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[1. CALL TO ORDER]
EVENING, CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 23 DASH ZERO FIVE.PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER, THE PLEDGE ALLEG TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION GOD INVISIBLE WITH THE LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL GRACIOUS AND LOVING.
FATHER, WE ASKED YOU TO BLESS THIS COUNCIL WITH YOUR GRACE, WISDOM, AND CONVICTION AS WE CONTINUE TO LEGISLATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY, WE LOOK TO YOU, LORD, FOR HOPE, JOY AND PEACE.
GUIDE US THROUGH TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND HELP US TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.
ALLOW US TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NURTURE THE BONDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER AND UPLIFT OUR MILITARY SERVICE PERSONNEL, CITIZENS, FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND EDUCATORS.
PROVIDE THEM WITH YOUR COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND ENERGY.
LORD, WE PRAY THESE THINGS AND MORE IN YOUR MOST HOLY NAME, AND THANK YOU FOR THE MENING BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES.
[Additional Item]
IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE MR. JOE CALEY.UH, HE HAS A BRIEF STATEMENT HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL REGARDING MY DECISION TO WITHDRAW MY NAME, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE ETHICS COMMITTEE AND EXPLAIN THIS.
UM, WHEN MY BROTHER WAS ELECTED, UM, IN THE, AFTER THE, UH, PRIMARY, UH, HE AND I HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HIS, UH, DESIRE FOR THE KIND OF GOVERNMENT HE WANTED, AND HE WAS VERY SURE THAT, THAT HE WANTED TO BRING INTEGRITY AS A KEY PART AND HONESTY, UH, AS A KEY PART OF HIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND AFTER TWO YEARS IN THE MILITARY AND 41 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AS PROSECUTOR, I WANTED TO CONTINUE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP HIM.
AND IN LOOKING AT THE AVAILABLE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, I THOUGHT THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR ME, UM, THAT I COULD, UH, ADD SOMETHING AND STILL SERVE THE COUNTY.
AFTER SITTING THROUGH THE COUNCIL MEETING LAST WEEK AND LISTENING TO SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE DURING THE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, HEARING, PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT SECTION, I REALIZED THAT THERE, IT'S VERY EASY TO MAKE, UH, UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIMS REGARDING SOMEONE'S, UM, MOTIVES, UM, AND THEIR, UH, PRINCIPLES.
AND I LOOKED AT THE FACT THAT IF I WERE ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION, THAT I MIGHT BE CALLED UPON TO DEAL WITH A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OR SOME MEMBER OF HIS, UH, TEAM.
AND KNOWING THAT MY BROTHER'S, UH, ETHICS, HIS, UH, COURAGE, UM, IN SERVING THE CITIZENS, I HAVE TO SAY HONESTLY, THAT I COULD NOT BE IMPARTIAL IN DEALING WITH SUCH A COMPLAINT.
MY INSTINCT WOULD BE TO PULL OUT MY BIG RUBBER BULL CRAP STAMP, STAMP IT ON THERE AND SEND IT BACK.
UM, THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE THE BEST THING TO DO.
AND EVEN IF I WERE TO DO THAT, IF THAT WERE THE DECISION OF THE COMMISSION, IT WOULD NOT END THERE BECAUSE THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE BASED ON MY PRESENCE ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION, AND THAT, THAT, THAT THEY WOULD QUESTION MY BROTHER'S REASONING AND ETHICS FOR, UM, PUTTING ME ON THE COMMISSION OR NOMINATING ME FOR THE COMMISSION.
SO I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, IN THE INTEREST OF AVOIDING EVEN THE, UH, APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY, I FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST, UH, FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED IF I WITHDREW MY NAME FROM CONSIDERATION.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL TOOK SOME TIME, UM, IN REVIEWING THAT.
UM, AND I HATE TO WASTE THE TIME, BUT I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, IT'S THE BEST THING FOR ALL OF US.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. CALEY FOR, UH, ASKING FOR THE TIME TO GIVE SOME EXPLANATION AND BACKGROUND.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE COUNTRY, BUT TO THE COUNTY AS I SAID BEFORE.
UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, IF I MAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANYONE WANT TO MENTION, SAY ANYTHING, MR. PENMAN? YES, MR. PRESIDENT.
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THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. CASTLEY.I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DEBATE OVER YOUR APPOINTMENT TO THE ETHICS BOARD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS JUST A FEW OF MY THOUGHTS.
HAVING SPENT 12 YEARS OF MY LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER AS A MEMBER OF THE HARFORD COUNTY NARCOTICS TASK FORCE, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT, UH, YOU JOE CALEY HAVE MADE, KEEPING OUR HARFORD COUNTY SAFE.
DURING THAT TIME, MYSELF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE WORKED ALONGSIDE YOU, UH, AND YOUR TEAM OF ATTORNEYS TO HANDLE COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS AND WIRE TAPS DURING WHICH YOU ALWAYS, UH, REMAIN PROFESSIONAL, ETHICAL, AND HONORABLE IN ALL ASPECTS.
UH, JOE CASSY WAS THE STATE'S ATTORNEY FOR HARFORD COUNTY FOR 36 YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME, HE WAS ALWAYS TOUGH ON CRIME AND A GREAT PARTNER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ONE OF THE REASONS HARFORD COUNTY IS STILL A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE YOUR FAMILY IS BECAUSE OF YOU, JOE CASTLEY.
IT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT DRUG DEALERS AND CRIMINALS WERE RELUCTANT TO COME TO HARFORD COUNTY BECAUSE THEY KNEW JOE COSTLEY WOULD HOLD CRIMINALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, JOE COSTLEY, FOR YOUR DIFFICULT DECISION, DECISION TO WITHDRAW YOUR NAME FOR CONSIDERATION BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS.
ONCE AGAIN, UH, YOU HAVE EARNED MY TRUST, RESPECT, AND ADMIRATION.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SERVE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR TALENTS, UH, FOR HARFORD COUNTY.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MR. CASTLEY IN THE COURTHOUSE FOR 20 YEARS.
AND JOE, IT WAS A ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE.
I KNOW IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE, UH, ALL YOUR SERVICE, NOT ONLY TO THE COUNTRY, NOR OUR COUNTY AND YOUR D DIFFICULT DECISION ALSO.
UM, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, HAVING MANY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE IN THE DIFFERENT WARS.
MY MY FATHER-IN-LAW WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN, UH, PASSED AWAY ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO, STILL HAD SH STRATON WITH HIM FROM THE WAR, AND HE HAD ALL KIND OF MEDALS, UH, UH, ETTE CHAIR.
CHAIR BECAUSE YOU WENT TO DEFEND THE CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTY AND THE ONES IN THIS ROOM, UH, UH, TO PROTECT, UH, PROTECT AMERICA IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
UH, I KNOW IMPRESSED ME WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL FOR 12 YEARS, FROM 2002 TO 2014.
YOU WENT TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT EVENTS TOGETHER, AND THAT IT, IT CERTAINLY IMPRESSED ME THAT, UM, YOU COULD, YOU COULD GO THERE AND BE THERE, DRIVE YOURSELF, UM, UH, GET OUT OF THE CAR.
UH, YOU GOT YOUR WHEELCHAIR IN THE BACKSEAT.
YOU PULLED OUT, YOU GOT IN IT, YOU WENT TO THE MEETINGS THAT WE ALL WENT TO, CAME BACK AND DID EVERYTHING IN REVERSE.
AND THAT JUST, UH, IMPRESSED ME A LOT.
AND, UH, UH, SO I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR, UH, WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR COUNTRY.
AND, AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL, YOU STOLE MY LEGISLATIVE AID,
AND THEN, THEN SHE EVENTUALLY WOUND UP IN ANNAPOLIS.
BUT AGAIN, I, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NO ONE ELSE? THANK YOU, SIR.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS.
[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]
FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS, AND NOMINATIONS, EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS, LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARD, UH, COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, UH, I WILL MOVE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TOGETHER.MR. PRESIDENT, MR. PENMAN, I REQUESTED TO SEPARATE ONE NAME FROM THE LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARD APPOINTEES TRACY PENMAN, TO REMOVE ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THEN WE'LL START, UH, WITH, UH, A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, RECOGNIZE MS. PENMAN.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION? MAY I HAVE A SECOND? GAN IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE, UM, MS. PENMAN, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE.
ONE ABSTENTION, THE APPOINTED IS, IS APPROVED.
AND THEN IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION FOR REAPPOINTMENTS OF MARCY AUSTIN, ROBERT BASLER, SANNA BOER, MEGAN CORNETT, MEGAN DEACON, CRYSTAL DEJO, ROSS DE EDUARDO, MELISSA FELICIANO, CORA GRT, I BELIEVE FRANK KELLNER.
LAURA REGLA, MARY BETH STAPLETON, ROBIN TAO.
JENNY TYLER, LAURA WALKER, AND NEW APPOINTMENTS OF ANGELA GRAY.
ALISON HEALY, SHARON NTY, SUZANNE KOVAC, JENNIFER REDDING AND BARBARA RICHARDSON.
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COUNCIL PRESIDENT? YES, SIR.I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENTS.
UM, RE AND REAPPOINTMENTS JUST MENTION YOU NEED ME TO READ 'EM AGAIN? NO, THAT'S FINE.
MR. RILEY, I'LL PUT YOU IN AS A SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO APPROVE, UM, THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENTS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT? AYE, BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVES, ZERO IN AND NEGATIVE, THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
DEPUTY DIRECTORS AGAIN, COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, WE'LL MOVE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TOGETHER.
UH, MR. JAN, COUNSEL PRESIDENT, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENTS.
MICHAEL BERN AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, GREGORY GREEN IS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO APPROVE, UH, THE D DEPUTY DIRECTOR APPOINTMENTS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I, UM, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MR. BRENKE FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE, UH, TO THE EOC AND ALSO, UM, UH, MR. GREEN, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM.
I SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING.
SIR, UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
IF, IF THIS VOTE GOES THE WAY WE HOPE IT DOES.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT AYE MEANS SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE AND ZERO IN A NEGATIVE.
THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
MR. GREEN, WOULD YOU, YOU PLEASE STAND AND REC DO YOU RECOGNIZE MR. BRENKE? THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.
AND WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH BOTH OF YOU.
UM, ETHICS BOARD AGAIN, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, COUNSEL, WE'LL MOVE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TOGETHER.
UM, COUNCIL PRESIDENT? YES, SIR.
I MOVE TO APPROVE D DS GALLOWAY DN, SNY GRASS, KURT VOLK, MICKEY AND ALLISON WHIT CARE.
MOVE A SECOND TO APPROVE, UH, THE NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE ETHICS BOARD.
ANY COMMENTS? DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT AYE, BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO, NO NEGATIVE, THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
ARE ANY OF THE APPOINTEES HERE THIS EVENING? VERY GOOD.
UH, BOARD OF ESTIMATES, NO APPOINTMENT.
UM, JAMES RICHARDSON, CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE JAMES RICHARDSON AS CITIZENS REPRESENTATIVE.
AND SECOND TO APPROVE MR. RICHARDSON, UH, TO THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AGAIN IF I MAY? UM, MR. MR. RICHARDSON, THANK YOU.
UH, HE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, UH, OVER SEVERAL YEARS AND, AND I KNOW HE WILL BE AN ASSET, UH, TO THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES.
UM, MS. DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT AYE.
MR. BENNETT AYE FOR BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE, THE APPOINTMENTS HEREBY APPROVED, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION, HARTFORD COUNTY.
UH, WE'VE DECIDED AT THE REQUEST OF SEVERAL TO SEPARATE THESE AND DO THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
SO, UH, MR. JAN MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF DR.
