[PUBLIC HEARING 6:45 PM a. Bill 23-037 (Habitat Protection Areas-Zoning Chapter 267-63.9)]
[00:00:03]
GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS.THE ORDER PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 23 DASH 0 37, HABITAT PROTECTION AREA ZONING CHAPTER 2 67 DASH 63.9.
UM, MR. RICHARDSON, MR. DE BOIS, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. COUNSEL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
I WANNA SAY RICHARDSON JUNIOR HERE ON BEHALF OF THE, UM, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE WITH, UM, AFTER THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
JUST BRIEFLY, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, WE'RE HERE FOR THE BILL.
UM, JUST A, A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE FOR YOU AS TO THE REASON WE'RE BRINGING THIS FOR YOU TONIGHT.
NORMALLY, UM, WE WOULD HAVE OUR, WE WOULD HAVE OUR EXPERTS HERE, UM, BUT MATT AND, UM, ALEX, ALEX ARE UN UNFORTUNATELY, THEY, THEY'RE ALSO SITTING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH SITS ON NINE 12.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE SECOND STRING.
WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, IF WE'RE UNABLE TO, WE CAN GET THOSE GENTLEMEN AND GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR.
SO WE'LL JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF SUMMARY OR THE HISTORY OF THE CRITICAL AREA PROGRAM.
SO, THE HARPER COUNTY CRITICAL AREA PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY INITIATIVES ENACTED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND, IN PARTICULAR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY CRITICAL AREA ACT OF 1984 AS AMENDED AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA, UH, CRITICAL AREA PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 1986.
SO, ORIGINALLY, OUR LOCAL PROGRAM WAS APPROVED IN JUNE OF 1988, AND THEN THE COUNTY DID COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES IN 1996, 2002, 2011, AND 2022.
SO THAT LAST UPDATE IN 2022 BECAME EFFECTIVE IN AUGUST, UH, 22ND, 22.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE STATE, UM, UPDATED THE HARTFORD COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY IN THAT SAME MONTH, UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER THE UPDATE.
SO THEY GAVE US ADDITIONAL TIME TO GO AHEAD AND UPDATE OUR OWN PROGRAM IN RESPONSE TO THAT AND OUR MAPS.
SO HERE WE ARE BRINGING FORTH THIS LEGISLATION IN RESPONSE TO THE STATE'S REQUEST TO, UM, UPDATE OUR MAPS AND OUR CODE.
MR. MR. RICHARDSON, YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, UH, MR. PRESIDENT? NO, JUST, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, UM, UNDER TITLE 27 OF COMAR, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO ADOPT WHAT THE STATE HAS DIRECTED INTO.
AND MR. WA, IF I RECALL, YOU SAID THERE WERE VERY MINOR CHANGES TO THE MAPS, RIGHT? WELL, RIGHT.
THERE WERE MINOR CHANGES TO THE MAPS, BUT ALL OF THOSE CHANGES WERE IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO WHAT THE STATE HAD MANDATED US TO CHANGE.
ANYONE FOR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, MS. DIXON, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT AT, AT ANOTHER MEETING.
AND THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A RECESS UNTIL 7 33.
[1. CALL TO ORDER ]
CALLS THE ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 24 DASH 0 0 3.UH, PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE AND THE PRAYER AFTER, BY COUNCILMAN JAN ANO, I PLEDGE DUE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ON ALL NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
GRACIOUS AND ALMIGHTY CREATOR, AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS COUNCIL, WE SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE AND WISDOM.
GRANT US THE PATIENCE TO LISTEN ATTENTIVELY, THE COURAGE TO SPEAK WITH HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, AND HUMILITY TO CONSIDER DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.
GUIDE US IN OUR PURSUIT OF THE COMMON GOOD, AND INSPIRE US TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE WATCH OVER HARTFORD COUNTY AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE OFFER THIS PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY, AND WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
AGENDA NUMBER FOUR, PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS.
UH, DUE TO NOTE, DUE TO THE SNOW AND IN CLIMATE, WEATHER, UH, BOTH OF THESE PRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED AND BE REAL, WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR THE FUTURE.
[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS ]
FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS, AND NOMINATIONS, EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS, COMMISSIONS ON DISABILITIES.[00:05:01]
MR. GUTHRIE, MR. PRESIDENT, I, UH, APPOINT, UH, MONICA, ERIC TO THE EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT TO COMMISSIONER ON DISABILITIES.THE, UH, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, I BELIEVE THAT'S A MOTION.
MOTION TO, TO APPROVE, APPROVE, APPROVE APPOINTMENT.
MR. JAN ANO, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF MONET ECK.
I BELIEVE IT IS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT, AYE, BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE, THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED.
MR. ANA, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENTS OF CYNTHIA BARBIE, JANET EMBRY, AARON FULFORD, BARBARA KETCHUM, TAINA LVO.
RICHARD MORGAN, SUSAN NICOLE, SUSAN S SNEDDEN, JANE KNAPP, AND THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF PAUL.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECONDED TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE CULTURAL ARTS ADVISORY BOARD.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES, AFFIRMATIVE.
THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S IN THE AUDIENCE OR NOT.
IF THEY ARE, PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ]
SIX, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD ANNUAL UPDATE, MR. LABECK, MR. RON OR RYAN, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, AS YOU PUT IT, ITCHING UP YOUR SNOW DOGS AND SLED DOGS AND COMING OUT TONIGHT.
YOU TELL HIM EVERYTHING I'VE, YES, SIR.
THE, UH, POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE NOW FOR JUST OVER A YEAR AND A HALF.
UH, WE STARTED JULY, UH, 22 IN ABERDEEN WITH OUR FIRST MEETING.
AND THAT MEETING, I, I MADE THE COMMENT BECAUSE REALLY NOBODY HAD GIVEN US MUCH DIRECTION ABOUT WHAT IT WAS, WHAT, WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.
AND I SAID, WE'RE KIND OF BUILDING THE AIRPLANE WHILE WE'RE FLYING IT.
AND TODAY THE AIRPLANE HASN'T CRASHED YET.
UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY, I THINK IN HARTFORD COUNTY FUNCTIONING PRETTY WELL, PRETTY EFFECTIVELY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD DOES AS IT TURNS OUT, AND I WAS TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THAT.
WHEN, WHEN I ACCEPTED THE APPOINTMENT, I DID THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD APPOINTS, UH, TWO MEMBERS TO THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE AGENCY THAT REVIEWS AND MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT, UH, POLICE WRONGDOING, ALLEGED WRONGDOING.
AND THEN THE THIRD MEMBER, UH, FROM THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD IS THE CHAIR THEMSELVES, OR THE CHAIR'S DESIGNEE.
AND I WOULD OF COURSE NOT, UH, LET SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS OF THE CHARGING COMMITTEE ARE APPOINTED BY THE EXECUTIVE.
UM, THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD HAS MET, UH, QUARTERLY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN MEETING AT THE, UH, AMOS CENTER, UH, BEING A KNOWN FACILITY AND, AND CONVENIENT TO MOST PEOPLE.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETINGS IS TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT CONCERNS, UH, ISSUES THAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE ABOUT POLICING GENERALLY IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD ACTUALLY PRETTY MINIMAL, I WOULD SAY, PUBLIC, UH, COMMENTS, PUBLIC ATTENDANCE.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTENDED, UH, WHO ARE, HAVE INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT NOT REALLY FROM THE PUBLIC VIEWPOINT.
ALL OF THE POLICE AGENCIES ATTEND THESE MEETINGS.
UH, THE, THE, UH, THE FOUR THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS.
[00:10:01]
AND INTERESTINGLY, WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST CAME TOGETHER, WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD ALL OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HARTFORD COUNTY, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE STATE POLICE.AND WE DON'T BECAUSE THE LEGISLATION'S VERY CLEAR THAT ALL THE STATE AGENCIES, UH, STATE POLICING AGENCIES ARE UNDER THE STATE PAB AND THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE.
UM, SO WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AB AND TY GRACE AND BEL AIR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UH, DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD GENERALLY, UH, ABOUT POLICING IN HARFORD COUNTY, UH, GO TOWARDS THE, THE PURPOSE AND THE IDEA OF THE, OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AS WE REVIEW THE LEGISLATION.
AND, AND AMONG OUR DISCUSSION AMONG OURSELVES IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENHANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HARFORD COUNTY? UM, AND I STARTED OFF A YEAR AND A HALF AGO MAKING THE COMMENT THAT IN, IN, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, AND, AND OBSERVING IT FOR HOW MANY YEARS, LONG TIME, HARTFORD COUNTY IS VERY, I THINK, FORTUNATE TO HAVE EXCELLENT LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, CERTAINLY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, THE MUNICIPALITIES.
WE HAVE VERY EXCELLENT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HARFORD COUNTY.
WE'VE HAD, INTERESTINGLY, VIRTUALLY NO PUBLIC, UH, CONCERNS EXPRESSED IN ANY OF THESE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.
UM, SOME PEOPLE HAD SOME QUESTIONS PERHAPS ABOUT METHODOLOGY, MAINLY WHAT WE WERE DOING, THAT TYPE OF THING.
BUT VERY LITTLE, UH, NO COMMENTS, UH, COMPLAINTS AS IT WERE ABOUT, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES IN HARVARD COUNTY.
UM, UNDER THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, THE A CC HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING SINCE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, UH, MEMBERS UNDERTOOK THEIR 40 HOURS TRAINING THE END OF NOVEMBER, 1ST OF DECEMBER LAST YEAR.
UM, AND BEGAN FUNCTIONING THE FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE HAD, SEE WE, BECAUSE I'M ON THAT CHARGING COMMITTEE, WE HAVE HANDLED 38, I BELIEVE CASES, 35 CASES, UH, IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
AND IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT OF THE CASES WE'VE HANDLED BETTER THAN 50% OF THEM WE'VE RETURNED AS UNFOUNDED.
UM, WHICH MEANS WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE NO, UH, EVIDENCE, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING ON THE PART OF WHATEVER AGENCY OFFICER.
IT WAS WHATEVER POLICE OFFICER IT WAS.
UM, THE TYPES OF CASES THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, UM, MOSTLY INVOLVE WITH, I HATE TO USE THE WORD MINOR OFFENSES 'CAUSE THERE'S NO SUCH THING WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A POLICE OFFICER, BUT THEY'RE NOT OFFENSES THAT WOULD CAUSE ONE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE WELLBEING OF THE CITIZENS OF THE JURISDICTION.
UM, A POLICE OFFICER, UH, SOME OF THEM DEAL WITH, UH, DISCOURTEOUS, UH, POLICE OFFICER PERHAPS, UH, MAKING A COMMENT THAT'S IMPROPER.
OR, UH, A LOT OF THEM, A NUMBER OF THEM ARE, UH, BODY CAMERA VIOLATIONS.
OFFICER FORGETS TO TURN ON THE BODY CAMERA WHEN THEY MAKE A STOP.
THOSE COMPLAINTS, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, AREN'T COMING FROM CITIZENS.
THEY'RE COMING FROM THE AGENCIES.
AND PROBABLY OF THE 30 SOME CASES WE'VE HAD, THE BULK OF THEM HAVE COME FROM THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES, NOT FROM CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A, A VERY COMPELLING STATISTIC.
UH, WE HAVE HAD, UM, LEMME MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT.
WE'VE HAD FIVE CASES, FOUR CASES THAT RESULTED IN THE AGENCY RECOMMENDATION BEING TERMINATION.
AND THE CHARGER COMMITTEE BASICALLY AGREED WITH THOSE DETERMINATIONS.
TWO OF THOSE, THE OFFICER HAD RE HAD RESIGNED BEFORE WE EVER GOT THE CASE.
THE OTHER TWO, UH, RESULTED IN THE OFFICERS ELECTING TO HAVE, WHICH THEY STILL HAVE UNDER THE STATE STATUTE TRIAL BOARDS.
UH, ONE OF THOSE IS STILL PENDING ACTUALLY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND THE OTHER ONE,
[00:15:01]
AND THE ATTORNEY FOR THE OFFICER HAVING A PLEA AGREEMENT, WHICH THEY SUBMITTED TO THE TRIAL BOARD JUDGE.AND THE REASON I'M LOOKING AT COUNSEL, KIND OF FUNNY AT THAT, THERE'S NO PROVISION ANYWHERE IN THE STATUTE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND WE THINK PERHAPS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, BUT WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO, TO REALLY CHALLENGE THAT TO MAKE ANY, ANY TO DO ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE'VE HAD ONE CHANGE ON THE BOARD.
UM, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, UH, MOVED TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AND RESIGNED AND, AND YOU GRACIOUSLY APPOINTED THIS YOUNG MAN TO MY RIGHT TO, TO JOIN US.
AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE JOE WITH US.
UM, A GREAT ADDITION TO, TO OUR, OUR BOARD OPEN FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, WHATEVER.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE SHERIFF GAYLER IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US THIS EVENING, AND I AM GONNA OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR HIM IF HE HAS ANYTHING THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO ADD, BUT JUST FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE, LISTEN, IF YOU COULD BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED AGAIN, THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD IS WITH US BECAUSE WE NO LONGER HAVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT BILL OF RIGHTS.
THE STATE OF MARYLAND DECIDED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, AND I PROMISED MY WIFE NOT TO BE SNARKY TONIGHT.
THE STATE OF MARYLAND DECIDED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS THAT THE LONG EXISTING, UH, METHODOLOGY FOR DEALING WITH POLICE WRONGDOING WAS NOT SUFFICIENT.
AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD ABOLISH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S BILL OF RIGHTS, WHICH HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 50 YEARS.
THEREABOUT, UH, AND ESTABLISHED A TWOFOLD PROCESS.
SO POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AND THE CHARGING COMMITTEES, AND THAT THOSE TWO VEHICLES WOULD THEN BE THE METHODOLOGY BY WHICH THE STATE WOULD DEAL WITH POLICE WRONGDOING IN THE VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS.
AND AS OFTEN AS THE CASE, UH, THE STATE PASSED THE LEGISLATION WITH MANDATES, BUT WITH NO FISCAL, UH, ATTACHMENTS.
UH, SO THEY BASICALLY LEFT IT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES TO ESTABLISH THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARDS, UH, HOWEVER THEY WISHED AND THE COUNT AND THE, UH, CHARGING COMMITTEES HOWEVER THEY WISHED.
UM, SOME COUNTIES HAVE, WE HAVE FIVE AND FIVE ON OUR, OUR BOARD ON OUR CHARGING COMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK A COUPLE HAVE THREE ON THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD.
UM, THE, I MADE THE STATEMENT EARLY ON THAT, THAT WE FELT, I FELT, AND, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE ON THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AGREE WITH ME, THAT WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH EXCELLENT POLICE ACCOUNT, POLICE, UH, UH, ACTIVITIES IN HARTFORD COUNTY, UH, ON THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN THREE MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, WE HAD A MEETING IN, UH, OCTOBER, UH, WITH, IN ANNAPOLIS
AND WE HAD PROBABLY HALF OF THE COUNTIES REPRESENTED.
AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE ACROSS THAT MEETING WHAT WAS GOING ON.
WE, WE, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, HAD HAD 25, I THINK CASES BEFORE US, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY HAD HAD TWO.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, WHICH HAS MULTI SEVEN FIGURE BUDGET, HAS NOT ONLY 15 OR SO PEOPLE ON THE CHARGING COMMITTEE.
THEY HAVE TWO INVESTIGATORS THAT WORK FOR THE CHARGING COMMITTEE.
AND THEY GO BACK BEHIND THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION AND CONDUCT THEIR OWN INTEGRITY INVESTIGATIONS.
AND THEY HAVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS IS OCTOBER, THEY HAVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THAT TIME ABOUT 3,200 CASES IN THE PIPELINE.
AND MIDWAY THROUGH IT, HE TURNED TO ME AND HE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE.
THAT MEANS I HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF THE STATE POLICE AGENCIES.
[00:20:02]
AND THEY HAVE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF CASES PENDING.SO WE ARE FORTUNATE WHEN I 35, TO ME SEEMS LIKE A, A BIG NUMBER.
IT'S LESS WHEN YOU FEEL HOW MANY ARE NOT EVEN FOUNDED TO BEGIN WITH.
BUT, UH, HARFORD COUNTY IS DEALING WITH THE PROCESS, I THINK, IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
I THINK MEMBERS OF THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD ARE VERY DEDICATED AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARGING COMMITTEE WHO ARE, I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF IT, BUT IF WE HAVE A CASE FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, LET'S SAY, THAT HAS THREE OFFICERS INVOLVED, THERE'D BE THREE BODY CAMERAS.
THERE MAY BE, THEY HAVE A DOZEN WITNESSES.
THOSE CASES TO REVIEW THEM TAKE HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF TIME THAT CHARGE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE SPENDING ABOUT 20 TO 25 HOURS A WEEK REVIEWING THESE THINGS.
THAT'S STARTING LAST JANUARY THROUGH CURRENT TIME.
UM, THE LEGISLATION, I DON'T THINK IS ACCOMPLISHING WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WOULD INITIALLY.
UH, ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT I THINK WE GET FROM THE, FROM THE POLICE AGENCIES IS THE PROCESS NOW HAS BECOME SO CUMBERSOME THAT ISSUES THAT THEY WOULD DEAL WITH INTERNALLY ARE NOW TAKING MONTHS TO RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE INVESTIGATION THAT HAS TO GO ON.
AND HAVING THE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF THAT INVESTIGATION AND THINGS THEY MIGHT HAVE DEALT WITH, UH, THE CHIEF AND THE OFFICER ONE-TO-ONE, GEORGE, YOU SCREWED UP.
I'M GONNA CORRECT WHATEVER I DID.
AND WHILE THAT INVESTIGATION IS GOING ON, THE OFFICER IS BASICALLY IN LIMBO.
IF THEY ARE A SPECIALIZED TRAINING OFFICER, THEY CAN'T DO THAT.
THEY CAN'T DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT BE NEED TO BE DOING IF THEY WEREN'T PENDING THIS INVESTIGATION.
SO WE SEE SOME, THE BURDENS THERE.
UH, THE LEGISLATION HAD A LOT OF, UH, TIMING ISSUES THAT WERE TOTALLY UNREASONABLE.
AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT IN OUR, OUR ROUND ROBIN IN OCTOBER.
THERE'S AN EFFORT BEING MADE TO TRY TO CORRECT THOSE.
NOT GONNA HAPPEN THIS SESSION BECAUSE APPARENTLY ALL THE, UH, THE FISCAL THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN ANNAPOLIS NOW, EVERYTHING ELSE KIND OF GET PUSHED TO THE SIDE THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT THERE'S SOME TIMING THINGS THAT ARE IN THE LEGISLATION THAT ARE JUST TOTALLY NOT PRACTICAL AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH THAT AS, AS TIME PROGRESSES.
MR. RYAN, YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD REAL QUICK? UH, NO, SIR.
UM, BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, SHERIFF, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD WHILE YOU'RE HERE? DO YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK BACK HERE? WHAT? COME UP FRONT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE.
THAT YOUNG MAN JUST GAVE IT UP.
UM, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU.
I DOUBT IN MANY, UH, JURISDICTIONS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE COUNTY OR THE SHERIFF SITTING NEXT TO THE CHAIR OF THE PAB COMPLIMENTING ONE ANOTHER.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I DO THINK, UH, ALTHOUGH THE LEGISLATION THAT FORMED THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, AS YOU HEARD FROM, UH, MR. LAMBE, UH, IS VERY FLAWED AND, UH, IS PROVING TO BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S BILL OF RIGHTS EVER WAS AS FAR AS TRYING TO HOLD POLICE OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE, UH, IN TODAY'S WORLD.
AND THEN, AS YOU HEARD FROM MR. LAMBE, IN MANY JURISDICTIONS, THESE CASES ARE BACKED UP AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA MEET THE TIMELINES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED IN LEGISLATION.
UM, I SEE MANY OF THESE, I I PREDICT THIS IS ALL GONNA END UP IN THE COURTS.
NONE OF THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, VETTED THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
UH, AND YOU MAY SEE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THIS COUN ACROSS THIS STATE, UM, CLEARED FROM ANY KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, BY THIS PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A SERIOUSLY FLAWED, UH, PRO PROSPECT, UH, PROJECT THAT THEY CAME UP WITH, IDEA CONCEPT THAT THEY CAME UP WITH IN ANNAPOLIS WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
AND MR. LABECK GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF, UM, FLYING THE, BUILDING THE PLANE AS YOU'RE FLYING IT.
UM, I, I WOULD SAY THEY GAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, THE PILOT'S CHAIR
[00:25:01]
AND NOT EVEN AN ENGINE, UM, TO, TO GET UP IN THE AIR WITH, UH, WE HAVE MADE A WORKABLE SYSTEM HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.AND THAT'S DUE TO THE QUALITY OF, UH, MR. LABECK AS THE CHAIR OF THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, UH, AND THE MEMBERS ON THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD.
AND MR. RYAN IS A GREAT ADDITION TO THAT.
AND THE MEMBERS, UH, DR. KIRKLAND AND THE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, UH, AGAIN, UH, THE FRUSTRATION COMES IN.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME, UH, POLICE OFFICERS, DEPUTIES, POLICE OFFICERS IN THE COUNTY WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESCAPE ACCOUNTABILITY, IF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, UH, THE PROCESS UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM WHERE WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT MAJORITY OR MINOR, UH, VIOLATIONS OF POLICY OR MINOR MISCONDUCT, UM, WHO COMPLETELY ESCAPED ANY KIND OF, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE OF THE NEW PROCESS.
SO WE ARE WORKING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
UH, AS WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTED, I HAVE GREAT CONCERNS.
ANYTIME THE, THE ANNAPOLIS OPENS A DOOR TO FIX SOMETHING, THEY BREAK IT WORSE.
UM, AND THIS HASN'T EVEN STARTED, UH, OPERATING.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE EARLY ON IN THIS.
UM, WE ARE FINDING WAYS TO MAKE IT WORK, UH, HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE OPEN DOOR, I THINK THE COMMUNICATIONS, THE QUALITY OF THE OFFICERS AND THE DEPUTIES THAT WE HIRE HERE, UH, ARE, ARE BETTER.
UH, DON'T WANT TO DEMEAN ANY OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BUT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB WITH THAT AS THE, AS DO THE MUNICIPALITIES HERE.
SO, UM, THANKFULLY WE DON'T HAVE HAVE A TON OF CASES, BUT JOHN GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF TWO IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
THAT'S A 33,000 MEMBER AGENCY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES.
THERE'S NO OTHER EXPLANATION OTHER THAN THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE NEW LAW, EVEN TRYING TO, HMM.
FOR US TO BE THE SIZE WE ARE, UH, WITH 300 LAW ENFORCEMENT, EACH TOWN RUNNING 30 TO 40 OFFICERS.
UM, AND WE'RE AT 35 CASES, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S AN EFFORT HERE AS THERE WAS BEFORE, UH, HOUSE BILL SIX 70, UH, THROUGH A WRENCH INTO DOORS,
AND MY FRUSTRATION COMES THROUGH.
MY WIFE DIDN'T MAKE ME COMMIT TO NOT BEING, UH, THAT THE LEGISLATION JUST DOESN'T WORK.
BUT AGAIN, DUE TO THE QUALITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PAB AND OUR A CC, AND, AND AGAIN, THE CHIEF'S WILLINGNESS, OUR WILLINGNESS TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO MAKE IT WORK, UM, WE ARE MAKING A BAD SYSTEM WORK.
BUT I DO THINK SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE GONNA END UP IN THE COURT SYSTEM.
AND AGAIN, MORE AND MORE POLICE OFFICERS AROUND THE STATE ARE NOT GONNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY NEED TO BE, WHICH IS WRONG.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE SEPARATED FOR, UM, SERIOUS MISCONDUCT WHEN IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE CITIZENS.
IT'S GONNA HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT OF WHAT THIS WHOLE LEGISLATION WAS MEANT TO BE.
WE'RE GONNA DO OUR BEST WITH IT HERE AND AGAIN, GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, APPOINTED, UM, HERE AND THAT WE WORK WITH.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK OUTSTANDING.
BUT I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ALONG WITH YEAH, JUST SIT TEXT IN THE MAIL.
MR. RYAN, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE, UH, MISSION, UH, AND WE'RE ABLE TO SALVAGE THAT, UH, TO A MANAGEABLE, UH, PROFICIENT, COMPETENT, UH, BOARD.
SO I JUST WANT TO JUST CONVEY MY APPRECIATION, UM, IF YOU CAN CONVEY THAT TO YOUR TEAM AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MR. ANYONE ELSE? MR. GUTHRIE? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THAT YOU HAD HARDLY ANY COMPLAINTS FROM ANY CITIZENS ABOUT THE CAMERAS, UH, THAT YOU HAD COMPLAINT FROM WHAT GROUP? WHAT, WHAT, UM, YOU SAID THE ONLY THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS YOU GOT FROM, FROM THE CAMERA SITUATION WAS FROM WHAT AREA, WHAT GROUP? THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES, UH, RIGHT.
THE AGENCIES ARE, ARE, WILL MAKE THOSE COMPLAINT.
THE AGENCY CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THEIR OFFICER AND BRING IT TO US.
BUT YOU HAVE VERY FEW FROM THE CITIZENS, RIGHT? NOT, NOT, NOT THAT CONGRESS.
WELL, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD WONDER THEN, MY QUESTION WOULD BE HOW WOULD THE CITIZEN KNOW WITH THOSE? THEY, MOST OF THE TIME THEY WOULD NOT.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE COMING FROM THE AGENCY THEMSELVES.
THE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS WE GET WOULD BE THINGS LIKE, UM, JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RESPONDS TO CHOPPA TOWN FOR AN EMERGENCY COMMITMENT ORDER.
THE SUBJECT DEMANDS TO SEE THE SUPERVISOR.
WELL, THE SERGEANT WHO HAPPENED TO BE THE SHIFT SUPERVISOR, WAS ON THE SCENE.
THAT INDIVIDUAL FILED A COMPLAINT.
THEY DIDN'T LET ME SEE THE SUPERVISOR.
THAT'S THE KIND OF COMPLAINT THAT MIGHT BE COMING FROM A CITIZEN
[00:30:01]
VERSUS FROM THE AGENCY ITSELF.IF, UH, IF THE SHERIFF'S, IF ONE OF THE SHERIFF'S SUPERVISORS SEES SOMEONE GOING SOMETHING IMPROPER DURING THEIR SHIFT, THEY CAN CHARGE THAT OFFICER AND THAT COMPLAINT WILL COME EVENTUALLY TO US.
WELL, THERE'S NO WAY FOR IF, IF, UH, IF, UM, AARON'S HERE ARRESTING SOMEBODY
HE, HE, WHETHER HE TURNS HIS CAMERA ON OR NOT, THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW.
YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYBE A SUGGESTION.
THERE OUGHT BE A LITTLE BLINKING LIGHT ON IT, AND THAT TELLS HIS CITIZEN THERE IS A, THERE IS A LIGHT.
WELL, I, I CAN TELL YOU, SPEAKING FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT STANCE, THE LAST THING I WANT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IS A LIGHT SHOWING MY LOCATION.
SO THE, THERE, THERE IS A LIGHT ON HIM, AND, AND IT TELLS THE OFFICER, UH, I, I CAN TELL YOU, UM, WE, WE LOOK AT IT AS A TRAINING ISSUE.
UH, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOW A YEAR AND A HALF INTO HAVING CAMERAS, UM, IN HIGH STRESS EVENTS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER TO HIT THE BUTTON.
UH, WE STILL HAVE NOTES ALL OVER OUR HEADQUARTERS IN THE PRECINCTS REMINDING OUR DEPUTIES, YOU KNOW, TURN IT ON, ACTIVATE IT WHEN YOU GO OUT, TURN IT OFF WHEN YOU GO INTO THE BATHROOM, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
UH, BUT THE BODY CAMERAS HAVE PROVEN THE, THE PROBLEM ISN'T THEM NOT ACTIVATING THEM.
THE, THE GREAT THING ABOUT 'EM IS THEY HAVE, UH, EXONERATED NOT JUST, UH, UNFOUNDED, BUT COMPLETELY EXONERATED ACCUSATIONS AGAINST OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BY SIMPLY PRESSING PLAY AND WATCHING WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
UM, AND AS, AS MR. LABECK WAS SAYING, UH, MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE INVESTI THAT WE HAVE INVESTIGATED, AND THEN THE CHARGING COMMITTEE GETS THOSE, UM, TO REVIEW ALONG WITH ALL THE CAMERA FOOTAGE, UM, JUST SHOW HOW NONSENSICAL SO MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE MEN AND WOMEN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE.
FIRST OFF, UM, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GOTTA REALIZE IN A HIGH STRESS SITUATION, THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IS PRESSING SOME BUTTON.
UM, SO SHERIFF, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOUR FOLKS DO.
AND JUDGE LAMBE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVERS ON THE BENCH AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY IS STILL AFTER THAT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, JUST A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATISTICAL INFORMATION IN THE SUMMARY REPORT.
UM, AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY OF THE 32 CASES FROM LAST YEAR OR FROM 20 23 0 WERE FILED AGAINST AN OFFICER FROM BEL AIR OR HAV GRACE? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, DO YOU HAVE, IS THAT JUST THAT THEY'RE DOING AN ESPECIALLY GOOD JOB THERE, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD CAUSE ZERO TO COME FROM BEL AIR AND HAV GRACE? NOT SOMEONE I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
IT, IT, THIS PROCESS IS SO CONFUSING THAT MANY CHIEFS, UM, PARTICULARLY IN SMALLER AGENCIES, DON'T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT HAS TO GO AND WHAT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO.
UM, AND WE WENT FROM HAVING ONE UNIFORM PROCESS ACROSS THE STATE IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S BILL OF RIGHTS, THAT EVERY POLICING AGENCY DID THE SAME.
160 SOME POLICING AGENCIES HAD TO DO THE SAME STEP AND PROCESSES, UM, TO 167 INDIVIDUAL PROCESSES.
SO I, I CAN TELL YOU AT ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE CHIEFS, AND I WON'T SAY WHICH ONE, UM, AT THE LAST PAB POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD MEETING, UM, HAD SPOKE ABOUT THAT, UM, THESE CERTAIN CASES DIDN'T NEED TO GO TO THE CHARGING COMMITTEE.
THE LAW SAYS ANYTIME THERE'S POLICE DISCIPLINE, THE CHARGING COMMITTEE HAS TO SEE IT, AND IT HAS TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE MATRIX.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE IT STARTS, WHETHER IT INVOLVES A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS, AND HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY TOO, WE HAVE AN ESTABLISHED UNIFORMITY ACROSS THE FOUR POLICING AGENCIES.
AND THERE'S CERTAINLY NOT UNIFORMITY ACROSS THE 160 SOME IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
ONE OTHER STATISTICAL QUESTION AND THEN A PROCEDURAL QUESTION.
'CAUSE I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW ALL THIS WORKS.
IT'S SO NEW, UM, IN THE, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THREE CATEGORIES FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF A CASE.
UH, EITHER THEY WERE ADMINISTRATIVELY CHARGED, THEY WERE NOT CHARGED, OR THEY, IT WAS UNFOUNDED.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOT CHARGED AND UNFOUNDED
AGAIN, WE, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW BECAUSE THERE IS NO DEFINITION IN THE STATUTE TELLING US WHAT THAT SHOULD BE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT, THAT THE AGENCIES HAVE IS DO I CHARGE THIS OFFICER WITH THIS OR NOT? I CAN'T GIVE YOU A GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT.
AND WE ARE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT FINDINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH WHEN WE DO THE INVESTIGATION.
[00:35:01]
AND THESE EXIST FROM THE PREVIOUS, WHICH ARE GONNA BE UNFOUNDED.UM, WHAT WAS ACCUSED SIMPLY WAS DISPROVEN BY BODY CAMERA, BUT IRREFUTABLE DID NOT HAPPEN.
NON-SUSTAINED MEANING THERE WAS MORE EVIDENCE THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAN IT DID, AND THE OFFICER'S NOT GOING TO BE FACING ANY, UH, SANCTION.
