[a. Bill 24-009 (Zoning-Cannabis Dispensary)]
[00:00:06]
EVENING CHAIR CALLS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 24-009 ZONING, CANNABIS DISPENSARY. UH, COUNSEL . WE HAVE MISTER SHANE GRIM WITH US THIS EVENING FROM PLANNING AND ZONING WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SIR. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK ON BILL 24-009. THIS BILL IS TO PERMIT CANNABIS DISPENSARIES, RETAIL DISPENSARIES IN THE COUNTY, AND THIS IS A RESULT OF LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT OF ANNAPOLIS PREVIOUSLY. AND WHAT THIS LEGISLATION DOES IS MAKES RETAIL CANNABIS. FACILITIES PERMITTED IN THE B THREE GENERAL BUSINESS AND C COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS. THE LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT OF ANNAPOLIS PREVIOUSLY BASICALLY SAID THAT JURISDICTIONS CANNOT MAKE UNDULY BURDENSOME REGULATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS ON THESE TYPES OF USES. SO THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED WITH. A LOT OF THIS IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE BILL. FROM DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL TELL YOU IS SOME RECENT LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT OF THIS SESSION WILL CAUSE US TO HAVE TO AMEND THIS BILL. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS ABOUT CANNABIS RETAIL FACILITIES AND HOW TO REGULATE THEM, AND I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME QUESTIONS DOWN THERE. BUT THE LATEST THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TWO THINGS THAT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT OFF THE BAT ARE ONE IS THEY'VE REDUCED THE DISTANCE FROM 1000 FT FROM A PRE EXISTING SCHOOL DAYCARE. AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY PRODUCED IT DOWN TO 500 FT. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT SAYS IT WILL BE 500 FT. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT I SEE IN THERE , AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THIS TO COME UP WITH ALL THE SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS. THE OTHER ONE THAT I SEE IS SOMETHING THAT THE JURISDICTIONS CAN OPT INTO. AND WE'LL BE TALKING TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THIS. THE OPT IN IS, UH, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO SAY THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE RETAIL DISPENSARIES CLOSER THAN A HALF MILE FROM EACH OTHER. SO MY GUESS IS THAT WE PROBABLY WILL BE LOOKING AT ADDING THAT AS AN AMENDMENT AS WELL AGAIN, AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE WE'RE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE THAT THAT JUST HAPPENED IN ANNAPOLIS AND WE HAD ALREADY STARTED THIS BILL. SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AS WE DEVELOP THOSE AMENDMENTS. THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THEM, BUT, UH, FOR THIS EVENING, THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THIS, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JAY. SO THE AMENDMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN DEVELOPED YET FROM OVER AT YOUR SIDE OF THE STREET SPEAKING WITH SHOULD BE ABOUT THAT. WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS THAT WE GO THROUGH THE NEW LEGISLATION. OK? COUNCIL QUESTIONS MR PEN WAS PRESIDENT, MR G. THANK YOU. UH, I KNOW. UH THE COUNTY IS HANDCUFFED ON THIS AND REQUIREMENTS ARE BY STATE. UH, WE WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD A NA IN LEGISLATION TO ALLOW THE COUNTIES TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT FOR THE DISPENSARIES, BUT IT IS ENABLING LEGISLATION FOR UPCOMING ON SITE CONSUMPTION. UM WHICH IS GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT TOPIC HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. UH HAS YOUR DEPARTMENT OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATION HAD ANY CONVERSATION. ABOUT ON SITE CONSUMPTION AND WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT THOSE IN HARTFORD COUNTY . NOT AT THIS TIME. THERE HAS BEEN ANY SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE SITE CONSUMPTION. ALTHOUGH MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. BUT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I HAVEN'T HAD THAT ANY DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO ONE SE CONSUMPTION AT THIS TIME. OK, THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. HELLO UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA SPEAKING WITH BEL AIR ABERDEEN HAVE GREASE WHAT DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING WITH THEIR ZONE. EVEN IN REGARDS TO THESE CHANGES. WELL THEY THEY SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THE SAME. THEY'RE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE SAME AND I. I ASSUME THAT THE RULES, UH, IS AS FAR AS 500 FT AND ALL THAT THAT IS, UM AS LOOSE AS YOU CAN GO, BUT OUR JURISDICTION IS ABLE TO OR I MEAN, THAT'S AS STRICT AS YOU CAN GO BETTER. ARE THEY ABLE TO GO LOOSER THAN THAT? YES. UM BUT IT SOUNDS MORE RESTRICTED. SO USUALLY IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND, RIGHT. UH, BUT IN THIS SINCE, UH THEY CANNOT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE, USUALLY, UH, LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF YOU YOU LIKE YOU CAN BE MORE RESTRICTIVE ON THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. THIS IS THIS IS THE OPPOSITE. UM AND THEN DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AND REPAIR FUND THAT WILL BE FORMED FROM THE REVENUE THAT COMES FROM THESE SALES. IS THAT ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE ANY COUNCIL BENNETT? I HAD MY HANDS FULL WITH THE PART OF IT. I DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH IT. UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SHARED ON THE RECORD THAT WE YEAH. NO I APPRECIATE IT. I I'M NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OF THAT. SO UM, I KNOW THE CAUCUS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS REACHED OUT TO ME, UM, A FEW COUNTIES HAVE DEVELOPED WORK GROUPS. DECIDE HOW THAT FUND WILL BE SPENT WITHIN THEIR COUNTIES. UM AND THEY'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT A WORK GROUP DEVELOPED TO TALK ABOUT. WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? ONCE THIS REVENUE STARTS COMING IN? UM SO
[00:05:03]
I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK THAT INTO THE RECORD. UH, YOU KNOW, MY OFFICE IS PREPARING A RESOLUTION TO ASK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO CONSIDER STARTING A WORK GROUP LIKE THAT, UM, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT. UH YOU KNOW, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE. UH WITH THE OPIOID, UH, FUND AND, UH NOW WE'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING A FUND LIKE THAT FOR CANNABIS. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAKE SURE GROUPS LIKE THE CAUCUS AND ALSO JUST CITIZENS ACROSS THE COUNTY HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND WHAT WE DO WITH THAT. UM, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, LEGISLATION LIKE THIS IS IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY UP TO DATE. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T THAT'S NOT MY BELLY WORK THERE SO THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. MR GIORDANO. THANK YOU, MR GRAHAM. SO DO WE KNOW HOW MANY SCHOOLS RESIDE WITHIN 500? FT IN THE, UH, E THREE AND C. I THAT WOULD THIS WOULD AFFECT WELL, IT WOULDN'T AFFECT ANY PRE EXISTING FACILITIES. IT WOULD ONLY BE NEW FACILITIES. SO A NEW FACILITY, WOULD THEY? THEY COULD BE 500 FT . EXISTING FACILITIES IS HOW MANY FEET 1000. WELL, EXISTING FACILITIES, UH, THAT WERE WOULD HAVE BEEN PERMITTED AS IN THIS COUNTY AS UNDER A PHARMACY BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THEY WERE ONLY MEDICAL MARIJUANA. SO THEY WERE CONSIDERED TREATED LIKE PHARMACIES. SO THERE WASN'T ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR DISTANCES FROM ANYTHING. OR DISPENSARIES THAT WERE RELATED TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA SINCE RETAIL SALES HAVE COME IN. THAT'S WHERE IT'S CHANGED, AND IT'S ONLY THE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT WILL BE NEW. ANYTHING THAT WAS ANY DISPENSARY THAT EXISTED PRIOR YOU THE DATE I. I FORGET THE DATES IN HERE, BUT WASN'T EXISTENCE. UH, JUNE 1ST, UH, OF 23. OK SO ANY ANY ANY NEW DISPENSARY THAT OPENS CAN BE WITHIN 500 FT OF A SCHOOL. CORRECT. THE WAY THE STATE WANTS IT. WHAT IF WE DON'T ADOPT THE WAY THE STATE WATCH IT. I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE LAW DEPARTMENT. I THINK THE FOLKS IN ANNAPOLIS WERE VERY CLEAR THAT, UH, THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS COULD NOT BE UNDULY BURDENSOME AND THEY'RE VERY CLEAR IN THE LANGUAGE OF THIS LEGISLATION THAT SAYS THEY SHALL NOT. MAKE IT ANY MORE RESTRICTIVE. SO LIKE THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. I'M SURE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING SET IN A WAY AND ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD HAPPEN. I GOT YOU. THANK YOU. MR PEN. I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON MR G AND GIORDANO'S COMMENT, UM, BASED OFF THE MAKO DISCUSSIONS, UH, IN SOME OF THE, UH UM, MEETINGS WE'VE HAD THAT ARE CURRENTLY FIVE DISPENSARIES IN THE COUNTY. UH HARFORD COUNTY WILL BE RECEIVING EIGHT. IN THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED. THOSE EIGHT WILL BE DETERMINED BY A LOTTERY IN THE STATE. IT'S 100 AND 78 TOTAL THAT ARE GONNA BE ADDED, UH, TO THE PRE EXISTING DISPENSARIES. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THERE'S THREE BUT I. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE. IN THE COUNTY. THAT'S GONNA BE ON A LOTTERY BASE. SO THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. UM AND JUST THE CONVERSATION ABOUT 500 FT FROM THE SCHOOL IN ZONING. IS THERE EVER A DISTINCTION BETWEEN AN ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL AND WHAT'S ALLOWED WITHIN SO MUCH DISTANCE FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VERSUS A SECONDARY SCHOOL VERSUS A COLLEGE CAMPUS? IS THAT , UM, SOMETHING THAT ZONING NEVER DELVES INTO JUST BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN YOU THINK OF A DISPENSARY OR A LIQUOR STORE, THERE'S A DIFFERENT CONCERN BEING YOUR TEENAGERS VERSUS BEING NEAR FIVE YEAR OLDS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY EVER GETS INTO? NOT IN HARTFORD COUNTY? I'M SURE MAYBE OTHER DES JURISDICTIONS HAVE DONE THAT. BUT WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN YOU KNOW AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YOU HAVE TO BE THIS DISTANCE AND HIGH SCHOOL NOW.WE? WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE, DIFFERENTIATE THAT, BUT IT COULD BE LIKE THAT IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. THANK YOU. MR GUTHRIE. UM SEEMS YOU'RE LACKING SOME INFORMATION OR LACKING. UH UH, TALKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS AND WHATEVER ELSE THAT COMING FORWARD UP. I SEE THE BILL SITTING IN HERE, UH, IN OUR IN OUR, UH, BINDERS HERE. UM 24-09 AND, UH, DAVID, MARCH 19TH AND UM, PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 16TH. WHERE DO WE STAY WITH THE BILL ITSELF? ANSWER THAT QUESTION. MAYBE I'M CONFUSED. WHICH IS VERY POSSIBLE. I MEAN, WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING. AND WE'RE PROPOSING THAT AMENDMENTS WILL FOLLOW BASED UPON WHAT THE STATE JUST PASSED. SO THE TH THIS WILL REMAIN THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE FEW AMENDMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO CHANGE WITH REGARD TO DISTANCE. OK, THAT JOKE YOUR GIFT FROM THE STATE AND THEN THEY'LL BECOME THE CANDIDATES AMENDMENTS. I ASSUME THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING THEY'RE THEY'RE IN THE THEY'RE
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IN THIS BILL HOUSE BILL 8805. WHICH WAS PASSED THAT, SAYS 500 FT. WE HAVE 1000 FT IN OUR BILL, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO SAY 500 FT. SO WE CAN'T SAY 600 FT. UM WE CAN'T AMEND IT.UH, 500 OR LESS. WELL, I HOPE THEY DON'T COME AROUND AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. WELL, GOOD POINT. YEAH CAUSE UH, YOU KNOW THESE THESE BARS BASICALLY, THEY WANT TO OPEN UP. UM OF COURSE WE'RE ALL OPPOSED TO THAT . AND UH UM SO I HOPE WE DON'T. I HOPE THE STATE DOESN'T TRY TO FORCE THAT DOWN OUR THROAT, BECAUSE, UH, BE A BIG FIGHT. SAID, MR C. YES, SIR. THANK YOU ANYONE ELSE? MS DIXON, WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP. MR PRESIDENT. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 24-009, AND, UH, WE'LL AWAIT YOUR AMENDMENTS. AND IT WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ANOTHER MEETING. AND THIS WILL. WE'RE I. GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS TO
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY. 24-0 13 PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER BENNETT. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IN PUBLIC FOR ONE NATION. ONE INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. YESTERDAY'S HISTORY TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY. BUT TODAY IS A GIFT. AND THAT IS WHY IT'S CALLED THE PRESENT AND FOR THIS GIFT IN ALL THE OTHERS YOU PROVIDE US. WE THANK THEE, O LORD. AMEN. AMEN. HM? AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR PRESENTATION AND PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE DONE FIVE CONSIDERATION PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. WE HAVE NONE SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. OF A HEARING APRIL 9TH 2024.[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
LEGISLATIVE DAY. 24-0 12 APRIL 9TH 2024 CLOSED LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 24-0 12 MEETING APRIL 9TH 2024, MS. DIXON CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THESE MINUTES. MR PRESIDENT, MR. GUTHRIE MR. PENMAN MR. JAN GIORDANO. MR. RILEY, MRS. BOLS. HI, MR BENNETT. I WE HAVE HIM.MR JETTA. NOW ABSTAIN. HERE. THANK YOU. THEY'RE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE ABSTENTION. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. UH MR GIAN GIORDANO, PLEASE READ RESOLUTION. 0 1024 0
[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
1124 0 1224 INTO THE RECORD FOR INTRODUCTION RESOLUTION 10-24, HE, BUSH AND GUNPOWDER RIVERS REPLACEMENT BRIDGES INTRODUCED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS GUTHRIE, BENNETT , RILEY AND JAN GIORDANO, A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, URGING AMTRAK DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW REPLACEMENT BRIDGES, WHICH CROSS BOTH THE GUNPOWDER AND BUSH RIVERS TO RAISE EACH BRIDGE TO THE HIGHEST FEASIBLE HEIGHT IN ORDER TO EXPAND BETTER TO EXPAND VOTER ACCESS IN THOSE WATERWAYS. RESOLUTION 11-24 ADOPTION OF PROPERTY TAX RATE INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. A RESOLUTION TO LEVY AND IMPOSE A PROPERTY TAX UPON ALL PERSONS FOR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT WITHIN, AND WITHOUT THE CITY OF HABI, GRACE AND THE CITY OF ABERDEEN AND THE INCORPORATED TOWN OF BEL AIR IN THE COUNTY THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE ORDINARY TAXATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 15 OF THE DECLARATION OF RIGHTS OF THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION. THE TAX PROPERTY ARTICLE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND AND CHAPTER 123. ARTICLE ONE SECTION 123. DASH 15, 1 23-16 AND 1 23-27 OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE AS AMENDED. FOR THE PURPOSE OF MEETING ALL OF THE ESTIMATED COUNTY EXPENSES FOR THE TAXABLE YEAR BEGINNING ON THE FIRST DAY OF JULY, 2024 AND ENDING ON THE 30TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 AND SET AND TO SET THE RATE OF COUNTY TAXATION FOR SUCH TAXABLE PROPERTY AND YEAR PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 8TH[00:15:06]
2024 AND MONDAY MAY 13TH 2024 AT 7 P.M. IN THE EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS. RESOLUTION 12-24 FISCAL YEAR 25 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM INTRODUCED BY THE COUNCIL PRE BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH 2025 JUNE 30TH 2026 JUNE 30TH 2027, JUNE 30TH 2028, JUNE 30TH 2029 AND JUNE 30TH 2030. PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 8TH 2024 AND MONDAY MAY 13TH 2024 AT 7 P.M. IN THE EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. UM GENERAL[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]
ITEM NUMBER NINE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS, PLEASE READ BILLS 24-0 1224, J, 0 13 AND 24-0 14 INTO THE RECORD. AVAILABLE 24-012 SOPP AMENDMENTS 2024 INTRODUCED BY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND ACT TO REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS SECTION 29-1 HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE PENSION PLAN OF CHAPTER 29, HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE PENSION AND TO REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS SECTION 3.2 PARENTHESES, D CREDIT FOR PRIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICE. IN 4.5 IN PARENTHESES.B PARTICIPATION, CONTRIBUTIONS, LIMITATIONS AND APPENDIX. B DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PROGRAM SECTION B 0.2. APP LIKEABILITY AND ELIGIBILITY OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PENSION PLAN, AS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN CHAPTER 29, HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE PENSION AND ALL OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE AS AMENDED TO PERMIT THE PURCHASE OF CREDIT FOR PRIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICE AND TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PROGRAM FROM FIVE YEARS TO SEVEN PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY MAY 21ST 2024 AT 6:45 P.M. IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS. BILL DASH 24-13. DOPE FEES INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE TO REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AN ACT TO REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENT SECTION 157-3 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE CONTENTS. REFUND OF FEES SECTION 1 57-16 BUILDING PERMITS SECTION 1 57-17 PLUMBING PERMITS SECTION 1 57-18 SANITATION CONSTRUCTION PERMITS SIX SECTION 1, 57-19 UTILITY AND PUBLIC WORKS PERMITS SECTION 157. 20 ELECTRICAL INSPECTION SECTION 1, 57-21 GRADING AND R AND CONTROL PERMITS SECTION 1 57-22 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PERMIT SECTION 1, 57-24 LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS OF REGISTRATION AND 1 57-30 MECHANICAL PERMITS OF ARTICLE I CHAPTER 157 LICENSE AND PERMITS OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE AS AMENDED TO REPEAL SECTION 157-27 F FOOD. FACILITY FEES AND SECTION 1 57-29 PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL AND SPA PERMIT OF ARTICLE TWO CHAPTER 157 LICENSE AND PERMITS OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE AS AMENDED TO A NEW SECTION 1 57-31 HIGHWAY AND STORM DRAIN. PLANNED REVIEW FEES OF ARTICLE TWO CHAPTER 157 LICENSE IMPAIRMENTS OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE AS AMENDED AND TO REAPPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS SECTION 1 73-8 FEES OF ARTICLE TWO. SEE A TRAILER CAMPS AND MOBILE HOME PARKS OF CHAPTER 173 MOBILE HOMES AND TRAILERS ARE THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE HAS AMENDED TO REVISE CURRENT FEES AND ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL FEES FOR SERVICE RENDERED BY HARFORD COUNTY AND GENERALLY RELATING TO PERMITS AND FEES IN HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY MAY 21ST 2024 AT 6:45 P.M. IN THE EAST CASTLE CHAMBERS. 24 BILL 24-014 ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AT THE CREST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND TO ADOPT THE COUNTY BUDGET CONSISTING OF THE CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH 2525 THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH 2025 THE SPECIAL PURPOSE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH 2025 AND THE GRANTS BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30 TO 2025 AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR ALL EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1ST 2024 AND ENDING JUNE 30TH 2025 AS HEREAFTER INDICATED PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 8TH 2024 AND MONDAY MAY 13TH 2024 AT 7 P.M. IN EAST COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. AGENDA ITEM
[00:20:06]
NUMBER 10 INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NO 11 CALL FOR FINER READING OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE. 12 ENROLLMENT. THE BILLS. WE HAVE NONE 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS . WE HAVE NONE 14 NEW BUSINESS. COUNTY ATTORNEY REQUEST TO APPROVE SETTLEMENT OF NOTICE OF CLAIM THEY HAVE A MOTION. MR PRESIDENT. MR GUTHRIE, A MOTION THAT, UM UH I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE SETTLEMENT AND NOTICE OF CLAIM, MR PRESIDENT. MR P. I THINK IT WAS ON YOU. YOU MOVED ON TO 14 NEW BUSINESS. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON UNFINISHED BUSINESS AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 13. I SAID THAT I DID SAY UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THIS NEW WE'RE WE'RE FINE. BUT THAT'S PROBABLY WERE, THIS ITEM WOULD BE BETTER SERVED . OK, SO YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS? WELL THE CLAIM WAS NEW BUSINESS LAST WEEK , SO SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS. FINE. THEN[13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
WE'LL GO BACK TO 13, AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE IT ON. THAT'S WHY 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS. UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY REQUEST TO APPROVE SETTLEMENT OF NOTICE OF CLAIM MAY HAVE A MOTION MR GUTHRIE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT NOTICE OF CLAIM. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. AND MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR SETTLEMENT. READY DISCUSSION. I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE, MR PRESIDENT, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE BEFORE YOU WANT TO DO IT NOW OR YOU WANNA DO IT DURING VOTING? NO, I'D RATHER DO IT NOW. OK SO, MR PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE IN REFERENCE TO VOTING FOR THIS VOTING FOR THIS REQUEST. I PERSONALLY THINK THE FIRST RESPONDERS DID AN EXEMPLARY WORK IN THE INCIDENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT TO SUPPORT THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS WILL SECURE THEM PERSONALLY FOR ANY SUM THAT THEY COULD BE LIABLE FOR.PERSONALLY THEY HAVE ENOUGH STRESS IN SERVING THE CITIZENS, HARFORD COUNTY AND I WOULD HOPE ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND VOTE YES, FOR THIS REQUEST.
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR RILEY. MS SOLES. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UM I'M OPPOSED TO THE PAYMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT AS PROPOSED. I BELIEVE IT SETS A BAD PRECEDENT TO SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY SIMPLY TO AVOID THE COST OF LITIGATION. THIS COULD HAVE A RIPPLING EFFECT ON CLAIMS AGAINST THE COUNTY GOING FORWARD, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS SETTLEMENT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXPAYERS OF HARTFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS MR BENNETT. UM I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'VE REALLY WRESTLED WITH THIS BOAT. UM AND I THINK EVERYBODY ON THE, UH, THE COUNCIL KNOWS THAT IN OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS, UM, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HEARS US. I THINK EVERYBODY IN THEIR VOTE IS THINKING ABOUT OUR OUR, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND LOOKING OUT FOR THEM? WHAT IN WHATEVER DIRECTION YOU VOTE? I THINK THAT'S THE LENS. ALL OF US ARE LOOKING AT THIS FROM I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE. THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. MR PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UM I HAVE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING WHY THE COUNTY WOULD BE ENTERTAINING A SETTLEMENT BASED ON THIS REQUEST WITH NO JUSTIFICATION. THERE HAS BEEN NO CIVIL SUIT FILED AND NO JUSTIFICATION PROVIDED FROM THE REQUESTER. LOOKING BACK INTO MARCH. 14TH OF 2023, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, SPOKE TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING POTENTIAL LAWSUITS.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID SOMETHING WHICH I AGREE WITH WHICH IS AS FOLLOWS I MEAN, LOOK , ARE WE GONNA STAND UP FOR THE CITIZENS RIGHTS? ARE WE GOING TO STAND UP FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY? ARE WE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING? OR ARE WE GONNA COWER AND SAY, OH, MY GOSH, I DON'T WANT TO BE SUED. I'M SORRY. I CAN'T TAKE THE LADDER. SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND NOT BE TOO. DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT EVERY CONSEQUENCE. WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU GOOD. SO SOLID LEGAL ADVICE. UH, THAT'S WHAT WE PLEDGE TO DO. SO THE QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT'S CHANGED? WHY ARE WE NOT FIGHTING FOR RIGHT SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE. AND WHY ARE WE NOT FIGHTING FOR THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS? THEREFORE, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS SETTLEMENT.
MR GUTHRIE? UH, THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UM UH, DIGGING AS MUCH INFORMATION THAT I COULD GET BECAUSE WHEN I LAST MONDAY WHEN, UH WHEN THEY DROPPED ALL HIS PAPERWORK ON US, AND THEN WE HAD A VIEWING OVER OVER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OF ACTUALLY THE EVENTS. UM UH AND I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO ATTACK THIS OR VOTE FOR THIS LAST TUESDAY, SO I ASKED FOR IT FOR THE DELAY IN AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE GOT. UM AND, UH, YESTERDAY, UH, MYSELF AND JIM
[00:25:06]
RILEY AND TONY UH, GEE, WE WENT DOWN. UH, WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH, UH, KEVIN CO KOPINSKI, WHO IS THE ATTORNEY? UM UH, UH, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WROTE THIS. UH, UH NINE OR 10 PAGE BRIEF ON ON THE ON THE CASE. UH, WE WENT DOWN THERE AND, UH, INTERVIEWED HIM FOR A COUPLE HOURS. UH AND LISTEN TO, UM, THE REASONS FOR THIS, AND, UH, BOTH, UH, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET. UM, IT'S CLEAR THAT, UH SUPPORT 100% OF WHAT ALL THOSE DEPUTIES DID. IF I WAS IN THAT SITUATION, I WOULD HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID. UM UH, THEY HAD A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE SENT TO THEM. UM UH, THAT, UH, HAD TO BE IN THEIR MIND THE WHOLE TIME. THIS WHOLE EVENT WAS GOING ON NOW HAVING A SON WHO RETIRED FROM AND OF COURSE I'M NOT COMPARING HIM TO MY COLLEAGUE HERE WHO'S WHO'S, UH, ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT MY SON'S BEEN 20 SOME YEARS ON THE BALTIMORE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND UM, UH AND WE HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THINGS IN CLOSE EVENTS AND STUFF THAT THAT HAPPENED. THAT UH, WHERE YOU GOT SUCH LITTLE TIME TO REACT. AND UH, READING THE STATE. UH UH, THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S LETTER ON THIS SUBJECT. UM SHE SAID THE TIME THAT THEY HAD TO RE REACT WAS TWO SECONDS. TWO SECONDS. YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S THE GUY IS GOING TO SHOOT YOU OR YOU'RE GONNA OR OR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THESE PEOPLE THESE GUYS HAD. THEY HAD TWO SECONDS TO MAKE A DECISION. SO I SUPPORT EVERYTHING THEY DID. UM UH, IN REGARDS TO, UH UH LOOKING AT THE WHOLE, UH, SUBJECT AND LOOKING AT WHAT IT'S GONNA COST AND LOOKING AT, UH WHAT MY EXPERIENCES. IN IN, UH UH, OVER THE YEARS AND SOME OF THE SOME OF THE PAYOFFS YOU'VE SEEN ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, UH, THE FREDDIE FREDDIE CRAIG CASE AND IN IN BALTIMORE. UH, THEY THEY THEY PEELED OUT $6 MILLION BEFORE ANYBODY EVEN FOLLOW A CHARGE OR OR A CASE IN BALTIMORE CITY. THEY PEELED OFF $8,000,006 MILLION. AND THEN THEN, UH, UM AND THEN TOOK ALL SIX POLICEMEN TRIED TO TAKE THE SIX POLICEMEN TO COURT OVER THAT. AND OF COURSE, THEY THREW FOUR OF THEM OUT AND GO UP ON THE OTHER TWO, BUT, UH UH, LOOK WHAT IT DID TO THOSE, UH, EVERY ONE OF THEM WIND UP LEAVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH AND MY SON WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS ONLY A BLOCK AWAY, AND HE COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT, UH, HE WAS A SERGEANT AT THE TIME AND RETIRED LIEUTENANT, AND HE COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT AND, UH UH, HE SAID AS SOON AS HIS PENSION STUFF CAME IN, HE WAS GETTING OUT TOO. AND THAT'S WHY THEY'VE LOST SO MANY. UM UH POLICEMEN BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT KIND OF STUFF SO AND LOOKING AT THIS WITH THIS CAN THIS EASILY COULD GRIND INTO THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITHOUT QUESTION? UH, IT'S ONE OF THOSE KIND OF CASES. UM THAT, UH, EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO BEAT THE POD. UH UH, PROBABLY 67 HOURS FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM. UH, IT'S VERY COSTLY.THERE'S ATTORNEYS. UM UH AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET TO GET AWAY THIS EASY AT THIS TIME, UM, FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF THE COUNTY. UH, THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE OF THE PAYMENT. UH, BECAUSE THE IF YOU DON'T YOU'RE GONNA GO TO COURT AND AS THINGS IS GOING TO TAKE TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY IT COULD COST THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS, UH UH, NOBODY'S MAKING. UH UH, ANY ANY, UH, YOU. YOU'RE NOT . YOU'RE NOT OMITTING ANY ANY WRONGDOING HERE WHATSOEVER AND ALL THE OTHER AND ALL THE POLICEMEN WILL BE, UH, EXONERATED FROM THIS SO AND OUT OUT OF THE QUESTION. THIS WILL BE OVER AND I. I CAN'T SEE PUTTING EVERYBODY THROUGH IT, SO I'LL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT.
THANK YOU, MR GUTHRIE. MR GRE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. UM I THINK AFTER MEETING WITH THE ATTORNEY DOWNTOWN AND I WAS OUT LAST WEEK, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO SIT IN A CLOSED SESSION, BUT NUMBER ONE UM, THIS ATTORNEY THAT'S BRINGING A HASN'T BROUGHT AGAINST US. THE CASE HAS, UH, SIGNIFIED THAT IF WE DO NOT SETTLE NOW, AT THIS POINT, UM FOR THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHICH THE INSURANCE CARRIER HAS STEPPED UP AND SAID THEY WILL PROVIDE $650,000 OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET TO SETTLE THIS AND IN THE COUNTY'S COST WILL BE 350 THAT THE NEXT THE NEXT AMOUNT GOES TO $5 MILLION, AND IF IT THEN GOES TO COURT, HE'S GOING TO SUE FOR $25 MILLION. SO ON TOP ON TOP OF THAT, I MEAN, I EVERYTHING I READ. THE POLICE OFFICERS DID EVERYTHING THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE DONE IT CORRECTLY. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS PUNITIVE DAMAGES FOR A POLICE OFFICER. IF THIS EVER GOES TO COURT, THERE IS NOTHING THAT PROTECTS THE POLICE OFFICERS. MONETARY INCOME
[00:30:06]
FROM BEING ATTACHED. UM I DID LOOK AT US CC A IN CASE THAT POLICE OFFICER HAD A POLICY WITH THEM. THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC CLAUSE IN THERE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT EXCLUDES WHAT THEY DO. A HOMEOWNER'S POLICY DOESN'T COVER WHAT HAPPENED HERE. SO THEN OPENS HIMSELF UP TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. THEY WILL ATTACH HIS WAGES FOR 10 YEARS AFTER 10 YEARS. IF IT'S NOT PAID , THEY'LL GO BACK AND ATTACH IT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS. SO ON TOP OF IF IT GOES TO COURT AND IF FOR SOME REASON, AND IT'S GONNA GO TO FEDERAL COURT, AND MY QUESTION WAS, WHY DOES THIS GO TO FEDERAL COURT? WELL IT GOES TO FEDERAL COURT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO USE THE DISABILITIES ACT FOR MENTAL ABUSE, AND IT'S GOING TO GET PUT DOWN IN A FEDERAL COURT IF ONE JUROR DOESN'T VOTE OR THE WEIGHING AND WE LOSE. THEN THEN WE'VE GOT TO PAY OUT WHETHER IT'S 40,000,002 MILLION. IT'S MORE THAN $350,000. BUT THEN THEY CAN GO AFTER THE OFFICER THIS WAY. IF WE DO THIS, THERE'S NO ADMISSION OF GUILT. OK THE CASE IS CLOSED, AND IT'S AND IT'S DONE. SO UM, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING BY. I'M LOOKING AT THAT. I'M LOOKING AT THE OFFICER. I'M LOOKING AT HIS HIS POCKET AND HIS LIFE FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO BE BURDENED. WITH A PAYMENT. UM FOR THIS FOR THIS EVENT, SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.THANK YOU, MR JANITOR. CHAND JORDANO. MR RILEY? YES. FIRST OFF AGAIN, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I'M A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER, SO I BLEED BLUE, BUT I LOOKED AT THE I LOOKED AT THE, UH, ATTORNEY THAT'S GONNA ACTUALLY GOING TO, UH, REPRESENT OUR COUNTY AS 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING CLAIMS OF POLICE USE OF FORCE AND DEATH CASES. UH, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE SELECTED WILL BE SELECTED NOT FROM HARTFORD COUNTY. THEY WOULD BE COMING FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE STATES. UH THEY'RE MUCH MORE WILLING TO FIND AGAINST THE POLICE. NOW MORE THAN EVER. IT'S SIMPLY A FUNCTION OF THE SHIFT IN THE ATTITUDE OF THIS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF MARY.
WHICH I DON'T APPRECIATE MYSELF ALSO IN REFERENCE TO WHAT UH, COUNCILWOMAN UH, BOSO SAID, IT'S THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S GOING TO LITIGATE THIS CASE. SAYS IT'S GONNA COST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $800,000 SO WE WOULD ONLY PAY 350 NOT 800,000, SO IT WILL BE REALLY LESS FOR THE CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY. BUT ABOVE ALL THAT, WHEN I LOOK AT IS PUNITIVE DAMAGES I'VE BEEN ON THE STREET.
I WORKED THE STREETS FOR 24 YEARS AND I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. THERE'S ENOUGH STRESS GOING ON IN THE STREET THAT YOU DON'T WANT HANGING OVER YOUR HEAD FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS THAT THEY COULD TAKE YOUR HOUSE, YOUR CAR OR ANYTHING YOUR OWN IF THEY DECIDE TO GO FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE DEPUTIES, I PLEAD MY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU VOTE FOR THIS SO THAT OFFICERS AND INVOLVED AND THERE'S MANY OF THEM. TWO SPECIFICALLY BUT MANY OF THEM PLUS ALSO OUR DISPATCHERS THAT YOU RELEASE. LEAVE THEM OF THAT STRESS. THEY KNOW THIS CASE WILL BE OVER ONCE WE VOTE TONIGHT, AND SO I PLEAD WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU VOTE FOR THIS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR RILEY. MS SADDLES. THANK YOU. UM RESPECTFULLY. I DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TONIGHT. THIS IS ALL BASED ON A LETTER THAT WAS SENT THIS HASN'T BEEN A LAWSUIT I. I DON'T SEE A LAWSUIT. IT'S A CLAIM LETTER DEMAND LETTER. NOW ANYBODY CAN SEND A CLAIM LETTER DEMAND LETTER TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME. AND AS A BUSINESS OWNER, IF I JUST PAY THAT CLAIM LETTER ON THE DEMAND, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE IN BUSINESS. THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY NEGOTIATIONS AND THIS IS BASED ON A CLAIM LETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS SOLES.
ANYONE ELSE? YOU KNOW? I HESITATED TO HAVE ANYONE SPEAK THIS EVENING. AND AS I'M SITTING HERE. I'M GETTING TEXT MESSAGES FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND, UM I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS STILL A VERY, UH, TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE BECAUSE, AS LEGISLATORS AND MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO SPEND THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS WISELY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THEM EACH AND EVERY DAY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. BECAUSE AS YOU'VE HEARD HERE TONIGHT, THEY'RE PUT IN
[00:35:05]
SITUATIONS EVERY DAY. WHERE THEY HAVE TO MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS. SO UH, I'M I'M CHALLENGED WITH WHICH WAY I'M GOING TO GO ON THIS EXTREMELY CHALLENGED. UM BUT IF THERE IS NO MORE COMMENTS MISS DIXON. CALL RULE. MR PRESIDENT. MR GUTHRIE. MR PENMAN? NO, MR JAN.MISTER RILEY. I PLEAD EVERYBODY VOTE YES. MRS B SAD? NO. BENNETT. MR PRESIDENT. I'M GONNA VOTE NOW. BUT THERE PASSES 4 TO 3. I HOPE THAT, UM I HOPE THAT WE GET EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. UM 14 NEW BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE. 15 BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT. I'M GONNA HOLD
[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
OFF 17 COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. MS. DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. WE HAVE TWO THIS EVENING. IN A GRAPH FOLLOWED BY DIANA SADOWSKI. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE TINA GRAF 1732 BOGGS ROAD, UH, FOREST HILL. HM BASED ON INACCURATE INFORMATION SHARED BY OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE YESTERDAY DURING HIS TELEVISED INTERVIEW, I WAS EXCITED TO LEARN THAT WE WOULD HAVE A HALF HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BUDGET. FORTUNATELY I FOUND OUT EARLY ENOUGH TO CHANGE MY COMMENTS, SO I'LL ADDRESS SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S BEEN BOTHERING ME. MAYBE I'M BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE TONIGHT, BUT I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN VOICE MY CONCERNS TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE. IT'S THE HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT AS ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU AND YOUR OFFICE HAVE EMBRACED SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CRUCIAL MEANS OF INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC. MANY OF US RELY ON FACEBOOK FOR A QUICK SNIPPET OF WHAT'S GOING ON LOCALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I LOVE SEEING THE HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT SITE, POSTING PICTURES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, HEALTH DEPARTMENT LIBRARY, THE ARC EPG DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO HCPS, THE POST ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. I'M GOING TO USE THE WORD BUDGET, BUT ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF EVERYONE CONTINUING TO TELL US THAT EACH CPS MAKES UP OVER 50% OF THE COUNTY'S BUDGET, YET WE RARELY MAKE IT TO YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE. OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND PARENTS DESERVE TO BE CELEBRATED FOR ALL OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BUT POSTING ANYTHING ABOUT US IS RARE. IN FACT, JUST SCROLLING THROUGH THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THE ONLY POST ON YOUR PAGE PERTAINING TO HCPS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ONE OF OUR INCREDIBLE PATRIOT PROGRAM CELEBRATIONS. YOU FORGOT THAT WE CELEBRATED OUR AWARDS AND EXCELLENCE LAST WEEK RECOGNIZING OUR PRINCIPLE OF THE YEAR TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND MANY OTHER AWARDS, YOU FORGOT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL'S BAND ONE GRAND CHAMPION IN NATIONAL CONTEST. YOU DIDN'T ADVERTISE ALL THE PLAYS AND MUSICALS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND PERFORMED AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS BY OUR STUDENTS. HE FORGOT TO POST TO. DR WILSON WAS NAMED SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR AND ALSO ELECTED TO THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOVERNANCE BOARD. HDP POSTS MANY WONDERFUL THINGS DAILY. AND YOU REPOST NONE OF THEM YET YOU REPOST ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE THAT OCCURS IN OUR COUNTY. WHEN I QUESTION WHY NOTHING WAS POSTED ABOUT DR BOLSON WINNING SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR. THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ATTENDED AND CONGRATULATED HIM IN PERSON. MY LIST COULD GO ON AND ON.PERSONALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UM, ALONGSIDE OTHER VITAL PROGRAMS THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY ONE. THE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN AND BE PROUD TO BE A PART OF ADDITIONALLY, THE PROOFREADER NEEDS TO BE FIRED. THE AMOUNT OF GRAMMATICAL AND SPELLING ERRORS IS EMBARRASSING. ALSO THERE'S NO OPTION TO SEE ALL THE COMMENTS, AND MANY ARE CENSORED, ALTHOUGH THEIR CLAIMS THEY ARE NOT REPEATEDLY AFTER A POST IS MADE. THE COMMENTS ARE PUBLISHED SPORADICALLY WITH NO RHYME NOR REASON TO HOW THEY ARE APPROVED. I'VE SEEN VOW REMARKS MADE PUBLIC YET SOME ARE HIDDEN FOR REASONS I DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE BUDGET FOR OUR SCHOOLS IS OVER 50% OF THE COUNTY, PLEASE ADVOCATE TO HAVE 50% OF YOUR POSTS ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
OUR KIDS DESERVE THE SAME RECOGNITION AS ANY OTHER ENTITY. AND PLEASE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. SOMEONE'S PLEASE SPEAK WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE ABOUT WHAT HE POSTS ON HIS PERSONAL PAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING.
DIANA SADOWSKI, 1113 STROM DRIVE. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR THE OFFER OF A MEETING. AND SINCE HE WENT ON RECORD AND MENTIONED ME BY NAME AT THE APRIL 2ND COUNCIL MEETING. I'D LIKE TO GO ON RECORD TODAY AND DECLINE THAT OFFER. WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. I'D LIKE TO STATE ON RECORD IN THESE CHAMBERS. THINGS SAID IN PRIVATE , HAVE A TENDENCY TO SIMPLY EVAPORATE INTO NOTHINGNESS OR BE MISREPRESENTED, AND I WANT TO AVOID THAT. I'M ALL ABOUT FACTS,
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FACT FINDING AND SPEAKING THEM AS WELL AS ABIDING YOUR RULES. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU'VE ASKED THE CITIZENRY TO REFRAIN FROM USING THE NAMES OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE, AND I RESPECT THAT. HOWEVER THERE WAS A GLARING MISSTEP ON YOUR PART IN THE LAST WEEK'S COUNCIL MEETING DURING COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. AND YET YOU DID ADDRESS THAT BEFORE THIS MEETING WITH ME, HOWEVER, I NEED TO SPEAK IT. ONE CITIZEN MENTIONED OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S NAME FIVE TIMES. ANOTHER MENTION THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S NAME ONCE AND THE PREVIOUS COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S NAME ONCE NOT ONCE DURING THEIR THREE MINUTES. DID YOU STOP THEM? FROM MENTIONING THOSE NAMES. SO AGAIN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH A ROLE IN THIS CHAMBER, I CAN RESPECT THAT. BUT YOU'RE BEING WISHY WASHY. AND I WONDERED, DO CERTAIN CITIZENS OR ADVOCACY GROUPS GARNER DIFFERENT RULES OR ARE GRANTED ALLOWANCES THAN THE COMMON FOLK WHO STAND BEFORE YOU DO. I KNOW I'M JUST SOMEBODY'S GRAMMY. BUT RIGHT IS RIGHT AND WRONG IS WRONG. I'M NOT AFRAID TO BOLDLY RAISE MY VOICE FOR HONESTY AND TRUTH IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE AND DECEPTION AND GREED. I STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. I SPEAK OUT AGAINST WHAT IS WRONG AND NOW I MET SOMEBODY'S GRAMMY WHO CAN WITH OTHERS CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT OF POSITIVE CHANGE THAT CAN TRANSFORM THE COUNTY. SO, MR. COUNT MR CO PRESIDENT. AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. YOU'LL NEED TO SLEEP ON THIS ONE. AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, MA'AM.THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT. IT'S 02 AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16 BUSINESS
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]
FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR GUTHRIE . THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UH, FIRST I WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH UH, ERIC, UH, RICHARDSON. UH, SHE'S A TEACHER OF THE YEAR. UH AND OF JAT TOWN. UH, LADY. I'VE MET NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THERE. SHE'S SHE'S GREAT WITH, UH, KIDS AND GREAT WITH FOR THE COMMUNITY . AND UM, I REALLY LIKE TO CONGRATULATE HER, UM ALSO ON FRIDAY. UH, UH, MYSELF, AND, UH AND COUNCILMAN PENMAN TOURED DEERFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE WITH WADE'S, UH, SEALED SEAL, TOO. AND UH, I WANNA THANK UH, PRINCIPAL DUNLAP , WHO? UM TOOK US AROUND THE SCHOOL, AND, UM, SHE EVEN STILL HAD SHE STILL HAD TO SHOVEL AT THE I DON'T KNOW IF I USE THAT SHOVEL. BUT I WAS THERE WHEN WE PUT THE SHOW ON THE GROUND AND REBUILT THAT, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. UH, BUT I STILL I TOLD HER WHAT I MISSED AND I WOULD LOVE OR TO GO BACK AND DO THAT, BECAUSE I REALLY WHEN I REALLY LIKED WHEN I WENT IN THAT SCHOOL BEFORE THEY REBUILT. IT WAS IN THE CEILING TILES, ALL THE CEILING TILES THAT ARE IN THE CEILING. THEY WOULD TAKE ONE CEILING TILE FOR EACH GRADUATING CLASS, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE KIDS SIGN THEM. YOU KNOW, AND THEY PUT GRADUATING CLASS SUCH DATE SUCH AND PUT IT BACK UP IN THE CEILING. SO WHEN YOU WALK DOWN THE MAIN HALLWAYS, YOU'D SEE ALL THOSE CEILING TILES AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE NEATEST THING. AND WHEN THEY REBUILT THE SCHOOL, THEY THREW THEM ALL OUT. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THAT WAS REALLY SAD. I THOUGHT MAYBE THEY WOULD PUT THEM ALL BACK. SO SHE SAID, YEAH, IT WAS INTERESTING.AND MAYBE SHE'LL GO BACK TO DOING THAT. BUT, UH, BUT WE'LL SEE. UM ALSO, UH UH, DECIDED TO GO A JAB AT TOWN HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD THERE. BINGO AND BIG, BIG BINGO NIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT, AND, UH, I TOOK MY WIFE ON MY MOTHER IN LAW. WE WENT TO, UH, THE BINGO AND WE REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME. THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE. UH, BUT I FOUND OUT WHEN YOU WIN. YOU REALLY GOT TO BE VOCAL. BECAUSE OF THE A LOT OF TIMES YOU TIE I. I WON ONE GAME. WE HAD 20 SOME GAMES BETWEEN ME AND MY WIFE. AND THEN WE WANT. I WANT ONE TIME AT THE VERY END. AND I'M AFRAID I GOT OUT SCREENED BY SOME WOMEN. YEAH, BECAUSE THEY THEY COULDN'T HEAR ME. IT WAS A COUPLE OF WOMEN HIT HIT IT AND WE WERE TIED AND THEY SCREAMED AND, UH SO, I. I WOULD PROBABLY GAVE IT TO HIM ANYWAY.
BUT IT WAS IT WAS. IT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE NIGHT. UH, HARVARD SQUARE. HAD A CLEAN UP ON APRIL 30TH. I WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. BUT I COULDN'T STAY LONG BECAUSE I HAD ANOTHER. UH UH, EVENT I HAD TO GO TO, UH, WITH THAT, UM UM, MR PRESIDENT? THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MR GUTHRIE. MR PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. UM JUST WANT TO SPEAK, UH, SIT ON THE TRAFFIC SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD. UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE IS THE SCHOOL BUS. UH VIOLATIONS? UH, THE NUMBERS THAT I RECORDED ARE 2 2164 VIOLATIONS SINCE JANUARY.
UH, THAT'S PROBABLY, UH, JUST A LITTLE OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM FINES AND IT AS MUCH AS YOU KNOW, WE LIKE THE MONEY WE SEE THAT NUMBER GO DOWN . I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY
[00:45:02]
UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY NEED TO STOP FOR A SCHOOL BUS. UH THERE'S A MEDIAN IN THERE. YOU DON'T. BUT IF THERE'S NO MEDIAN, UH, YOU HAVE TO STOP THE SCHOOL BUS, SO I THINK HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. UH, TO TRY TO MAKE, UH, THE COMMUNITY MORE AWARE, UH , MR GUTHRIE MENTIONED ABOUT THE SCHOOL TOURS. I'VE TOURED THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT AND I, AND NOW I'M IN THE PROCESS OF TOURING SOME OF THE SCHOOLS OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT JUST TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES OF EACH SCHOOL WHETHER THEY ARE A PRIORITY SCHOOL. OR A DISTRICT SCHOOL, AND I DO WANT TO COMPLIMENT. UM UM THE BOARD OF ED R FOR DISTRICT B WADE. SO HE'S BEEN GREAT. UH, HE'S BEEN VISITING THESE SCHOOLS AND HE PROVIDES, YOU KNOW A GREAT PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS. SO UH AND CONGRATULATE, UH, TEACHER ERICA RICHARDSON FOR THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR. SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MR. PRESIDENT THANK YOU, MR AND MR G. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. UM I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. FOR ALL THEIR WELL WISHES AND CONCERNS OVER THE LAST WEEK AT, UH, KIND WAS KNOCKED ME DOWN FOR ABOUT A WEEK. UM, I FINALLY STARTED FEELING GOOD. PROBABLY SUNDAY. THE ONLY GOOD CAME OUT OF IT WAS PROBABLY LOST £8. SO UM, THAT THAT'S NOT A BAD THING AS LONG AS YOU DON'T GAIN IT BACK, BUT, UH UM RAYMOND CANNINGS BEFORE THIS WAS, UH, CRESCENDO FINANCIAL GROUP ON ATWOOD. THEY OPENED UP. UH UM SO BEST OF LUCK TO THEM, UH, DOG LICIOUS DOUGHNUTS ON MAIN STREET . THEY'RE THEY'RE DOWN IN THE DOWN IN THE BASEMENT. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HIM, UM SO, UH, MY DOG, UH, SHE LOVED HIM. UM BUT, UH, THEY'RE PRETTY BIG FOR A LITTLE DOG THERE. THERE'S A LOT THERE TO EAT. SO ANYWAY, CONGRAT. RELATIONS TO THEM, UM 10TH ANNUAL SIAM, UH, SOCIETY OF ITALIAN AMERICAN SPRING GALA WAS HELD ON APRIL 6TH. THEY GAVE $25,000 TO THE ED LALLY FOUNDATION. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, ED LALLY FOUNDATION AND BEL AIR HAD, UM 100 AND 50TH ANNIVERSARY RING. A BELL FOR BEL AIR WAS, UH, THURSDAY, APRIL 11TH. I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND. BUT MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE JOANNE, THANK YOU FOR GOING OUT THERE FOR THAT, SINCE I WAS STILL SICK, AND THEN THE FARMERS MARKET OPEN THIS PAST SATURDAY. THEY'RE GOING TO BE OPEN FROM NOW UNTIL I THINK OCTOBER AD M TO NOON CROSS FROM VAGABOND AND FINALLY A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOHN RAZZY AND OTHER SY A MEMBER. SO, JOHN HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR RILEY.YES FIRST I LIKE TO SAY TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW FOR SURE THAT WE ALL UP HERE ON THE DESK SUPPORT YOU DAY TO DAY AND, UH, WE KNOW THE TOUGH JOB THAT YOU HAVE TO DO. WE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERING OF OPINION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WITHOUT A DOUBT ALL SEVEN OF US SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, 100% AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR DOING THAT. AND IN REFERENCE TO THAT, I. I WENT UP TO THE DS. UH, THIS AFTERNOON. I GOT A VIEW OF A MOCK SESSION IN CASE UH, IN CASE THERE WAS SOME KIND OF CATASTROPHE THAT HAPPENED, UH, IN OUR COUNTY AND OUR SO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATION AND WORK AND I KNOW COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE A SEAT UP THERE. UM AND I WANNA TELL YOU THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB, SO I THANK AGAIN ALL THAT GOES ON UP IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. I. I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO AMY O'NEILL.
UH ROSIN PASSED AWAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. I WANT TO TELL YOU FOLKS, UH, I LIVE IN NORTHERN HARTFORD COUNTY WITH A LOT OF FOLKS. WE'RE NOT VERY POPULATED, BUT THE TENT THAT SHE HAD IN THE CELEBRATION SHE HAD OF LIFE FOR HER HUSBAND WAS BAR NONE. I WANNA TELL YOU IT WAS REALLY GREAT. AND SO, AMY, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOU, UM, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT JIM HAS DONE, UH, IN HARTFORD COUNTY ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MR TIBBS.
WILL BE MY, UH, MY ADVISOR HERE DURING THE BUDGET ROLL OUT. UM MR TIBBS. YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT I WON'T BE HERE MONDAY AND TUESDAY. I HAVE TO WORK IN IN LAS VEGAS. AND SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND I'LL DO THE FOLLOWING MONDAY TUESDAY, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE. AND THE MANY YEARS YOU HAVE DONE IT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE ON MONDAY, TUESDAY IN MY STEAD. THANK YOU, MR RILEY. MS SOLES.
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. I WANTED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT A NEW RECOVERY HOUSE THROUGH CHRYSANTHEMUMS. IT'S UH UM HOME FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN LOCATED IN ABERDEEN CALLED THE LILLY HOUSE AND THEY OPENED ON APRIL. 1ST UM, THE HOUSE INCLUDES COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, MOMMY AND ME PROGRAMS, LIFE AND PARENTING SKILLS, EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND MUCH MORE. UM THE CHURCHVILLE CAB MEETING IS GOING TO BE HELD AT CHURCHVILLE REC CENTER ON THURSDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK. UH I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND BECAUSE I HAVE A NEW AID. UM AND SHE WASN'T HERE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HER NAME IS TARA. AND UH, I'M EXCITED TO BRING HER ON BOARD. SHE'LL BE THERE ON THURSDAY. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MISS SOLES, MR BENNETT. HELLO UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
[00:50:02]
TONIGHT. UM I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE ROUTE 40 BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEET AND GREET THAT TOOK PLACE AT ISLAND SPICE, WHICH IS A LOT OF FUN, AND IT WAS GOOD TO BE THERE LAST WEEK, AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE ABINGDON BELL CAMP PERRYMAN CAG MEETING. UH, WHICH AGAIN WAS, UH I ALWAYS ENJOY THE CAB MEETINGS. THIS IS A CHANCE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE PERSONALLY AND TO HAVE MORE BACK AND FORTH AND NOT JUST STAND AND SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES AND SIT DOWN BUT BE ABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATION AND A LOT OF, UH, WHAT WAS SPOKEN ABOUT AT THE C A MEETING? UH, LAST TIME WAS, UH, BOTH ABOUT, UM ABINGDON WOODS. PEOPLE WIND TO, UH, SEE THE REFORESTATION OF THAT HAPPENS SOON BECAUSE OF, UH OF NOISE, POLLUTION ISSUES AND PEOPLE USING A TV S WHERE THE TREES GOT CUT DOWN, UM AND JUST WANTING TO HAVE THAT SAFETY OF NOT HAVING STRANGERS PULL UP INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO USE AN A TV IN THE FIELD THAT USED TO BE TREES. UM, AND SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO FELT YOU HAVE IN THE CAB MEETING AT ABINGTON FIRE HALL AND SEEING WATERFALL THROUGH THE DROP CEILING ALL NIGHT, BECAUSE, UH, OF AN ISSUE AND PEOPLE FEELING THAT THAT WAS A REFLECTION OF, UH, OF OUR A AND FIRE HALL, UH, NOT BEING PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE OF OTHER ISSUES THAT THEN BROUGHT UP THAT PEOPLE WANTING TO SEE THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TAKE CARE OF THEM BETTER. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO HAVE. AND OF COURSE, I'LL BE ADVOCATING FOR OUR FALL INTO YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS THROUGH THIS BUDGET CYCLE. LIKE I HOPE ALL OF US WILL BE, UM SPEAKING OF OUR, UH VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS I WANT I ATTENDED THE SUSQUEHANNA HOSE COMPANY AWARDS BANQUET. UM WHICH WAS A GREAT EVENT. SUSQUEHANNA'S HO HOST COMPANY IS SECOND TO NONE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND ACROSS THE NATION. THEY RANK AS ONE OF THE BEST, UH, COMPANIES FOR RESPONSE TIMES AND NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND PERSONNEL WHO RESPOND ON THE SCENE. UM AND, UH, I'M ALWAYS THANKFUL FOR THEM AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEXT TO MY HOME. ABBY AND I HEAR THEM HEADING OUT ALL THE TIME. UM AND WE ALWAYS UH UH, THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO SIT IN THOSE VEHICLES AND WE SEE THEM GO OUT. UM SPEAKING OF FIRES, THERE WAS A FIRE, UM, ON THE 4300 BLOCK IN PERKINS PLACE, AND, UH, AND BELL CAMP, AND, UH, THANKFULLY, THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE. BUT MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY THAT LOST THEIR HOME TO ALL THE FAMILIES AROUND THEM THAT WERE IMPACTED. UM JUST HOPING FOR THE BEST FOR THEIR, UH, FAMILY IN THE COMMUNITY, AND, UM IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE, UH, WANT TO DO THAT? UM THE BUDGET CAME OUT. I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT IT. IT'S A LOT TO LOOK OVER. THERE'S ALL THE BIG THINGS THAT WE ALL KNOW AND SEE RIGHT AWAY.BUT THERE'S ALSO ALL THE LITTLE THINGS THAT THE BUDGET DOES, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THAT. AS THE DISTRICT DE REPRESENTATIVE, I MET WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BEFORE THE BUDGET EVER CAME OUT TO SHARE MY DISTRICT PRIORITIES. UM AND JUST SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY WITH EACH OTHER. I MET WITH MY BUDGET ADVISOR DOCTOR KEVIN MCKINNEY TONIGHT AND WE BEGAN, UH, LINING UP. FOR THE BUDGET HEARINGS. AND OF COURSE LAST NIGHT, AND I'M SURE MANY NIGHTS TO COME. MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE AND I STARTED GOING THROUGH THE 700 PLUS PAGE OPERATING BUDGET 400 PLUS PAGE CAPITAL BUDGET. UM SO PLEASE JUST KEEP, UH, ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ALL THAT, UM AND SHARE ANY FEEDBACK WITH US. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, WHERE WE SPEND A LOT OF DAYS. I TAKE A LOT OF UNPAID TIME OFF TO BE HERE DURING THE DAYTIME DURING THIS SEASON BECAUSE WE NEED TO. IT'S IMPORTANT AND WE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. UM YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST SHARE THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME THAT I HOPE IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS BUDGET CYCLE THAN LAST BUDGET CYCLE IS JUST THE RHETORIC. I HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THINGS IN A CLEANER MANNER. UH, WITH LESS, UH, MESSY, BACK AND FORTH AND SPIN AND DISINFORMATION, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, LET'S UH MAKE OUR POINTS AND COMMIT TO THEM AND, UH, AND SUPPORT THEM WITHOUT GOING INTO, UM, ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE PERCEIVED IN A NEGATIVE WAY. SO UM, BUT I'M HOPEFUL AND WE HAVE TWO MONTHS AND I JUST HOPE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR BENNETT. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 15
[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT. UH I STARTED MY MORNING AT THE EOC CENTER THIS MORNING. UH, RECOGNIZING OUR CALL TAKERS AND OUR DISPATCHERS, UH, FOR THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS EACH AND EVERY DAY, UH, WANTED TO PRESENT THEM WITH A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES RECOGNIZING NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK. UM I HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION HERE. MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER HAS BEEN THERE FOR 20 YEARS AND, UH, DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB. UM ALSO JEANNIE AND I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF RAY BENT. UM HIS WIFE PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY. AND UM, WE WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO[00:55:05]
KEEP, UH MRS CAY'S, UH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND THEY THOUGHT YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. UH, MRS CASS'S FATHER PASSED AWAY RECENTLY AS WELL. SO UH, WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP, UH, THE BENT AND CALEY RUSSELL FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND WITH THAT WE'LL GO