GO TO HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM TO COMMENCE AS PROVIDED BY THE EDUCATION ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND SECTION THREE DASH SIX A DASH ZERO ONE PARENTHESIS E MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO APPROVE MR. POINTIN, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. PRESIDENT? MR. JACOB? I'M MR. BENNETT
YOU'VE BEEN HANGING OUT WITH MYA TOO MUCH? I THINK SO.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, FIRST THANK ALL THREE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONLY SPEAKING TO DR.
POINTIN RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK ALL THREE FOR MEETING
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WITH ME IN THE PAST WEEK.YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLY GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME, HOURS OF CONVERSATION, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING WILLING TO ANSWER TOUGH QUESTIONS, BEING WILLING TO, UH, TO, TO LISTEN AND ALSO PROVIDE ME NEW PERSPECTIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, TAKING IN, WE'VE GOTTEN HUNDREDS OF EMAILS IN THE, AND, AND THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION, IT WAS HUNDREDS, IT FELT LIKE THOUSANDS.
UM, BUT, UM, AS WE VOTE TONIGHT, UM, THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME, UM, ABOUT THE MARYLAND LAW THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR THAT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I PUT INTO THE RECORD AS WE, AS WE MAKE OUR CONSIDERATIONS, YOU KNOW, UH, SECTION, UH, THREE DASH SIX A DASH ZERO ONE, UH, WHICH IS THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, REQUIRES IN SECTION D SUBSECTION THREE DASH TWO, THAT AN APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE COUNTY BOARD, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES SHALL ENSURE TO THE, UH, EXTENT THAT'S PRACTICABLE, THAT THE TOTAL MAKEUP OF THE COUNTY BOARD REFLECTS THE GENDER, ETHNIC, AND RACIAL DIVERSITY OF THE COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DATA THAT WE HAVE ON THE, UH, ON THE COUNTY, WE KNOW THAT HARTFORD COUNTY IS, UH, 75% WHITE, UH, NON-HISPANIC.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHILDREN POPULATION IS CURRENTLY 59.8% WHITE, NON-HISPANIC.
UH, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WITH HAVING, UH, THREE, UH, WHITE APPOINTEES THAT WOULD, UH, PUT US AND, AND NOT, UH, IN REFLECTION WITH THE, THE COUNTY MAKEUP IN THAT SENSE, BUT ALSO FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE, ONLY HAVING, UH, ONE MAN PUT FORTH FOR APPOINTMENT, UH, OUT OF THE THREE APPOINTEES, MAKES IT THAT WE'LL ONLY HAVE 22% OF THE BOARD BE MEN, TWO MEMBERS, UH, WHEN 49% OF OUR POPULATION IS MEN.
SO IN, IN THAT SENSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT FOLLOWING TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW WHAT, UH, SECTION D SUBSECTION THREE DASH TWO REQUIRES OF US.
AND, YOU KNOW, I FIND THIS ESPECIALLY PERTINENT CONSIDERING OUR CURRENT COUNTY EXECUTIVE WAS PART OF THE DELEGATION THAT PASSED THIS LAW JUST LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, PASS THE LAW, WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW A LAW.
UM, AND FOR THAT PURPOSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING AGAINST ANY OF THE CANDIDATES, UH, THAT'S, THAT ARE BEING PUT FORTH TONIGHT.
I, AGAIN, I THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME, BUT WITH, UH, THE PURPOSE OF, UH, FULFILLING THE LAW AS WRITTEN, UM, I PLAN TO VOTE ABSTENTION ON, ON EACH VOTE TONIGHT.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? MR. GUTHRIE? UH, YOU KNOW, I'M HAVING SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE LAW, UM, I THINK ALL THREE OF THESE ARE GOOD APPOINTEES AND DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
UH, BUT IF I VOTED AGAINST ANY OF THESE, IT'S ONLY BECAUSE, UH, UH, ONE OF THESE, UH, UH, PEOPLE APPOINTED SHOULD BE A PERSON OF COLOR, UH, TO, TO ABIDE BY THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, LAW THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR IN ANNAPOLIS.
SO, UH, DON'T ANYBODY, IF I VOTE FOR ANY OF THESE OF AGAINST ANY OF THESE, DON'T TAKE OFFENSE BECAUSE IT'S JUST THAT I THINK WE NEED, UH, ONE OPENING IN HERE TO, UH, HAVE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINT SOMEONE OF COLOR.
UM, I THINK THERE'S ONE ELEMENT OF THE STATUTE THAT, UM, SHOULD BE POINTED OUT WHERE IT SAYS TO THE EXTENT PRACTICAL, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL APPLIED, UH, FOR THE POSITION OR WHAT THE EXPERIENCES OF EACH OF 'EM WERE.
SO I THINK THAT'S A DECISION THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MADE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY THESE THREE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? I DO, I DO THINK IN RESPONSE TO THAT, IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT THERE WERE 84, UH, UH, PEOPLE WHO PUT IN THEIR APPLICATION AND WHO MET VOTER REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.
AND I JUST FIND IT DOUBTFUL THAT OUT OF THOSE 84, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON OF COLOR THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED QUALIFIED, UM, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, A SECOND MAN THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED QUALIFIED.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST, UM, I THINK, UH, RESPOND IN DISAGREEMENT TO THAT STANCE THAT IT WOULDN'T BE PRACTICAL OR, UH, TO FIND ONE PERSON OF COLOR OUT OF 84, UH, APPLICANTS WHO WOULD BE, UH, QUALIFIED.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? CALLER ROLL AND MR. POINTIN? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT EPSTEIN, WE HAVE FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE NEGATIVE AND ONE ABSTENTION.
THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED.
MR. GAND COUNSEL PRESIDENT, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF TERESA KOCHER TO THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM TO COMMENCE AS
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PROVIDED BY THE EDUCATION ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND SECTION THREE DASH SIX A DASH OH ONE PARAGRAPH.UH, PARENTHESIS E MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
SECOND TO APPROVE TERESA COKER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT ABSTAIN.
THERE ARE FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO ABSTENTIONS.
THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED.
MR. JANAN COUNCIL PRESENT ON I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF LAUREN STRAUS THROUGH HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR A TWO YEAR TERM TO COMMENCE US PROVIDED BY THE EDUCATION ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND SECTION THREE DASH SIX A DASH ONE UH, PARENTHESIS E MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECONDED TO APPROVE LAWRENCE STRAUSS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT ABSTAIN THE SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THE APPOINTMENT IS HERE BY APPROVED COUNSEL WILL NOW ACT AS THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND RETURN BACK TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THEREAFTER.
ZONING APPEAL CASE NUMBER 59 66 MR. PENMAN, MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ZONING HEARING EXAMINER'S DECISION ON, UH, ZONING APPEAL CASE NUMBER 5 9 66.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO UPHOLD THE DECISION RECOMMENDED BY THE ZONING EXAMINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
AND SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO IN A NEGATIVE OF THE DECISION TO UPHOLD THE ZONING EXAMINER IS APPROVED.
ZONING APPEAL CASE NUMBER 59 70 MS. SOLES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MAKE A MOTION TO UPHOLD THE ZONING EXAMINER'S DECISION FOR ZONING APPEAL CASE NUMBER 5 9 70.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO UPHOLD A DECISION RECOMMENDED BY THE ZONING EXAMINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT AYE, BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRM OF ZERO AND A NEGATIVE, THE DECISION TO UPHOLD HIS ZONING EXAMINER IS APPROVED.
[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.STATE OF THE COUNTY AND LEGISLATIVE ADDRESS.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THE MINUTES STAND APPROVED.
AGENDA NUMBER EIGHT, INTRODUCTION
[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS.MR. JERDEN RESOLUTION 0 0 3 DASH 23 HISTORIC LANDMARK FAIRVIEW AME CHURCH, A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE FAIRVIEW AME CHURCH, FAIRVIEW SCHOOL AND TURNER MEMORIAL CEMETERY CONSISTING OF 2.834 ACRES LOCATED AT 2328 HIGH POINT ROAD IN FOREST HILL MAR MARYLAND, TOGETHER WITH THE BUILDINGS, ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS AND OH APPRENTICES AS A HARTFORD COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARK IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 2 67 OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE.
YOU WANNA COME FORWARD? GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
IT'S GONNA BE BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN.
IT'S BEEN SOME YEARS AND, UH, LOTS OF NEW MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL BUT THIS EVENING WE HAVE SOME GOOD STUFF WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING.
I ALSO HAVE JACOB BENSON HERE WITH ME TONIGHT AND HE IS OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER AND HE IS DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN OUR OFFICE TO LOOK AFTER SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROPERTIES, CULTURAL PROPERTIES, UH, CULT, UH, CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN OUR COUNTY.
TONIGHT WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU RESOLUTION 0 0 3 DASH 23 FOR A HARFORD COUNTY LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THE FAIRVIEW AME CHURCH, FAIRVIEW SCHOOL AND THE TURNER MEMORIAL CEMETERY.
[00:25:01]
AND WITH US, WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CHURCH TONIGHT AS WELL.SO JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR SOME OF THE NEWER MEMBERS ON WHAT WE DO WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
A HARTFORD COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARK OR DISTRICT DESIGNATION IS A LOCAL PROTECTION OF A HISTORIC SITE OR CULTURAL RESOURCE.
AND HISTORIC LANDMARKS IN DISTRICTS ARE PR PROTECTED FROM DEMOLITION AND ANY UNNECESSARY CHANGES OR ALTERATIONS, SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS.
AND THEY'RE GENERALLY REVIEWED BY OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION FOR THEIR APPROPRIATENESS FOR ANY CHANGES THAT WOULD BE MADE.
AND SO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION LOOKS AT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND MAKES SURE THAT IT'S IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THAT SITE AND THEY VOTE ON THAT.
AND THEN THE OWNERS ARE OF THOSE DESIGNATED PROPERTIES ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR COUNTY TAX CREDITS TO HELP WITH THE REHABILITATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND WITH THOSE EXPENSES, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 68 PROPERTIES IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE DESIGNATED AS INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THAT'S THE JOPPA HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE DESIGNATION OF HARPER COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARKS IN DISTRICTS PRESERVES AND ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HARTFORD COUNTY BY SAFEGUARDING THE COUNTY'S DIVERSE, HISTORIC AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMY AND CREATING JOBS, STABILIZING, IMPROVING PROPERTY VALUES, FOSTERING PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THE ACCOMPLISH ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MISTAKES OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE US.
THIS PROCESS FOR DESIGNATING A COUNTY LANDMARK MARKER DISTRICT BEGINS WHEN A PROPERTY OWNER OR OTHER CITIZEN SUBMITS A NOMINATION FORM DETAILING THE CULTURAL OR ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS, THE PROPERTY OWNER MUST GIVE CONSENT AND FOR DISTRICTS, THE OWNERS OF 75% OR MORE OF THE LOTS OR PARCELS WITHIN THAT DISTRICT MUST ALSO AGREE TO THE DESIGNATION OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT IN ORDER TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
A PUBLIC MEETING IS THEN HELD, ALLOWING THE PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION, RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE NOMINATION, AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE OWNER AND THE APPLICANT.
THE COMMISSION THEN HOLDS A VOTE ON WHETHER TO RECOMMEND THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND THE FINAL STEP IS THEN TO BRING THAT RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, SUCH AS THE FAIR, A FAIRVIEW AME CHURCH, WHICH WE'RE BRINGING IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING, THE FAIRVIEW SCHOOL AND A TURNER MEMORIAL CEMETERY.
THIS PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR DESIGNATION IS LOCATED AT 2328 HIGH POINT ROAD IN FAR HILL.
AND FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, I DRIVE PAST THIS PROPERTY EVERY DAY.
I PROBABLY HAVE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.
AND I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT THIS PROPERTY AS IT'S, UH, VERY UNIQUE AND CERTAINLY AS AN OLD CHURCH WITH A VERY OLD CEMETERY.
AND THIS NOMINATION WAS SUBMITTED BY THE PROPERTY IN FAIRVIEW AME CHURCH.