BUT NON-SUSTAINED DOESN'T MEAN IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
IT JUST WASN'T ENOUGH TO PROVE THAT THE OFFICER DID ANY WRONG TO REACH THE LEVEL OF THE WRONGDOING THAT REQUIRES PUNISHMENT.
MEANING WE FOUND ENOUGH EVIDENCE IN ORDER TO GO TO THE NEXT STEP AND IMPOSE SOME SORT OF DISCIPLINE.
WHEN IT GETS TO THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, THEN UNDER THE THREE THINGS YOU HAVE IS, UM, NOT CHARGED.
AND I COULD SEE THAT AS BEING SOMETHING LIKE NOT ACTIVATING THE BODY CAMERA AND THE CHARGING COMMITTEE SAYING, DISCIPLINE ISN'T APPROPRIATE HERE.
HOWEVER, WE WOULD ASK FOR SOME RETRAINING.
THAT, THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER TO MY QUESTION.
AND JUST THE LAST QUESTION, PROCEDURALLY, IF A CITIZEN WANTED TO FILE A CASE, IS IT ONE UNIFORM PLACE THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT? LIKE ONE WEBSITE OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT LINK FOR DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY? HOW DOES THAT WORK? WEBSITE, IT WOULD BE THE COUNTY WEBSITE, OR A CITIZEN CAN FILE DIRECTLY WITH THE AGENCY.
THEY CAN GO TO
I FAILED TO SAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS JOE.
AND ALSO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SERVICE FOR THE STATE AND ALSO THE COUNTY.
AND NOW AGAIN, ANOTHER VOLUNTEER OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND JOE, WE THANK YOU FOR HIS SERVICE.
I I I, SINCE THE SHERIFF'S HERE, THIS IS NOT, NOT BECAUSE HE'S HERE, UH, IT'S INTERESTING THAT, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, UH, WHEN A, WHEN AN AGENCY SUBMITS A CASE TO US, THEY ARE ABLE TO SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISPOSITION, FOR PUNISHMENT.
AND THE AGENCY, UH, PUNISHMENT RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE IGNORED BY THE A, CC, UH, OR THEY CAN IMPOSED WHATEVER THEY FEEL IS APPROPRIATE.
WE ALL OPERATE UNDER THIS STATUTE.
THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE PUNISHMENT MATRIX.
HISTORICALLY, IF THE SHERIFF HAD A, AARON CAME IN AND DID SOMETHING STUPID, AND THE SHERIFF BRINGS HIM IN AND SAYS, AARON, THIS STUPID THING, AND, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT.
AND YADA Y UNDER THIS NEW STATUTE, EVERYTHING HAS, EVERY INFRACTION HAS A SPECIFIC PENALTY THAT GOES WITH IT.
AND WE ARE MANDATED TO FOLLOW THAT MATRIX.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, THIS IS A ONCE IN A CAREER THING AND, YOU KNOW, GO FORTH AND SEND NO MORE.
TAKING AWAY THE AGENCY'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN INFRACTIONS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBLEMATIC WITH ALL THE AGENCIES NOW IN THE STATE DEALING WITH THAT.
UNLESS THE CHARGING COMMITTEE DECIDED YES.
NOT CHARGE, WHICH IF THEY DO CHARGE, THEN THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE STATEWIDE MATRIX, UM, SUPPOSEDLY FOR UNIFORM.
WE'VE HAD NOT TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICS, BECAUSE I CAN'T DO THAT.
ONE CASE WHERE THE INFRACTION, THE MATRIX REQUIRED BASED ON THE INFRACTION REQUIRED TERMINATION.
THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WERE HAVING GUT WRENCHING ISSUES ABOUT NOT DOING THAT BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
WITH THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN RECOMMEND TERMINATION.
THAT WAS NOT ONE OF OUR CASES.
THAT WAS NOT ONE OF OUR CASES.
THANKS, UH, SHERIFF, THANKS JOE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
SO GOING BACK TO THAT SCENARIO, UM, AND YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE MATRIX, DO THEY GET LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND DO THEY GET TO DISPUTE THAT? YES.
THEY STILL HAVE THE RIGHT, UNDER THE NEW STATUTE, THEY STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE THE TRIAL BOARD.
IF THEY DISAGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, SENDS IT BACK TO THE AGENCY WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION, THE AGENCY CAN INCREASE, BUT NOT DECREASE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CHARGING COMMITTEE.
SO IF WE RECOMMEND TERMINATION, NOTHING THEY CAN DO WITH IT.
[00:40:01]
THAT CAN BE THE OFFICER.CAN'T THAT BE OVERTHROWN THOUGH? IF IT GOES BACK TO THE OFFICER COULD ASK FOR TRIAL BOARD, WHICH THEY'VE DONE, AND TRIAL BOARD MAY DETERMINE, YEAH.
WE HAVE YET TO HAVE A TRIAL BOARD HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE, HAVE THEY HAD ANY IN THE STATE? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
WE'VE GOT ONE PENDING NOW AT THE END OF THIS MONTH IN AGGREGATE THAT'S BEEN POSTPONED.
SO IT'S BEEN POSTPONED FOUR TIMES.
WHY WOULD I THINK IT'S GONNA GO FORWARD? SORRY.
I'M GETTING SNARKY,
THE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS HE SAID THAT THE PROCESS IS VERY SPECIFIC IN THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATES OUR FINDINGS, GO TO THE CHARGING COMMITTEE.
THE CHARGING COMMITTEE REFUSE.
IF THEY FIND, THEN THEY, THEY CAN IMPOSE PUNISHMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MATRIX.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE TRIAL BOARD.
AND THEN IF, IF YOU, IF THE OFFICER'S FOUND GUILTY OF THE TRIAL BOARD, THEY CAN OF COURSE, AND THEY WANNA APPEAL IT.
THEY CAN APPEAL IT TO CIRCUIT COURT.
IS THERE ANY PROVISION FOR, UM, THE NEGOTIATION? AS YOU GAVE AN EXAMPLE? IN ONE CASE, THAT WAS DONE, AND THAT WAS NOT WITH OUR AGENCY.
UM, THAT IS NOT PROVIDED FOR IN LAW.
UH, IT WAS IN THE OLD PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, I THINK MANY OF THESE THINGS, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THEM WORK, MAKE AN UNWORKABLE SYSTEM WORK, AND THEY'RE GONNA FIND THESE THINGS IN COURT AND BE ON THE, THE JURISDICTIONS, I FEEL WILL BE ON THE LOSING END OF THESE THINGS, UM, WITH OFFICERS WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOMETHING WINNING.
UH, BASED ON HOW BAD THE LEGISLATION IS.
SHERIFF, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU HAD TO TERMINATE SOMEBODY BECAUSE OF THE MATRIX AND ALL THAT, CAN YOU HIRE 'EM BACK? NO.
CAN WE HIRE 'EM? WELL, I WOULDN'T HIRE 'EM BACK.
WELL, BUT IF, BUT IF THAT, IF WHAT HE WAS SAYING BEFORE THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THE MATRIX AND EVERYTHING, AND, AND SOMEBODY WAS TERMINATED BECAUSE OF THAT, BUT THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS REALLY, HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TERMINATED, BUT HE'S GOTTA BE TERMINATED.
DOES THAT PRECLUDE THEM FROM BEING HIRED BACK SOMEWHERE ELSE? YEAH, IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
BUT THIS, THIS SHOULD HAVE EXISTED.
THIS EXISTED BEFORE HOUSE BILL, UH, SIX 70 IN THAT THE COMMISSION HAS TO CERTIFY A POLICE OFFICER, A CORRECTIONAL DEPUTY IN THE STATE, UM, SO THAT THE COMMISSION, UH, IF, IF YOU GOT TERMINATED FROM ONE AGENCY, UM, YOU WOULD'VE HAD TO GO TO THE COMMISSION AND ASK FOR A WAIVER IN ORDER FOR ANOTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HIRE THAT PERSON.
UM, WHAT, WHAT I BELIEVE THIS LEGISLATION HAS DONE, AND WE'VE SEEN IT AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, IS ALLOWED PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEY'RE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE FOR SOMETHING TO LEAVE, UM, ONCE THEY LEAVE, THEY ARE NO UNDER NO LONGER RESIGN.
THEY'RE NO LONGER UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE PAB, THE A CC OR THE AGENCY, AND THEY CAN GET PICKED UP SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THAT INVESTIGATION JUST SITS THERE IN LIMBO BECAUSE THESE THINGS, WHATEVER THE NUMBER WAS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY AND BALTIMORE HAS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF CASES WAITING.
UM, THESE OFFICERS ARE JUST TRYING TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BEFORE THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY COMES DOWN.
SO WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO PREVENT, I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY AGGRAVATED, WHICH IS BAD COPS MOVING FROM ONE AGENCY TO ANOTHER.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU SEARCH IF THERE'S AN EXISTING CASE? SO IF LIKE YOU WENT TO GO HIRE SOMEBODY, THEY LEFT PG COUNTY CAME UP HERE, DO YOU SEARCH AND ARE THEY, AND YOU CAN FIND IF THERE'S A PENDING CASE, CORRECT.
WE JUST REPOSTED AGAIN FOR LATERALS.
UM, AND SO IF WE HAVE PEOPLE APPLY, UM, AND IN FACT WE HAD SIX APPLY OVERNIGHT.
WE SOON TO BE OPENED IT YESTERDAY.
UM, THEY'RE ALL FROM BALTIMORE CITY.
SO PART OF THAT PROCESS WOULD BE GOING DOWN AND LOOKING AT THEIR INTERNAL AFFAIRS FILE.
UM, I CAN'T, I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN PROMISE YOU BECAUSE OF HOW COMPETITIVE IT IS NOW FOR MEN AND WOMEN, UM, SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS NOT CHANGED OUR HIRING STANDARDS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME POLICE OFFICERS BEING HIRED, UM, AROUND THE STATE TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE NO BUSINESS IN THIS PROFESSION.
UM, I WANNA ECHO MY, UH, COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS.
UH, THEIR APPRECIATION FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
WHEN THIS CAME TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL, WHEN THE, WHEN THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD CAME TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, MR. CURRY AND I HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS, AND WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE STEPPED UP TO SERVE ON THAT BOARD.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, NOW DO YOU HAVE THE TOOLS THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL CAN ADVOCATE FOR, FOR THE PAB, NOT FOR THE PAB? WELL, WE, I I, I UNDERSTAND FROM CHARLIE ROBBINS OF COUNTY HAS ADVERTISED FOR AN ADMIN PERSON.
FOR BOTH THE PAB AND THE A CC.
UM, SO TO THIS POINT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OKAY? NOT REALLY.
THAT HASN'T, THE PERSON HASN'T BEEN HIRED.
AND ONCE, ONCE HIRED, THE QUESTION'S GONNA BE, IF THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, TO ACTUALLY DO THE JOB THAT WE NEED TO HAVE DONE MORE, MORE SO FOR THE CHARGING COMMITTEE THAN THE PAB.
AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY GENEROUS IN LENDING US, MS. HARRIS,
[00:45:01]
TO TAKE CARE OF THE PAB ADMIN DUTIES.UM, THE REPORTS THAT ARE DONE BY THE CHARGING COMMITTEE ARE VERY COMPLEX.
THEY'RE LENGTHY, THEY'RE COMPLEX, THEY'RE TECHNICAL, BUT THEY DON'T FALL UNDER THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
THEY DON'T FALL UNDER YOUR PURVIEW.
AND, AND SO WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION, YES, KB PROBABLY NOT READILY.
WELL, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR YOU IN, IN NEED FOR THE CHARGING COMMITTEE, UM, I WOULD SAY LET US KNOW.
UH, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE GREAT PARTNERS, UH, AND, AND TRY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS SYSTEM, ASSIST, UH, YOU IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
UM, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, SHERIFF, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
AND I, AND I WILL, JUST BEFORE I GET UP IN THE CHAIR, JUST ECHO AGAIN.
I, I THINK MR. LAMB, MS. KIRKLAND, UH, DR. KIRKLAND ON THE A CC, AND ALL OF OUR MEMBERS ARE, OUR PAB AND A CC ARE GREAT PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO DO A DIFFERENT JOB.
UM, REALLY AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
WHAT WAS GONNA BE ASKED OF THEM.
BUT THEY, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE MADE A PROCESS THAT IS WORKING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT EVER GOING TO WORK WITHOUT A LOT OF TWEAKING.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
[ 7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
SEVEN, APPROVAL OF MINUTES LEGISLATIVE DAY, 24 DASH ZERO ONE, JANUARY 2ND, 2024.ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS? THE MINUTES STAND APPROVED AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, NINE, AND 10.
WE HAVE NO BUSINESS THIS EVENING.
[11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS ]
CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS BILL, 23 DASH 34 DISTRIBUTION HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE AS AMENDED.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 3 4 AS AMENDED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 34 AS AMENDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. RILEY? YES.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UH, TO ECHO, UM, FOR DISTRICT D.
WE HAVE SOME CONSIDERATION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR BILL, AND WE WILL BE REVISITING IT IN THE FUTURE.
AND I APPRECIATE THOSE FOLKS THAT, UH, THAT MIGHT WANNA REVISIT IT.
UM, 25% FOR JUST DISTRICT A, UM, DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME, AND SO I WILL BE VOTING NO FOR THIS, BUT HOPEFULLY, UH, IN THE FUTURE WE CAN RECTIFY IT.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. GUTHRIE? WELL, THAT'S SURPRISING THAT HE, THAT HE, THAT HE'S COMPLAINING ABOUT DISTRICT A, UH, HIS COUNT, HIS DISTRICT DOESN'T RAISE A, A SINGLE PENNY BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY HOTELS, YOU KNOW, AND I SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT, BUT HE DON'T HAVE ANY HOTELS.
I HAVE NINE HOTELS, RAISES $685,000 A YEAR.
AND WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT DISTRICT A WOULD BE ENTITLED TO SOMETHING OUTTA THAT 685,000? AND THAT'S HOW THE BILL STARTED.
AND START OFF WITH 50%, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT, UM, DISTRICT, UH, E AND DISTRICT F GET, THEY GET 50% OF THE HOTEL TAX FOR THEIR MUNICIPALITY.
UH, I DON'T HAVE A MUNICIPALITY, SO IT'S OUT OF THE DISTRICT, AND THOUGH I STILL DON'T GET IT, EVEN AT THE 50%, UH, WHICH WAS IN THERE BEFORE IT GOT AMENDED DOWN TO 25.
UM, WHICH BY THE WAY, UM, AT OUR, AT OUR, UM, COMMUNITY MEETING LAST MONDAY, UH, WHICH WE GET SOME PRETTY GOOD ATTENDANCE FROM EDGEWOOD AND JO OF TOWN, UH, THERE WAS, UH, UH, 40, 50 PEOPLE THERE AT THE MEETING, VERY UPSET OVER WHAT THE COUNCIL DID WITH THOSE FOUR AMENDMENTS.
PASSING THOSE FOUR AMENDMENTS, WHICH THOSE FOUR AMENDMENTS ONLY AFFECT THE DISTRICT A, DIDN'T AFFECT IT, DIDN'T AFFECT ANYBODY ELSE.
UH, ANY OF THOSE AMENDMENTS WOULD'VE PASSED, WOULDN'T AFFECT ANOTHER DISTRICT.
YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE AUDIT, THE AUDIT'S THERE, THE, THE, THE TAX, UH, INCREASE FROM 22 TO 23, ALMOST $300,000.
UM, UH, DISTRICT A IF THEY, IF THEY WERE GOING TO GET ONE HALF, IT WOULD BE ABOUT 330.
AND YOU AIN'T GETTING IT STILL.
IT ISN'T LIKE DISTRICT, UH, ERF.
THEY GET, THEY GET ONE HALF AND IT GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE MUNICIPALITY, AND
[00:50:01]
THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL CAN SPEND IT, UH, ANY DAMN PLACE THEY PLEASE.UM, BUT, UH, UH, EVEN THE BILL PASSED, UM, ON ITS FACE, UM, AND HALF OF HALF OF, UH, THE, UH, UM, 685,000, SOMEWHERE AROUND 340 AND DISTRICT 24, IT'S FIGURED TO BE ABOUT 318.
UH, THERE WAS THIS NEED TO CUT THAT IN HALF, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS RIDICULOUS.
UH, THE PEOPLE AT THE, AT OUR MEETING MONDAY NIGHT, THEY WANT TO BRING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THIS COUNCIL AND AGAINST THE COUNTY IF IN FACT, THE BILL WERE TO PASS, UH, BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, THAT Y SHOULD, UH, UM, THEIR DISTRICT BE CUT, UH, TO 25% WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS CUT TO 50%.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, UM, UH, UH, DISTRICT F GETS THE BIGGEST BANG OUT OF THIS, UH, BILL, THEN THE OTHER FIVE DISTRICTS COMBINED.
BECAUSE DISTRICT F GETS, NOT ONLY DO THEY GET TO 50% FROM THE, FROM THE HOTELS THAT ARE IN THE MUNICIPALITY, THEY NOW GET ON THIS BILL, GET ANOTHER 25% FROM, UH, WOULD'VE BEEN 50 UNDER MY BILL, BUT 25% UNDER THE AMENDMENTS, UH, FROM ALL THE OTHER HOTELS OUTSIDE OF THAT MUNICIPALITY.
BUT IN DISTRICT F, WHICH MEANS THAT IT WOULD'VE GIVEN DISTRICT F UH, UNDER THE 50%, ALMOST ANOTHER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS ON TOP OF THEIR 52,000.
UM, I, I GUESS MAYBE SOMEBODY HAS TROUBLE WITH MATHEMATICS.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, THAT'S MY, UH, THAT'S MY ISSUE.
AND, AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT IT, UM, UH, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MY BILL AT ALL ANYMORE.
UH, WITH, UH, WITH, UH, THOSE AMENDMENTS, THOSE FOUR AMENDMENTS THAT, UM, AND, AND BY THE WAY, THAT, UH, THOSE FOUR AMENDMENTS, WHEN THEY GOT TO DISTRICT F, THEY WERE TIED THREE TO THREE, AND HE WAS DECIDING VOTE ON ALL FOUR OF THOSE AMENDMENTS.
SO THAT, UH, THAT, UH, FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S SUPPOSED TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG OUT OF A BUCK, SURPRISING THAT HE'D VOTE FOR AGAINST ALL FOUR OF THOSE AMENDMENTS.
ANYONE ELSE MAKE COMMENTS, MR. RILEY? YES.
UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT FROM MY COLLEAGUE, FROM DISTRICT A, I UNDERSTAND HE'S COLLECTING THE TAX, BUT IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THERE'S NO DESTINATION IN DISTRICT A.
HE'S COLLECTING THE TAX FROM THE DESTINATIONS FROM ALL THE REST OF OUR DISTRICTS.
AND IF I MAY NOT TO INTERRUPT YOU, HE'S NOT COLLECTING THE TAX, THE HOTEL'S IN THE DISTRICT ORDER.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT HIS MONEY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT DISTRICT A, ANYONE ELSE'S MONEY.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SAYING? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, YES.
FROM DISTRICT A CLARIFICATION, THAT'S ALL.
IF IT WAS A CLEAN BILL AND ALL OF IT WENT TO VISIT HARTFORD, I'D BE A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND IT.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS NOW HE WANTS TO BE THE COLLECTOR AND ALSO THE RECEIVER OF THE TAX WHEN THE REST OF US ARE, AT LEAST IN B, C, AND D, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY OF THAT TAX.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, AGAINST IT.
I HAVE THE, UH, THE STEPPING STONE MUSEUM, WHICH IS NEXT TO DISTRICT F.
I ALSO HAVE, UH, THE, UH, THE GARDENS, LUDO GARDENS, WHO HAS ABOUT 3000 MEMBERS.
HE SAID, JIM, IF HE'S GETTING A PORTION OF IT, WHY I'M NOT GETTING A PORTION OF IT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK IT SHOULD GO ALL TO VISIT HARTFORD TO ERIC AND, UH, JAY.
UH, BUT NOW WE'RE STARTING TO DEPARTS IT OUT.
SO I'M TOTALLY AGAINST IT, ONLY BECAUSE HE'S THE COLLECTOR, NOT A DESTINATION.
MR. GUTHRIE, I AIN'T JUST GOING BACK AND FORTH, BUT, UH, JIM DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
I'M NOT THE COLLECTOR, OKAY? THE, THE NINE HOTELS THAT ARE IN DISTRICT A PAY A HOTEL TAX, UH, THEY DON'T PAY IT.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY GET IT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO STAY IN THE BEDS AT, UH, 7% FOR, UH, EXCUSE ME, 6%.
THAT'S $685,000 FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, NINE YEARS.
BIG JIM HAS COME TO THE COUNTY AND BEEN IN THOSE COFFERS IN THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS HAS DECIDED WHERE THAT $685,000 IS GOING.
MY BILL PASSES JUST THE WAY IT IS.
IT GIVES US AN OPTION TO GO TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND ASK HIM FOR THAT $340,000 TO BE SPENT, WHICH IS ONE HALF OF THE HOTEL TAX RAISED IN DISTRICT A.
[00:55:01]
WHY IS THAT SO HARD FOR BIG JIM TO REALIZE THAT'S MR. GUTHRIE.MR. GUTHRIE, IT'S COUNCILMAN, I'M SORRY.
BUT IT, IT JUST, IT JUST BE DISTURBS ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE JIM WAS IN, IN OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS BEEN FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.
WHY WEREN'T YOU COMPLAINING FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS THAT, UH, UH, UH, WHERE ALL THIS MONEY IS GOING IN DISTRICT E AND F, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE DISTRICT.
YOU WEREN'T COMPLAINING BECAUSE DISTRICT A WAS GIVING YOU, UM, FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LAST NINE YEARS.
AND NOT ONE SINGLE PENNY OF THAT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS SPENT IN DISTRICT A.
IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME MONEY SPENT IN THE AREA WHERE THE, WHERE THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, HOTELS AND STUFF ARE, ARE REALLY GOING TO EXPAND BECAUSE OF, UH, UM, UH, OF THE, THE BIG SPORTS COMPLEX THAT'S COMING IN THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THEY WERE ALREADY PLAYING GAMES THERE.
AND THEY EXPECT TO BE GOING FULL BORE, YOU KNOW, IN, UH, UH, COPPER MINE IN, IN EARLY SPRING.
THEY GO FULL BORE ACCORDING TO THE CEO OF THAT OPERATION.
THEY EXPECT 12,000 PEOPLE, 12,000 PEOPLE IN ANY GIVEN WEEKEND TO COME INTO DISTRICT A, INTO EDGEWOOD, INTO THAT SPORTS COMPLEX, UH, TO PLAY GAMES.
AND THEY GOT EIGHT DIFFERENT FIELDS THERE.
NOW, I WAS OVER THERE JUST A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO, UH, AND THEY WERE ALREADY PLAYING GAMES.
IT WAS AT NIGHT, IT WAS COLD, BUT IT WAS THREE TEAMS OUT THERE ON THREE DIFFERENT FIELDS ALREADY PLAYING GAMES.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 200 CARS IN THE PARKING LOT AND, AND THEY HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED YET.
SO IT, IT'S NOTHING THAT I CAN GET OR DISTRICT A CAN GET IT.
IT IS A NUMBER WHERE THE NUMBERS 200,000, 400,000 OR 600,000, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WE STILL IN DISTRICT A HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
DISTRICT E AND F DO NOT HAVE TO DO.
IT GOES RIGHT INTO THE, TO THE, TO THE, UH, MUNICIPALITY, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDES WHERE IT GOES AND IT GOES ANYWHERE THEY WANT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO IN TOURISM ON TOP OF THAT.
I GOTTA PUT IT IN TOURISM, WHICH I HAVE NO PROBLEM 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
I HAVE TO GO AND MY PEOPLE HAVE TO GO.
AND WE HAVE TO APPLY TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
THE DECIDING PERSON, NOT THE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS GOT ALL THE VETO POWER.
HE'S GOING TO DECIDE WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO GO.
I CAN ASK FOR 300,000 TO GO INTO THIS, OR THIS PROJECT OR THAT PROJECT.
DOESN'T MEAN HE'S GOTTA GIVE IT TO ME.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST POSSIBLE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE EVERYBODY'S BEEN FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, BUT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S OVER FIVE, FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S COME OUT OF OUR DISTRICT AND NOT A PENNY SPENT IN IT.
SO I, I WOULDN'T HAVE A LITTLE SYMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT A IN, IN, INSTEAD OF, UH, THEIR TURNAROUNDS AND, AND, UH, THREATENING TO SUE THE COUNTY.
UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
SO I, I WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, UM, UH, ON, UM, VISITOR HARTFORD AND THEIR SUPPORT OF, UM, DISTRICT A EVENTS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE SPONSORED IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
AND IF YOU JUST BEAR WITH ME, 'CAUSE I JUST LOST, BUT, UM, OKAY.
SO IN HARTFORD COUNTY, SPRING NATIONAL'S MAY 13TH TO 14TH, 2023.
SPRING NATIONALS, HARTFORD STREAM SPONSORED 20 20 20 TO 2023.
FLYING POINT PARK WAS ONE OF THE LOCATIONS.
THE BASS MASTER, JULY 26TH TO 2018.
NOW THAT WAS CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER.
$45,000 WAS SPENT PROMOTING THAT.
UM, SO WE NEED, WE NEED SOME MORE EVENTS LIKE THAT.
THE FWL FISHING LEAGUE WORLDWIDE SPONSOR 2019, 2020, FLYING POINT PARK MARINA, UM, FEATURED COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL, ANG ANGLERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UH, HARTFORD CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT, PROMOTING A LOCAL ARTIST IN THE EDGEWOOD DROPDOWN AREA.
BEAUTIFUL, UH, EXPERI, UH, PERENTIAL TRAILS, MURAL TRAIL, UM, ICE CREAM TRAIL, UH, SAM SNOWBALLS PROMOTING SAM SNOWBALLS PROMOTING THE, UH, UH, DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
VENETIAN AND EATERY PROMOTION OF RESTAURANTS IN HARTFORD COUNTY RESTAURANT WEEK.
AND, UM, NOW WORK WORKING WITH COPPER MINE AS THEY'RE COMING ON.
SO BASSMASTER WAS, UH, LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS 45,000.
[01:00:01]
AND THEN THE, UH, FWL LEAGUE WAS 3000 FOR BOTH YEARS.SO THERE IS NINE HOTELS IN EDGEWOOD.
UM, BEL AIR DOESN'T HAVE ANY HOTELS, NOR DOES FALLSTON, NOR DOES, UH, COUNCILMAN RILEY'S AREA.
BUT BEL AIR HAS THE, UH, ARTS FESTIVAL THAT BRINGS 20 TO 30,000 PEOPLE.
FIRST YEAR HAD THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL, BROUGHT 25,000 PEOPLE, HAS THE LEAR BEDROOM, HAS ROCKFIELD, THAT THEY HAVE WEDDINGS.
ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND HAS THE WINE FESTIVAL.
OKAY? HARTFORD MUTUAL HAS NO PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN BEL AIR.
THEY HAVE TO STAY IN HOTELS, THEY'RE STAYING IN HOTELS AND ABERDEEN, THEY'RE DRIVING INTO BEL AIR.
SO BEL AIR DRIVES A LOT OF THE ECONOMIC OTHER THAN JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STAYING, THAT ARE COMING UP AND DOWN 95, WHETHER THEY STAY IN EDGEWOOD BELL CAMP OR ABERDEEN, THOSE HOTELS RIGHT OFF OF 95.
ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT, THE SPORTS STORE IS, IS CEDAR LANE.
SO DISTRICT D HAS, UM, POND VIEW FARM, THAT'S A WEDDING ALSO HAS, UM, THE, UM, THE NEW WEDDING VENUE OUT THERE IN, UH, UH, CAN'T THINK, WHAT'S THE NAME OF IT? IGN FARM.
YEAH, NER FARMS. AND PEOPLE ARE STAYING, THEY HAVE WEDDINGS ALL DURING THE WEEK BECAUSE OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE WEDDINGS DURING THE WEEK.
THEY'RE BOOKED THERE ALL THE TIME.
SO EVEN THOUGH THESE HOTELS ARE LOCATED NOT IN, IN OUR AREAS, WE'RE DRAWING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE TO COME TO STAY IN THE HOTELS TO COME TO EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW FOR A FACT THE BEL AIR ITALIAN FESTIVAL, THREE DAYS, WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED ROOMS BOOKED ALL THREE DAYS MINIMUM AT ONE HOTEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOTTA SAY.
UM, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT JUST TO REPEAT IT FOR THE RECORD, UM, ABOUT $1.1 MILLION HAS GENERATED IN DISTRICT F WITH THE HOTEL TAX, BUT ONLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF THAT IS GENERATED WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY OF HAV GRACE.
YOU KNOW, DISTRICT F IS A LOT BIGGER THAN HAV GRACE.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT $1.1 MILLION BEING GENERATED IN DISTRICT DEATH, NOT 50% OF THAT 1.1 MILLION IS, IS GUARANTEED FOR DISTRICT DEATH.
UM, ONE 54,000 IS GUARANTEED FOR THE CITY OF HAV GRACE.
AND THEN BELL CAMP, WHICH IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE REST OF THAT MONEY GOES THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE, EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS THE REST OF THE COUNTY GOES THROUGH TO RECEIVE TOURISM FUNDING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
THE CITY OF HAV GRACE GENERATES ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR IN HOTEL TAX REVENUE, AND THEY GET 50% OF WHAT'S GENERATED WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY.
THE REST OF DISTRICT F, WHICH IS A LOT BIGGER THAN HAV DE GRACE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BELL CAMP ABINGDON, PERRYMAN, ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, UM, CRESSWELL, UH, SO ON AND SO ON.
IT, IT GENERATES THE OTHER A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT F AND HAV GRACE ARE NOT THE SAME, SAME THING.
AND I JUST WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
MR. GUTHRIDGE, JUST TO CLOSE OUT, BUT IN DISTRICT F THIS BILL, UH, BESIDES THE, THE, THE 50% THAT THEY GET INTO THE, UH, UH, HAV DE GRACE MUNICIPALITY, THIS BILL LETS DISTRICT F GO OUT TO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT AND HE CAN GET 25%, THAT WAS 50.
HE STILL WILL BE ABLE TO GO AFTER THAT KIND OF MONEY, JUST LIKE I'LL BE ABLE TO GO OUT AFTER.
IN MY DISTRICT, HE WILL HAVE THAT SAME RIGHT AND INSTEAD OF 52,000, IT COULD BE UP TOWARDS THE FOUR OR 500,000.
OKAY, IN CLOSING OUT, HOPEFULLY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST NINE YEARS, DISTRICT A APPLYING FOR THIS TAX HAS ONLY APPLIED FOR $5,000.
SELF-INITIATED FROM DISTRICT A WAS $5,000 FOR A PARADE.
I DON'T KNOW MANY HOW MANY HEADS AND BEDS THAT PUT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THEY ONLY WENT FOR $5,000.
AND SO HERE WE GOT COUNCILMAN FROM DISTRICT A.
THAT'S COMPLAINANT IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH OF THE MONEY, BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT APPLYING FOR THE MONEY, AND NOW HE WANTS TO SET ASIDE 25%.
SO AGAIN, IF IT WAS GOING ALL TO VISIT HARTFORD, THAT WAS SELF-INITIATED.
ALL THE MONEY YOU SAW THAT WENT, I'D BE A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR IT.
BUT I'M VOTING NO ON THIS BILL.
AND IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE LAST WORD ON THIS.
UM, AS YOU CAN ALL HEAR, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PASSION THAT IS THROWN OUT THROUGH THIS ENTIRE HOTEL TAX,
[01:05:01]
UH, LEGISLATION.BUT WE'VE NOT LOST SIGHT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM IN HARTFORD COUNTY AND THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT MEANS TO OUR BUSINESSES HERE.
SO THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND, UH, A VERSION OF THIS BILL WILL COME BACK, UH, VERY SHORTLY AND WE WILL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
AND I, I WELCOME THAT BECAUSE WE'RE HOPING THAT MORE TAX DOLLARS WILL BE, YOU KNOW, UH, BUILT IN THIS COUNTY, UH, THROUGH ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, WHETHER IT BE COPPER MINE, UH, OR VISIT HARTFORD OR WHOEVER.
IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE, UH, THE TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTY.
AND IF THE REVENUE IS GENERATED AS WE SAY, THEN I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO COME BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AGAIN.
UH, BUT FOR TONIGHT, UH, I BELIEVE WE'RE DONE, UM, TALKING ABOUT THIS.
SO, UH, MS. DIXON, CALL THE ROLL.
MR. GUTHRIE, IT'S NOT MY BILL ANYMORE.
OR FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
ABSTENTION BILL 23 DASH 0 34 AS AMENDED IS HEREBY APPROVED.
[12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS]
12.ENROLLMENT OF BILLS BILL 23 DASH 34 DISTRIBUTION HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE AS AMENDED IS CERTIFIED AS BEING THE TAX FINALLY PASSED.
WE HAVE NO BUSINESS THIS EVENING.
COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS.
MS. DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP.
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]
BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.UH, MR. GUTHRIE, MAY I START WITH YOU? SURELY, UM, UH, SAID ENOUGH ABOUT THE HOTEL TAX TEXTBOOK
UM, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, WEDNESDAY, UH, I WENT TO THE PYRAMID HEALTHCARE CENTER, WHICH IS NOW THE NEW CENTER ON, UH, UH, RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF, UH, UH, ROOF 40 AND 1 52.
UH, IF YOU, YOU KNOW WHERE THAT LAKE'S THERE THAT, THAT'S IN FRONT OF, THAT USED TO BE A MOTEL.
IT'S NOW TAKEN OVER BY, UH, THE PYRAMID HEALTHCARE.
AND THEY PROVIDE, UM, UH, REHAB, UH, UM, UM, ROOMS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING OFF DRUGS AND OTHER PROBLEMS. AND ALSO IT'S ALSO A, UH, HOMELESS SHELTER FOR, UH, DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND THEY'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB THERE, FIXING THAT PLACE UP.
AND, UH, THEY INVITED ME OVER LAST WEEK TO TOUR ANOTHER BUILDING THAT THEY JUST REHABBED.
AND IT'S A 22, UH, ROOM, UM, UH, FACILITY, UH, FOR, UH, HOMELESS WOMEN.
AND THEY ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE ON THE, UH, UM, WEDDING LIST TO TAKE OVER THAT ENTIRE BUILDING.
SO, UH, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THE, UH, ALL THE OTHER, ALL THE PERMITS AND EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR THEM TO, UH, BE ABLE TO OPEN UP, UH, UH, FOR, FOR THE HOMELESS WOMEN IN THE AREA.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE.
'CAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND THEY REALLY, IT'S REALLY, I MEAN, YOU COULD GET IT OFF THE FLOORS.
UM, ALSO, UH, LAST FRIDAY, UM, I HAD, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY ALONG WITH, UH, TONY, BY THE WAY.
HE WAS THERE BEFORE I WAS HIS BOOK READING DAY TO READ THE BOOKS, UH, READ A BOOK FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND, UH, TONY GOT THERE BEFORE ME.
AND HE, HE HAD THIS, UH, HAIRDRESSER ON THE HAIRDRESSER.
UM, UH, WIG ON, AND I'LL STEAL MY THUNDER.
AND, UH, I'LL LET, I'LL LET HIM, UH, UH, EXPAND ON IT.
BUT I, I GOT, I GOT A PICTURE AND I STUCK IT ON FACEBOOK FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE IT.
ANYWAY, IT WAS, UH, A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
IT'S VERY ENJOYABLE TO, TO READ FOR THE KIT.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S IT FOR ME.
UH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO TOUCH ON.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SPOKEN ABOUT AT THE STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS.
UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MENTIONED A 5% GROWTH, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST FIND OUT MORE, UH, ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT'S 5% IS BEING CALCULATED, WHETHER IT'S TOTAL REVENUE, INCOME TAX, OR JUST THE TOTAL $1.2 BILLION BUDGET.
'CAUSE THOSE, UH, DIFFERENCES ARE LARGE.
UM, I DID FEEL THE COUNTY ADDRESS LACKED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UM, BY THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK A LOT OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED WERE FROM THE PREVIOUS GLASSMAN ADMINISTRATION.
I KNOW THEY DID TAKE CREDIT FOR THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL AND THAT CREDIT SHOULD GO TO SAB.
PERHAPS THEY SHOULD HAVE TOOK CREDIT FOR THE BALLOON FESTIVAL THAT
[01:10:01]
ENDED UP IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT REALLY IMPACTED TOURISM AS WELL.UM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DID MENTION, UH, CAREFUL STEWARDS OF TAX DOLLARS AND THE GOVERNMENT MUST LIVE UP TO THE SAME MEANS.
I'M NOT SURE THE CASING ADMINISTRATION FOLLOWS THOSE SAME GUIDELINES BECAUSE AN AUDIT WOULD REVEAL THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION HAS GROWN EMPLOYEES BY 208 POSITIONS, UH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY BIG GOVERNMENT.
UH, WHILE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE WARRANTED, UH, MANY OF THEM WERE NOT.
NOT TO MENTION THE NUMEROUS CONTRACT EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN HIRED AS ADVISORY ROLES.
UM, HE DID MENTION THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE NEW CAMERAS ON THE MALL AND PAUL TRAIL.
WHAT I FIND TROUBLING IS THE INSULATION OF THOSE CAMERAS IN THE MANNER, UH, OF HOW THEY WERE APPROVED.
UH, JUST LIKE THE FUNDS THAT WERE USED, UH, TO BEGIN THE EMS PROGRAM BEING ALLOCATED, ALLOCATED IMPROPERLY.
ONCE AGAIN, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DID NOT FILE THE PROPER GUIDELINES OR THE RULES AND THE PROCEDURE.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A TIMELINE ON THAT.
ON AUGUST 15TH, NEWS ARTICLE CONFIRMS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS ASKED THE STAFF TO START BUDGETING AND PROCUREMENT FOR, UH, CAMERAS ALONG THE TRAIL.
ON NOVEMBER 21ST, UM, ICT REQUESTED THE CONTRACT BE PRESENTED AT THE NEXT BOARD OF ESTIMATES MEETING ON NOVEMBER 27TH.
THE GROUNDBREAKING EVENT FOR THE CAMERA SYSTEM, UH, TAKES PLACE IN A PRESS RELEASE WAS ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 29TH.
AND THEN DECEMBER 5TH, A BOARD OF ESTIMATES APPROVAL FINALLY CAME IN FOR THOSE CAMERAS.
SO THEY STARTED THE CAMERAS BEFORE IT WAS EVEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES.
UM, SO, UH, ONE YEAR INTO THIS ADMINISTRATION, THE SAME INTOLERABLE MISTAKES, UH, CONTINUED TO OCCUR.
UM, ON OTHER NOTES, I ATTENDED A TRAFFIC SAFETY ADVISORY MEETING THIS LAST WEEK AND DISCUSSED, UM, UH, THE NEW SCHOOL BUS CAMERA PROGRAM ALARMINGLY, UH, IN THE YEAR 2023, 4,828 CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS OF RUNNING THROUGH SCHOOL BUS STOPS OCCURRED, UH, FAR WORSE THAN PEOPLE ACTUALLY REALIZE WERE TAKING PLACE.
UM, I THINK THEY ARE ASSESSING A $250 FINE.
SO WE'LL KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING AS WELL.
UH, TOMORROW THE MAKO MEETINGS BEGIN THAT MYSELF AND LEGISLATIVE AID, UH, UH, LAUREN MCDOUGALL WILL ATTEND.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL MAGO, UH, MEETINGS, I WAS PLACED ON THE LAND USE SUBCOMMITTEE.
UH, IN ALL TOMORROW, HERE'S A PACKET.
THERE'S ABOUT 50 PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WE'LL BE REVIEWING.
UH, I THINK SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE, UH, SAW A PREMATURE PRESS RELEASE BY THE COUNTY SENT TODAY.
UH, IN REFERENCE TO A PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION, UH, I THINK IT'S MORE FEARMONGERING.
UM, I HAVE BEEN, UM, IN CONSTANT DISCUSSIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS REGARDING SOME ASPECTS OF LEGISLATION.
AND I TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY DURING, UH, PUBLIC HEARING DURING, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, I SHOULD SAY, UH, FOR POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THAT LEGISLATION.
AND FINALLY, ON A POSITIVE NOTE, SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST.
I WANNA WISH MY LEGISLATIVE AID.
LAUREN MCDOUGALL, A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO, UH, I DID ATTEND THE SIXTH ANNUAL FAIRY TALE AND SUPERHERO READING EVENT FRIDAY, UH, AT THE LIBRARY.
I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT WAS THERE, OBVIOUSLY DION WAS THERE.
I THINK, UH, JACOB WAS THERE, JESSICA WAS THERE, AND, AND AARON WAS THERE.
AND I DID WEAR A RED, AN ORANGE WIG.
UH, I READ A BOOK THAT I HAD FROM WHEN I WAS A KID CALLED MOP TOP.
SO I HAD A BIG OLD BUSHY, UH, ORANGE WIG THAT, UH, WORE WITH A PSYCHEDELIC SHIRT.
AND, UM, I HAD, UH, MARY HASSLER COME CUT MY HAIR AND SOME KIDS GOT ALL UPSET THAT, UH, SHE, SHE WAS CUTTING MY HAIR, SO SHE HAD TO ASSURE HER THAT IT, THAT IT WAS FINE.
AND THEN I ALSO POSTED A PICTURE OF, OF MY HAIR WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD, GRADUATING EIGHTH GRADE.
AND IT WAS ALSO THIS BIG BUSHY BUSHY THING.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO DO THAT.
SO I REALLY, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND, AND AS FAR AS THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL GOES, UM, THE, THE ADMINISTRATION SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS MEETING WITH US AND NOT JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
WE HAD 25 TO 30 PEOPLE IN THOSE MEETINGS MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH FROM, UH, FROM THEM BUILDING BOCCE COURTS TO THEM, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THE, THE STAGES WERE CORRECT AND, AND EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A CONSTANT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS IN THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MAJOR GONZALEZ WAS THERE.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST A, A MONUMENTAL TASK.
WE HAD NO IDEA HOW BIG THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL WAS GONNA BE.
THANKFULLY IT TURNED OUT BEYOND ANYBODY'S WILD STREAM.
[01:15:01]
HANLEY ACTUALLY CAME OUT THE, THE ONE DAY BEFORE WE WERE OPENING AND WAS WORKING WITH HIS CREW SO THAT THEY CAN GET ALL THE, UH, ROADS PAVED IF THEY'RE NOT PAVED, BUT PUT STRAW DOWN AND EVERYTHING.SO I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT THE COUNTY WAS IN 150% ON THAT.
WITHOUT THEM, WE COULD NOT HAVE HAD IT DONE.
