[a. Bill 24-008 (Fire Lanes) ]
[00:00:07]
CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 24-008 FIRE LANES, MR TIT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR SETTING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. AN HONOR TO PRESENT TESTIMONY THIS EVENING ON BILL 24-008 MODIFICATIONS. CHAPTER 244 ARTICLE TWO FIRE LANES.
PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE WERE LAST UPDATED BY BILL 2063, WHICH FOCUSED ON EFFORTS REGARDING DESIGNATION AND ESTABLISHING STANDARDS. FIRE LANES OR FIRE DEPARTMENT. ACCESS ROADS ARE ESSENTIAL PROVISION FOR THE FIRE SERVICE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE UNOBSTRUCTED ACCESS TO BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES. OUR DEPARTMENT ACCESS ROADS ALSO PLAY A KEY ROLE WITHIN THE PROVISIONS OF THE COUNTY'S BUILDING CODE AND STATE FIRE PREVENTION CODE. THESE CODES PROVIDE PROVISIONS ESTABLISHING AREA INCREASES. WHEN BUILDINGS COMPLYING WITH ALSO OPEN PERIMETER ACCESS AND UNLIMITED BUILDING PROVISIONS. THESE ARE ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS, RELYING UPON FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS FOR THESE ALLOWANCES TO BE GRANTED. LEGISLATION FOR YOU THIS EVENING INTENDS TO MODIFY THE COUNTY CODE BY ONE, TRANSFERRING THE AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE FIRE LANES TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, INSPECTIONS, LICENSES AND PERMITS. ENABLING THE DIRECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND INSPECTION LICENSE PERMITS TO DEVELOP MAINTAIN RULES AND REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS CHAPTER OR SECTION 807 OF THE COUNTY CHARTER. TO ADMINISTER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ARTICLE. DEVELOP DESIGN STANDARDS. DEVELOP THE PROVISIONS TO DESIGNATE FIRE LANES FOR EXISTING STRUCTURES UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS, WHICH REQUIRE BUILDING PERMITS.
ESTABLISHED MAINTENANCE PROVISIONS FOR EXISTING DESIGNATED FIRE LANES. REFINE ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESTABLISH MINIMUM PERIODIC REVIEW OF ADOPTED RULES AND REGULATIONS. ON PASSAGE OF THE LEGISLATION WILL BE NECESSARY FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS TO CONVENE A WORK GROUP. THUS ITS STAKEHOLDERS. TO COMPREHENSIVELY LOOK AND ESTABLISH UPDATED PROVISIONS FOR FIRE LANES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE ARTICLE ONE IMPLEMENTED, THE DESIGN STANDARDS WILL BE CREATED THAT PROVIDES AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE DESIGN COMMUNITY AND INCORPORATED AT THE TIME OF CONCEPTUAL PLANNING. VALIDATED DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND INSPECTED PRIOR TO OCCUPANCY APPROVAL. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING CLOSING, ASK FOR YOUR FAVORABLE SPORT, AND I'M WILLING TO ASK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MAY HAVE THANK YOU, SIR. UH COUNSEL ANY TIME, MR BEMAN. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UH, THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. UH, FOR YOUR TEAM ON THIS. I KNOW WE WORKED A LOT ON THIS AND HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS AT LEAST. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN GIAN JORDANO, UH, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AS WELL. SO I THINK THIS IS A WELL CRAFTED BILL. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SMALL LITTLE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED. UM THAT I I'D LIKE TO CHANGE. JUST KIND OF THROW IT ON RECORD, UM, WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE GROUP THAT'S GOING TO DEVELOP THE ACTUAL RULES AND REGULATIONS. THERE'S AN ELEMENT IN HERE WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT SHALL NOTIFY IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN OF IT AND II. I THINK THAT'S A STANDARD THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR PATROL GUYS, WHETHER IT'S MUNICIPALITIES, STATE POLICE OR SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THOSE, SO I WAS HOPING TO CHANGE THAT SHALL TO A MAY. SO THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE. I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU, SARA. THANKS MR PEN. AND MR GIANNA. SO, MR TRUE IT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING ON THIS. I, UH I WORKED ON THIS, UH, PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO, GOT SOME ROADBLOCKS AND HAD A AND HAD TO SHELVE IT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE WORKED IN THE PRESENT FORMAT IT THAT IT WAS IN. SO UH, I APPRECIATE YOU YOURSELF AND YOUR STAFF DOING A DEEP DIVE IN THIS AND PUTTING IN A AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND I AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL I'LL, UM, LOOK TO INTRODUCE IS, UM, UM NOT ONLY YOURSELF AND THE I IS THERE, DUAL APPOINTED, UH, REPRESENTATIVES THAT CAN ALSO MAKE CHANGE, SO IT DOESN'T FALL ON JUST ONE PERSON THAT THERE'S MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT CAN THAT CAN DO THAT. AND I DID. LOOK AT ALSO THE, UH, THE FINE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. BUT THAT'S BEEN A PROBLEM. UM HOPEFULLY, ONCE WE GET THIS SQUARED AWAY, WE CAN TAKE THIS LEGISLATION AND , UM, LOOK AT THE TOWN. UM AND BRING THAT TO THE TOWN AND MAYBE THEY CAN ADOPT THE SAME THING. AND I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT. SO I SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND I LOOK FORWARD AND, UH, I HAD SAID TO CHARLIE AND AGAIN THAT I'LL I'LL BE ANSWER ON THIS BILL AS WELL AS YOU MENTIONED IN OUR PHONE CALL, YOU KNOW IF WE DID AS WE ESTABLISH THESE DESIGN REGULATIONS UNDER RULES AND REGULATIONS ON THE COUNTY CHARTER THAT ALSO PROVIDES THE TOWN'S ABILITY JUST TO REFERENCE THAT AND THEN WE CAN KEEP THOSE UPDATED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANYONE ELSE? MISTER RILEY. MR TREW, AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE PENALTY IF THEY DO NOT DO THIS SO IN THE CURRENT LEGISLATION, IT IS A CIVIL PENALTY. WE CAN USE THE CIVIL PENALTY PROVISIONS OF THE CODE, WHICH IS UP TO $1000 CIVIL PENALTY. FOR EACH INSTANCE EACH INCIDENT IS IT PER DAY, UH, PER SITE FOR PER VIOLATION. SO I
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BELIEVE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY WHEN WE DID THE LEGISLATION OR ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR FOR CIVIL PENALTIES. I THINK THEY HAVE A 10 OR 15 DAY WINDOW TO CORRECT THE VIOLATION, AND THEN THE COUNTY CAN MOVE FORWARD IF THAT VIOLATION IS NOT CORRECTED TO THE NEXT STEP, AND THEN WE CAN SEEK, UM, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM TO GET THE VIOLATION.CORRECT SO YOU'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT YOU'RE TAKING OUT 100 DAY VIOLATION. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO $1000. IT COULD BE UP TO A YES AND THEN IF YOU IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO TO COURT, WHICH WOULD BE AND UNDER THE CIVIL PENALTY PROVISIONS. THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, REQUEST A COURT DATE AND RIGHT FROM THAT, UH, DOCUMENT THAT WE WOULD ISSUE TH THANK YOU, MR REILLY. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON AND WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP. THERE WAS NO ONE SIGNED UP. MR PRESIDENT, WITH NO ONE SIGNED UP TO CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 24-008. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO BE ADDRESSED TO FUTURE ME. THANK YOU. WE WILL TAKE A SHORT RECESS AS GOOD
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
EVENING CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 24-011. TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY OUR OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY. P. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN INVISIBLE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL LET US PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER. THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS OF LIFE. THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTY. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL GUIDE OUR COUNSEL AS THEY MEET AND DISCUSS MATTERS WITH REGARD TO OUR COUNTY. I PRAY THAT THEIR MOTIVATION AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO IS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PUBLIC AND NOT THEIR OWN. I PRAY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SOLVE OUR COUNTY'S PROBLEMS AND MAKE GOOD POLICIES THAT ADDRESS THEM. HELP US TO BE COMPETENT AND EXCELLENT IN OUR GOVERNANCE. HELP US TO LISTEN WITH UNDERSTANDING AND GOODWILL AND HELP US TO SPEAK WITH CLARITY AND RESTRAINT. GIVE US A SPIRIT OF SERVICE AND YOUR MOST BLESSED NAME, I PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU, MISTER RILEY, COUNSEL IF I MAY, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO ADDRESS. UH, SOME OF THE PUBLIC CONCERNS REGARDING AGENDA ITEM 17 AND COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS THAT I, UH, HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CITIZENS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. UM THIS. THIS COUNSEL CHAMBERS, YOUR COUNSEL. CHAMBERS IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES THAT CITIZENS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS AND THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. OBVIOUSLY. AS COUNSEL PRESIDENT. IT IS MY CHARGE TO MAINTAIN A CIVIL, RESPECTFUL AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL ESPECIALLY IN THESE CHAMBERS. AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING. UH, I ASKED CITIZEN, UH, TO REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS . NAMES UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S NAME THE SHERIFF'S NAME. UM I JUST THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE A LITTLE MORE CIVIL IN OUR COUNTY. UH I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE. I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ALSO WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, ALSO WITH THE SHERIFF, AND, UM JUST BELIEVE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE HARSH WITH THE MISS KANO. UH AND I APOLOGIZE TO HER AFTER THE MEETING. WE DID SCHEDULE MEETINGS WITH HER AND M SS, UH, FOR YESTERDAY. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER COULD MAKE THE MEETINGS. UM I. I JUST AND NO MEANS. I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION THAT I'VE HEARD OFF AND ON THROUGH THE OUT THE WEEK AND LAST NIGHT AT THE, UM, COMMUNITY INPUT ME OR EXCUSE ME. THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING IN JPA, UM YOU KNOW? MY INTENT IS NOT TO STIFLE ANYONE'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, BUT RATHER TO STOP ANY INSULTING OR INFLAMMATORY COMMENTS. UH, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CHAMBER. SO UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, KEEPING OR ADHERE TO, OR COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES SECTION ONE THROUGH SIX. CLEARLY STATES THAT THESE TYPES OF REMARKS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THESE CHAMBERS AND, UM THIS COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING FROM ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. WELCOMES EVERYONE TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS , CONCERNS AND IDEAS WHILE REMAINING RESPECTFUL TO EACH OTHER. SO WITH THAT, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE FEW MINUTES THAT I'VE TAKEN HERE THIS EVENING. UM A GENERAL NUMBER FOUR PRESENTATION AND PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE KNOWN[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]
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FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. UH, EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS, HARTFORD CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY HAVE A MOTION COUNCILOR PRESIDENT I MOVE TO REAPPOINT KRISTEN KLEIN AND NICOLE BIGGS. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. IT'S BEEN MOVED A SECOND TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF, UH K KLEIN AND NICOLE BIGGS TO THE HARVARD CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS RAN DISCUSSION, MR BENNETT. UM I'M VERY LUCKY TO SERVE ON THE DIFFERENT BOARDS THAT I DO FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO, UH, CITIZENS CARE TO THE HARTFORD CENTER? UM BUT THE HARTFORD CENTER ESPECIALLY HOLDS A YEAR AND YEAR PLACE IN MY HEART AND WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT BOARD. UM SO I'M GLAD TO SEE, UH, THESE TWO WOMEN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US ON THAT BOARD AS WE SUPPORT ALL PEOPLE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR BENNETT.ANYONE ELSE? MR DIXON. MISTER PRESIDENT, MR GUTHRIE PENMAN. MR BENNETT. THEY'RE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE VISA POINT ARE HEREBY APPROVED. SIX SPECIAL
[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE NO. SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 19TH 2024 LEGISLATIVE DAY 24-0 10 MARCH 19TH 2024 ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THEY'RE BEING NO CORRECTIONS SUBMITTED STAND APPROVED. UH, MR DANGER. NOW, I PLEASE READ[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
RESOLUTION. 008 24 AND 009 24 IN THE RECORD FOR INTRODUCTION. RESOLUTION 08-24 HOUSING AGENCY ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN HAS INTRODUCED INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, A RESOLUTION APPROVING AMENDMENTS TO THE HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN, A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED HERE TO ALIGN WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITY THROUGH MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2016, AS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND IRVINE DEVELOPMENT. HUD CONCERNING ANNUAL DEFINITIONS, INCOME CALCULATION AND TRIM REEXAMINATIONS NET FAMILY ASSETS AND HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS TO ADD HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ALL REFERENCES OF THE PHRASE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022 TO DELETE SECTIONS 15.8 0.2 THROUGH 15.8 0.17. SEEING THE HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AND TO CORRECT ANY GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. PUBLIC SCHEDULED HEARING FOR TUESDAY MAY 7TH 2024 AT 630. THERE IS NO PUBLIC HEARING. UM AND IF I CAN JUST STOP YOU THERE BEFORE YOU READ THE NEXT ONE. WE HAVE MISS RICHARDSON HERE WITH US THIS EVENING. IF YOU'D LIKE TO UH, GOOD EVENING. BARBARA RICHARDSON, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. HERE IT IS. ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF CERTAIN CHANGES TO THE HARFORD COUNTY HOUSING AGENCIES. HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN. THE ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN SERVES AS A POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND ESTABLISHES LOCAL POLICIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH HUD REGULATIONS. MUCH OF WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN IS MANDATED BY FEDERAL LAW. IN 2016. CONGRESS PASSED THE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY THROUGH MODERNIZATION ACT OR HOT, MA WHICH OUTLINED NEW DEFINITION AND PROCEDURES THAT RENDERS OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN OUT OF COMPLIANCE. IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW HAMA REGULATIONS. THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN NEEDS TO BE AMENDED TO REFLECT THE NEW REGULATIONS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS MINOR CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE PLAN. EXAMPLES OF THE PLAN. OF THE CHANGES INCLUDE HOW INCOME IS DETERMINED WHICH FAMILY ASSETS ARE CONSIDERED HOW INTERIM REEXAMINATIONS ARE CONDUCTED. HOW HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS ARE DETERMINED AND THE CORRECTION OF SOME GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. IN ADDITION, CERTAIN LANGUAGE NEEDS TO BE ADDED SPECIFICALLY. PHRASE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AT IT WHENEVER WE REFER TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING, VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING. THE DEPARTMENT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DELETE A HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM SINCE THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE A HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE HAS NOT HAD A HOMEOWNERSHIP PRO PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS, PROBABLY EVEN LONGER THAN THAT. ALL OF THE NEW CHANGES REQUIRED UNDER HOT MONEY TO BE IN EFFECT, NO LATER THAN JANUARY, 1ST 2025, WHICH MEANS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN NEEDS TO REFLECT THE NEW REGULATE REGULATIONS. PRIOR TO THAT, THEREFORE, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE HARTFORD COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE HARPER COUNTY HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN TO REFLECT THE CHANGES MANDATED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY[00:15:01]
THROUGH MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2016. THANK YOU, MS. RICHARDSON COUNSEL, MR PEN. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MS. RICHARDSON UM, I KNOW THIS IS MANDATES. UH AND WE'RE JUST COMPLYING WITH IT. UH, BUT IN A LOT OF THOSE THAT YOU MENTIONED THERE AS FAR AS THE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNED, THE ANNUAL INCOME DEFINITIONS, INCOME CALCULATIONS , ETCETERA. I JUST LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED. AND I SPOKE TO, UH, LARRY ABOUT IT. UH, HE SAID HE WAS GONNA GET ME SOMETHING ON SO I. I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MR JANTAN? I. I THINK I'M GONNA ECHO COUNCILMAN PENMAN'S, UH, ABOUT THE SAME THING ABOUT GETTING SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON THAT, UM AS FAR AS WHAT ANNUAL INCOME DEFINITIONS ARE. WHAT'S A HARDSHIP? UM WHAT'S UH, THAT WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF A VOUCHER? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF A VOUCHER? DOES IT DOES IT VARY BY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY? OR IS IT JUST ONE VOUCHER THAT IS ENCOMPASSING EVERYTHING? UM AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER THAT NOW? WELL WHEN IT COMES TO INCOME, THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE VOUCHER THAT'S UH YOU REALLY THERE EVERY VOUCHER IS A DIFFERENT AMOUNT BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND WHAT THE APARTMENT RENT IS. SO THERE'S A VERY COMPLICATED COMPLI FORMULA THAT WE USE WHERE IT'S A FORMULA TO DETERMINE WHAT THE INCOME PAYMENT IS, AS A HOUSEHOLD'S INCOME GOES UP. THE RENTAL SYSTEM PAYMENT GOES THAT THAT THE COUNTY MAKES GOES DOWN AND VICE VERSA. SO IT'S ALWAYS A MOVING TARGET. IS THERE A IS THERE A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ALLOWED IN THE HOUSE, TOO? WHATEVER THE REGULATIONS FOR ANY RENTAL PROPERTY WOULD BE SO THERE'S WE'D BE HAPPY TO SIT AND DISCUSS WITH YOU. WE CAN SEND AN EMAIL WITH THE THERE'S JUST A LOT OF LITTLE CHANGES. SO WE'RE JUST THE PLAN IS TO REFLECT WHAT THE LAW IS GOING TO REQUIRE MOVING FORWARD. MAYBE AN EMAIL IF I HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. MAYBE WE SIT DOWN AND BE GOOD. THANK YOU. I'LL BE HAPPY TO COME IN ANYONE ELSE. MR. RILEY YES, MISS RICHARDSON.I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF CITIZENS AND DISTRICT D. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB UP THERE. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? UM THIS WILL COME UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR G AND RESOLUTION 009-24 AUTHORIZATION FOR APPLICATION OF SSTAP AS INTRODUCED INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE REQUESTED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO FILE AN APPLICATION WITH THE MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION OF THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANS PART FOR SSTAP STATEWIDE SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND SECTION 530353045. AND 5311 AND 5318. FORMULA AND DISCRETION, DISCRETIONARY OPERATING AND CAPITAL GRANT PROGRAMS UNDER THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ACT DURING THE FISCAL YEAR AND FOR ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS, WHICH MAY BE AVAILABLE UNDER THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ACT DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 7TH 2024 AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU, MR JANDA. PLEASE READ BILLS. 24-00 EXCUSE ME, 010 AND 24-011 INTO THE RECORD FOR INTRODUCTION. BILL 24-010 FLOOD PAN FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AS
[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]
INTRODUCED INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND ACT TO REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS, SECTION, 19 BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES OF ARTICLE THREE REQUIREMENTS IN ALL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS OF CHAPTER 131 FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ARE OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE BY DELETING SUBSECTION E AND RENUMBERING THE REMAINING ACTION THERE AND GENERALLY RELATING TO THE HARTFORD COUNTY FLIGHT PLAN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 7TH 2024 AT 6:30 P.M. IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS. BILL 24-011 SEDIMENT CONTROL AS INTRODUCED INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GUTHRIE, AN ACTOR, REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS. THE DEFINITION OF GRADING UNIT OF SECTION 2 14-1 DEFINITIONS AND TO REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS SECTION 2 14-22 CIVIL CITATION AND FINE ALL OF ARTICLE ONE. SEND CONTROL OF CHAPTER 214 SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORM WATER MANAGEMENT OF THE CAN CODE AS AMENDED TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF GRADING UNIT TO INCREASE THE CIVIL FINE AND GENERALLY RELATING TO SEDIMENT CONTROL. PUBLIC[00:20:03]
HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 7TH 2024 AT 6:30 P.M. IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU , MR JORDANO. AGENDA NUMBER 10 INTRODUCTION CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NO 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS WE HAVE ON 12 ENROLLING THE BILLS. THERE ARE NONE 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE. 14 NEW BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE. MISS DIXON, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
AGENDA NUMBER, 17 COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. WE HAVE 10 THIS EVENING, MISS.LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE 12 THIS EVENING, MR PRESIDENT. CRYSTAL OREN TO FOLLOWED BY SEAN PETA. I WOULD JUST REMIND EACH OF YOU THAT WE HAVE THREE MINUTES AND BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER.
GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING CRYSTAL ROOF AND AT 700 HESTON COURT, BELLA. SO UM, MY NAME IS I'M CRYSTAL AND I AM AN EDUCATOR AND A RESIDENT. OBVIOUSLY I'M OF HARTFORD COUNTY. SO UM, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT, UM, BECAUSE THE ACCOUNTING EXECUTIVE RECENTLY RELEASED A STATEMENT, UM, BECAUSE OF HARTFORD COUNTY'S BILLION DOLLAR REVENUE FALLING BY 13 MILLION THAT HE PLANS TO FUND HTPS AT THE BARE MINIMUM ALLOWED BY LAW. IF NOTHING CHANGES, HTPS WOULD RECEIVE $40 MILLION LESS THAN THE AMOUNT REQUESTED BY THE BOARD OF ED.
UM, THIS ALSO FOLLOWS UNDERFUNDING OF $29 MILLION LAST YEAR OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS. THE DIFFERENCE OF FUNDING AMOUNT THE DIFFERENCE. SORRY IN THE FUNDING AMOUNT REQUESTED BY THE BOARD OF ED AND WHAT WAS FUNDED IS OVER 200 MILLION. THIS INCLUDES THREE YEARS OF FULL FUNDING UNDER EXECUTIVE GLASSMAN. UM I'M COMING TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT . UM, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THIS WILL HAVE ON OUR KIDS. UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TAKING PLACE IN SCHOOLS. BUT THESE THINGS ARE OFTEN THE RESULT OF THE ADDITIONAL TIME AND MONEY THAT'S SPENT ON BEHALF OF EDUCATORS. WE DO NOT HAVE WHAT WE NEED. UM, THERE ARE NEEDS THAT GO UNMET EVERY DAY, AND IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF EDUCATOR, SKILL OR HARD WORK. OUR CRITICS WILL TELL YOU. THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. AND YOU KNOW OUR QUESTION THEN IS WHAT YOU KNOW WHY. WHY DID YOU THINK THAT THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN? YOU KNOW, $200 MILLION OVER TO OVER 12 YEARS. UM THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY WENT TO SCHOOL DOES NOT MAKE THEM AN EXPERT EDUCATORS ARE THE EXPERTS IN EDUCATION IF NOTHING CHANGES, UM, OUR COUNTY WILL BE THE ONLY COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN OUR COUNTY'S HISTORY TO FUND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LESS THAN THE YEAR BEFORE. UM LAST YEAR, THIS COUNCIL WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BOTH IN PUBLIC MEETINGS. AND THEN THE MEETINGS THAT YOU HELD WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. UM YOU WERE ABLE TO SECURE AS MUCH NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING. UM MANY CITIZENS SPOKE RECENTLY AT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET HEARING AND EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF FULLY FUNDING. UM HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. UM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DID NOT LOOK AT US THE ENTIRE TIME THAT WE SPOKE TO HIM. I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME TONIGHT. I. I BELIEVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE. UM AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME TONIGHT, UM, THAT YOU CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS AND OUR EDUCATORS. WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. UM BUT WE'RE NOT OUR OUR HOPES ARE NOT TOO HIGH THAT HE'S REALLY LISTENING TO US. SO UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO JUST SAY THAT WE NEED YOU. IF H GPS WILL RECEIVE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, IT WILL BE DUE TO YOUR ADVOCACY. UM, EVEN IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, UM, SECURE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT REQUESTED BY THE BOARD, WE WILL LIKELY STILL BE LAST IN MARYLAND. UM SO I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT THAT WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO FOR US LAST LAST YEAR, UM, WHEN WE WORK WITH EDUCATORS AND LEGISLATORS ACROSS MARYLAND, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S ACTIONS ARE GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT HARTFORD DOES NOT VALUE EDUCATION. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE REALITY IS THE ONLY ONE WHO DOESN'T IS BOB CASSY. UM HE HOLDS TOO MUCH POWER THE LEVEL OF UNDERFUNDING OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS CANNOT BE FIXED OVERNIGHT. UM, BUT WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU HELP US TO TAKE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. UM, BY AGAIN, THE SHEER DOING WHATEVER YOU CAN TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING WE RECEIVE THROUGH YOUR ADVOCACY. THE HCPS BUDGET REQUEST REPRESENTS WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR SHIP AFLOAT. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT THIS BUDGET BEING REASONABLE. I JUST ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REACH OUT. UM WITH YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR VALUING KIDS AND EDUCATORS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING. SURNAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
SEAN SHATTA 604 TALON COURT. ABINGDON, MARYLAND. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SEAN SHAPE. I AM A TEACHER AT TOWN HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO ASK FOR YOU TO TRY TO DO WHATEVER YOU
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CAN DO TO ENSURE MORE MONEY IS GOING TO THE SCHOOLS. THIS IS MY 17TH YEAR TEACHING AT THE SCHOOL. I'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME ROUGH TIMES IN THE COUNTY. BUT YEAR AFTER YEAR, I'VE DECIDED TO STAY PUT. AT ONE POINT I WAS YEAR 10 EMPLOYEE ON A YEAR FOUR PAY SCALE BECAUSE THE PAY FREEZES AND UNDERFUNDING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BUDGET. I RECENTLY WAS LOOKING AT OLD YEARBOOKS AND WAS ASTONISHED AT THE PICTURE. I CAME ACROSS IT WAS THE DEPARTMENT PICTURE FROM THE 2013 2014 SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAD 13 MEMBERS OF OUR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT. OUR CLASS SIZES RANGE FROM 15 TO 20 STUDENTS, A NUMBER THAT ALMOST ALL EXPERTS AGREE IS THE MOST BENEFICIAL FOR STUDENT LEARNING. THIS YEAR. WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS IN OUR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT DO THE CUTS ON CUTS POSITIONS WERE LOST TO ATTRITION. OUR CLASS SIZES ALL HOVER AROUND THE 30 STUDENT MARK, THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTY. MY SCHOOL IS NOT OFTEN LOOKED UPON FAVORABLY IN MOST OF THE COUNTY FOR YEARS, I WOULD TALK DISPARAGINGLY ABOUT MY SCHOOL, NOT REALIZING THE FACT THAT MY THOUGHTS HAD ON OTHERS. NOW I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WOULD PUT MY STUDENTS AGAINST ANY IN THE COUNTY. THEY ARE NOT PERFECT. BUT THEY ARE MORE CAPABLE THAN MOST IN THIS COUNTY WOULD TELL YOU THEY ARE WE ARE A PRIORITY SCHOOL. MOST OF OUR STUDENTS FALL INTO THE FARMS CATEGORY. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S FREE AND REDUCED PUBLIC. UM FOR IN PUBLIC, UM MEALS.THANK YOU. SORRY UM SO WHICH LETS YOU KNOW THE SOCIOECONOMICS OF OUR SCHOOL? SURE WE HAVE DISCIPLINE ISSUES. BUT WHO DOESN'T? WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS AT OUR SCHOOL AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE CUT ANYMORE. I THINK WE ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS OF THE COUNTY. SO LET'S SHOW THEM THAT YOU AGREE BY HELPING TO SECURE FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, SIR.
MELISSA WILLIAMS, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTY CRAWFORD SMITH. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS , PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MELISSA WILLIAMS. 172 TOUCH OF GOLD DRIVE. HAVE A GRACE. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT VINCENTE OTHER DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MELISSA WILLIAMS. I AM A HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRINCIPAL CURRENTLY LEARNING AND GROWING IN THE COMMUNITY OF JOW HIGH SCHOOL. I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPER SUPERVISORS OF HARTFORD COUNTY. TONIGHT I'M HERE TO SHARE SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AS WELL. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND FOR ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO SUPPORT THE CATERS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF HARTFORD COUNTY. AND TO ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FUNDING OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN HARTFORD COUNTY. I'VE BEEN A PRINCIPAL FOR 15 YEARS. I WAS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR SEVEN YEARS BEFORE THAT. AND A TEACHER FOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THAT, IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS. IN THOSE 30 YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE SAME BUDGET CHANGES THAT OTHERS HAVE AND WILL SPEAK ABOUT TONIGHT. I'VE ALSO SEEN GREAT PROGRAMMATIC SUCCESSES THAT HAVE CEASED TO EXIST BECAUSE OF FUNDING.
TONIGHT. I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF THAT EXPERIENCE WITH YOU. I REMEMBER BEING A THIRD YEAR PRINCIPAL IN 2012 STRUGGLING TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES UNDER 40 STUDENTS AFTER ONE OF OUR PE TEACHER POSITIONS WAS CUT. IT HAPPENED, BUT AT THE EXPENSE OF SEAT TIME FOR OTHER CLASSES. IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS. I FOUND MYSELF IN SIMILAR POSITIONS IN VARIOUS BUILDINGS. MORE STAFFING CUTS MEANT TOUGH CHOICES IN ORDER TO MAKE IT WORK. ONE TIME IT WAS A COMPUTER COURSE THAT COULD NO LONGER BE OFFERED ANOTHER. IT WAS LEVEL ONE OF A WORLD LANGUAGE THAT COULDN'T THAT DISAPPEARED. OTHER BUILDINGS RIDING TOOK A BACK SEAT OR ELECTIVES OR ART OR MUSIC OR CLASS SIZES SOAR ABOVE 40. OVER TIME. MORE OPPORTUNITIES DISAPPEARED. MENTORING PROGRAMS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS VISITS TO AND FROM FEEDER SCHOOLS TO HELP INCOMING 6TH AND 9TH GRADE STUDENTS. TRANSITION SUCCESSFULLY. HALF OF AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITION. BUT LIKE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, WE MADE IT WORK. OR AT LEAST WE GOT BY WE SURVIVED. IT WASN'T UNTIL 2022 AFTER SEVERAL POSITIONS, AND THE A P POSITIONS WERE RESTORED. I FINALLY LOOKED AROUND AND THOUGHT, HOW WERE NOT SURVIVING STUDENTS ARE THRIVING. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH DOSE TUTORING ROBUST AFTER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES. ACCESS TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS CURRICULAR CHOICE ACCESS TO WELL ROUNDED CURRICULUM. THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO DO. BUT FINALLY, AFTER SO MANY YEARS, I FELT THAT WE WERE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. NOW IN 2024 AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT SIGNIFICANT IMPACT BUDGET IMPACTS IF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOLLOWS THROUGH ON WHAT HE HAS SUGGESTED.
STAFFING CUTS AT MY CURRENT BUILDING WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY RESULT IN CLASS SIZES NEARING 40. AND THE LOSS OF ACCESS TO ELECTIVES AND CURRICULAR CHOICE, BOTH HUGE STEPS BACKWARD FOR
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PROPOSAL TO FUND THE SCHOOLS IS AT THE I KNOW WHAT THE PROPOSAL TO FUND SCHOOLS AT THE MINIMUM REQUIRED BY LAW WILL MEAN MINIMUM FUNDING EQUALS MINIMAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE TO SURVIVE IN HARTFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS BUT CAN THRIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, CHRISTY CRAWFORD, SMITH, 25 ST MARY'S ROAD. P, MARYLAND. I, A 23 YEAR CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY EDUCATOR PROUDLY SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. THIS EVENING. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO PUSH BACK ON THE NARRATIVE THAT HARFORD COUNTY CANNOT AFFORD MORE THAN THE BARE MINIMUM REQUIRED BY LAW FOR SCHOOL FUNDING. A TEMPORARY DECREASE IN ONE REVENUE SOURCE IS NOT THE JUSTIFICATION TO SIGNIFICANTLY CUT NECESSARY FUNDS FOR THAT WERE ALL BUT PROMISED EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES. OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS, HCPS HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED BY MORE THAN 200 MILLION LOCAL DOLLARS. SO 200 MILLION OF OUR TAX DOLLARS WERE NOT PUT INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS THE COMMUNITY WOULD EXPECT. THE ONLY YEARS THE REQUEST WAS FULLY FUNDED IN THAT TIME WAS DURING THE GLASSMAN ADMINISTRATION, THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN A HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. THE SUCCESS OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IMPACTS EVERYTHING, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND EVERY SINGLE REVENUE STREAM. WE NEED YOU TO PARTNER WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT THE WAY OUR COMMUNITY WISHES AND NOT JUST SOCKED AWAY FOR THE NEXT PET PROJECT AT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I AM NOT BEING HYPERBOLIC WHEN I SAY THAT EDUCATORS ARE WATCHING VERY CAREFULLY AND DECIDING WHETHER THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND LIVE HERE. THEY ALL HAVE MANY OPTIONS. EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HIRE THEM, AND MOST OF THEM WOULD BE OFFERING THEM A SIGNIFICANT PAY INCREASE. THERE IT WILL NOT BE ONE TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO FACE A NATIONWIDE EDUCATOR SHORTAGE. WE STILL HAVE VACANT POSITIONS RIGHT NOW THAT WE COULDN'T FILL FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. HCPS IS ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF. AND IF SOME FOLKS HAD THEIR WAY THEY WOULD WATCH THE SYSTEM CRUMBLE. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO CUT ASIDES FROM PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, PEOPLE WHO PAY TAXES AND PEOPLE WHO DEDICATE THEIR ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL CAREER TO THE STUDENTS OF THIS COUNTY. HOW COUNTY DESERVES BETTER. AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU ARE BEING PLACED IN THIS SITUATION ONCE AGAIN, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDED LAST YEAR AND IN YEARS PAST. I HAVE SPENT NEARLY MY ENTIRE LIFE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. I COULD HAVE LIVED CHOSEN TO LIVE ANYWHERE, BUT I CHOSE TO RAISE MY FAMILY HERE IN THE PLACE THAT I GREW UP. SO I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT I LOVE IT HERE. AND WHEN YOU LOVE SOMETHING, YOU FIGHT FOR IT. YOU MAKE IT A PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU TAKE CARE OF IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. I REPRESENT NEARLY 4000 HCPS EDUCATORS. THAT'S 75% OF ALL HCPS EMPLOYEES. MANY JOBS ARE ON THE LINE. SO LIKE YOU, MY JOB COMES WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY. AND MANY PEOPLE ARE COUNTING ON ME, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO BIG FEELINGS THAT I'M NOT AFRAID TO EXPRESS. SO I COME OFF A LITTLE STRONG FROM TIME TO TIME. THAT'S BECAUSE I FEEL STRONGLY AND WHEN I PUSH BACK ON YOUR EFFORTS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PROGRESSING FAST ENOUGH, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S FAR TOO IMPORTANT. I THINK A LOT ABOUT THE LEGACY THAT I WILL LEAVE IN THIS COUNTY. I NEVER WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT I SAT BACK AND WATCHED SOMEONE DISMANTLE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I FOUGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST IN OUR COMMUNITY. I HOPE YOU KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE LEGACY THAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE IN THIS COUNTY. YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE FOR THE GREATER GOOD. AND RIGHT NOW, THE GREATER GOOD NEEDS YOU TO STAND UP FOR THEM. PLEASE WORK WITH US. THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTY DEPENDS ON IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. NOAH HUTTON, FOLLOWED BY GREG JOHNSON. HELLO NOAH HUDDEN 5123 VIADUCT AVENUE, HALETHORPE, MARYLAND, SO I'M A TEACHER AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. I'M IN MY NINTH YEAR OF TEACHING AT HIGH SCHOOL. I GRADUATED FROM NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL. I HAVE SIBLINGS WHO ARE STILL STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.SO EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIVE IN THE COUNTY I HAVE A BIG INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY AND I WAS A CITIZEN IN HARTFORD COUNTY FOR MORE IN MY LIFE THAN I HAVE BEEN IN BALTIMORE COUNTY. SO IT'S A VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME AND VERY INFLUENCED MY LIFE. A LOT. UM I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDED LAST YEAR BECAUSE THAT EXTRA MONEY DID HELP A LOT. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT AS MANY POSITIONS AND I FEEL LIKE THIS YEAR START OFF. REALLY WELL, UM AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TEACHING AGAIN. PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME. WHY I DRIVE 45
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MINUTES UP TO EDGEWOOD. AND IT'S BECAUSE I DO VALUE, UM, WORKING UP IN HARTFORD COUNTY AND THE STUDENTS DO APPRECIATE ME BEING THERE. WHAT I WILL SAY IS THIS THE FIRST TIME WHERE I'VE ACTUALLY HAD STUDENTS WHO'VE COME UP TO ME AND ASK ME ARE YOU COMING BACK NEXT YEAR? I'VE NEVER THAT QUESTION BEFORE, AND THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHERE I ALREADY HAD ACCEPTED JOBS IN OTHER PLACES, AND I FELT LIKE UM BECAUSE I WASN'T MAKING COMMITMENTS TO THE SCHOOL. IT WAS A LITTLE MORE OBVIOUS THAT I WASN'T COMING BACK, AND I STILL DIDN'T GET THESE QUESTIONS. BUT THIS YEAR, IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE AWARE THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS FACING CHALLENGING TIMES, AND THAT'S JUST NOT IN THIS COUNTY STATEWIDE. IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER COUNTIES IN THE AREA, THEY'RE CUTTING ALL THEIR JV ATHLETICS. THEY'RE LOSING MEDIA CENTER SPECIALISTS IN ALL OF THEIR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. SO THIS IS A CRISIS THAT'S GOING ACROSS THE STATE, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPERATIVE THAT WE SEND THAT MESSAGE TO THE STUDENTS AND TO THE EDUCATORS THAT WE VALUE EDUCATION, SO HOPEFULLY, WE DON'T LOSE AS MANY EDUCATORS. UM THERE'S A MENTOR TEACHER THAT I'M VERY CLOSE WITH WHO USUALLY TRIES TO KEEP EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE EARLY CAREER EDUCATORS, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE, TRYING TO GET EDUCATED TO STAY IN EDUCATION. HE USUALLY TRIES TO MAKE IT SO THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE TEACHERS THAT LEAVE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THIS YEAR. HE IS NOT SURE IF HE'S GONNA HAVE 50% OF HIS EARLY CAREER. EDUCATORS COME BACK BECAUSE SO MANY OF THEM ARE NOT SURE IF THEY WANT TO STAY IN AN AREA WHERE, UM, FUNDING ISN'T THERE SALARY STEPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT MIGHT NOT BE FUNDED CLASS SIZE AS YOU'RE GROWING UP, AND IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE NOT JUST EDUCATED, BUT ALSO THE STUDENTS ARE KNOWING THAT SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO PROVIDE ADVOCACY ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, SIR.GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS GREG JOHNSON AND I LIVE IN JESSICA'S COURT IN BEL AIR. I COME TONIGHT, DECRYING THE RELENTLESS DAILY ASSAULT ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES IN THIS CASE, THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION STATES, CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF OR BRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR OF THE PRESS OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. OR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WE'VE ALL WATCHED IN HORROR AS OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PARTNERED WITH TECH OLIGARCHS TO STIFLE OUR SPEECH REGARDING POLITICAL AND HEALTH ISSUES ONLINE AND IN THE MEDIA. WE'VE WATCHED TAXPAYERS THE COUNTRY OVER WHO IN THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF CASES ARE MERELY TELLING THE TRUTH. IN CALM, REASONED TESTIMONY, TESTIMONY BE SILENCED OR EVEN KICKED OUT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, CONVENED AND PRESIDED OVER BY THE VERY PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO SERVE THEM. THESE THINGS AREN'T JUST HAPPENING IN UNKNOWN JURISDICTIONS IN OTHER STATES DETACH FROM US. THEY ARE AND HAVE BEEN HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR YEARS. THE LATEST EXAMPLE HAPPENED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WHEN A WOMAN WAS PREVENTED FROM UTTERING THE NAME OF HER OWN COUNCILMAN. AFTER WATCHING THE MEETING, I WAS REMINDED OF THE 1964 SUPREME COURT CASE OF NEW YORK TIMES VERSUS SULLIVAN. JUSTICE BRENNAN WROTE THE OPINION OF THE COURT IN A 9 TO 0 RULING AND HE CITED MULTIPLE SETTLED CASES. ROTH V UNITED STATES STATED THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT QUOTE WAS FASHIONED TO ASSURE THE UNFETTERED INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS FOR THE BRINGING ABOUT OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES DESIRED BY THE PEOPLE END QUOTE. BRIDGES V, CALIFORNIA, SAID QUOTE IT IS A PRIZED AMERICAN PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK ONE'S MIND, ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS WITH PERFECT GOOD TASTE ON ALL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, END QUOTE. LEANING ON THESE CASES AND SEVERAL OTHERS. THE COURT CONCLUDED IN NEW YORK TIMES VERSUS SULLIVAN. SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM NEEDS TO KNOW AND PUT INTO PRACTICE IN AMERICA. THERE IS A PROF QUOTE, PROFOUND NATIONAL COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLE THAT DEBATE ON PUBLIC ISSUES SHOULD BE UNINHIBITED. AND WIDE OPEN AND THAT IT MAY WELL INCLUDE VEHEMENT, CAUSTIC AND SOMETIMES UNPLEASANTLY SHARP ATTACKS ON GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS. I HAVE SINCE BEEN INFORMED. AS YOU SAID TONIGHT COUNCIL PRESIDENT THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE CIVILITY OF YOUR COUNSEL AND PREVENTING A SPEAKER FROM USING NAMES. I WOULD BE INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU HADN'T IF I HADN'T SEEN YOU REMOVE PEOPLE FROM THESE CHAMBERS VIA THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, INCLUDING MYSELF. UH IN MARYLAND, CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED TO USE THE NAMES OF PUBLIC FIGURES IN SPEECH TO RISE TO THE LEVEL OF SLANDER, THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL MUST PROVE THE EXISTENCE OF ACTUAL MALICE ON THE PART OF THE SPEAKER. THE SAME DOES NOT APPLY IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. THESE ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS. YOU CAN'T SILENCE CITIZENS. YOU CAN'T KICK PEOPLE OUT NEARLY FOR THEIR SPEECH. YOU ARE SUBJECT TO US. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THANK YOU. AND GOOD NIGHT, SIR. DAVIN HANLEY, FOLLOWED BY DOUGLAS RUDD. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. YOU GAVIN HANLEY, 608 SQUIRE LANE, BEL AIR MARYLAND. UM, I WILL BEGIN BY COMMENTING ON THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE THAT THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY AUTHORITY. HE MAY HAVE IN THESE CHAMBERS, THE WOMAN WAS WAS RAISING A LEGITIMATE CONCERN WITH HER COUNCILMAN AND WAS SILENCED FOR DOING SO. THIS WAS A DISGRACEFUL
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ACT AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR SILENCING ONE OF HIS CONSTITUENTS. THIS IS NOT THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF HARTFORD COUNTY. WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR SILENCED FOR HOLDING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE. ONE OF THE MOST TROUBLING ISSUES FACING THE UNITED STATES TODAY IS THE WEAPONIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO ATTACK POLITICAL OPPONENTS, JOURNALISTS AND CITIZENS WITH THE WRONG POLITICAL BELIEFS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BIDEN REGIME SEES PRESIDENT TRUMP AS A THREAT AND THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO CRUSH HIM. UN ELECTED BUREAUCRATS WIELD IMMENSE POWER AND ARE USING THAT POWER TO ADVANCE THEIR OWN SELF INTEREST AND PUNISH ANYONE WHO OPPOSES THEM. I'M AFRAID WE ARE SEEING A SIMILAR ISSUE FACING HARVARD COUNTY. THE HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS BEEN WEAPONIZED TO DISCREDIT SLANDER AND ATTACK THE CURRENT COUNTY EXECUTIVE. SHERIFF JEFFREY GAYLOR, ALONG WITH HIS RIGHT HAND MAN, ERIC ROBY AND UNELECTED BUREAUCRAT ARE USING THE POWER GRANTED TO THEM BY THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY TO ATTACK THEIR POLITICAL OPPONENTS. ERIC ROBIE, THE DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS FOR HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FORMALLY SERVED AS AN ARUNDEL COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOHN LEOPOLD'S CHIEF OF STAFF. WHILE SERVING AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF, ERIC ROBY PROVIDED TESTIMONY AGAINST HIS BOSS FOR IMMUNITY. WHAT DID ERIC ROBY NEED IMMUNITY FROM? AMONG MANY THINGS, ERIC ROBY RECEIVED DETAILED REPORTS FROM THE AONO COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, PROVIDING BACKGROUND PROPERTY AND BUSINESS INFORMATION ON JOHN LEOPOLD'S POLITICAL OPPONENTS.ERIC RUBY USED THE POLICE FORCE TO DIG UP DIRT AND ATTACK HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS. ERIC ROBIE IS ALSO THE OWNER OF INSIDER MANAGEMENT GROUP LLC, A POLITICAL CONSULTING BUSINESS, PROVIDING SERVICES TO HELP GET CANDIDATES ELECTED. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE ERIC ROBIE PROVIDES SERVICES FOR JEFFREY GAYER, AS WELL AS SEVERAL MEMBERS ON THE CURRENT COUNTY COUNCIL. SINCE 2014 INSIDER MANAGEMENT GROUP HAS RECEIVED $27,000 FROM JEFFREY GAYLOR $56,000 FROM AARON PENMAN $34,000 FROM TONY G $8000 FROM PATRICK VINCENTI $3000 FROM JIM RILEY AND $58,000 FROM JESSICA BOYLE SADDLES. BETWEEN DRAFTY JEFFREY JEFFREY GAYER AND THE CURRENT COUNTY COUNCIL INSIDER MANAGEMENT GROUP HAS BROUGHT IN $188,629 SINCE 2014. AIR ROBBIE WORKS TO GET PEOPLE ELECTED THROUGH INSIDER MANAGEMENT GROUP AND THEN USES HIS POSITION AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO ATTACK POLITICAL OPPONENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND OUR CURRENT ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HARFORD COUNTY CITIZENS EXPECT YOU TO SERVE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HARTFORD COUNTY CITIZENS, NOT UNELECTED BUREAUCRAT BUREAUCRATS LIKE ERIC ROBIE, NOT DEVELOPERS, AND CERTAINLY NOT FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS. IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO SERVE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU, WE WILL FIND SOMEONE ELSE WHO WILL. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. DOUGLAS RUDD. TWO OR FOUR. STEED LANE, BEL AIR MARYLAND. 30 YEARS AGO, I MOVED HERE FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK WITH ONE IDEA AND THAT WAS TO WORK IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM. THIS WAS THE FIRST SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT OFFERED ME A JOB AND I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO COME HERE. I REMEMBER WALKING AROUND KLEIN'S THAT AFTERNOON SAYING, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? AND PEOPLE RAVED ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN HARTFORD COUNTY. AND I THOUGHT THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT PLACE FOR ME TO START MY CAREER. I THOUGHT AT ONE POINT THAT I WOULD LEAVE AND GO BACK TO THE SMALL TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN WESTERN NEW YORK. I THOUGHT IT WAS BEST TO STAY HERE BECAUSE OF WHERE WE WERE HEADED IN HARTFORD COUNTY. ABOUT 15 YEARS INTO MY CAREER, I SAW A DRASTIC CHANGE IN WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE UNDERFUNDING HAS BEEN EXISTED FROM THE FIRST YEAR I WAS HERE. THAT'S NOTHING NEW AND THE RHETORIC OF WE GET THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN HARTFORD COUNTY TAXES ARE LOW SCHOOL SYSTEM IS GREAT TEST SCORES ARE HIGH. CONTINUES EVEN TODAY, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO CERTAIN PEOPLE TALK WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS HOW OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER. WE CAN NOW SEE OUR TEST SCORES FALLING. WE SEE OUR DISCIPLINE RATES GO UP, UH, ALL KINDS OF SYSTEMS OR PROBLEMS WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT ARE A RESULT OF LACK OF FUNDING.
THERE ARE RESULT OF STAFFING CHANGES. 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE . I'M PROUD TO WORK AT BELLA MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SUPPORT THE FAMILIES AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR. I ALSO HAVE HAD TWO STUDENTS OF MY OWN GO THROUGH HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ONLY FIVE YEARS APART, AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THE LACK OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MY DAUGHTER THAT WERE AVAILABLE FOR MY SON. THE COURSES THAT HE COULD TAKE THAT ARE NOT OFFERED NOW BECAUSE OF STAFFING CUTS.
THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN HARTFORD COUNTY. THE WAY I LOOK AT IT. YOU FOLKS, YOU FOLKS ARE
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THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE RHETORIC THAT HAPPENS YEAR AFTER YEAR IN HARTFORD COUNTY. SO I COME TO YOU AND SAY AS A CITIZEN AS A VOTER. WE NEED YOUR HELP. WE NEED YOU TO RESURRECT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WAS HERE WHEN I MOVED HERE. I WANT TO SAY THAT I WORKED FOR THE BEST SCHOOL SYSTEM IN MARYLAND. MY STAFF WORKS INCREDIBLY HARD. IT IS A GIFTED GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT GIVE AND GIVE AND GIVE TO THIS COMMUNITY. OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER. YOU FOLKS ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN HELP US. PLEASE WORK. WE WORK WITH US AND ADVOCATE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.COLLEEN BIANCO, FOLLOWED BY DAVID TRITT. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
PALE BIANCO 3049 ABINGDON ROAD. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, OK. WELL, OK, HYPOTHESIS IT DOWN. THANK YOU VERY VERTICALLY CHALLENGED. HELLO I'M COLLEEN BIANCO, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HARTFORD COUNTY. UM YOU KNOW, IT'S SPRINGTIME BECAUSE HERE I AM BEGGING YOU TO FULLY FUND THE BOARD OF ED BUDGET. UM I WAS BORN HERE GREW UP HERE AND I'VE CHOSEN TO SPEND MY CAREER TEACHING HERE. YEAR 22 FOR ME. IT'S BEYOND FRUSTRATING TO HAVE TO BEG FOR FUNDING. BUT YEAR AFTER YEAR. THAT'S WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. AS YOU HEARD FROM MISS ROOF AND THAT LAST YEAR WE WERE UNDER UNDERFUNDED BY $29 MILLION. CRAZY. THIS YEAR, THE CURRENT PROJECTIONS SHOW. US BEING UNDERFUNDED BY $40 MILLION. I'LL DO THE MATH IN FIRST GRADE. I CAN HANDLE IT $69 MILLION IN TWO YEARS. THE CAMEL'S BACK IS ABOUT TO BREAK. WE CANNOT DO MORE WITH LESS. YEAH, IT GETS ASKED OF US EVERY YEAR. AND YES, WE CAN. BUT THE CAMEL'S BACK IS ABOUT TO BREAK. EVERYONE SUFFERS, BUT MOSTLY THE STUDENTS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR MY STUDENTS NEEDS BECOME GREATER AND GREATER AND GREATER. AND WITH A LARGER CLASS SIZES, THE LARGEST THIS YEAR THAT I'VE EVER HAD, I'M NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ALL THE INDIVIDUAL HELP THAT THEY NEED.
WE NEED TO KEEP THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE. I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND FULLY FUND THE BOARD OF ED REQUEST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, DAVE. SANDY HOOK ROAD, FOREST HILL. US CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. IT IS GOD GIVEN AND RECOGNIZED BY BOTH THE UNITED STATES OF MARYLAND CONSTITUTIONS AS INALIENABLE THE OXFORD DICTIONARY DEFINES AN ALIENABLE AS UNABLE TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM OR GIVEN AWAY BY THE POSSESSOR. THESE RIGHTS WERE GIVEN TO US BY THE ALMIGHTY. THEY HAVE BEEN SECURED OVER THE LAST 248 YEARS BY THE BLOOD OF MANY PATRIOTIC AMERICANS, MANY OF WHOM WHO GAVE THEIR LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION IN ORDER THAT THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WILL REMAIN FREE FROM THE CONTROLLING IMPULSES OF PETTY TYRANTS AND DESPOTS. AS AN HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES I'VE KNOWN MANY WHO HAVE SACRIFICED TO DEFEND OUR RIGHTS AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. MY GRANDFATHER SERVED IN THE NAVY AT PEARL HARBOR IN THE 19 FORTIES. THE NATURE OF HIS WORK WAS OF SUCH THAT HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO SPEAK OF IT. EVEN HIS AWARDS WERE RECEIVED WITH NO PUBLIC RECOGNITION DUE TO THE SECRECY OF HIS DUTIES. WHAT FRIENDS? I'M NOT TELLING YOU THIS SO WE CAN HAVE A TENDER MOMENT TOGETHER. I'M TELLING YOU THIS SO THAT YOU CAN MORE DEEPLY UNDERSTAND HOW DESPICABLE IT IS THAT A COUNCIL PRESIDENT WOULD INTERRUPT CITIZENS. WHO ARE SPEAKING DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THIS MEETING. UH, WHILE THEY ARE ADDRESSING THEIR ELECTED EMPLOYEES. I USE THE PHRASE ELECTED EMPLOYEES. BECAUSE AS THE OTHER GENTLEMAN SAID, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. YOU ARE NOT OUR PARENTS. YOU'RE NOT OUR MASTERS. YOU'RE NOT OUR LEADERS. YOU'RE NOT OUR BOSSES.
YOU WORK FOR US. CANNOT HANDLE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU AS OUR EMPLOYEES ARE DOING. THEN YOU SHOULD RESIGN AND ALLOW SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOUR MAIN JOB IS TO TAKE YOUR PLACE. WHAT IS YOUR MAIN JOB? IT'S TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE GOD GIVEN RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS WHO ELECTED YOU.
IF A COUNCILMAN CAN'T HANDLE SOME CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM FROM A CONSTITUENT, HE EITHER NEEDS
[00:50:03]
TO GROW A THICKER SKIN OR RESIGN. ESPECIALLY AFTER THAT COUNCILMAN SPENDS HIS ENTIRE TIME ALLOTTED AT THE DEUS NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING HIS DISTRICT OR THE COUNTY. BUT WHINING ABOUT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BOTH MEN IN QUESTION. OR COMBAT VETERANS. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT HE DID NOT NEED YOUR PROTECTION FROM POTENTIALLY HARSH WORDS FROM ANGRY CONSTITUENTS. THEY WILL NOT DIE. THEY SIGNED UP FOR THIS. WITH THE PEOPLE CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT TOLERATE ANY REVOCATION, CANCELLATION OR NULLIFICATION OF OUR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SPEECH UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ANY OFFICIAL YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE. I CALL UPON THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE PUBLIC APOLOGY TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HE SILENCED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS DURING THESE MEETINGS. AND I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE PRESIDENT TO READ NOT ONLY THE US AND MARYLAND CONSTITUTIONS BUT ALSO THE HISTORY BOOKS THAT DETAIL THE MEN ALONE AND OVER THE AGES WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES, THEIR FORTUNES AND THEIR SACRED HONOR TO DEFEND THESE RIGHTS. THANK YOU, SIR. COLE, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT DELONG. NAME SURNAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING PRESIDENT JOSH KROZEL 1106 EMERALD DRIVE. IRELAND. UM DIS. UM ESPECIALLY SINCE MISS GHAN WAS NOT HERE, NOT SAYING YOUR ACTIONS LAST WEEK CAUSED HER NOT TO COME TODAY, BUT IT IS A QUESTION I DO HAVE I ALSO DISGUSTED WITH THE CONSTANT TYRANNY COMING FROM THIS DIOCESE. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE MADNESS FROM THE PRES SEAT WITH NOT ONLY CUTTING OFF A CONSTITUENT IN SILENCING THEM LAST MEETING, BUT ALSO RESTRICTING OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. BECAUSE IT, UH, MAKES NOT ONLY YOU, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL LOOK BAD. YOU CAN IIR. THEN TELL A CITIZEN WHO YOU WORK FOR. THEY CANNOT ADDRESS THE SAME TOPIC OR PERSON. I THINK ABOUT THE CORRUPTION AND SCANDALS THAT A CROWD IN THIS CHAMBER BUILDING AND ON THIS COUNCIL I WANTED TO FOCUS IN ON.UH, WHAT UPCOMING MATTER THE BUDGET. MR PENMAN MUST RECUSE HIMSELF FROM THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET ALSO, MR BENNETT, YOU MUST RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THE SCHOOLS. REALLY GETTING THE BUDGET ITSELF AND IF THE FISCAL CONSTRAINTS THAT EVERY CITIZEN IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING, IT IS CONCERNING HOW SOME OF YOU AND SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WANT TO FREELY SPEND SO MUCH MONEY LIKE IT GREW ON TREES. THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET WOULD SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE FOR ONE. I DO HAVE CONCERNS THAT THIS OFFICE IS TOP HEAVY, JUST LIKE THE SCHOOLS. FOR THE SCHOOLS, UH, FOR THE SCHOOL BUDGET, DO NOT JUST APPRO. BIG NUMBER. I ASK THAT EACH OF YOU DRILL DOWN INTO WHAT IS BEING FUNDED. I MAJOR CONCERNS WITH THE 40 MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS WILL FUND MAKING SURE THE STUDENTS ARE FUNDED AT PROPER EDUCATION IS PROVIDED AND ALL THE EXTRA FLUFF IS REMOVED. AND OUR TEACHERS NOT THE UNIONS IS ARE FUNDED. AS A SMALL SNAPSHOT FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. HERE'S WHAT SOME OF THE MONEY WAS WASTED ON. THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY, WHICH IS A WHOLE MAJOR CONCERN IN ITSELF. BUT HC PLUS STUDENTS FILLED OUT THIS INFORMATION AND IT WAS SENT TO A THIRD PARTY RESEARCH FIRM HANOVER RESEARCH COUNCIL, LLC TO ANALYZE COMMENTS BY STUDENTS HCPS AWARDED THREE, A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE $415,000 OF A TAXPAYING MONEY. BUT A LOT OF MY CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SCHOOL SURVEYS YOU LONGER THEIR INFORMATION TO BE SHARED WITH AN ORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. 2ND 100 AND SEVEN GRAND POSITIONS WERE ABSORBED INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET LAST YEAR AND FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYERS. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICE BY THE BOARD OF ED GRANT. PLANS ARE READY FOR THE P STATE GOVERNMENTS TO FUND INTERJECT THE PROJECTS HERE LOCALLY. AND THIS PROJECT THAT THE TAXPAYERS HAD TO ABSORB AND AGAIN. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AND EDUCATION TO OUR CHILDREN. BUT WHAT WAS THE COMPUTER TRAINING CENTER AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A TELEVISION RECORDING STUDIO? FOR WHAT? WE'RE SPENDING A MUST HARTFORD COUNTY. WE? THE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY FINANCIALLY STRAPPED. AND IT IS TIME THAT COME BACK TO REALITY. THIS IT NEED TO TAKE YOUR PEN OUT OF MY CHECKBOOK AND LISTEN TO THE CONSTITUENTS. FOR SOME OF YOU. THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, SIR. MM. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME
[00:55:02]
AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. SCOTT DELONG. HUNTERS RUN DRIVE BEL AIR. WE DON'T OFTEN SPEAK AT THESE CHAMBERS. BUT I DO WATCH THE MEETINGS REGULARLY AND AS A RESULT, I MEAN, IT'S OBLIGATED BY A SENSE OF FAIRNESS AND DEVOTION TO AMERICAN LIBERTY AND OUR IN ILLEGAL RIGHTS TO SPEAK OUT ON THE ETHICS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS ADMINISTERED BY A COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE I'VE BEEN A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTY FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS AND ALL MY TIME HERE. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE AMOUNT OF ETHICAL CONFLICTS DISPLAYED BY THIS COUNCIL. NOR HAVE YOU SEEN THE VILE ACRIMONY THAT DEVELOPERS, ATTORNEYS, DONORS AND EVEN SHERIFF GAYLOR USED MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY COUNCILMAN PENMAN TO ATTACK THE PERCEIVED POLITICAL ENEMY ENEMIES. NAMELY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. YOU ARE ELECTED TO ADVANCE OR NOT ELECTED TO ADVANCE YOUR OWN NARROW POLITICAL INTERESTS AND FEATHER YOUR NEST AND THAT OF YOUR DONORS, FRIENDS AND BUSINESS PARTNERS. YOU ARE ELECTED TO THIS COUNCIL TO SAFEGUARD OUR LIBERTY AND THE LIBERTY OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY AND ADVANCE THEIR STATED INTEREST YET IN TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU FAIL IN THIS DUTY.YOU VIOLATE YOUR OATH OF OFFICE. YOU ROUTINELY VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN AND DENY THEIR STATED INTEREST. AND IRONICALLY, THE ORG CHART OF HARTFORD COUNTY SHOWS A CITIZEN AT THE TOP.
MISTER VINCENTE. YOU VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH IN ALMOST EVERY MEETING BY CENSORING AND SHUTTING DOWN THE CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO SPEAK. THOUGH THOSE CITIZENS ADDRESSED THIS COUNCIL IN ORDER IN PROFESSIONAL TONE. JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE THE COMMENTS OF THE SPEAKER DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO STIFLE THEIR SPEECH. YOU SHUT DOWN SPEAKERS DURING COVID THAT WERE BEGGING YOU TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE AND WORSHIP WHILE THE MINISTER OF UPPER CHESAPEAKE WERE GASLIGHTING THE PUBLIC EACH NEW DAY PROVIDES DATA THAT THOSE SPEAKERS THAT YOU CENSORED WERE CORRECT. YET WHEN THE ADMINISTRATORS OF UPPER CHESAPEAKE DELIVERED THEIR TESTIMONY, THIS COUNCIL NEVER ASKED ONE COGENT QUESTION. AND YOU SAT THERE LIKE DUTIFUL LAPDOGS. YOU ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO COME INTO THIS CHAMBER AND THREATEN THE COUNTY'S COUNCIL WITH LAWSUITS YET YOU REMAIN. SILENT IN THE FACE OF THIS INTIMIDATION. YEAH, YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM, SHUTTING DOWN SPEAKERS TESTIFYING AGAINST DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WHILE CALLING THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TASK FOR PUSHING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AGAINST THEIR INTEREST. NOW GOVERNOR MORI IS PUSHING THREE SO CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOUSING BILLS. THAT WOULD BE ANYTHING BUT AFFORDABLE TO THE TAXPAYER. THESE BILLS WILL TOTALLY VOID THE PLANNING AND ZONING LAWS OF COUNTY AND HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY VALUES OF HOMEOWNERS. THESE BILLS WERE PLACED OUT OF ST ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF HARTFORD AND OTHER COUNTIES AND INCREASE TAXES YET YOU WERE SIGNING THESE ISSUES WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
WHY? THIS COUNCIL IS ADMINISTERED IN TYRANNICAL FASHION CONSISTENTLY RUN ROUGHSHOD OVER THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS GUARANTEED BY THE BILL OF RIGHTS IN THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS. YOU SEEM TO FORGET THAT YOU WORK FOR US. WE PAY YOUR SALARY, DIOR AND CIVIL DEBATE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED. NOT CENSORED. AS IS THE CUSTOM IN THIS CHAMBER. YOU MAY NOT LIE WITH WHAT YOU SAY. BUT YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT. BE ADVISED THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY ARE WAKING UP TO THE POLITICAL WRANGLE BACKROOM DEALS THAT ARE HISTORICALLY KEPT TIGHT UNDER WRAPS. THE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND THE COUNCIL WHEN IT VIOLATES THE BILL OF RIGHTS, THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS. AND THE COUNTY CHARTER, ETHICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNMENT WILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS,
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]
MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MS. DIXON WITH NO MORE SPEAKERS. WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16 A BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MR BENNETT. HELLO UM, GOOD EVENING. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE TONIGHT. UM I DO JUST WANNA QUICKLY ADDRESS. I, UH, THE CONCERN ABOUT, UH, WHETHER OR NOT ALTHOUGH ON THE COUNTY'S BUDGET, UM I'VE LOOKED AT THE BOARD OF OR THE UM, ETHICS RULINGS FROM GARRETT COUNTY AND CARROLL COUNTY, WHERE TWO REPUBLICAN COMMISSIONERS WERE EMPLOYED BY THEIR LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND FREDERICK COUNTY AND ARUNDEL COUNTY, WHERE THEY HAD DEMOCRAT EDUCATORS SERVING ON THEIR COUNTY COUNCILS AND ALL FOR THOSE COUNTIES. IT'S BEEN RULED THAT THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN VOTING ON BUDGETARY MATTERS. UM UH, IN THE ARUNDEL COUNTY. UH, BOARD OF ETHICS OPINION. IT STATED THAT DUE TO THE SCOPE OF IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO VOTE ON ITS BUDGET AS A WHOLE, UM, HAS NO PERSONAL GAIN FOR THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS EXCLUSIVE TO THEM BEYOND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, SO I MEAN, I'D BE HAPPY IF ANYBODY HAS A CONCERN TO FORWARD THOSE ETHICS OPINIONS TO YOU. UM BECAUSE THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT WAS WHAT I MADE MY DECISIONS ON LAST YEAR, AND I'LL BE CONSISTENT IN THAT THIS YEAR AS WELL. ON TO THE WORK OF ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. I ATTENDED THE ABINGTON WOOD COALITION MEETING LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS GREAT. IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY OF ABINGDON TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON UH, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT, UH I WAS LOOKING LIKE IT WOULD BE HAPPENING THERE. AS OF NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE A REFORESTATION PLAN HAS BEEN PROPOSED. THAT'S HUGE. POSITIVE NEWS, UH, TO HELP. PUT THAT, UH, AREA BACK TO ITS FORMER CONDITION AND, UH AND START OVER ON ANYTHING THAT COULD BE COMING. I ALSO MET WITH , UH, UNION LEADERS OF A S ME, UM, TO TALK ABOUT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR NEEDS, UM, BOTH THEIR NEEDS, UH, PRESENTLY IN, UH PAY AND WORKING CONDITIONS, BUT ALSO THEIR NEED TO HAVE A DEMOCRATIC VOICE IN THE WORKPLACE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO[01:00:06]
BE HEARD FAIRLY AND HAVE A PROCESS TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY SAY IS LISTEN TO, SO THAT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION. I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WHETHER, UH, IT'S OUR M CE A, UH WORKERS OR ASK ME WORKERS OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO WORKS WITHIN OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, UM, SUPPORTING THEM ANY WAY I CAN, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE PEOPLE WHO GO AND PAVE OUR ROADS, UM, YOU KNOW, PLOW OUR ROOTS. UH, TAKE CARE OF OUR LINES. UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEAN WATER THAT WHEN WE TURN ON OUR SINK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE, OUR COUNTY HAS NOTHING.SO I'M ALWAYS GONNA BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM. I ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK BREAKFAST, WHICH WAS A NICE EVENT, ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED WAS CONCERNING BOTH LISTENING TO OUR COMPTROLLER AND LISTENING TO, UH, ECONOMIC EXPERTS, UH, FROM UNIVERSITIES ACROSS MARYLAND, IT WAS, UH, CONCERNING INFORMATION BUT WITH UH, A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WITH HOPEFULLY A WAY TO LAND SOFTLY AND TO HAVE GOOD NEWS. ONE DAY, UM I'M ALSO WORKING WITH OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY, UH UH, CLOSELY OF TERRY HANLEY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CELEBRATE JACKIE ROBINSON DAY WITH OUR YOUTH IN PARKS AND REC BASEBALL. UH AND, UH, WE'RE HOPING TO EXTEND THAT TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS AS WELL. UM IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH HIM FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. THIS CAME TO US FROM A SENIOR AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL.
WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, IN ALL MY YEARS OF PLAYING BASEBALL, WE'VE NEVER EVEN MENTIONED JACKIE ROBINSON. UH, WHY IS THAT AND HE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN HIS YEAR PLAYING YOUTH BASEBALL THAT HE SAW THAT HAPPEN, AND, UH, PARKS AND REC HAS REALLY GRABBED HOLD OF THAT IDEA, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. UM AND THEN, LASTLY, I JUST WANNA SAY I GOT TO ATTEND THE 105TH BIRTHDAY OF MISS MABEL HART, UM OVER IN HAPPY GRACE, WHICH IS A REAL JOY. SHE'S A HARFORD LIVING TREASURE. SHE'S IN THE HCPS HALL OF FAME. UH, SHE TAUGHT UH, FROM THROUGH THE SEGREGATION AND DESEGREGATION PROCESS AT THE HALF DEGREES COLORED SCHOOL TO THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL TO WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS ROY WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY AND, UH, AND THEN WENT ON WHEN SHE RETIRED TO HELP TEACH ADULTS WHO WERE ILLITERATE TO KNOW HOW TO READ A REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL PERSON. UM I TOLD HER THAT WHEN SHE HAD HER 100TH BIRTHDAY, MY STUDENTS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE THERE BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ALIVE YET. SO THAT WAS A PRETTY, UH, FUN FACT. BUT IT WAS JUST REALLY GREAT TO SEE HER AND TO HEAR HER SPEAK. AND TO SEE HER STUDENTS COME AND CELEBRATE HER WHO SHE TAUGHT 5060 YEARS AGO. WHO SAID I STILL REMEMBER MY SECOND GRADE TEACHER? UM SO THAT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL EXPERIENCE. BUT THAT'S ALL I HAD THIS WEEK. MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR BENNETT, MISS. SO, THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK THIS WEEK, UM, AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOMECOMING PROJECT . IT'S WITH DEEP SADNESS THAT I SHARE THE PASSING OF ROBERT ROBIN KEENER, WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF THE HOMECOMING PROJECT, HER PASSING MARKS OF PROFOUND LOSS FOR THE HOMECOMING COMMUNITY. UM THE HOMECOMING PROJECT IS AN EIGHT BED STATE CERTIFIED HALFWAY HOUSE FOR WOMEN, AND THEY'VE HAD OVER 300 GRADUATES.
SHE'S TOUCHED MANY LIVES AND WILL BE MISSED. UM AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MR RILEY. YEAH IT'S JUST TWO THINGS MIGHT BE A LITTLE LENGTHY FOR ME ANYWAY.
UH, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, I WANT TO THANK UH BOY SCOUT TROOP 809 OF JER. UM WHO HAD ME TO COME AND TALK ABOUT ELECTED OFFICIALS? UH, THEY NEED AN ELECT OFFICIAL BADGE. AND SO THEY HAD ME TALK ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE US CITIZENS. THE SECOND THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, UH AMY O'NEAL, WHO IS THE, UH, CHAIR OF THE GEORGE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD. UH, IT'S SAD TO SEE THAT HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY ON MARCH 27TH. IT WAS NOT EXPECTED. AND I JUST WANT TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JIM BECAUSE HE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE NORTHERN PART OF HARTFORD COUNTY, ALONG WITH AMY. UH, THE CHARACTER OF A MAN IS DEFINED BY FAITH IN GOD LOVE OF FAMILY AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND JIM TORE WAS SUCH A MAN. A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY, JIM GRADUATED FROM NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL IN 1974.
WHEN THE HARTFORD COUNTY FARM FAIR WAS REESTABLISHED IN 1987. JIM DESIGN AND COMMISSION, THE LIBERTY WAGON TO BE BUILT BY THE DE ALL LIKE CARRIAGE COMPANY AND LANCASTER P A AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO HARTFORD COUNTY BY TWO HORSEPOWER, TWO DAY TRIP. HE WAS THE FEATURE OF HARVARD COUNTY FARM FAIR, ALL TO THE REWARD OF THE SMILES OF CHILDREN'S FACES. UM HE WAS KNOWN TO SAY, I WOULDN'T TRADE MIAMI FOR THE BEST TEAM OF HORSES IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND A ME. I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THIS TONIGHT. I WOULDN'T TRADE YOU FOR ANY OF THE TEAM HORSES. SHE
[01:05:01]
IS A DIFFERENT, UH, ICON UP IN NORTHERN HARTFORD COUNTY. AND UH , AS JIM DIRECTED A PARTY TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE AND FAMILY WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, APRIL THE 13TH AT TREO FARM ON ISLAND BRANCH ROAD IN NS. MYSELF THE WHOLE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY CELEBRATE JIM'S LIFE. AND WE, UH WE HAVE PRAYERS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR RILEY. MR JORDANA.THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. UM SO, UH, DON FAST PASSED AWAY. DON WAS A HIGH SCHOOL. TEACHER BELLAIR HIGH SCHOOL WHO WASN'T MY TEACHER, BUT HE SAW HE WAS ONE OF MY COACHES FOR BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE TOUCHED A LOT OF YOUNG MEN'S LIFE MOLDED US, UM, AND A LOT OF A LOT OF PEOPLE STAYED IN TOUCH WITH HIM. UH, AFTERWARDS, UH, THERE WAS ALWAYS A, UH, A DON FEST THAT WOULD GO ON WITH HIS SON AND EVERYTHING. SO I, I THINK MR FACET WAS IN HIS UPPER NINETIES, BUT, UM, IT WAS A GREAT ASSET TO BELLA'S, UH, I MOVED HERE FROM NEW JERSEY AS A SOPHOMORE AND PLAYED SPORTS. UM SO, UM SPORTS PROGRAMS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. I MADE SURE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT, UH, DOCTOR BOLSON DIDN'T CHARGE THE KIDS $100 FOR THEM TO PLAY SPORTS. I STILL THINK THEY ANY KIDS THAT WANT TO PLAY SPORTS SHOULDN'T SHOULDN'T PAY. UM ADVOCATE FOR THAT, UM GOOD GOOD TEACHERS. UH GOOD COACHES. UM GOOD SCHOOLS. I KNOW IT'S I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST I'VE ASKED FOR IS WHERE OUR UM FUNDING IS WITH TRANSFER TAXES AND INCOME TAXES TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. SO I WAS I KNOW WE ADVOCATED LAST YEAR FOR SOME FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOLS TO HAVE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE NEGOTIATE WITH THAT, AND THANKFULLY HE DID SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT THIS YEAR. UM WITH THAT, UM, I I'M WENT TO THE, UH, TOWN OF BEL AIRS MEETING YESTERDAY. UM THEY HAVE THEIR 150TH ANNIVERSARY. UM THIS MONTH IF YOU LIGHT UP YOUR HOMES IN IN GREEN, UH, TO MARK THE OCCASION.
UH, SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT, AND THEN RING A BELL FOR RING A BELL RING A BELL FOR BEL AIR TOWN HALL, APRIL 11TH AT NOON. UM I ALSO ATTENDED THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK. BREAKFAST. UH, SPONSORED BY A BY A PG AND HEARD A COUPLE OF GOOD SPEAKERS. DR RAI WHO, UH, I'VE HEARD BEFORE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN WHAT HE HAS TO DO, AND I DO HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE ECONOMY.
I, UH I LISTEN AND READ ABOUT THE ECONOMY EVERY DAY. UM SOME DAYS. I WONDER IF IT'S GONNA GET BETTER IF IT'S GONNA GET WORSE. SO I JUST, UH SEE THAT? WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW AND HOPEFULLY WE PULL OUT OF THIS AND, UM YOU KNOW, WE DO GET SOME INCOME COMING IN AND MAYBE SOME MORE TRANSFER TAX AND SOME HOME SALES AND INCOME TAX GOES UP, BUT, UM AND I THINK I THINK THAT IS ALL I HAVE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR JAN AND MR PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.
I'LL PICK UP RIGHT WHERE COUNCILMAN JAN JORDANO LEFT OFF ABOUT THE ECONOMIC GROWTH STRATEGY IN OUR COUNTY. UM AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, THAT COMING TO FRUITION. UM AND, UM YOU KNOW, FOR THE BETTER IN OUR COUNTY AND I AND I JUST NOTE UM THERE IS AN OPINION. UH A LETTER WRITTEN BY OUR SENATOR JB JENNINGS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN IN THE AEGIS. AND I THOUGHT, UH, IT WAS, UH, A GREAT IDEA. UM GREAT NOTE AND I'LL READ IT. IT SAYS NEW TAXES FEES ARE NOT THE WAY TO ENSURE FISCAL STABILITY. AS WE NAVIGATE MARYLAND'S FISCAL LANDSCAPE. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE SOLUTION DOES NOT LIE IN INCREASING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON MARYLANDERS. INSTEAD WE MUST CONSIDER MODIFYING THESE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES TO ENABLE REVENUE FROM A GROWING ECONOMIC ECONOMY TO ALIGN WITH THE SPENDING REQUIRED BY THESE POLICIES BY PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENSURING PRUDENT FISCAL MANAGEMENT. WE COULD NAVIGATE THESE CHALLENGES.
WITHOUT EXCESSIVELY BURDEN OUR RESIDENTS ON WITH FEES AND TAXES , SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD ADVICE FROM SENATOR JENNINGS AND I HOPE, UH, THE COUNTY TAKES THAT ADVICE. SO UH, THE NEXT THING I HAVE IS, UH, THE OPIOID OPIOID RESTORATION FUND COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD. BIG PHARMA HAD TO PAY A LOT OF THE, UH, COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I THINK WE'RE ROUGHLY GETTING $12 MILLION. SO UH, OVER THE COURSE OF APRIL AND MAY, UH THERE IS MEETINGS SET UP TO ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HAVE SOME, UH FEEDBACK AND INSIGHT ON WHERE THAT MONEY IS GONNA BE SPENT. SO YOU CAN GO ON THE COUNTY HARFORD COUNTY. UH UH.
MD.GOV OPIOID FUND PUBLIC INPUT AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS SO JARRETTSVILLE LIBRARY HAVE A DEGREE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER DARLINGTON V VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, UH, HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY IN JAA AND THE MCFALL CENTER IN BEL AIR. SO LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
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YOUR INPUT ON HOW THE COUNTY SHOULD USE THOSE DOLLARS FOR RESOURCES. UH, WITH OPIOID EPIDEMIC. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR PEN. AND MR GUTHRIE. UH, THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UM, FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON UH, ALL OF OUR, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SERVICE PERSONNEL AND ALL WENT TO HELP OUT DOWN, UH, ON A KEY BRIDGE. UH, SITUATION. IT WAS AN IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO WATCH THAT BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN ABOUT TWO SECONDS. IT LOOKED LIKE TOOTHPICKS ON THE TELEVISION. IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE, AND THEN SIT THERE IN RECENT TIMES AND WATCH THEM DOWN THERE WITH BLOWTORCHES TRYING TO CUT THROUGH THOSE HUMONGOUS PIECES OF STEEL AND REALIZED THEY JUST BENT LIKE THEY WERE THERE. THERE WERE NOTHING SO SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR HARFORD DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL, INCLUDING OUR SWISS, OUR SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAMS WHO WENT DOWN THERE AND LOCAL UM VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES, ALL RESPONDING WITHIN MINUTES OF THE REQUEST FROM ASSISTANCE FROM THE ABOUT THIS MARYLAND TRAGEDY, SO I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A LONG TIME BEFORE THAT GETS DONE. I KNOW WHEN THEY FIRST BUILT THAT BRIDGE IT TOOK ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN YEARS TO BUILD IT. SO GOD KNOWS HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE TO TAKE THAT MESS OUT OF THERE AND BUILD A NEW ONE. UM UH, THE, UH I MEAN, WOODS. UH, UH. TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE, UH, AT THE NEEDLE LIKE, UH UM S CENTER. UH, I SENT MY ALLEGED EVADE THERE, DEBBIE, BECAUSE, UH, I WAS A CONFLICT OF SCHEDULES. AND AS THAT HAPPENS TO US A LOT, AND, UH NO. SHE BROUGHT BACK ALL THE, UH, INFORMATION FROM THAT ALSO, UH, I UNDERSTAND TALKING TO, UH, THE PRESIDENT AT HAVING THE WOODS IS, UH, SET UP A MEETING WITH ME. WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS, UH, THAT WHOLE PROJECT SINCE IT IT IS IN MY DISTRICT. UM UH, ALSO THEY THEY SAID THEY SAW MY, UH THEY KNEW ABOUT MY 20 ACRE. UH, BILL. IT'S UH, IT JUST WAS ADDED IN TONIGHT AND UH, BASICALLY, THAT'S TO RESTORE THE 20 ACRES. UH REQUIREMENT THAT WAS IN THE IN OUR LAW FOR AS FAR BACK AS YOU CAN FIND IN THERE IN THEIR RECORDS, UM, BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN OUT BY THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, UM AND THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT NOW. SO UH, CONTRACTOR CAN COME IN. AND IF THERE'S IF THEY WANT TO BUILD 100 ACRES AT ONE TIME, THEY CAN CLEAR OUT THE WHOLE 100 ACRES.THERE IS SOME FORESTRY AND, UH UH, IN THERE, BUT THE BEST UM, LAW THAT WE HAD WAS THE WAS A 20 ACRES. THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN ONLY IF THEY GOT 100 ACRES TO DEVELOP. THEY CAN ONLY DEVELOP 20 ACRES AT A TIME IT KEEPS ABOUT IT KEEPS ALL THAT RUNOFF FROM, UH FROM HAPPENING LIKE IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I, MY DISTRICT WHERE IT'S RUNNING OFF, AND IT'S FILLING THE ENTIRE GUNPOWDER RIVER AND THE RUMSEY ISLAND BAS BASIN IN CHAPA 10 AREA WITH NOTHING BUT MUD. AND IT'S MAKING A REAL MESS. ALL THE GRASS AND EVERYTHING WAS IN THE WATER HAS DIED. UM UH, YOU CAN'T FIND THE PEOPLE FISH THERE. THEY'RE NOT. THEY KINK MORE FISH BECAUSE THEY ALL THEY ALL PASSED AWAY FROM THIS MESS. UH, THE JOB OF TOWN MARINA NOW IS GONNA CLOSE. THE MARINE MAXIMUM INSIDE IS CLOSING IT DOWN AS ME ONE TALKING TO THE TO THE PEOPLE THERE ABOUT IT, UM THEY SAID THEY THEY THEY'RE TIRED OF PUTTING UP WITH THIS THIS MUD IN THE IN THE IN THE HEIGHT OF THE BRIDGE. OF COURSE, WE WERE HOPING, UH, THAT ONE A REBUILD THE BRIDGES AT, UH, ACROSS THE BUSH RIVER AND THE GUNPOWDER THAT THEY'LL RAISE THEM HIGH ENOUGH TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT. UM BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MARINA? UH, WHEN THIS HAPPENS IS ALL THE BOATERS AND I AM ONE DON'T GO OUT ANYMORE AND IT SO THEY DON'T GO OUT. SO THE MARINA LOSES A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY DON'T SELL ANY GAS. THEY DON'T REPAIR WORKS AND, UH AND PEOPLE DON'T TAKE THEIR BOATS OUT WHEN IT'S MUDDY LIKE THAT, BECAUSE, UM, FOR THE VOTERS OUT THERE, KNOW WHAT? I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT WATER YOU YOU RUN WATER OUTSIDE WATER THROUGH YOUR ENGINES TO KEEP YOUR ENGINES COOL. AND UH UH, IF YOU'RE RUNNING THAT MUDDY WATER THROUGH THERE, THAT MUD IS JUST A DROP IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ENGINE. AND YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE SOON YOU'RE GONNA NEED NEW ENGINES SO WELL, WE'LL GET INTO THAT MORE WHEN WE DO TESTIMONY, AND I'LL HAVE SOME PICTURES FOR YOU UP HERE ON THE OVERHEAD THAT YOU NOT GOING TO BELIEVE. UH, ALSO ATTENDED THE OUTLOOK. BREAKFAST AT WATER'S EDGE. UH, SP, UH, SPEAK THE CONTROLLER FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND. UH BROOK LEMAN, UM, SPOKE AND, UH AS, UH, THERE'S FOUR OF US THERE AT THAT. UH, YOU, INCLUDING PAT? UM CERTAINLY, UH, ECONOMIC OUTLOOK LOOKS KIND OF BLEAK, BUT HOPEFULLY THERE'S A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, BUT, UH HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET TO THE END OF THE TUNNEL BEFORE THE TUNNEL COLLAPSES. UH, ON THE MONDAY. UH, YESTERDAY, UM WE HAD OUR, UM, IT WOULD JOB AT 10 COMMUNITY
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ADVISORY BOARD, UH, MEETING. UH, MR PEN? UH, WAS THERE AND PAT CAME IN ALSO? UH SO, UH, FIRST TIME I SEEN PAT AT ONE OF HIS VIDEO WAS GLAD TO SEE HIM AND THE PEOPLE WERE GLAD HE WAS THERE. UH AND WE HAD A GUEST SPEAKER KEN FARRELL, A VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR UPPER CHESAPEAKE MEDICAL CENTER. UM AND WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HIM BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT BEDS AND HOW MANY MORE BEDS THAT WE HAVE FROM ALL THE NEW CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE LOST THE HOSPITAL AND HAVE THE GRACE. BUT THEY DO TELL US THERE'S A PLUS IN BEDS, NOT AM, SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY. UH, TO HAVE THAT, BUT, UH EVERYBODY WAS REALLY CONCERNED ALSO ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS, UH, THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE WAITING 8 TO 12 HOURS. IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM THAT THAT GET ATTENDANCE AND, UM UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT. SUPPOSEDLY, UM UH, I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS IT'S AN OXYMORON CALLED EMERGENCY ROOM. IF YOU GO IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM, YOU GOTTA SIT THERE FOR 10 OR 12 HOURS. WE KIND OF EMERGENCY. CAN IT BE BUT LET'S HOPE THEY CAN GET FIXED BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOOD NOW. WE ALSO HAD OUR OUR, UH UH THE LOCAL, UM DEPUTY THERE WHO? WHO SPEAKS FOR US? UH, EVERY EVERY, UH, MONTH WE HAVE A MEETING, AND THEY HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE, UH SCHOOL BUSES AND ALL THE TICKETS THAT THEY'RE HANDING OUT. UH HE SAID THAT ALL YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL ALONE, THEY HANDED OUT 276 VIOLATIONS AND FALSE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY HANDED OUT 200 CENTS. UH, 204 CITATIONS. AND SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST PUT THAT IN, PUT THAT ALL IN WHAT IT COULD GIVE THESE THESE TICKETS OUT. THEY HAVE HAD OVER 4000 VIOLATIONS. AND THAT'S A $295. A VIOLATION THAT'S OVER $1.1 MILLION I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY'S GONE, BUT, UH THAT'S THE, UH THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE AMOUNT OF THE FINE HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. UH A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS I WAS ASKED TO MAKE FROM RLS FROM LAST NIGHT'S MEETING. UH, CHABERT TOWN HIGH SCHOOL HAS A BINGO. UH FRIDAY NIGHT AT UH UH, APRIL 12TH 530 FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE OR PRIZES . GAME PRIZES. TABLE RESERVATIONS, UH, AVAILABLE REGISTRATION INCURRED, UH, ENCOURAGED UM, IT'S UH, THE PRICING IS $20 FOR A FOR A GAME OF BOOKS. AND, UH, B FOR INDIVIDUAL. SHE SHEETS AND UH UM . THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A GOOD TURNOUT FOR THAT FOR THAT FUNCTION. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT EDGEWOOD CLEAN UP. UH, HELP BUILD A STRONG COMMUNITY. THE 755 ALLOWANCE ALLIANCE, WHICH IS REALLY A, UH, OUTSTANDING, UH, NONPROFIT GROUP IN OUR COUNTY, UM, IS, UH, HOLDING THAT THAT CLEAN UP DUMPSTERS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND IT BE IN HARFORD SQUARE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR RESIDENT STUDENTS DISPOSE OF BULK TRASH FREE OF CHARGE. COMMERCIAL BUSINESS HAS ITS MATERIALS, PAINTS AND TIRES ARE NOT PERMITTED. SO WITH THAT, THAT'S IT, MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR GUTHRIE. UH, WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 15 BUSINESS FROM PRESIDENT. UM, I NEED TO GET SOME BUSINESS OUT OF THE WAY. FIRST FISCAL YEAR 25 COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSIONS MONDAY, APRIL 22ND TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD MONDAY, APRIL 29TH TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH. ALL THESE MEETINGS ARE IN THIS CHAMBER. BASICALLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. UH, THEY WILL BE, UM, AUDIO STREAMED. AND WILL BE AVAILABLE. ON THE UH, COUNCIL WEBSITE. ALSO BUDGET. PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY. MAY 8TH AT 7:30 P.M. IN THIS CHAMBER AND MONDAY MAY 13TH 7:30 P.M. IN THIS CHAMBER ALSO OPEN TO EVERYONE. IT WILL BE ON OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS V, BE CHAMBER BE VIDEO AND AUDIO. I WILL BE LIVE, STREAMED AND ARCHIVED ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE. UM THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS, MR GUTHRIE. UM MY STAFF ATTENDS EVERY MEETING, UH, ACROSS THIS COUNTY, AS DOES THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES, AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW. ALMOST A YEAR SINCE I PERSONALLY WENT TO J, AS I GUESS, UH, BUT I TRY TO ATTEND AS MANY ON A ROTATING BASIS AS POSSIBLE. UH, AGAIN. WE DO GET REPORTS FROM EVERY MEETING FROM MY STAFF, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THAT THEY DO, UM WANNA TALK ABOUT, UM THE AP STUDY. RIGHT NOW WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH AN IMPACT FEE STUDY, UH, WITH THE GROUP ACROSS THE STREET AT THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. UH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS WORKING WITH A GROUP CALLED TISCHLER BUYS,[01:20:05]
UH, TO LOOK AT IMPACT FEES AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME INTEREST WITH THE A PFO STUDY. UH, WE'RE WE DECIDED TO LOOK AT ANOTHER, UH, OUTSIDE LAW FIRM THAT IS, UH, EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD. UH, THEY'RE NOT VERY MANY AVAILABLE AS WE FOUND OUT, UM MISTER SANLI , OUR COUNTY TREASURER HAS CONTACTED THOSE INDIVIDUALS. MR KEARNEY AND I MET WITH THEM LAST WEEK. UH, VIRTUALLY, UH, GAVE THEM SOME PARAMETERS TO LOOK AT, UH, THEY WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER A PROPOSAL FOR US TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND THEN UM, IF IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING WE WANT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH, UH, WE WILL HAVE THAT. PROBABLY UH, PRESENTED AT OUR JUNE A PFO MEETING. UH AND THEN BACK TO THE COUNCIL, FOR, UH, A FULL VOTE. AND I ALSO WISH TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO AMY O'NEILL, UH, AND ALSO THE HATHAWAY FAMILY IN HAVERTY GRACE . I DID NOT REALIZE THAT DON FET PASSED AWAY. UM GONE FACE. IT WAS A FIXTURE AT THE BEL AIR BAKERY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UM HE, UH, WAS A DELIGHT TO VISIT WITH I'VE KNOWN HIM SINCE I WAS A YOUNG BOY SO VERY, VERY SADDENED TO HEAR THAT HE PASSED, BUT, UH, JEAN AND I WANNA EXPRESS LIKE I SAID, OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES FOR THE PASSING OF JIM TOUR AND, UH, MARION HATHAWAY DON FIT. UH MARION PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 91. SHE'S A DEAR FRIEND OF MY WIFE'S GENIE. UH, WE WENT TO SCHOOL WHERE THERE WERE SONS. UM SHE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE MISSED IN IN HAVING GRACE COMMUNITY AND JIM. AS YOU SAID, I WAS EXTREMELY ACTIVE. COMMUNITY THE AG COMMUNITY, HIS CHURCH COMMUNITY, UH, THE CABS A AS YOU TALKED ABOUT, AND, UM WAS ABSOLUTELY A STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF OUR CONSTITUTION. AND UH, HE REMINDED ME EVERY CHANCE HE HAD.SO UM, WE WILL MISS HIM AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO KEEP THE TORY O'NEILL FAMILY AND FRIENDS, HATHAWAY, FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, I. I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS FROM ALL OF OUR CITIZENS THIS EVENING, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT MEETING WITH THAT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.