IT IS IDENTIFIED IN THE MARYLAND, HIS INVENTORY OF HISTORIC PLACES ALSO AS HA 2293.
AND IF YOU WERE SO INTERESTED, YOU COULD LOOK THAT UP ON THE WEB AND SEE THAT HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IS A ACCOMPANIES IT.
THE PROPOSED LANDMARK CONSISTS OF THREE CONTRIBU CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES, LIKE YOU SAID, THE CHURCH, WHICH WAS BUILT BETWEEN 1909 AND 1911.
AND I BELIEVE, JACOB, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A CHURCH ON THE SITE EVEN PRIOR TO THAT, CORRECT? YES.
SO THIS CHURCH, UH, REPLACED A PREVIOUS CHURCH ON THE SITE, AND THERE'S A LONG HISTORY AT THIS LOCATION, AGAIN, THE FAIRVIEW SCHOOL THAT WAS BUILT AROUND 1927 AND USED AS THE CHURCH'S PARSONAGE SINCE 1945.
AND THE TURNER MEMORIAL CEMETERY WHOSE EARLIEST RECORDED BURIAL IS IN 1884.
THE PROPERTY IS SIGNIFICANCE FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE LIVES OF PERSONS IMPORTANT TO OUR HISTORY, SUCH AS MS. MARY BOND, BARRY, AN EDUCATOR WHO WORKED TO TRANSITION THE SEGREGATED CENTRAL CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL INTO INTEGRATED HICKORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THE REVEREND AKI GREEN, WHO IN ADDITION TO HIS RELIGIOUS SERVICE, WAS A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR AND FOUNDER OF COUP TOWN'S GREENS GARAGE.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN COOP TOWN, IT'S A VERY LITTLE SMALL PLACE ON THE DOT, BUT IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF SIGNIFICANCE IN OUR COUNTY HISTORY AS A CENTER FOR WORSHIP COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION.
THE PROPERTY SERVED AND CONTINUES TO SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN THE LIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN.
HARTFORD, IANS AND SO EMBODIES CHARACTER, INTEREST, OR VALUE AS A PART OF THE HERITAGE OR CULTURE OF HARFORD COUNTY.
THE PROPERTY HAS A POTENTIAL TO YIELD SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVED, WORSHIPED, WERE EDUCATED, AND ARE BURIED THERE INCREASING OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE AT THEIR DECEMBER 7TH, 2022 PUBLIC MEETING.
THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THE PROPERTY FOR DESIGNATION AS A HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARK.
MR. BENSON AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AND WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS NOMINATION TO YOU.
UM, DID YOU MENTION THE ACREAGE? I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT IF YOU DID NOT AND MENTION THE ACREAGE THERE.
[00:30:02]
2.834.IT'S, UH, IT'S 2.834 ACRES AS SHOWN ON THE RESOLUTION.
DOES THAT ALLOW THEM, IF THEY WANT TO BUILD A BUILDING ON IT AFTERWARDS THAT THEY CAN BUILD A BUILDING ANYWHERE ON THEIR PROPERTY, EVEN THOUGH IT GOES IN PRESERVATION? IF IT GOES ON THE PROPERTY, THEY WOULD STILL PROBABLY BRING THAT IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO SEE IF IT HAS ANY IMPACT TO THOSE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES OR AREAS OF ARE DESIGNATED ON THE PROPERTY.
SO THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVAL, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND BUILD OR ADD ON TO THE CHURCH OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? CORRECT.
SO THE WAY THAT WOULD WORK IS THEY WOULD FIRST COME TO JACOB AND PRESENT TO THEM OR PRESENT TO HIM WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO, AND THEN WE WOULD ADVISE THEM MOVING FORWARD.
THEY WOULD THEN TAKE THAT TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO SAY, HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN ADDITION ON.
AND THEN THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION WOULD LOOK THAT, LOOK AT THAT, MAKE SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE, AND THEN THEY WOULD ISSUE THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS IN THIS CASE.
THERE ARE SOME AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'RE GOING FOR.
NOW, I THINK THERE ARE SOME DOWNSPOUTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THEY'RE LOOKING SIDING, SIDING, ROOFING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HAS ANYBODY ASKED THEM IF THEY PLAN ON DOING ANY KIND OF, UH, EXPANSION OR ANYTHING AND, AND PUT THAT IN A PLAN? I'D, I'D HATE TO SEE IT ALL GO MOVE FORWARD IN FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
THEY HAD AN IDEA TO, TO ADD SOMETHING OR BUILD SOMETHING AND, AND THEY DIDN'T TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THAT AND THEY'VE GOTTA GO THROUGH A, A LOT OF RIGMAROLE TO GET IT BUILT.
THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY ADDITIONS OR NEW CONSTRUCTION PLAN.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS THE CHURCH THEMSELVES.
SO WE TRUSTED THAT ANY PLANS THAT THEY, THEY HAVE, UH, BEEN THINKING OF, THEY WOULD'VE, UH, LET US KNOW OF AT THAT TIME.
CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT'S THE CASE BEFORE WE VOTE? AND CAN WE ASK THEM SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES HERE THIS EVENING.
IS THAT POSSIBLE THOUGH? WE CAN HEAR FROM THEM JUST TO MAKE SURE IF THEY'RE WILLING TO, TO, TO RECOGNIZE OR BE RECOGNIZED? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE FAIRVIEW AME CHURCH.
WE HAVE NO PLANS ON BUILDING OR MAKING ANY ALTERATIONS TO, UH, ANY OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE THERE OTHER THAN GENERAL MAINTENANCE LIKE ROOFING REPAIR AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PLUMBING AND STUFF.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT MOVING FORWARD, THAT IF IN CASE THERE WAS SOMETHING ON A PLAN FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD THAT SOMEBODY DIDN'T MENTION, IT'S NOT A HARDSHIP FOR, FOR YOU GUYS TO GO AND BUILD SOMETHING AND HAVE TO GET ALL THESE APPROVALS.
I'D LIKE FOR IF YOU DID HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE KNEW ABOUT IT NOW.
UM, COUNSEL, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? AND MR. GROOM? MR. BENSON, ANY QUESTIONS? ANNE? THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.
WE'LL TAKE THIS UP IN FUTURE MEETING.
[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]
OF BILLS BILL 23 DASH ZERO FOUR.MR. JAN BILL, 23 DASH ZERO FOUR, POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, BOARD AMENDMENTS AND ACTIVE REPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENT SECTION 9 1 36, ESTABLISHMENT, MEMBERSHIP AND SECTION 9 1 37 MEETINGS.
BUDGET AND RECORDS OF ARTICLE 22, HARTFORD COUNTY POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD OF PART THREE, AUTHORITATIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OF CHAPTER NINE, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COUNCILS AND AGENCIES OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE AS AMENDED TO PROVIDE THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL SHALL APPOINT THE MEMBERSHIP AND THE CHAIR ESTABLISHED A BUDGET AND THE STAFF FOR THE BOARD AND GENERALLY RELATING TO THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED MARCH 14TH, 2023, 6:00 PM IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
23 DASH 0 5 23 DASH ZERO FIVE MORATORIUM WAREHOUSE, AN EMERGENCY ACTOR CREATE A SIX MONTH MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF ANY APPROVALS OR PERMITS FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT OF ANY WAREHOUSING AND WHOLESALING, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION AND LOCAL DELIVERY FACILITIES ON PROPERTY ZONE VILLAGE, BUSINESS DISTRICT, VB, GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, B3, COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, CI, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT LI AND GENERAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, GI AND HARFORD COUNTY, SO THAT THE HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAN STUDY AND RECONSIDER ITS ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH FACILITIES.
SCHEDULED MARCH 14TH, 2023, 6:00 PM IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION AMENDMENTS.
CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS.
[00:35:01]
HAVE NONE.AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 17, COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS.
MS. DIXON, DO WE HAVE A, A NUMBER ON SPEAKER B, YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND I AM WAITING ON THE BOOK TO SEE.
UH, WHILE, WHILE WE'RE WAITING ON OUR FINAL NUMBERS, I WANT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT AS FAR AS PENDING LEGISLATION TONIGHT THAT WAS INTRODUCED.
THERE WILL BE NO, UH, LEEWAY FOR ANY COMMENT ON BOTH BILL 23 DASH 0 0 4 AND 23 5.
I KNOW THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE CREATIVE WAYS TO, TO STAND UP AND SPEAK, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE FIRM TONIGHT.
UH, PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL AND, UH, UNDERSTAND WHY.
SO, UM, AND JUST GIVE US A MINUTE.
[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
THIS EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, THEN AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, UH, BE MINDFUL OF YOUR COMMENTS, RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME IN EACH OTHER.CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER, BRENDAN PATTON, FOLLOWED BY JANINE LACORE.
BRENDAN PATTON, 2054 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
UM, MR. UH, VIETTI, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR YOU, UH, SPEAK LAST WEEK ABOUT, UH, PART OF THE JOB OF THIS, UH, BODY IS TO, TO CHECK ON THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR ASKING YOU TO DO THAT.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU, UH, MOVE FORWARD.
UH, I WAS ALSO HAPPY TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, WOODLEY ROAD.
UM, BUT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE WOODLEY ROAD EXTENSION, UM, MIGHT HELP WITH THE PROBLEMS DOWN THERE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO PERMIT FURTHER, UM, EXPANSION OF THE FACILITIES THAT ARE ALREADY DOWN THERE.
UM, IT, IT'S, IT STILL DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DEVELOPING THE MITCHELL PROBLEM.
MR. PATTON, I'M SERIOUS ABOUT NOT TRYING TO EXTEND.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THAT PROJECT TONIGHT.
AND I, I AGREE WITH YOUR EARLIER COMMENT, UH, ABOUT CHECKS AND BALANCES A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT WOODLEY ROAD, OKAY? BUT PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF WHAT I ASKED EARLIER.
WHAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IS WHEN YOU SAID, UH, WE COULDN'T SPEAK ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS AND YOU UN I GUESS WE'RE, WE UNDERSTAND WHY I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN, UH, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE COUNCIL RULE THAT ANY PENDING LEGISLATION CANNOT BE DISCUSSED THE NIGHT OF INTRODUCTION, IT'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I MEAN, TO ME THAT JUST, IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
MR. PATTON
I'LL CONTACT YOUR OFFICE AND GET A COPY OF THAT.
UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, GUTHRIE, UH, THANK YOU LAST WEEK FOR POINTING OUT THE N R D BUMP UP IN THE ZONING CODE.
UM, I WAS ACTUALLY NOT EVEN AWARE THAT WAS A THING, SO I WENT AND LOOKED IT UP AND IT'S, IT'S CRAZY TO ME THAT, UM, THE NRD IS A NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRICT, SO YOU CAN'T DEVELOP, UM, IN THE NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT, BUT IF YOU HAVE PROPERTY THAT HAS SOME NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRICT IN IT, THEN YOU CAN UPZONE THE REMAINING PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE GONNA PRESERVE THIS PART, BUT WE'RE GONNA MORE INTENSELY DEVELOP THIS PART THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU ANY EFFORTS THAT YOU CAN.
PAT, IS THAT MIC ON? HUH? IS THAT MIC ON? NO.
JANINE LACORE, 1820 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
UM, I DID WANNA JUST, UM, COMMENT ABOUT THE, UM, EARLIER PRESENTATION ABOUT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK OF, UM, UH, FAIRVIEW AME AND DEFINITELY RECOMMEND SUPPORTING THAT.
AND, UM, IT TIMELY EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT A PERFECT TIME AND, UH, PERFECT REASON.
UM, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION BY PATRICIA COLE OF THE, UM, HISTORY OF THE HARVARD DEGREES, HARVARD GRACE COLORED SCHOOL.
UM, SHE DID AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION JUST COMMENTING ABOUT THE, UM, FOCUS NOT ONLY ON THE SCHOOL, BUT THE PEOPLE AND THE LEGACIES, WHICH CERTAINLY
[00:40:01]
IMPACTED MANY GENERATIONS.AND LIKEWISE, EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE, UM, TODAY, YESTERDAY, TOMORROW, WAS IMPACTING, UM, FUTURE GENERATIONS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE ENSLAVED PEOPLE ALL THROUGHOUT HARTFORD COUNTY, IN PARTICULARLY, UM, THROUGH THE AGRICULTURAL AREAS IN THE PERRYMAN PENINSULA.
AND, UM, YET IN OUR, UM, UM, ZONING CODES, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR ANY KIND OF ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S NOTHING THAT REQUIRES ANY KIND OF ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
THERE ARE HISTORICAL, UM, UM, SURVEYS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, AND THEY CLEARLY DESIGNATE THAT, UM, UM, REMNANTS HAVE BEEN FOUND.
UM, BUT YET THE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO DEVELOP AND WE'VE LOST THAT HISTORICAL INFORMATION.
UM, LIKEWISE WITH THE HISTORIC LANDMARK OF, UM, FAIRVIEW AME AND ALL THE PROPERTIES, UM, THAT WERE DESIGNATED.
UM, EARLIER, OUR PRESENT PRESENTERS SAID THAT THERE'S 68 LANDMARKS, UM, THROUGHOUT HARFORD COUNTY.
THERE'S ONLY TWO THAT ARE DESIGNATED IN, UM, THE PERRYMAN PENINSULA, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THEY'RE WELL MORE, UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UM, UM, PROBABLY TENS OF TWENTIES, THIRTIES, FORTIES APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED YET.
THERE'S ONLY TWO WITHIN, UM, UM, THAT AREA.
UM, SO, UM, AND I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT ACTUALLY RIGHT ON SPUS ROAD, WHICH IS A VERY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED ROAD BY VEHICLES THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THAT ROAD.
UM, THERE IS THE, UM, REFUGE TEMPLE MINISTRIES, WHICH, UM, WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COLORED SCHOOLS IN THE PERIMAN PENINSULA.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER AREA, ANOTHER SCHOOL, UM, THAT WE WOULD DO WELL TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT WAS HAPPENING, UM, AND HOW THE, UM, OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, PEOPLE WERE, UM, SEPARATELY TREATED AND, UM, RECEIVED LESSER.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT LEGACY TODAY.
GREG LACORE FOLLOWED BY HENRY GIBBONS.
GREG LACORE 1820 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
UM, I'M GONNA ADDRESS THIS AND IF I GET OUTTA LINE, HIT ME WITH IT.
A LOT OF CHANGES THAT GO ON FROM DIFFERENT YEARS WITH THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR WITH THE COUNCIL CITIZENS WERE ABLE TO SPEAK LAST STILL LISTED IN THE PROGRAM AGENDA LAST, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT HAS BEEN MOVED UP.
MY SPECULATION IS THAT THE GENTLEMAN THAT SAT THE COUNCIL C YOU KNOW, F SAID SOMETHING TO THE FACT THAT HE WAS VERY UPSET WITH US AND HE HAD TO HAVE HIS DESSERT FIRST BEFORE EATING HIS DINNER.
OKAY, MR. LACO, LET ME, LET ME, UH, ASSURE YOU THAT THE DECISION ON ANYTHING ON THIS AGENDA COMES FROM ME.
SO TO MY POINT, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CHANGE.
YOU ALL GET TO SPEAK LAST, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WE HAD A WAIT A WEEK TO ADDRESS SOMEBODY ON THIS COUNCIL, AND NOW THAT THE MORATORIUMS BEEN PUT UP THERE YES SIR.
LAST WEEK WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT GOT ONTO MY COUNCILPERSON THAT HE'S WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND HE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF FROM ANY VOTE ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WHETHER HE LISTENED TO YOU OR NOT, HE ABSTAINED THREE TIMES.
THERE MIGHT BE SOMEBODY ON THIS COUNCIL THAT SAID THAT THEY'RE NOT A LAWYER, BUT BOY OR BOY DID THEY READ SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LIKE WAS WRITTEN FROM A LAWYER THAT REPRESENTED HIM AND REPRESENTED SOMEBODY THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN WILL THIS COUNCILMAN RECUSE HIMSELF.
HENRY GIBBONS 24 0 2 PAPAYA ROAD.
EDGEWOOD, UH, I WANNA SAY GOOD EVENING AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
AND I WANNA THANK, UH, YOU ALL FOR PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO ADDRESS THIS BODY.
UM, TONIGHT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO CONFIRM THREE APPOINTMENTS TO PERHAPS ONE OF THE, THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BODY OVER THE AFFAIRS OF HARFORD COUNTY CITIZENS, AND BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT BODY THAT HAS INFLUENCE OVER THE, OVER THE CHILDREN OF HARFORD COUNTY.
TO THESE, TO THE APPOINTEES, TO THE SCHOOL,
[00:45:01]
UH, TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, I CONGRATULATE YOU AND REMIND YOU OF THE TRUST THAT WE AS CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY PLACE IN YOU AS STEWARDS OF THE SCHOOLS AND OF ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.I HOPE THAT YOU'LL, THAT WE'LL BE HAPPY WITH THIS CHOICE.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU, OUR IMPRESSIONS FROM THE RESEARCH WE'VE DONE, UH, ON THE POSI PRIOR POSITIONS AND AND AFFILIATIONS OF SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS DON'T MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN THIS, IN THE POLICIES IN THE SCHOOLS.
INDEED, I REALLY DO HOPE THAT I HAVE TO EAT MY WORDS, UH, AND THAT MY INITIAL ASSESSMENT WAS WRONG.
AND I'LL ECHO OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT.
UM, AND REMIND YOU THAT YOUR VICTORIES IN YOUR RESPECTIVE PRIMARY ELECTIONS REFLECTED A BROADER OPPOSITION AND DISTASTE FOR SOME OF THE MOST RADICAL, UH, CANDIDATES IN YOUR PARTIES.
YOU BEAT THEM BECAUSE OF MORE MODERATE VOICES IN YOUR OWN PARTY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO TURN TO A TOPIC THAT'S CONCERNED ME MORE WITH EVERY PASSING MEETING I ATTEND, WHETHER IT'S HERE AT THE BOARD OF ED, AND THAT IS THE ESCALATING LANGUAGE THAT I'VE HEARD SPOKEN AT THESE MEETINGS.
AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELFARE OF OUR CHILDREN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL DIVIDE.
NO ONE WANTS CHILDREN TO COME TO HARM, NO ONE WANTS CHILDREN PREMATURELY SEXUALIZED AND TO BE DEPRIVED OF THE INNOCENT OF CHILDHOOD OF SOME OF THE OTHER NONSENSE THAT I'VE HEARD.
NO ONE WANTS ANY OF THESE THINGS AND I'M IN THAT CAMP.
BUT WE'VE HEARD THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND BY EXTENSION OUR TEACHERS ARE INDOCTRINATING OUR KIDS WITH A STEW OF PEJORATIVE TERMS THAT IMPLY THAT THEY'RE TURNING THEM INTO LITTLE RED BOOK, WAVING CHAMPIONS OF MARXIST IDEOLOGY OR THAT THEY'RE PREPARING OUR KIDS FOR EXPLOITATION IN SOME WAYS AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT QUITE FRANKLY MOST OF OUR EDUCATION WORKFORCE WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THEY HAD THE TIME TO DO AMIDST THEIR PACKED CLASSROOM SCHEDULES AND MUCH LESS ORCHESTRATES SOMETHING COUNTYWIDE DURING THEIR LIMITED PLANNING PERIODS.
BUT BEYOND THE FACTUAL INAC INACCURACY, THE USE OF THESE KINDS OF PEJORATIVE TERMS, UH, THEY CAPTURE THE HEADLINES, SURE, AND THEY MAKE GREAT THEATRICS ON VIDEO, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE DANGEROUS.
THIS RHETORIC, WHETHER EMPLOYED BY RIGHT OR LEFT, IS KIND IT DEMONIZES AND DEHUMANIZES GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS AND PREDIS AND, AND PREDISPOSES THEM TO HARM FROM SOME LESS STABLE ADHERENCE TO WHICHEVER IDEOLOGY HAPPENS TO BE, BE SPEWING THAT KIND OF INVECTIVE.
AND FINALLY, IT REALLY DOES NOTHING TO ADVANCE THE INTERESTS OF OUR CHILDREN.
SO I CALL ON EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, AND YOU CAN HOLD ME TO THIS TOO, TO TAMP DOWN THE RHETORIC, TAMP DOWN THE INACCURACIES, AND LET'S CONFINE OURSELVES TO ACTUALLY SPEAKING TRUTH ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THAT WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY SOLVE PROBLEMS TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
MONICA MACKAY, FOLLOWED BY JOHN MALMO.
I RESIDE AT 2 1 0 3 WYNDHAM COURT, BELLER, MARYLAND 2 1 0 15.
GREETINGS, COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN AND FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HARTFORD COUNTY MY ENTIRE LIFE OF NEARLY 40 YEARS.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HARTFORD COUNTY, ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST YEAR AS MANY PROJECTS HAVE RESUMED STATUS POST COVID RESTRICTIONS BEING LIFTED.
MY MAJOR CONCERN IS THE IMPACT THAT WE ARE HAVING ON OUR ENVIRONMENT.
DEAR FOXES, RACCOONS, BIRDS, SMALL MAMMALS DUE TO CHANGES IN THEIR NATURAL HABITATS.
THERE ARE A, THERE IS A PROJECT THAT I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH IS THE APPROXIMATE 34 ACRES OF THE FORMER LANDS OF CADDY FARMS LOCATED BETWEEN ROUTE 24 AND ROUTE 9 24 ALONG PLUM TREE ROAD.
ACCORDING TO OUR COUNTY CODE, THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN APPROVAL MUST BE MADE BY THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING.
THE FCP FOR CADDY FARMS WAS NOT MADE BY THE DIRECTOR OF ZONING AND PLANNING.
IT WAS MADE BY THE CHIEF OF DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW OF THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF ZONING AND PLANNING.
AND ONLY DEVELOPMENTAL DECISIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING ARE FINAL DECISIONS THAT CAN BE AS APPEALED PURSUANT TO A PETITION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW AS PER HARTFORD COUNTY CODE 2 68 DASH 28, THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF ZONING AND PLANNING WAS MS. JENNY SARKOWSKI.
THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF ZONING AND PLANNING IS MR. SHANE P GRIM.
AS ONE MAJOR PROJECT WAS FOUND TO HAVE ISSUES WITH PERMITS, IT BEGS THE QUESTION, UM, HOW MANY OTHER PERMITS MAY BE CONCERNED TO BE VALID OR INVALID
[00:50:01]
FOR CADDY FARMS FCP OR THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN? A WAIVER WAS APPROVED FOR THE REMOVAL OF 38 SPECIMEN TREES AS PER HARTFORD COUNTY CODE 2 67 39 D.ONLY THE DIRECTOR OF ZONING AND PLANNING IS AUTHORIZED TO GRANT THIS WAIVER.
THE DIRECTOR OF ZONING AND PLANNING DETERMINES WHETHER TO GRANT THE WAIVER BASED OFF OF SIX DETERMINATIONS.
SO I'M CALLING FOR A REVIEW OF THE FC PERMITS, UM, ON CURRENT PROJECTS WITHIN OUR COUNTY, UM, AND UNTIL THEY'RE REVIEWED TO POSSIBLY EVEN REVOKE THEM, UM, ACCORDING TO OUR COUNTY LAWS, BECAUSE THE APPROVAL FOR THE FCP WAS INCORRECTLY OBTAINED, PLEASE REVIEW THE COUNTY'S FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN PERMITS ON ALL CURRENT PROJECTS BEFORE ALLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT OR GRADING TO BE AUTHORIZED TO RESUME AND CONTINUE.
HARTFORD COUNTY IS LOSING VAST WILDLIFE WITH EACH NEW DEVELOPMENT.
ANIMALS ARE BEING DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES AND FORCED TO GO ELSEWHERE, OFTEN BECOMING INJURED BY VEHICLES OR TRAGICALLY BECOMING ROADKILL.
PLEASE BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS.
I KNOW THAT GROWTH IS INEVITABLE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY DONE AND CONTROLLED.
PERMITS NEED TO BE ISSUED WITH VALIDITY.
PLEASE PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT.
GOOD EVENING TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES, JOHN P MALMO 24 0 2 EAGLEVIEW DRIVE.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND REVIEWING OPERATIONS AT THE HOFF COUNTY AIRPORT.
WE START BY LOOKING AT THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN.
YOU HAVE THE EARLIEST AND THE LATEST VERSION.
WHAT DO WE NOTICE ABOUT THE DRAWINGS PROVIDED? THE EARLIEST LA AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN IS DATED JUNE, 2012, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT OF AIRPORT OWNERS GROUP 15 MARCH, 2013, AND THE MARYLAND AVIATION ADMINISTRATION 25 MARCH, 2013.
BILL 13 FOUR AS AMENDED ZONING CODE REVISIONS AIRPORT WAS APPROVED SEVEN MARCH, 2013.
THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN WAS CONSTRUCTED NINE MONTHS BEFORE LEGISLATION ALLOWING AIRPORTS IN THE AG DISTRICT APPROVED 16 MONTHS BEFORE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION WAS REQUESTED AND 27 MONTHS BEFORE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION WAS GRANTED.
THE PLAN IS A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND UPON WHICH THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION IS LOCATED.
IT INCLUDES ALL BUILDINGS, PAVEMENT AREAS, AIRPORT APPROACH AND LANDING PATHS, AIRCRAFT PARKING AND STORAGE AREAS, AND ONLY ONE RUNWAY OH ONE 19.
THE CURRENT VERSION ALSO INCLUDES ACCESSORY USES FOCUSING ON THE PLANT AREA, MARKED APPROACH SURFACE TOTAL CALCULATED AREAS, 258 ACRES.
THAT IS ONLY ONE LEG OF THE APPROACH AND LANDING PATHS.
AS NOTED IN THE FAA INTERPRETATION LANDING.
THE PROCESS OF COMING TO LAND BEGINS WHEN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDS BELOW THE MINIMUM SAFE OPERATING OR TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE.
THIS PROCESS CAN ONLY OCCUR IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.
THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE ON THE PLAN APPROXIMATES THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND IS APPROXIMATELY 2,800 ACRES AS DESCRIBED IN THE F FAA AIRPLANE FLYING HANDBOOK.
THE POINT AT WHICH THE AIRPLANE BEGINS LANDING IS A BEAM OR ACROSS FROM THE DOWNWIND LEG UP THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THEN ONE MILE OFF CENTER JOS GRADUAL USUALLY ON A 2120 TO ONE SLOPE, 20 FEET OVER GROUND FOR EVERY ONE FOOT OF ALTITUDE.
AS NOTED IN THE LEGEND OF THE PLAN, THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDS ON THE DOWNWIND LEG APPROXIMATELY ONE LEG BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
TURNS LEFT 90 DEGREES CROSS WIND TO THE BASE LEG PROCEEDING APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE THERE, TURNING 90 DEGREES LEFT TO THE FINAL LEG MARKED APPROACH SURFACE AND BEGINS FINAL APPROACH.
THE FAA LEGAL INTERPRETATION RECOGNIZES THERE ARE NO MEETS AND BOUNDS FOR THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.
THE PLAN LEGEND SHOWS THE AIRPLANE ONE MILE OFF THE CENTER LINE, IT COULD BE A HALF A MILE OR THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OR WHEREVER THE PILOT DETERMINES.
THE ENTIRE ENCLOSED AREA IS THEREFORE RESERVED FOR THE APPROACH AND LANDING PATH.
USING ONE MILE IS A FURTHEST MOST BOUNDARY, TOTAL CALCULATED OF AREA OF THE APPROACH AND LANDING PATH IS 1,409 ACRES.
ALL IN THE AG DISTRICT CODE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIES NO MORE THAN 50% OF THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION, INCLUDING THE APPROACH AND LANDING PATHS MAY BE IN THE AG DISTRICT.
THE AIRPORT MUST THEN HAVE AT LEAST 1,409 ACRES IN THE CIGI OR LI DISTRICT, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES MORE THAN THE HUNDRED 72 TOTAL ACRES OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY AIRPORT.
THE OPERATION DESCRIBED IN THE AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN DOES NOT AND CANNOT MEET ZONING CODE REQUIREMENTS.
CASSANDRA BEVERLY, FOLLOWED BY SUSIE SCOTT.
UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CASSANDRA BEVERLY AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HORFORD COUNTY CAUCUS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS.
MY ADDRESS IS 1 37 ALICE ANN STREET, BELAIRE, MARYLAND.
AS WE HAVE FOCUSED OUR ATTENTION THIS MONTH ON BLACK HISTORY, I HAVE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE TO
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LOOK BEYOND THE FEW PEOPLE WHOSE NAMES ARE USUALLY MENTIONED DURING THE MONTH.HOWEVER, TONIGHT I WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FREDERICK AUGUSTUS, WASHINGTON BAILEY, WHO WAS BORN INTO SLAVERY AND NEVER KNEW HIS BIRTHDATE.
HE LEARNED TO READ BY BRIBING YOUNG WHITE BOYS WITH FOOD TO TEACH HIM TO READ.
HE DEVELOPED A LOVE FOR LEARNING, TAUGHT OTHER ENSLAVED PERSONS TO READ AND OPERATED A FORBIDDEN SUNDAY SCHOOL.
HE BECAME A FAMOUS ORDER AUTHOR AND ABOLITIONIST WHO WAS MUCH ADMIRED BY PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
HE ADOPTED FEBRUARY THE 14TH AS HIS BIRTHDAY BECAUSE HIS LAST MEMORY OF HIS MOTHER WAS ON A DAY WHEN SHE MA HAD BAKED A HEART-SHAPED CAKE FOR HIM.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS EDUCATION IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR LIFTING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY.
IT IS THE REASON THAT I AND OTHERS ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BECOMING A POLITICAL WEAPON FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOME, BUT TO THE DETRIMENT OF OUR CHILDREN.
I, UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LEGITIMATE CRITICISM OF THE SYSTEM.
I MYSELF AM OFTEN A VOCAL OPPONENT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I DO, HOWEVER, HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MADE UP NON-EXISTENT PROBLEMS BEING USED TO ADVANCE A POLITICAL AGENDA.
AS SOON AS YOU HEAR CERTAIN CATCHPHRASES, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT POLITICS AND NOT ABOUT STUDENTS.
PARENTS LOOK CLOSELY AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM WHEN DECIDING WHERE TO PURCHASE THEIR HOMES.
IT IS IN ALL OF OUR INTERESTS TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE OUR COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT WILL NOT BE IMPROVED BY BANNING BOOKS AND REFUSING TO TEACH OUR ENTIRE HISTORY.
WE KNOW IT'S EASIER TO GO ALONG, TO GET ALONG.
OUR STUDENTS NEED YOU TO PUT UP, PUT THEIR INTERESTS ABOVE YOUR OWN.
THERE IS A GREAT MAN OR WOMAN IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, PERHAPS AMONG THE VOICES OF EQUITY WHO NEED YOU TO STAND UP FOR THEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
I'D LIKE I LIVE AT THREE 14 STREET CIRCLE.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR, UM, BEING SWORN IN AND SERVING ON THE BOARD.
UM, I THINK THAT THEY WILL BRING BALANCE TO THIS BOARD THAT HAS BEEN MISSING.
AND, UM, I JUST JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEN OR TO, TO, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE CASTLE AND TO, TO YOU FOR INTERVIEWING THEM AND, AND, AND, AND APPROVING THEM TONIGHT.
STEPHANIE MCCOY, FOLLOWED BY LEE MADDOX.
GOOD EVENING, MR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START TONIGHT WITH A COMPLIMENT AND THAT IS TO, UH, MR. PENMAN, UH, FOR YOUR PROPOSED CHICKEN BILL IN THE FUTURE
UM, I THINK THAT IN THIS TIME OF TURMOIL WHERE WE HAVE BEEN HEARING HATEFUL RHETORIC MORE AND MORE, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE ALL CAN COME TOGETHER ON.
THOSE THINGS IN HARTFORD COUNTY EXPLICITLY INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND THE FACT THAT CHICKENS IN A RURAL COUNTY ARE REMARKABLY HARD TO HAVE THE FACT THAT IN ABERDEEN AND HAVE THE GRACE MINUS FRIENDS WHO WILL LIVE IN A DEVELOPMENT CAN HAVE CHICKENS WITH NO PROBLEM, WHEREAS MY NEIGHBOR IN DARLINGTON CAN'T BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ZONED.
AG BALTIMORE COUNTY JUST LAST YEAR CHANGED THEIR, UM, RULES REGARDING CHICKENS.
AND I WAS GOING TO PESTER YOU ALL ABOUT IT INDIVIDUALLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO I'M VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT SOMETHING, UH, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A TOUR OF MY CHICKENS AND THE SWINGS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR COOPS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
UM, ALONG THOSE LINES, I THINK AS FUNNY AS CHICKENS MAY SEEM WITH THE RISE IN EGG COSTS, WITH ALL THE TOS WE'RE SEEING ABOUT THE, THE, THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT'S SOMETHING SIMPLE, THAT'S SOMETHING ACTIONABLE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARGUE BACK AND FORTH ABOUT, THEY'RE NOT EASY FIXES.
WE'RE NOT ALL GOING TO SEE EYE TO EYE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE TIMES THEY'RE TURMOIL AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN GET DONE TO ACTUALLY HELP THE PEOPLE.
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HAD A CONVERSATION TWO DAYS AGO, IT WAS ABOUT POTENTIALLY RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN THE FUTURE AND HE SAID, STEPHANIE, DO YOU WANT TO DO GOOD OR DO YOU WANT TO BE A POLITICIAN? YOU ALL HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO BOTH.YOU ALL HAVE MORE POWER THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE COUNTY TO DO THINGS THAT MAY HELP SOMEONE YOU DON'T AGREE WITH POLITICALLY, BUT HELPS PEOPLE OVERALL.
AND AS SILLY AS IT MAY BE, ALLOWING YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO HAVE EGGS IN THEIR BACKYARD IS AN EASY WAY TO MAKE FRIENDS AND HELP PEOPLE.
WITH THAT SAID IN MIND, UH, HELPING PEOPLE DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN BEING A RUBBER STAMP TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
UH, WHILE I RESPECT HIM VERY MUCH, I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS TO SAY AND NEITHER WILL YOU.
UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK CRITICALLY.
I THINK, UH, MR. BENNETT AND MR. GUTHRIE FOR YOUR CRITICAL EYE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD BILL.
UM, CRITICAL EYES PREVENT LAWSUITS AND LAWSUITS PREVENT OUR MONEY FROM BEING WASTED.
UM, SO WHENEVER THERE ARE APPOINTMENTS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, SEVERAL OF YOU HAD VERY HARD FOUGHT PRIMARIES.
YOU DID NOT WIN A PRIMARY BECAUSE THE EXTREMIST SUPPORTED YOU.
THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT A RHINO HUNTING FLOAT TO MY PRECIOUS HOMETOWN PARADE DID NOT WIN.
THE VOTERS RESPECTED YOU ENOUGH AND THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD DO GOOD IN THE COUNTY AND ELECTED YOU.
THEY DID THE SAME WITH B OE AND TONIGHT'S VOTE, UNFORTUNATELY FLIP-FLOPPED THE WILL OF PEOPLE.
I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I RESPECT AND ADMIRE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL ALL RAN AND ARE UP HERE.
AND I REALLY JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT JUST THINK ABOUT YOUR DONORS OR WHO HELP PUTS YOU IN OFFICE, BUT TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP THE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
LEE MADDOX, 1700 CHURCH POINT COURT PERRYMAN.
SO GOOD EVENING, UH, MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT.
UH, FOR THE PAST YEAR, UH, MY COMMUNITY AND PERRYMAN ON MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS HAS BEEN DESPERATELY ASKING THE COUNTY FOR HELP.
WE ARE STARTING TO SEE SOME INDICATIONS THAT HELP IS ON THE HORIZON, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT HOPE.
AS YOU WORK TO HELP US ALWAYS WITH INTEGRITY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY IN THE CONVERSATION.
IN MY DECADES SPENT WORKING TO HELP AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES IN THEIR TIMES OF NEED, I ALWAYS SAW BETTER RESULTS WHEN COMMUNITIES WERE INCLUDED.
IT MIGHT SEEM EASIER OR MORE EFFICIENT TO ACT WITHOUT COMMUNITY INPUT, BUT IT IS RARELY THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED.
PLEASE WORK WITH US, INCLUDE US.
WE WILL ALL BE STRONGER AND MORE ETHICAL TOGETHER.
AND I'LL CLOSE WITH A QUOTE FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON, THE GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE SERVES THE PEOPLE BEST.
KATE MCDONALD, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM GRAHAM.
KATE MCDONALD, 2100 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST ADDRESS MR. BENNETT.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRE HEARING THIS MORNING, BUT YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT IN WHATEVER HAPPENS TOMORROW.
YOU HAVE OUR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR HONEST AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP SO FAR.
I KNOW GIVEN YOUR CHARACTER AS A PERSON THAT YOU WOULD NEVER TAKE MONEY FROM DEVELOPERS, THEIR ATTORNEYS AND OTHER INTEREST, AND THEN GET UP THERE ON THE DIAS AND PUBLICLY EXTEND THEIR AGENDA AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER DISTRICT IN THIS COUNTY.
I TRULY BELIEVE YOU'RE NOBODY'S PUPPET, AND THAT'S WHY I VOTED FOR YOU, MR. PENMAN.
IN ONE OF YOUR FIRST MEETINGS, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE OUTRAGE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THAT THERE WERE SO MANY DUMP TRUCKS GOING UP AND DOWN MOUNTAIN ROAD.
YOU REMEMBER THAT? IMAGINE IF THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH THE CONSTANT BARRAGE OF TRUCK, DIESEL, TRUCK TRAFFIC CLOGGING THEIR PATHS TO AND FROM THEIR HOMES ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT, EVERY DAY.
BUT DON'T WORRY BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SUCH DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH HARTFORD COUNTY OR IN THE VAST OPEN SPACES OF FALLSTON OR ALONG MOUNTAIN ROAD.
SO THEY IN YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES.
EVEN, EVEN THOUGH FROM I 95 TO THE MOUNTAIN ROAD AIRE INTERSECTION, IT'S ONLY A 4.9 MILE DRIVE OR 10 MINUTE DRIVE WITH THREE LIGHTS NO TURNS TO GET FROM I 95 AND MOUNTAIN ROAD TO THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER DOWN IN PERRYMAN.
IT'S A 13 MILE, 21 MINUTE, 11 LIGHTS AND INTERSECTIONS AND FIVE TURNS.
NOBODY'S BUYING THE CLAIM THAT ARE, MY AREA WAS PICKED
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BECAUSE IT'S BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO THE I 95 CORRIDOR.FAIRMAN WAS PICKED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT NORTH OF A 95, AND THEY THOUGHT WE WOULD NOT PUT UP A FIGHT.
EVEN BALTIMORE AND CECIL COUNTY HAVE CAREFULLY PLANNED THE PLACEMENT OF THEIR FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, MA'AM.
SO THAT'S MA'AM BUILDING, MA'AM.
THEY'RE BIG MA'AM STRUCTURES MA.
SO THAT THEY'RE NOT BACKING UP OR FACING HOMES.
DIESELS ARE NOT TRAVERSING THE SAME SMALL ROADS WITH HOUSES ON THEM AND KIDS WANTING, WAITING FOR THE BUS AND DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, SPEWING THEIR DANGEROUS AND TOXIC POLLUTION FOR EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BREATHE.
THEY DIDN'T TARGET THE MOST IMPOVERISHED AND UNDERSERVED AREA OF THE COUNTY AND BEGIN TO SYSTEMATICALLY AND ILLEGALLY DUMP THESE DANGEROUS, DESTRUCTIVE, AND DEADLY PROJECTS ON THE RESIDENTS.
NOT EVERYONE GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO WRITE OR WRONG AND CHANGE THE COURSE OF SOMEONE'S LIFE, OR IN THIS CASE, THE LIVES OF MANY.
MAYBE IT'S TIME NOW TO TAKE A PAUSE TO DETERMINE IF WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO ALLOW BALTIMORE DEVELOPERS TO DESTROY OUR COMMUNITIES IN OPEN SPACES FOR A STRUGGLING INDUSTRY WITH HIGH EMPLOYMENT TURNOVER.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE SEVERAL MILLION SQUARE FEET, A VACANT LARGE STRUCTURES SITTING IN SOUTH HARTFORD, COUNTER BLIGHTING, OUR AREA, AND BLIGHTING THE I THE ROUTE 44.
UH, MY NAME IS WILL GRAHAM, UM, 2,600 COOL SPRING ROAD, BELL AIR.
UH, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AT LARGE AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PROPOSED WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENTS OF AVENUE WOODS.
YOU CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT TONIGHT.
I'M NOT SPEAKING ABOUT THE BILL.
I'M JUST SPEAKING ABOUT YOU'RE, YOU CAN'T EVEN MENTION IT TONIGHT, SIR.
WELL, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY KNOWING WHAT WE DO ABOUT HOW WE ARE DESTROYING OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT ANYONE COULD THINK ABOUT, WIPING OUT 320 ACRES OF MATURE WOODS, UM, LESS THAN A MILE FROM OUTER POINT CREEK OVER TOP OF THE HAHA BRANCH THAT EMPTIES DIRECTLY INTO OUTER POINT CREEK, OR TO DESTROY THE LAND DIRECTLY ON THE BANKS OF THE BUSH RIVER.
UM, THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION 2022 STATE OF THE BAY REPORT PRODUCED THROUGH YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND STUDIES, HAS GIVEN THE HEALTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
THIS YEAR, A SCORE OF 32, THAT'S A D PLUS.
THIS IS THE SAME SCORE THAT WAS GIVEN IN THE 2020 REPORT, MEANING THAT THE BAY HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY CLEANER OR HEALTHIER IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
ONE OF THE DETERMINATIONS OF THIS REPORT IS THAT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BLUE CRAB POPULATION IS CURRENTLY THE LOWEST THAT IT'S BEEN IN THE 33 YEAR HISTORY OF, OF THIS SURVEY RIGHT NOW.
THIS REPORT STATES THE FOLLOWING RUNOFF FROM DEVELOPED LANDS IS NOW MARYLAND'S SECOND LARGEST POLLUTION SOURCE, SURPASSING WASTEWATER.
NEW CONSTRUCTION AND LAGGING EFFORTS TO REDUCE POLLUTION IN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS MEANS THAT THIS POLLUTION SOURCE COULD FURTHER INCREASE PROPOSED PERMIT RENEWALS FOR LOCAL STORM WATER SYSTEMS, CONSTRUCT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AND INDUSTRIAL SITES ARE INSUFFICIENT TO PROTECT AND RESTORE WATER QUALITY.
THIS IS JUST ONE INDICATOR OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THERE ARE MANY OTHERS THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS, BUT NOT, NOT TONIGHT.
UM, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO THESE PROJECTS THAT COULD BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY AND THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
WE NEED TO EXPLORE THESE ALTERNATIVES.
HARTFORD COUNTY COULD BE A LEADER IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND A MODEL, A MODEL FOR OTHER LOCALES TO EMULATE.
I BELIEVE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO HARTFORD COUNTY AND WHAT THEY WANT THEIR LEGACY TO BE.
BARBARA OSBORNE KRAMER FAULT, FOLLOWED BY LAURIE CAL CALDWELL.
MY NAME IS BARBARA OSBORN KRAMER.
I LIVE IN ABERDEEN AND THIS IS MY STREET ADDRESS AND I ALSO SIGNED IT IN THE BOOK.
I I APPRECIATE THAT THE COUNCILMAN FROM DISTRICT F PUT A LOT OF EXTRA TIME INTO,
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UH, EXAMINING THE CANDIDATES FOR BOARD OF EDUCATION.AND I HOPE THE REST OF YOU DID AS WELL.
UM, IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OVER BECAUSE THE FIVE OF YOU WHO VOTED ON THE PREVAILING SIDE, ANY OF YOU COULD MOVE AND SECOND TO RECONSIDER THE VOTE NEXT WEEK.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T PUT THE KIND OF EFFORT INTO INQUIRE ABOUT WHAT THE NATURE OF THESE NOMINEES WERE, THEN YOU CAN STILL DO.
BEFORE YOU MEET NEXT WEEK, SEE THE GENTLEMAN FROM DISTRICT F I HOPE THINGS WENT WELL FOR YOU IN COURT THIS MORNING.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ROOTING FOR YOU, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORKED HARD FOR YOU TO GET UP HERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU KEEPING BOTH THIS OFFICE AND YOUR JOB.
AND THEY DIDN'T SEND YOU UP HERE TO ABSTAIN.
I HAVE NOT HEARD YOU ABSTAIN BEFORE, AND I WOULD RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT IF YOU CAN'T VOTE YES, YOU CAN EITHER ASK TO HOLD IT OVER WHICH THE COUNCIL USUALLY HONORS THAT REQUEST FOR AT LEAST ONCE, AND THEN TRY TO CONVINCE YOUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE THE SAME WAY THAT YOU WANNA VOTE OR YOU CAN VOTE NO.
WELL, IT CERTAINLY WOULD ANTICIPATE THERE'D BE A LOT OF DIVIDED VOTES BECAUSE THIS COUNCIL IS DIVIDED IN SOME WAYS.
SO I HOPE THAT WE WILL NOT BE WORKING SO HARD FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THAT SEAT AND THEN REFRAIN FROM VOTING.
SO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS SUPPOSED TO REFLECT COMMUNITY'S STANDARDS.
SO IT'S NOT OF CONCERN TO ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE BACKGROUNDS PROFESSIONALLY AS EDUCATORS.
WHAT THEY ARE BRINGING IS THE OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY CARES ABOUT, WHAT THE COMMUNITY VALUES ARE, AND WHEN THE DIS GENTLEMAN FROM DISTRICT F WAS BRINGING UP A LACK OF DIVERSITY ON THE BASIS OF RACE AND SEX, I THOUGHT HIS NEXT POINT WAS GONNA BE A LACK OF DIVERSITY ON VALUES.
AND THAT'S NOT, THAT WASN'T BROUGHT UP.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE VERY CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW IS ALREADY REPRESENTED STRONGLY ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO TO A 0.3 MORE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT BRING DIVERSITY OF POINTS OF VIEW AND VALUES, THEN THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION IS NOT GONNA REFLECT THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS OF ALL OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
SO PLEASE RECONSIDER NEXT WEEK.
HI, LORI CALDWELL, 42 0 6 GREYSTON ROAD.
I WASN'T GOING TO COME TONIGHT BECAUSE I FIGURED ANYTHING I WOULD SAY IS GOING TO BE MOOT AND I DON'T DO WELL BY DOING IT ON THE FLY, BUT SO I APOLOGIZE, BUT I DECIDED TO COME BECAUSE I HOPE THERE MIGHT BE A SLIM CHANCE THAT YOU WOULDN'T RUBBER STAMP THE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BOARD APPOINTMENTS, BOARD OF ED APPOINTMENTS.
AND I WANTED TO BE HERE JUST IN CASE SO THAT I COULD SAY THANK YOU FOR STRIVING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF BALANCE, BUT I WAS WRONG.
SO I CAME TO SAY THAT MY CHILDREN GREW UP IN THIS COUNTY AND THEIR FRIENDS GREW UP IN THIS COUNTY AND THEY'RE GLAD TO BE GONE, ALL OF THEM.
AND THEY'RE EMBARRASSED TO BE FROM HERE, WHICH MAKES ME VERY SAD.
SO I HOPE WE ALL LIVE LONG ENOUGH THAT WHAT MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM KNOW WAS THE INTENT.
MAYBE IT JUST WON'T HAPPEN, BUT IF IT DOES, I HOPE WE ALL LIVE LONG ENOUGH.
I HOPE YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO REGRET IT.
AND I HOPE, I HOPE I LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO ONE DAY FINALLY GET OUT OF HERE.
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.MICROPHONE, UH, UH, JUST A FEW THINGS.
UH, SATURDAY I STARTED A, UH, WAS INVITED TO A TOWN HALL MEETING IN GEORGESVILLE LIBRARY.
UH, SINCE I'M THE, UH, LIAISON FROM THE, UH, COUNCIL TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, TO GO OVER A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH SOME OF THE, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION PEOPLE ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA.
UH, I'M GLAD, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, AARON PENMAN, UH, JOINED ME THERE AT THAT, UH, MEETING.
WE WERE SITTING AT THE HEAD TABLE AND WENT ALONG WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PEOPLE AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING IN ME.
A LOT OF GOOD DIALOGUE WENT BACK AND FORTH.
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A FEW THINGS AND ALSO, UH, ATTENDING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING LAST NIGHT, UM, AGAIN, AS A COUNCIL LIAISON AND, UH, MR. PENMAN WAS THERE.AND, UH, ALSO, UH, MR. BENNETT WAS ALSO THERE.
UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY, UH, BETWEEN THESE COUNCILS, SOME OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
UM, ONE THING I'VE LEARNED FROM BOTH OF THEM IS, UH, THERE IS A LARGER PROBLEM IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WITH, UM, UH, WITH THE MENTAL ABILITY OF A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND, UH, THAT'S CONCERNING A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, AND I'M REALLY SORRY TO HEAR THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, ALL MY CHILDREN, UH, MY FOUR CHILDREN ALL GRADUATED FROM ALL THE SCHOOLS, UM, UH, AND GRADUATED FROM JBA TOWN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UH, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER, BUT IT'S REALLY DISHEARTENING TO HEAR THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MENTAL PROBLEMS, UH, WITH OUR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE, I'M GOING, OF COURSE, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AND HOPE I'M, UH, UH, SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN AREAS.
UM, LAST FRIDAY, UH, I ATTENDED, UH, THE, UH, AMERICAN LEGION HALL WHO, UH, GET BLOOD.
THERE WAS A BLOOD DONATION, UH, GOING ON THERE AND, UH, UH, AT POST, UH, 17 ON EDGEWOOD ROAD.
AND, UH, ENCOURAGED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COME.
I THINK THEY MADE, UH, THEIR A HUNDRED, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET A HUNDRED PINTS OF BLOOD.
AND I THINK THEY GOT THERE CUZ UH, AFTER I GAVE BLOOD AND LEFT, THEY WERE ABOUT 60 AND THEY STILL HAD ALL AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.
CAUSE THEY WERE THERE, THERE TILL SIX O'CLOCK.
SO I THINK THEY MADE THEIR, UH, THEIR QUOTA.
UH, ALSO AS, AS BEING ON BOARD, I, I RECEIVED A, UH, UH, UM, A PACKET FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS, AS THE LIAISON.
AND I PROVIDED COPIES TO EVERYBODY, UH, ON THE COUNCIL.
AND, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE, UH, REVENUE OF FUNDS AND, AND, UH, WHAT'S THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND, UH, I JUST THOUGHT I SHARED IT WITH YOU.
UH, I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A PRELIMINARY, UH, UH, START A WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT THIS IS JUST THE SCHOOLS, IT'S NOTHING, DOESN'T, NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SIDE OF THE STREET.
UH, BUT THE, THE BUDGET FOR 2023 WAS $579,392,060.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE 60 BUCKS WENT, BUT, UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, UH, FOR THIS YEAR IS, IS, UH, $630,000,904 350 904,900 $358.
THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $51,000,512, 512,000, UH, $298.
UM, OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT ALL, THAT'S NOT ALL THE UHOR COUNTY MONEY.
OKAY? SO WE BREAK IT OUT, OF COURSE, IT'S STILL YOUR TAXES, WHETHER THEY COME FROM HERE, COME FROM THE STATE AND START TAXES.
THE LOCAL, WHICH IS HOR COUNTY, IS $19,000,673 EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY $3,880.
AND THE STATE PROVIDES $32,000,273, $70,418.
AND IT'S ALL BROKE DOWN IN THIS, UH, THIS WHOLE PROGRAM.
UH, AND I'M SURE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE, AND THE NEW PEOPLE APPOINTED, UM, YOU'RE GONNA GET THAT AND YOU'RE GONNA GET A WHOLE BUNCH OF MORE PAGES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF LINE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
UM, I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, UM, UH, PROBABLY, UM, UH, MR. BENNETT'S PROBABLY GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT, UH, SINCE IT'S IN MY DISTRICT, I'LL, I'LL MENTION IT.
AND THEN HE'S GOING TO BE THERE AS, UH, BECAUSE THIS PRETENDS TO HIS DISTRICT, UM, O PERRYMAN PEOPLE.
UM, THERE'S A PERRYMAN COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETING, UH, GOING TO BE HELD IN ON FEBRUARY THE 28TH, TUESDAY AT 6:30 PM THAT'S NEXT TUESDAY.
IT'S GONNA BE HELD AT THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE SOUTHERN PRECINCT RIGHT ON ROUTE 40.
UM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, UH, IT SAYS TOPICS OF TOWN HALLS, TRAFFIC AND SAFETY, AND FOCUS ON THE EXISTING TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ISSUES STUNNING FROM THE FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION CENTERS AND CURRENTLY IMPAIRMENT.
UH, SO, UH, THAT'S, UM, NEXT TUESDAY AT, UH, SIX O'CLOCK, TWO WEEKS, I'M SORRY, 28 TO TWO WEEKS.
UH, AND IT, IT WILL BE AT SIX O'CLOCK AT, AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UM, ALSO, UM, THERE'S ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE ON THIS, UH, I 95 EXPRESS TOLL WITH, UH, WHITE MARSH.
UH, ON, UM, ON FEBRUARY 27TH, THERE'S GONNA BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT PERRY HALL HIGH SCHOOL IN NOTTINGHAM.
BUT THE OTHER ONE WE'RE INTERESTED IN IS THAT, UM, THE SECOND ONE IS
[01:20:01]
GONNA BE HELD AT MARCH 6TH AT THE CHOPPA TOWN HIGH SCHOOL, UH, STARTING AT 5:30 PM UH, TO TALK ABOUT THAT WHOLE EX EXCHANGE.AND THERE'S A PICTURE OF WHEN IT'S, IT'S ARTIST'S CONCEPTION IS UNBELIEVABLE.
UH, ANYWAY, AND, UM, IN CLOSING, MR. PRESIDENT, I, I WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE STORY ABOUT A COUPLE FRIENDS OF OURS.
ME AND MY WIFE, WE HAVE THE, UH, UH, UH, COUPLE.
IT'S A FRIEND OF OURS, THAT ONE, AND THIS IS THIS PART OF IT.
ONE IS A RETIRED AIRLINE POLL, AND HIS WIFE IS A RETIRED STEWARDESS, SO I CAN FIGURE THEY GOTTA MAKE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A HALFWAY DECENT PENSION.
UM, AND THEY, THEY TELL US WHAT THEY DO.
WHENEVER THERE'S VALENTINE'S DAY OR CHRISTMAS OR NEW YEAR'S OR BIRTHDAYS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY ALL WAKE UP.
UM, THEY GO INTO A CARD STORE AND THEY GO UP TO THE CARDS AND, UH, SHE PULLS OUT THE CARD THAT SHE WANTS TO GIVE HIM, AND HE PULLS OUT THE CARD ONCE TO GIVE HER, THEY SWITCH CARDS, THEY READ THEM AND THEY SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND YOU PUT 'EM BACK AND THEY LEAVE THE STORE.
MR. PENMAN, CAN YOU TOP THAT? I DON'T THINK I CAN TOP THAT.
I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE THING TO COMMENT ON THIS EVENING.
I WANT TO COMMEND TO HARF COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND SAFE CONCLUSION, UH, OF THE FUGITIVE, UH, APPREHENSION DURING THE BARRICADE SITUATION IN BOSTON.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY WAS EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR THE HARFORD COUNTY RESOURCES AND HELP DURING THE MANHUNT CAPTURE.
THANKFULLY, UH, HERE, UH, ON THE STANDOFF HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY AND IT SAFELY, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, UH, TWO OFFICERS WERE SHOT.
MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THOSE OFFICERS THAT WERE INJURED.
THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE REMINDER THAT IF YOU DON'T INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL QUICKLY BECOME UNPREPARED TO HANDLE CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS A NATIONAL MODEL FOR SPECIAL RESPONSES, BUT AFTER DEFUNDING MOVEMENT IN A COUNTY THAT DOESN'T SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY HAVE QUICKLY BECOME ILL PREPARED FOR CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO CONVEY THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THE HARFORD COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANKFULLY, IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO BE WELL TRAINED WITH EQUIPMENT NEEDED, SUCH AS THE NIGHT VISION AND LESS LETHAL OPTIONS THAT WERE USED THE OTHER EVENING.
THAT WAS CRUCIAL AGAIN FOR THE WOODLAND DEPLOYMENT, UH, LAST FRIDAY MORNING.
THIS INCIDENT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHY THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE A FUNDING AND PRIORITY TO ADD RESOURCES TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWING POPULATION TRENDS, UH, AND, AND, UM, SUCH AS THE PREVIOUS APPROVED AND THE FUNDED CENTRAL PRECINCT IN THE STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINING CENTER TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE STANDARD THAT HARFORD COUNTY DESERVES.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. JAN, MAY NO APPLAUDING PLEASE.
UM, HOPEFULLY I'LL TOP DIONNE.
UM, BUT, UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO, UH, THANK HARF COUNTY SHERIFF'S, UH, OFFICE AND, UH, ALL THE DEPUTIES THAT RESPONDED TO THAT.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK RICK AYERS, UH, FROM EMS. UM, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, THEY WORKED WELL TOGETHER.
I HEARD, UM, UM, SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT IT IN, UH, THE MEETING THE OTHER DAY THAT, UH, THEY WERE GRATEFUL AND THAT THEY WORKED WELL TOGETHER.
SO, UH, ON TOP OF THAT, I KNOW WE ACTUALLY GOT A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FROM THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE, I THINK IT WAS CALLED A ROOK.
SO, UH, UH, WANT TO THANK THE, UH, DELAWARE STATE POLICE, UM, PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE A FORTIFIED BOBCAT THAT WAS ABLE TO GO IN AND HELP.
UM, AND I THINK ULTIMATELY THAT, UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE PERSON AND THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIVES.
SO WE, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD, HARD WORK.
UM, ON THAT, ON A, ON A LIGHTER NOTE, UH, HARRE COUNTY, UM, CELEBRATE CELEBRATED FE BREWERY AT, UH, ONE OF THE PLACES WAS DOUBLE GROVE.
UM, THERE'S A, IF YOU GO TO ANY BREWERY IN HARTFORD COUNTY, THERE IS ONE BEER THAT THEY'RE ALL BREWING THAT'S GONNA TASTE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT THEY'RE ALL DOING THAT.
SO IF, UH, IF PEOPLE ARE OUT AND THEY WANT TO VISIT THE BREWERIES, THERE IS A BUNCH OF 'EM THAT HAVE THAT.
THAT WAS, UM, A PART OF, UM, VISIT HARTFORD.
UM, I DID ATTEND THE GRAND OPENING OF M AND T BANK RIGHT ACROSS FROM LOONEY'S, UH, IN BEL AIR.
THEY TOTALLY REDID THE BANK, UM, WHERE IT WAS AN OLD STUFFY BANK.
IT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
YOU WALK UP, THERE'S NO PARTITIONS OR ANYTHING.
YOU CAN DEFINITELY, UH, INTERACT WITH THE TELLER.
THERE IS, UM, ROOMS TO HAVE PRIVATE MEETINGS, ALL GLASS, UM, VERY WELL LIT.
THEY HAVE OFFICES UPSTAIRS FOR OTHER, OTHER THINGS.
SO I, I WISH THEM ALL THE BEST.
THEY CONSOLIDATED TWO BRANCHES AND I THINK THEY DID A, A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
UM, THIRD, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT,
[01:25:01]
UM, DION GUTHRIE BROUGHT UP SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, N R T BUILDUP, N R D N R D BUILDUP LAST WEEK.AND THIS IS SOMETHING MR. GUTHRIE KNEW, UM, A LOT ABOUT, AND HE'S BRINGING BACK A BILL ON THAT.
SO IF THERE WERE TERM LIMITS AND MR. GUTHRIE WAS TERM LIMIT, HE WOULDN'T BE ON THIS COUNCIL.
HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, N R D BRING OUT A BILL, BECAUSE NONE OF US UP HERE WOULD'VE KNOWN ANYTHING ABOUT IT OR THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
BUT DIONNE DID KNOW THAT, AND DION'S BEEN OFF THE COUNCIL FOR 12 YEARS AND DION'S EIGHT EIGHT, HOW MANY YEARS? EIGHT.
THAT'S THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU GET WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT MAYBE COMES BACK ON A COUNCIL AFTER THEY'VE BEEN OFF FOR A WHILE.
UH, SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE OUT THERE TO REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE LOCAL REPRESENTATION OF LOCAL PEOPLE THAT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IT'S NOT EASY TO, TO FIGURE THIS ALL OUT.
SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, MR. GUTHRIE FOR, FOR THAT INFORMATION.
I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM ON THAT BILL.
ROUTE 24 IN PLUMTREE, THE LADY IN THE BACK THERE.
I'D LIKE YOU TO COME SEE ME IF YOU'RE STILL HERE WITH THAT INFORMATION.
I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH, UH, WITH SHANE GRIM ON THAT, AND THE PERMITS AND THE PROCESS, BUT YOU HAD SOME OTHER INFORMATION.
UM, AND, UH, LET ME SEE WHAT ELSE HERE.
UM, SO I, I, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER, UH, LARGE BUDGET.
HALF OF OUR BUDGET'S GONNA GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE APPOINTED AREN'T GONNA HELP.
BUT A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE BUDGET PEOPLE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NO AUDIT OF ANYTHING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HOW THAT 600 MILLION IS GONNA BE SPENT.
AND I, AS A, AS A RESIDENT OF HARTFORD COUNTY, WANT TO KNOW WHERE ALL THAT MONEY SPENT.
YOU DONE? THANK YOU, MR. CHANTER AND MR. RILEY.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE DONE THERE, TONY.
I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT ON MY, UH, BROTHER IN BLUE FROM B***R COUNTY IS MOST OF YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, I'M A RETIRED BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE OFFICER, AND IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, MY BROTHER IN BLUE IS ACTUALLY GONNA LOSE A LIMB IN THAT, UH, EPISODE THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND.
SO DEFINITELY KEEP HIM IN YOUR AND HIS FAMILY IN PRAYERS.
I DID A LOT OF TOURING, UH, NORTHERN HARFORD COUNTY, WHY WE WERE OFF THREE WEEKS, GETTING TO KNOW A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS UP THERE.
I MET DEBBIE COMER FROM THE HIGHLAND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, WHERE THEY DO A LOT OF, UH, DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND THEY ALSO DO CHILDCARE, AND THEY DO A LOT OF SEEING TO HAVE A SENIOR CENTER THERE.
SO KUDOS TO DEBBIE AND WHAT SHE'S DOING UP THERE.
AND ALSO, UH, ACTUALLY A VISIT OVER IN ROUTE 40 TO THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
SO LESLIE STEIN OVER THERE AND, UH, SHE'S DOING GREAT THINGS WITH THE ROUTE 40 BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
UH, LAST THING I JUST WANNA COVER IS THE MASON DIXON BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
THEY ALSO DO A LOT OF, UH, VOLUNTEER WORK THAT GOES ON UP IN THE NORTHERN PART OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO RESERVE MY COMMENTS FOR NEXT WEEK AND, UH, HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT VALENTINE'S DAY.
UM, IT WAS A BUSY WEEK LAST WEEK.
UM, THAT PRETTY MUCH GOES FOR EVERY WEEK.
UM, BUT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE ROUTE 40 BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, UH, GET TOGETHER AT, UH, COLEY IN HANEY GRACE, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN.
AND IT WAS GREAT TO GET TO MEET SOME PEOPLE, HEAR ABOUT THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.
UM, WAS ALSO REALLY ENCOURAGING TO HEAR FROM SO MANY PEOPLE THAT THEY FEEL LIKE, UH, THEY'VE MADE IT BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE IN 2019 AND, UH, NO LONGER EXPERIENCING A LOT OF THOSE HARDSHIPS THAT THEY'VE, UH, BEEN GOING THROUGH FINANCIALLY AND STAFFING WISE, UM, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
UM, ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, UH, AS, UH, ROUTE 40, IT WAS, UH, GREAT FOR, UH, MY STAFF TO BE PRESENT TO HEAR ABOUT THE WALKING AND BIKE PATH THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO CONNECT CAVITY GRACE AND ABERDEEN ACROSS ROUTE 40.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO TO, TO BRIDGE THOSE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND TO GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS TO THEIR COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT'S MEANINGFUL.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT PROJECT IS IT CONTINUES TO BE FINALIZED, UH, IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO, UM, WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE ARE WALKING ON ROUTE 40 WHETHER WE MAKE A WALKING PATH OR NOT.
AND IT, UH, I WOULD RATHER PEOPLE BE SAFE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE WALKING.
UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE HAVE GRACE STATE OF THE, THE CITY ADDRESS, UH, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL.
IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
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OF IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ABERDEEN, YOU KNOW, UH, CONNECTING THEIR WATER AND, AND MAKING IT SET THE CITY OF HAVE GRACE, WHICH IS, UH, PLENTY FULL OF WATER, CAN, UH, SHIP THAT ACROSS THE, TO THE OF THE CITY AND EVENTUALLY TO THE COUNTY.AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, UH, A GREAT INITIATIVE.
UM, AND IT WAS ALSO GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT OUR, YOU KNOW, MICRO TRANSITS WE HAD WITH THE ELECTRIC TROLLEY THAT GOES THROUGH, HAVE DEGREES.
UM, YOU KNOW, 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO UTILIZED THAT LAST YEAR WERE LOCAL RESIDENTS.
THEY, UH, PLANTED AS A TOURISM ATTRACTION.
UH, BUT WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT LOCALS WERE USING IT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE MET SO MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ST.
JOHN'S TOWERS OR THE GRA WHO MIGHT NOT OWN A CAR AND CAN'T PHYSICALLY WALK A DISTANCE ANYMORE.
AND IN THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES, THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHTHOUSE.
THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, SEE THE MARITIME MUSEUM.
THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO, TO BE A PART OF DOWNTOWN IN A MEANINGFUL WAY BECAUSE OF THAT TRANSPORTATION.
I HOPE WE USE, UH, THE TROLLEY AS A, A MODEL FOR THE COUNTY AND AS, AS WE EXPAND TRANSPORTATION THAT IS USABLE TO PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, CUZ SOMEBODY BROUGHT IT UP DURING THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT, EXPLAINED THAT WITH HOW THE, THE STATE LAW THAT PASSED WORKS, THERE NEEDED TO BE FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON ANY APPOINTMENT IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE APPROVED.
SO IN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION AND AB, AN ABSTENTION OR A VOTE AGAINST MADE THE SAME EFFECT.
IT MADE ONE LESS VOTE AND APPROVAL.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF MY ABSTENTION WAS TO, TO NOT, UH, VOTE AGAINST ANY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL PERSON, BUT TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, IN, IN MY READING OF THE LAW, WE WERE NOT FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND ENSURING THAT WE WERE MEETING, UH, THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT.
WHETHER I HAD VOTED AGAINST OR VOTED IN ABSTENTION, IT STILL SERVED THE SAME PURPOSE OF MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS ONE LESS VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE PROCESS.
SO I HOPE THAT HELPS EXPLAIN WHY THAT HAPPENED, UH, BECAUSE, UH, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THAT.
OTHERWISE, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS, HAS A GOOD WEEK.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE MY, UH, MY WIFE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY IN A FEW MINUTES AFTER, UH, YOU KNOW, 13 HOURS IN BEL AIR
AND, UM, AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD NIGHT.
[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
ITEM NUMBER 15, BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT.AS MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, ATTEND MEETINGS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY EVERY DAY.
UH, BUT I HAD THE GREAT HONOR TO STAND BESIDE SHERIFF GAYLOR, UH, THE OTHER NIGHT ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF HIS COMMAND STAFF, UH, DURING THE SUNSET SERVICE IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN DEPUTIES.
AND I, I JUST LOVE THE FACT THAT WE JUST NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES MADE AND, AND CONTINUE TO HONOR THEM.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB THE OTHER NIGHT.
SO THEY, THEY NEED TO BE COMMENDED FOR THAT.
SO, UM, AND THEN YESTERDAY, UH, WE HELD OUR, UH, ROUTE 40 REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE MEETING AT WATER'S EDGE.
IT WAS EXTREMELY WELL ATTENDED.
UH, WE HAD OVER 60, 65 IN-HOUSE OF STAKEHOLDERS AND, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS.
UH, WE HAD, UM, COUNTY EXECUTIVE WAS THERE WITH MEMBERS OR DIRECTORS THERE AS, UH, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, DIRECTOR OF D P W, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION AND TALK ABOUT HIS DESIRE TO BRING RESULTS TO THE RALPH 40 CORRIDOR.
UH, AND WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING, UH, IS TO TAKE HIS TASK FORCE THAT HE'S PUT TOGETHER NOW AND TRYING TO BUILD ON AND THEN, UH, MERGE IT WITH THE RALPH 40, UH, REVITALATION COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN BRING RESULTS TO THAT AREA.
UM, WE ALSO HAD, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE WAS THERE, UM, COUNCILMAN BENNETTS, UH, HEATHER, HIS AIDE WAS THERE.
UM, WE HAD, UH, COPPER MINE, THE OWNER THERE COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE HE WAS AT AS FAR AS THE BALL FIELDS, UM, IN EDGEWOOD.
AND, UM, WE HAD HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE THERE, HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE MEETING.
AND AS I ALWAYS SAY, THIS GROUP DOES NOT HAVE A SEVERAL BULLET, BUT WHAT IT HAS IS THE ABILITY TO BRING ALL OF THE PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER SO THEY CAN SHARE THEIR SUCCESS STORIES WITH ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD ON IT.
SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE NEXT ONE WILL BE, UH, BUT I WOULD SAY WITHIN PROBABLY THE NEXT SIX MONTHS WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
UH, AND THAT ONE WILL PROBABLY BE LED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.