN'T HEARD.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S DECISION TO EXCLUDE JACOB DID NOT JUST IMPACT JACOB.
CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON MANY HERE.
WE MAY NOT BE FROM YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRICT, BUT WE ARE ALL HARTFORD CITIZENS.
AN EXCLUSION CAN BE VERY HURTFUL.
JACOB IS YOUR COLLEAGUE AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE WITH HIM, HE
[00:20:01]
IS ONE OF YOU.YOU MAY NOT HAVE MADE THE DECISION ABOUT WHO WOULD'VE ATTENDED THE CEREMONY, BUT DID YOU REACH OUT TO HIM WHEN YOU KNEW? DID YOU KNOW HE WAS SWORN IN DURING A SEPARATE CEREMONY ELSEWHERE? DID YOU TRY TO LEARN MORE BEFORE? I WOULD CONSIDER MYSELF VERY NOVICE IN TERMS OF LEGAL MATTERS.
I WAS ABLE TO EDUCATE MYSELF VERY QUICKLY YESTERDAY WHEN I LEARNED ALL OF THIS.
YOU WILL HAVE DIFFERENCES WITH JACOB, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER HOW YOU WILL APPROACH WORKING WITH HIM.
WORKING WITH THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT MAKES YOU BETTER.
IS IT MORE CHALLENGING? SURE, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, YOU WILL COME OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE WITH A MORE WELL DEVELOPED SOLUTION THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF MORE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I ASK THAT YOU REFLECT ON WHAT YOU MAY HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY LEADING UP TO YOUR CEREMONIAL ACTIVITIES YESTERDAY.
DID YOUR RESPONSE SHOW VALUE TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF HAR OR JUST THOSE WHO ARE LIKE YOU? IF YOU WERE IN JACOB'S POSITION, WOULD YOU HAVE DESCRIBED YOUR RESPONSE IS SUPPORTIVE, NON-EXISTENT, OR EXCLUSIONARY? THANK YOU JACOB, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
YOU WILL DO GREAT WORK ON THIS COUNCIL AND WE THANK YOU FOR STAYING THE COURSE.
JANINE LACORE, FOLLOWED BY KEN SHANNON BEFORE MS. LACORE SPEAKS.
YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT I CAN'T HAVE ANY OUTBURST IN HERE, SO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING AND I KNOW HOW EMOTIONAL IT IS.
JANINE LACORE 1820 PARK BEACH DRIVE, PERRYMAN.
ALL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND IN PARTICULAR OUR NEWLY ELECTED DISTRICT F REPRESENTATIVE JACOB BENNETT.
THANKS TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AS A NEWLY ELECTED GOVERNING BODY AT ALL LEVELS IN THE COUNTY, THERE'S BEEN A VARIETY OF LOFTY GOALS COMMUNICATED TO THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY.
GREAT, WELL PAYING JOBS, PRESERVE AND PROTECT OPEN SPACE.
FOCUS ON THE ROUTE 40 CORRIDOR.
HIGHLIGHT HARFORD HERITAGE, UPDATE THE MASTER PLAN AND ZONING.
THESE ARE ALL RELEVANT GOALS TO THE PAR PENINSULA A LOT SPECIFICALLY, THE EXISTING COUNTY MASTER PLAN WAS TOUTED AS BEING FOCUSED ON THE NEXT GENERATION AND PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE YET HAS ISOLATED, IGNORED, AND DEVALUED PROPERTY VALUES FOR THOSE UNFORTUNATE, UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE.
IN FACT, RATHER THAN USING DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE WEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE COUNTY'S DELIBERATE ACTIONS HAVE CREATED ECONOMIC DISPARITY AND DISCRIMINATORY OUTCOMES.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, BERRYMAN'S HOUSEHOLD MEDIAN INCOME IS 36%.
18.1% OF PERRYMAN FAMILIES LIVE IN POVERTY.
MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT OF HARFORD COUNTY AND COINCIDENTALLY, PERRY'S COMMUNITY OF COLOR IS DOUBLE THE PERCENTAGE OF HARFORD COUNTY.
FOR OVER 30 YEARS, OUR COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN ACTION-ORIENTED STEPS FOR WHICH THE COUNTY HAS FAILED TO TAKE SUBSTANTIVE ACTION.
IN 1992, THE 103 ACRE FOREST GREEN LAKE PRESERVE WAS CREATED.
THIS WAS A COMMUNITY LED INITIATIVE AND HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.
IN 1997, THE PARING AND WELLHEAD PROTECTION PLAN WAS SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY.
IT WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED IN 2000.
THE PERRY TRAFFIC STUDY WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED IN 2001.
THE PERRY VISIONING STUDY WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED IN 2000 AND AGAIN, ANOTHER TIME FOR THE PERRY COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PERRY COMMUNITY.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE APPROPRIATE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE NOT IMPLEMENTED NATURAL AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION NOT IMPLEMENTED OPEN SPACE, NOT IMPLEMENTED, SCHOOLS NOT IMPLEMENTED, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES NOT IMPLEMENTED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DESIGN STANDARDS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE COMMUNITY NOT
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IMPLEMENTED.AND IN 2022, THE MITCHELL FARM FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION TERMINAL MORATORIUM WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED.
MS. LACORE, PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE AND NOR WAS THE SPATHA ROAD HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED.
I LIVE AT 2 0 44 PARK BEACH DRIVE IN PERRYMAN.
UM, WHEN I SIGNED UP FOR THE MEETING TODAY, I UM, SENT SOME MATERIAL THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COUNSEL.
UH, WELCOME BACK MR. UH, VIENTE AND MR. G GANO AND WELCOME TO ALL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT UNWANTED AND INAPPROPRIATE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND IMPAIRMENT, SPECIFICALLY OPPOSED MITCHELL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT AND THE TRAFFIC NOISE AND POLLUTION THAT WILL COME WITH IT.
SOME BACKGROUND OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE MITCHELL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IS A PROPOSAL IS MADE PUBLIC.
A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, PUT FIVE MASSIVE FREIGHT TERMINALS ON A HISTORIC FARM IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY ON A PENINSULA WITH A SINGLE ROAD IN AND OUT.
FIVE FREIGHT TERMINALS WILL COVER 5.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF PERMEABLE GROUND.
NEXT TO THE BUSH RIVER WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN APPROXIMATELY EQUAL AMOUNT OF IMPERMEABLE, PARKING LOTS AND OTHER PAID SURFACE.
ONE OF THE FREIGHT TERMINALS WILL BE ABOUT A HALF MILE LONG.
THAT MONSTROSITY WILL BE SURROUNDED BY FOUR OTHER MEGA WAREHOUSES.
YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF VIEW A PACKET CALLED PROTECT PER PENINSULA WAREHOUSE AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS.
THIS INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO ON JANUARY 18TH.
THE FIRST PAGE OF THE PACKET SHOWS A MAP OF HARVARD COUNTY WITH BLUE CIRCLES INDICATING BY THEIR SIZE THE RELATIVE AMOUNT OF EXISTING FREIGHT TERMINALS AND WAREHOUSE SPACE IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
LARGE BUILDINGS, THOSE OVER 20,000 SQUARE FEET ARE SHOWN.
THREE BIGGEST CIRCLES ARE ABERDEEN BELL CAMP AND PERRYMAN NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH HARVARD COUNTY THAT ACCOUNT FOR 86% OF ALL THE WAREHOUSE SPACE IN THE COUNTY.
PERRY'S SHARE OF THAT IS 9.8 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF THE MORE THAN 21 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF LARGE WAREHOUSES IN HARVARD COUNTY.
ONLY 21,000 SQUARE FEET OF IT IS IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NORTH OF I 95.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY'S DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE INCLUDES ROUTE 24, PAST BE AIR.
THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS A MAP OF THE LOCATION OF COUNTY PARKS IN HARTFORD.
THREE LARGEST CIRCLES ARE IN NORTH HARTFORD, HAVE GRACE BEL AIR IN FALLSTON.
THE MAP DOESN'T SHOW TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF STATE PARKS LOCATED IN WESTERN AND NORTHERN HARTFORD.
THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS A DISTRIBUTION OF WAREHOUSE SPACE RELATED TO POPULATION COMMUNITY WITH THE MOST WAREHOUSE SPACE PER HAS THE SMALLEST POPULATION.
PERRIMAN HAS THE MOST WAREHOUSE SQUARE FEET PER PERSON.
3,971 SQUARE FEET, 20 TIMES MORE THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS WAREHOUSE SQUARE FEET PER PERSON BY POVERTY LEVEL AND MEDIAN INCOME.
HERMAN HAS THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATE, THE LOWEST MEDIAN INCOME AND THE MOST WAREHOUSE FACED BY A WIDE MARGIN.
IF YOU SKIP TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOU CAN SEE A PIE CHART WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF WAREHOUSES AND FREIGHT TERMINALS IN THE COUNTY AND SEE THAT IF THE FREIGHT TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE MITCHELL FARM GOES FORWARD PER WILL HAVE MORE WAREHOUSE SPACE THAN THE REST OF HARVARD COUNTY COMBINED.
NOW TO UPDATE THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ON CHANGES TO THE MITCHELL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.
SINCE THIS, UH, PRESENTATION WAS CREATED IN AUGUST, THE DEVELOPER CHESAPEAKE REAL ESTATE GROUP COVERTLY ASKED THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT TO CHANGE THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT FROM WAREHOUSE WITH ACCESSORY USE OF RETAIL SERVICE TO HIGH CUBE FILM CENTER WAREHOUSE.
THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A NEW PRELIMINARY PLAN AND SITE PLAN THAT INCREASES THE HEIGHT OF THESE WAREHOUSES BY 62%.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE LARGEST SHIFT THAT WAS REDUCED TO ONE THIRD OF WHAT WAS IN THE PLANS PRESENTED AT THE DECK.
MR. SHANNON, PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE SO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW WHY THE PEOPLE AT PYRAMID ARE UPSET ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE LOOK FOR YOUR HELP IN, UM, TRYING TO MAKE THIS A MORE REASONABLE.
GLENN GILLIS, FOLLOWED BY 10 VAN EMDEN.
GLENN GILLIS, 1936 PARK BEACH DRIVE IN PARMAN.
FIRST I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE PRESIDENT AND THE COUNCIL ON YOUR SWEARING IN AS TO THE NEW LEGISLATIVE BODY FOR A COUNTY.
YOU'VE HEARD THE CITIZENS CONCERNS WHILE YOU YOU WERE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
PROMISE THEM YOU DO CERTAIN THINGS TO RESOLVE THEIR CONCERNS.
AND WERE ELECTED WITH THE CITIZEN'S FAITH IN YOU TO FULFILL THOSE PROMISES TODAY.
YOU BEGIN YOUR EFFORTS, DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITIZENS THAT ELECTED YOU WHILE YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AGENDA
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OF LEGISLATIVE ISSUES FACING YOU.I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU OF THE ONGOING CONCERNS OF THE CITIZENS, OF THE COMMUNITY OF PERRYMAN.
WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE COUNCIL BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY FOR OVER A YEAR ABOUT THE INAPPROPRIATE MITCHELL CRAIG DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
THE PAST ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL HAVE CITED WITH A SMALL BUT INFLUENTIAL OWNER, DEVELOPER GROUP OVER THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PERRY COMMUNITY AND ITS CITIZENS, AND FRANKLY, THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF HARTFORD COUNTY CITIZENS THAT ELECTED THAT COUNCIL AND, UM, ADMINISTRATION.
WE PRAY THAT YOU DO A BETTER JOB REPRESENTING US OVER THE DEVELOPERS.
WE ASK THAT YOU ACT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION TO STOP THE LEGAL DEVELOPMENT TAKE AS A PRIORITY TO FIX AND MODERNIZE THE ZONING CODE AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND TO WORK WITH THE PYRAMID COMMUNITY AND THE OWNER TO FIND APPROPRIATE USE AND APPROPRIATE VALUE FOR THE LAND IN QUESTION.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND THANK YOU.
I LIVE AT 1963 MITCHELL DRIVE, ABERDEEN, MARYLAND.
UH, FIRST OFF, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY.
WELCOME BACK OR WELCOME AS IT WERE.
UM, MR. BENNETT REGARDING YOUR SITUATION.
UM, I FIND THE TIMING BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO BE A LITTLE SUSPECT AND KIND OF REEKS A POLITICAL HACKERY.
MR. CASSY, WE, THE VOTERS OF HARFORD COUNTY DESERVE BETTER.
PLEASE BE BETTER, SIR, PLEASE USE THIS AS A STUMBLING BLOCK.
MR. G OD, HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR? THERE WAS A LADY WHO, UH, MADE A COMMENT ON THE PERRYMAN FACEBOOK PAGE BACK ON OCTOBER 20TH.
I TAGGED YOU IN THAT ON BOTH OCTOBER 20TH AND OCTOBER 27TH.
FINALLY GOT A RESPONSE FROM YOU.
I SENT YOU AN E YOU SUGGESTED I SENT YOU AN EMAIL.
THEY HAD A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH CAUSE THERE WAS A LITTLE CONFUSION WITH ONE OF THE, UH, OTHER MARYLAND SITES.
THEY'RE NOT USING YOUR ACTUAL EMAIL ADDRESS BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, TONY IS SHORT FOR ANTHONY.
SO THEY'RE GOING OFF YOUR FULL FIRST NAME AS OPPOSED TO TONY.
BUT, UH, I SENT YOU AN EMAIL ON NOVEMBER 4TH.
STILL HAVEN'T HEARD A RESPONSE, SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU HERE, UM, HOW, HOW DO, DO YOU RESPOND TO THE HOMEOWNERS WITHIN PERRYMAN? WHO, WHEN WE GO TO SELL OUR HOUSE, WE HAVE ALL THESE SIGNS UP, STOP THE PERRYMAN WAREHOUSES.
NO MORE WAREHOUSES, ALL THIS, ANYBODY DOES A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH.
ANYBODY WITH HALF A BRAIN IS GONNA RUN AWAY SCREAMING FROM THESE HOUSES.
AT WHAT POINT DO MY RIGHTS AS A HOME HOMEOWNER COME INTO PLAY? BECAUSE I CAN'T SELL MY HOUSE IF I WANTED TO BECAUSE OF THIS PROPOSAL, DO DO I NOT HAVE RIGHTS? I, I'D LOVE TO HEAR NOT JUST YOUR RESPONSE, MR. G ORD, BUT EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU.
GEORGE KASICK, FOLLOWED BY JAMES CARR.
GEORGE KASICK, 6 0 9 GREEN STREET.
HAVE GRACE, MARYLAND DISTRICT, MR. PRESIDENT COUNCIL AS CAPTAIN WITH THE FIRST INFANT DIVISION IN WEST GERMANY, 1989.
I WITNESS THE CALL OF ALLING, THE IRON CURTAIN COMING DOWN.
A VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY, A VISCERAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE POWER OF THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE TO AFFECT CHANGE.
IN 2004 IN THE LAW, IRAQ EYE WITNESSED IRAQI CITIZENS PROUDLY DIS DISPLAYING THEIR PURPLE STATE FINGERS TO DIVIDE.
THEY VOTED IN A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION, AN EASY WAY TO ENFORCE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE IN A COUNTRY TO LLOYD OF TECHNOLOGY AND RECOVERY FROM THE WAR.
FEELING SATISFACTION, BEING PART OF PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE BE COUNTED, WAS AFFIRMING, BRINGING AMERICAN VALUES AND BELIEFS TO THE WORLD.
AS AN OFFICER, AS A VETERAN, AS A CITIZEN, AS A VOTER, NEVER DID I BELIEVE I WOULD WITNESS A BASEMENT OR A DEMOCRACY IN MY OWN IN HARVARD COUNTY YESTERDAY, MY DULY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WAS DENIED BEFORE AFFORDED TO ALL MY OTHER DULY.
RE LIKE TO REPRESENT THIS, THIS WAS WRONG AND WAS WRONG ON MANY LEVELS.
IT DEMEANED MY VOICE AND THE ALL CITIZENS AND DISTRICTS ACT REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY VOTED.
HAVING A COUNCIL PERSON WE CHOSE TREATED AS LESSER THAN OTHER COUNCILPERSONS.
THIS BRINGHAM THE UPON COUNTY COUNCIL AS WHOLE.
I QUESTION WHY ANY OF YOU CHOSE TO TAKE THE OATH WITH ONE OF YOUR NEWLY ELECTED COLLEAGUES.
ABSENT MR. PRESIDENT, YOU ARE A CONSTITUENT WITH DISTRICT F.
AS AM I, I WONDERED THAT YOU WOULD ACCEPT SUCH A MUZZLING OF YOUR VOICE AND REPRESENTATION.
IT MEANS THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT DICTATE SUCH AN EXCLUSION TO ANOTHER BRANCH FOR THE LEGISLATIVE WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A MURDERER.
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REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PART OF OR PHILOSOPHY.ACCEPTING SUCH AN ED FROM THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TWICE POORLY UPON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, THE OPERATIONS OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND YOUR DUTY TO DO THOSE YOU WORK, WORK LAWYERS.
LIKE ALL OF US IN DISTRICT F I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO BETTER.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ACCEPT THE CHOICE FROM THE PEOPLE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, REALIZING THAT JACOB BENNETT REPRESENTS DISTRICT F AND 16,000 VOTERS IN COUNTY.
WE HAVE A VOICE AND EXPECT TO BE LISTENED TO IN COUNSEL.
NOW YOU HAVE A PLATITUDE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE FOR POLITICIANS ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU TRULY WANT TO THANK ME FOR MY SERVICE, HONOR OUR DEMOCRACY AND YOUR OATH BY WELCOMING JACOB, BENS COLLEAGUE, LISTENING TO HIM AND ACCEPTING HIM AS THE VOICE OF ALL RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT DEBT.
I LIVE AT SEVEN 15 CHRISTIE MICHELLE COURT IN MIDDLE RIVER, MARYLAND.
ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF B HARFORD COUNTY, I AM A RE AND VOTER IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT AS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATUTE THAT IS DEALING WITH JACOB DEALS WITH IS EXACTLY WRITTEN THE SAME IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
HE IS ABOUT TO START HIS FOURTH TERM AND HAS BEEN A TEACHER THE WHOLE TIME.
AT ONE POINT, JOHNNY O SERVED ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL WHILE HE WAS A TEACHER ATAPS HIGH SCHOOL.
MY BASIC POINT IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE LAWS ARE IN THE SAME IN BOTH COUNTIES, OBVIOUSLY BALTIMORE COUNTY SEES IT A DIFFERENT WAY AND I WOULD HOPE YOU'D BE OPEN ENOUGH TO, TO RECONSIDER YOUR POSITION.
JILLIAN JILLIAN MILLER, FOLLOWED BY DELAINE LEWIS.
JILLIAN MILLER, 4 0 8 CHRIS FIELD DRIVE, ABINGDON, MARYLAND.
WANTED TO SAY WELCOME TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED FAIR TREATMENT.
I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED FAIR TREATMENT.
I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED FAIR TREATMENT.
I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED FAIR TREATMENT.
COUNCILMAN BENNETT, I AM SORRY YOU DID NOT GET FAIR TREATMENT.
I WANTED TO START BY SAYING HOW DISTURBING IT WAS TO WATCH THE COUNCIL INAUGURATION.
WHILE A MEMBER OF THE NEW COUNTY COUNCIL WAS CLEARLY ABSENT, THERE WAS NO STATEMENT GIVEN OR EVEN A MENTION OF WHY IT WAS A BLATANT ROBBERY AND SILENCING OF THOSE WHO WENT OUT TO CAST THEIR VOTE FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
IT WAS A CLEAR INDICATOR THAT THE GOOD OLD BOY GOVERNMENT IN HARPER COUNTY IS STILL HARD AT WORK TO THIS, I WANNA SAY TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WATCHING, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO TRUST HARPER COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
IT IS CLEAR THAT YOU ARE BETTER OFF MAKING THE CHANGES TO OUR COMMUNITIES ON OUR OWN.
THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE NOTHING BUT PANDER TO THEIR NETWORK AND IT SEEMS AS IF THE NEW ONE WILL DO THE SAME.
THE BEST INTEREST OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE NEVER A CONCERN.
AS WE SEE THROUGH THE CONTINUED LACK OF ANYTHING IMPLEMENTED THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO THOSE WHO STILL DO NOT HAVE ACCESSIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE OF OUR GOVERNMENT OR EVEN A VIRTUAL INPUT OPTION, MY APOLOGIES TO THOSE WHO CAN'T RETAIN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT DUE TO LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
MY APOLOGIES TO THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO BE UNHEARD AND UNSEEN THROUGH OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS EYES.
IT IS ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY INCLUSIVE FOR ALL YOU MATTER TO ME, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT MATTER TO THIS COUNCIL.
IF, IF A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CAN SIT AND TAKE AN OATH WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY BREAKING THAT OATH FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THEN YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW YOU WILL BE REPRESENTED AND BE VERY CONCERNED.
HOW CAN THE COUNTY COUNCIL SERVE DULY AS OUR BOARD OF ED AND NOT KNOW THE HARTFORD COUNTY PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS BY EMPLOYEES POLICY? HOW CAN WE TRUST THAT YOU ALL ARE RESEARCHING ANYTHING YOU PRESENT TO US? NO ONE IS SCREAMING FOUL PLAY, NO PUN INTENDED, AT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THE MUSEUM GETS FROM OUR GOVERNMENT OTHER THAN COUNCILMAN PERONE BACK IN 2018, NOR THE POTENTIAL CONTRACTS AAG RECEIVES THROUGH GOVERNMENT NETWORKING SINCE THERE WAS SO MUCH PRAYER IN YESTERDAY'S INAUGURATION.
WOE TO THOSE WHO SCHEME INEQUITY, WHO WORK OUT EVIL IN THEIR BEDS WHEN MORNING COMES, THEY DO IT FOR IT IS IN THE POWER OF THEIR HANDS.
[00:40:01]
IMAGINE IF YOUR LOVED ONE WAS BEING TREATED THE WAY YOU TREATED YOUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER.I PRAY THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TREAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS WITH MORE DECENCY THAN YOU HAVE YOUR OWN.
COUNCILMAN BENNETT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART AND FOR BEING A DECENT HUMAN BEING BECAUSE LORD KNOWS THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT NEEDS ONE.
LANE LEWIS, 27 14 PEMBERTON RIDGE, BALDWIN, MARYLAND.
OKAY, TONIGHT IS THE FIRST HARPER COUNTY COUNCIL SESSION WITH NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS.
I THINK MANY OF US, NO MATTER WHAT PARTY WE IDENTIFY WITH, HOPE THAT THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE WOULD'VE REINFORCE THAT NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN YOUR TRADITIONAL HARPER COUNTY BACKROOM POLITICS.
FOR ALL OF US, THE ELECTION FRAUD CLAIMS THAT WERE THROWN AROUND SO FREELY AND WITHOUT SUBSTANTIATION.
THE EFFORTS OF THE RECENTLY ELECTED COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO DEPRIVE THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT F, THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE IS DISGUSTING IN ANTI-AMERICAN.
EVEN MORE DISGUSTING IS THE FAILURE OF THE REST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY PRESIDENT IN THEIR DEFERENCE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WHO HAD NOT EVEN BEEN SWORN IN AT THAT POINT.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU ACTUALLY AN INDEPENDENT BODY? ARE YOU SIMPLY LACKEYS FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE LIKE THE LAST COUNCIL WAS? THERE IS A LONG ESTABLISHED OPINION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DATING BACK TO 2016 THAT A TEACHER CAN HOLD A POSITION ON A COUNTY COUNCIL SIMILAR BODY THAT DOES VOTE ON BUDGETARY MATTERS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THAT PERSON HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER THE SYSTEM AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DIRECTLY AFFECT EVEN THEIR OWN PERSONAL MATTERS OF PAY AND EMPLOYMENT POLICIES.
TO QUOTE FROM THAT OPINION, COUNTY GOVERN GOVERNING BODIES LACK THE POWER TO APPOINT, REMOVE, OR SUPERVISE SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES.
AND WHILE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ULTIMATELY APPROVE THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM'S BUDGET AND FUNDED IN PART, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN THIS CASE DO NOT SET INDIVIDUAL TEACHER SALARIES.
MR. FRAZIER'S TWO POSITIONS THUS DO NOT FALL UNDER THE HETRICK COURT EXAMPLE OF A CONFLICT THAT WOULD CREATE AN INCOMPATIBILITY ADDRESSING A SIMILAR ISSUE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF KANSAS CONCLUDED THAT THE INCOMPATIBILITY DOCTRINE DID NOT BAR A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEE FROM SERVING ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION BECAUSE THE STATE BOARD DID NOT SUPERVISE THE EMPLOYEE AND DID NOT EITHER SET THE EMPLOYEE'S SALARY OR THE EMPLOYEE'S DUTIES.
MANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE DETERMINED THAT BEING A TEACHER, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS NOT PROFITING, NOR OFFERS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
EVEN THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HATCH ACT EXEMPTS TEACHERS FROM ITS RESTRICTIONS.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CHARTER ITSELF DOES NOT PREVENT THIS.
MR. BENON IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND OR THE GOVERNMENT OF HARFORD COUNTY.
HE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HARFORD COUNTY HAS HAD PAST EDUCATORS REPRESENT THEM.
MR. SLUTSKY HAS BEEN REFERENCED PREVIOUSLY.
THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE.
THE VOTERS ARE THE ONLY ARBIS THAT MR. BENNETT NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT.
PLEASE MAKE SURE HE IS ABLE TO REPRESENT HIS CONSTITUENTS.
EMMA PELAR, FOLLOWED BY JODY FRY.
EMMA PELLER, 1447 REDFIELD ROAD, BELL AIR.
GOOD EVENING COUNSEL AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
I WANNA FIRST CONGRATULATE YOU ALL AND ECHO EVERYONE ELSE ON YOUR WINS THAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE COUNCIL TODAY.
YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY THE VOTERS IN YOUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS AND I HOPE YOU WILL FULFILL YOUR DUTY AND SERVE THEM TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY.
THIS IS WHY I AM ESPECIALLY DISMAYED AT THE START WE'VE GOTTEN OFF TO BY USING THE TAX DOLLARS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO FIGHT A LEGAL BATTLE IN ORDER TO CHALLENGE AN ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU'RE SHOWING THE TRUE COLORS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AND OF THIS COUNCIL.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU ALL OF THE DEFINITION OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT TO DEPRIVE OF A FRANCHISE, OF A LEGAL RIGHT, OR OF SOME PRIVILEGE OR IMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE RIGHT TO VOTE BY TRYING TO REMOVE COUNCILMAN BENNETT.
YOU ARE EFFECTIVELY THROWING AWAY THE CHOICE AND THE VOTE OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT F WHO HAVE ELECTED HIM TO REPRESENT THEM.
THE COUNCIL SHOULD TURN THEIR TIME, ATTENTION AND TAXPAYER MONEY TO ISSUES THAT WILL SERVE HAR COUNTY, LIKE IMPROVING OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OR
[00:45:01]
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATING DIVERSE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES THAT WILL REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COUNTY.OR MAKING YOUR MEETINGS TRULY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL BY OFFERING A VIRTUAL OPTION FOR PUBLIC COMMON.
AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE MANY TIMES BEFORE, PLEASE GET TO WORK ON ACTUALLY BETTERING THE COUNTY THAT YOU SERVE AND NOT ON WASTING RESOURCES.
JODY FRY, 4 0 8 CUB HUNTING COURT, BEL AIR.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
CONGRATS TO EVERYBODY ON YOUR SUCCESSFUL ELECTIONS TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTY.
AS A RESIDENT OF HARTFORD COUNTY, I UNFORTUNATELY REMAIN OFTEN DISAPPOINTED BY THE POLITICS THAT TAKE PLACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, THE NON-TRANSPARENT DECISIONS THAT END UP TREATING PEOPLE UNFAIRLY AND RESULT IN DISENFRANCHISING COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FURTHER DEPLETING THE TRUST THAT EVERYBODY LIKE VOTERS LIKE MYSELF ARE LOSING EVERY DAY IN SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT JACOB BENNETT.
I DON'T LIVE IN HIS DISTRICT, I'M IN YOURS, TONY G.
BUT I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH MR. BENNETT OVER THE PAST YEAR.
I'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET HIM MANY TIMES.
HE IS VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMITMENT TO OUR COUNTY AND HAS A PASSION TO CONTINUE TO STAY ACTIVE IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION AS MANY OF YOU HERE TONIGHT HAVE REFERENCED THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS RAISED REGARDING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HOWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S POLICY TITLE, PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL PROCESS BY EMPLOYEES OF THE SCHOOL, AS WELL AS COUNCIL CHARTER 2 0 7.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT'S BEEN PUBLICLY MADE THAT MR. BENNETT HAS SOUGHT LEGAL CONSULTATION PRIOR TO RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
AND AS WE'VE ALL SEEN ON HIS SIGNS AND HIS CAMPAIGN MATERIALS, HE IS A PROUD TEACHER.
ONE OF THE REASONS MANY OF US HAVE ENTRUSTED HIM TO BE UP THERE WITH ALL OF YOU TONIGHT.
IN FACT, ACROSS OUR GREAT STATE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF UPSTANDING PEOPLE SERVING THEIR COUNTY WHILE ALSO WORKING FOR THE SCHOOLS.
DAVID MARKS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY WAS MENTIONED AND KNOWS WELL LISA RODIAN IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
IT WAS CONFIRMED PRIOR TO HIS ENTERING THIS ELECTION RACE BY MARYLAND GENERAL COUNSEL AS WELL AS HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT MR. BENNETT IS IN FACT NOT IN CONFLICT TO SERVE IN PUBLIC OFFICE AND THE VOTERS OF HIS DISTRICT CLEARLY SUPPORT HIM BEING SEATED UP THERE WITH ALL OF YOU TONIGHT.
HIS EMPLOYER IS THE SCHOOL BOARD, A SEPARATE PUBLIC ENTITY THAN WHAT IS NAMED IN COUNTY CHARTER 2 0 7.
FURTHERMORE, I DON'T THINK THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE DECIDING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH MR. BENNETT AND THE VOTER'S RIGHTS FOR HIM TO HOLD OFFICE.
THEY SHOULD SEEK THIS IN FULL OPEN TRANSPARENCY.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO INTERPRET POLICIES.
SINCE WE KNOW THAT THEY CANNOT WITHOUT BIAS.
LET'S END 2022 ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, GUYS, AND NOT START OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT HERE AND DISENFRANCHISE DISTRICT F AS WELL AS FURTHER STAINING THE GREAT REPUTATION, THE FURTHER STAINING THE REPUTATION OF OUR GREAT COUNTY.
BRIAN BEBY, FOLLOWED BY BILL WHALIN.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTHRIE.
COUNCIL MEMBER G UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SOS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COUNCIL MEMBER BENNETT AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT
UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT JACOB IS A TEACHER.
HE'S AN OUTSTANDING, ACKNOWLEDGED, RECOGNIZED TEACHER AND HE'S GONNA DO THAT.
THE SAME THING ON THE COUNCIL AND JACOB, WHEN YOU RUN FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND WIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO QUIT YOUR TEACHING JOB THEN EITHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.
UM, BUT I REALLY WANNA MAKE CLEAR IS I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALRIGHT, DION, YOU'VE BEEN A UNION ORGANIZER MOST OF YOUR LIFE.
UH, AARON, YOU ARE A MARINE PAT.
YOU'RE YOU'RE URIS, YOUR HONOR.
JAMES, YOU MARRIED ME NOT SO LONG AGO.
UH, HOW'D THAT WORK OUT?
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
THIS IS PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS.
SKIES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GROW A SPINE AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO STAND UP TO THE BIGOTRY AND UTTER INSANITY
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THAT IS SORE TO FLOW FROM ACROSS THE STREET.IT, IT WAS GONNA BE THAT WAY EITHER WAY.
I MEAN, YOU HAD A CHOICE OF ONE OR THE OTHER AND BOTH THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO, AND YOU KNOW, HARFORD COUNTY HAS A REAL HORRIBLE HISTORY OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT.
YOU KNOW, KNOW WE WERE ONE OF THE LAST SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO FULLY INTEGRATE KIDS.
1971, MY OR 76, MY KINDERGARTEN CLASS WAS THE FIRST FULLY INTEGRATED CLASS AT WHAT USED TO BE CALLED THE COLORED SCHOOL IN HICKORY.
ALL RIGHT? THIS IS THE SAME KIND OF CRAP.
WHY DOES IT MATTER? FIVE TO TWO STILL WINS EVERY SINGLE VOTE.
EVEN THE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY ONES.
AND THAT NONSENSE OF NOT INCLUDING HIM IN THE SWEARING, THEN THAT IS FOUL AND REPUGNANT AND IT WILL COME BACK ON YOU.
YOU WILL BE UNDER THEIR THUMB.
AND IF YOU LEARN NOTHING FROM WORKING WITH MR. BONIS FOR EIGHT YEARS, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT.
DON'T WASTE OUR MONEY ON THIS NONSENSE.
DON'T WASTE YOUR REPUTATION ON SOMEONE ELSE'S FOOLISHNESS.
GREAT THINGS COULD BE AHEAD FOR US.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SANE SCHOOL BOARD.
WE HAVE PROBABLY THE BEST SUPERINTENDENT IN THE STATE.
WE'VE HELD THINGS TOGETHER THROUGH A TIME WHERE OTHER PLACES HAVE COME APART.
BUT IF WE GO DOWN THIS NARROW-MINDED POLITICAL RAMPAGE THAT, THAT IT STARTED OFF, YOU'RE GONNA LOSE EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
WE ALL STILL RESIDE MOSTLY IN THE MIDDLE.
YOU'RE ABOUT ROADS, SCROLLS, PUBLIC SAFETY.
EVERYTHING ELSE LEAVE OUT THERE.
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK THIS IS THE WORST THAT IT'S EVER LOOKED, IT IS NOT.
I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE RAMBLINGS ABOUT THINGS THAT I COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE COMING UP IN A COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBER HERE, MR. BUR, PLEASE THOUGH, FOLKS, LET'S NOT GO BACKWARDS.
NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE, PHIL.
WELL, FOUR 15 CEDAR SPRING ROAD, AIRE, MARYLAND.
GOOD EVENING, MR. VINCENTI AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'LL PASS CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU AND YOUR ELECTED POSITIONS ON THE COUNCIL.
I KNOW MR. TONY G AND I KNOW MR. GUTHRIE FROM THE PAST, I HAVE NOT HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING REMAINING MEMBERS REPRESENTING B B E N F, MY WAY OF INTRODUCTION.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS FOR WELL OVER 10 YEARS.
I'VE ATTENDED AND SPOKEN AT MANY COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, WRITTEN TO ADMINISTRATION LEADERS OR STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, I'VE TRIED TO OBTAIN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE COUNTY CHARTER, THE ZONING CODE, AND GOVERNMENT PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.
MR. CASSY IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM FRIENDS OF HARFORD DURING HIS QUEST FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, STATED THAT OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, WE'VE WITNESSED A RECKLESS INTERPRETATION OF OUR ZONING CODES AND THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES BETTER FROM THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I'VE BEEN FIRSTLY WITNESSED AND EXPERIENCED THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, CREDIBILITY, AND INTEGRITY IN THE PAST ADMINISTRATION.
AS MY BELIEF AND HOPE, WE WILL SEE THESE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES RESTORED UNDER NEW ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP.
I ALSO BELIEVE THERE WILL BE IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
MOST RECENTLY, I HAD THE PLEASURE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES TRANSITION TEAM.
THIS INVOLVED THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT.
WE DISCUSSED DOOR NEWS MEETINGS, DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONALITY, DEVELOPMENT REVIEW ISSUES, ZONING, ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS, COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ISSUES, HARTFORD NEXT, AND MANY, MANY OTHER ITEMS, ALL NEEDING IMPROVEMENTS.
OUR TEAM CONSISTED OF 10 PEOPLE WITH DIVERSE INTERESTS, ALL TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
A REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTIONS, SHORT TERM ACTIONS, MIDTERM ACTIONS, AND
[00:55:01]
LONG TERM ACTIONS WAS SENT TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE YESTERDAY.I KNOW EACH OF YOU RAN FOR OFFICE FOR DIFFERENT MOTIVES, REASONS, DESIRES.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN FOR MAKING IMPROVEMENTS IN ADDITIONS WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT.
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ROADS, THE SCHOOLS, THE HOSPITALS.
PERHAPS THERE'S A CONCERN AS I HAVE OVER, OVER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT'S AFFECTING OUR HEALTH, OUR SAFETY, OUR MORALS, AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
EDUCATION COULD BE A TOP PRIORITY.
IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE THAT EACH OF US HAVE OUR OWN SELF-INTEREST.
AND ALTHOUGH YOU REPRESENT CITIZENS IN YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT, IT'S REALLY BY HOPE THAT THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE WILL BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS AT HARTFORD COUNTY AND JUST NOT YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
YOU GUYS HAVE A TOUGH JOB AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF YOUR TIME DEALING WITH MANY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES AND CITIZEN PLATES.
MR. VAN SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S A 24 7 JOB AND INVOLVES YOUR FAMILY.
I'M GONNA CLOSE WITH JUST QUICK COMMENTS, UNDERSTAND THE BASICS OF THE CHARTER, THERE BE CHANGES, BE RESPONSIVE TO QUESTIONS ENCOURAGED FROM MR. WHELAN.
PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE.
AND DON'T BE INFLUENCED BY OTHERS AND MAKE YOUR DECISION MR. WHE FACTUAL DATA.
THE LAST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS BARBARA KRAMER PASSING.
ANYONE ELSE? THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS FROM THE PRESIDENT.
[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
IS FROM THE PRESENT.UM, OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH THEM.
UH, I DO BELIEVE ALL OF THEM, UM, ARE ABSOLUTELY, UM, SERVING FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD, LIKE I SAID, IN WORKING WITH ALL OF THEM.
UM, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD MEETING DECEMBER 8TH, 2022, 6:00 PM TWO 12 SOUTH BOND STREET, SECOND FLOOR COUNTY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM.
UH, ANYONE'S, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SO ANYONE CAN ATTEND.
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GO TO COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.MR. BENNETT, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO START WITH YOU.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS MR. BENNETT.
UM, FIRST, UM, I JUST WANNA THANK THE CITY OF HAVE GRACE FOR WELCOMING ME AND THEIR, UH, HOLLY JOLLY FRIDAY'S, UH, PARADE.
LAST WEEK, IT WAS, UH, AN HONOR TO GO DOWN THE STREET AND TO SEE SO MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, MY WIFE AND I LIVE ON THE 600 BLOCK OF BOURBON STREET.
UH, IT'S VERY EASY TO TELL WHICH HOUSES ARE BECAUSE IT'S ACTIVELY FALLING APART AFTER A YEAR OF CAMPAIGNING.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY'S AWARE THAT, UH, THIS ENTIRE MONTH ROLE FOR THE NEXT TWO FRIDAYS, UH, THEY ARE, UH, HOSTING HOLLY JOLLY FRIDAYS IN HA GRACE.
IT'S A GREAT TIME TO GET TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
IT'S ALSO A GREAT TIME TO SHOP LOCAL AND, UH, SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BUY LOCAL, IT'S A GIFT THAT GOES TWO DIRECTIONS CUZ YOU'RE SUPPORTING YOUR NEIGHBOR AND GIVING A GIFT.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF TOYS FOR TOTS HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ACTIVELY COLLECTING TOYS AT DOZENS OF LOCATIONS.
I CHECK THEIR WEBSITE, IT'S OVER A HUNDRED LOCATIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE TO FIND A PLACE NEAR YOU AND DONATE A TOY.
OR, UH, CONTACT CRAIG REELING ABOUT A WAY TO SUPPORT THEM AS THEY GO THROUGH THIS WORK.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THEM, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WORKING SINCE AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER ON THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, NO CHILD SHOULD, UH, STOP BELIEVING IN SANTA BECAUSE OF THE WEALTH OF THEIR FAMILY.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO WAS ABLE TO COME TO MY PRIVATE SWEARING IN ON MONDAY.
IT WAS, UH, REALLY A JOY AND AN HONOR, UM, AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP WITH MY WIFE, UM, AS I WAS SWORN IN AND TO BE SURROUNDED BY, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORTED ME.
YOU KNOW, AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
MY, UH, MY MOM'S BEEN, UH, MY STEPMOM'S BEEN STRUGGLING WITH, UH, CANCER, SO SHE WAS UNABLE TO BE THERE.
UM, BUT IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TO JOIN ME IN THAT IT WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO SERVING THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT F AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, ALL THINGS IN MY LIFE GO BACK TO MY PASSION FOR WANTING TO TAKE CARE OF OTHERS BECAUSE I WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
AND SO I HOPE I'M ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
[01:00:03]
THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT.UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN ME.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SERVE ON THE COUNCIL.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW MORE OF THE CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND IT'S, I'M VERY, UM, EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
I, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING FOR ALL OF YOU AND THIS COUNTY AND, UM, HOPING TO MAKE IT BETTER.
I WANNA THANK THE, UH, VOTERS OF DISTRICT G AND ALSO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK EVERYBODY FOR, UH, BEING REELECTED FOUR YEARS.
IT CERTAINLY, UH, IS A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE TO BE UP HERE, TO LEARN, UH, TO WORK WITH OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE, UM, HEAR THEIR INPUTS, HEAR THE CITIZEN'S INPUT, AND TRY TO TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS.
UM, I ACTUALLY DID THE LARGEST PARADE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, THE BE AIR CHRISTMAS PARADE ON SUNDAY.
UH, IF NOBODY'S BEEN TO THAT PARADE, IT IS JAM PACKED FULL OF PEOPLE.
SO, UH, WAS GLAD TO, UH, WALK THE PARADE, UH, AND SEE THE PARADE.
ON TOP OF THAT, UH, ONE OF THE GROUPS I'M INVOLVED WITH, UM, WE STARTED GIVING OUT, UM, 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EACH TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, CURRENT MEMBERS SUGGESTED THAT THEY WANTED SOME MONEY TO GO TO.
ALTHOUGH IT'S A THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, TO A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, IT CERTAINLY IS A, A MAJOR GRANT FOR THEM.
UH, WE DECIDED THIS YEAR THAT WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY THAT WE WERE GONNA DO 12 AND WE ACTUALLY HAD FOUR ALTERNATIVES, SO WE'RE GONNA DO THOSE TOO.
SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE OUT A TOTAL OF $16,000 ALL AROUND THE COUNTY.
UM, I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO GET TO, UH, TO ONE OF 'EM, WHICH IS THE MAN HOUSE IN BEL AIR.
SO, UH, EACH DAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET ONE IN.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SIT WITH MR. WAYLAND, UM, ON A COUPLE, UH, ON SOME ISSUES WITH, UM, BUILDING IN BE AIR.
UM, WE CERTAINLY LOOKED AT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE, WE WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS INVOLVED AND AGREE ON A PIECE OF LAND THAT'S BEEN ZONED SINCE THE EIGHTIES TO, TO BUILD.
UM, I'M CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT.
I'VE GONE WITH, UH, TO SEE THAT I THINK THERE'S NO WAREHOUSES IN BELL AIR BECAUSE IF ANYBODY'S DRIVEN DOWN 24, IT'S ALL APARTMENTS AND, UH, SHOPPING CENTERS.
AND IF YOU'VE SEEN THE TRAFFIC ON 24, IT'S RIDICULOUS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS HE'S TALKING ABOUT 9 24 24.
UM, WE'VE HAD APARTMENT COMPLEXES BE BUILT UP AND DOWN 24 ALL ACROSS.
UM, IT'S NOT EASY TO GET AROUND ON A DAILY BASIS IF YOU, IF YOU LIVE AND WORK HERE.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, SOMEHOW WE CAN WORK ON THAT.
I'M GLAD HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE TRANSITION TEAM AND, AND, AND PART OF THAT.
UM, WHAT ELSE? UH, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
UH, I WANNA FIRST, UH, THANK THE VOTERS FOR BELIEVING AND TRUSTING IN ME TO REPRESENT DISTRICT B ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
AS I SAID ON THE CAMPAIGN, I WILL REPRESENT THE DISTRICT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND ADVOCATE FOR WHAT'S RIGHT IN THE DISTRICT AND THE COUNTY AND NOT MY PERSONAL INTEREST.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO WORK IN THE FUTURE.
I'LL BE UTILIZING MY TIME DURING BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CERTAIN ISSUES THAT COME TO LIGHT, UM, IN OUR OFFICE.
THE FIRST ISSUE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, IS EXCESSIVE DUMP TRUCK TRAFFIC ON OLD MOUNTAIN ROAD SOUTH, UH, CENTRAL.
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I'LL BE MEETING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR SOME MITIGATION AND MEDIATION TO THE ISSUE.
SO I THANK YOU ALL AGAIN WITH THAT.
NOW, BEFORE MR. GUTHRIE STARTS TO SPEAK, MS. DIXON, I WANT YOU TO START THAT CLOCK UP THERE CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT, MR. GUTHRIE.
IS HE WORSE THAN SHANNON DONE? NO, I,
AND SO HE'S, UH, HE'S GOING TO TIME ME.
SO, UH, I'LL KEEP IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE, BUT I AM BACK,
UH, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, UH, I SERVED ON THE COUNCIL FROM 2002 TO 2014 FOR 12 YEARS AND LEFT THE COUNCIL AND, UH, BEEN OUT FOR THE LAY ESTATE.
AND, UH, UH, THERE WAS A COUPLE THINGS
[01:05:01]
ON MY PLATE THAT I HADN'T COMPLETED.UH, SO THAT'S WHY I RAN BACK, UH, RETIRED FROM MY, UH, FULL-TIME JOB THIS PAST JANUARY ONE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY SAID, HEY, GREAT, YOU JUST RETIRED FROM YOUR FULL-TIME JOB.
NOW YOU CAN RUN FOR THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, GET BACK ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND, AND I WAS SURPRISED AT THE OUTSTANDING SUPPORT THAT I, THAT I GOT.
UM, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HERE ON THEIR ELECTION.
UH, IT, IT'S, UH, A LOT OF YOU HAVE NEVER RUN FOR OFFICE.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS UNTIL YOU RUN.
AND YOU WOULD FIND OUT HOW MANY HOURS THAT YOU SPEND ON A DAILY BASIS.
UH, ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO 18 HOURS A DAY.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOU'RE SPENDING RUNNING OR COUNSELING OR TALKING TO PEOPLE ON THE PHONE.
UH, THE, UH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION, UM, JO, UH, THE JOB OF TOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING AND THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE BOTH CANCELED FOR, UH, THIS MONTH OF DECEMBER BECAUSE BASICALLY THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, HOLD THOSE, UH, APPOINTED POSITIONS BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, UH, DON'T HAVE THEIR POSITIONS ANYMORE UNTIL THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINTS THE PEOPLE TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
SO, UH, THE NEXT MEETING, WE HOPE IS IN JANUARY WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINTS, UM, UH, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT TAKE THOSE PLACES.
UH, ALSO I TO THANK ALL MY, MY COMMITTEE AND ALL THAT SUPPORTED ME.
UH, THEY REALLY, THEY REALLY PUT IN SOME LONG HOURS AND I GOTTA THANK, UH, MY WIFE CUZ SHE'S SHE WAS MY, UH, SHE CHAIRED IT AND SHE KEPT ME ON MY TOES AND KEPT ME MOVING.
AND I GOTTA THANK ONE MORE PERSON WHO SAT OUT THERE IN THE POLLS, PASSED OUT LITERATURE, SAT IN HER WHEELCHAIR AND DID THAT.
AND SHE'S MY 96 YEAR OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW.
GOD BLESS HER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND SHE WAS OUT THERE WORKING TWO AND, UH, UH, AND I GUARANTEE SHE GOT ME A FEW, SHE GOT ME A FEW VOTES.
AND, UH, UH, WE'LL GIVE IT, UH, WHAT I GAVE IT FOR 12 YEARS.
AND, AND ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING HERE THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE FUTURE, MS. DIXON.
WITH THAT, THE MEETING WILL BE ADJOURNED.