THEY WERE WHATEVER WE NEEDED, THEY, THEY MADE IT HAPPEN.
WE, WE BROUGHT TONS OF PEOPLE TO THE COUNTY.
TONS OF PEOPLE LOVED THE EVENT.
WE HAD SOME HICCUPS THAT WERE HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA FIX NEXT YEAR.
THE, THE LINES WERE TREMENDOUS TO GET THERE.
WE'RE GONNA HOPEFULLY FIX ALL THAT.
BUT WITHOUT THE COUNTY STEPPING UP AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY COULD, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE WAS IN A HUNDRED PERCENT, WE COULD NOT HAVE HAD IT DONE.
AND I, AND I'M PROUD THAT, THAT, THANKFULLY WE HAD THAT HELP.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOT IT DONE.
UH, DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT CAITLYN BEFORE I DO? UH, PLEASE.
OH, WELL, MY, YOU MEAN AS FAR AS MY LEGISLATIVE AID? YES.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY LEGISLATIVE AID IS, IS TAKING A JOB TEACHING HISTORY.
AND SHE'S GOING TO BE LEAVING US AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SO, UM, FIVE YEARS I'VE HAD KAITLYN AS MY LEGISLATIVE AID WHEN I STARTED.
I DIDN'T HAVE A LEGISLATIVE AID FOR A MONTH.
AND THANKFULLY SOMEBODY RECOMMENDED KAITLYN, UM, SUPER ORGANIZED.
I GET A LITTLE FRUSTRATED HERE AND THERE.
UM, BUT WITHOUT ALL THIS PAPERWORK HERE AND, AND, AND BUDGET CYCLES.
BUT MYSELF AND MY BUDGET ADVISOR, ERIC BERT, SHE'S, SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.
UM, I WISH SHE WAS STAYING, BUT I, I'M HAPPY FOR HER.
SHE'LL BE, I CAN LOOK OUT MY WINDOW AND WAVE TO KAITLYN BECAUSE SHE'LL BE AT BELLOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, LIKE I SAID, I HOPE I WISH HER WELL AND WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE HER FOR ABOUT ANOTHER COUPLE DAYS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY, YEAH, THANK YOU TO KAITLYN.
NOT ONLY FOR TRYING TO KEEP TONY STRAIGHT, 'CAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYBODY TRYING TO DO THAT, UH, BUT ALSO WISH HER THE BEST.
UH, I ALSO BELIEVE REPORTING BACK TO LED DO GARDENS AND STEPPING STONE IN REFERENCE TO THE VOTE TONIGHT.
I KNOW THERE'S ABOUT, UH, A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT ARE WAITING FOR THAT, UH, VOTE.
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WENT ON TONIGHT.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE LIBRARY, UH, ANNUAL FAIRYTALE READING LAST WEEK.
I DIDN'T WEAR A WIG, BUT, UM, IT WAS REALLY FUN.
IT'S A POSITIVE, UM, ATMOSPHERE.
WE, UH, LAST WEEK, A COUPLE OF US ALSO ATTENDED THE ROUTE 40 BUSINESS LUNCHEON, AND WE'RE ABLE TO HEAR SUPERINTENDENT BOLSON SPEAK ON WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY WITH HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT, UM, AS BUDGET SEASON ARISES.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY, BUT ESPECIALLY LAST WEEK, THAT STORM ON TUESDAY.
UM, I, I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THEM AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
STAY SAFE AND THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, JUST TO ECHO, UH, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN BOYLE SS JUST SHARED.
UH, I KNOW THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN REALLY HARD ON ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, FROM THE WIND AND THE RAIN LAST WEEK TO THE SNOW THIS WEEK, AND MORE SNOW COMING ON FRIDAY, ICE COMING TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU CAN STAY OFF THE ROADS, PLEASE DO SO.
I THINK IF IT WASN'T FOR THE HOTEL TAX BILL, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE STAYED OFF THE ROADS OURSELVES TONIGHT, MOST LIKELY.
BUT WE HAD SOMETHING THAT HAD TO GET DONE TONIGHT.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE.
AND THEN ALSO BY STAYING OFF THE ROADS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS CAN FOCUS ON OTHER EMERGENCIES 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING 'EM OURSELVES.
UM, THIS, UH, PAST FEW WEEKS I GOT TO MEET WITH, UH, MANY LEGISLATORS ACROSS OUR COUNTY AND ACROSS THE STATE, WORKING ON, UH, LEGISLATION, HOPING TO ADDRESS VARIOUS ISSUES IN OUR COUNTY.
UM, I ALSO READ, UH, HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE FAIRYTALE AND SUPERHERO FEST, WHICH WAS FUN.
UM, I HAD PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE READING BOOKS, SO IT WASN'T TOO, UH, OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR ME, BUT IT WAS STILL VERY ENJOYABLE.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE LIBRARY WORKERS WHO HELPED PUT THAT TOGETHER.
UM, I ATTENDED AND WAS A SPONSOR OF THE NAACP MLK FREEDOM BRUNCH THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND.
MYSELF AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT WE'RE BOTH THERE.
UM, AND THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
IT'S NOW AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, WE HAD, UH, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE COME OUT, UM, INCLUDING OUR STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER, WHO IS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
UM, A FEW EVENTS COMING UP THAT ARE WHARF KEEPING ON YOUR CALENDAR ON JANUARY 18TH AT 6:00 PM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS HAVING THEIR
[01:20:01]
BUDGET PUBLIC INFO SESSION AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AS THE CITIZEN TO SHARE THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S BUDGET.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY FORCE, THAT ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM FOR HOW THAT MONEY'S SPENT.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT YOU TELL THEM AND NOT US WHAT YOU WANT THE BOARD OF ED TO DO WITH THEIR MONEY.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, ON JANUARY 23RD AT 6:00 PM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS HAVING THEIR BUDGET TOWN HALL AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, THAT'S WHEN YOU GET TO TELL THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WHERE YOU WANT HIM TO SEND ALL OF HIS MONEY, UM, AND HOW MUCH MONEY TO GIVE TO THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH WITHIN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, LIKE THE BOARD OF ED, THE LIBRARIES, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, BE THAT IT'S ONE THE ONE TIME THE WHOLE YEAR, YOU GET TO SHARE PUBLIC COMMENT DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UM, IN PERSON.
SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ON THE 23RD AT HCC ON THE 26TH, THE ORIOLES WILL BE HOST, UH, AT HOPKINS FARM BREWERY FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM JANUARY 26TH.
COME TO HAV DE GRACE, SEE THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES.
UH, ENJOY SOME FOOD OR A BEVERAGE FROM FOUR TO SIX.
THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN, AND I KNOW I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, AND THEN ON, UH, FEBRUARY 3RD AT, UH, THE HAVE GRACE OPERA HOUSE WILL BE THE LANGSTON HUGHES YOUTH TORICAL CONTEST FROM ONE TO THREE.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE GONE TO THAT THE PAST FEW YEARS NOW.
AND I MEAN, IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR CHILDREN, TO HEAR THEM SPEAK, UM, AND TO HEAR THEIR WRITING IS JUST, UM, REALLY, UH, SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND IT'S A GREAT CELEBRATION OF LANGSTON HUGHES WHO HAS A LOCAL CONNECTION AS HE WOULD COME AND VISIT THE HAV GRACE COLORED SCHOOL AND, UH, TEACH THE CHILDREN ABOUT WRITING, UM, ONE OF THE GREATEST WRITERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY, COMING RIGHT HERE TO HARTFORD COUNTY AND A FRIEND OF THE PRINCIPAL.
SO THAT'S A, A REALLY NEAT PIECE OF GRACE HISTORY THAT, UH, IS CELEBRATED AT THE OPERA HOUSE EVERY YEAR.
AND THEN LAST, I JUST WANNA TO RECOGNIZE THE PASSING OF MS. GALE REEDER, UM, WHO PASSED AWAY.
SHE WAS A LIFE MEMBER OF THE SUSQUEHANNA HOSE COMPANY.
UM, HER AND HER HUSBAND BILL HAVE DONE A LOT TO SUPPORT AND VOLUNTEER WORK, UH, IN HAV DE GRACE AND WITH THE SUSQUEHANNA HOSE COMPANY.
UM, THEY PUT UP A, A A REALLY NICE POST CELEBRATING AND, UH, HER AND WHAT SHE MEANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHTS GO OUT TO HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UM, IT'S SAD WHEN WE, UH, LOSE THOSE VOLUNTEERS.
AND IT MAKES IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT TO THANK 'EM WHEN YOU CAN AND ALSO TO JOIN THEM IF YOU CAN.
AND, UH, 'CAUSE OUR VOLUNTEERS DON'T LAST FOREVER.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ELSE'S TURN TO HELP CARRY THAT LEGACY.
SO THAT'S ALL FOR TONIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU MR. BENNETT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT ]
YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, NAACP'S, UH, BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING.UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR DPW WORKERS, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AGAIN TONIGHT AS I DID, UM, THIS PAST THURSDAY NIGHT, UM, WITH, WITH THE FACT THAT THEY JUST, THEY'RE OUT KEEPING US SAFE THROUGH THESE STORMS. AND AS MR. BENNETT SAID, WE ARE EXPECTING MORE BAD WEATHER TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK.
I WANNA THANK MARY, UH, HASLER FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO READ TO THE YOUNG CHILDREN AT THE LIBRARY.
UH, I PICKED A BOOK CALLED THE UGLY DUCKLING, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT.
SO IT WAS VERY FITTING, I BELIEVE, UM,
UM, I, YOU KNOW, JEANNIE AND I BOTH WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF, UH, ROBIN BURDETT, ROGER LOEFFLER, TONY OLI, AND GAIL REEDER.
UH, I GRADUATED WITH BOTH GAIL AND ROGER IN 72 AND, AND KNEW, UH, THE READERS VERY WELL.
AND, UM, TONY OLI, UH, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER INDIVIDUAL.
UH, EVERY TIME I THINK OF HIM, I THINK OF HIS ALBUMS WIDE OPEN WITH THIS HUGE SMILE, UH, WILLING TO HELP ANYBODY THAT THAT NEEDED IT.
UH, GAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN OR A LOT OF KIDS THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY, UH, WORKING AT MCDONALD'S.
UM, UH, AND THEN ROBIN BURDETTE, UH, JUST TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY BY THIS, HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WAS NOT WELL.
AND, UH, ALL OF THEM, UH, WILL BE MISSED BY MANY PEOPLE, I CAN TELL YOU.
UM, SO, UH, WE ASKED FOR YOU TO KEEP THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
AND THEN ON JANUARY THE 23RD, WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN THESE CHAMBERS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF, UH, RESOLUTION, UH, FOR THE COUNTY'S ANNUAL BOND SALE, 2:00 PM IN THESE CHAMBERS.
[01:25:01]
TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF THAT.AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING.