Mar 12, 2024 County Council

YOU KNOW, AND THEN IF THEY TRY AND DRIVE THROUGH THE POLE, UH, THEIR TRUCK, YOU KNOW, HITS THE POLE.

UM, I APPRECIATE HAVING THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ISSUE OF UNSAFE TRUCK TRAVEL ON OUR ROADS AND HOW WE CAN, UH, USE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS TO, TO HELP, UH, CURB THIS ISSUE.

UM, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY BACK IN 2022, SENATE BILL 6 42 WAS PASSED.

UM, THIS WAS PASSED WITH THE HELP OF THEN SENATOR CALEY TO, UM, ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THESE TRUCKS BEING ON ROADS.

WE GET THE VIDEOS AND THE PHOTOS EMAILED TO US ALL THE TIME ON, ON IN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FACEBOOK POSTS, UM, AND SO ON, SHOWING EXAMPLES OF THESE TRUCKS ON ROADS WHERE THEY DO NOT BELONG, CAUSING, UH, UH, A COMMUNITY HAZARD TO BE FORMED.

UM, THEN, UH, IN THAT YEAR OR SO, UH, BETWEEN THAT BILL PASSING AND JUNE, UM, THERE HADN'T BEEN ANY PROGRESS IN, UH, GETTING THESE SYSTEMS PUT IN PLACE.

AND IT WAS AT ACTUALLY A, A COMMUNITY MEETING ON JUNE 12TH, 2023.

SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEING DONE TO GET THESE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS PUT IN PLACE, WHEN'S THAT GONNA HAPPEN? UM, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY TWO DAYS LATER, MY LEGISLATIVE AID WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH AND REALIZED THAT THAT BILL FROM 2022 REQUIRED THAT, UM, THERE'D BE A WORK GROUP FORMED TO, TO THEN ENABLE US TO PASS LEGISLATION TO GET THESE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS PUT IN PLACE.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE TO GET THINGS SETTLED AND TO GET EVERYBODY IN AGREEMENT OVER WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATION SAID.

BUT IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A, UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER SET OVER TO US FOR THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE SUMMER RECESS TO ESTABLISH A WORK GROUP.

AND OVER THE SUMMER, WE MADE SURE THAT THAT WORK GROUP GOT ESTABLISHED.

AND, UM, AUGUST 22ND, UH, MR. STEVE WALSH SENT OUT OUR FIRST EMAIL ESTABLISHING WHO WAS GONNA BE MEMBERS OF THE WORK GROUP.

AND WE MET MONTHLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH JANUARY.

SO WE HAD, UM, FIVE MEETINGS IN ALL JUST TO GO OVER A LOT OF THE ISSUE, UM, AND WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN THAT WORK GROUP.

WE HAD TO ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, WE HAD THE DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WE HAD THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING.

WE ALSO HAD, UH, SEVERAL MEMBERS FROM THE PERRYMAN COMMUNITY THERE.

UM, WE, AND, UM, ON OCCASION WE HAD THE LIAISON TO THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHIEF OF LONG RANGE PLANNING.

AND, UH, WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THROUGHOUT THAT COMMITTEE.

UM, FOR MONTH TO MONTH, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE HARTFORD COUNTY OFFICIAL TRUCK ROUTE, UH, MAP AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO GET ONTO WAYS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE MAPS, ONLINE MAPS SO THAT THE TRUCKS, WHEN THEY'RE USING GPS COORDINATES WOULD, UH, BE GUIDED TO GO THE RIGHT WAY.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CAMERA LOCATIONS.

WHERE IS IT THAT WE'RE HAVING THE ISSUE OF TRUCKS GOING WHERE THEY DON'T BELONG? UM, AND WE IDENTIFIED SIX LOCATIONS, OLD JOPPA ROAD BETWEEN MOUNTAIN ROAD AND BEL AIR ROAD, PROSPECT MILL ROAD BETWEEN CHURCHVILLE ROAD AND FOUNTAIN GREEN ROAD, HOOKERS MILL ROAD BETWEEN ABINGDON ROAD AND CALVARY ROAD, CIO ROAD BETWEEN PERRYMAN ROAD AND ROUTE 40, UM, OLD STEPHANIE ROAD BETWEEN PUCCIO ROAD AND ROUTE 40 AND MITCHELL LANE BETWEEN PUCCIO ROAD AND ROUTE 40.

UM, SO WE IDENTIFIED THESE SIX LOCATIONS USING, UM, WHERE THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, CITIZEN COMPLAINT, BUT ALSO WHERE TICKETING WAS BEING DONE.

AND, UH, A LOT OF OTHER DATA AND MAPPING WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THOSE SIX HOTSPOTS.

THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ON WHAT NUMBER WE SHOULD USE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF CAMERAS OUT AT A GIVEN TIME.

UM, SO IN THIS LEGISLATION, YOU'LL SEE A MAXIMUM THAT ISN'T HOW MANY WILL BE SET AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT WHAT'S THE MOST AMOUNT OF CAMERAS THAT COULD BE, UH, OUT? AND SO WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THAT OVER SEVERAL MEETINGS, AND EVENTUALLY WE DID END UP, UM, LANDING AT SIX JUST BECAUSE LOGISTICALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SIX LOCATIONS, SIX CAMERAS, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING TO USE SIX AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

UM, BUT WE JUST FIGURED TO BE SAFE RATHER THAN, SORRY, WE MIGHT AS WELL NOT LIMIT OURSELVES AND, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, SAY WE NEED SIX OUT AT A GIVEN TIME, BUT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN TO ADDRESS THAT.

UM, BUT IT WAS PART OF THE LEGISLATION.

WE HAD TO SET A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CAMERAS AND WE LANDED ON SIX.

UM, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT VEHICLES SHOULD BE EXEMPTED.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCILMAN GUT OR, UH, COUNCILMAN RILEY BROUGHT UP TO ME IN PASSING IS, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PUT A POLE UP,

[00:05:01]

UH, BUT THE ISSUE IS THERE'S SOME VEHICLES THAT NEED TO BE EXEMPT.

A SCHOOL BUS, UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE A MOVING VEHICLE, UH, AN AMAZON DELIVERY TRUCK, UM, YOU KNOW, NO RESIDENTIAL DELIVERY TRUCK, NOT AN AMAZON TRUCK GOING TO THE AMAZON WAREHOUSE IN PERRYMAN, BUT YOU KNOW, AN AMAZON TRUCK THAT'S COMING TO YOUR HOUSE, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, I JUST ORDERED PENS, YOU KNOW, BRINGING PENS TO MY HOUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

UH, TRASH VEHICLES, RECYCLING VEHICLES.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY A CAMERA SYSTEM IS SO HELPFUL.

IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T TRAVEL UNDER.

IF YOU ARE TRAVELING THROUGH THERE AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE THERE, YOU'LL GET A TICKET.

UM, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO BE THERE, YOU WON'T GET A TICKET.

UM, WE TALKED ABOUT SIGNAGE.

WE TALKED ABOUT RESOURCES NEEDED TO GET THIS DONE.

AND FINALLY WE DRAFTED LEGISLATION AND SUBMITTED THAT RESO UH, UH, LEGISLATION TO THE COUNCIL AND TO, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

UM, THAT LEGISLATION IS A REPRESENTATION OF NOW TWO YEARS OF WORK TO GET TO THIS POINT.

UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE COMMUNITY NEED TOO MUCH WITH MY COMMENT, 'CAUSE I'M SURE WE'LL HEAR IT TONIGHT.

AND WE ALSO SHOULD ALL KNOW IT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, BUT THAT NEED IS TREMENDOUS FOR SAFETY.

UM, OUR AUDITOR'S REPORT, UH, ESTIMATES THAT WILL COST SIX, UH, $50,000 A YEAR TO OPERATE THESE CAMERAS.

UM, BUT, UH, WE CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR ANY REVENUE TO BE ESTIMATED AT THIS POINT, JUST 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE CAMERAS WILL BE OUT, HOW LONG THE CAMERAS WILL BE OUT.

UM, SO WE CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR THAT.

BUT AT $50,000 A YEAR, IF WE COULD HELP GET THESE TRUCKS OFF OF THE ROADS WHERE THEY DON'T BELONG AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE TRYING TO GET TO AND FROM THEIR HOUSE, TRYING TO HAVE AN AMBULANCE COME AND GET THEM WHEN THEY NEED THEM, I THINK IT'S WORTH, UH, THE INVESTMENT OF $50,000 A YEAR.

SO THAT'S EVERYTHING I WANTED TO SHARE TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER THAT HISTORY 'CAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF PEOPLE REALIZE JUST HOW LONG AND HOW MANY STEPS IT TOOK TO GET TO HERE.

WE DID HEAR SOME ISSUES FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY WITH THE COMPANY THAT THEY WORKED WITH, UM, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD AS WELL.

THANK YOU MR. BENNETT FOR BRINGING US BACK UP TO SPEED WITH THE PROCESS.

UH, COUNSEL AT THIS TIME, QUESTIONS? MR. PEN? UM, I WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCILMAN BENNETT IN THE WORK GROUP FOR THEIR PRODUCT.

UM, I READ THE, UH, WORK GROUP STUDY, UH, AND IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE.

UM, AND I KNOW IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT PUT INTO THIS.

UH, AND ON THE SURFACE, I, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORTED, I KNOW THE HEALTH AND WELFARE ISSUES DOWN THERE ON THE PERRY PENINSULA, AND HOPEFULLY THIS PROGRAM, UH, WILL IMPROVE THOSE CONDITIONS, UH, FROM THE TRACTOR TRAILERS COMING IN THERE.

BUT WE ARE UPON THE, THE, THE BUDGET, UH, CYCLE.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE HAD UPSTAIRS, UM, ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS WE'RE NOT CONCERNS, BUT, UH, CONSIDERATIONS I SHOULD SAY, UH, WITH THE PROGRAM.

SO, UM, COULD YOU GO INTO KIND OF THE REVENUE SHARING WITH, UH, THE, THE, UM, CONTRACTED COMPANY ON KIND OF HOW THAT WOULD WORK? UH, AND AS, AND AS FAR AS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A SWORN DEPUTY, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING AND ISSUING THE TICKETS IN, IN THAT, UM, REVENUE OR IMPACT ON THE, ON THE, UH, BUDGET AS WELL.

YEAH.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR SECOND PART FIRST, UM, ABOUT A SWORN DEPUTY THAT IS PART OF THE STATE LEGISLATION, IT REQUIRES A SWORN DEPUTY TO, TO LOOK AT THE CAMERA AND TO SEND OUT THE TICKETS.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE THE BUS CAMERAS.

'CAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE BY A SWORN DEPUTY.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING ERIC ROBY REALLY ADVOCATED FOR.

ERIC ROBY, UH, WORKS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WAS ON OUR, UM, WORK GROUP.

UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT COULD LEAD TO NEEDING TO HIRE ANOTHER DEPUTY TO HANDLE THAT.

UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS, WILL BE NEEDED LONG TERM, BECAUSE AS WE SAW IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, IT WAS BUSY UP FRONT.

AND THEN A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS INTO IT, THE AMOUNT OF TICKETS BEING SENT OUT REALLY TAMPERS OFF BECAUSE YOU'RE CURBING PEOPLE'S ACTION, WHICH IS THE LONG TERM GOAL.

THE GOAL ISN'T TICKETS, THE GOAL IS TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, BUT WE DID PUT IT INTO THE WORK GROUP SUMMARY BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH SHARING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE POSITION.

BUT THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE SHERIFF WILL HAVE TO WORK AT THROUGH BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, BUT IT WILL REQUIRE STAFFING FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO SEND OUT THOSE TICKETS BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE A SWORN DEPUTY.

UH, YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS IN REGARDS TO, UM, REVENUE.

MM-HMM, .

UM, SO WE DO ESTIMATE THAT THE OPERATING OF THE CAMERAS WILL COST $50,000 A YEAR.

UM, AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WILL THE REVENUE BE SPLIT WITH THE, THE CAMERA COMPANY? UM, WE DID NOT IN THE WORK GROUP SETTLE ON ONE COMPANY.

[00:10:01]

UM, SO WE DID WANT TO TALK TO BALTIMORE COUNTY MORE ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AND EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR COMPANIES ARE OUT THERE THAT DO THIS WORK.

UM, SO I DON'T, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SPECIFICS 'CAUSE THAT'LL BE DOWN TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT COMPANY THEY CHOOSE AND WHAT THE REVENUE SPLIT IS AND SO ON.

UM, BUT, UH, SO I DON'T HAVE A HARD ANSWER IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

AND THEN JUST ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT UPSTAIRS, ABOUT THE SUCCESS RATE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY AND THEIR PROGRAM.

CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT? YEAH, SO WHAT WE HEARD WHEN WE TALKED WITH, UM, SOMEBODY WHO WAS INTIMATELY AWARE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY WAS EXACTLY WHAT I JUST SAID.

THERE WAS A HEAVY UPFRONT WORKLOAD INVOLVED, BUT THEY DID SEE A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR OVER TIME WITH HAVING THE, THE CAMERAS UP AND RUNNING WHERE PEOPLE CHANGED THE WAY THEY WERE DRIVING, UH, TO STOP GETTING THE TICKETS, WHICH WHEN YOU'RE WORKING FOR A TRUCKING COMPANY AND YOUR BOSS IS GETTING TICKETS MAILED TO THEM, YOUR BOSS IS PROBABLY GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, STOP DRIVING THAT WAY, PLEASE GO A DIFFERENT WAY.

I DON'T WANT THESE TICKETS MAILED TO OUR OFFICE.

AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO WAS IN THE WORK GROUP.

THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN.

MR. GUTHRIE.

UM, I AGREE AS YOU GUYS DID SOME NICE WORK ON THIS, UH, I'VE READ THIS WHOLE THING TODAY AND, AND, UH, I WAS IMPRESSED BY IT.

I, I GUESS I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

ONE, UM, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF REVENUE IT'S GONNA BRING, HOWEVER, UM, AND I, I AIN'T GONNA COMPARE THIS TO THAT, BUT, UH, AT OUR, AT OUR EDGEWOOD JOB OF TOWN COMMUNITY MEETING, WE ALWAYS HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GIVING AN UPDATE ON, UH, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY.

AND, AND AS OF SEPTEMBER, UM, LAST YEAR, THEY STARTED TAKING, THEY STARTED, UH, TAKING, UH, PICTURES OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE VIOLATING THE SCHOOL BUS LAW AND PASSING THEM THE SCHOOL BUSES.

AND, UM, I MEAN, NOBODY, I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYBODY EXPECTED TO GET THESE KIND OF NUMBERS, BUT SINCE, SINCE SEPTEMBER, THEY HAVE 4,000 VIOLATIONS AND THEY WROTE TICKETS FOR, AND THAT WAS $1,160,000.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET THAT KIND OF MONEY, BUT, UH, THAT'S HOW MUCH THAT, THAT, THAT, HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE KEEP PASSING SCHOOL BUSES? 1 MILLION, $160,000 SINCE SEPTEMBER.

UM, I GUESS THE $50,000, UH, UM, HAVE YOU DECIDED, UH, WHERE, UM, OR HAS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT PUTTING IN A BUDGET OR WHERE, WHERE DOES THE 50,000 COME FROM? UM, THIS WOULD JUST ENABLE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THIS LEGISLATION WILL ENABLE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO, TO ADD THIS TO HIS BUDGET FOR US TO PUT THESE CAMERAS IN PLACE.

SO, I MEAN, THAT WILL STILL BE THROUGH THE BUDGETARY PROCESS FOR THEM TO DECIDE TO, TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR, UM, AND INCLUDE THAT IN THEIR BUDGET.

UM, UH, BUT TO ALSO JUST TOUCH UPON WHAT YOU SHARED WITH REGARDS TO REVENUE, MY, MY DREAM WOULD BE THAT WE GET $0 IN REVENUE.

WELL POINT, YOU KNOW, AFTER A YEAR, HOPEFULLY TRUCKS ARE NO LONGER TAKING THE ROUTES THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TAKING.

AND AT $50,000 A YEAR, THAT'S A WONDERFUL INVESTMENT TO MAKE THAT STOP, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, UM, DROPS IN THE BUCKET TO REALLY INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

MO MOSTLY IN PERI.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT ABOUT FROM TONIGHT, BUT NOT ONLY IN PERRYMAN, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH HOOKERS MILL ROAD AND, AND SO ON.

UH, SO, UM, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL FOR THAT, MR. JAN.

SO, UH, JACOB, THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DID ON THIS.

I, I KNOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UM, BEFORE YOU WERE ON THE COUNCIL, THIS WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT TRYING TO IMPLEMENT AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT FINALLY COME TO FRUITION.

SO, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT.

AND I, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UM, YOU KNOW, STEVE WALSH, UM, ERIC ROBBIE, RON KY, WHICH I THINK IS IN THE BACK THERE AS WELL.

UH, I THINK I SAW SHANE, SHANE GRIM ON HERE AS WELL, MAYBE.

YEP.

SO, UM, JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY'S, UH, EFFORT FOR THIS.

DO APPRECIATE IT.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE.

WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IT ON HERE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, PAST, UH, PAST COUPLE YEARS.

SO THANKS.

THANK YOU, MR. GINGER, DAN, AND MR. RILEY.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THESE CAMERAS ARE ONLY FOR COUNTY ROADS, SO I KNOW I GOT AN ISSUE UP IN DARLINGTON ON 1 61.

IT'S A STATE ROAD, SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE LISTENING, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THESE CAMERAS ARE FOR STRICTLY COUNTY ROADS.

UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE STATE DELEGATION TO WORK ON THE, ON THE, UH, STATE ROADS, BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS JUST, THESE CAN ONLY BE PLACED ON COUNTY ROADS.

THANKS.

THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? UM, JUST ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MS. TAMMY WA WRIGHT, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT AS WELL, AND ALSO WAS THERE WITH US EVERY SINGLE TIME.

SO, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK FOR, FOR ALL OF US.

UM,

[00:15:01]

IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE PROCESS THAT, UM, WAS WORTHWHILE.

AMY WAYNE WRIGHT, FOLLOWED BY PAUL ACHI.

MR. KEARNEY, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? YES, WE DO.

WE HAVE SET IT.

SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER, CERTAINLY .

OKAY.

HI, TAMMY WAYNE WRIGHT LEVINS PCIA ROAD, ABER, MARYLAND.

I AM IN FAVOR OF THE VEHICLE HEIGHT MONITORING BILL.

I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT ASSET TO HARTFORD COUNTY TO KEEP ALL OF THE ILLEGAL TRUCK TRAFFIC OFF OF OUR ROADS.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

UH, PAUL FCI THREE 20 MARINA AVENUE IN PERRYMAN.

UH, ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE, UH, HEIGHT MONITORING, UH, SYSTEM.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S AWESOME TO HAVE SOME TECHNOLOGY TO HELP OUT HERE.

UM, THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT WAS ON THE COMMISSION, THAT, UH, YOUR, YOUR TENACITY OVER THE LAST, EVERYBODY THAT'S PUSHED US THROUGH OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

LOOK, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AS A PERSON THAT DRIVES ON, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THOSE THREE ROADS JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY AND RIDE MY BIKE ON THAT ROAD AND RUN ON THOSE ROADS.

REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THE TRUCKS OFF.

UM, AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THE DATA DOES SHOW THE INITIAL UPTICK IN VIOLATIONS, BUT THEN LEVELS OFF NEAR ZERO AS THE TECHNOLOGY REPLACES THE NEED FOR A PHYSICAL PERSON ACTUALLY FREEING UP FUTURE MAN HOURS FOR MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, POLICING OPPORTUNITIES IN OTHER AREAS.

SO I, I THINK THIS COULD BE A, YOU KNOW, A REAL WIN-WIN, AS THEY SAY.

THANKS.

NEXT UP IS KATE MCDONALD, FOLLOWED BY TIM VAN M .

HI, GOOD EVENING.

KATE MCDONALD, 2100 PARK BEACH DRIVE PYRAMID.

UM, THIS BILL, IF PASSED IS THE COUNTY'S FIRST STEP TO YOUR FIRST REAL OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO MITIGATE WHAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN TO THE PEOPLE OF PERRYMAN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT LIVE ALONG PERRYMAN ROAD, PCIA AND OLD STU.

THEY HAVE BORNE THE BRUNT OF THE COUNTY'S UNFAIR LAND USE AND ZONING PRACTICES.

AND THEY WERE HERE LONG BEFORE THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS MADE THEIR COMMUNITY A SACRIFICE ZONE.

THIS BILL IS THE FIRST STEP IN FINALLY INVESTING IN A COMMUNITY WHICH YOU HAVE TAKEN SO MUCH FROM AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY.

THIS TWO AND A HALF YEAR BATTLE THAT WE'VE BEEN IN DOESN'T END UNTIL YOU PROTECT PERMAN BY ONE PASSING THIS MUCH NEEDED LEGISLATION AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP THIS LAST SAFE ACCESS TO OUR HOME SAFE.

TWO, BY STOPPING ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, WHICH BRINGS ANY ADDITIONAL DIESEL TRUCK TRAFFIC TO PERMAN M THREE BY IMMEDIATELY BEGINNING TO MAKE EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS IN PERMAN LIKE SIDEWALKS, BUS STOPS, PARKS, BETTER ROADS, AND SAFER ACCESS FOR THE RESIDENTS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO SHARE THEIR COMMUNITY ROADS WITH DIESEL TRUCKS.

I URGE YOU ALL TO UNANIMOUSLY PASS THIS BILL AND LET'S START TO REVITALIZE PERRYMAN 'CAUSE IT HAS A LOT TO OFFER HARTFORD COUNTY AND AS TIER TALK ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, REVENUE AND STUFF.

I FEEL LIKE BERRYMAN'S PRODUCED A LOT OF REVENUE ACCORDING TO YOU GUYS IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.

SO, UH, I THINK WE'RE DUE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPENSE TO, TO MAKE OUR LIVES A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

SO THANK YOU FOR TONIGHT.

TIM VAN DEN, 1963 MITCHELL DRIVE.

UM, I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF THIS BILL.

IT'S GOING TO SIT HERE AND AGAIN, PROVIDE A BIT OF REVENUE TO OFFSET THE INITIAL COST OF $50,000.

MR. PENMAN, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN THAT THERE MAY HAVE TO BE A NEW SHERIFF'S DEPUTY.

MR. BENNETT, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, WE LOOK AT WHEN WE LOOK AT COMPANIES TO IMPLEMENT THIS IS IF THEY'RE LOOKING INTO AI ML, SO THAT WAY WE CAN SIT THERE, THEY CAN FILTER OUT EVENTUALLY TRUCKS THAT ARE IMAGES OF SCHOOL, BUSES, DUMP TRUCKS, THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, AS OPPOSED TO THINGS THAT ARE NOT, THAT MIGHT EASE SOME OF THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BY STREAMLINING, BY STREAMLINING IT.

SO YOU DO A REVIEW, SIGN, SIGN, SIGN, INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH A THOUSAND PICTURES AND VIDEOS, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH MAYBE A HUNDRED, YOU FILTER OUT A LOT OF THE NOISE THAT WAY THE TECHNOLOGY'S STILL ADVANCING.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S QUITE THERE YET, BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I RECOMMEND THAT WE LOOK AT TO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THESE THINGS.

NEXT IS LEE MADDOX, FOLLOWED BY HOLLY MCCOMBS.

GOOD EVENING, MA'AM.

OF THIS LEGISLATION BEFORE YOU, I JUST WANNA TAKE A QUICK MINUTE AND THANK JACOB BENNETT AND HEATHER, UH, FOR THEIR ADV ADVOCACY FOR PERMAN.

GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, LEE MADDOX, 1700 CHURCH POINT COURT, PERRYMAN.

I'M HERE TONIGHT IN FAVOR

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YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT HIGH MAINTENANCE.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY WE HAVEN'T BEEN.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CRITICAL ISSUES, UH, BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING LARGELY FROM THE OVER INDUSTRIALIZATION OF THE PENINSULA.

AND JACOB, WE ARE SUPER, SUPER GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU AS A STAUNCH ADVOCATE.

UH, YOU'VE BEEN A BLESSING TO US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE ARE ALSO, UM, VERY GRATEFUL FOR BOB CALEY AND AS DEDICATED STAFF FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND CONSIDERATION OF OUR ONGOING ISSUES.

AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WHEN THIS COUNCIL POUND PASSES THIS BILL, UH, AND SENDS IT OVER TO HIS OFFICE, IT WILL BE, UH, IMPLEMENTED WITH ALL DUE SPEED.

WE WENT, UH, LIKE KATE SAID, I WON'T REPEAT, UH, DECADES OF BEING FROM BEING IGNORED, UH, AND EXPLOITED AND THE SUPPORT FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS MEANS A WHOLE LOT.

AND IN TERMS OF YOUR, UM, CONCERNS, IF THERE ARE ANY ABOUT, UH, FUNDING, I KNOW THE BUDGET SEASON SEASON IS COMING UP.

UM, AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, WHETHER YOU MAKE A BUDGET OR AMEND A BUDGET OR KILL A BUDGET, IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S ABOUT THE PRIORITIES.

AND PERMAN DESERVES TO BE YOUR PRIORITY THIS YEAR, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING, HOLLY MCCOMBS, 1826 PARK BEACH DRIVE.

PERRYMAN, I I'M GONNA ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, FOR THE HOURS OF, OF WORK ON THIS, ON THIS AND GETTING IT WHERE IT IS.

UM, WHAT I HAVE HERE, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS A COPY OF, I GOT HERE A LITTLE LATE, SORRY.

UM, THESE ARE PHOTOS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN ON SPAA ROAD OR TURNING ONTO SPAA ROAD.

UM, THE BIGGEST CONCERN AND, AND WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IS WE HAVE PEOPLE WALKING ON THAT ROAD CONSTANTLY AND IN OUR PERSONAL VEHICLES COMING HOME AFTER WORK AT 9, 10, 11, 12 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, IT'S SO DARK AND IT IS SO EASY TO HIT SOMEBODY THAT'S WALKING.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE, I'VE NARROWLY AVOIDED THAT AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A TRACTOR TRAILER BEING ON THESE ROADS AND, UH, COMING AROUND A CORNER AND, AND HAVING SOMEBODY THERE.

SO THIS WOULD REALLY, REALLY BE A, A HUGE SAFETY HELP, UM, TO THIS ROAD IN PARTICULAR.

UM, AND I KNOW ALL THE OTHERS AS WELL.

UM, THE HYPE MONITORING SYSTEM WOULD BE A BEST PRACTICE OF SMART TECHNOLOGY THAT MAY BE APPLIED TO OTHER AREAS FOR LEADERSHIP THAT MAY EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AND IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITHIN OUR CIVIL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE, THE POLICE FORCE.

SO I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS BILL, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THE LAST SPEAKER IS CHUCK MAAN.

LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MR. TRUITT, MR. BOWLING, UH, COME FORWARD AND WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK TO ALL THREE CODE BILLS BRIEFLY, AND THEN WE, AFTER YOU'RE FINISHED, I'LL OPEN THEM UP INDIVIDUALLY.

CHUCK MAAN, 1812 PARK PEACE DRIVE IN ABERDEEN.

UH, I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF THE BILL, OBVIOUSLY.

UM, I JUST WANNA THANK JACOB AS WELL AS PUSHING IT ACROSS THE LINE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TWO YEARS SINCE BOB CALEY INTRODUCED, UM, BILL, UH, SENATE BILL 6 42, WHICH GAVE HARTFORD COUNTY THE ABILITY TO CREATE THE CAMERAS OR CREATED THIS LEGISLATION FOR THE CAMERAS.

I KNOW WE HAVE A SOME PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THE CAMERAS ACTUALLY GET INSTALLED AND WE GET TO SEE SOME RELIEF IN THE COUNTY, IN OUR AREA ESPECIALLY.

UM, SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, I THINK THE TECHNOLOGY, AS TIM SAID, HAS COME SO FAR THAT I THINK IT WILL ALLEVIATE THE, THE NEED FOR TOO MANY MAN HOURS, UH, BECAUSE IT CAN FILTER OUT, UM, ALL THE PICTURES AND GIVE YOU JUST THE OFFENDERS, THE ONES THAT DESERVE THE TICKETS.

IT SHOULD GET TO THE POINT WHERE THAT'S ALL YOU'RE SEEING.

INSTEAD OF OFFICERS THAT WE SEE AFTER WE CALL COMING AND STANDING AND PULLING PEOPLE OVER ALL DAY LONG, I SAW SOMEONE THERE DOING IT ALL DAY LONG, PULLING TRUCKS OVER AND TICKET 'EM.

SO I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A COST SAVINGS OVERALL.

ALRIGHT, UM, I TOO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE ENTIRE WORK GROUP FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS OF BRINGING THIS TO US, UH, AT THIS POINT THIS EVENING.

UM, THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 24 DASH 0 0 3 AND, UH, WE'LL BE TAKEN UP AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

UM, COUNSEL, AT THIS TIME I'D

[b. Bill 24-004 (Plumbing Code)]

UH, SO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK TO ONE SPECIFIC BILL CAN, THAT'S FINE.

OR WE CAN DO IT SEPARATELY IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT I'M PREPARED EITHER WAY.

UM, HOWEVER YOU WANNA DO IT, IT'S FINE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT TESTIMONY ON BILL 24 DASH 0 0 4 MODIFICATIONS

[00:25:01]

TO CHAPTER 16 AND 22 WITH HARFORD COUNTY CODE THAT'LL INTRODUCE THE ADOPTION OF THE 21 INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE.

WITH ME, I HAVE THE FILING MEMBERS OF MY DEPARTMENT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR HAR BOWLING CHIEF SCOTT SHOT, DAVE CROSS AND ACTING CHIEF DAVE BROWN.

ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE CHIEF MILFORD BATTERS, WHO IS UNABLE TO BE HERE WITH US IN TENANTS THIS EVENING.

ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPING THE LEGISLATION AND REVIEWING THE MODEL CODES THAT ARE GONNA BE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING WITH THE REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF THE MARYLAND BUILDING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AS PART OF BILL 24 DASH ZERO FIVE.

A REVIEW OF CHAPTER 2202 AND CHAPTER 16 WAS COMPLETED DUE TO THE ORDER OF HEARINGS THIS EVENING.

I'LL PROVIDE AN IN MORE DEPTH EX EXPLANATION OF THE ADOPTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT WITH THE PRESENTATION OF BILL 0 24 0 0 5 OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, MR. BOWLING HAVE, I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO MEET WITH EACH OF YOU AND GO OVER ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, ASPECTS OF THE LEGISLATION AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS.

THE INTENT OF BILL 24 DASH 0 0 4 IS TO ADOPT WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS 21 INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE, ALONG WITH MODIFYING THE CHAPTER 16 OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CODE.

TWO OF THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IN THIS BILL ARE ONE, WE ARE PROPOSING TO MODIFY CHAPTER 16 TO REMOVE THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF PLUMBING CODE AND REPLACING THEM WITH THE CHIEF OF PLUMBING SERVICES.

SINCE THE BOARD IS ADVISORY TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, REPRESENTATION BY THE CHIEF IS A MORE LOGICAL, UH, SELECTION.

SECOND IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE SECTIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE AS DEVELOPED BY INTERNATIONAL CO-COUNSEL.

WERE MODIFIED IN THE 2021 EDITION REALIGNMENT OF THOSE PROVISIONS WITHIN CHAPTER ONE WERE NECESSARY AND NO CHANGES IN APPLICATION NOR INTENT WERE MADE WITH OUR MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THE PAST FEW WEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE SUBSTANTIVE OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE LEGISLATION.

AND IN YOUR PACKET, YOU SHOULD HAVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE PLUMBING BOARD.

IN A SUBSEQUENT REVIEW OF THE LEGISLATION, A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR WAS IDENTIFIED, WHICH IS GOING TO BE SUBMITTED TO YOU, I BELIEVE THIS EVENING OR AFTER THE MEETING AS AN AMENDMENT.

AND IF YOU, THAT AMENDMENT WILL BE ON PAGE 16, LINE NINE, UH, REFERENCE TO SECTION 1 0 6 0.95 SHOULD ACTUALLY BE REFERENCED AS 1 0 9 0.5.

AND THAT'LL CONCLUDE MY TESTIMONY THIS EVENING ON BILL 24 DASH ZERO ZERO.

MR. PRESENT

[c. Bill 24-005 (Building Code)]

WITH YOUR PERMISSION HONOR ON THE 24 DASH 0 0 5.

YES SIR.

ALRIGHT.

AGAIN, THANK YOU AND IT'S MY HONOR TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.

AS YOU'RE AWARE BY STATE STATUTE, EACH MARYLAND JURISDICTION MUST ENFORCE THE MARYLAND BUILDING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS NO LATER THAN 12 MONTHS FROM THE MOST RECENT EDITION BY THE MARYLAND CODES ADMINISTRATION.

LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ARE EMPOWERED TO MAKE APPROPRIATE AMENDMENTS AS ALLOWED BY STATE STATUTE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE SUBTITLE 12 MANDATES THE ADOPTION OF THE LATEST EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE AND THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE DEPARTMENT INITIATED A REVIEW PROCESS OF THE MARYLAND BUILDING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, THE APPLICABLE 21 I CODES AND THE 23 EDITION OF THE NFPA 70.

IN JULY OF 2023, THE ADOPTED CODES MAKE UP CHAPTERS 82 1 0 5 AND 2 0 2 OF THE COUNTY CODE.

THIS YEAR'S REVIEW PROCESS INCLUDED AN OUTREACH PROGRAM CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCING A 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD UPON COMMENCEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S REVIEW.

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO WORKED WITH EACH ADVISORY BOARD TO HELP ENSURE A THOROUGH REVIEW OF EACH OF THE PROPOSED ADDITIONS OF FOR ADOPTION.

AND FOR THIS REASON, A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL APPLICABLE CODES ENFORCED BY THE DEPARTMENT WAS COMPLETED THE BILLS BEFORE YOU MAKE UP A COMPREHENSIVE ADOPTION OF THE 21 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, RESIDENTIAL ENERGY CONSERVATION, SWIMMING POOL CODE, MECHANICAL CODE, PLUMBING CODE, AND FUEL GAS CODE, ALONG WITH THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL AND THE NA NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION MAINTAIN AN ONGOING CODE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR EACH MODEL CODE AS PRODUCED.

THE INTENT OF THIS PROCESS THAT DEVELOP THE LATEST, MOST ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION CODES THAT ENSURE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE WITHIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT BY ADOPTING THE LATEST CODES JURISDICTIONS ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS ARE SAFEGUARDED FROM HAZARDS WITHIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, WHICH ARE EVER CHANGING.

THE INTENT OF BILL 24 DASH 0 0 5 AGAIN, IS TO ADOPT THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING RESIDENTIAL MECHANICAL ENERGY CODE AND SWIMMING POOL AND SPOT CODE.

I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO MAJOR CHANGES THAT YOU WERE MADE AWARE OF IN THE BILL.

FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT IS BEING PROPOSED TO SUPPLEMENT SECTION ONE 16 WITHIN CHAPTER ONE OF THE IBC.

THIS LANGUAGE IS INTENDED TO EXPAND THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS VACANT, UNINHABITABLE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURES.

THE LANGUAGE WAS DERIVED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE AND WILL COMPLIMENT THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS, NOT ONLY IN THE SOUTHERN COUNTY TASK FORCE AREA, BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE IN ADDRESSING THESE TYPES OF STRUCTURES.

[00:30:01]

SECOND, CHANGE IS A SPECIFIC ADOPTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE.

AS A NEW ARTICLE FOUR IN CHAPTER 82, THE IEC IS MANDATED ADOPTION, WHICH IS PROHIBITED FROM BEING WEAKENED BY THE MVPS WORKING WITH THE MARYLAND CODES ADMINISTRATION.

SUCCESSFUL EFFORT WAS MADE TO IMPLEMENT AN INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH FOR PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE FOR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES.

THIS MODIFICATION FOR A BETTER RETURN ON INVESTMENT WAS MADE.

ADDITIONALLY, THIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH HAS ALSO BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE 24 EDITION OF THE IECC, WHICH WE WILL SEE AT THE NEXT ADOPTION.

THIS MEANS THAT BUILDERS ARE PROVIDED WITH A COMP COMPLIANCE PATH THAT IS SIMILAR TO TODAY'S REQUIREMENTS, PROVIDES A GLIDE PATH TO THE NEXT STATE AND LOCAL ADOPTION WHILE CONTROLLING CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION.

UPON FAVOR, APPROVAL FROM THIS BODY FOR THE THREE BILLS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, THE DEPARTMENT WILL STILL HAVE ADDITIONAL MILESTONES TO REACH THE TARGET ADOPTION IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE OF MAY 29TH, 2024.

ONCE COUNCIL APPROVAL IS GRANTED, DEPARTMENT WILL INITIATE A PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO UPDATE OUR CUSTOMER BASE ON THE UPCOMING CHANGES.

DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY IDENTIFYING ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF WITH SECURING A VIRTUAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITY WILL BE AVAILED FOR ANYONE THAT HAS INTEREST IN THE RESIDENTIAL ENERGY CODE PROVISIONS.

THIS CLASS IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 29, 20 FIFTH, 2024.

BASED ON THE EVER INCREASING REQUIREMENTS OF THE IECC TO ACHIEVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE FOR AN EFFICIENT INTERFACE BETWEEN OUR CUSTOMERS, OFFICE STAFF, AND FIELD STAFF DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO, ONCE AGAIN ENTERTAINED, ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH GENERAL CODE TO PRODUCE SPECIFIC HARFORD COUNTY I CODES INCORPORATING THE TEXT OF THE I CODES WITH THE DEVELOPED THAT ARE DEVELOPED BY ICC AND THE AMENDMENTS THAT'LL BE MADE BY YOU THIS EVENING.

THE COUNTY FIRST INCORPORATED LOCAL AMENDMENTS INTO THE CODES IN THE 2018 I CODES ADDITIONS.

THESE DOCUMENTS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR FREE OF CHARGE AND BE LOCATED ON THE ICC DIGITAL CODES WEBSITE WITH LINKS FROM THE DEPARTMENT WEBPAGE.

AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, UH, FOR THIS BILL.

AGAIN, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED ONE TYPOGRAPHICAL LETTER THAT YOU'LL SEE AND IS AN AMENDMENT ON PAGE 45, LINE 26.

CURRENTLY, THE THE SECTION READS 3 95 0.1.

IT SHOULD ACTUALLY READ 3 0 5 0.1.

AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE MY TESTIMONY OR MY PRESENTATION ON BILL 24 0 0 5.

AGAIN, MOVING

[d. Bill 24-006 (Electrical Code)]

ON TO 24 0 6 WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MR. PRESIDENT? YES, SIR.

AGAIN, UH, IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT TESTIMONY ON THE BILL AND THIS INTRODUCES, UH, MAKES CHANGES TO CHAPTER 1 0 5 OF THE COUNTY CODE FOR ADOPTION OF THE 2023 EDITION OF NFPA 70 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE.

THE INTENT OF THE BILL 24 0 6 IS TO ADOPT WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS, THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE.

THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS.

WE'VE INCORPORATED THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, PUBLICATION FIVE 16 ADDRESSING AND REPAIRING ALUMINUM WIRING, WHICH WILL LIMIT THE APPROVED CONNECTION DEVICES.

AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, THOSE CONNECTION DEVICES ARE CRITICAL IN ENSURING SAFETY OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WITHIN STRUCTURES WITHIN SECTION TWO 30 DASH 85 MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE TO REPLACE THE RESIDENTIAL ISLAND COUNTERTOP RECEPTACLE PLACEMENT TO BE IN LINE WITH THE 2017 EDITION OF THE NEC, UH, WHICH IS, WE FEEL IS MORE APPLICABLE OR MORE, UH, APROPOS TO, UH, CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN SECTION 1 0 5 DASH 12 A OF COUNTY CODE, WE REWORD THE HOMEOWNER'S EXEMPTION FOR LICENSES TO BETTER CLARIFY AND THE SCOPING.

SO A PROPERTY OWNER MAY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR AN ELECTRICAL PERMIT FOR OWNER-OCCUPIED DWELLING UNITS.

AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I ASK FOR YOUR FAVORABLE, UH, FAVORABLE VOTE FOR ADOPTION.

THANK YOU MR. TRUETT.

UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR AVAILABILITY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME OVER, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, WORKING ON THESE CHANGES AND THESE UPDATES TO THE CODE.

I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES APPRECIATE IT.

AND WITH THAT, UM, MR. BENNETT, I'M GONNA START WITH YOU.

UM, HELLO.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT AND, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH BILL 24 0 0 5, THE PIECES ADDED TO ENABLE OUR COUNTY TO, UM, MORE STRONGLY, UH, ADDRESS VACANT AND UNSAFE STRUCTURES THAT EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I KNOW WE'VE MET ABOUT THAT.

I WAS ACTUALLY PREPARED A FEW MONTHS AGO TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS EXACTLY THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, THESE BUILDINGS SIT IDLE FOR YEARS AND BECOME NOT JUST UNSAFE STRUCTURALLY, BUT UNSAFE IN THE WAY THEY BECOME USED BY THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, BY TEENAGERS OR, OR, OR OR SO ON.

AND SO I'M, I'M THANKFUL TO SEE THAT ADDRESSED HERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN CONVERSATION IS THE FACT THAT YOUR STAFF ISN'T OUT DRIVING ON EVERY ROAD, SEEING EVERY BUILDING AND THEIR CURRENT,

[00:35:01]

YOU KNOW, STATUS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED YOU WAS, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO YOU ALL AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A VACANT UNSAFE STRUCTURE THAT EXISTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY GO SHOPPING.

UM, AND I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU COULD JUST, SINCE WE'RE IN A PUBLIC HEARING, SHARE WHAT YOUR RESPONSE WAS SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE BEST WAY TO REACH YOU.

SURE.

ABSOLUTELY COUNCILMAN.

SO THE BEST WAY TO REACH IS JUST TO CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT.

UM, YOU CAN USE OUR MAIN PERMITS OFFICE PHONE LINE, ASKED TO SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN TAKE THE COMPLAINT.

WE WILL LODGE THE COMPLAINT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY, UH, AND INVESTIGATE.

THE OTHER OPTION IS TO GO THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE WITH, UH, I THINK IT'S CALLED, UH, UCL.

WE FIX, AND THEY WILL GET THAT INFORMATION TO US AS WELL.

US GET THROUGH A LOT OF THIS STUFF.

THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT.

MR. PENMAN, UH, MR. TRUITT.

MR. BOLIN, AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.

I KNOW, UH, WE, YOU SAT DOWN WITH A NUMBER OF US AND THIS IS EXTREMELY TECHNICAL STUFF, SO JUST TRYING TO WRAP YOUR, AROUND, AROUND THE ELECTRICAL CODES AND THE PLUMBING AND ALL THOSE THINGS, UH, AND FOR YOU BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN IT TO US.

UH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND THE EFFORT, UH, AND I, AND I CAN, UH, CONVEY THE SAME MESSAGE AS COUNCILMAN BENNETT.

UH, THE LIVABILITY CODE OF, OF THIS SECTION OF, UH, OF 24 0 0 5 WILL BE HELPFUL AND A GREAT RESOURCE FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT ENCOUNTER THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, SAFETY ISSUES OUT THERE IN THE FIELD, UH, ALL THE TIME.

SO, THANK YOU, UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS BILL PASSED THESE BILLS.

PASSING.

OKAY, THANK YOU MR. GUTHRIE.

UM, UM, THANKS A LOT FOR THIS HARD WORK.

THERE'S A LOT TO IT.

AND OF COURSE, THE ELECTRICAL END IS MY, WHERE I COME FROM.

UH, AND UH, ONE THING THAT CONCERNS US A LOT IN THE, IN MY DISTRICT IS THIS ALUMINUM WIRING.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IT.

UH, SOME OF THE HOMES THAT WERE BUILT IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES ALL HAVE ALUMINUM WIRING, NOT ONLY IN EDGEWOOD, BUT IN JOB OF TOWN THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY, BUT, UH, I, I KNOW I HAD A HOUSE MYSELF THAT HAD ALUMINUM WIR IN IT AND ALUMINUM WIRE WIRING CAUGHT FIRE.

AND, UH, MY HOUSE BURNED AND THEN, AND, UH, COST ABOUT $35,000 OF DAMAGE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WHAT IT, WHAT HAPPENS.

THE PROBLEM YOU GOT IS YOU GOT ALUMINUM WIRE AND IT'S, IT'S WRAPPED AROUND A COPPER SCREW OR THE COPPER SCREW GETS, YOU PUT THE WIRE, YOU SO TIGHTEN IT, YOU TIGHTEN AS HOWEVER IT GOES.

BUT NOW, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S SITTING ON THE OUTSIDE WALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S REAL COLD OUT AND YOU'RE USING THE APPLIANCE INSIDE, LIKE MY WIFE HAPPENED TO BE DOING AT THE TIME, A A DRYER AND, UM, UH, RUNNING IT.

AND THEN THE COLD OUTSIDE, THE COLD OUTSIDE SHRINKS THE WIRE.

SO THE ALUMINUM WIRE SHRINKS, BUT THE, BUT THE COPPER WIRE DOESN'T MOVE.

A COPPER SCREW DON'T MOVE.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU GET AN ARC BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM WIRE AND THE COPPER SCREW AND YOU GOT A FIRE.

AND, UH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN MY HOUSE.

UM, SO I, I GUESS, UH, DO YOU SEE SOMETHING IN THE LONG RUN WHERE THERE COULD BE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE OR SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, UH, UH, CHANGE OVER THEIR SYSTEM? AND MAYBE, I DON'T MEAN TO CHANGE IT OVER ENTIRELY, BUT, UM, DO YOU STILL DO THE, UH, DO YOU STILL DO THE WIRE UP IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE YOU PULL OFF THE, THE BIG TAIL? UH, OR DO YOU HAVE A A, A, A NEWER, UM, CREATION.

OKAY, SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE.

UM, I, I DO NEED TO GIVE CREDIT TO CHIEF BATTERS.

HE, HE BROUGHT FORTH THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION PUBLICATION, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS PUBLICATION'S INTENDED TO DO.

UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNORTHODOX TO ADOPT A PUBLICATION LIKE THIS AS PART OF THE CODE, BUT WE WORKED WITH HARFORD COUNTY LAW DEPARTMENT AND FOUND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENED TO ADDRESS YOUR SPECIFIC CONCERNS.

SO THESE WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE CONNECTIONS.

WE'VE BEEN, THE DEPARTMENT IS VERY DILIGENT IN TRYING TO ENFORCE THOSE WHEN THEY SEE 'EM.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE NEVER HAD ANYTHING IN LAW TO ACTUALLY BACK US UP.

SO THIS ACTUALLY DOES GIVE US THE ABILITY TO DO THAT KIND OF ELIMINATES THE PIG TAILING AND THE, UH, PETROL LOCKS THAT WAS BEING USED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THIS WILL BE A MUCH BETTER SAFER OPTION.

DO, DO YOU SEE SOMEHOW IN THE FUTURE WE, THERE, THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF A GRANT OR FUNDS AVAILABLE IF, UH, IF PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE THAT CONVERSION IN THEIR HOUSE, UH, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T FORCE 'EM TO DO IT.

RIGHT.

UH, BUT IF THERE WAS, UH, SOME FUNDS LIKE 50% OR WELL, THE COST THAT WE COULD FIND SOMEWHERE OF FUNDS TO, TO DO THAT, I THINK IT WAS GOOD.

SAVE A LOT OF FIRES.

YEAH.

UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, UM, I CAN REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT DOES A LOT OF OUR GRANT PROGRAMS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING OUT THERE AND HAVE THEM SEARCH THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN TRY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WILL AVAIL SOME RELIEF TO PROPERTY OWNERS.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OVER, GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT I ALSO SEE THAT YOU GOT LIKE 150 YEARS WORTH OF, UH, , UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR KNOWLEDGE BACK THERE.

UM, AND, AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES THAT YOU GUYS GO OUT, UH, HAVE PEOPLE UNDERNEATH YOU, BUT I THINK IT'S YOUR KNOWLEDGE THAT HELPS

[00:40:01]

AND, AND I KNOW YOU BEING ON THE, THE BOARD AND I'VE TALKED TO YOU A COUPLE TIMES ABOUT THAT AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THAT.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES IT JUST GOES O OVERHEAD.

UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE AUTOMATIC POOL CLOSURES.

SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE GONNA HAVE AUTOMATIC POOL CLOSURES, YOU KNOW, WE STILL NEED THE FENCES AROUND THEM, JUST LIKE THE, UM, THEY'RE ALUMINUM WIRING.

UM, WE WILL NOT, IN MY WORLD, WE WILL NOT INSURE A HOME WITH ALUMINUM WIRING.

UM, AND IT'S GONNA GET EVEN WORSE OUT THERE.

SO SOMEBODY COMES TO US AND THE HOME WAS BUILT IN THE LATE SIXTIES AND THEY HAVE ALUMINUM WIRING.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA BE OUTTA LUCK.

THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND CHANGE THAT.

AND I KNOW IT'S, IT, I KNOW IT'S NOT CHEAP, BUT, UM, SO I DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT, THE EFFORT.

UM, AND I KNOW ONE, THE ONE BIG THING THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH WAS THE COST SAVINGS OF AT LEAST 10% MOVING FORWARD, BUT YOU DIDN'T TELL EVERYBODY WHAT THAT ONE BIG PIECE CAN, CAN YOU MENTION THAT THE ENERGY CODE, THE ENERGY CODE, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE ITEM WAS THAT IF SOMEBODY DOES THAT ON A, ON A HOME OR I GUESS ALSO IS IT REMODELING OR JUST NEW, THEY CAN USE IT FOR BOTH REMODELING AND NEW CONSTRUCTION? MOSTLY IT'S GONNA AFFECT NEW CONSTRUCTION.

NEW CONSTRUCTION.

UM, I JUST RECENTLY HAD A CALL YESTERDAY FROM A HOME BUILDER WHO WAS LOOKING AT THIS OPTION THROUGH ANOTHER COUNTY THAT THEY, THEY WORK IN AND THEY EXPRESSED THAT IT'S GONNA SAVE THEM ABOUT 10 TO $15,000, UH, IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HOME BECAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE TO GO TO GO TO FIVE H DRYWALL.

THEY WON'T HAVE TO GO TO INCREASE STUD SIZING.

AND IT REALLY PUTS US, AS I MENTIONED, ON A GLIDE PATH TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 24 EDITION.

AND WHAT WAS THAT, THE 24 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE.

SO THIS MARYLAND ALTERNATIVE, AND YOU KNOW, I SIT ON THE 24 ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE COMMITTEE NATIONALLY.

AND UH, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE THAT FORESIGHT AS PART OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP KNOWING WHAT WAS COMING.

WE WORKED WITH MARYLAND CODE'S ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH, AND THEY SAW THE VALUE IN DOING THIS, AND THEY MOVED IT FORWARD AS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH.

SO THIS WAS, UH, A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

AND WHAT IS THAT INNOVATIVE APPROACH? CAN YOU TELL EVERYBODY SO WE HAVE THAT ON RECORD? SURE.

THIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH IS REALLY LOOKING BACK AT A, AT CHANGING THE PRESCRIPTION OR ADDING A NEW PRESCRIPTIVE PATH THAT REDUCES WHAT'S IN THE CODE.

SINCE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAKEN THE CODE.

IT TOOK THE CEILING R VALUE FROM R 60 DOWN TO R 49, AND THEN IN THE WALL VALUE, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE IT FROM AN RR 30 DOWN TO BACK DOWN TO THE 15 THREE OR THE R 20.

BUT WHAT YOU HAD TO DO IS ALSO USE A APPROACH WHERE YOU WERE HAVE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 6% FROM A DIFFERENT TABLE.

THAT TABLE WILL ALSO BE EXPANDED IN THE 24 EDITION TO MATCH EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADOPT THIS EVENING AND WHAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS ALREADY ADOPTED.

SO IF YOU GO IN AND YOU ADD ENERGY STAR APPLIANCES, YOU KEEP ALL YOUR DUCT WORK INSIDE THE THERMAL ENVELOPE, YOU INCREASE YOUR HVAC EFFICIENCIES, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR SAVINGS.

SO THAT WAS THE BIG ONE, WASN'T IT? THE DUCT WORK INSIDE THE THERMAL ENVELOPE GAVE GAVE YOU 10%.

10%, ABSOLUTELY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED YOU TO SAY, , THAT'S WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO.

I WAS HOPING YOU WERE GONNA SAY THAT, BUT, BUT I, I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS A, A BIG PIECE THAT IT DIDN'T, WASN'T GONNA COST THE CONSUMERS A LOT OF MONEY.

AND I WANTED YOU TO SAY THAT SO THAT THIS IS BEING RECORDED, THAT EVERYBODY HEARS THAT IN CASE THAT'S QUESTIONED DOWN.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT ON THAT.

UM, IF ANYTHING I CAME AWAY WITH, THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES THAT, THAT I'VE REMEMBERED.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND, UH, AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING TONIGHT AND APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND, AND YOUR EXPERTISE.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.

UM, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF WITH, UH, WITH THAT, WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT, AND WE NEED THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE, YOUR BILL WAS TIMELY.

YOUR, YOUR UPDATES WERE TIMELY, HIS BILL WAS TIMELY.

YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND WORK THIS OUT WITH ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION AS OPPOSED TO TWO OR THREE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE? MR. KEARNEY? UH, WHEN BILL 24 0 0 4, THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED OFF.

OKAY, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR 20 20 0 4.

RICHARD FORD, MR. FORD.

GOOD EVENING SIR.

NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

RICHARD FORD.

AND I'M 26 25 PUTNAM ROAD, FOREST HILL, MARYLAND.

UH, I JUST WANNA SPEAK IN, IN BEHALF OF 24 0 5.

UH, I CHAIR THE HVAC BOARD FOR HARTFORD COUNTY AND WE DID A LOT OF REVIEW OF THIS THROUGH, UH, THE BILLING DEPARTMENT AND MR. TRUITT.

AND, UH, TO THE POINT THAT YOU JUST MADE RECENTLY, THE HVAC INDUSTRY IS A BIG PART OF THIS MARYLAND ALTERNATIVE.

UH, WE HAVE A LOT, THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED WITH THE MECHANICAL SIDE.

SO MYSELF AND OUR BOARD WE'RE, UH, COMPLETELY IN SUPPORT OF

[00:45:01]

BILL 24 0 0 5.

ANYONE ELSE? NO ONE ELSE WILL.

OH FIVE AND THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE HEARING FOR 24 0 0 5.

YEAH, TOM MURKEY.

PO BOX SIX 14 VILLE, MARYLAND.

YES, SIR.

UH, I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY ELECTRICAL BOARD AND WE'VE REVIEWED THE, UH, LEGISLATION FOR BILL NUMBER 24 0 0 6 AND WE SUPPORT IT AS WRITTEN.

NO OTHER SPEAKERS.

WELL, THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR 24 0 0 6, AND ALL THREE OF THESE WILL BE ADDRESSED AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED AS WELL.

GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS THE ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 24 DASH ZERO NINE.

SO THIS WILL, UM, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ALTOGETHER AND, UM, COUNSEL, IF YOU'RE READY, WE'LL JUST FLOW RIGHT INTO THE GENERAL MEETING.

I CAN'T, NO, WE'LL DO THAT.

OH, SEVEN 30, I FORGET THAT.

SEVEN 16.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE A 14 MINUTE RECESS.

5 4 3.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

UH, PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE.

FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN PENMAN.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, UNIFY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FRAUD.

DEAR, HELP ME.

FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU IN PRAYER AND ASK FOR YOUR STRENGTH, WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS WE NAVIGATE OUR DAILY LIVES INTO LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.

WE PRAY THAT YOUR CHARACTER WOULD FLOW FROM US AS WE PUT OTHERS.

FIRST, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU RESONATE IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS SO THAT WE MAY LIVE IN YOUR IMAGE.

LORD, PLEASE BLESS OUR NATION'S LEADERS.

I PRAY FOR THEIR STRENGTH, FAITHFULNESS, INTEGRITY, AND PURPOSE.

THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE THAT ENABLES AND EMPOWERS US.

IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY.

AMEN.

COUNSEL, IF I MAY, UM, WE ARE MISSING MOST BOTH MS. DIXON AND MS THIS EVENING.

UH, THEY WILL BE JOINING US AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS.

FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS, AND NOMINATIONS.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, NONE.

SEVEN APPROVAL

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

OF MINUTES, PUBLIC HEARING.

MARCH 5TH, 2024, LEGISLATIVE DAY, 24 DASH 0 0 8, MARCH 5TH, 2024.

ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS MINUTES.

STAND APPROVED.

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

MR. JAN GIORDANO, PLEASE READ RESOLUTION 0 0 7 DASH 24 INTO THE RECORD RESOLUTION 0 0 7 DASH 24 MASTER WATER AND SEWER PLAN, SPRING 2024.

UPDATE INTRODUCED BY THE COUNT COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTIA AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE MASTER WATER SEWER SPRING 2024.

BLESS.

UPDATE A COPY WHICH ATTACHED HERETO AND FOR SUBMISSION OF THE PLAN OF THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION PURSUANT TO TITLE IX OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

ARTICLE OF THE MARYLAND ANNOTATED CODE PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2024 AT 7:00 PM IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, INTRODUCTION TO BILLS.

INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS.

10.

[10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]

MR. J JORDANA, PLEASE READ AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FOUR TO BILL 24 DASH 0 0 2 AMENDMENTS TO BILL 24 DASH ZERO TWO INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT OF VINCENTIA AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE ON PAGE 26 IN LINE FIVE, STRIKE THE BRACKETS AROUND THE WORD CAP AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ON PAGE 35 IN LINE 22.

STRIKE THE BRACKETS AROUND THE NUMBER FOUR AMENDMENT.

NUMBER THREE ON PAGE 25 IN LINE 22.

THAT'S PAGE 35.

SO ON PAGE 35 IN LINE 22, STRIKE THE BRACKETS AROUND THE NUMBER FOUR AMENDMENT.

NUMBER THREE ON PAGE 25 IN LINE 22.

STRIKE THE NUMBER FIVE, AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR ON PAGE 45 IN LINE 22.

STRIKE THE WORD BE AFTER THE WORD SHALL.

THANK YOU MR. ANO.

UM, BECAUSE OF A TIMING ISSUE, THESE AMENDMENTS WILL BE CONSIDERED THIS EVENING.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FOUR.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU MR. GUTHRIE.

LET'S MOVE SECONDED TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FOUR TO BILL 24 DASH 0 0 2.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. PRESIDENT? MR. BENNETT? UM, I JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF PUBLIC CLARITY, I, I'D, UH, SHARE THAT THESE AMENDMENTS WERE ACTUALLY SPOKEN ABOUT LAST WEEK,

[00:50:01]

UH, DURING OUR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVED.

UM, AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH SO JUST CLERICAL AND NOT, UH, SUBSTANTIVE IN ANY NATURE TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

THANK YOU MR. BENNER FOR THAT.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNSEL? MR. KEARNEY? UH, MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.

THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE? ONE ABSENT AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FOUR, HEREBY APPROVED 11.

[11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS]

CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS BILL 24 DASH 0 0 2 AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM AS AMENDED.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 24 DASH 0 0 2.

MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

THANK YOU MR. BENNETT, LET'S MOVE TO SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 24 DASH 0 0 2 AS AMENDED.

IS THERE THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNSEL, IF I MAY, I WANNA RECOGNIZE FORMER COUNCILMAN CHAD SCHRODE IN THE AUDIENCE AGAIN TONIGHT.

UH, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IN THE PRIOR COUNCIL, UM, MR. SCHRODE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THIS COUNSEL WORK GROUP TOGETHER.

UH, THEY MET EXTENSIVELY, WORKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, TO BRING THESE, THIS NEW BILL FORD ALONG WITH, UH, BILL AMOS AND JIM WILSON.

AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND THEIR WORK.

AND, UH, WITH THAT, MR. KEARNEY, MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.

THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE ABSENT.

BILL 24 DASH ZERO TWO AG LAND PRESERVATION AS AMENDED IS HEREBY APPROVED.

AGENDA NUMBER

[12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS]

12 AND ROMAN OF BILLS BILL 24 DASH 0 0 2, AG AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM AS AMENDED IS CERTIFIED AS BEING THE TEXT FINALLY PASSED.

13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

17 COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS.

14.

NEW BUSINESS, WE HAVE NONE.

[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]

MR. KEARNEY, DID WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? I HAVE UH, FOUR RIGHT HERE.

UH, SPEAKER WILL BE KATIE ANO, FOLLOWED BY DALE LIVINGSTON.

MM-HMM.

CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER AGAIN PLEASE.

KATIE ANO.

G-O-N-A-S-O.

CALL YOUR SECOND SPEAKER.

DALE LIVINGSTON.

COUNTIES CAN AND CANNOT DO REGARDING OUR LAND AND ZONING.

GOOD EVENING, DALE LIVINGSTON, 1908 ENGLE SIDE ROAD.

FALLSTON, OUR COUNTRY IS IN TURMOIL BECAUSE MANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOT HONORING THEIR OATHS OF OFFICE.

WHEN YOU WERE ELECTED, YOU SWORE THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS THEREOF.

THOSE ARE BEING BREACHED, LEFT AND RIGHT.

ONE INSTANCE CONCERNS OUR OWN COUNTY CHARTER 2 0 7 ARTICLE ONE SECTION FOUR DASH EIGHT QUALIFICATIONS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

A COUNCILMAN SHALL NOT HOLD ANY OTHER OFFICE OR OF PROFIT OR EMPLOYMENT IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE, THE COUNTY, OR THE MUNICIPALITY WITHIN THE COUNTY, EXCEPT A POSITION HELD BY VIRTUE OF BEING A COUNCILMAN.

THE DECISION OF THE MARYLAND SUPREME COURT HAS PUT OUR COUNTY'S GOVERNING BODY IN A VERY PRECARIOUS POSITION.

AND EVEN THOUGH COUNCILMAN PENMAN AND BENNETT WERE ALLOWED TO DISREGARD THE CHARTER RULE, IT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT AND SETS A BAD PRECEDENT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND PERHAPS IN EVEN MORE DETRIMENTAL WAY.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE RULE IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

IT'S QUITE SPECIFIC, BUT ESPECIALLY EVIDENTLY IT'S EASY FOR THOSE WHO DON'T CARE TO FOLLOW THE RULES TO JUST IGNORE THEM.

AND IT'S A PITY WE KEEP ELECTING PEOPLE WHO GO AFTER US FOR NOT FOLLOWING RULES WHILE THEY MAKE A SHAM OUT OF OUR CONSTITUTION AND COUNTY CHARTER.

THIS IS MORE THAN DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTY AND GOVERNING BODY.

THE MARYLAND SUPREME COURT'S EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS CHARTER POSITION DOESN'T APPLY IS THAT IT IS AMBIGUOUS.

WHAT IS AMBIGUOUS ABOUT SHALL NOT HOLD ANY OTHER OFFICE OF PROFIT OR EMPLOYMENT IN THE STATE, COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL.

WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE MAKEUP OF OUR COUNTY GOVERNING BODIES ACROSS THE STATE WHEN THEY CAN NO LONGER HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CREATE THEIR OWN RULES AND THEN FOLLOW THEM? THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS.

SO THE COURTS WILL DECIDE WHAT THE COUNTIES CAN AND CANNOT DO REGARDING THEIR CHARTERS.

THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE NOW DECIDING WHAT OUR

[00:55:01]

THE STATE IS DECIDING WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.

IT IS NOT A BREACH OF THE OATH.

IS IT NOT A BREACH OF THE OATH TAKEN BY EVERY ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIAL TO NOT ONLY IGNORE OUR GOVERNING BODIES, RIGHT, TO CREATE THEIR OWN RULES OF GOVERNANCE, BUT IN SO DOING, IGNORING THE PEOPLE AS WELL.

REMEMBER, IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO GIVE YOU THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE AUTHORITY TO GOVERN BY PROTECTING OUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS.

THAT'S YOUR ONLY JOB.

AND WHEN THE OATH IS BREACHED, IT IS TELLING THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DO NOT CARE TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS.

OUR CONSTITUTION IS THE PATH WE CHOSE TO TAKE.

WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO JOIN US.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

NEXT SPEAKER IS DIANA SADOWSKI, FOLLOWED BY GARY JOHNSON.

HI, DIANA SADOWSKI.

1113 STROM CO DRIVE.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LARYNGITIS.

A LITTLE TOO MUCH TALKING THESE DAYS.

UM, MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE IN RESPONSE TO MR. PENMAN PRESENTATION LAST WEEK FOR THE LAST YEAR AS A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT B.

I'VE SAT IN AT THESE MEETINGS WHILE MY REPRESENTATIVE HAS REPEATEDLY BASHED AND DISPARAGED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS DONE.

AND I SIT AND I WONDER WHY IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNTY EXECUTIVE STILL HAS A HAND IN THE COUNTY.

HE MAY BE A MENTOR TO YOU, MR. PENMAN, BUT IT'S WELL EVIDENT BY THE SPRAWL THAT'S GOING ON THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNTY EXECUTIVE WAS VERY FRIENDLY TO DEVELOPERS AND MANY OF THEM FROM OUT OF STATE WHO ARE COMING IN TRYING TO CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR COUNTY ALL IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS WITHOUT REGARD TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND SCHOOLS AND HEALTHCARE AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE MR. PENMAN, THAT YOU COULD BE SUCH A POSITIVE ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY.

HOWEVER, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU'VE CLEARLY ALIGNED YOURSELF, NOT WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT WITH THOSE WHO LINE YOUR POCKETS.

REMEMBER WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT GLASS HOUSES AND THE PREVIOUS SPOKE, UH, SPEAKER BROUGHT IT UP.

YOU'RE EMBROILED IN YOUR OWN BATTLE WITH ETHICS.

AND PERHAPS NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING UNTIL THIS IS RULED ON.

MAY I SUGGEST YOU STEP DOWN.

MAY I SUGGEST YOU AT LEAST RECUSE YOURSELF FROM PUTTING ANY BILLS IN VOTING ON BILLS FROM ANY ACTIONS ON THE COUNCIL UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED.

I KNOW I'M JUST, SOMEBODY'S GRAMMY TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT, BUT I'M ALSO AN UNREPRESENTED CONSTITUENT WHO'S FED UP? THANK YOU.

GARY JOHNSON, 7 0 4 PLEASANT HILL CIRCLE, KINGSVILLE, MARYLAND.

MR. PENINS ATTACK ON THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE LAST WEEK LED ME TO RESEARCH OUR COUNTY CHARTER.

THE PREAMBLE OF THE COUNTY CHARTER READS IN PART WE THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD COUNTY IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFITS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT AND WHOM RULE DO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND ADOPT AS OUR INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT.

THIS CHARTER OF HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD COUNTY DID NOT WANT TO HAVE THEIR LIVES RULED BY PEOPLE DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS AS THE DOCUMENT STATES THEY DESIRE TO RULE THEMSELVES.

BUT THE PROBLEM WITH OUR CHARTER IS THAT IT IS NOT A SELF-ENFORCING DOCUMENT.

IF THE PEOPLE WE ELECT DO NOT ENFORCE THE CHARTER, THEN SELF-GOVERNMENT WILL DISAPPEAR.

IF SELF-GOVERNMENT MEANS ANYTHING, IT IS THAT DECISIONS REGARDING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A PERSON TO SIT ON THE COUNCIL ARE TO BE HANDLED LOCALLY AND NOT FARMED OUT TO THE STATE.

MR. PENNANT WASN'T QUALIFIED TO RUN FOR A SEAT, NOR HOLD A SEAT ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

SECTION 2 0 7 OF OUR CHARTER PERTAINING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS STATES IN PART THAT DURING HIS OR HER TERM OF OFFICE, HE OR SHE SHALL NOT HOLD ANY OTHER OFFICE OF PROFIT OR EMPLOYMENT IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, HARTFORD COUNTY, OR ANY MUNICIPALITY WITHIN HARTFORD COUNTY.

MR. BENNETT HELD SUCH AN OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT.

YOU FOLKS DIDN'T DO YOUR DUTY THEN, AS YOU ARE NOT DOING IT NOW.

THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DID HIS JOB REGARDING MR. BENNETT AND THE COUNTY COURT UPHELD HIS ACTIONS THAT IS SELF-GOVERNMENT.

BUT MR. BENNETT PRESSED HIS CASE STATING THAT OTHER COUNTIES ALLOW THEIR TEACHERS TO SERVE ON THE COUNTY SEAT.

SO WHY CAN'T HE? WELL, INSTEAD OF ENFORCING OUR COUNTY, INSTEAD OF ENFORCING OUR COUNTY LAWS, THAT UH, YOU SURRENDERED YOUR GOVERNING AUTHORITY TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT.

WE ALL KNOW THAT SUPREME COURTS NEVER MAKE MISTAKES.

BUT THEN THERE'S THAT DRED SCOTT DECISION THAT FUELED A CIVIL WAR.

PERHAPS OUR STATE SUPREME COURT FOUND A PENUMBRA IN OUR CHARTER, SUCH AS THE PENUMBRAS JUSTICE DOUGLAS FOUND IN THE GRISWOLD CASE, WHICH HAS NOW LED TO THE TO COST THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF BABIES DUE TO ABORTION.

[01:00:01]

YOU JUST CAN'T EVER TELL WHERE THE SURRENDERING OF SELF-GOVERNMENT MIGHT LEAD.

NOW YOU'VE GOT MR. PENON CLAIMING THAT HIS JOB WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS PROTECTED BY THE BENNETT PRESIDENT.

AS I RECALL, ALL OF YOU TOOK AN OATH BEFORE ASSUMING YOUR DUTIES TO SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUTIONS AND TO PERFORM AND DISCHARGE YOUR DUTIES FAITHFULLY.

IN MY OPINION, YOU HAVE FAILED ON BOTH POINTS.

COURTS DON'T MAKE LAWS.

WE, THEY MAKE OPINIONS IN MARYLAND.

CHARTER GOVERNMENTS MAKE THEIR LAWS.

YOUR OATH IS TO ENFORCE THOSE LAWS.

THE LAWS PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE WERE PASSED BY THE COUNTY, NOT BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

IF WE ARE TO HAVE HOME RULE, THEN WE MUST ENFORCE OUR OWN LAWS AND NOT LEAVE IT UP TO OTHERS.

IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, RESIGN, NOTHING PERSONAL.

JUST A DESIRE FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT.

THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS.

ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16, BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, WE'LL MOVE

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]

MR. BENNETT.

HELLO.

GOOD, GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

UM, I'LL ADDRESS IT JUST REALLY BRIEFLY BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD TWO, UH, CONSTITUENTS BRING IT UP TONIGHT.

UM, SPECIFICALLY IN MY CASE, THE SUPREME COURT RULED AND RECOGNIZED THE INDEPENDENT NATURE OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION.

UH, IF YOU LOOK AT MY PAYCHECK, IT'S FROM THE HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, THE TOP OF MY HIRING AND FIRING CHAIN IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, UM, WHO IS, UH, YOU KNOW, HIMSELF HIRED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

UM, AND THAT IS, UH, CORRECT, YOU KNOW, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE DONLIN CASE, WHICH HAD, UH, EARLIER RECOGNIZED THE INDEPENDENT NATURES OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. DONLIN DIDN'T RECEIVE STATE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS 'CAUSE HE'S NOT A STATE EMPLOYEE.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES ARE NOT STATE EMPLOYEES.

UM, WE'RE NOT COUNTY EMPLOYEES EITHER.

'CAUSE THE SUPER OR, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HIRING, THE FIRING, THE PAY STRUCTURE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY WHAT MY CASE LOOKED AT.

SO JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, THE CHARTER IS STILL RECOGNIZED.

THE QUESTION WAS, AM I A COUNTY EMPLOYEE OR STATE EMPLOYEE? AND THE ANSWER ACCORDING TO THE COURT AND ACCORDING TO THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CASE LAW WAS NO.

UM, SO REAL QUICK, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT I DID GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UM, AND HIS STAFF.

AND I SHARED WITH HIM MY DISTRICT F BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL PROJECTS I WANNA SEE GET DONE, ORGANIZATIONS I WISH TO SEE GET SUPPORTED.

UM, AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY FAIR TO HIM AND HIS STAFF TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT I'LL BE ADVOCATING FOR FROM APRIL 15TH UNTIL THE BUDGET GETS PASSED.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT HE MADE THAT TIME AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A MONTH OUT FROM HIS BUDGET BEING SENT TO US.

SO, UM, THAT'S EVERYTHING FOR ME TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT.

MR. RILEY.

YES, I DID THE SAME, UH, WITH, UH, DISTRICT D AS FAR AS MEETING WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE IS HOPEFULLY MY WIFE, WHO'S IN ANNAPOLIS AGAIN AS OUR, UH, CHAIR OF DELEGATION.

IT'S OUR 48TH ANNIVERSARY, SO I WISH HER A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

HEY, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

UM, MR. JAN JORDANA.

UM, JUST REAL QUICK, JUST, UH, ATTENDED THE ARMY ALLIANCE ANNUAL LUNCHEON MEETING ON THURSDAY AT VAN, UH, VAN DIVER IN, UP IN, UH, UP IN HAVER GRACE WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI AND COUNCILMAN, UH, GUTHRIE.

SO JUST, UH, JUST, UH, HEARING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE, UM, A PG AND EVERYTHING.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GO TO THE LUNCHEON AND GET THE LATEST INFORMATION.

AND, UM, THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU MR. PENMAN.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

UM, TRY TO BE BRIEF AS WELL.

UM, WITH THE MAKO, UH, WE KIND OF SEE THE NEW LEGISLATION AND THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATION.

OBVIOUSLY THE CANNABIS DISPENSARIES WAS LEGISLATION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED AND PASSED.

SO, UH, MYSELF, UH, THE COUNSEL ATTORNEY, UM, AND, UH, SAM SAT THROUGH A PRESENTATION THIS WEEK.

AND I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF THE OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT ON A LOCAL, UH, LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE HERE.

UM, SO THE STATE IS GOING TO EXPAND, UH, MARIJUANA OR CANNABIS DISPENSARIES, UH, TO 179.

THERE'S GONNA BE DECIDED BY A LOTTERY.

UM, OUR COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS FIVE DISPENSARIES, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ADDING THREE MORE.

UH, ACCORDING TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION, UH, LICENSE DISPENSARY MAP CAN BE FOUND ON THE MARYLAND STATE SITE.

UM, MARIJUANA OR THE CANNABIS IS GONNA BE TAXED AT 9% ON THE SALES TAX.

35% OF THAT WILL GO TO THE COMMUNITY REPAIR FUND, THE CRRF, WHICH IS, UM, GRANTED FOR AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPO DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE MARIJUANA ARREST IN THE PAST.

UH, I THINK WE GET 3.38%

[01:05:02]

OF THAT.

UM, WE'LL HAVE A REVENUE SHARING OF ABOUT 5%, UM, UH, FOR, UH, THE SALES OF, UH, CANNABIS IN HARTFORD COUNTY.

AND THAT WILL BE SPLIT WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES FOR THOSE LOCATIONS THAT ARE IN MUNICIPALITIES.

SO, UH, THERE IS ONE, UH, ITEM, THE ONSITE CONSUMPTION THAT HAS NOT PASSED, UH, AS OF YET.

THAT WILL BE THE NEXT ROUND, UH, THAT THEY'RE GONNA DECIDE.

BUT IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THE AUTHORITY TO GRANT OR OPT IN ON ONSITE CONSUMPTION WILL BE DECIDED BY THE COUNTY.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO OPPOSING THAT.

UH, LAST WEEK I TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, SCHOOL BOOK REVIEW, UH, PROCEDURE.

UM, EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S GONNA BE HEARD AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, NEXT MONDAY.

SO IF YOU HAVE SOME INPUT ON THAT, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE TO PROVIDE THAT.

I DID MAKE A MISTAKE.

I CALLED IT A PROCEDURE.

IT'S ACTUALLY A POLICY, UH, WHICH IS DETERMINED AS FAR AS HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED.

SO IT IS A POLICY, NOT NECESSARILY A PROCEDURE, BUT THERE IS A PROPOSAL FOR A PROCEDURE GOING FORWARD.

AND THAT IS THE FLAG DISPLAY OF FLAG, UM, POLICY OR PROCEDURE.

UM, AND WHAT THAT REALLY REQUIRES, BECAUSE A LOT OF FLAGS ARE DIVISIVE.

UH, I KNOW THE BU LINE IS DIVISIVE, AND THERE'S OTHER FLAGS THAT ARE DECISIVE.

SO THIS, UH, PROPOSED, UH, POLICY WOULD ALLOW ONLY THE MARYLAND FLAG, THE UNITED STATES FLAG, AND THE HARTFORD COUNTY FLAG, UM, TO BE SHOWN INSIDE THE CLASSROOMS. SO I SUPPORT THAT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, NEXT MONDAY AND HE HEARING FEEDBACK.

SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.

THANK YOU, MR. P AND MR. GUTHRIE.

UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

UM, IT'S THURSDAY.

UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE ARMY ALLIANCE WITH THE, UH, TONY AND PAT.

AND, UH, ALWAYS GLAD TO GO TO THAT 'CAUSE A GOOD PORTION OF OUR ABER PROVING GROUNDS IS IN MY DISTRICT.

AND I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO GET AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE ON FRIDAY.

I, I, UM, BRIEFLY ATTENDED THE, UH, UM, EXTREME FAMILY OUTREACH, UH, EVENT THEY HAD AT, UH, RICH IN BALLROOM.

COULDN'T STAY LONG 'CAUSE I HAD ANOTHER EVENT TO GO TO ALSO.

AND, UH, THEY'RE A GREAT OUTFIT.

I REMEMBER 20 SOME YEARS AGO WHEN I CUT THE RIBBON FOR THE EXTREME FAMILY OUTREACH WHEN THEY STARTED.

AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE 20 SOME YEARS LATER.

UH, THEY'RE STILL GOING STRONG AND REALLY HELPING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS, AS THE WEEKENDS THAT DON'T CHANGE FOR US UP HERE SATURDAY, UM, PAT, MYSELF, UH, ATTENDED THE HARTFORD LAND TRUST ANNUAL MEETING AND HA DE GRACE DECOY MUSEUM AND INHA DE GRACE.

UM, CERTAINLY IT'S GREAT TO SEE, UH, UH, HARTFORD LAND TRUST AND THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING FOR THE COUNTY, UH, AND LAMB THAT THEY'RE PRESERVING AND VERY HAPPY THAT, UM, RECENTLY THEY JUST PRESERVED THE 129 ACRES IN DROP OF TOWN AND ANOTHER 98 ACRES IN, IN, UH, IN EDGEWOOD AND ARE GONNA BE FUTURE PARKS.

SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

ON THE WAY BACK, I STOPPED AT THE, UH, UH, THIS AND THAT CONSIGNMENT GIFT SHOP, UH, IN EDGEWOOD, RIGHT ON ROUTE 40.

UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CALLED, UH, THIS AND THAT.

AND, UH, IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO GET SOME REALLY NICE GIFTS FOR PEOPLE, THAT'S THE PERFECT PLACE TO GO.

PEOPLE TURN IN SOME VERY EXPENSIVE STUFF AND THEY SELL IT FOR REALLY REASONABLE PRICES.

UH, IT'S A PERFECT GIFT SHOP.

UH, SUNDAY, I, I, I WENT TO THE EDGEWOOD FIRE STATION TO MEET JANSEN ROBINSON AND SOME CITIZENS THERE.

UH, THEY WANTED TO, UH, GET WITH ME AND DO A LITTLE TOUR OF THE AREA ON WILLIE BEACH ROAD TO SEE WHERE THESE, UH, THIS 98 ACRES WAS PLUS, UH, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO DOWN IN THE LOWER PART OF WILLOUGHBY BEACH ROAD TO, TO CREATE A WALKWAY AND A, UH, A BICYCLE PATH.

UH, SO WE WENT OVER THAT.

AND, UM, UM, YESTERDAY I MET WITH K CLIMBS KISH K IF I PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT, K-A-I-K-I-S.

HE'S A REGIONAL PUBLIC EVENT OFFICER OUT OF CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IN, IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

AND, UH, HE WANTED TO, TO MEET WITH ME FOR LUNCH.

WE WERE AT THE VENETIAN, UH, ITALIAN EATERY IN IN EDGEWOOD, GREAT RESTAURANT.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, UH, UH, TAKE MY RECOMMENDATION.

UM, AND HE WANTED TO, UH, KNOW ALL ABOUT EDGEWOOD AND CHOPPA TOWN AND, AND WE'RE GONNA SET UP A, A TOUR.

UH, HE'S GONNA GET HERE ONE DAY WHERE HE CAN SPEND THE WHOLE DAY, AND I'M GONNA DRIVE HIM ALL OVER EDGEWOOD AND JO A TOWN WITH, AND, AND HE'S GONNA BRING THE CONTROLLER HERSELF THERE.

UH, SO IT'D BE GOOD TO SEE HER.

AND, UM, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL DO A REAL NICE TOUR.

SHOW HIM EVERYTHING WE GOT THERE.

WELL, THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S ALL I GOT.

THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE.

UM, AGENDA NUMBER 15,

[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]

BUSINESS FROM PRESIDENT.

UH, IT'S MY, UH, ROLE TO AGAIN ADVERTISE OUR COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

THERE'LL BE MONDAY, APRIL 22ND, TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD, MONDAY, APRIL 29TH, AND TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH.

AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO COME IN BEFORE US PRESENT THEIR BUDGETS AND ALSO OUR UNAFFILIATED OR

[01:10:01]

OUTSIDE, UH, AGENCIES TOO.

UH, SO A COPY OF THE SCHEDULE WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE.

AUDIO LIVE STREAM WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THE FOUR DAYS OF THE MEETINGS.

UM, AUDIO OF THE MEETING WILL BE A CAR ARCHIVED ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE.

THEN OUR BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 8TH AT 7:00 PM IN THESE CHAMBERS.

MONDAY, MAY 13TH AT 7:00 PM IN OUR CHAMBERS.

UH, AND ALSO VIDEO AND AUDIO WILL BE LIVE STREAMED AND ARCHIVED ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE.

UH, MR. GUTHRIE MENTIONED THE HARTFORD LAND TRUST ANNUAL MEETING.

IT WAS HELD AT THE DECOY MUSEUM, EXTREMELY WELL ATTENDED.

UH, WE HAD THE PLEASURE AND THE HONOR TO PRESENT MR. JOHN SAUER A PROCLAMATION FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS IN ART TO THE COUNTY.

AND ALSO MR. KRUG, I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW YOU PRONOUNCE HIS LAST NAME, MR. KRUG, FOR HIS 16 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE LAND TRUST.

UM, AND THEN FINALLY, EACH OF US TALK ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR EMS FOLKS, OUR, OUR FIREFIGHTERS FIRST RESPONDERS.

WE THANK THEM FOR THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE TO OUR CITIZENS EACH AND EVERY DAY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WHEN THEY ROLL UP TO A CALL, THEY NEVER KNOW WHAT TYPE OF SITUATION THEY'RE GONNA BE IN.

AND THIS PAST WEEKEND, ONE OF OUR CREWS HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE THEY WERE ATTACKED, UH, AND THEM THEMSELVES WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

SO AGAIN, WHENEVER YOU SEE THESE VOLUNTEERS, SEE THESE PAID EMS AND EMTS, PARAMEDICS OUT ON THE ROAD, PLEASE RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE.

UH, 'CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GONNA NEED 'EM.

SO, WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING.