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MORNING.[County Council Budget Work Session]
NAME IS JOE EC.I'M SUPPORTED BY OUR TWO DEPUTY DIRECTORS, STEVE WALSH, FROM MY IMMEDIATE RIGHT WHO LEADS OUR DIVISIONS OF HIGHWAYS, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AND TO HIS RIGHT IS BILL, BE TEAM DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR WATER, AIR, OUR WATER AND SEWER DIVISION.
PUBLIC WORKS IS THE LARGEST DEPARTMENT IN HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
COUNTY CHARTER HAS CHARGED DPW WITH THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, COUNTY ROADS, BRIDGES, AND DRAINAGE STRUCTURES, SEWAGE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT FACILITY, WATER SUPPLY, TREATMENT DISTRIBUTION, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES.
AND IN RECENT YEARS, THE MS FOUR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, UH, EXCUSE ME, STORMWATER PERMIT PROGRAM AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS, UH, HAVE BEEN MANDATED BY MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEY'RE UNDER DP W'S RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AS COUNTY FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS.
AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TO ALL PUBLIC WORKS AND TO PROVIDE AN EFFICIENT, COST EFFECTIVE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL UNDERSTAND AND MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR COUNTY.
WHILE MAINTAINING A WORK ENVIRONMENT BASED ON PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WE STRIVE TO SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS THROUGH OBJECTIVE COLLABORATION, BALANCING CONFLICTING INTERESTS AND PRIORITIES OF MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.
THE COUNTY COUNCIL, OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING BERNET, PROVING GROUNDS ARE 260,000 CITIZENS, THREE MUNICIPALITIES, TWO EMPLOYEE UNIONS, AS WELL AS LOCAL AND NATIONAL ENGINEERS, CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, AND LAND DEVELOPERS THAT DO BUSINESS IN AND WITH THE COUNTY.
I'LL NOW TURN THE MIC OVER TO KIM SPENCE TO WALK THROUGH OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
WE'LL START WITH THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE AND THEN OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO ON TO ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, IN THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF $4,864.
THE BULK, WELL, ALL OF THAT IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
4,805, UM, FOR THE COLA FOR 24 8,279.
AND, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25 COLA OF 5,000 6 0 3.
UM, THERE'S A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT IN TEMPORARY SALARIES OF $2,000.
AND THEN OTHERS, UM, PENSION, WORKERS' COMP, AND SO FORTH WERE ADJUSTED, UM, BASED ON ACTUALS AS WELL AS EP FOR THE RETIREE AND AS WELL AS THE RETIREE YELP, UM, BENEFIT FOR 14,179.
UM, OTHER THAN A $60 CHANGE IN OFFICE EQUIPMENT, THERE WAS NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE DIRECTOR'S BUDGET.
AND THERE ARE TWO STAFF MEMBERS IN THAT, IN THAT CALL CENTER BUDGET.
SO, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON HIS BUDGET, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON HIS BUDGET, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I WANNA MAKE.
I, I WANNA, JOE, I WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR QUICK TURNAROUND TO ANY CALL OR ANY QUESTION THAT I'VE HAD SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I ALSO WANT TO COMPLIMENT MR. BEIN AND MR. WALSH, UH, ON THE FOLLOW UP THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US THROUGHOUT, UM, THEIR TIME HERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, AND I WANNA COMPLIMENT THE HIGHWAY DIVISION.
I WANNA COMPLIMENT ALL OF OUR COUNTY DPW WORKERS, ALL THAT THEY DO TO KEEP OUR ROADS OPEN, SAFE THROUGH ALL TYPES OF, UH, STORMS, UH, SITUATIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE WITH FAILURE OF WHATEVER, UH, WITH WATER AND SEWER.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HEAR, MR. MCCORD LIKES TO TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR AWARD-WINNING WATER THAT WE HAVE.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE THERE MANAGING THOSE SYSTEMS. UM, AND SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.
'CAUSE I KNOW AS WE, AS WE DO MOVE ON, UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THEN MY, MY NUMBER ONE QUESTION THAT I ALWAYS CALL YOU ABOUT TO GET UPDATES ON, AS YOU KNOW, IS WOODLEY ROAD MM-HMM.
UH, COUNSEL, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. PENMAN? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I JUST ECHO WHAT THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAID THERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OFTEN TIMES I CALL YOU AND YOUR OFFICE, UH, FOR JUST INFORMATIONAL STUFF, AND YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS GREAT, BUT GETTING BACK TO ME, UH, PROVIDING THAT TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU DO.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. DEN? WHAT ELSE CAN YOU GUYS SAY? YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.
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I MEAN, SIX YEARS BEING ON A COUNCIL AND, AND NEVER ONCE HAVE I NOT BEEN ABLE TO CALL YOU GUYS EVEN BEFORE AND, AND GOTTEN AN ANSWER TO SOMETHING.UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN SOMETHING SO SMALL AND MUNDANE, YOU GET THE ANSWER BACK, YOU KNOW, RATHER QUICKLY AND BACK AND FORTH.
STEVE, YOU, YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT HELP.
I, I KNOW I'VE REACHED OUT TO YOU A COUPLE TIMES ON, UH, ON SOMEBODY'S, UH, ISSUE ON THEIR, ON THEIR DRAIN AND EXPLAINED IT WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST FORWARDED THAT ON, SO IT MAKES MY LIFE A LOT EASIER AND NOT WHAT THEY ALWAYS WANT TO HEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S THE ANSWER AND IT'S, IT'S RESEARCH.
AND JOE, I KNOW WE'VE MET A COUPLE TIMES AND PROBABLY GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS I NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU ON.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO A LOT OF THINGS.
YOU GUYS KNOW THE ANSWERS, SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONALS THAT KNOW THE ANSWERS THAT WE CAN GO TO THEM.
UM, IF YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD, SMART PEOPLE THAT KNOW STUFF MAKES YOU LOOK BETTER.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING US LOOK BETTER.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS ARE AMAZED AS WELL WHEN WE GET SNOW THAT OUR ROADS ARE SO MUCH CLEANER THAN OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH.
UM, IT'S JUST NIGHT AND DAY AND, AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, NOTICE IT ALL THE TIME AND, AND WE CERTAINLY NOTICE IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY MORE, UH, WAIT, SNOW, UH, BIG EVENTS, BUT IT'LL HAPPEN.
WITH THIS YEAR, MR. BENNETT, YOU NEVER KNOW.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.
UM, COULD YOU AT SOME POINT THIS MORNING, UH, POINT ME IF IT'S IN THE BUDGET TO, I KNOW WE JUST PASSED LEGISLATIONS TO ENABLE US TO USE VEHICLE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS. UM, IF THE COST OF DOING THAT IS IN THE BUDGET, IF YOU COULD MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SO WE CAN SEE IT.
AND SO I CAN LET MY CONSTITUENTS KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BUDGETED FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, OR IF IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW THAT AS WELL, WE WILL.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT A LOT OF TIMES MY COLLEAGUES DON'T SEE IS THE PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU MAKE AT THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES MEETINGS.
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE, THE, THE EXTREME KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE, THE DETAIL THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE, WHETHER IT'S A BRIDGE REPAIR, UH, OR WHETHER IT'S A FAILURE.
UH, EVEN, EVEN, UH, MR. UH, GOD, I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF HIS LAST NAME, BUT PATRICK, UH, AT, UM, TRANSPORTATION, HOW HE BRINGS, OR FACILITIES, I GUESS, WHEN HE BRINGS IN, UH, BIDS FOR NEW EQUIPMENT, UH, THE DETAIL THAT HE GOES INTO, UH, TO BRING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE ON.
I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO HIGHWAYS.
THEY START ON PAGE FOUR 18 BEHIND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS TAB.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS ENGINEERING.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OVER LAST YEAR OF $412,521.
AS YOU SEE, AGAIN, THE BULK OF THAT IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES, 4 33 1 71, UH, THE 24 COLA OF 52 0 93.
THERE'S, UM, THE 1% MERIT AND THE $1,000, THE 1% COLA, AND THE $1,000 MERIT FOR 44 553.
WE DID INCREASE TEMPORARY SALARIES.
THIS INCLUDES A NEW TRANSPORTATION LIAISON, A STATE HIGHWAY LIAISON, A TRAFFIC ENGINEER, AND SEVERAL SUMMER INTERNS AT 252,000.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, PENSION HEALTH BENEFITS, UM, AND FICA WERE ALL ADJUSTED BASED ON ACTUALS.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES DECREASES $26,000.
THIS IS MAINLY IN OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THEY DECREASE BY 41 7, OFFSET BY AN INCREASE IN, UM, DATA PROCESSING SOFTWARE, 15,000.
AND THIS IS FOR SOME OPEN ROADS, DESIGN SOFTWARE AND SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS.
THERE'S A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF 850, AND THIS IS MAINLY FOR UNIFORM PURCHASE.
UM, AND PRINTING IN-HOUSE BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES $1,500.
AGAIN, THIS IS BASED ON ACTUALS FOR, UM, TRAINING SEMINARS AND THEIR LODGING.
AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS, THIS IS THE INCREASE, UM, COST, ANNUAL COST TO THE BMC OF $3,000 FOR THE DUTY.
THIS IS THE DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE.
THEY HAVE AN INCREASE THERE OF $2,025,107 AND PERSONAL SERVICES.
YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF 600,424.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S FOR THE COLA AT A COST OF TWO SIX FY 24 COLA AT A COST OF 2 63, 467.
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THE FISCAL YEAR 25 WAGE ADJUSTMENT IS INCREASES.THERE WAS A TRANSFER OF ONE VACANT EQUIPMENT OPERATOR TRAINEE POSITION THAT WENT TO WATERSHED.
YOU'LL SEE THAT LATER ON IN, UM, THIS BUREAU.
AND THEN THE ABOLISHMENT OF ONE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR TRAINEE AT THE REDUCTION OF 70 1001 36.
ALSO, YOU'LL SEE THE ADJUSTMENTS FOR PENSION WORKERS' COMP AND HEALTH.
AND THAT, AGAIN, THAT'S ALL BASED ON ACTUALS AND ANTICIPATED COST INCREASE.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASE IS $487,000.
ELECTRICITY, UM, EXPENSES AT A, AT A MILLION VEHICLE AND OPERATING EQUIPMENT INCREASES $10,000.
UM, EQUIPMENT RENTALS BUILDING AND CUSTODIAL INCREASES $80,000.
AND THIS IS, UM, THE FREQUENCY OF CLEANINGS.
AND AS WELL AS THE CONTRACT INCREASE AND TRASH REMOVAL SECURITY SYSTEMS INCREASES 25,000.
THIS IS FOR SOME CAMERAS AND, AND SECURITY GATES AND ENTRY DOORS.
THIS IS BASED ON AN EXPECTED INCREASE OF 7% TO THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN MOWING CONTRACT INCREASES 200,000.
AGAIN, THAT IS GOING, UM, IT'S BEING REBID AFTER SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WE ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE THERE.
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS INCREASES 296,393.
THE BULK OF THAT IS FOR COLD MIX BY TWO MINUTES, CONCRETE AND LIQUID BY TWO MINUTES AT AN INCREASE OF 264,000.
THIS IS IN TRAVEL INCREASES, 338,300.
AGAIN, THIS IS FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, UM, OF 245,000 BASED ON ACTUAL EXPENSE HISTORY, AS WELL AS FUEL COST INCREASING 88,300.
CAPITAL OUTLAY INCREASES 145,000.
THIS IS FOR ONE TIME PURCHASE IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, 25 FOR PORTABLE RADIOS, UM, FOR ALL THE DISTRICTS.
AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES 157,990.
AND THIS IS THE PRO RATA SHARES, UM, THAT GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
ON RETURN TO PAGE 4 25, THIS IS THE SNOW REMOVAL COST CENTER.
AND AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE A SLATE INCREASE THERE OF $10,600.
THE BULK OF THAT IS FOR SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS BASED ON ACTUAL $5,400.
THIS IS FOR TRAINING SEMINARS FOR SNOW REMOVAL AT, UM, AN INCREASE OF 5,200, MAINLY DUE TO THE TRAINING SEMINARS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS ON THE OPERATING, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THEIR CAPITAL.
UM, OR HIGHWAYS WORKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED AT TIMES FIRST RESPONDERS BECAUSE OF THE ALL HOURS OF THE DAYS AND NIGHTS THAT THEY GET CALLED OUT ON THE ROADS FOR TREE REMOVAL, SNOW REMOVAL, WHATEVER.
UM, AND AS, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS, HOW DO WE SHOW THEM THAT WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY DO? AND IN THAT SAME QUESTION, WHAT IS THE MORALE LEVEL OF OUR HIGHWAYS DIVISION WORKERS NOW? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST ONE FIRST.
UM, I SAW THAT AS A CHALLENGE COMING INTO THE JOB, WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHERE I HAD RAN ORGANIZATIONS AND I HAD MY OWN BUDGET SO I COULD REWARD PEOPLE WITH BONUSES, RAISES, PROMOTIONS, AND SO ON.
I HAD THAT DISCRETION BE ABLE TO DO SO, AND PUBLIC WORKS OR GOVERNMENT SERVICE, THOSE OPTIONS AREN'T AVAILABLE.
AND I ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, COLLEAGUE OF MINE FROM BALTIMORE CITY, AND I ASKED HIM THAT QUESTION, HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE FOLKS WHEN YOU CAN'T DO WHAT I USED TO BE ABLE TO DO ON THE BUSINESS SIDE? AND HE SAID, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND IS THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, AT THE VER LARGE MAJORITY OUTSTANDING WORKERS, THEY WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB.
THEY WANT TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND THE FACILITIES TO DO A GOOD JOB.
THAT'S WHY THEY SIGNED UP FOR THE SERVICE.
SO TO DO YOUR BEST TO BE ABLE TO, UH, CELEBRATE THAT, BE THERE FOR THEM WHEN THEY NEED YOU, BE AROUND AND TRY TO AGAIN, FEED INTO, UH, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, THAT WOULD BE MOTIVATORS.
UH, I GET OUT AND MEET WITH EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE, UH, AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR, UH, IN A COMBINATION OF A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, UH, VENUES AND SETTINGS, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN, WE CAN SHARE THINGS BACK FORTH.
AND OTHERWISE, UH, FROM A MORALE STANDPOINT, I THINK IT'S, AS I'VE WATCHED OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, IT'S, IT'S, IT KIND OF IS LIKE THIS.
AND I'LL USE THAT AS A GENERAL TERM FOR MOST OF THE PUBLIC WORKS, DEPENDING ON THE,
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THE WORKLOAD OR THE CHALLENGES, OR WE DON'T HAVE A NEW PAPER WE WERE HOPING FOR, OR, UH, WHATEVER THE, THE, THE SLATED INCREASES OR NOT, UH, WERE, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY 'CAUSE IT CHANGES SO MUCH AND SO OFTEN, AND IT'S SO DIFFERENT ACROSS THE SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT I MEET WITH.WHAT'S THE AVERAGE PAY OF A HIGHWAY DIVISION? I THINK WE COULD, WE CAN GET THAT.
UH, COUNSEL, MR. GUTHRIE, UH, JUST AS A A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UM, I NOTICED, UH, ON, UH, AS YOU BREAK THIS OUT, LIKE, UH, HIGHWAY ENGINEERING AND IT SHOWS HEALTH BENEFITS ARE $50,000 FOR ON 10% INCREASE AND THEN, THEN GO TO, UH, UM, HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE.
UH, IT SHOWS 10%, WHICH IS 239,000.
DO THEY, DO THEY BASE, IS THAT JUST ON, ON PAPERWORK BECAUSE THEY, DO THEY BASE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY, UH, AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY PAY HEALTHCARE? OR YOU DON'T BREAK IT OUT BY DEPARTMENT, DO YOU? IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN, JUST WORK FOR PAPERWORK FOR BUDGET PURPOSE.
IT'S BROKEN OUT BY THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THEN ONCE TREASURY HAS A FUND THAT ALL THE MONEY FOR HEALTH BENEFITS GOES INTO ONE FUND TO PAY.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE A, YOUR SELF SELF-INSURED? WE, CORRECT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE SELF-INSURED, AND WE WORK WITH, UM, WITH ACTUARIES AND HEALTHCARE CONSULTANTS, BOLTON, WHERE WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CURRENT, UM, HEALTHCARE CLAIMS CLAIMS ARE, AND THEN TRY TO PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE THINK THEY'RE GOING, YOU KNOW, GOING NEXT YEAR.
SO REMEMBER LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD THE PREMIUMS FLAT.
YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY BECAUSE IT, IT, IT'LL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO, UM, RAISE THEM, RAISE THEM SLIGHTLY.
UH, BUT THAT'S KIND OF BASED UPON WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE.
AND AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, ACTUAL CLAIMS AND WHAT THE, AND WHAT THE TRENDS ARE, THE RATES THAT EMPLOYEES PAY, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PART OF KIND OF THE UNION NEGOTIATIONS.
UM, AND WE MORE OR LESS HAVE KIND OF, UM, SPLIT THEM INTO TWO, UH, TWO GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES.
ONE'S WHO WERE HIRED BEFORE 2010.
AND THEN THOSE WHO ARE AFTER 20, UM, WHO WERE AFTER, UM, HIRED AFTER 2010, IF YOU'RE HIRED AFTER 2010, YOU PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE OF YOUR, UH, HEALTHCARE PREMIUM, UM, YOU KNOW, THAN, THAN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE, THAT WERE HERE BEFORE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SINGLE, YOU PAY LESS.
YOU KNOW, S SINGLES HERE, MARRIED'S HERE, FAMILY'S HERE.
UM, BUT, AND, AND THEN, YEAH, ALL OF THOSE, THOSE FUNDS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP, UM, WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR SELF-INSURANCE FUND.
UM, AND THEN WE KNOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY, IF WE DO HAVE A BAD YEAR, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO, UH, TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDRESS THAT, ADDRESS THAT, UH, THAT SHORTFALL.
SO BASICALLY, THIS IS JUST FOR PAPERWORK PURPOSES TO SHOW HOW EACH DEPARTMENT VERSUS THE, THE UMBRELLA OVER THE, ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT, YEAH.
SO WE'LL JUST TAKE, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T, A LOT OF TIMES YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE EXACT, UM, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS MAY, MAY, UM, UH, MAY, MAY, MAY TAKE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY GET MARRIED, YOU MAY GET DIVORCED, YOU MAY GET, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GO AND WE'LL JUST, UH, WE ACTUALLY MADE THIS CHANGE, UM, YEAH.
YEAH, LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE MARRIAGE, YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR MARRIAGE ISN'T LOOKING GOOD, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF DOING ANY, ANY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UM, WE SAID, LOOK, LET'S JUST COME UP WITH A BLENDED RATE FOR BUDGET PURPOSES.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL JUST ASSIGN THAT TO EVERYBODY.
AND THEN WITHIN THE SELF-INSURANCE FUND, WE WOULD SAY, ALL, YOU KNOW, MARRIED FAMILY, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, AND THAT.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL CHARGE IT APPROPRIATELY.
THIS ALSO GIVES YOU A, WHEN WE DO IT BY DEPARTMENT, IT GIVES YOU A BETTER IDEA OF HOW MUCH THAT DEPARTMENT'S ACTUALLY COST IN TAXPAYERS.
MR. PRESIDENT, UNDER THE BUREAU OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERING ON PAGE FOUR 18.
UM, CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME CLARITY ON THE TEMPORARY SALARY INCREASES? IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE, YOU'RE GAINING A POSITION, AN EXISTING POSITION FOR, UH, LIAISON AND THEN THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
IT LOOKS LIKE 252,000 GO WITH THAT.
UH, THE, THE, THE TRANSPORTATION LIAISON IS A GENTLEMAN NAMED JIM PORTS, WHO, UH, IS, IS WELL KNOWN TO THE COUNTY, COUNTY RESIDENT.
UH, MOST RECENTLY, UH, RETIRED FROM, UH, STATE, FROM THE STATE AS THE DIRECTOR, EXCUSE ME, OF SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WHAT WE FOUND, UM, WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION CAME INTO OFFICE WAS THAT HE HAD AN INTEREST IN, OR WE HAD AN INTEREST IN, UM, IMPROVING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PARTNERS AT STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN GENERAL.
UM, THAT BEING A SMALL COUNTY THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE, UH, CONNECTED TO BALTIMORE
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CITY DIRECTLY, UH, WE, WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, IMPROVE OUR AWARENESS OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF THAT ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE THEY, WE COUNT ON THEM TO TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF THE ROADS THAT ARE IN OUR COUNTY.UH, BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS, A LOT OF TIMES DON'T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHETHER IT'S 5 43 OR IT'S GREENWOOD RIDGE COURT.
AND ONE, OF COURSE IS GONNA BE THE, THE STATE HIGHWAY THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
AND SO JIM HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME PERSONALLY AND OUR DEPARTMENT A GREAT DEAL IN NAVIGATING SOME OF THOSE PROCESSES.
ALSO VERY HELPFUL IN AWARENESS OF GRANT FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UH, THAT CAN BE APPLIED FOR.
UH, AND SO I THINK IN THE, IN THE TIME THAT HE HAS BEEN HERE, I THINK WE'VE GREATLY IMPROVED OUR RELATIONSHIP, UH, AND OUR WORKING, UH, ARRANGEMENT WITH, UH, STATE HIGHWAY AND THE FOLKS AT THE STATE WHO HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS FOR US.
SO HE WAS HIRED BASED OFF OF HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STATE.
UH, DO WE KNOW WHAT HIS SALARY IS? HIS TEMPORARY SALARY? DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION? SAM'S GONNA GO UPSTAIRS AND SEND IT TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY NEW POSITION, MR. PORTS, THE OTHER ONES ARE, ARE EXISTING.
SAM KALE, WHO, UH, WHEN HE CAME INTO THE COUNTY WAS, UH, HE WASN'T IN PUBLIC WORKS, BUT HE ALSO WAS A, UH, HAD HAD HAD SOME STATE HIGHWAY EXPERIENCE.
HE ALSO HAD A, UH, SOME EXPERIENCE IN GRANT WRITING AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO HE WAS TRANSFERRED INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS THAT AGAIN, IN, UH, IS A GREAT SUPPORT PERSON AT, I'LL CALL IT THE PRODUCTION LEVEL, UH, OF GETTING THINGS DONE AND WORKING WITH THE, THE STAFF FOLKS WITHIN STATE HIGHWAY.
AND THAT WAS HIS, HE WAS A PIO AT PI.
I ORIGINALLY, I THINK, SO HE WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, CHIEF EXECUTIVE STAFF.
AND, AND WITH HIS HELP, WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED TO HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH, UH, DISTRICT FOUR STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND NOT JUST WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO BREAK OR A PROBLEM TO COME UP OR, UH, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THAT ALSO HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
AND, AND SAM HAS ORCHESTRATED THAT AND BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO US IN THAT REGARD.
THESE ARE BOTH ASSETS AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IN THE PAST.
UH, BUT THEY'VE BEEN A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT, I THINK, TO, UH, TO IMPROVING THE WORK WE DO AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET FUNDING IN PARTICULAR FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO.
THERE ALSO IS FUNDING FOR SUMMER INTERNS.
UM, WE DO ROAD, ROAD, UH, INVENTORY AS WELL AS CULVER INSPECTIONS.
AND, UM, WE LEFT SOME MONEY IN THERE FOR, FOR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SUPPORT FROM JEFF STRAT.
MAIER RETIRED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
WE, WE FINALLY HIRED A TRAFFIC ENGINEER VERY, VERY YOUNG IN HIS CAREER.
SO, UH, AS LONG AS JEFF STRAT MEYER'S AROUND AND CAN, CAN MENTOR AND, AND FACILITATE AND HELP US, WE WANT TO KEEP HIM ON BOARD.
SO THERE'S SOME MONEY IN THERE FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
IT SAID THE INCREASE IS 252,000.
SO FOR ALL THOSE POSITIONS TOGETHER, WHAT DO WE KNOW? NO.
ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT MR. STRATMAN? I MEAN, MR. UH, NO, IT'S ALL, ALL TOGETHER FOR ALL THE SALARY.
TEMPORARY TEMPORARY IS 3 7 7 8 4 7.
IT'S ON PAGE 6, 8 8 IN THE, THE BACK.
ALL THE WAY AT THE BACK OF THE BOOK.
SO WILL THAT GENTLEMAN HELP WITH GETTING MY ROUTE ONE PAVED OUT HERE FROM THE, FROM THE, FROM THE STATE BETWEEN, IT'S, IT'S YOUR, YOUR ROUTE ONE.
IT IS MY ROUTE ONE BETWEEN HARTFORD, BETWEEN HARTFORD MALL, AND PRETTY MUCH, UH, LOONIES UP HERE.
I'VE BEEN AFTER THESE GUYS FOR YEARS.
NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY PUSHED IT BACK TO 25.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IF YOU CAN HAVE HIM LOOK INTO THAT IN HIS, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY THAT HE'S WITH THE STATE AND HE'S GOT, BUT IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY.
THEY PAVED EVERYTHING AROUND IT, AND THEY HAVEN'T RESURFACED, REPAVED THAT.
AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY BIGGEST THINGS FOR LIKE THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I CAN'T GET ANYBODY TO THIS THING.
AND THAT PARTICULAR ITEM IS ON OUR AGENDA ON AT OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING, UH, FOR A WHILE IN THAT SETTING TOO.
AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO HAVE OUR NEEDS IN FRONT OF, UH, THE FOLKS AT DISTRICT FOUR AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE TO
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BE ABLE TO REMIND THEM OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US.I DON'T HAVE A LOT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT IS, THAT IS THE MAIN THING.
NOW, MY, MY SECOND ONE IS, I KNOW LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE, I HAD MENTIONED THE STOPLIGHTS WITH THE, UH, THE, UH, SOLAR POWERED STOPLIGHTS WITH THE LED AROUND.
AND WE WERE GONNA POSSIBLY LOOK TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMEWHERE WE COULD DO SOME TEST ON THOSE IN SOME AREAS WHERE WE HIGH VOLUMES OF CRASHES FOR, FOR STOP SIGNS.
WHAT, DID EVER ANYTHING EVER BECOME AN AD? DID WE LOOK INTO THAT? THE COST? WE DID NOT.
IS THERE A REASON WHY? WELL, THOSE PARTICULAR SIGNS AREN'T, UM, ON PCB, SO THEY'RE NOT OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS AN OFFICIAL FEDERAL TRACKING
SO WE BE HESITATE ON, ON PUTTING A DEVICE IN THAT DOESN'T MEET FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
ALSO, THERE'S SOME MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ALSO.
SO WE CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A, A GREAT DESIRE TO, TO GO THERE.
BUT ONCE YOU GO THERE AND, AND ONCE YOU PUT ONE UP SOMEWHERE, THEN THE, THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS SEE THAT AND WILL WANT THEM EVERYWHERE.
SO IF WE PUT ONE IN, UM, COULD HAVE SET YOU UP FOR, WELL, MAYBE, MAYBE THERE'S A, THERE'S A CAVEAT THAT WE PUT IT IN BE, AND WE SAY THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, 20 ACCIDENTS AT THIS STOP SIGN.
AND THE, AND THE PREREQUISITE IS YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE AT LEAST 10 ACCIDENTS IN A YEAR.
AND THAT'S THE, AND THAT'S THE REQUIREMENT.
AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THAT LIMITS US TO ONLY PUTTING FOUR OR FIVE THERE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE PUT A PROTOCOL IN FOR IT AS ENGINEERS, WE'RE BOUND BY CODES AND RULES AND LAWS AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
AND SOME WE ALL WISH IT SHOULD BE DIFFERENT, IT SHOULD BE THIS WAY OR SO ON.
UH, SO WHAT WE START AS A BASELINE IS WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? AND WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT GOING OUTSIDE OF THEM, BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO BE A GOOD IDEA, WE, BEING THE CONSERVATIVE ENGINEER TYPES THAT WE ARE, WE'RE RELUCTANT TO TAKE THAT STEP, WHICH COULD PUT US AT RISK.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN APPROVED IF GOD FORBID SOMETHING HAPPENS.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THOSE TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS ARE CHANGING ON A, ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS ALMOST WITH, UH, WITH THOSE, UH, WITH THOSE CODES AND THOSE STANDARDS.
I MEAN, I, I, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW I HAD WORKED WITH SERGEANT EATON BEFORE AND TRIED TO GET A LIST OF, OF, UH, STOP SIGNS THAT THERE WAS MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AT THOSE LOCATIONS AND, AND MAYBE PUTTING SOME KIND OF A PILOT PROGRAM AND, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING, UM, THAT I, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA, YOU KNOW, IF IT SAVES, YOU KNOW, SOME LIVES AND SOME ACCIDENTS AND, AND YOU GUYS AS CONSERVATIVE ENGINEERS CAN, CAN, UH, RATIONALE PUTTING SOMETHING UP THERE WITH THE COST AND EVERYTHING.
I TOLD HIM TAS WERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST.
DON'T EVEN, DON'T EVEN ASK YOU.
UM, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE TEMPORARY, UH, POSITIONS IN INSOFAR AS HOW TEMPORARY ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY YEARS ARE THEY EXPECTED TO DO THIS SERVICE, AND WHY ARE THEY LISTED IN TEMPORARY RATHER THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE LIST OF, UH, PINS FOR THE DEPARTMENT? AND THEN SECONDLY, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE BOTH POSITIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TWO LIAISON POSITIONS THAT PAY EITHER ABOVE SIX FIGURES OR JUST ABOUT EXACTLY AT SIX FIGURES.
UM, SO WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR SOMEONE TO KNOW ABOUT THE OPENING EXISTING TO APPLY FOR THESE OPENINGS TO GET THESE POSITIONS? SO, YOU KNOW, QUESTION ONE WAS, HOW LONG ARE YOU EXPECTING THEM TO EXIST IF THEY'RE TEMPORARY? QUESTION TWO, HOW COULD SOMEONE HAVE APPLIED FOR THESE JOBS KNOW ABOUT THESE JOBS, UM, ACQUIRE THESE JOBS IN ORDER FOR TO FILL THEM? WELL, I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION FIRST.
UH, MR. PORTS IS, AS, AS A RETIRED, UH, EMPLOYEE OR AS A RETIRED PERSON, UH, HE IS LIMITED HIS TIME TO 20 HOURS A WEEK BY HIS CHOICE THAT HE DIDN'T WANNA WORK TO THAT EXTENSIVE AMOUNT.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO, TO THE EXTENT THAT HE WAS AVAILABLE AND INTERESTED IN, IN SUPPORTING US, THAT WAS SORT OF A BASIS FOR NOT HAVING HIM BE A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE TIMEFRAME FOR HIM, UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA JUST EVALUATE THAT ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS AS WE TRANSITION AND WE EDUCATE SOME OF OUR, UH, YOUNGER EMPLOYEES AND SOME OF OUR OTHER FOLKS WHO CAN STEP INTO THAT TYPE OF ROLE AS THEY GAIN THAT EXPERIENCE,
[00:30:01]
I THINK WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE HIM MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS THAT HE MAY WANT TO DO.UH, BUT IT IS NOT A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
UH, IT'LL REALLY BE DRIVEN BY WHAT OUR NEEDS FROM THAT ARE GONNA CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND HIS, HIS PERSONAL NEEDS ON WHETHER HE'S AVAILABLE TO SERVICE OR NOT.
AND HOW DID SOMEBODY APPLY FOR THESE JOBS? HOW WOULD SOMEBODY ACQUIRE THESE JOBS? BECAUSE THEY'RE TEMPORARY IF THEY KNOW OF SOMEONE THEY SEND IN THE RESUME.
AND THEN, BUT, BUT IT WAS LISTED ON THE, IT WAS NOT ADVERTISED.
UM, I HAVE TO SAY, UM, IT'S KIND OF SHOCKING.
YOU SAID MR. PORTS IS 20 HOURS A WEEK ON AVERAGE.
AND HE'S GETTING PAID $117,000 A YEAR TO DO THAT.
DO WE EV DO WE HAVE ANOTHER TEMPORARY 20 HOUR A WEEK JOB THAT PAYS 117,000 A YEAR? I, I JUST, I THINK THAT'S WHATEVER WE HAVE IS ON THAT LIST, THAT FOUR PAGE LIST I SENT.
AND I, IT'S, IT'S, NO DOING YOURS.
I JUST, IT'S SHOCKING THAT, YOU KNOW, FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY AND WE HAVE A LIAISON POSITION WORKING 20 HOURS A WEEK, MAKING $117,000 A YEAR, BUT YET WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GETTING 1% IN A $1,000 MERIT.
IT'S JUST, IT'S MIND BLOWING TO ME.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, BUT I WILL SAY THAT MR. FORTS WITH PROBABLY 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND, UH, RESPONSIBILITIES IN, UH, AND, UH, AND EXPERTISE IN SOME OF THE BUSINESS THINGS THAT WE DO AND HIS RELATIONSHIPS, AND THAT THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE THINK THERE WILL BE TO GET GRANT FUNDING FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COUNTY, UH, UPWARDS OF, UH, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS VALUE TO THAT INVESTMENT, UH, THAT IS GOING TO RETURN TO US IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR ADDITIONAL INTEREST OR ADDITIONAL COUNTY PROJECTS OR ADDITIONAL STATE HIGHWAY PROJECTS PERFORMED IN THE COUNTY.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHY WE ARE DOING IT ON A TEMPORARY BASIS AND EVALUATING IT YEAR FOR YEAR.
I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE HE HAS THE EXPERTISE, UM, BUT HAS HE, HAS HE BROUGHT ANY NEW PROJECTS THAT, TO HARTFORD COUNTY THAT WOULD NOT HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN HERE? WELL, I, I THINK, YES.
AND ONE EXAMPLE IS, UH, THE ROUNDABOUT AT, UH, MARYLAND 23 AND GRAFTON SHOP ROAD, WHICH HAS BEEN ON OUR PRIORITY LIST REQUEST FOR LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN HERE.
UH, I THINK ABOUT 10 YEARS WE'VE BEEN ASKING, AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACTION AND NO MOVEMENT.
THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WITH HIS ASSISTANCE AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS AT STATE HIGHWAY, THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THE COMMITMENT FROM DISTRICT FOUR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN OF THAT PROJECT SPECIFICALLY.
AND THAT'S WHATEVER WE WERE DOING IN THE PAST WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAD WAS NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO WITH HIM ON BOARD, AND, UH, NOW WE ARE GETTING THOSE TYPES OF FUNDS AND THOSE SORTS OF COMMITMENTS.
UH, SO WE ARE SEEING A RETURN ON SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE AS RIGHT.
AND THAT, THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY NIGHTMARE ON THAT, ON THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, YOU HOPE THAT WAS A THRESHOLD THAT THAT IMPLEMENTED THAT TOO.
MR. GUTHRIE, UH, KNOWING MR. PORTS WAY I DO, WHEN I WAS ON A COUNCIL BEFORE, UH, HIS, UH, EXPERTISE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ABOVE APPROACH.
HE JUST DID AN, ALWAYS DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB FOR US BEFORE.
AND, AND I GUESS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ONE INDIVIDUAL AGAINST THE ENTIRE REST OF THE COUNTY IS, IS KIND OF NOT OF A VERY GOOD, UM, COMPARISON.
UM, ALSO, UH, I UNDERSTAND HAVING NEGOTIATED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, I UNDERSTAND THE TEMPORARY, UH, POSITIONS ALSO USUALLY GET, UH, PAID A LITTLE MORE.
THEY'RE NOT PAID ANY BENEFITS.
THAT'S WHY YOU USUALLY SEE A TEMPORARY PERSON GETTING A LITTLE MORE MONEY THAN, THAN A PERMANENT PERSON WOULD BE.
I GUESS THAT'S THE CASE IN ALL YOUR TEMPORARIES, RIGHT? NOT ALL OF THEM.
SOME OF 'EM GET SOME BENEFITS, BUT MOST OF, MOST OF THEM GET, YEAH, MOST OF THEM DO NOT.
[00:35:01]
DID YOU SAY, UM, STRAT MEYER IS, UH, YOU'RE STILL WORKING WITH JEFF? MM-HMM.I KNOW HE WAS A, HE WAS A VALUE EMPLOYEE AND HE BROUGHT A LOT OF THE ROUNDABOUTS, UM, KIND OF LIKE JERSEY ESQUE ROUNDABOUTS.
UH, WITH THESE TEMPORARY SALARIES, I THINK I JUST HEARD SOMETHING THAT I JUST WANTED TO KINDA GET CLARIFICATION ON.
NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT WE JUST BROUGHT UP THAT ONE POSITION.
DO WE HAVE, AS A PART OF THIS RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PACKAGE, SOME OF THESE TEMPORARY SALARIES ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY STAYING ON AS TEMPORARY SALARIES AND RETIRING, OR THAT'S JUST A, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ONE THAT NO, YEAH, YOU CAN'T, YOU WE CAN'T DO THAT BY ALL I KNOW IT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
THAT'S WHY I WAS, I THOUGHT WE GOT AWAY FROM THAT PROCESS BY LAW THIS TIME.
IT'LL BE 45 DAYS BEFORE, AFTER JULY 1ST BEFORE YOU COULD POSSIBLY BRING SOMEONE BACK.
SO THERE IS NO ONE IN THIS BUDGET THAT HAS RETIRED, THAT'S PLANNED ON COMING BACK AND, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE CONVERSATIONS, CAN'T EVEN TALK TO, LIKE, YOU, YOU CAN'T HAVE A, A, AN AGREEMENT WITH THAT WITH THROUGH STATE PENSION.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT.
'CAUSE I, I THOUGHT WE WERE WALKING DOWN THAT ROAD, BUT IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE NO, WE'RE NOT, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT SOMEBODY CAN BE HIRED THAT STILL NEEDS TWO YEARS TO GET TO THEIR PENSION AND THIS WOULD QUALIFY.
UH, I MEAN, I, I MEAN PERHAPS, I MEAN, IF, IF, IF, IF, IF, IF THEY, YEAH, I MEAN IF, YEAH, IF THEY WERE IN STATE PENSION PLAN AND THEY HAD ANY YEARS OR IF NEEDED, IF, IF THEY NEEDED, AND THEN THEY, AND THEY WERE STILL LIKE, UM, LIKE YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WORK SO MANY HOURS.
UM, SO IF YOU WERE A PART-TIME PERSON, PERHAPS, PERHAPS NOT.
UM, BUT IF YOU WERE, UM, A A, A REGULAR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A FULL-TIME TEMPORARY, THEN, THEN, YEAH, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE PENSION, THE 7%.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD BE ON THE, THE COUNTY'S ROLE AS, AS, AS PART OF THAT.
SO YOU, YOU DON'T NORMALLY SEE A LOT OF THAT.
NORMALLY WHERE YOU SEE IT IS THE OTHER DIRECTION.
SOMEONE HAS RETIRED AND THEY'RE ALREADY COLLECTING THE PENSION, YOU KNOW, FROM SOMEWHERE, AND THEN THEY COME BACK AS A 10 IN, IN A, IN A MORE LIMITED WAY, AND THEN THEY, UM, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO JOIN THE PENSION.
SO THAT, THAT'S MORE, MORE THAN LIKELY WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THAT.
SO MR. GUTHRIE, IT ALSO WOULDN'T PUT IN THE REQUIRED HOURS LIKE A LOT OF PENSION FUNDS REQUIRE.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S FIVE QUARTER.
SO IF YOU'RE PART-TIME, YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE, UM, MEET THAT THRESHOLD.
IF YOU'RE ABOVE IT, THEN, THEN YES.
AND YOU, AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO ANYBODY WHO DOES WORK MORE THAN 500 HOURS, UNLESS THERE IS A SPECIFIC EXEMPTION, LIKE THEY RETIRED FROM THE STATE PENSION SYSTEM, UM, THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO ENROLL THEM.
THAT IS WHAT THEY CALCULATES 2008 A YEAR, HOURS A YEAR.
AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT PENSIONS HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS, BUT THIS ONE IS 500.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE, AS BEING MEMBERS OF THE STATE, UH, RETIREMENT PENSION SYSTEM FOR REALLY EVERYBODY OUTSIDE OF OUR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE SUBJECT TO THEIR RULES AS TO AS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT.
AND A LOT OF THEIR RULES STEM FROM EITHER GENERAL ASSEMBLY LAWS OR FROM IRS REGULATIONS.
UM, IF YOU COULD, FOR MY EASE OF MIND, FIND EXAMPLES IN OTHER COUNTIES OF PEOPLE FILLING THIS SPECIFIC ROLE AS A LIAISON AT SIMILAR HOURS AT SIMILAR PAY.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD PUT SOME EASE OF MIND FOR ME.
I KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY OUR PLACE TO LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE OF THE BUDGET, BUT AS I JUST LOOK AT THIS WITH A CLOSED, UH, YOU KNOW, PROCESS IN DETERMINING WHO WAS GONNA FILL THE ROLE AT LIMITED HOURS AT HIGH PAY, AND NOT TO GET INTO IT, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND WHERE THIS PERSON PUT THEIR MONEY BEHIND.
UM, I FIND IT CONCERNING THAT WE GAVE A PART-TIME POSITION, A SIX FIGURE SALARY, UM, WITH NO OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS ADVERTISED, UM, UH, TO SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, WHO GAVE $1,800 TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE.
TO ME, THAT IS CONCERNING, AND I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EASE OF MIND OVER IT.
NOTHING AGAINST THAT PERSON IN PARTICULAR.
I'M SURE THEY'RE EXCELLENT AT WHAT THEY DO, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO COME OFF AS THAT, BUT AS WHERE YOU LOOK AT A LONG LIST OF TEMPORARY SALARIES, I WANT TO NOT FEEL UNEASE OVERLOOKING OVER THAT LIST AND FEEL COMFORTABLE AND THAT EVERYTHING'S ABOVE BOARD, AND THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING SOMEONE AN APPROPRIATE SALARY FOR AN APPROPRIATE JOB, FOR AN APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF HOURS.
UM, WITH REGARD TO YOUR, YOUR FIRST QUESTION AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR, OF YOUR STATEMENT, UM, I'M PAST PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTY ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION OF MARYLAND, AND WE MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND PART OF THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PUBLIC WORKS AGENCIES ACROSS THOSE COUNTIES.
[00:40:01]
INQUIRIES INTO, UH, TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS.WE HAVE OUR SPRING CONFERENCE COMING UP NEXT WEEK, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO I'LL SEE A GREAT DEAL OF THOSE FOLKS IN, IN, UH, IN PERSON, AND I'LL GET A SENSE OF, UH, THE WAY THAT, UH, SOME OF THOSE MAY BE DOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT ANSWER.
ROBBIE, HOW DO, HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN MAYBE A TEMPORARY STAFF WORKER AND SOMEBODY WHO'S A CONSULTANT UNDER CONTRACT? IS THERE ANY DIFFERENTIATION THERE? YES.
IF, IF YOU, ANYBODY WHO'S UNDER A CONTRACT THAT ARE ISN'T ON OUR PAYROLL WILL COME UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
SO T TEMPORARY STAFF END UP ON PAYROLL COUNTY OUR PAYROLL.
THEY'RE ON OUR PAYROLL, CORRECT.
AND, AND THERE'S, AND THERE'S, AGAIN, THERE'S IRS RULES WITH, UM, WITH AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.
YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU RECEIVE A 10 99 AND YOU, YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, STIPULATE THEIR HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHEREAS A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE IS MORE OR LESS STILL LIKE AN EMPLOYEE AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY GET A W2 AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO WHERE DOES MR. PORTS FALL? IT'S A COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S UNDER PERSONAL SERVICES.
MS. MOON, DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE? YES, I DO DOWN THERE.
THEY'RE ALL, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING A BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL? NOW YOU HAVE AN INCREASE OF 3000, BUT WHAT'S THE TOTAL? IS THAT THE TOTAL? I'M, I'M KIND OF NOT SURE WHAT THEY DO EITHER.
I KNOW IT'S THE, THE METRO COUNTIES, AND I KNOW WE GO IN WITH A WISHLIST TO THEM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S EVER, IT SEEMS LIKE MEETINGS DOWN HERE ON PAGE FOUR 18, UH, FOUR 18 DOWN THE BOTTOM, MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES 3000, RIGHT, GLORIA? IT'S ON, UM, PAGE 6 89.
I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGH BENEFITS WHEN IT COMES TO, TO TRANSPORTATION, TO TRANSIT, TO, UM, UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE RESOURCES FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR FEDERAL AND STATE, UM, STATE GRANTS.
SO IT, AND IT HASNT BEEN, IT'S A LONG TERM THING THAT'S, THAT HAS, THAT HAS, UM, UH, OVERLAPPED MANY ADMINISTRATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, AND HARTFORD COUNTY AS BEING A MEMBER OF, YOU KNOW, OF THE, OF THE BALTIMORE, UH, METRO AREA.
YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY NOTHING NEEDS TO BE A, A, A PLAYER AND A PARTICIPANT IN THAT REGIONAL APPROACH.
I WAS ON THE CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD FOR THEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I NEVER REALLY SAW THE BENEFIT FOR THAT.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT, TO BE ON THAT, GIVE THEM ALL THAT MONEY, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE HIRING, UH, MR. PORTS.
WHY DO WE NEED TO BE ON THE COUNCIL IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO GET THINGS DONE? I DON'T KNOW.
UM, MOVE ON TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, HIGHWAYS, THEY START ON PAGE TWO 80 UNDER BRIDGES, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO STEVE AND LET HIM JUST ROLL THROUGH 'EM FOR YOU.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, I REFER TO PAGE 2 74.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS AT THE BEGINNING.
UM, THEY WERE HEARTFELT
WHEN WE HAVE STORMS, YOU SEE THOSE GUYS OUT THERE AT ALL HOURS.
IT'S JUST, AND GETTING STUFF CLEANED UP, IT'S KIND OF AMAZING.
THE, UM, THE OVERALL PROGRAM REQUEST IS $17,425,000.
UM, YOU SEE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, UH, NUMEROUS ITEMS FOR THE COUNTY'S BRIDGE PROGRAM.
THE COUNTY HAS 225 BRIDGES, UM, AND OVER 3,300 ROADWAY CULVERTS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF.
BIG, BIG INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THESE ARE CERTAINLY BREAD AND BUTTER PROJECTS, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, UH, THAT WE DEAL WITH AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
YOU'LL SEE SOME GENERAL ITEMS IN THE LIST, BRIDGE AND ROAD SCOUR, BRIDGE INSPECTION, UM, STRUCTURAL EVALUATION.
THOSE ARE ONGOING PROJECTS THAT, THAT HELP US MANAGE, MANAGE THE PROGRAM.
AND I'LL HIT A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS AND MORE NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS FOR YOU.
UH, PAGE TWO 80, ABINGDON ROAD BRIDGE 1 69 OVER CSX.
UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR FISCAL 25, REQUEST IS FOR $11,300,000, UH, 900,000 OF WHICH IS FEDERAL FUNDS.
THIS, UH, IS, WILL BE THE LARGEST BRIDGE IN THE COUNTY.
[00:45:01]
UM, LONG, UH, COMPLICATED OVER CSX.UM, IT, THERE'S MONEY IN HERE FOR THE NORMAL 80 20 FEDERAL SPLIT.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY IN FOR FEDERAL THIS TIME BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY GO FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT FEDERAL FUNDING AS PART OF THE IIJA, ONE OF THE FEDERAL STIMULUS.
STIMULUS PACKAGES HAVE SOME MONEY FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT FEDERAL.
AND WE THIS, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO FOR THAT THROUGH THE STATE HIGHWAY.
UM, THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT FOR THAT, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL RECEIVE THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT FEDERAL FUNDS ON THAT.
UH, WE'RE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY PHASE RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL BE BUILDING IT NEXT YEAR.
UM, THE DESIGNS PROCEEDING, WELL, JUST THE RIGHT OF WAY PART OF IT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
DO WE UPFRONT THAT MONEY OR DO WE SHARE THAT COST THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT? IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT.
UH, REFER YOU TO PAGE 2 82, BRIDGE IN CULVERT REHAB.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE GENERAL ACCOUNTS, UM, AND I REFERRED TO EARLIER, WE'RE REQUESTING $1,750,000 FOR THAT.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR GENERAL PROJECTS THAT THAT COME UP DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
UM, AN EXAMPLE OF WHICH, UM, YOU MAY HAVE HAVE SEEN A, A ROADWAY PLATE ON TOLLGATE ROAD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF WINTER'S RUN NOT TOO LONG AGO.
UM, ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, WE GOT A CALL ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT SOMEONE SAW A ROADWAY CRACKING.
SO WE GO OUT THERE INVESTIGATE.
UM, WE FOUND A, A CULVERT FOUR, A FOUR FOOT BY FOUR FOOT CULVERT UNDERNEATH THE ROADWAY STONE AND SLATE, WHICH IS, WE DON'T KNOW HOW OLD THAT THING IS.
WELL OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
UH, IT WAS CLOGGED UP, AND THEN THERE'S A PARALLEL PIPE NEXT TO THAT THAT HAS COLLAPSED.
SO, UM, WE WERE REALLY WORRIED WE HAD TO DO AN EMERGENCY PROJECT THERE.
UM, WE'RE COMFORTABLE THAT, UH, WE STABILIZE IT WELL ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE DESIGN AND, UH, PROCEED AT A NORMAL PACE.
BUT THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, AND WE NEED TO HAVE FUNDING TO REACT TO THOSE, THOSE TYPE OF OF ISSUES.
UM, AND THEN THE FINAL ONE, I WANT TO, I WANT TO NOTE, PAGE 2 88, HOOKERS MILL ROAD, BRIDGE NUMBER 13.
UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $500,000, 400,000 OF FEDERAL AND 100,000 OF BOND MONEY.
UM, THAT BRIDGE, UH, IF YOU DRIVE DOWN THERE, IT WAS HIT TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO.
UM, RIGHT NOW THERE'S, THERE'S TEMPORARY JERSEY WALL AND SORT OF BOTH SIDES OF THE BRIDGE.
UM, THIS PROJECT HAS REPLACED THAT BRIDGE AND, UM, YOU FIX IT, BASICALLY.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF ANYONE, MR. TIBS? THE GLENVILLE ROAD BRIDGE THAT SEEMS LIKE IT GETS KICKED DOWN THE ROAD EVERY YEAR.
IT'S, AND THAT'S A ONE-WAY BRIDGE, BASICALLY THERE.
WHAT IS IN THE MIND FOR THAT? THAT'S MR. T'S BRIDGE.
JUST LIKE ROUTE ONE IS MR. ANOS ONE
ARE THERE ALSO, I MEAN, WE, WE DO, WE DO.
APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED HOUSES DOWN PAST THERE.
AND, UH, ALL THOSE PEOPLE COME ACROSS THERE AND I MEAN, WHEN THEY COME DOWN THE HILL ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT BRIDGE, SOMEONE'S GONNA HAVE A HEAD ON ONE OF THESE DAYS.
SO THE REQUEST IS FOR $400,000 IN, UH, FISCAL 25.
AGAIN, IT'S A FEDERAL, A FEDERAL BRIDGE.
SO 320,000 IS FEDERAL FUNDS AND 80,000 IN BONDS.
SO, UH, THIS, THIS FUNDING WILL, WILL FUND THE NEXT PHASE OF, OF, UH, DESIGN AND CERTAINLY PURSUING THAT PRODUCT.
WELL, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE US TO DESIGN THAT? BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS DOING THAT? IT TAKES A WHILE.
CERTAINLY MORE, UH, LONGER THAN WE'D LIKE TO.
BUT THE FEDERAL PROJECTS ARE CERTAINLY THICK WITH, UH, AD ADMINISTRATION AND, AND TO DO, I, I DON'T THINK THINK THERE'S ANY, UH, RUN, UH, RIGHT OF WAYS TO BE PURCHASED THERE.
I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM THERE FOR RIGHT OF WAYS, THAT PART OF IT.
BUT, UH, IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT THE, THE CAP ON THE TOP, THEY KEEP PATCHING THE HOLES AND THERE'S SOME REASON WHY THEY'RE FALLING THROUGH.
NO, IT'S, IT'S AN AIRPLANE TO FIX.
UH, WE CERTAINLY KEEP INSPECTING THOSE BRIDGES, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY, THEY'RE SAFE UNTIL, UNTIL THEY'RE NOT SO WELL, THEY'RE NOT SAFE NOW.
CAN STEVE, CAN I ASK YOU THIS? WHEN'S THE LAST TIME SOMEONE LOOKED AT THAT BRIDGE? I CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.
I MEAN, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A BIENNIAL INSPECTION.
SO EVERY TWO YEARS IT'S MANDATED THAT WE MUST INSPECT THE BRIDGES AS THEY APPROACH THE END OF THEIR
[00:50:01]
LIFE.SOMETIMES WE INSPECT THEM MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THAT.
UM, BUT WE CAN GET YOU AN, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE, THE EXACT, AND IF IT'S BEEN ANY LENGTH TIME, I THINK IN ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. TIBS, BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT BRIDGE PROBABLY BETTER THAN ANY OF US.
UH, MAYBE WE SHOULD SEND SOMEONE OUT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. GUTHRIE.
UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR DIFFICULTY, BUT IT'S NOT THE COUNTY, IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND MULTIPLE STEPS IN THE PROCESS.
JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, MULTIPLE STEPS IN THE PROCESS, HAVE TO GO BACK TO STATE HIGHWAY FOR APPROVAL.
WE'VE HAD PROJECTS THAT HAVE SAT DOWN THERE FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS BEFORE THEY COME BACK OUT OF THAT, THAT FEDERAL OVERVIEW PIPELINE OF STATE HIGHWAY.
I KNOW THEY ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE IT GO QUICKER.
UM,
YEAH, JUST A A THANKS FOR THE, UH, DROP OF FARM ROAD.
UH, WALKABILITY STUDY WAS DONE YEARS AGO.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE GETTING AROUND TO IT.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, HE'S HE'S GOT ROADS AND, OKAY.
JUST FIGURE IT WAS EASIER TO DIVE INTO IT.
I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE THREE 14, WHICH IS THE, UH, ROADWAY PART OF THE HIGHWAY BUDGET.
THE TOTAL REQUEST IS FOR $9,395,000.
UM, AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME GENERAL CATEGORIES IN THERE THAT, THAT TAKE CARE OF.
PARTS OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE GUARDRAILS, UM, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, STREETLIGHTS, AND, UM, WITH SOME, I WANNA SAY NORMAL FUNDING REQUESTS TO, TO MAINTAIN THOSE, THOSE PIECES OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
I'LL HIGHLIGHT ON SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS, AND AGAIN, MORE NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS.
UH, PAGE THREE 20, AND MR. SMEC MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, THE GRAFTON SHOP ROAD, MARYLAND 23 PROJECT.
UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $150,000 OF COUNTY MONEY.
UM, THIS, THIS WILL BE THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PROJECT.
UM, CERTAINLY A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
THE STATE, UH, THE STATE HAS SERIOUS BUDGET ISSUES ON THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE, AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED RECENTLY IS THAT, UM, THE STATE TAKES SERIOUSLY COUNTY PARTICIPATION IN STATE PROJECTS.
AND, UM, IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS, THIS PARTNERSHIP AND THE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY KEEPING THIS PROJECT MOVING.
SO, COUNTY PARTICIPATION IN THIS STATE PROJECT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
THE NEXT, UH, PROJECT I WAS GONNA MENTION, AND MS. MOON MENTIONED IT, PAGE 3 23, THE JOPPA FARM ROAD PROJECT.
THIS WILL REQUEST A, UH, AN ENGINEERING STUDY TO LOOK AT JOA FARM ROAD BETWEEN US 40 AND BARKSDALE TO SEE HOW IT FUNCTIONS FOR, FOR ALL MODES OF TRAFFIC, PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, AND, UH, TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND FOLKS WANT TO BE DONE IN THAT LOCATION.
AND THEN THE FINAL PROJECT, UH, AND IT'S THE WOODLEY ROAD PROJECT, PAGE 3 32.
UM, THE REQUEST IS FOR $4 MILLION, AND THAT'S BOND MONEY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, THERE'LL BE ANOTHER REQUEST IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET FOR $6 MILLION.
THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS FOR UTILITY RELOCATION FOR THAT PROJECT.
THE ROAD PART OF THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN FUNDED IN PRIOR BUDGET YEARS, UM, SORT OF THE RECENT DETERMINATION BY THE, BY THE ARMY THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE THESE RELOCATIONS OF FACILITIES IN AN AREA, HAS, UH, SORT OF DELAYED THE PROJECT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE DESIGN, FINISHING THE DESIGN, WORKING THROUGH THE RIGHT OF WAY PART OF IT, AND THEN WORKING OUT THE FINAL DETAILS WITH, UH, CITY POWER AND LIGHT AND BG E ON THESE RELO.
THESE RELOCATIONS, IT'S NOT ALL IN ONE YEAR 'CAUSE WE DON'T NEED, THEY DON'T NEED ALL THE MONEY IN ONE YEAR.
THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, SOME PURCHASE ORDERS, CUT FOR DESIGN AND FOR ORDERING OF EQUIPMENT.
THERE'S SOME LEAD TIME INVOLVED IN THAT, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THAT REQUEST SPLIT UP.
BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE, UH, PURSUING THIS PROJECT AGGRESSIVELY.
IT'S THE NUMBER ONE PROJECT, UM, FOR US, CERTAINLY ON THE ROADWAY SIDE.
[00:55:01]
CERTAINLY KNOWS THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROJECT.AND IF, IF I COULD ADD THAT ON THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE TO US AND A PG, UH, UH, JOE COPELAND, WHO IS MY COUNTERPART WITH THE, UH, UH, WITH A PG, HE'S THEIR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
WE MEET AND OR TALK ABOUT THIS EVERY MONTH, UH, INDIVIDUALLY BETWEEN US TO BE SURE THAT OUR RESPECTIVE STAFFS ARE CONTINUING TO DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
UH, AND THIS ISSUE WITH THE UTILITY RELOCATION HAD A POTENTIAL TO REALLY DELAY THINGS.
AND WE'VE MANAGED TO, WITH, WITH, UH, JOE'S HELP, UH, AND OUR DESIGN HELP TO BE ABLE TO PROGRAM THAT THOSE, THAT WORK IS GONNA HAPPEN, UH, SIMULTANEOUSLY IN, IN WORKING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO THE PROJECTED SCHEDULE AS OF NOW, WOULD THAT BE, WE'D BE ABLE TO GO OUT TO BID AND BEGIN CONSTRUCTION, UH, DURING, UH, DURING NEXT YEAR, UH, WITH COMPLETION, UH, BY, UH, 27.
UH, SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, HAS BEEN THE GOAL.
UH, AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO FINISHING THE DESIGN AND ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL PER, UH, PERMITTING, UH, THE ARMY STILL HAS TO ISSUE A, THEY DON'T CALL IT A RIGHT OF WAY OR AN EASEMENT.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON THAT A LONG TIME THOUGH.
AND, AND THAT BECOME, BECAUSE IT GOES TO THE REAL ESTATE PEOPLE AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOLKS AT I, THEY CALL IT BIG ARMY DOWN IN DC.
SO IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER COMMANDING GENERAL THERE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO YOU'RE, AND YOUR BEST GUESS ESTIMATE, YOU'RE THINKING SHOVEL BACK IN THE GROUND NEXT YEAR? CORRECT.
I MEAN, IT JUST, I CAN'T STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT ACCESS EVERY DAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SECOND ACCESS INTO THAT PENINSULA IS, UM, AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN BIG TIME.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE MADE EFFORTS, BUT, AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE MR. T'S FRUSTRATION OVER GLENVILLE, UM, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WE'VE BEEN THIS LONG TRYING TO GET IT DONE.
UM, BUT I, I DO KNOW THAT WE ALL AGREE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, THOUGH, THAT THE, THE BIG PIECE OF THIS WITH THE SCHEDULE, AND WE KEEP ASKING THEM ABOUT HOW LONG THINGS WILL TAKE AS WE GET INTO THIS PROCESS, AND WE DO NOT GET HARD AND FAST INFORMATION ABOUT HOW LONG THINGS WILL TAKE TO COME OUT OF THE PROCESS IS THE RIGHT OF WAY PIECE OF IT.
SO WE KEEP, WE KEEP BEATING ON THEM, TRYING TO, TO GET INFORMATION FROM THEM AND, AND TURN AROUND, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO PROCESS THINGS.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A BIT OF AN UNKNOWN.
UH, AGAIN, HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO KEEP IT MOVING.
UM, THE QUESTION ON THAT, UH, THAT JO REFORM ROAD PIECE JUST PAST THE GRASS PLAZA GOING DOWN JO OF FOR ROAD, WHERE YOU PUT THAT, UH, UM, THAT DIVIDER IN THE ROAD, UM, A COUPLE PEOPLE COMPLAINED TO ME.
SO I WENT DOWN THERE AT NIGHT TO LOOK AT IT AND, UH, I COULD SEE WHAT THEY'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT.
UM, YOU NEED TO PUT SOME KIND OF REFLECTOR ON THERE FOR A NIGHT BECAUSE YOU COME DOWN JO OF FARM ROAD, UM, TOWARD, UH, ROUTE 40 AND YOU DON'T SEE THAT THING YOU'RE GONNA RUN RIGHT OVER IT.
AND SO WE PROBABLY NEED REFLECTORS AT LEAST COMING TOWARD 40, PROBABLY BOTH WAYS, BUT TOWARD 40 IS PROBABLY THE MOST, UH, CONCERN.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA RUN RIGHT OVER THAT, THAT IT'S A GOOD JOB.
BUT I, I COULD SEE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I WENT OVER, LIKE, TO LOOK AT IT.
AND IF YOU GET A REFLECTOR ON THERE.
ANYONE ELSE? GUESS WE CAN MOVE ON.
I'D LIKE TO REFER YOU TO PAGE THREE 40.
THIS WILL GET US A 16 TO 18 MILES OF RESURFACING ON COUNTY ROADS.
PRICES CERTAINLY HAVE GONE UP OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, AND I DO WANNA MAKE ONE, ONE COMMENT ABOUT, UM, COST.
AND AS THIS COUNTY AGES, ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE IS CURB AND CONCRETE WORK WHEN WE DO RESURFACING.
YEARS AND YEARS AGO, TALKING TO GLENN HUBBLE'S BEEN HERE 30 SOME YEARS, THEY WOULD RARELY PUT CURB IN THEIR RESURFACING CONTRACTS BECAUSE THE CURB WAS GOOD.
'CAUSE THE COUNTY WAS RELATIVELY YOUNG.
AS THE COUNTY AGES, THAT CURVE IS DETERIORATING.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, MONEY WON'T GO AS FAR AS IT GOES CURRENTLY.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE THAT COMMENT.
BUT $9 MILLION, $9.5 MILLION IS A, IS IS A LOT OF RESURFACING MONEY IN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN, IN, IN RECENT PAST AND REALLY OVER THE YEARS SINCE
[01:00:01]
THEY PULLED AWAY, UM, HIGHWAY USER REVENUE.SO, MR. JAMES, DOWN, SO GOING BACK TO THE CURBS, I KNOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO THE COUNTY WENT AROUND AND DID A LOT OF WORK ON THE CURBS TO MAKE THEM A DA ACCESSIBLE.
SO ARE THESE CURBS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS THAT, DOES THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO THESE CURBS OR IS THAT ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF? IT? IT DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT.
SO WE NEED TO BRING THE ROADWAY UP TO A DA STANDARDS WHEN WE DO A ROADWAY STRETCH.
SO IF THE CURBS, IF THE SIDEWALK RAMPS NEED TO BE UPGRADED, WE WILL UPGRADE THEM WITH THE PROJECT.
UM, DOES THAT COST MORE THAN A REGULAR CURB? THE, THE, THE RAMP ITSELF? YEAH.
UM, BUT WE ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE THE CONDITION OF THE CURBS ALSO WHILE WE'RE DOING THE PROJECT.
UM, THE 9 MILLION FOR RESURFACING, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO YOURS IN THE PAST FOR FUNDING? I, I, IT, IT'S MORE, I THINK MORE THAN, THAN IN YEARS PAST.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S FLUCTUATING.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME FLUCTUATES WHERE WE WERE ONLY DOING LIKE, ABOUT THREE OR OR FIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE NOW FROM HIGHWAY USER, NOT BACK TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
AND ALSO, THANK YOU MR. GUTHRIE.
YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING I TALKED ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT, UH, ON JO FARM ROAD AND TOWN CENTER DRIVE.
UM, THE CURBS AND THE GUTTERS ON THE GRASS MEDIUMS GOING DOWN.
JO FARM ROAD ARE LITERALLY MOST PART DISAPPEARED.
THEY BLACKTOPPED IT OVER THE YEARS AND THEY'VE RUN THE BLACKTOP LITERALLY OVER TOP OF THE GUTTERS.
THE GUTTERS ARE GONE, AND IN MANY AREAS IT'S OVER TOP OF THE CURBS.
AND EVEN THE TURNAROUNDS THERE TOTALLY DISAPPEARED.
I MEAN, THE HUMP THERE GOES OVER TOP OF THE CURBS AND THE GUTTERS THAT ARE GONE.
SO I'VE HAD TALK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE, ON THE DOCKET SOMEWHERE, BUT, UH, CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY KIND OF IDEA ON JOPPA FARM ROAD, IN TOWN CENTER DRIVE, WHEN THAT REPAIR WILL, WILL EVER TAKE PLACE? WELL, WE RECOGNIZE IT'S NOT JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL PART OF JOPPA FARM ROAD.
THAT'S A SORT OF A, A VERY LONG STRETCH AND VERY WIDE ROAD, AND SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL AREAS THAT NEED TO BE, UH, ADDRESSED, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE LOOKING INTO, AND ONE OF THE, THE, THE, THE ITEMS HERE IN THE BUDGET IS TO DO AN EVALUATION OF THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF ROAD.
BECAUSE IF THERE ARE LONG AREAS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED, REPLACED, REHABILITATED, UH, OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE NOT DOING SPOT REPAIRS, WE'RE GONNA GET AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME COST EFFICIENCY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THOSE ISSUES WILL ALWAYS ADDRESS THE ONE, THE AREAS THAT ARE, UH, I GUESS, UH, MOST SEVERE OR MOST, UH, ADVERSE TO THE, TO THE TRAFFIC MOVEMENT AND SAFETY.
'CAUSE WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE VERY QUICKLY.
UH, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A, A BROAD LOOK AT ALL OF JOPPA FARM ROAD WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A, POSSIBLY FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT AT A COUPLE YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT MAYBE BLACKTOP, BUT YOU, YOU, IT'S NOT THAT LONG OF A STRETCH FROM ROUTE 40 TO WHERE THE, THE GRASS PLOT ENDS.
IN FACT, IT'S RIGHT THERE WHERE YOU'RE BUILT PUTTING THAT, UH, THAT RAISED CONCRETE PIECE.
UH, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S PROBABLY MAYBE A COUPLE BLOCKS.
AND THEN IT'S, THERE'S NO GRASS PLOT IN THE MIDDLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, TO YOU GET CLOSE TO THE CHURCH.
THEN THERE'S ANOTHER GLASS GRASS PLOT, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS THE SAME.
THAT ONLY GOES FOR A FEW BLOCKS AND THEN IT STOPS.
AND ALL THE REST OF JOP FARM ROAD DOESN'T HAVE ANY.
NOW YOU GO DOWN TOWN CENTER, UH, THAT'S DIFFERENT NOW.
IT TOWN CENTER DOES A WHOLE, UM, AREA FROM, FROM JOPPA FARM ROAD ALL THE WAY OVER TO, UH, SHORE DRIVE.
UH, THEY, THAT HAS THE GRASS PLOT IN THE MIDDLE.
AND IT, SAME SITUATION, YOU KNOW, THE YEARS AND YEARS OF BLACK TOPPING IS THE CURVES AND THE GUTTERS IN MOST PART DISAPPEARED.
YOU KNOW, THEY RUN RIGHT OVER TOP OF THE I WHY THEY DID THAT.
SO, UM, THE, THE, THE THE JOB PERFORM ROAD IS, IS FAIRLY SHORT WHEN YOU, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE ROAD.
ABOUT SOME THEY'LL PROBABLY NEED BLACKTOP AND AT SOME POINT.
UH, BUT, AND OF COURSE THAT'S KIND OF OUR MAIN STREET, YOU KNOW, JOB PERFORM, ROADS ARE MAIN STREET.
AND EVERY TIME I DRIVE DOWN THERE AND LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SAD TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY HOW IN THE HELL THAT EVER HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU KNOW? BUT IT DID.
SO, UM, MAYBE WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT IN PIECEMEAL,
[01:05:01]
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, THE CURBS AND THE GUTTERS COULD, COULD, UM, BE TAKEN CARE OF ON THAT STRETCH OF JOB OFF FRONT ROAD FOR A START, UH, WOULD BE GOOD.AND THEN, THEN, THEN, UM, PIGGYBACK THE, THE THE TOWN CENTER DRIVE AND WHATEVER BLACKTOP YOU THINK, 'CAUSE THE BLACKTOP DOES NEED DONE TOO.
'CAUSE COMING DOWN SHERE DRIVE, IT'S A KIND OF BUMPY BUMP.
I MEAN, NOT SURE DRIVE, EXCUSE ME, THEY DID THAT.
THAT, THAT THERE WAS AN OUTSTANDING JOB DONE ON SHERE DRIVE AND, AND RUMS ISLANDS COMPLETELY REPAVED THE FACT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE YOU GOT AN AWARD FOR THAT.
UH, I UNDERSTAND, UH, UH, ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING, UH, PAVING, UH, PROJECTS IN THE STATE, AND YOU GOT AN AWARD FOR THAT.
SO, UH, YOU GOT MY CONGRATULATIONS ON AND ON THE MARINE POINT PARK.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT ON THIS RESURFACING.
I KNOW TAR AND CHIP'S A LOT CHEAPER THAN PUTTING DOWN ASPHALT.
BUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, I KNOW ON OUR ROADS NEARBY THAT I GO BY, WE, WHEN WE USE TAR AND CHIP, WHEN WE COME BY TO PLOW SNOW, WE ALSO PLOW THOSE CHIPS OFF.
HOW MUCH WOULD DO WE REALLY SAVE IN THE LONG RUN BY USING TAR AND CHIP WITH THE LABOR AND THE STONE, RATHER THAN PUTTING DOWN BLACKTOP? WE'RE NOT BUILDING ANY NEW TARN SHIP ROADS.
THE ONES THAT THEY'RE THERE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE STILL REMAINING.
WE HAD A PROGRAM TO ACTUALLY ELIMINATE OR, OR, OR, UH, UH, RECONSTRUCT THOSE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF EXISTING TAR AND SHIP ROADS FOR ALL THE REASONS YOU JUST SAID THAT IN THE LONG RUN, UH, IT IS, UH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN.
IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING AND SO ON.
UM, AND HOWEVER, GOING BACK TO 2008, 2009, WHEN OUR HIGHWAY USER REVENUE WENT FROM 12 MILLION TO ONE, UH, THAT PROGRAM WASN'T AS CRITICAL TO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO.
WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO BE ABLE TO WORK UP, UH, TO IMPROVE THAT AND, UH, FIND SOME, UH, SOME AREAS THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO SOME OF THE ONES THAT ARE, UH, I GUESS GET MORE WEAR AND TEAR BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC OR THE, OR THE, OR THE SURFACE TREATMENT.
UH, SO WE'RE, OUR GOAL IS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT HAVING THEM ALL ASPHALT.
BUT JUST LIKE THE RESURFACING PROGRAM WE USED TO BE ABLE TO RESURFACE, UH, ROADS EVERY 20 OR 25 YEARS AGO, THAT'S TYPICAL USEFUL LIFE NOW WITH FUNDING LIMITATIONS.
THAT QUITE HONESTLY IS GETTING EXTENDED A GREAT DEAL LONGER.
UH, IT JUST, IT'S A MATTER OF US MAKING THE BEST USE OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING BECAUSE NOW WE'RE TARRING CHIPPING ROADS MAYBE EVERY THREE OR FIVE YEARS WHERE THE BLACKTOP WOULD LAST PROBABLY 15 TO 20 MAYBE.
AND, UH, I KNOW I SEE THAT IN, IN OUR AREA WHERE WE BLACK TOP AND, AND I'D SAY, BOY, THERE'S NOTHING BUT TAR HERE.
NOW ALL THE CHIPS ARE GONE BECAUSE OF THE WINTER SNOW.
AND THE FINAL ITEM, UH, PAGE 3, 4 4.
IT'S THE MISCELLANEOUS HIGHWAYS.
NO, JUST HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE PROJECT ON PAGE 3 46.
UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $600,000 IN FISCAL 25 FOR, UH, AN ABINGDON, UH, HIGHWAYS FACILITY, SALT DOME, AND AN ADDITIONAL SALT DOME.
SO SORT OF ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OPERATIONS AND, AND HOW TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, REALIZATION THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SALT IN THAT LOWER PART OF THE COUNTY WHERE A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT IS.
AND, UH, THIS WILL ADD SALT CAPACITY IN THAT LOWER PART OF THE COUNTY.
ANY QUESTIONS? JUST, OKAY, MR. JEN, DOES, UH, DOES SALT STAY FROM YEAR TO YEAR OR DOES IT, I MEAN, YOU'RE IN THESE SALT DOMES, BUT IF YOU BUY SALT LIKE WE BOUGHT LAST YEAR, OBVIOUSLY AND EVERYTHING, OR MAYBE WE DIDN'T, DOES IT, DO YOU HAVE TO REPLENISH IT? DO YOU LOSE A LOT? ANY OF IT OTHER THAN WHAT YOU USE? OR DOES THE SALT DOMES KEEP IT FROM YEAH, CERTAINLY.
IT, IT, IT LASTS FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
[01:10:01]
I THINK THIS IS THE END OF US GOING OVER HIGHWAYS.IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE PART OF THE BUDGET WHERE I WOULD FIND ANYTHING ABOUT THE VEHICLE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEM? WOULD THAT BE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OR, YEAH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S NOT IN THE HIGHWAY.
PART OF THE BUDGET DID THAT, WE'RE NOT SURE IF THAT MADE IT THROUGH THE SHERIFF BUDGET.
UM, MR. MCCORD OR MR. SANLI, DO YOU KNOW IF THAT MADE IT INTO THE BUDGET ANYWHERE? I, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT SOMETIMES SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT, THAT, UM, IT, IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT WOULD GO IN, IN WHAT, IN WHAT POP, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, I JUST KNOW IT'S SOMETHING ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DOWN THROUGH ABINGDON AND IN, UH, PERRYMAN THAT WE PASSED LEGISLATION TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE.
BUT OBVIOUSLY LEGISLATION DOESN'T DO IT UNLESS THERE'S FUNDING TO GET THE SYSTEM SET UP.
SO IF YOU ALL CAN HELP, MAKE SURE TO FIND WHERE THAT'S ADDRESSED, BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL EMAILS ASKING, IS IT IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR? AND WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING IT IF IT IS THERE.
MR. TIPS ON THIS, UH, SALT DOME FACILITY, THE ENGINEERING COSTS ARE $600,000.
WELL, THERE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ENGINEERING.
SO THE COMPANIES OUT THERE, SUPPLY, SUPPLY, THE CONSTRUCTION OF 'EM AND, AND THE DESIGN IS, IS NOT COMPLICATED.
THERE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF SITE ENGINEERING WORK TO MAKE SURE THE FOUNDATION'S FINE.
BUT, BUT THEN WHEN, WHEN WILL THE SALT KNOWN BE BUILT AFTER THE ENGINEERING COSTS? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT THAT TO BE ON TOP OF THE 600,000, THE ENGINEERING WON'T BE THAT MUCH.
THAT, THAT'S THE TOTAL PROJECT.
THAT'S THE TOTAL PROJECT COST.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT.
I, YEAH, IT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE, THE TOTAL, IT'S THE TOTAL COST.
SO IT'S PROBABLY A SPLIT, I DON'T KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 500,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS, FOUR, $600,000 TO DO AN ENGINEERING
NO, THE ONE GOOD PART ABOUT THAT'S, WE'LL GET YOU AN ENGINEERING APPRENTICE PROGRAM.
ONE GOOD SITE ABOUT, GOOD THING ABOUT THAT SITE IS IT'S FLAT, SO, YEAH.
WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AND WE'RE GONNA START ON PAGE 3 86.
DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST ROLL THROUGH ALL THE OPERATING BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THESE HAVE A SEPARATE PLACE IN THE CAPITAL, AND THEN WE'LL DO ALL THEIR CAPITAL I I THINK THAT'S BEST.
PAGE 3 86 IS, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 25,336.
IT IS ULTIMATELY, OR MOSTLY IN PERSONAL SERVICES, THEY INCREASE 23,337.
AGAIN, THE 24 COLAS IN THERE AT 34 592.
THE 25 SALARY ADJUSTMENT OF 28 1 0 3.
WE DID HAVE ONE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION THAT WE TRANSFERRED OUT, AND THAT WENT TO WATERSHED AND WAS RECLASSED TO AS CIVIL ENGINEER TWO.
AND YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT LATER ON.
UM, AND THEN PENSION WORKERS' COMP, AND AGAIN, HEALTH AND OPED WERE ALL ADJUSTED BASED ON ACTUALS.
THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF $150 FOR OFFICE EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS DECREASES $1,700.
AND THAT'S ALL BASED ON ACTUALS.
UM, BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES $1,950, AND THIS IS FOR MILEAGE EXPENSE.
AND THEN THEIR PRO RATA SHARES INCREASED $1,799.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 209,913.
AGAIN, PERSONAL SERVICES INCREASE 35,320.
THERE ARE 24 COLA 74 3 20, THE FY 25 SALARY ADJUSTMENTS 69 7 90.
WE DID TRANSFER ONE POSITION, THE ASSET MANAGER OUT OF THIS DIVISION, AND THEY ARE NOW IN, UM, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, AND THEN THE HEALTH BENEFITS AND SO FORTH WERE ADJUSTED.
YOU WILL SEE INCREASES IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THIS IS FOR ELECTRICITY, HEATING, FUEL, AND WATER AND SEWER OF 120,000.
AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON ACTUALS AS WELL AS THE COST AT THE CONVERGE CENTER.
[01:15:01]
COUNTY FACILITY REPAIR AS WELL AS SECURITY SYSTEMS INCREASES 80,000.AND THIS IS ALSO BASED ON ACTUALS.
AND, UM, THE ADDITION OF THE CONVERGED CENTER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS DECREASES $33,900.
UM, THE DECREASE IS MAINLY IN OFFICE MAILING, UM, AT 35 8.
AND THEN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS INCREASE A SLIGHTLY, UH, OR DECREASES SLIGHTLY 12,100 $100 BASED ON ACTUALS.
BUT EQUIPMENT REPAIR PARTS INCREASES 25,000.
BUSINESS AND TRAVEL DECREASES $2,500.
MISCELLANEOUS, UM, INCREASES $8,083.
AND THIS IS THE PRO RATA THAT GOES TOWARDS THE DIRECTOR OF, UM, DP W'S BUDGET, AND THEN INTERGOVERNMENTAL.
UM, THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THAT FUNDING.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE 3 93, THIS IS LEASE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, UM, DECREASES ONE 11, $111,017.
PERSONAL SERVICES DECREASES 4,117.
UM, AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE RESULT OF, UM, THE RETIREES HEALTH SPENDING ACCOUNT.
AND
THIS HAS DECREASED DUE TO VACATING A LEASE ON MAIN STREET AT 136,000, OFFSET BY SLIGHT INCREASE OF $30,000 FOR BUILDING AND CUSTODIAL.
YOU'LL SEE MINOR CHANGES IN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AND BUSINESS AND TRAVEL.
THEY DECREASE 3 96 STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, UM, WHAT THEIR CHANGE WAS, BUT THEY INCREASED VERY SLIGHTLY.
AND THAT'S MAINLY FOR PERSONAL SERVICES.
AGAIN, THERE IS MONEY THERE FOR THE COLA OF 14,081.
THERE WAS SOME TURNOVER, UH, FOR A DECREASE OF 46,122.
AND THEN TEMPORARY SALARIES INCREASES 20,120.
UM, SLATE, SLATE ADJUSTMENTS AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, VISITS AND TRAVEL MISCELLANEOUS.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON ACTUALS.
ON PAGE 3 99, YOU'LL FIND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, ADMINISTRATION AND ENGINEERING.
AND THERE'S A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF 12,692.
THAT IS ALL MAINLY IN PERSONAL SERVICES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 COLA.
AND THE FISCAL YEAR 25 MERIT ON PAGE 4 0 2 IS SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFER STATION.
YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE THERE OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THIS, I BELIEVE, IS NOW BASED ON THE TONNAGE, UM, OF WHAT THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE, UM, NOW ON PAGE 4 0 3 ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE OF 795,325.
THE BULK OF THAT IS IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, UM, FOR THEIR INCREASE OF 5 38 8 50.
THE CONTRACT WITH MES INCREASES, 3 58, 3 70, THERE'S AN INCREASE IN GROUNDWATER, GROUNDWATER MONITORING REGULATIONS 115,000.
AND THEN SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY CLEANUP EVENTS OF 67,000.
THERE WAS A SLIGHT DECREASE IN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS OF 2,525.
AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON SOME ONE-TIME MONEY THAT WE PROVIDED IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
THIS IS IN TRAVEL INCREASES 109,000.
IT'S MAINLY FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
OFFSET, UM, NORMAL VEHICLE MAINTENANCE OFFSET BY A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE NON-TARGETED MAINTENANCE.
CAPITAL OUTLAY DOES INCREASE 150,000.
AND THIS IS, UM, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PURCHASE OF A RUBBER TIRE LOADER, A ROLL OFF TRUCK, AND A LEACH EIGHT TRAILER, AS WELL AS A DOZER IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
ON PAGE FOUR OF FIVE IS CLOSURE.
YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF $10,533.
AND THIS IS BASED ON, UM, ACTUALS FOR ELECTRICITY AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
ON PAGE 4 0 8 IS CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS.
THERE'S A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF 9,000 7 0 2.
UM, PERSONAL SERVICES DECREASES 81,249.
THERE WAS SOME SALARY ADJUSTMENTS AND TURNOVER, UM, BUT IT'S OFFSET SLIGHTLY BY THE COLA FOR 24 AND THE 25 COLA AND MERIT.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS ADJUSTMENTS FOR PENSION WORKERS' COMP, ALL BASED ON NATIONALS.
UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF 94,150.
UM, THIS IS FOR ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS AND INSPECTORS FOR PROJECTS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
[01:20:01]
MATERIALS, BUSINESS AND TRAVEL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL, YOU'LL SEE ARE ALL SLIGHT DECREASES BASED ON ACTUAL SERVICES.IF I COULD JUMP IN FOR A SECOND TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, WHICH SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR THE NUMBERS THAT SHE'S GONNA PRESENT.
UH, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, A FIVE YEAR PERMIT, UH, MS FOUR PERMIT FROM MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, THE, THE, THE RENEWAL OF THAT PERMIT THAT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT HAS INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF ACRES THAT HAS TO BE TREATED OR THE NUMBER OF CREDITS WE HAVE TO EARN BY 50%, UH, OVER THAT SAME NEXT FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
UM, SO THEY HAVE, UH, THEY HAVE THANKED US VERY MUCH FOR OUR ABILITY TO MEET THE PERMIT IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.
AND NOW THEY'VE, UH, AS A THANK YOU, DECIDED TO INCREASE THE, THE WORKLOAD BY ANOTHER 50%.
AND SO WE NEED, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BEYOND WHAT, UH, WE ALREADY HAD COMMITTED AND, AND TO THE WORKLOAD THAT WE HAD SO THAT WE HEARD SOME OF THE TRANSFERS BACK AND FORTH.
WE DID OUR BEST TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT WORKLOAD INCREASE, UH, WITH CURRENT STAFF TO THE EXTENT THAT WE COULD.
UH, BUT THE, THE BUDGET HERE REFLECTS OUR BEST OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BE SURE THAT WE MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT PERMIT BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THAT EXPIRES IN, IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO I WANTED TO JUST SET THE TABLE FOR THAT.
SO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, YOU'LL SEE ON FOUR 11, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 1 MILLION 503 7 19.
PERSONAL SERVICES INCREASES 310,493.
AGAIN, IT PROVIDES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 COLA AS WELL, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 SALARY ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, THERE, THIS, YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE TRANSFERRED TWO POSITIONS IN THAT WE'RE RECLASSING TO A CIVIL ENGINEER.
THREE AND ONE CAME FROM CAPITAL PROJECTS AND ONE CAME FROM WATER AND SEWER.
UM, WE DID INCREASE SLIGHTLY THE TEMPORARY SALARIES THAT WE HAVE THERE BY 9,552.
AND THEN PENSION HEALTH BENEFITS AND SO FORTH, WERE ADJUSTED BASED ON ACTUALS.
YOU WILL SEE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES 800,160.
THE BULK OF THAT IS FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HIRE TWO NEW CONTRACTORS TO ASSIST WITH WATERSHED PROJECTS AS MR. CMAC WAS, UM, SPEAKING TO.
AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL 200,000 UNDER ENGINEERING ER SERVICES IS TO ASSIST IN PAYING FOR THE CURRENT CONTRACTORS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE GOING FORWARD.
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS DECREASES $625.
UM, BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES 6,008 50.
THIS IS FOR, UM, TRAINING, SEMINARS, LODGING, AND SO FORTH.
THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES.
AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES.
THIS IS THE PRO RATA SHARES, UM, OF 86,841.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR THE OPERATING.
IS THIS WHY I ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, TRASH THAT WE'RE SENDING TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AND THE AND THE COST YES.
SO IS WHERE DO WE STAND WITH THE, THE CONTRACT WITH THEM? IS IT UP, IS IT, HAS IT BEEN INCREASED? AND WHAT ARE WE PAYING PER, PER TONNAGE? I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAD CHARGED US $6 MILLION MORE, UH, THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE, GOING FORWARD, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.
THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2013 AND IS, UH, RUNS UP THROUGH, UH, 2036.
AND IT HAS INCLUDED IN THAT CONTRACT A SERIES OF CALCULATIONS THAT INCLUDE ADJUSTMENTS FOR VOLUME, OBVIOUSLY, UH, FUEL CHARGE SURCHARGE.
OF COURSE, FUEL GOES IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
UM, AND OTHER PASS THROUGH COSTS THAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT THEY HIRE TO ACTUALLY DISPOSE OF THE MATERIAL ONCE WE GIVE IT TO 'EM.
AND SO THAT CONTRACT REMAINS AS IS IN, IN EFFECT, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED THROUGH 2036.
UH, HOWEVER, THE VARIABILITY CHANGES BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE CONTRACT.
AND, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, OR LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
LAST YEAR WE ACTUALLY PROJECTED BASED ON WHAT FUEL COSTS WERE AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WHICH WERE A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN THEY ARE NOW.
UH, AND SO WE DO OUR BEST TO PROJECT A, THE VOLUME THAT WE'RE GONNA BE SENDING DOWN WAY.
AND THEN ALL THOSE OTHER VARIABLES THAT ARE PART OF THAT CONTRACT, WE STILL ONLY PAY THEM THE ACTUAL
[01:25:01]
AMOUNT BASED ON THE CONTRACT THAT IS CALCULATED AND ADJUSTED EVERY MONTH BASED ON THOSE SEVERAL VARIABILITIES.SO, SO WHAT'S IT GONNA BE NEXT MONTH? I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT'S IT GONNA BE IN A YEAR? I DON'T KNOW.
IT'LL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTRACT.
WHEN WE GOT RID OF THE, THE, THE, UH, CATOR PLANT AND ALL WENT, WENT THROUGH ALL THAT, WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOME PLACE.
AND WE, I WORKED THAT OUT WITH THE COUNTY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT COUNTY EXECUTIVE RUN FOR GOVERNOR, AND HE HAD A FORTUNATELY HEART ATTACK AND DIED, YOU KNOW, RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.
UH, WHEN JOHNNY O GOT ELECTED, I KNOW JOHNNY O VERY WELL, COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE CAME UP THROUGH THE LABOR MOVEMENT TOGETHER.
AND, UH, I ASKED HIM WHEN HE GOT ELECTED, I SAID, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, DESIRE TO CHANGE THIS CONTRACT? HE SAYS, NO, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH IT.
HE SAYS, THE ONLY INCREASES THEY'VE GOT WERE PUT ON THEM, UH, BY THE, BY THE GUY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, CIRCULATE THE, THE TRASH OR WHATEVER THE HELL THEY DO WITH IT.
THE ONLY THING HE PASSED ON TO HARFORD COUNTY WAS THEIR EXACT INCREASES.
AND THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO INCREASE ANYTHING.
OF COURSE, HE'S RUNNING FOR CONGRESS NOW.
SO WE'LL SEE IF HE, IF HE WINS THAT, AND IF HE GETS REPLACED.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, AS A, AS A GLOBAL PROBLEM, OR AT LEAST A A A COUNTRYWIDE PROBLEM, SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL COSTS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE, UH, AT WHATEVER METHODOLOGY IS GONNA BE USED TO DISPOSE OF IT.
WHETHER IT BE INCINERATORS, WHICH THERE ARE GONNA BE VERY FEW OF, UH, OR IF IT'S LAND DISPOSAL, THERE'S COST OF LAND, THERE'S THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF HAVING TO MOVE IT FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND SO ON.
SO, UH, THE, THE TOTAL COST IS NOT DECREASING AS, AS NO MATTER WHAT WE DO WITH IT.
UH, BUT WE WE'RE VERY COMFORTABLE THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH, WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY, AS THEY CONTINUE TO DO AS, UH, THE COUNCILMAN SAID, UH, IS TO ABIDE BY THE CONTRACT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO MR. RA DOWN.
WHERE DOES CECIL COUNTY TAKE THEIR TRASH? DO DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LANDFILLS OR THEY DO SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, HAVE THEIR OWN, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LANDFILL.
WELL, I MEAN, EVERYBODY GENERALLY HAS THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN LANDFILL AT SOMEBODY.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE BULK OF THE TRASH GOES TO, TO THAT LANDFILL, ALL ALL.
BUT THEIR, UM, RECYCLABLES THAT THEY SELL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A LANDFILL TOO, BUT IF WE SEND ALL OF OUR TRASH TO THE LANDFILL, IT WOULD BE FULL IN A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT AN OPTION.
HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE ON OUR LANDFILL UP THERE NOW, THE WAY WE'RE USING IT, THE WAY WE'RE CURRENTLY USING IT, 2042, FOR THE CURRENT ACTIVE CELLS, THERE'S FOUR PERMITTED CELLS THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AND A LOT OF MONEY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE CELLS.
'CAUSE THE, THERE'S CURRENTLY STUFF ON TOP OF THEM.
THE FIRST BUILDING WHERE YOU COME IN, THERE'S A CELL ACTIVE CELL THERE.
SO WE'D HAVE TO MOVE EVERYTHING WHEN YOU COME IN THE LANDFILL TO MAKE THAT CELL ACTIVE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ONE OR THE, THE, UM, YARD WASTE AREA DOWN THE BOTTOM, THAT'S ANOTHER AREA OF THE CELL.
SO WE'D HAVE TO MOVE THAT TO ANOTHER LOCATION ON THE SITE.
SO FURTHER DEVELOPING THE FOUR ADDITIONAL PERMITTED CELLS AFTER 2042, ASSUMING THE INPUT IS THE SAME, UM, UNTIL THAT DURATION WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL COSTS.
AND, UM, IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS THAT DEVELOPING A CELL COST MONEY AND MOVING THINGS TO DEVELOP THE CELL WILL COST MONEY TOO.
MR. PENMAN, UH, ON THAT, UM, SAME TOPIC.
THE LANDFILL IS PREDOMINANTLY A TRANSFER STATION, RIGHT? SO A TRANSFER, ONCE THINGS GET THERE, THEY GO TO BALTIMORE COUNTY, RIGHT? NO, NO, NO.
UM, THE LANDFILL IS PRIMARILY A RESIDENTIAL DROP OFF OR A SMALL COMMERCIAL DROP OFF LOCATION.
EVERYTHING THAT GOES TO THAT SITE GOES TO THAT LANDFILL.
THERE MAY BE SOME, IN CASE THERE IS SOME ISSUE OR SOME ABILITY OR SOME PROBLEM WHERE WE CAN'T ACCEPT IT BECAUSE THERE'S A, AN ISSUE ON THE, ON THE SLOPE TO GO UP TO THE TOP OF THE LANDFILL, THAT THERE MAY BE TRANSFER BACK AND FORTH BEFORE BETWEEN BALTIMORE COUNTY, BUT THAT IS MINOR AND INSIGNIFICANT AND THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE.
AND THEN THE COMMERCIAL HAULERS JUST GO STRAIGHT TO WHITE MARSH? YES, CORRECT.
[01:30:01]
SO, UH, HOW MANY ACTIVE OPEN CELLS DO WE HAVE AT THE LANDFILL NOW? TWO.TWO, BUT THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, SO THEY, THEY CONSIDER 'EM ONE.
UH, MR. GUTHRIE, JUST TO FOLLOW UP, UH, SINCE 2013, ALL THE TRASH IN HARTFORD COUNTY'S BEEN GOING TO BALTIMORE COUNTY SINCE 2013, IF YOU'RE RIGHT OF NOTE, EXCEPT THE SCARBOROUGH AND THE TRASH THAT PEOPLE TAKING, LIKE THE WHITE GOODS THAT GO UP INTO, UH, SCARBOROUGH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT.
RIGHT? AS, AS ROBBIE SAID, THE, THE COMMERCIAL TRASH HAULERS, THE ONES THAT I HIRE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT MY HOUSE, THEY GO DIRECTLY AND THEY HAVE TO DO THAT BY THEIR LICENSE AGREEMENT AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE IT ALL TO BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND THE RECYCLABLE RECYCLABLES THAT THEY PICK UP, UH, ALSO GO TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
THEIR, UH, UM, THEIR FACILITY IN VILLE FOR THE RECYCLING.
AND THAT, THAT THEY DO NOT, THE CONTRACT, UH, ALLOWS THAT THEY DO NOT CHARGE US FOR RECYCLABLES.
SO IF, YEAH, AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO INCREASE THE, THE RECYCLING RATE WITHIN THE COUNTY, THAT'S BENEFICIAL.
NOT ONLY THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF RECYCLING, BUT IT'S THAT MUCH LESS THAT TONNAGE THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO GO INTO, UH, INTO THE LANDFILL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
THAT'S BASICALLY HOW THEY MAKE SOME OF THEIR MONEY IS THE RECYCLABLES.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, I DUNNO HOW THEIR MODEL WORKS, BUT I HEAR YOU.
IT'S HOW TO GET SOME OF IT BACK.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. BENNETT? UM, ARE THERE ANY PRACTICES THAT HELP EXTEND THE LIFE OF A LANDFILL? UH, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE SAYING THAT BY 2042, I BELIEVE THAT IT'LL, IT'LL BE DONE ITS LIFETIME AND NEED TO BE CAPPED.
UM, ARE THERE ANY PRACTICES THAT THE COUNTY COULD BE DOING TO HELP MAKE IT LAST LONGER? OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE SEEN OTHER COUNTIES DO TO HELP? I MEAN, 'CAUSE REALISTICALLY, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY WE RUN OUT OF LANDFILL SPACE, UH, EVEN WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE PLOTS OF LAND USE THAT WE COULD EX EXPAND ONTO.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING WE COULD BE DOING AS A COUNCIL TO HELP SUPPORT YOU ALL IN MAKING THAT LANDFILL LAST AS LONG AS POSSIBLE? I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS PROMOTING RECYCLING, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO MORE PEOPLE RECYCLE, THE BETTER.
UM, OUR FOLKS LOOK AT OPERATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE MARKETPLACE, THEY GO TO CONFERENCES TO SEE WHETHER THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE THINK WE'RE FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES AND, AND, AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN OPERATIONALLY AT THE LANDFILL.
THE KEY THING IS JUST TO SEND LESS TO IT.
I JUST WAS GOING BACK TO THE RECYCLING.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COUNTY CAN IMPROVE ANYMORE ON THE RECYCLING OTHER THAN ADVERTISING, I GUESS IS THE BIGGEST THING TO DO FOR, TO RECYCLE.
BECAUSE I KNOW AT, EVEN AT OUR OWN HOUSE, WHEN YOU PUT NEWSPAPERS, YOU PUT 'EM IN A PLASTIC BAG, THEY DON'T WANT THE PLASTIC BAG, THEY WANT THE NEWSPAPER, BUT THEY DON'T WANT THE PLASTIC BAG.
AND, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN GET AROUND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE OTHER HOUSEHOLDS THAT DO THE SAME THING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE, AND NOT ONLY THAT, THERE'S A, A TERM IN THE, IN THE INDUSTRY CALLED WISH CYCLING, WHICH IS PEOPLE HAVE A BUNCH OF STUFF IN THEIR GARAGE AND THEY THINK, WELL, THIS CAN BE RECYCLED.
I'LL PUT IT INTO MY BLUE BIN, AND IT'LL GET TAKEN TO WHEREVER IT GETS TAKEN TO.
WELL, A USED PIZZA BOX, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT RECYCLABLE BECAUSE OF THE FOOD CONTENT AND SO ON.
SO THAT EDUCATION PIECE, THAT, THAT INFORMATION PIECE, THAT, UH, THAT REMINDER PIECE, GOING BACK TO THE SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE YOU TEACH KIDS HOW TO DO THINGS, SOMETIMES THEY TEACH THEIR PARENTS HOW TO DO THINGS, UH, IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF MAKING THAT RECYCLING, UH, EFFORT, NOT ONLY STAY WHERE IT IS, BUT HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
AND THEN, JOE, CORRECT ME, WE STILL CONTRACT WITH, IS IT, IS IT MES THAT RUNS THE SCARBOROUGH LANDFILL, CORRECT? YES.
AND WHAT'S OUR COST FOR THAT? PAGE FOUR.
YEAH, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE TWO.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME.
UM, MR. PENMAN, MR. WELSH, UM, JUST TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP JUST A, A FEW QUESTION LIGHT ITEMS BEFORE, AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU DID THE COST TO CAP THE TWO CELLS AND REOPEN, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY TWO MORE CELLS OR FOUR CELLS THAT ARE, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, I MEAN, HYPOTHETICAL, WHAT ARE WE TALKING LIKE, COST WISE? MILLIONS.
I, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD NUMBER, BUT IT, IT'S
[01:35:01]
IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS.AND, AND WHAT WE INTEND TO DO, UH, I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO THINK IN A VISIONARY WAY, LOOKING AHEAD.
I MEAN, 2036 IS A DAY AFTER TOMORROW, UH, IN THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION WORLD BECAUSE OF THE TIME IT TAKES TO DO SO MANY THINGS.
SO CERTAINLY WE'RE ALL VERY HAPPY AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UH, BUT AT WHATEVER TIME THAT ENDS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR THE EVENTUALITY OR THE POSSIBILITY, UH, THAT THAT WON'T BE AN OPTION.
AND OR THERE MAY BE OPTIONS THAT ARE MORE FAVORABLE TO US.
WE WERE, YOU WERE INVOLVED IN IT, THAT WAS OUR ONLY CHOICE AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF THE, THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE.
UH, SO WE ALREADY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMMED OR, OR AT LEAST IN MY MIND, LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING WHAT WILL WE DO AFTER 36, OR WHAT WILL WE DO AFTER 42? BECAUSE WHENEVER WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA START TO DO SOMETHING, IT'S, IT'S FIVE TO 10 YEARS FOR THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THE ENGINEERING PROCESS, THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS FOR A MAJOR LANDFILL CONSTRUCTION, IF YOU CAN DO IT AT ALL.
SO JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE THAT THAT'S, YOU WON'T SEE IT IN THIS BUDGET.
YOU WON'T SEE IT EVEN IN THE FIVE YEAR OUT PROJECTED CAPITAL BUDGET.
BUT IT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT, UH, THINKING ABOUT WHAT, HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE OR MY SUCCESSORS HAVE TO HAVE THE RESOURCE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS.
UH, UH, AND I GLAD I WON'T BE HERE THEN, BUT I, I, I KNOW THE BATTLE YOU'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, FIRST OFF, YOU'RE GONNA CAP THIS AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AND THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.
AND YOU JUST CAN'T FIND SOME ELSE TO, YOU KNOW, OPEN TWO CELLS.
YOU GOTTA FIND, AND ON LAND TO DO THIS NOW YOU WANNA START A BATTLE, NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT, WHEN YOU GOTTA FIND A DUMP, THERE'S SOMEWHERE TO PUT TRASH, BROTHER.
YOU TELL YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK.
UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BATTLE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET, UH, UH, MAYBE WE OUGHT IN THIS COUNTY.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS VERY UNPOPULAR WITH MY WIFE, I'LL TELL YOU.
SO I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WITH IT.
BUT A COUPLE OF THE COUNTIES ARE, ARE DID AWAY WITH PLASTIC BAGS.
THEY, THAT I THINK THE CITY'S DONE IT, AND I THINK BALTIMORE COUNTY'S DONE IT.
I THINK BALTIMORE COUNTY'S DONE IT, THAT ANY GROCERY STORES ARE ALL, YOU CAN'T SELL ANYMORE, UH, PLASTIC BAGS.
UM, IT IS A BIG ISSUE, UH, IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND, AND, UH, IF ANYBODY'S EVER SEEN THIS, UH, THIS LITERALLY ISLAND OUT IN THE PACIFIC, THAT'S AS BIG AS RHODE ISLAND, AS BIG AS THE STATE OF RHODE RHODE ISLAND, IT'S A MASSIVE, UM, ISLAND OF PLASTIC.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THAT? YOU GO, GO ONLINE, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THICK THAT IS.
UH, BUT IT IS NOTHING BUT PLASTIC.
AND FOR SOME REASON, BECAUSE OF THE, THE WAY THE WATER TRAVELS OR WHATEVER, THEY ALL GET SUCKED INTO THIS ONE AREA.
I MEAN, MADE A MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
BUT SEEING THAT, AND RECENTLY, I, I TOOK A TOUR OF, UH, UM, UH, UH, ON THE SHORE BETWEEN, UH, VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND AND, UH, DELAWARE, AND, UH, FOUND OUT HOW, UH, ALL THE PLASTICS IN THERE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AWAY IN THAT AREA, PERIOD.
UM, AND IT'S, THERE'S A, ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT THE WATER'S RISING AND THEY HAVE ALL KIND OF FLOODS DOWN THERE, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, UM, UH, SOME OF THE FARMS DOWN THERE ARE BEING FLOODED OVER AND THEY, THEY ACTUALLY ARE SAYING THAT, UH, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET ONTO THAT SUBJECT, BUT, UH, THE RISING OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, UM, DOWN THERE, 'CAUSE IT'S SO FLAT, UM, A LOT OF WATER'S COMING IN ONE AND TWO MILES FROM THE BAY AT HIGH TIDE.
AND, UH, IT'S, UH, FLOODING THEIR, UH, UM, THEIR FARMS AND KILLING ALL THEIR PRODUCTS.
UH, UM, UH, EVERYTHING THEY'RE GROWING BECAUSE IT'S GOT SALT IN IT.
SO IT'S A BIG ISSUE ON A, ON A FARM.
AND EVEN THE, YOU HAD OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, UH, SEE THE CHICKEN FARMS THEY HAVE DOWN THERE, WHICH YOU HAVE, I COULDN'T BELIEVE, UH, HOW MANY THEY HAVE ONE PER TWO.
UH, ONE I WENT TO HAD SIX BARNS ON IT, AND EACH BARN HAD 40,000, 40,000 CHICKS IN THEM.
AND YOU GO, WE WENT IN THERE AND SAW ALL THESE CHICKS.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY LOUD, BUT IT WASN'T.
UM, BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT, UH, UH, AND THERE'S SIX BUILDINGS WITH 40,000 IN EACH BUILDING, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FLOODING, UH, COMING UP THERE.
[01:40:01]
SO ANYWAY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET ON THAT, BUT WE DO, WE MAYBE OUGHT TO CONSIDER IN THIS COUNTY ABOUT, UH, PUTTING IN A BILL TO ELIMINATE PLASTICS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.UM, ARE WE READY TO MOVE ON TO ORDER? OH, CAPITAL.
UM, BEFORE WE DO, KIM, I DO WANT YOU IN THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME BACK, ADD THE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CIVIL ENGINEERS, UH, THAT YOU'VE TRANSFERRED IN AND, AND WHERE THEY CAME FROM FOR ME.
WHERE IS THE, OR THE TRANSFERRED TWO POSITIONS AS CIVIL ENGINEERS.
DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANT TO GUIDE ME? I'LL GUIDE YOU.
FIRST, FIRST PART IS, UM, PAGE 76.
THIS IS THE CAPITAL PROJECTS PROJECT.
SO PAGE 76, UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $3,500,000.
IT'S SORT OF A, A MISCELLANEOUS, UH, CATCHALL ACCOUNT FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN FEES ASSOCIATED WITH FEASIBILITY AND PROGRAM STUDIES, CONCEPT PLANS, UM, FOR VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, THE COUNTY HAS 170 BUILDINGS IN ITS INVENTORY.
UM, 1.7 MILLION SQUARE FEET THAT WE MAINTAIN AND OPERATE.
UH, THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE UNDER THE FACILITIES AND OPS.
SO THIS PROJECT IS CALLED FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT.
UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $1 MILLION IN FISCAL 25.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, SO F FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS WAS TRANSFERRED TO DPW THE LAST BUDGET YEAR.
AND WE GOT TO TALKING ABOUT INVENTORIES AND ASSETS AND, UM, WE, WE CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THERE WAS NO COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF COUNTY FACILITIES WITH THEIR CONDITION.
SO THIS REALLY IS ASSET MANAGEMENT 1 0 1.
WE, WE KNOW WHERE BRIDGES, WE INSPECT THEM EVERY TWO YEARS.
WE, WE CAN TELL YOU SORT OF PROGRAMMATICALLY HOW THINGS ARE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT ON THE BUILDING, THE BUILDING SIDE.
SO THIS PROJECT, UM, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S APPROVED, WILL BEGIN A STUDY TO, TO CATEGORIZE AND INSPECT AND BE ABLE TO, UM, GIVE A SORT OF LONG-TERM CONDITION, UH, INFORMATION ON HOW TO DEVELOP A LONGER TERM PROGRAM FROM A ROOF STANDPOINT, FROM THE HVA AC STANDPOINT, UM, ALL THOSE BUILDING SYSTEMS STANDPOINT AS WELL AS USE.
SO WE THINK IT'S A VALUABLE TOOL FOR LONGER TERM DECISION MAKING.
AND IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE WAY THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS SET UP FOR BOTH HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGE OVER THE FIVE YEARS, YOU'LL SEE A SERIES OF MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE PROGRAMMED OUT.
WATER AND SEWER HAS A SIMILAR TYPE OF THE, IT'S, YOU'RE BASICALLY, WE'RE SHOWING THE LARGE INVESTMENTS AT THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THEM LOOKING FORWARD AND NOT JUST INDIVIDUALLY.
BY TAKING THIS APPROACH, WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PROGRAM THOSE MAJOR INVESTMENTS OR IN REPAIR AND CAPITAL PROJECTS WITHIN THOSE 176 COUNTY BUILDINGS AND WHATEVER THEY WERE GONNA BE.
SO, KIND OF IT, IT'S SPENDING MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PROGRAM ADEQUATELY AND PLAN FOR MAJOR INVESTMENTS INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR IT TO BREAK AND THEN HAVING TO SCRAMBLE TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT HOW TO REPLACE THAT HVAC SYSTEMS. UNDERSTOOD.
AND THEN PAGE 66 IS ALSO UNDER FACILITIES AND OPS.
SO THE REQUEST, UH, IN THIS ITEM, WHICH IS FACILITY REPAIR LIFECYCLE PROGRAM IS FOR $2 MILLION AND FOUR, $2,000,460.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS FOR ONGOING REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING SYSTEMS IN EXISTING BUILDINGS.
HVAC, UM, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL LIFE SAFETY.
AND THEN PAGE 73, MAINTENANCE FACILITY STUDY.
AND THIS IS A SMALL, A SMALL REQUEST FOR $50,000, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE JOINT FLEET MAINTENANCE BUILDING, WHICH WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
[01:45:01]
UM, THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SIMILAR OPERATIONS AND, AND BOARD OF ED HAS SIMILAR BUILDING MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS THAN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS.SO, UM, THEIR SITE IS, IS BURSTING AT THE SEAMS AIR SITE IS, IS OLD AND BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. SO THIS STUDY WILL LOOK AT THE NEEDS OF EACH ORGANIZATION AND, UM, SORT OF LOOK, LOOK AT ALL THAT AND PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WHETHER IT'S POSSIBLE TO COLLATE A FA UH, A FACILITY OFF IN THE FUTURE WHEN FUNDING MAY BE AVAILABLE OR, UH, OR NOT.
NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, AGAIN, IS THE, THE GROUP IN ENGINEERING THAT MANAGES DAY-TO-DAY, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT REVIEW OF DEVELOPERS PLANS WHEN THEY COME IN WITH A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
THEY ALSO INSPECT ALL THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PONDS IN THIS COUNTY EVERY THREE YEARS.
AND THEY ALSO MANAGE THE DAMS IN THIS COUNTY.
SO THERE ARE SEVEN MAJOR DAMS THAT THE COUNTY HAS MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY FOR, THAT WE HAVE EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS FOR THAT MDE REGULATES US.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE, UH, FUNCTION OF THAT GROUP.
NOW, THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS SUPPORT THAT GROUP.
PAGE 61, COUNTY OWNED STORM AND MANAGEMENT, REHAB AND REPAIR.
UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR $450,000 AND THIS TAKES CARE OF, UM, REPAIRS AND MA MAJOR MAINTENANCE TO THOSE COUNTY OWNED FACILITIES.
PAGE 74 IS WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE, UH, MAINTENANCE REPAIR OF THE COUNTY.
COUNTY OWNED DAMS. AND THESE ARE THE, THE, THE MAJOR DAMS, UM, EDEN MILL LAKE SERENE DOWN IN, IN EDGEWOOD IS ANOTHER ONE THAT, UM, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND THIS FUNDING $250,000 REQUEST IS FOR CONTINUED USGS MONITORING AND THEN GOT COMPREHENSIVE DAM SAFETY REPORTS, WHICH WE NEED TO DO ON OUR LARGE DAMS, UM, EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE IN PLACE NOW, SO WE'RE NIPPING AWAY AT THOSE.
AND THEN PAGE 75 IS MAINTENANCE REPAIR OF STORMWATER FACILITIES.
SO THIS, THIS ITEM, UH, THE REQUEST IS FOR A MILLION DOLLARS, 500,000 OF WHICH IS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
SO THERE'S A SEGMENT OF DAMS OUT THERE OWNED BY ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS THAT THE ASSOCIATIONS EITHER DON'T HAVE MONEY OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY DON'T DO THE REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED.
SO THIS ITEM GIVES US THE ABILITY TO DO THE REPAIRS ON THE DAMS AND THEN BACK ASSESS THE BENEFICIAL USERS OR THE, THE HOMES THAT HAVE LAND THAT DRAIN TO THOSE PONDS, UM, AND, UH, GET THE, GET THE MONEY BACK.
NOW THAT, THAT IS PART OF THE COUNTY CODE, SECTION TWO 14 GIVES US THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT.
THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN ROLAND GREEN.
DO I REMEMBER AN ISSUE AT ROLAND GREEN? ROLLING GREEN? I'M NOT SURE OF THAT ONE.
THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH A, IT, IT, WE, WE DON'T DO IT OFTEN, BUT, UH, OR SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WHICH IS FOUR YEARS, THE COUNTY HASN'T DONE ANY.
SO WE'RE FINALLY GETTING BACK TO BEING FULL STAFFED IN THAT DIVISION AND THEN IDENTIFYING PROJECTS THAT NEED TO GET DONE.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK WITH THOSE GROUPS.
AND SOME OF 'EM DON'T HAVE, DON'T HAVE, DON'T HAVE, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO, TO DO THOSE PROJECTS.
AND, AND TO GET AN IDEA OF THE SCALE OF THE ISSUE, WE HAVE CLOSE TO A THOUSAND TOTAL SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAS STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITIES, WHICH EACH OF WHICH HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THOSE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND WE'LL DO THE INSPECTIONS ON 'EM.
AS STEVE SAID, IN THE RECENT YEARS WE'VE DONE, WE'VE HAD TO BE, LET'S SAY, CALLED IN TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE ON BEHALF OF AN HOA WAS DEFUNCT, OR, UH, PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT OR DEVELOPER THAT LEFT TOWN OR DIED.
UH, AND SO IT'S BEEN, I GUESS ON THE AVERAGE, AS BEST I CAN TELL FROM THE RECORDS, ONE OR TWO A YEAR.
SO IT'S A SMALL NUMBER AND THE, UH, THE APPROACH THAT WE TAKE IS THE SAME, UH, WHEN THEY DO COME TO US THAT, UH, WE TAKE CARE OF OUR DAMS, WE TAKE CARE OF OUR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITIES THAT ARE COUNTY OWNED, UH, AND SO ON.
BUT THESE OTHER ONES, IT'S REALLY JUST A REALLY SMALL, SIGNIFICANTLY SMALL MINORITY OF, UH, ALL THE PONDS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
[01:50:01]
MR. JAN.SO I KNOW, UM, WE'VE GOT AN ISSUE THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN PENMAN WORKED ON AND, AND BROUGHT ME IN ITS BIRCHWOOD MANNER.
AND THAT APPARENTLY SEEMS LIKE THAT FALLS UNDER ONE OF THOSE WHERE, UH, THE DEVELOPER IS DEFUNCT, BEEN DEFUNCT, DEFUNCT FOR 20 YEARS AND NOBODY'S DONE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S COME OUT AND DONE ANYTHING, I GUESS, ON THAT EITHER.
AND NOW IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE THE COUNTY'S GOTTA STEP IN, PAY TO DO THAT AND WANTS TO ASSESS THAT.
BUT DOES, DOES THE COUNTY, AND I, I THINK MAYBE, AND YOU MIGHT BE, YOU'RE MORE FIRST ON THIS, BUT DOES THE COUNTY TAKE OWNERSHIP THEN OF THAT? OR IS IT WHAT HAPPENS MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS SITUATION WHERE, UM, WHO OWNS THE, WHO OWNS THE STORMWATER MOVEMENT POND? YEAH.
IT'S ALSO, UH, UH, INTERESTING THAT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT SUBDIVISION HAD A ALMOST IDENTICAL PROBLEM BACK IN 2005, UH, WHERE THEY WERE HAVING, UH, IN OUR INSPECTIONS FOUND THAT THE, UH, THE POND NEEDED REPAIRS THAT THEY HADN'T DONE.
UH, AND SO AT THAT TIME, WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, WHICH WAS TO MAKE THE REPAIRS AND ASSESS THOSE PROPERTIES, UH, BACK AT THAT TIME.
UM, SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT, UH, SOME HOAS OR SOME HOAS DON'T EXIST, OR EVEN SOME HOAS DON'T WANT TO BILL THEIR, UH, THEIR, UH, THEIR OTHER NEIGHBORS FOR AND PUT A POT OF MONEY ASIDE FOR A, A REPAIR THAT THEY MAY NOT SEE IN THE TIME THAT THEY'RE LIVING THERE.
UM, SO THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, AS I SAID, WE, WE, WE DEALT WITH THIS WITH THEM 20 YEARS AGO.
UH, AND WE'RE HANDLING IT THE SAME WAY THAT WE HANDLE ALL THE OTHER ONES.
THE CODE PROVIDES FOR THIS, UH, THE, UH, DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, UH, THAT RUN WITH THE LAND, THAT RUN WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
LIKE EVERY OTHER ONE HAS THAT REQUIREMENT TO PUT THE MONEY ASIDE FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BECAUSE THE HOA OR THE, UH, THE BASICALLY THE BENEFICIAL USERS OWN THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, AND SO THAT IF WE DO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR EFFORTS, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING PAID BACK BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH TAX ASSESSMENT AND OTHERWISE WE'RE NOT TAKING OWNERSHIP, WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE IT GETS DONE AND THE CODE GIVES US THAT RIGHT.
AND RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY TO GO ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY, MAKE THOSE REPAIRS, CHARGE THEM BACK FORWARD, AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE FOLLOWING CODE ALL THE, THE WAY DOWN THE LINE, MR. PENMAN.
AND THAT, AND YOU GUYS ARE IN AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT POSITION, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO PUSH THAT COST ONTO THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS.
AND I WONDER IF THERE IS PERHAPS MAYBE AN OUTREACH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT CAN TAKE PLACE WITH THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS, TO ALLOW THEM TO SAY, HEY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A STORM MANAGEMENT, UH, PLAN, UH, UM, AREA IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT WE EVALUATE EVERY THREE YEARS, AND PERHAPS MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE SAVING SOME ADDITIONAL MONIES, UM, TO, TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, A COST OF $2,500 ON EACH RESIDENT.
SO I KNOW IT'S, IT'S A TASK THAT'S PROBABLY VERY, VERY LARGE WITH OVER A THOUSAND, UH, SUBDIVISIONS, BUT IT, IT MIGHT BE WORTH THE, YOU KNOW, THE HEADACHE IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE, WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE, UM, THOSE HOAS WITH OUR INSPECTION REPORTS.
USUALLY WE SEND THE INSPECTION REPORT OUT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHEN WE SEND THAT OUT, LETTING THEM KNOW AGAIN, EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION THERE AND IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO ORGANIZE.
AND IDEALLY, I'D LIKE TO FIND A WAY TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW BEFORE THEY NEED IT.
UH, AND I'LL JUST USE AN EXAMPLE.
I LIVE IN A HUNDRED LOT SUBDIVISION AND WHEN I MOVED IN, I GOT STUCK ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF COURSE.
AND THEN, UH, I KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO PUT THE MONEY AWAY 'CAUSE IT WAS PART OF MY BUSINESS AT THE TIME.
UH, AND WE DID, AND LO AND BEHOLD, WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR OUR MAJOR REPAIR, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, 50, $60,000 IN THAT KITTY THAT WAS ADEQUATE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT IT WAS.
BUT IT TAKES, IT TAKES A, A COMMITMENT BY PEOPLE WHO WANNA SERVE ON A BOARD OF, UH, OF AN HOA NUMBER ONE.
AND THEY GOT, THEY ALSO HAVE TO BE WILLING TO ASSESS AND COLLECT FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS WHO MAY NOT NECESSARILY WANNA SEND THAT A HUNDRED DOLLARS CHECK EVERY QUARTER.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO LOOK INTO SOME, UH, SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT MESSAGE TO FOLKS.
UH, IT'S PRETTY WIDE REACH, BUT WE STILL THINK I GET WE COULD DO IT, IT'S PROBABLY DO A BETTER JOB, A CHALLENGE.
AND, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE TURNOVER IN NEIGHBORHOODS TOO, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE BUYS TWO YEARS DOWN THE
[01:55:01]
ROAD AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA, AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING AN ASSESSMENT, SO, ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.UM, MR. LEY QUICKLY AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A HARD BREAK AT 12 O'CLOCK.
UH, I KNOW I'M PRESIDENT OF HOA AND PARKERS POINT, AND WE TAKE CARE OF OUR, OUR PROBLEMS. UH, BUT, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ONE THAT WE WORKED ON FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS IN, IN EDGEWOOD.
UM, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THERE THAT, I THINK IT'S CALLED LAURA LAURA WE RESERVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, AND, UH, YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THAT AND, UH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND, UM, UH, IT DID.
BUT THE, THE BIG ONE, THE BIG ONE IN THE COUNTY, RICHLY RESERVES.
IT IS OFF THESE, UH, THINGS, SORRY.
UH, ORIGINALLY RESERVE, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY WELL AWARE OF, UH, ALL THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES WE'VE HAD DOWN THERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UM, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE WE DOING RECENTLY ABOUT THEIR, THEIR, UH, STORMWATER, UH, MANAGEMENT PONDS AND, UH, ARE THEY KEEPING THEM UP? UH, AND THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF FINES AND STUFF.
UM, UM, I'VE GOT A BILL IN RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO, UH, PREVENT THAT FROM EVER HAPPENING.
AND AGAIN, UM, BUT IT, IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE CHANGE IN THE, THE LAWS IN HARTFORD COUNTY BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND WE HOPE TO PUT THAT BACK TO WHERE IT WAS.
UH, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT? 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD ALL KINDS OF, AS YOU KNOW, UM, UM, FLOODING, UH, INTO THE, UH, GUNPOWDER RIVER AND, AND, UH, JOB OF TOWN IN, IN, IN RUMSEY ISLAND BASIN, ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE, TO THE BRIDGE.
IT'S KILLED ALL THE GRASSES IN THE, IN THE, UH, WATERS ON BOTH SIDES.
AND I'M A BOATER AND I GO OUT RIGHT THROUGH THE GUNPOWDER AND THERE YOU COULD ALWAYS SEE GRASS ON TOP OF THE WATER BECAUSE GROWING UP FROM THE BOTTOM, ALL THE WAY OUT PAST EVEN THE RAILROAD BRIDGE, IT'S ALL GONE.
IT'S ALL DIED AND ALL, IT'S ALL DIED FROM THIS ONE DEVELOPER ORIGINALLY RESERVED, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING.
AND WE, THE COUNTY'S DONE A LOT TO TRY TO, UH, PUT'EM IN PLACE.
BUT, UM, CAN YOU FILL US IN ON WHERE THAT IS TODAY AND WHAT ABOUT THEIR PONDS AND ARE, ARE THEY KEEPING 'EM UP OR WHERE ARE WE? SURE.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, THE CONDITIONS OF THE SILT OUT INTO THE GUNPOWDER DOWN BY THE BRIDGE, AS YOU SAID, UH, ARE CAUSED BY WAY MORE DIFFERENT FACILITIES THAN JUST SIMPLY ORIGINAL RESERVE.
THEY HAVE PROBLEMS. WE'RE WORKING WITH 'EM ON, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE.
THEY'RE PROBABLY 80% OF THE PROBLEMS YOU HAVE ZONING.
BUT WE CAN SHOW YOU, I I, WE SET UP DRONES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE GOT FILMS AND AS HAVE WE, YOU CAN SEE THE MUD JUST COMING DOWN THROUGH THIS STREAM RIGHT INTO THE GUN PATTERN THAT, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
HOWEVER, THE CONTRIBUTION OF FLOW THAT GETS INTO THE GUNPOWDER RIVER IS OVER 550 SQUARE MILES OF THE BIG GUNPOWDER RIVER, THE BIRD RIVER, THE LITTLE GUNPOWDER, AND AN NC, RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT, WHICH IS FOSTER'S BRANCH.
THAT DRAINAGE AREA COMES ALL THE WAY FROM PENNSYLVANIA UP ABOVE THE PRETTY BOY DAM NOW.
WASN'T THAT, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU'RE PUSHING IT DOWN.
MR. GUTHRIE, LET HIM, LET HIM FINISH THIS.
I'M, I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU THAT THERE, THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM WITH RIDGE RESERVE AND THEIR PERFORMANCE.
I'M JUST EXPLAINING THAT THERE IS ALSO A NUMBER OF OTHER CONTRIBUTORS IN ADDITION TO THEIRS THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL.
WE CAN'T NOW BACK TO WHAT WE CAN CONTROL, WHICH IS THE ENFORCEMENT OF REGIONAL RESERVE AND THEIR PERMIT AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THEY ARE DOING BETTER NOW THAN THEY EVER HAVE.
AND FINDING AS WE DID AND STOPPING THEM FROM DOING ANY WORK AND PULLING EVERY PERMIT THAT THEY HAD TO BUILD ANYTHING OUT THERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR SIX WEEKS, GOT THEIR ATTENTION.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY PUT INTO PLACE A NOT ONLY ALL THE MEASURES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE PERMIT THEY HAVE, WE ALSO GOT THEM TO AGREE TO ANOTHER 12 SPECIFIC ADDITIONAL MEASURES, INCLUDING QUANTIFIED MEASUREMENT OF TURBIDITY, WHICH IS THE CLOUDINESS OF THE, OF THE WATER THAT COMES OFF OF THAT PROPERTY, THAT THE STATE HAS A, A NUMERICAL VALUE OF 150, WHICH IS THEIR MAXIMUM.
THAT'S THEIR CRITERIA, NOT OURS.
AND THAT EVEN IN THESE RECENT STORMS, THOSE VALUES WERE STILL LESS THAN A HUNDRED.
IT'S CLOUDIER THAN WE WANT IT TO BE.
IT'S CLOUDIER THAN IT OUGHT TO BE.
BUT WE ARE STILL STAYING ON TOP OF THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FOLLOW ALL THE RULES.
IT WAS ALSO RECOGNIZED BY MDE THAT ONE OF THE PONDS THAT WAS CONVERTED FROM A SEDIMENT POND TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BECAUSE ALL THE DRAINAGE AREA TO THAT POND HAD
[02:00:01]
BEEN TOTALLY SODDED AND STABILIZED A HUNDRED PERCENT.THERE WAS NO, NO DIRT ON IT AT ALL.
AND THERE WAS STILL SEDIMENT COMING INTO THAT POND.
SO PART OF THE CONCERN IS THAT THE NATURE OF THE EXISTING SOILS IS SUCH THAT IT, IT WASHES DOWN THE, IT WASHES DOWN THE RIVER TO SOME DEGREE.
SO WE ARE DOING OUR BEST WITH OUR INSPECTORS, WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT TO BE SURE THAT THEY FOLLOW THE RULES, THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF OURSELVES AND WITH MDE IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE WHATEVER THEY ARE DISCHARGING INTO FOSTERS RUN THAT WINDS UP INTO THE GUNPOWDER.
UM, THANKS FOR INTERRUPTING ME, PAT.
I, I NEEDED TO SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE,
BUT IT, IT HAS BEEN A, A, I CAN'T SAY MAJOR ISSUE, UH, UH, WITH ALL THIS, UH, THE PEOPLE LIVE IN THE AREA.
UH, I'VE BEEN A BOATER MOST OF MY LIFE.
I'VE LIVED IN JOPPA TOWN FOR 58 YEARS.
UH, I'VE BEEN ON A WATERFRONT FOR 45 YEARS OF THAT.
I LIVED RIGHT ON, UH, I, I'M, I'M GOT WATERFRONT.
I'M LOOKING RIGHT ACROSS AT THE MARINA.
UM, BEFORE ORIGINALLY RESERVE STARTED, ALL THOSE YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE, WE'VE NEVER HAD A MUD, UH, ISSUE LIKE THAT UNTIL ORIGINALLY RESERVE.
AND, AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS VERY CLEAR.
THE COUNTY HAD AS MANY OF THE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY, BALTIMORE CITY, UH, PRINCE GEORGE, MC, ALL OF THEM.
AND THIS COUNTY HAD A 20 ACRE REQUIREMENT, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION, UH, OF, OF A BUILD OUT OF A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
OTHER WORDS, YOU COULD ONLY BUILD IF YOU HAD A HUNDRED ACRES THAT YOU WANTED TO BUILD ON, YOU COULD ONLY BUILD 20 ACRES AT A TIME WHEN THAT'S DONE AND FINISHED, AND YOU COULD DO 20 MORE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE LAW HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION THAT ALLOWED ORIGINALLY RESERVE AND BEING INTERESTED TO SEE HOW MUCH HE DONATED TO, TO THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
BUT THE, UM, UH, BY TAKING, REMOVING THAT ONE SENTENCE OUT OF THE, OUTTA THE LAW THAT SAID THIS REQUIRED 20 ACRES AT A TIME, TOOK THAT OUT.
THAT MEANT ORIGINALLY RESERVED, WHO HAD OVER ABOUT A HUNDRED ACRES, COULD CLEAR THE ENTIRE LAND AT ONE TIME.
AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED ALL THIS MUDBATH DOWN INTO, AND I, I CAN SHOW YOU PICTURES OF THE MUD, LITERALLY ON VIDEO COMING UP THE GUN POWDER RIVER.
I MEAN, YOU COULD SEE IT IN STAGES QUARTER HALF, THREE QUARTERS.
I MEAN, COMING RIGHT UP THE RIVER.
THIS, THIS TURNING THE, THE, THE CLEAR LOOKING WRIT WAS AS CLEAR AS IT COULD BE
SO IT WAS, IF IT WASN'T 100% ORIGINALLY OBSERVED, IT'S 80%.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE WE MIGHT DISAGREE.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT, WAS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM MDE.
SO, UH, YOU'RE SAYING NOW THAT THEY ARE, UH, THEIR, THEIR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PONDS ARE UP TO DATE AND WHAT THEY, THEY SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK TODAY, AS OF THE LAST INSPECTION REPORT THAT WAS LAST WEEK, I GUESS.
'CAUSE WE'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE OUT THERE WEEKLY WITH OUR INSPECTORS THAT YES, THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR PERMIT ON HOW THINGS ARE BUILT AND HOW THINGS ARE MAINTAINED TO CONTROL THE SEDIMENT COMING OFF THE PROPERTY.
I KNOW THERE WAS SEVERAL, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF FINES, $10,000, 10, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE MM-HMM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO A GUY LIKE THAT, $10,000 CHUMP CHANGE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I'VE DOUBLED THAT IN MY BILL TO 20,000.
UH, HOPEFULLY I'LL GET SUPPORT FROM MY, MY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THAT BILL.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE ENTIRE COUNTY, NOT JUST THERE.
'CAUSE WE GOT, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, UH, SOME OTHER PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY.
UH, UM, UH, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, ONE UP, UH, IN MY DISTRICT ALSO A HUNDRED ACRES THAT THE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED IN DEVELOPMENT.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UH, WE'LL SEE WHEN, WHEN, UH, THE BILL COMES UP.
YOU UNDERSTAND, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.
UH, WHEN WE GET, UH, I MEAN THIS IS NOW GONNA BE, HAVE TO DREDGED AT SOME POINT IN TIME 'CAUSE OF ALL THAT MUD,
[02:05:01]
THEN WE ARE GOING HAVE TO DREDGE IT SOONER.AND WHAT'S THAT A MILLION DOLLARS? I MEAN, WHO'S GONNA PAY FOR THAT? I GUESS WE ARE, UM, MR. GUTHRIE, THANK YOU.
AND I, I, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO YOU.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING COMING UP AND YOU WILL BE ADDRESSING THAT IMMENSELY, I'M SURE.
UM, SO, UH, BUT WE DO HAVE REALLY, WE DO HAVE A HARD BREAK AT 12 O'CLOCK AND, AND I WANNA GET MR. PETIN IN HERE.
UM, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, UNDER SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
DO YOU WANNA HIT THOSE, STEVE? OR I CAN DO 'EM REAL QUICK.
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, $50,000.
UM, TESTING GROUNDWATER AND SO FORTH.
THE NEXT TWO THAT YOU'LL SEE, BASICALLY WHAT WE DID WAS CLOSE THAT OLD PROJECT OUT FROM 2010.
I JUST REALLOCATED AND GAVE IT A NEW PROJECT NUMBER.
UM, THEN WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL YARD TRIM ACCESS ACCEPTANCE FACILITY.
UM, WHAT PAGE YOU ON? HUH? OH, SORRY.
UM, WE REALLOCATED SOME FUNDS FROM SCARBOROUGH LANDFILL GROUNDWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THAT, CLOSE THAT PROJECT.
AND WE REALLOCATED TO RESIDENTIAL YARD TRIM ACCEPTANCE FACILITY, UM, LOOKING FOR A NEW YARD TRIM DROP OFF FACILITY.
AND THEN THE LAST PROJECT UNDER SOLID WASTE IS 1 65.
AND THAT'S THE SOLID WASTE FACILITIES REPAIR PROGRAM.
THIS, AGAIN, IS ONGOING FOR, UM, ANY TYPE OF UPGRADES OR WHATEVER THEY NEED IN THOSE, THOSE BUILDINGS.
AND THEN I CAN GO RIGHT TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT.
UM, THE SUMMARY IS ON PAGE 2 46.
I MIGHT LET STEVE WALSH GO OVER THOSE.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE, UH, FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS THE COUNTY'S MS FOUR, UH, PERMIT AND ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.
UM, AND AGAIN, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT THE STATE PUTS OUT.
THEY'RE CALLED AN ACCOUNTING DOCUMENT.
IT'S A HUNDRED PAGE DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS HOW, HOW MANY CREDITS WE GET FOR A STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT VERSUS A SHORELINE PROJECT, VERSUS A TREE PLANNING PROJECT.
AND WE HAVE NUMEROUS PROJECTS BUILT INTO THE, THESE FUNDING BUCKETS.
I LET A COUPLE OF 'EM REALLY QUICKLY.
PAGE 2 48, BUY 'EM, RUN WATERSHED RESOLUTION IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, A COUPLE PROJECTS WE'RE DOING OUT OF THAT FUNDING IS THE FERNANDEZ BRANCH STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT.
AND THEN ABBY CIRCLE, UM, I FORGET WHICH COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT'S IN, BUT IT'S A BIG, UH, BIG RAVINE BEHIND SOME HOUSES THAT ARE CAUSED BY A STORM TRENCH OUTFALL.
AND THAT IS A CREDITABLE PROJECT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY ANXIOUS ABOUT THAT ONE.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, PAGE 2 49 CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
UM, A NEW, A NEW CATEGORY IN THE ACCOUNTING DOCUMENT IS THE PRESERVATION OF LAND SLATED FOR DEVELOPMENT AS AN MS FOUR CREDITABLE ACTIVITY.
THIS IS A NEW PROJECT, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE ASKING FOR $200,000 TO BEGIN A PROGRAM TO START LOOKING AT, AT LAND THAT WE CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR ON THE PRESERVATION SIDE AND ALSO THE MS FOUR CREDITING SIDE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH HARFORD LAND TRUST ON THAT, THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN THE FINAL ONE JUST TO MENTION IS, UM, PAGE TWO 50 COUNTY OWNED WATERSHED RESTORATION IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, A BIG CHALLENGE IS GETTING PROPERTY OWNERS ON BOARD WITH PROJECTS.
SO WE REALLY FOCUS ON COUNTY OWNED PROJECTS ON THE, UH, TREE PLANTING SIDE, ON THE RESTORATION SIDE, BIG PROJECTS COMING UP, FALLSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL STREAM RESTORATION.
IT'S ALMOST A MOUSE OF STREAM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE RESTORING THERE.
UM, COMING UP, UH, HOPEFULLY THIS FISCAL YEAR, CONSTRUCTING THAT MARINER POINT PARK, STORMWATER RETROFIT SMALL PROJECT.
AND THEN SOME TRUTH PLANNING PROJECTS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FOUNTAIN GREEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, EDGEWATER VILLAGE, SMALL PLANNING PROJECTS, ALL PROJECTS OF WHICH GET US CREDIT TOWARDS MEETING THE GOAL THAT MR. SMEC TALKED ABOUT.
ANY MR. DEN, SUNNYVALE STREAM, SUNNYVIEW STILL WORKING SUNNYVIEW THROUGH PROPERTY OWNER ISSUES, STILL, STILL IS THAT ONE GUY DOESN'T WANNA BUDGE.
THAT'S THE, THAT IS THE ONE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES IN STORMWATER, UH, IS THAT TRUE STREAM RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT RUN THROUGH MULTIPLE PROPERTIES THROUGH THEIR BACKYARDS, THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO GO WORK ON SOMEBODY'S PRIVATE PROPERTY, WE HAVE TO GET AN EASEMENT FROM THEM TO
[02:10:01]
GET PERMISSION TO DO IT.WHAT'S HIS ISSUE? HE DOESN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN.
HE LIKES TO STREAM IN HIS BACKYARD.
AND I MET WITH HIM TWICE PERSONALLY AND TRIED TO CONVINCE HIM OF THE, WILL YOU SEND ME HIS INFORMATION? SURE, I'LL CALL HIM.
MAYBE I'LL STOP AND SEE HIM MAKE A DEAL HE CAN'T REFUSE.
I'M GONNA TAKE HIM SOME DESSERT.
HE'S GONNA TAKE YOU SOME PASTRIES,
OH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
BILL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
YEAH, I WE'RE STILL ON DPW, RIGHT? YES.
PAGE 1 63, THAT NEW YARD WASTE FACILITY.
LET ME TELL YOU, JOPPA AND I MADE A LIST.
WE GRIND YOUR ASPHALT, WE GRIND YOUR CONCRETE.
WE HAVE A LARGE METAL RECLAMATION AREA.
JFA AREA TAKES CARE OF MOST OF YOUR JUNK.
AND THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT ANNOYS ME.
IT'S ON THE PLR PROPERTY, WHICH WAS A BOONDOGGLE THAT, UH, DAVID CRAIG BOUGHT FOR $2.9 MILLION.
BUT I THINK THE PROPER THING TO DO IS UN FUND THIS, GIVE IT TO THE COLLEGE, GIVE IT TO THE SCHOOL, GIVE IT TO LOG LIBRARY, WHATEVER, AND ASK THE COUNTY TO COME OUT AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE OF JOPPA.
THEY HAVE NOT COME TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD AND SAID, HEY, WE'D LIKE TO DO THIS.
AND JOPPA, WHAT DO YOU THINK? THIS IS JUST GONNA BE DROP DOWN ON THE PEOPLE OF JOPPA AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A SAY BEFORE IT'S FUNDED.
SO I ASK YOU TO REMOVE THE FUNDING PLEASE.
WE DID WANNA MAKE IT A DOG PARK.
YOU WANNA COMMENT ON THAT, JOE? YEAH.
THE, THE, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS CAPITAL PROJECT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A YARD TRIM DROP OFF FACILITY ON TOLLGATE ROAD RIGHT IN, RIGHT IN BEL AIR.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE UP AT THE SCARBOROUGH LANDFILL IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE, FOR ALL OF THE DENSITY AND ALL THE DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN, AS WE CALL IT, THE SOUTH COUNTY, WHICH IS THE WHOLE AREA, UH, SOUTH OF 95, UH, DID NOT HAVE A PLACE THAT WAS ANY CLOSER THAN HAVING TO DRIVE, UH, ALL THE WAY UP TO, TO TOLLGATE.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EVALUATE OPTIONS, POTENTIAL AREAS, POTENTIAL LOCATION, POTENTIAL SIZE.
IT'S NOT A COMMITMENT TO DO ANYTHING AT ANY ONE LOCATION AT ALL.
UH, BUT IT'S A RECOGNITION THAT, UH, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANY MAP OF THE COUNTY AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOCATION FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO RECYCLE THEIR, UH, THEIR YARD WASTE AND THEIR TRIMS AND, UH, THEIR, THEIR TREE TRIMMINGS AND SO ON, TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LOCATION THAT IS CLOSER THAN HAVING TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY UP INTO BEL AIR.
SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE, UH, OF THE CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THAT REASON.
AND, AND JUST TO ADD, WE DO GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DRIVE TO BEL AIR FROM IN THE SOUTH.
WASN'T THIS PROPERTY SURPLUSED AT ONE TIME? I THEY TRIED TO SELL IT.
YEAH, I I I'M TRYING TO, I THAT'S CORRECT.
IF WE TRIED TO, BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S WAS, IT WASN'T APP, IT WASN'T A SUCCESSFUL SURPLUS SCENE AND THEY, NOBODY WANTS IT.
I CAN, CAN, CAN YOU? YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN SEE WHAT THE, THE, THE HISTORY IS.
UH, IF IT WAS EVER, I, I'LL PUT THERE AND IF IT WAS EVER APPRAISED, OKAY, YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT WAS ON A SURPLUS LIST.
HOW MANY ACRES IS IT? AND, AND THE 24 24, MR. GUTHRIE, YOU, I'M SORRY.
UH, WAS INVOLVED IN THAT QUITE A BIT BECAUSE IT'S NOW, THERE BEEN, I THINK WE'VE OWNED THAT PROPERTY NOW 10 YEARS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
'CAUSE I WAS, WHEN THE COUNCIL, WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED,
[02:15:01]
UH, WAS PURCHASED FROM THE PLUCKERS WHO, UH, WERE SELLING IT AND MOVING, MOVING TO FLORIDA, IT WAS A MINIATURE GOLF AND A DRIVING RANGE AT THE TIME.UM, UH, AS, AS GLORIA SAYS IT, IT WAS PAID, THEY PAID A MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN THE PROPERTY APPRAISED FOR.
AND I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT WITH THE COUNTY AND, AND, UH, THE, UM, CRAIG ADMINISTRATION AND I, UM, CHALLENGED THEM WHY THEY PAID, UH, $2.9 MILLION FOR PROPERTY THAT ONLY APPRAISED FOR ABOUT $1.9 MILLION MORE.
AND WHEN I QUESTIONED THEM, I SAID, WELL, WHY DID YOU PAY A MILLION DOLLARS MORE FOR A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT APPRAISED FOR A MILLION DOLLARS LESS? AND THE COMMENT CAME FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION WAS, BECAUSE WE CAN, I SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN? HE SAYS, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LAW THAT STOPS US FROM PAYING WHATEVER WE WANT FOR A PIECE OF PROPERTY WE CAN ONLY PAY.
THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS IF WE SELL IT, WE CAN'T SELL IT FOR LESS THAN WHAT IT APPRAISED FOR, BUT THEY CAN PAY ANYTHING THEY WANT.
AND THEY DID A NUMBER OF THINGS.
I INTRODUCE THE BILL, WHICH IS IN EFFECT TODAY THAT THE COUNTY, NOW, IF THEY BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY, THEY HAVE TO GET TWO APPRAISALS.
THEY CAN'T PAY MORE THAN THE HIGHEST APPRAISAL, AND THEY CAN'T SELL IT FOR LESS THAN THE, THE LOWER APPRAISAL.
NOW, UM, UH, WE, WE, UH, I I NOTICED IN, IN THE, THE, UH, BEFORE OUR ADMINISTRATION TOOK OVER, UH, THERE WAS $500,000 IN, IN THE BUDGET FOR A DOG PARK.
AND SO I WAS TRYING TO CONVINCE, UH, UH, SOME PEOPLE IN ADMINISTRATION THAT THAT'S A, THAT IS A PERFECT PLACE FOR NOT ONLY A DOG PARK, BUT A SKATE SKATE PARK.
UM, I FRANKLY DON'T KNOW ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT'S COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT HAVING TO GO TO SCARBOROUGH OR, OR WANT THAT TO BE A TRASH DUMP.
UH, CRAIG ALSO TRIED TO MAKE IT A STA TRASH DUMP.
HE TRIED TO BRING, UM, UH, MAKE IT A TRASH TRANSFER STATION.
SO IT WAS BEFORE WE GOT THE DEAL WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY, THEY WERE GONNA TAKE ALL THE TRASH TRUCKS DAILY DOWN THERE AND DUMP THE TRASH AND THEN PUT IT IN ANOTHER, UH, TRASH TRUCK OR SOMETHING TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IT WAS GONNA BE A TRANSFER STATION.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 1 52 1 7 7 IS A TWO LANE HIGHWAY.
YOU'RE GONNA SEND 90 TRUCKS A DAY DOWN THERE THAT BASICALLY, PROBABLY AN EIGHTH OF A MILE OR SOMETHING TO DUMP ALL THEIR TRASH, AND THEY GOTTA COME BACK OUT AND HIT THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT.
THE TRAFFIC THERE WOULD'VE BEEN IMMENSE.
BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE UP, UH, TO DO SOMETHING SINCE HE PAID $3 MILLION FOR THIS PROPERTY, WHICH BASICALLY, UH, UH, WORTHLESS FOR THE MOST PART BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE TOP.
THEY'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LOOK AT IT, AND I KNOW THEY'VE TALKED TO ME AND THEY SAID THAT HE SAID, IT IS COST TOO MUCH MONEY TO, TO FIX THAT PROPERTY UP.
SO THERE IT SITS, AFTER 10 YEARS IN INVESTING THAT MONEY, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, ALL WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, WELL, WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
SO LET'S MAKE IT A TRASH DUMP.
AND WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT AT ALL.
AND WE FOUGHT IT UNDER CRAIG, AND WE'LL FIGHT IT AGAIN.
THEY'RE GONNA START ON PAGE 4 36, AND I'M GONNA WHIP THROUGH THE OPERATING REAL QUICK.
OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO CAPITAL.
UM, PAGE 4 36 IS, UM, DPW WATER AND SEWER ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 2 83 582.
UM, PERSONAL SERVICES INCREASES 83 3 0 9, AND AGAIN, IT INCLUDES THE FISCAL YEAR, 24 COLA, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 SALARY, ADJUSTMENTS OF THE MERIT.
UM, THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN OVERTIME BASED ON ACTUALS OF $5,000.
UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE THERE OF 11,250.
AND THAT'S BASED ON ACTUALS FOR TELEPHONE SERVICE, FACILITY REPAIR, AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES 2007 95.
THIS IS FOR COMPUTER SOFTWARE, UM, FOR ACT ACTIVITY, HAZARD ANALYSIS SOFTWARE CAPITAL OUTLAY INCREASES $2,475.
UM, AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES 2 0 6 2 53.
THAT'S THE PRO RATA SHARES FOR, UM, WATER AND SEWER ADMINISTRATION.
UNDER DEPRECIATION, YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF $150,000.
PAGE 4 41 IS BUREAU OF WATER AND SEWER ENGINEERING.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 1 18, 2 61.
AGAIN, THE BULK OF, OF THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
[02:20:01]
THAT IS INCREASES 1 17 5 71.IT INCLUDES THE 24 COLA, THE 25 AND MERIT.
AND THEN THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT FOR OVERTIME OF $6,000, AS WELL AS, UM, ADJUSTMENTS FOR HEALTH WORKERS' COMP AND PENSION CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
UM, AND THAT'S OFFSET BY A, THAT'S FOR COMPUTER SOFTWARE OFFSET BY A TELEPHONE SERVICE.
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, UH, SLIGHT INCREASE THERE, $500.
AND THIS IS FOR GENERAL OFFICE SUPPLIES.
AND THEN UNDER TRAVEL, $200, SMALL INCREASE FOR LODGING, WATER AND SEWER MAINTENANCE.
ON PAGE 4, 4 4, THAT INCREASE IS $502,841.
229, 691 IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
WE, UM, ABOLISHED A VACANT UTILITY CREW CHIEF IN THAT, UM, DIVISION.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES THE 24 COLA, THE 25 COLA AND MERIT.
AND THEN THE HEALTH BENEFITS WERE ADJUSTED, UM, FOR THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE.
YOU'LL SEE, UM, MULTIPLE LINES THERE.
SIX, UH, FOR A NET INCREASE OF $16,700.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE ALL THE HEATING FUEL, UH, VEHICLE OPERATING LEASES.
UH, OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND DATA PROCESSING SOFTWARE, YOU'LL SEE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS THERE.
UNDER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, THERE'S A NET INCREASE OF 146,250.
UM, EXCUSE ME, YOU'LL SEE THAT $75,000 OF THAT IS FOR THE WATER METER PURCHASE INCREASE BASED, UM, DUE TO NEW CONTRACT PRICING, $10,000 FOR CRUSHED AGGREGATE, AND THEN $46,000 FOR PIPES, CULVERTS, FITTINGS, ET CETERA.
UNDER BUSINESS AND TRAVEL, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE, 35,600.
AGAIN, 22,000 IS FOR IN-HOUSE TRAINING FOR METER READING SYSTEM.
AND 13 FIVE IS FOR YOUR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
CAPITAL OUTLAY INCREASES 116,600.
UM, THE BULK OF THAT IS 75,000 TO, UM, INCREASE FOR ELECTRONIC PROCESS CONTROL.
AND THEN FOR GENERATORS PUMPS SO FORTH, IT'S $39,500.
THERE IS A DECREASE IN MISCELLANEOUS OF 42,000.
AND THAT IS, UM, THE DELTA BOROUGH DUE TO REVIEW OF PRIOR YEARS AND OVERPAID FOR BILLING.
UM, ON PAGE 4 48, WATER PRODUCTION INCREASE THERE OF 953,000, YOU'LL SEE PERSONAL SERVICES DOES DE DECREASES FOR A NET OF 14,791.
IT DOES INCLUDE THE FISCAL 24 COLA, THE FISCAL 25 COLA AND MERIT.
UM, TEMPORARY SALARIES INCREASES A HUNDRED FORTY TWENTY FOUR, AND THAT'S FOR NEW ELECTRICIAN AND INSTRUMENTATION, TECH APPRENTICESHIPS THAT WERE OPENING UP.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME TRANSFERS BETWEEN WATER AND SEWER DIVISIONS FOR A DECREASE OF 2 86, 8 70.
AND THEN WE DID ADJUST OVERTIME AND SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL BASED ON ACTUALS FOR AN INCREASE OF $30,700.
THE BULK OF THE INCREASE HERE IS UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, 4 35, 332.
AND I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL THOSE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S FOR THINGS LIKE ELECTRICITY, HEATING, FUEL ENGINEERING SERVICES, VEHICLE EQUIPMENT, LEASES, GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, AND SO FORTH.
UNDER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, AGAIN, THERE'S A LARGE INCREASE THERE.
THE BULK OF THAT IS CHEMICALS AND BULK AND LAB SUPPLIES OF 3 16, 3 97, AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT REPAIR PARTS OF 1 52 3 BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES $4,250.
AGAIN, THAT'S FOR MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLES FUEL AND THEN SOME LODGING FOR SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES.
AGAIN, THAT IS FOR THEIR ELECTRONIC PROCESS CONTROL EQUIPMENT, GENERATORS, PUMPS, AND SO FORTH.
THERE IS NO CHANGE IN, UM, MISCELLANEOUS.
ON PAGE 4 52, YOU'LL FIND WASTEWATER PROCESSING THAT INCREASES 1 MILLION 739 9 65 PERSONAL SERVICES.
AGAIN, IT INCLUDES THE FISCAL YEAR, 24 COLA, THE FISCAL YEAR, 25 COLA OF THE MERIT.
AND THEN TEMPORARY SALARIES INCREASE IS 110 H 24, AGAIN FOR ELECTRICIANS AND INSTRUMENT TECH APPRENTICES, MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE OPERATIONS AND INTERNS
[02:25:01]
ADJUSTED $24,000 INCREASE FOR OVERTIME AND SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL.AND THEN THE OTHER LINE ITEMS ARE ADJUSTED BASED ON ACTUALS.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES 360 3 27.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL.
HIGHLIGHT SOME ELECTRICITY, HEATING, FUEL AND TELEPHONE SERVICES.
INCREASE, YOU HAVE $35,000 INCREASE FOR DATA PROCESSING SOFTWARE.
AND THEN, UM, LEASE EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE IS 51,600.
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, AGAIN IS AN INCREASE OF 5 91 660.
IT'S MAINLY FOR, UM, EXCUSE ME, CHEMICAL AND BULK $465,150.
UM, BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASES 81,850.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE MAINTENANCE ON THE, UH, VEHICLES OF 77,000.
AND THEN SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR, UM, MILEAGE MEALS AND LODGING FOR FOLKS TO ATTEND CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS.
CAPITAL OUTLAY INCREASES 49,349.
AGAIN, THAT IS ELECTRONIC PROCESS CONTROL EQUIPMENT, GENERATORS, PUMPS, AND SO FORTH.
MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES $5,500 AND THIS IS PAYMENTS TO OTHER GOVERNING GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
THIS IS SEWAGE SLUDGE GENERATOR FEE.
AND WITH THAT, I'M DONE WITH THE OPERATING.
BILL, YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, NO.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
UM, YOU SAY YOU ABOLISHED, UM, A UTILITY CREW CHIEF PIN 10 72, I THINK IT SAYS.
SO HAS THAT PIN BEEN MOVED SOMEWHERE ELSE? NO, THAT WAS ACTUALLY ELIMINATED.
ANYONE ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, CAPITAL, CAPITAL, CAPITAL.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND I WILL ADD, UH, THIS, UM, BEFORE I START, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE HEARTFELT WORD OF APPRECIATION,
UM, I WILL PASS THAT ON TO THE TEAM MEMBERS AND THAT WILL BE MEANINGFUL TO THEM.
THEY WILL, UH, THEY WILL, THEY WILL FEEL THAT HEARTFELT APPRECIATION, SO THANK YOU.
STARTING WITH THE, UH, WATER CAPITAL SIDE, I'LL REVIEW, UH, THE, THE FOUR TOP OR MOST IMPORTANT, UH, PROJECTS.
I'LL DO, UH, SOME OF THE TOP PROJECTS WITH THE SEWER AND THEN ASK FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, STARTING ON PAGE 360, CAPITAL BUDGET, THE ABINGDON WATER TREATMENT PLANT PH CONTROL SYSTEM.
SO WE ARE REQUESTING $1.2 MILLION TO BUILD A BACKUP PH CONTROL SYSTEM.
UH, THIS IS ESSENTIAL, UH, TO THE PLANT'S, RESILIENCY FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, EQUIPMENT REPAIR, AND CHEMICAL FEED SUPPLY ISSUES.
UM, THE SCHEDULE AND STATUS, UH, WE WILL COMPLETE THE DESIGN, UH, IN FY 24 AND HOPE TO MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION IN FY 25.
CONTINUING THE NEXT PAGE, PAGE 360 1.
UH, WE ARE REQUESTING 300,000 TO COMPLETE DESIGN OF A NEW POWER SWITCHGEAR AND GENERATOR INTERFACE.
THIS IS A SINGLE NEW SWITCHGEAR.
THIS IS THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL FEED FOR OUR MAIN ABINGDON WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UH, INTEGRATE TWO, UH, SEPARATE ELECTRICAL FEEDS AND THE BACKUP GENERATOR, UH, INTO, INTO ONE NEW SWITCH GEAR.
UH, THIS BUILDS IN REDUNDANCY FOR PLANT POWER SOURCES AND RESILIENCY DURING ANY ELECTRICAL OUTAGES.
UH, WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE THE DESIGN IN FY 25.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THE MONEY FOR, AND WE EXPECT TO MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION IN FY 26.
OKAY, CONTINUING FORWARD NEXT.
ON PAGE 360 4, WE ARE REQUESTING $1.25 MILLION TO REPLACE ABOUT 4,500 FEET OF WATER MAIN ALONG BRIAR HILL ESTATE'S DRIVE.
THIS IS THE REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING WATER MAIN.
UM, WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE THE DESIGN THIS YEAR ON FY 24 AND MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR.
UH, MOVING FORWARD TO PAGE 360 7.
UH, WE ARE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION TO EXTEND WATER AND SEWER LINES FROM HARTFORD SQUARE ACROSS EDGEWOOD PARK TO TRIMBLE ROAD.
UH, THIS IS IN THE SOUTHERN COUNTY TASK FORCE AREA AND ONE OF OUR IDENTIFIED INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT THAT INITIATIVE.
UM, THIS OVERALL PROJECT WILL IMPROVE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS IN THAT VICINITY.
AND IF YOU LOOK TO THE SCHEDULE, UM, THAT DESIGN IS COMPLETED AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO BUILD IT IN FY 25.
[02:30:01]
THE SEWER SECTION.AGAIN, I'LL GUIDE BY A COUPLE OF PAGE NUMBERS.
UH, JUST CURIOUS QUESTION, UH, ON THE 360 7 WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, WOULD, WOULD THAT NOT NORMALLY JUST GO THROUGH WATER AND SEWER, UH, EXTENSION THAT LIKE PRESENTED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING WE JUST HAD LAST WEEK? HOW DOES THAT NORMALLY WORK? SOMEBODY NOT PAYING A BILL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
SO WE JUST HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE EXTENSIONS OF, YOU KNOW, WATER AND SEWER.
AND I JUST, I MEAN, IS THIS NORMALLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD GET ADDED ON THERE, THIS PROJECT? MM-HMM.
IT'S ALREADY IN CATEGORY ONE, SO THERE'S NO, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO THE WATER AND SEWER MASTER PLAN REQUIRED.
IT IS IN OUR PLAN SERVICE AREA.
IT'S JUST TWO IDENTIFIED IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, NOT, NOT TO DELIVER NEW SERVICE TO, BUT TO IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN THE OVERALL FUNCTIONING OF OUR TWO SYSTEMS. GOTCHA.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE WATER SIDE? OKAY, I'LL CONTINUE, UM, ONTO THE SEWER CAPITAL, UH, PAGE 3 88, UH, THE BUSH CREEK PUMPING STATION.
SO HERE WE ARE REQUESTING $11 MILLION, AND THIS IS TO REPLACE FOUR, 350 HORSEPOWER PUMPS AT THIS SEWAGE PUMPING STATION.
UM, THIS PUMP'S APPROXIMATELY 7 MILLION GALLONS A DAY OF OUR TOTAL SYSTEM FLOW OF ABOUT 12 MILLION GALLONS OF SEWAGE A DAY, OR ABOUT 60% OF OUR TOTAL SYSTEM FEED PASSES THROUGH THIS SEWAGE PUMPING STATION ON ITS WAY TO SOD RUN.
SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BOTH THE PUMPS HAVE OPERATIONAL ISSUES, UH, WITH, WITH CLOGGING AND FOULING, AND THE VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVES ARE APPROACHING THE END OF THEIR SERVICE LIFE.
AND WE'VE LOOKED AT IT FROM A NUMBER OF WAYS.
AND TO REPLACE ALL FOUR AT ONCE IS OPERATIONALLY THE MOST EFFICIENT AND THE, UH, HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE MAINTAINING APPROACH.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING TO DO.
WHAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATUS, THEN WE'RE ON TRACK TO COMPLETE THAT PUMP REPLACEMENT DESIGN YET THIS FISCAL YEAR AND MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
JUST CURIOUS, HOW, HOW LONG, WHAT'S THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF OF ONE OF THOSE PUMPS? 30 YEARS.
AND THAT'S ABOUT THE AGE, WELL, ABOUT THE AGE OF THAT STATION, THE PUMPS HAD SOME DESIGN FLAWS THAT CAME TO LIGHT DURING THOSE 30 YEARS.
SO THAT'S THE MAINTENANCE PART.
THE VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVES, THAT'S THE, THE, THE MOTORS THAT TURN THE PUMP.
THEY ALSO HAVE ABOUT A 20 TO 25 YEAR SERVICE LIFE, AND THEY'RE SIMPLY APPROACHING THE END OF THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S A DRIVE AND A PUMP.
WE'RE REPLACING BOTH MR. GUT QUESTION? I'M SORRY, MR. GUT.
UH, MY COMPLIMENTS ON THAT WHOLE OPERATION.
I TOURED THAT, UH, EARLIER, UM, UH, IN THE YEAR, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE WATER'S EDGE WHERE THE WATER IS FLOWING THROUGH BACK INTO THE BUSH RIVER.
AND, UM, WHAT'S AMAZING IS, AND THEY, THEY, THEY SHOWED IT AND THEY HAD A LITTLE, UH, AIR WHERE THEY COULD DIP INTO THE WATER AND BRING IT OUT.
AND THE WATER ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE BUSH RIVER WAS CLEANER AND CLEARER THAN THE BUSH RIVER ITSELF.
SO MY COMPLIMENTS, UH, AND THAT, THAT YOU WROTE DOING A GREAT JOB THERE.
I WILL PASS THAT ALONG TO THE TEAM AS WELL.
THAT MR ON THE SNOOP PUMP THAT YOU ORDERED, WHAT IS THE AVAILABILITY OF THAT PUMP? BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE BEEN ON SOME OTHER BOARDS AND YOU CAN'T GET ELECTRICAL PARTS, YOU CAN'T GET PUMPS, AND I JUST WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S BUILT INTO THE PROJECT TIMELINE.
I'LL, I'LL SAY THIS AND, AND IT'S HARD TO ANSWER SPECIFICALLY, BUT YES, SIX, EIGHT MONTHS.
BUT, BUT WHERE THE DELAYS HAD PEAKED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHERE OFTENTIMES WE WERE AT A YEAR PLUS, OR EVEN AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET A BIG PIECE OF EQUIPMENT LIKE THAT, THAT PEAK HAS COME BACK DOWN.
WE, WE HAVE AT LEAST A PROJECTED DELIVERABILITY OF SOME OF THOSE BIGGEST COMPONENT PIECES.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE ORDERED TRANSFORMERS AND SOME SWITCH GEAR THAT HAVE BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR OVER THREE YEARS, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THIS IS GONNA AFFECT THAT PROJECT ALSO.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T OBSERVED THAT AND WE SURE HOPE NOT.
UM, CONTINUING PAGE 3 95 IS NEXT.
[02:35:02]
UM, HERE WE ARE REQUESTING, UH, $1.1 MILLION FOR SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT PROJECTS.UM, IT'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT PROJECTS ARE COVERED HERE.
IT'S BOTH, IT'S CONTRIBUTIONS NOW TO THE SEWER SIDE OF THAT HARTFORD SQUARE EXTENSION PROJECTS BECAUSE IT'S BOTH A WATER AND A SEWER LINE THAT WE'RE EXTENDING.
SO THIS CONTRIBUTES TO THE SEWER SIDE.
UM, IT'S DOING AERIAL PIPELINE COATINGS.
THE BINUM INTERCEPTOR IS EXPOSED.
IT'S HUNG UNDER THE BRIDGE WHERE IT CROSSES UNDER I 95.
THAT NEEDS SOME WORK TO, UH, REPAINT MORE THAN THAT, BUT REPAINT IN ORDER TO PROTECT IT.
AND ALSO THE TEMPLE HILLS, THERE'S AN EXPOSED SECTION OF SEWER THAT WE NEED TO ENGINEER AND BUILD SOME PROTECTION OF IT.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK THERE FY 25, WE, WE EXPECT TO MOVE ON ALL THREE OF THOSE PROJECTS, BOTH THROUGH A, A SMALL BIT OF DESIGN AS WELL AS DOING THE PROJECT IN FY 25.
IF I COULD ADD THAT IS, THAT IS PART OF OUR, NOT ONLY THAT PROJECT, BUT ON THE WATER, UH, IMPROVEMENT SIDE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT BY REALLY GREAT PEOPLE IN BILL'S SHOP SUPPORTED BY ME AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO NOT LET OUR SYSTEM GET TOO OLD, TOO FAST, MAKE THE INVESTMENTS AS THEY'RE NECESSARY, AND NOT JUST KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DESIGNING AND WORKING WITH THE LAR LARGE MUNICIPALITIES, OLDER SYSTEMS, AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO, AS, AS BILL MENTIONED, WE KNOW THOSE PUMPS ARE GETTING TO THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
NOW'S THE TIME TO START THAT PROCESS FUNDING ACQUISITION INSTALL, FIX IT BEFORE IT BREAKS.
AND THAT'S JUST A, IT'S AN APPROACH.
ALRIGHT, ONE MORE PAGE FORWARD TO 3 96.
UM, HERE WE ARE REQUESTING $1.4 MILLION FOR SOD RUN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THESE ARE NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR MAJOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY SOD RUN.
UM, IT'S FOR UPGRADES TO THE PRIMARY CLARIFIERS AND TO DI THE DIGESTER.
UM, THE WORK HERE WILL EXTEND THE SERVICE LIFE OF EACH OF THOSE TWO IMPORTANT, UM, UNIT PROCESS STEPS, EXTEND ANOTHER 10 TO 20 YEARS OF THOSE TWO IMPORTANT PIECES.
UH, IF I LOOK TO THE SCHEDULE WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DESIGN.
UM, THE BID HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
UM, IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES AND WE EXPECT AWARD HERE YET IN FY 24.
UM, AND THEN CONSTRUCTION TO START IN FY 25.
THOSE ARE THE LAST I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.
UM, SUBJECT TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. PETIN? UM, GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU MAKE IT SMELL BETTER WITH EVERY STEP IN THE TREATMENT TRAIN? YES.
UH, QUESTION IS BETTER THAN WHAT? SMELL BETTER THAN MOST.
IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN THE GOLDEN DOMES DOWN IN BALTIMORE.
UM, JOE, SOMETIMES LOW BETWEEN YOU AND BILL, TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT DPW.
WHAT'S THE NUMBER? TOTAL NUMBER TOTAL Q OUT DPW.
I IT'S, AND YOU CAN DO THAT WHEN YOU GIMME THE OTHER INFORMATION TOO, IF YOU WOULD.
ARE ARE YOU LOSING A LOT TO, UH, EARLY RETIREMENT TAKING THE, UH, THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE? ARE YOU LOSING ANY TOP PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING UP BEHIND? I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S VERY TECHNICAL, THOSE POSITIONS AND IT'S NOT AS MANY AS I THOUGHT.
IT'S NOT AS MANY AS I WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WOULD BE.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT BENCH, UH, BEHIND THOSE FOLKS AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THE ONES, UH, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED, YOU STARTED SEEING DIFFERENT PEOPLE HERE PRESENTING ON THE WATER AND SEWER MASTER PLAN INSTEAD OF DARRELL IVANS, WHICH HAD BEEN HERE FOREVER.
SO WE'RE WORK, WE'VE WORKING THAT THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, RECOGNIZING THAT THAT'S INEVITABLE, WHETHER IT WAS GONNA BE AT THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING THAT CHOICE OR THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO GO ANYTIME THEY WANT TO.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO, TO KEEP UP AND TO HIRE YOUNGER PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER THOSE ROLES.
ARE YOU FINDING YOUNGER PEOPLE WANNA GET INVOLVED IN, IN, IN THE WATER AND SEWER SIDE? NOT ENOUGH OF 'EM, BUT WE ARE.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, TO DION'S POINT ABOUT THE VISIT TO THE SIDED RUN, UM, HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
I MEAN, THE TOUR THAT WE HAD THERE, THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT ITSELF, UM, THE
[02:40:01]
CLARITY OF THE WATER GOING BACK IN THE RIVER, I KNOW EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THAT AND HOW GREAT IT IS AND THEY SAY IT'S DRINKABLE, BUT I NOTICED NOBODY TOOK A DRINK OF IT.SO, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE THIS, THIS MORNING'S SESSION AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AFTER, UH, OR OUT TWO O'CLOCK.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON A THIS AFTERNOON'S, UH, WORK SESSION.
AND, UM, MR. SANLI, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
OF COURSE, YOU'RE THE MAINSTAY HERE.
WE'LL SEE IF I PUT PERFORM DIFFERENTLY.
ON PAGE ONE, MARFORD COUNTY LIVING TREASURER.
ON PAGE 1 92, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER.
SLIGHT INCREASE THERE, 50,598, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT IS ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
UM, AND IT'S A RESULT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 24 COLA AT A COST OF 14,246 AND THE FISCAL 25 COLA OF 1% MERIT OF A THOUSAND AT 10,433.
UM, WE HAD ADJUSTMENTS TO, AGAIN, PENSION HEALTH BENEFITS, OPEP, AND THEY'RE ALL BASED ON ACTUALS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS, UM, A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, BUSINESS TRAVEL.
WE DECREASED 700 FROM CONTRACTUAL AND MOVED IT TO BUSINESS AND TRAVEL.
ON PAGE 1 95, THE DIVISION OF, OR EXCUSE ME, THE BUREAU OF ACCOUNTING.
THERE'S A DECREASE THERE OF 148,152.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES, UM, FOR A NET DECREASE OF 2 0 6, 3 0 2.
BUT IT'S STILL PROVIDED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 COLA OF 36 9 21, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 COLA AND MERIT AT 29 2 58.
THERE WAS SOME TURNOVER THERE, UM, FOR AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE DECREASE OF 45 969.
WE ALSO TRANSFERRED ONE ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN ONE OUT OF OUT, UM, OF THIS ACCOUNT TO REVENUE COLLECTIONS.
SO THAT SHOWS A DECREASE OF 87 2 17.
AND THEN WE DID ABOLISH ONE ACCOUNTANT TWO POSITION AT FOR A DECREASE OF 100,870.
UM, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES 60,000.
THIS IS FOR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR A DP TO PROCESS THE TAX PORTION OF PAYROLL.
AND THEN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS DECREASES 2000 AND BUSINESS AND TRAVEL 150.
AND THAT'S ALL BASED ON ACTUAL EXPENSE HISTORY.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE 1 98, THIS IS THE BUREAU OF REVENUE COLLECTIONS.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 1 31, 1 22.
UM, THAT'S ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
UM, THERE'S A NET INCREASE THERE OF 1 53 6 21.
AGAIN, IT, UM, PROVIDES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 COLA OF 24 4 16, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 AND MERIT, UH, AT A COST OF 24 522.
TEMPORARY SALARIES HERE DID INCREASE AT 2320 3,300.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE ONE ACCOUNTANT CAME FROM THE BUREAU RIVER COUNTY INTO THIS INDEX AT A COST OF 88, 8 0 6.
AND THEN PENSION OF COURSE, WORKERS' COMP AND HEALTH WERE ALL ADJUSTED BASED ON NATURAL UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE THERE OF 15,600.
AND THIS IS FOR LEGAL SERVICES, UM, AS PART OF THE TAX SALE.
UM, AND THEN OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND OF ITS EQUIPMENT ALSO DECREASED BASED ON ACTUALS, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS DECREASES $7,000, UM, FOR PRINTING COMMERCIAL.
AND THAT'S BASED ON ACTUAL EXPENSES.
THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN MEALS, UM, UNDER BUSINESS AND TRAVEL OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THOSE WERE ALL THE GENERAL FUND BY LUNCH, UM, CALL CENTERS UNDER TREASURY.
NOW I'M GONNA GO TO THE WATER AND SEWER ACCOUNTING, WHICH IS PAID OUT THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
THAT COST CENTER INCREASES 19,175.
AND AGAIN, MOST OF THAT IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
THEY HAVE A NET INCREASE THERE.
FISCAL YEAR 24, UM, IS INCLUDED AT 17 0 61 AS WELL AS THE 25 MERIT AT 17 333.
THERE WERE ALSO ADJUSTMENTS TO HEALTH BENEFITS AND OPEP
[02:45:01]
BASED ON S AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE, $4,700.
THIS IS FOR DATA PROCESSING SOFTWARE.
AND THIS IS, UM, DUE TO INCREASES IN NORTH, NORTH STAR HOSTING AND MAINTENANCE FEES OF SOFTWARE THAT THEY USE SPECIFICALLY IN WATER AND SEWER.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER.
SO JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, BIG THINGS HAPPENING IN, IN THE BUDGET.
UM, AS I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT EARLIER, UH, WE ARE LOSING ONE POSITION, AN ACCOUNTANT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING, UH, TWO CLERK POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING HALF FUNDED, UM, FOR THE YEAR.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON RETIRING PART OF THE RETIREMENT, UM, INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
UM, THAT'S OUR SUPERVISOR OF WATER AND SEWER HAS BEEN HERE FOR, UM, ALMOST MAYBE 30 THAN SEVEN YEARS.
MORE THAN MORE THAN ME, MORE THAN MORE THAN KIM, THAN, UM, SO, UM, AND WE WILL BE, WE WILL BE FILLING, WE WILL BE FILLING THAT POSITION.
AND WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED, I THINK A PRETTY STRONG SUCCESSION PLAN OVER, UM, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR LAST 10 YEARS HERE WITH, WITH ME.
UM, OF COURSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL AT THAT YOU END UP, UM, HAVING INDIVIDUALS, UM, TAKEN FROM YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU, AS WE SAW YESTERDAY WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, I PROBABLY HAVE LOST PEOPLE TO, UM, EVERY ALLIED AGENCY SHERIFF'S, UM, BUDGET YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT WHICH, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, I THINK WE STRIVE TO DO THAT AND TO TRAIN PEOPLE UP THAT CAN, THAT CAN BENEFIT THE COUNTY IN, IN NUMEROUS WAYS.
UM, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF BIG PROJECTS KIND OF UNDERWAY.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH HUMAN RESOURCES TO, TO DO THE, UM, HR SYSTEM SLASH PAYROLL WITH WORKDAY.
A FEW YEARS AGO WE USED, UM, WE WENT TO WORKDAY WITH THE FINANCIALS ALONG WITH PROCUREMENT THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
SO WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THAT.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF CHANGING OUR TAX, UM, BILLING SOFTWARE.
UM, WE KIND OF HAVE THIS HOMEGROWN SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, RFPS OUT ON THE STREET LOOKING TO TO CHANGE THAT.
SO THOSE WILL BE SOME, SOME HEAVY LIFTS.
UM, EITHER IN THE FUTURE OR, OR CURRENTLY.
THERE'S ALWAYS LOTS OF NEW, UM, GSB PRONOUNCEMENTS FOR OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, COUPLE OF NEW TAX CREDITS THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE THIS, UM, SWIM CLUB TAX CREDIT.
WE ALREADY, THAT'S ONLY FIVE, FIVE ENTITIES.
THEY'RE ALL, UM, THEY'RE ALL READY TO GO FOR NEXT YEAR'S TAX CREDIT.
WE'VE SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THE SENIOR AND VETERANS TAX CREDIT.
UM, RIGHT NOW I THINK WE ARE UP TO, UM, ABOUT, UH, 5,500, UH, PEOPLE.
THAT'S UP FROM ABOUT, UM, 4,500 LAST YEAR.
SO A THOUSAND MORE PEOPLE FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR MAY RECALL.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S, UH, 20% FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE EITHER LIVED IN THEIR HOME FOR 35 YEARS OR MORE, SAME HOME.
UM, AND ARE 65 YEARS OR OLDER EITHER AND, OR, OR RETIRED FROM THE ARMED SERVICES, UM, OR SUFFERED A, UM, A DISABILITY, UH, FROM THEIR TIME IN, IN THE SERVICES OF 50%, REALLY 50% TO 99%.
ANYBODY THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THEM, THEY ACTUALLY RECEIVE A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, THROUGH THE STATE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'LL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, SO WILLING TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND RICK, PER MY, UM, MY, MY DEPUTY AND ACCOUNTANT EXTRAORDINAIRE IS, UH, HE NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION.
HE NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, BUT, UH, HE, HE MAKES, HE MAKES ME LOOK GOOD ON A DAILY BASIS.
THERE YOU, SO I, I HEARD YOU MENTION THAT WE HAVE A HOMEGROWN SYSTEM FOR I GUESS SOME BILLING AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT TRANSITIONING THAT TO, YOU'RE GETTING RFPS FOR THAT.
WHAT'S THE REASON BEHIND THAT? IS IT JUST THAT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF LIMITATIONS ON THE SYSTEM AND PROBABLY WHEN WE DISCUSS WITH, UM, ICT, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE OLDER SYSTEMS, YOU HAD TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT COULD PROGRAM 'EM HERE, THAT WE WOULD HAVE OUR OWN CODERS OR OWN PROGRAMMERS.
THOSE ARE REALLY HARD TO FIND ANYMORE.
AND, AND WE'RE KIND OF ON THIS THING WHERE WE KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT ARE, UM, COUNTING DOWN THEIR DAYS MORE OR LESS.
AND THAT WE'RE, IS THAT, IS THAT LIKE THE WATER AND INSURER BILL AND THE, THE PROPERTY TENANT BILL? WELL, WE DID, WE DID THE WATER AND, AND THE WATER AND INSURER.
BILL WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS KIND OF A HOMEGROWN SYSTEM.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THAT FROM BALTIMORE CITY.
THAT WAS LIKE A HAND ME DOWN FROM BALTIMORE CITY.
AND THEN, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD MUCH MORE SUCCESS WITH IT IN BALTIMORE.
I SHOULDN'T SAY I'M WRONG, WE'RE BEING RECORDED.
WE, WE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, WE, IT WORKED WELL FOR US FOR MANY, FOR MANY YEARS.
IT WAS A, UM, KIND OF A HOMEGROWN SYSTEM AND YOU NEEDED TO HAVE THE, THE PEOPLE THERE THAT COULD, UH, CODE THINGS PROPERLY AND ALL.
SO, BUT YEAH, SO WE THAT WE ALREADY UPDATED THAT ORDER AND SOURCE SYSTEM AND NOW WE'RE DOING THE TAX SIDE, PROPERTY TAX SIDE.
AND WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THAT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A DECISION ON THIS? UM, YOU SAID IT'S OUT TO, OUT TO BID PROBABLY A DECISION ON IT THIS YEAR.
YOU KNOW, UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU YOU, WE, WE WANNA DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND FIND THE SYSTEM.
UM, 'CAUSE LIKE WITH ANYTHING, AND THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE OF, OF LOTS OF THINGS IN TREASURY, YOU KNOW, 99% OF IT IS FINE.
[02:50:01]
DO ALMOST PROBABLY ANY SYSTEM CAN DO.IT'S, IT'S THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS OR IT'S THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HIGHWAYS TAX WHEREAS OTHER JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT.
OR, UM, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU REALLY KIND OF NEED THE, UM, YOU NEED A SYSTEM THAT IS, UM, SOMEWHAT CUSTOMIZABLE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT MAKING YOUR OWN SYSTEM, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
ANY DATA BREACHES ON YOUR SIDE? NO, NO, NOT ON, NOT ON OUR SIDE.
AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK WHEN, UM, I'M SURE THAT WHEN YOU TALK WITH, WITH ICT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CONSTANT PEOPLE TRYING TO LIKE THREATEN THE SYSTEMS AND ALL, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE INTERNAL SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE KIND OF RUN OR IT'S THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE CLOUDS THAT YOU, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING OTHER PEOPLE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS I THINK OF GOING TO THE CLOUD, IS THAT YOU CAN KIND OF OUTSOURCE A LOT OF THAT SECURITY RATHER THAN HAVING TO DO A LOT OF SECURITY IN-HOUSE.
AND I KNOW WE, WHEN YOU, YESTERDAY WE DID TALK ABOUT, UM, REVENUE AND REVENUE PROJECTIONS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU SAID LAST YEAR AND LOOKS LIKE THAT WAS MOSTLY CORRECT COMING FORWARD ON THE, ON THE INCOME SIDE.
JUST, YOU KNOW, MY, MY ONLY OTHER BIG QUESTION WAS GOING TO THESE FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND FINDING OUT THE REVENUE LOOKS LIKE THE, I SHOULD SAY THE PAYROLL TAXES THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING IS 25% GREATER THAN LAST YEAR.
NOW I KNOW THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GONNA AFFECT, UM, OUR, OUR INCOME TAX THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THE TAXES THAT WE GET, BUT YEAH, AND THAT'S ALL IN MY BIG, AND AND AGAIN, YOU, WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE'RE COLLECTING OUR INCOME, IT'S NOT LIKE OUR PROPERTY TAX WHERE WE'RE DOING THE BILLING.
WE KNOW WHAT THE PROPERTIES ARE, WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE ASSESSED, AND WE, AND, AND WE ARE ABLE TO, TO, UH, TO TAKE THAT OUR TAX RATE AND APPLY IT THERE.
AND IF IT DOESN'T GO, WE HAVE A TAX SALE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INCOME TAX, IT'S ALL COMING IN THROUGH THE STATE.
SO WHEN ALL OF US ARE PAYING OUR TAXES, IT'S ALL KIND OF GOING INTO THE STATE AND THEN THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING IT OUT IN A KIND OF A FORWARD FUNDING TYPE WAY, AND THEN THEY'RE RECONCILING ON THE BACK END.
SO EVEN IF, YOU KNOW, KNOW, WE MAY BE SEEING SOME CHANGES NOW, IT KIND OF TAKES A WHILE FOR THINGS TO REALLY WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WITH, WITH OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO BE CONSERVATIVE AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NEXT WEEK WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THE SPENDING PORTABILITY COMES IN.
BUT I THINK OUR, WE'RE BOTH ON THE SAME PAGE THERE OF WE'RE TRYING TO STRIKE THAT BALANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT UNDULY UNDERCUTTING OUR REVENUE ESTIMATES AND, AND MAKING THINGS TOO DIFFICULT ON COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR OPERATIONS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT TO OVEREXTEND OURSELVES BECAUSE WE KNOW, PARTICULARLY WITH INCOME TAX, BY THE TIME WE FIGURE OUT THAT WE ARE BEHIND, YOU COULD SEE, LIKE THIS YEAR, BY THE TIME WE KIND OF COULD REALLY TELL THAT WE WERE $13 MILLION IN THE HOLE, IT WAS WELL OVER HALF THE YEAR.
AND SO WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY MIDTERM CUTS THIS YEAR.
WE STILL HAD A LITTLE BIT OF GIVE, UM, UH, SO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, TO ABSORB, UH, ABSORB THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE, UM, THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE REALITY.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS WANNA TRY TO BALANCE THAT.
DO YOU TALK, OBVIOUSLY YOU TALK TO YOUR DIFFERENT, UH, COHORTS IN OTHER COUNTIES.
HOW ARE THEY GOING ABOUT COLLECTING THE MONIES THAT THE STATE OWES US FROM 2008 AND OH NINE? WHAT HAVE THEY COLLECTED THOSE, THOSE BACK MONIES THAT, THAT WERE OWED? UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET THOSE AND WHAT DO, WHAT CAN YOU GUYS DO ON YOUR END? WELL, I, I THINK, AND THIS IS, THIS IS BIT OF A BIT OF, UM, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, I GUESS PROBABLY WITH THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, THEY MAINTAIN, AND IT'S PROBABLY SOMEWHAT TRUE, THAT EVENTUALLY WE DO RECEIVE THE MONEY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO, HOWEVER THEY ARE HOLDING SOME OF IT BACK FOR REFUNDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND OVER THE YEARS, THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN A WHOLE LOT.
AND WE DO KNOW AT SOME POINT 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO, THE STATE DID, DID, UM, UM, USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS AND THEN, THEN THEY AGREED TO PAY THEM BACK.
UM, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVEN'T REALLY PAID 'EM BACK.
AND SO IT IS, IT IS KIND OF HARD TO GET THIS SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR MONEY? YOU KNOW, THEY MAINTAIN THAT, THAT WE WILL RECEIVE ALL THE MONEY THAT'S DUE TO US AND THAT IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF THE CHURN.
BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT THE REALITY, WHICH IS LIKE, WELL, THAT'S THE CASE THEN HOW COME THEY WERE ABLE TO USE WHATEVER IT WAS, A HUNDRED MILLION OF IT 15 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND SO IT IS, IT, IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT IN TRYING TO GET, I, I THINK A STRAIGHT ANSWER.
WHAT ABOUT OUR CPAS THAT, THAT ARE LOOKING AT OUR BOOKS? CAN'T, CAN'T THEY DECIPHER HOW MUCH THAT WE'RE OWED AND OH, WELL THEY, WE KNOW THE NUMBER.
SO THEN WHY, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAKE THEM? WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? DO WE HAVE TO SUE THE STATE? I MEAN, HOW DO WE GET OUR MONEY THAT THAT'S OWED TO US? YEAH, I MEAN, I I IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ULTIMATELY EXIST BECAUSE THE STATE SAYS THAT WE EXIST.
YOU KNOW, ALL COUNTY GOVERNMENTS EXIST BECAUSE THE STATE SAYS THAT WE, THAT WE CAN EXIST.
I, I CAN'T ACCEPT THAT WE EXIST JUST BECAUSE THE STATE TELLS US WE EXIST AND WE CAN'T SAY TO THEM, YOU OWE US THIS MONEY AND WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING LEGALLY OR SOMETHING TO GET THE MONEY FROM THEM.
I SAY THE, THE, THE NUMBER HAS GONE DOWN SOMEWHAT, YOU KNOW, FOR HOW MUCH THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE, UM, UH, THEY WERE WITHHOLDING, YOU KNOW, IT IS IN THEIR BOOKS.
YOU KNOW, WE DO GET THE NUMBER EACH
[02:55:01]
YEAR ON HOW MUCH, UM, HOW MUCH IS WITHHELD.AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WELL, THEY NEED THAT BECAUSE OF KIND OF THE CHURN OF HOW THE INCOME TAX IS GOING.
AND THEN REFUNDS ARE BEING PAID OUT AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP THAT, THAT AMOUNT IN THERE.
SO IN, IN SOME EXTENT, THEY ARE GONNA SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET ALL OF OUR MONEY EVENTUALLY, BUT I THINK THERE'S A TIME LAG THERE.
WELL, IS THAT IT? WAS THAT A THAT'S IT.
I, AND I, I LOVE THE LINE OF QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THE STATE RESERVE FUND, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE HIT, UH, LAST YEAR.
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE AND PERHAPS MAYBE AS, UH, COUNCILMAN GI ANDO MENTIONED MAYBE, UH, THROUGH ADJUDICATION IS, IS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION, UM, TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, RETRIEVE SOME OF THAT MONEY THAT WAS TAKEN, UH, BACK IN OH EIGHT AND OH NINE.
BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST KIND OF TRANSITION JUST ABOUT JUST KIND OF THE OVERALL FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE COUNTY, AND I KIND OF WANNA REVISIT THE FUND BALANCE IF YOU, UH, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF, I KNOW THE 150 IS A BENCHMARK THAT YOU'RE USING FOR THE FUND BALANCE, AND I KIND OF WANT TO SEE WHERE THAT NUMBER, UH, HAS COME FROM BECAUSE I'VE CHECKED, UM, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS AND, AND IT FLUCTUATES.
EACH, EACH OF 'EM HAVE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, INCOME SOURCES AND LEVELS.
UM, AND ACCORDING TO THE FITCH RATES, UM, OVER OUR LAST AAA BOND RATING, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN I GUESS THE FALL OF 23, THIS REPORT WAS PRODUCED IN JANUARY OF 24.
IT SAYS THE COUNTY HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS ABILITY TO CONSISTENTLY MAINTAIN STRONG RESERVE BALANCES, WELL ABOVE ITS MINIMUM UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND BALANCE.
AND I GUESS MAYBE IT GOES BACK TO YOUR CONVERSATION IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT BALANCE IS, RIGHT? TO A POINT WHERE WE WANT TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
WE WANT TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE FUND BALANCE TO BE SO GREAT THAT IT'S GONNA CAUSE HARM TO OUR COUNTY, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR EDUCATION, OUR NONPROFITS.
I MEAN, WE JUST HEARD THE ARC IN HERE THAT REQUESTED $60,000, THAT SMALL AMOUNT, BUT HUGE IMPACT TO THAT ORGANIZATION.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WITH THE, UH, 5%, AND IN HERE IT MENTIONS, YOU KNOW, UM, THE MINIMUM ON ASSIGNED IS 5%.
THAT'S WE FOR, AND THAT'S THE STABILITY FUND, RIGHT? WHICH IS $38 MILLION, BUT WE'RE SITTING ON 150 PLUS IN DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED YESTERDAY.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT SHOULD AND HOW DO WE GET TO THAT 150 BENCHMARK THAT WE HAVE THAT YOU MENTIONED YESTERDAY? SO I WILL SAY THE, THE 150, WHERE, WHERE THAT CAME FROM IS THAT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, ALL THREE RATING AGENCIES HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE TRANSPARENT IN WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOW PUBLISHING THESE SCORECARDS, UM, TO, TO MORE OR LESS SERVICE GUIDES.
THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT A, A THING THAT IF YOU ARE, IF YOU'RE AT 19%, YOU LOSE YOUR AA AND IF YOU'RE AT 21%, YOU GET AAA OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE WHOLE CREDIT RATING PROCESS IS, UM, VERY MUCH A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT, THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR FUND BALANCES.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT, UM, OUR ABILITY TO RAISE REVENUES IF WE NEED TO.
SOME PLACES HAVE REVENUE CAPS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY NEED TO GO TO REFERENDUM IN ORDER TO RAISE RATES, OR THEY CAN ONLY RAISE RATES FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
ANNE ARUN COUNTY, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY ARE LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DECENT REVENUE FLEXIBILITY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT AT THE CAP FOR THE INCOME TAX.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE RELATIVELY, UM, UM, FOR THE REGION, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE PROPERTY TAX RATES, UM, THAT ARE AT THE AVERAGE TO BELOW AVERAGE, UH, AREA.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF CHECK MARKS THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT WE CAN MAKE, UM, HARD DECISIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVELS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING THAT OTHER PLACES DO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF IN OUR, IN OUR FAVOR.
UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS MUCH IN OUR FAVOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE MIGHT JUST BE JUST THE, THE, THE TOTAL, OUR, OUR RELIANCE ON, UM, ON, ON RESIDENTIAL AS FAR AS OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT AS BAD AS SAY, A CARROLL COUNTY, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, UH, HOWARD COUNTY, I, I, YOU KNOW, EITHER WITH A, WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH A, WITH A MUCH MORE THRIVING, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL BASE.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, KIND OF COME INTO PLAY.
BUT JUST ON THE, ON THE, ON THIS IDEA OF THE FUND BALANCE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING, IS THAT WHAT THEY SAID IS THAT FROM A MIDPOINT PERSPECTIVE, ONE 50 IS A GOOD NUMBER FOR US TO, UM, ONE 50 REPRESENTS, UM, A 20%, UH, UM, A 20% NUMBER.
AND THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF USE AS A GUIDELINE.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT ONE 50, YOU KNOW, THAT INCLUDES, THAT INCLUDES THE 5% STABILIZATION FUND, IT ALSO INCLUDES THE $50 MILLION THAT WE ARE GOING TO USE TO, UM, WE ARE GOING TO APPROPRIATE TO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
NOW, TO SOME EXTENT, YOU KNOW, I, I AM EXPECTING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T USE ALL OF THAT $50 MILLION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL
[03:00:01]
HAVE SOME, UM, EXPENDITURE SAVINGS, HOPEFULLY SOME REVENUE INCREASE.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T USE ALL OF IT, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO APPROPRIATE SOMEWHAT OF A SIMILAR NUMBER IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
IT MIGHT NOT EXACTLY BE 50, IT MIGHT BE 40, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, SOMETHING IN THAT, IN THAT GENERAL RANGE.
UM, AND THEN IT DOES INCLUDE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NONS, SPENDABLE OR SOME OF OUR, UM, SOME OF OUR BOND PROCEEDS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE TWO BIGGEST ONES THAT WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, UM, COMPONENT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, SO ALL THOSE PROJECTS WE WERE GOING OVER THIS MORNING, UM, YOU KNOW, SUNNYVALE AND ALL OF THAT WITH, WITH, UM, WITH JOE CMAC AND THE STUFF THAT DEALS WITH OUR NPDS CREDIT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A SUFFICIENT REVENUE SOURCE TO COVER ALL THAT.
WE'RE SPENDING, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS, SIX, SEVEN, $8 MILLION, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
$7 MILLION A YEAR, UM, ON THOSE PROJECTS.
AND WE ARE BRINGING IN 3 MILLION FROM RECORDATION.
EVENTUALLY WE WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY AND WE WILL NEED TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS.
WE WILL EITHER NEED TO TRANSFER SOME OF THIS MONEY HERE TO THAT FUND, OR WE WILL NEED TO FIND ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PART WAS THAT LANDFILL CLOSURE COST, BUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER ASSIGNMENTS, UM, KIND OF SET ASIDE.
SO, I MEAN, I DO AGREE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ART, YOU KNOW, MUCH MORE SO THAN A SCIENCE, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE NOW HAVE AT LEAST GUIDEPOSTS FROM THE RATING AGENCIES TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE SHOOTING FOR.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE JUST DEFINITELY DID NOT HAVE, UM, EVEN, EVEN 2, 2, 3 YEARS AGO.
THOSE GUIDEPOSTS THAT YOU MEANT, UH, UH, MENTIONED FROM THE, UH, RATING AGENCIES, DO YOU HAVE THOSE THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL? I MEAN, I HAVE LIKE, UH, THE, THE, UM, I, I CAN FORWARD TO YOU, UM, UH, A SYNOPSIS THAT'S FROM DAVENPORT, UM, THAT I, THAT I ASKED, UM, I ASKED THEM FOR, AND I'LL, I'LL FORWARD THAT.
AND THAT KIND OF GI UM, SHOULD GIVE YOU THAT, THAT INFORMATION AND, AND, AND THOSE GUIDEPOSTS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE MINIMUM IS 5%.
WE'RE LOOKING AT 22% ACCORDING TO THE REPORT HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF THERE'S ROOM IN THE MIDDLE TO, TO FLUCTUATE, AND I'M NOT SAYING GIVE THAT THE SCHOOLS OR THE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY, EVERYTHING THEY ASKED FOR, BUT YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT HERE AND A LITTLE BIT, THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE, AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THE PRODUCT THAT OVERALL PRODUCT THAT THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES CAN PULL FORWARD.
SO, WELL, I WOULD ALSO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT MUCH OF WHAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO SEE THEIR MONEY GO TOWARDS IN THIS WAY WOULD BE ONGOING EXPENDITURES.
AND IF THIS WERE PROBABLY JUST A QUESTION OF, HEY, LOOK, WE KNOW WE NEED THIS, THIS ONETIME MONEY IN ORDER TO, TO DO THIS PROJECT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
BUT WHAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANY OF THE ONES WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THERE? THOSE ARE ALL ONGOING EXPENDITURES, AND PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I MEAN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES PART OF MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT AND YOU CAN'T RATCHET, YOU CANNOT RATCHET THAT BACK.
UM, AND I SAID THE SAME THING WE SAID YESTERDAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE REASON WHY WE NEED A FUND BALANCE IS DIFFERENT THAN ALMOST ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE REVENUE VOLATILITY.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT OUR REVENUE IS GONNA BE YEAR TO YEAR.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE.
NONE OF THE OTHER ENTITIES HAVE DEBT.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DOESN'T HAVE DEBT.
THE COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE DEBT ON, ON OUR BOOKS, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO KEEP THOSE, UM, THOSE FUNDS THERE.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, WE ACTUALLY WERE PRETTY AGGRESSIVE WITH FUND BALANCE.
UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE NEXT WEEK AS WELL.
BUT THAT ONLY HAVING $2.7 MILLION OF, OF UNASSIGNED, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY TIGHT.
UM, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M HOPING, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE USED TO SHOOT FOR AT LEAST 20 IN ADDITION TO HAVING ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT WE HAVE HAVE SET ASIDE.
UM, SO THAT DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF ROOM, UM, THAT DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF ROOM FOR EMERGENCIES OR BAD WEATHER OR ALL TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT THAT, THAT'S A SELF-CREATED NUMBER BECAUSE THE, THE FUND BALANCE IS PUT INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES TO GET TO THAT NUMBER.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF I BUY INTO THAT NUMBER IS THE REAL NUMBER BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS THAT, THAT MONEY IS PUT.
BUT LEMME JUST GO BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID AS FAR AS IF THIS IS A ONE TIME EXPENSE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE HAVING A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION TO USE FUND BALANCE FOR, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
WELL, NOT YOU, THE ADMINISTRATION, SORRY, UH, OF THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO USE THEIR FUND BALANCES, FUND BALANCES ON, UH, WAGES, UH, BENEFITS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE REOCCURRING COSTS THAT WE'RE, YOU'RE ASKING, SAYING, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT OURSELVES, BUT WE WANT YOU TO DO IT WITH, WITH, WITH YOUR FUNDS, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN NEXT YEAR WHEN THEY, YOU KNOW, THOSE FUND BALANCES ARE DEPLETED, NOW THEY'RE SITTING IN LINE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION ASKING FOR A MONEY THAT IS MAYBE NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE NECESSARILY ASKING THEM TO DO IT.
WE'RE SAYING THAT THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO DO IT IF THEY SO CHOOSE AND WHAT ALL ENTITIES SHOULD DO, INCLUDING THIS ONE, INCLUDING THE, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
IT IS, WE ARE KIND OF BEEN USING IT AS A BRIDGE TO LIKE, OKAY, WE HAD THE ONE YEAR WHERE WE USED A LOT OF FUN BALANCE AND THEN LAST YEAR AT
[03:05:01]
75 AND THIS YEAR AT 50, YOU, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF, OF TRYING TO BALANCE THINGS OUT.YOU'RE USING SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THAT FUN BALANCE IN ORDER TO SMOOTH OUT THE GLIDE PATH.
UM, BUT YOU'RE ALSO MAKING CUTS SUCH AS GETTING RID OF 11 POSITIONS HERE, DOING THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT I WOULD PROBABLY SAY TO ANY OTHER ENTITIES OUT THERE IS TO LOOK AT THEIR FUND BALANCE, TO LOOK AT IT PROBABLY IN A LONG TERM, SEVERAL YEAR KIND OF, OF, OF A SPAN AS WE TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS, UM, KIND OF THIS POST COVID ECONOMY AND SEE WHERE WE ARE.
AND I WOULD NOT USE IT ALL IN ONE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD USE IT ALL.
THEY ARE INDEPENDENT IF THEY SHOULD CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD PROBABLY TRY TO STRETCH IT OUT AND THEN TRY TO, UH, HAVE A BLEND OF SPENDING REDUCTIONS PLUS, PLUS FUND BALANCE.
BUT, AND I GET YOU, BUT THE SCHOOLS HAVE A DIFFERENT GUIDELINE BASED OFF OF KERWIN ON WHAT THEY HAVE TO SPEND IT ON AND THE PACKAGE AND ALL THE, AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATORS.
SO I THINK THEY, SOME, SOME OF THAT IS THAT, AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE CHALLENGE, AND, AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. YOU, THE WHOLE POINT OF KERWIN, I THINK WAS FOR THEM TO KIND OF REIMAGINE HOW EDUCATION WAS GOING TO BE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE CONSIDERED LOCAL PREROGATIVES THAT ARE NOT PART OF KERWIN'S CLASS SIZES ARE ONE OF THEM.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS POINT UP SEVERAL TIMES TO RACHEL HIGHS AND THE GLENN IVY, AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION FOR CLASS SIZES? AND THEY, THEY REALLY DON'T WANNA SAY THEY, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT, THAT, THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT IF WE DO ALL OF THINGS IN, IN, IN CUR THAT, THAT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN KERWIN, THE 60,000, THE 60 40 SPLIT, UM, TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, IN THE CLASSROOM VERSUS, UH, PLANNING TIME, UM, THE PRE-K THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR FOR, FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR, FOR THEM TO ASSUME THAT THE LOCALS ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP ALL OF THIS.
AND IF YOU ASK THEM, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, OUR, OUR IDEA OF KERWIN WAS THAT AGAIN, IT WOULD BE REIMAGINED, NOT THAT IT WOULD BE CONTINUE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING PLUS WITH KERWIN ON TOP.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE REAL CHALLENGE FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR, FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THIS COUNTY.
AND I THINK IT'S ONE THAT A LOT OF THE, THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS PROBABLY DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE THESE POLLS THAT COME OUT AND THEY'LL SAY, KER, WE, YES, WE SUPPORT KERWIN BECAUSE WE SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, INCREASED, UM, FUNDING OF EDUCATION.
BUT THERE'S PROBABLY, WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, IT'S VERY EVIDENT THAT LIKE, THEIR EXPECTATION IS THAT, WELL, YOU MAY NEED TO STOP DOING SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING, UM, TO, TO REDIRECT RESOURCES IN ORDER TO, TO MEET THE KERWIN MANDATE.
SO JUST ONE FOLLOW UP, UH, POINT, AND THEN I'LL CHANGE ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
SO, CLASS SIZES, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT AN EDUCATOR AND WE HAVE AN EDUCATOR HERE THAT CAN PROBABLY SPEAK, YOU KNOW, UH, MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I CAN, BUT CLASS SIZES HAVE A DIRECT RESULT ON SCORING, RIGHT? I'VE, I'VE TOURED SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE COUNTY AND I, I MEAN, I, MYSELF AND I, I HOPE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE NOT ADVOCATING FOR THE SCHOOLS TO HOLD BACK FUNDS AND INCREASE CLASS SIZERS.
'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA HAVE A DIRE CONSEQUENCE.
SO, AND THE OTHER POINT I'D MAKE IS I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT AFTER THESE BUDGET SESSIONS, THERE CAN HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAN HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING THE NEEDLE ON THE FUND BALANCE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE ROOM FOR THE OTHER ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY.
AND THEN I'LL CLOSE WITH JUST ANOTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO KIND OF A DIFFERENT, UH, TOPIC IS NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH AVAMAR, RIGHT? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, PURCHASING THAT PROPERTY AND MOVING THAT SCHOOL OVER THERE, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OVER 70 ACRES, I THINK TWO PLOTS OF LAND, UH, OVER ON SHUCKS ROAD, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE USED FOR A SCHOOL THAT COULD BE USED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S BUSINESS OR WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOUSING.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME ISSUES, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, WATER OVER THERE, UM, UM, SEWER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE ABLE TO SUBDIVIDE THAT, OR WOULD THE COUNTY CONSIDER SELLING THAT PROPERTY FOR REVENUE IN THE FUTURE? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST SITTING YEAH, I KNOW.
RIGHT NOW IT'S STILL WITH THE, THE SYSTEM, IT'S STILL WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK TO US.
AND ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE BECAUSE I'M, I'M SURE THAT WAS NOTHING CAN TAKE PLACE UNTIL THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAND WE'RE GETTING THE EVEN MORE.
YEAH, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A PROCESS THERE.
UM, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT USING IT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I IT IS, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS OWNED BY THE BOARD OF ED.
UM, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT USING IT, UH, IT CAN, IT CAN SERVE A WHOLE LOT MORE PURPOSES, UM, AS FAR AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COUNTY.
SO I HOPE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GONNA TAKE PLACE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
IT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE, YOU KNOW, GO BACK AND FORTH AND ASK YOU A BUNCH OF STUFF, BUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE, UM, IS UNBELIEVABLE ON A LOT OF STUFF AND, AND MEMORY.
SO I, I THINK YOU'RE A BIG PART OF WHY OUR BUDGETS AND OUR AAA RATINGS GO THAT WAY.
[03:10:01]
LISTENING TO YOU AND, AND SPEAK FOR THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, AND I DO HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOU AND, AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE.AND I, I CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
I'M SURE MY OTHER COLLEAGUES DO AS WELL.
UM, AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS TO.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GIVE US THE ANSWERS WE WANT TO HEAR, BUT YOU GIVE US THE ANSWERS.
AND, AND I CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, I JUST HAVE A QUICK, UH, CLARIFYING QUESTION 'CAUSE IT'S JUST SOMETHING I FIND INTERESTING IN DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE GIVE TO OUTSIDE ENTITIES, LIKE THE LIBRARIES AND THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES INCLUDED IN OUR TOTAL NUMBER THAT THEN OUR PERCENTAGES, UH, LIKE OUR OPERATING BUDGET, THAT THEN THE PERCENTAGE WE NEED TO HAVE FUND BALANCE OF.
ALTHOUGH IT'S REALLY DRIVEN, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE BY THE, BY THE REVENUE SIDE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE BRINGING IN THOSE REVENUES, WE'RE BRINGING IN, UH, THE, THE PROPERTY TAX AND THE INCOME TAX, AND THEN IT, IT'S A, IT ENDS UP BEING A, UM, A PERCENTAGE OF THAT.
'CAUSE I WAS WONDERING LIKE WHY IS, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF ONE AND THE SAME.
LIKE, DO THEY CONSIDER, UH, UH, THE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE THAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR LIBRARY OR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS IN DETERMINING OUR CREDIT RATING? NO.
LIKE, THEY WILL SOMETIMES LOOK AT, AT, THEY WILL LOOK AT ENTITY WIDE.
SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY ALSO WILL LOOK AT SAY, OUR HIGHWAYS FUND OR OUR STORMWATER FUND AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WITH, YOU KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT ENTITY WIDE THEY'RE GOING TO GO, BECAUSE A REAL CONCERN IS THERE'S A HUGE LIABILITY ON THE BOARD OF ED BOOKS AS IT RELATES TO THEIR OPED MM-HMM.
NOW, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS DONE THROUGH NUMEROUS ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, FUNDED THEIR OPEP, YOU KNOW, AND NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE 70% FUNDED OR SO, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SOMETHING IN SINGLE DIGITS, YOU KNOW, 5% OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, AND IF YOU LOOK ON THEIR FINANCIALS, IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE, UM, UM, IT'S A HUGE NEGATIVE.
AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE CONCERNS FROM A CREDIT RATING PERSPECTIVE ARE, ARE THEY GONNA START LOOKING AT THAT? BECAUSE ARE THEY JUST GONNA SAY, WELL, ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S GONNA HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND HOW LIKE, LONG TERM, TWO OR THREE STEPS DOWN THE ROAD, IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR THE LIBRARY SPENDS THEIR ENTIRE FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, HOW THAT COULD LONG TERM END UP HURTING OUR CREDIT RATING.
IF THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS LARGER GAP TO FILL AS A COUNTY NEXT YEAR, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, THREE YEARS FROM NOW, TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE HOW WE CURRENTLY DO WITHOUT CUTTING SERVICES, UM, UNLESS IT'S OUR DESIRE TO CUT SERVICES, THEN IT'S AN EASIER SITUATION TO SOLVE.
'CAUSE YOU CAN JUST SAY, SO SAD, TOO BAD, UH, YOU GRADUATE AT THE END OF FOURTH GRADE, OR THERE'S THREE BOOKS AT THE LIBRARY, WHATEVER IT MAY BE TO BALANCE A BUDGET.
UM, BUT, UH, IN THE SHORT TERM, IS THERE AN IMPACT ON OUR CREDIT RATING IF, LET'S SAY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS OUT OF FUND BALANCE OR THE LIBRARY IS OUT OF FUND BALANCE, DO THEY LOOK AT THAT AS A CONSIDERATION? YEAH, I MEAN, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THEY'VE, THEY'VE BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL OF THAT.
I MEAN, I DO THINK THEY, THEY SUBSCRIBE TO CLIPPING SERVICES, SO THEY DO LOOK AT, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? IS THE, IS THE, IS IS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM YOU, PARTICULARLY WITH MANDATED FUNDING, WHERE YOU GET INTO, UM, IS THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT NOT ABLE TO MEET ITS MANDATED FUNDING? ITS KERWIN FUNDING, AND THAT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO MEET OUR KERWIN FUNDING AND OUR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT FUNDING WHAT WE'RE NOT, WHERE THE DISCONNECT IS IS BETWEEN THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF.
UM, SO I THINK THAT PROBABLY WEIGHS LESS THAN, SAY IF WE WEREN'T, IF, IF WE WERE ONE OF THESE COUNTIES, LIKE RIGHT NOW, LIKE, UM, UH, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, A BALTIMORE CITY, A KENT COUNTY, A LOT OF THE SMALLER COUNTIES, THEY'RE LOOKING AT KERWIN AND THEY'VE GOTTA COME UP WITH THE MONEY.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH A LOT MORE MONEY THERE.
AND I THINK THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES WILL LOOK AT THAT DIFFERENTLY THAN, AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF MEETING A LOCAL, LOCAL REQUEST.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN YOUR POSITION FOR A LONG TIME.
HOW HAS YOUR OFFICE CHANGED IN THAT TIME, STAFFING WISE? UM, HASN'T CHANGED.
HAVE YOU SEEN, UM, A DIFFERENCE OVER THAT TIME? UH, IF, FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG, IF YOU COULD PAINT A PICTURE FOR HOW THAT WORK HAS CHANGED? I MEAN, PROBABLY WHEN I CAME ON BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE WERE STILL ON THE MAINFRAME, SO WE STILL HAD THE GREEN SCREEN AND, UM, ALL OF, AND IT ACTUALLY, IT, IT WORKED, IT WORKED FINE, BUT IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, EASY I THINK FOR NEW PEOPLE TO LEARN THE SYSTEM.
AND WE HAD A, UM, A STAFF THAT I WOULD SAY USED TO HAVE A LOT MORE, UM, UH, CLERICAL TYPES OF PEOPLE.
THERE'S A LOT MORE STUFF THAT WAS ON PAPER A LOT MORE.
UM, PEOPLE WOULD GENERALLY, IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU WOULD'VE WENT TO THE TAX WINDOW, YOU PROBABLY WOULD'VE SAW A MUCH LONGER LINE.
NOW SOMETIMES YOU WILL SEE A, A, A LINE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, BUT IT USED TO JUST BE PRETTY COMMON THAT THERE WAS, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO KEEP FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE ON THE COUNTER.
NOW WITH ONLINE PAYMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THERE'S A LOT LESS OF THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THINGS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT MORE COMPLICATED.
EVERY YEAR THEY GIVE US NEW, UM, ACCOUNTING STANDARDS AND THE LIKE,
[03:15:01]
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE ACCOUNTANTS OVER THE YEARS.UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE, YOU KNOW, OVERALL THE NUMBER OF, OF CLERKS.
SO THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES.
WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME REALLY BIG RETIREMENTS, AND THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE OF THIS COUNTY IN GENERAL.
AS WE'RE WE'RE SEEING, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE HIRED IN THE LATE EIGHTIES AND EARLY NINETIES, YOU KNOW, UM, OR, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, LATE EIGHTIES THROUGH THE NINETIES, UM, AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS WHEN THIS COUNTY WAS REALLY GROWING.
AND A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD PEOPLE.
THIS IS ONE OF 'EM WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE PEOPLE LIKE JEFF STRAT BY, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, JACKIE WEBSTER AND THEY ARE RETIRING NOW.
AND THAT IS, THAT, THAT IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE YOU TRY TO PUT FORTH SECESSION PLANS, BUT SECESSION PLANS ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN'T KEEP SOMEBODY HERE AGAINST THEIR WILL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN, THEN YOU END UP, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE A GREAT SECESSION PLAN AND IT DOESN'T WORK.
SO YOU ALMOST KIND OF HAVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, UM, AT IT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT COMES, IT COMES EASY AND WE HAVE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD STAFF IN, IN TREASURY, UH, YOU KNOW, AND A STAFF THAT I THINK THAT REALLY TRIES TO BE PROACTIVE AND, AND STAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAN, THE MAN BEHIND ME HAS GOT AN, YOU KNOW, IF IF IT'S NOT EARLY, HE'S NOT HAPPY.
AND, UH, AND HE'LL BE CONSTANTLY ON ME TO BE LIKE, CAN YOU CALL YOUR PERSON AT THE STATE TO GET THIS NUMBER? I'M LIKE, WHEN DOES THAT NUMBER COME OUT? IT COMES OUT NEXT WEEK, BUT WHEN DO YOU NEED IT? BUY, I NEED IT IN THREE MONTHS.
WILL YOU, CAN YOU CALL HIM TODAY? AND I'M LIKE, ALRIGHT,
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, LIKE THAT'S, THAT TAKES DISCIPLINE AND ALL TO LIKE, TO STAY, TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY, UM, BUT IT IS, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EASY AND, BUT IT IS WHAT IT'S, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE WE HAVE GOOD PEOPLE THAT, UM, THAT MAKES IT A LOT, UM, MAKES IT RUN A LOT SMOOTHLY.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION, UM, WITH ALL YOUR EXPERIENCE, HAVE YOU EVER GONE THROUGH AN ECONOMIC MOMENT LIKE THIS IN THE PAST WITH EITHER ANY OF THE COUNTIES THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH, UM, WHERE YOU SEE, UH, A TIGHTENING OF OPERATIONS AFTER, YOU KNOW, A MOMENT OF GREAT SURPLUS? AND IF SO, HOW DID YOU SEE THAT COUNTY NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT MOMENT AND COME OUT THE OTHER END? SO I WAS THE BUDGET CHIEF OF CARROLL AT THE, AT THE TIME OF THE GREAT RECESSION.
AND I STARTED DURING THE REALLY GOOD YEARS WHEN THE HOUSING MARKET WAS BOOMING AND RECORDATION WAS THROUGH THE ROOF AND INCOME TAX WAS, YOU KNOW, THOSE 2002, I STARTED IN 2004, 2000 4, 5 6.
AND THEN MIDWAY THROUGH SEVEN, EVERYTHING STARTED TO CHANGE.
BY THE TIME YOU GOT TO EIGHT, IT WAS CLEAR WE WERE IN A REALLY BAD RECESSION.
AND THEN THE, UM, THAT, THAT SUMMER IS WHEN THE STATE SAID, OKAY, WE WERE GONNA GIVE YOU A, UH, OF COURSE I WAS AT CARROLL TIME, BUT, UH, WHATEVER IT WAS WHEN ON HIGHWAY USER REVENUE, THEY CUT IT 90%, I MEAN, IN THE, IN AUGUST, RIGHT AFTER THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WE HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF TOUGH DECISIONS AND AT THE SAME TIME, RECORDATION JUST LIKE NOW, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS, WAS CRATERING.
UM, SO WE DID, WE HAD TO TIGHTEN, TIGHTEN A LOT OF BUDGETS.
WE, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO STRETCH RESERVES.
SO IN MANY WAYS IT'S, IT FEELS A LOT LIKE THAT.
UM, THE HARD PART IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A TRUE RECESSION AND, AND YOU KNEW YOU WERE IN A RECESSION, UM, BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE IT WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE, WE KIND OF HAD THE, WE WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE HAVING THE, THE DROP OFF, YOU KNOW, BUT WE ALSO NOW HAVE IT MIXED WITH INFLATION.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH INFLATION THERE.
UM, YOU, YOU THEN YOU HAD, UM, BOY, IF YOU WANTED TO HIRE SOMEBODY, YOU COULD, YOU PICK OF THE, YOU'RE PICK OF THE LITTER WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'D BE LIKE, YOU PUT OUT AN APPLICATION.
IF I WOULD'VE PUT OUT AN APPLICATION FOR A BUDGET ANALYST OR SOMETHING, YOU, YOU WOULD, YOU GET HUNDREDS OF, OF APPLICANTS.
YOU NOW, A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUT AN APPLICATION FOR AN ACCOUNTANT OR THINGS LIKE THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE LIKE, AH, WE COULDN'T FIND ANYBODY.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT TWO PEOPLE AND NEITHER ONE WAS QUALIFIED.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME, SOME DIFFERENCES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IN ALL CA CATEGORIES, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE MINDFUL OF YOUR RESERVES, YOU'RE MINDFUL OF YOUR PROJECTIONS, YOU'RE NOT BEING TOO AGGRESSIVE.
UM, AND THAT, I THINK FOR ALL ENTITIES TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S MANDATED? AND THEN WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO, TO, TO US.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE, THEY'RE STILL IMPORTANT, BUT THEY'RE NOT AS IMPORTANT.
AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO SAY, LOOK, WELL, MAYBE WE CAN'T DO THAT, OR WE CAN'T BUILD IT AT THAT LEVEL.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY SIMILAR EACH TIME AROUND AND ALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A HARD DECISION PROCESS TO GO THROUGH.
AND YES, YESTERDAY ABOUT IF WE WERE TO GO TO 30 YEAR BONDS, SO I DID REACH OUT TO, UM, TO DAVENPORT, UM, TO SAY WHAT WOULD THE INTEREST RATE BE? THE INTEREST RATE DIFFERENTIAL.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, A 20 YEAR BOND, UM, THAT, WHICH IS WHAT WE NORMALLY DO, UM, IS SELLING FOR ABOUT, UM, 3.45% A 30 YEAR BOND.
THESE ARE FOR TRIPLE EIGHT COUNTIES, UM, IS, UH, 3.85%.
SO 40, 40 BASIS POINTS DIFFERENCE.
AND SO OVER THE COURSE OF A, OF PAYING THAT, UH,
[03:20:01]
THAT INTEREST RATE VERSUS, UM, FOR, FOR 20 YEARS VERSUS THAT INTEREST RATE FOR 30 YEARS, UM, THE DIFFERENCE IS $23.5 MILLION, I'LL GIVE YOU THIS SHEET.UM, AND THEN, OR SAM CAN MAKE COPIES OF IT OR, OR, OR, BUT, UM, SO IT IS NO DOUBT IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CHEAPER.
SO, UM, BUT THEN YOU DO END UP PAYING FOR IT ON THE BACK END.
AND THEN THE MORE YOU DO THAT, THEN OF COURSE ONCE YOU GET ON THAT CYCLE, IT'S VERY HARD TO GET OFF THAT CYCLE.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'RE SEEING NOW WITH, YOU SEE WITH CAR LOANS, YOU KNOW, USED TO BE, UH, NOBODY WOULD HAVE A CAR LOAN MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.
AND I SEE PEOPLE WITH CAR LOANS OF 7, 8, 9, 10 YEARS.
UM, YOU DO PAY FOR IT, YOU KNOW, YOU DO NOT UNLESS YOU REFINANCE, LIKE WE REFINANCED THE BONDS IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA BE IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL THAT.
AND, AND YOU CAN'T REFINANCE BONDS UNTIL 10 YEARS OUT.
UM, BECAUSE THEY, THEY'VE ELIMINATED ADVANCED REF REFUNDING.
UM, SO THIS LAST TIME THAT WE DID THE, THE BOND REFINANCING, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO DO ANY MORE OF, OF THAT.
WE WERE REALLY EXPECTING THAT INTEREST RATES WERE GONNA START DROPPING.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAME BACK THIS TIME LAST, UM, THIS LAST YEAR AND THEY WERE THINKING, YEAH, THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE FIVE INTEREST RATE CUTS THIS YEAR.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT'S THE, UM, MONTH OR THE YEARLY PAYMENT DIFFERENCE? 20 YEARS VERSUS 30 YEARS IF YOU HAD THAT WORKED OUT? I HAVE THE WHOLE AMORTIZATION HERE, SO YEAH, I MEAN, LIKE IN, SO IT WOULD BE LIKE ABOUT A IN YEAR ONE, LIKE A, UM, A MILLION DOLLARS AND THEN EVENTUALLY IT CLOSES THE GAP.
BUT, SO MR. SANDS, THANKS FOR FOLLOWING UP WITH MR. BENNETT QUESTION YESTERDAY.
MR. SCHERZER, JUST, UM, STICKING WITH THAT INTEREST RATE DISCUSSION 'CAUSE, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU AND I PROBABLY ARE THE ONLY TWO, UH, ENJOYING WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, FROM A STOCK MARKET SLASH BOND PERSPECTIVE.
BUT MY QUESTION, UH, MR. SANLESS, I GUESS IS IN TERMS OF BUDGETED, UH, INVESTMENT EARNINGS INCOME FOR 2023 WAS 2.5 MILLION AUDITED, UH, INVESTMENT EARNINGS FROM THE REPORT IN OCTOBER WERE 20.11 MILLION.
EXCUSE ME, DO YOU HAVE A FEEL FOR 24, SINCE INTEREST RATES HAVE REMAINED RESILIENT? YES.
ARE WE EXPECTING THAT TO BE CLOSE TO THE SAME OR HIGHER THE BALANCE? SO WE, SO IN, IN 23, WE CERTAINLY, UM, THE, THE WAY THE INTEREST RATES KIND OF CAME ON QUICKLY, WE DIDN'T ORIGINALLY HAD THAT AS PART OF THE 23 BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE BEEN RAMPING THEM UP, UM, EVER SINCE.
NOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INTEREST, REMEMBER WE'RE A FUND-BASED, UM, GOVERNMENT, UH, UH, FINANCIAL SYSTEM HERE.
SO THE INTEREST THAT'S GENERATED IN ANY PARTICULAR FUND STAYS IN THAT FUND.
SO INTEREST FROM WHAT, FROM THE CASH AND THE WATER.
AND SO FUND STAYS WITH WATER AND SEWER, WITH GENERAL FUND STAYS, WITH GENERAL FUND, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, SO THAT, THAT NUMBER WAS LIKE THE TOTAL, THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT, LIKE IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE, AND, AND, AND I WOULD SAY WE, UM, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY WHEN I KIND OF DID THIS, I THOUGHT I WAS BEING A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS THE EXPECTATION, I THINK THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEE, UM, RATES DROP.
INTEREST IS INTEREST IS, UM, YEAH, INVESTMENT, UM, INVESTMENT INCOME, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, UM, BUDGETED AT, UH, $7.7 MILLION.
SO FOR THE, FOR THE, IN THE, UM, UH, UH, IN, IN FY 23, THE ACTUAL WAS 6.7.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A MILLION DOLLARS MORE OF INTEREST.
BUT IF WE START TO SEE THAT RATE DROP, AND WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE RATE AND, AND WITH, WITH OUR CASH ON HAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY MUCH RESTRICTED BY STATE OF MARYLAND LAW.
WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT POLICY THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL YEARS AGO.
UM, AND THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN GENERALLY INVEST IN.
A LOT OF IT GOES INTO THE MARYLAND, UM, INVESTMENT POOL.
WE ALSO DO, UM, A LOT OF LIKE, UM, REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS, WHICH ARE PRETTY MUCH JUST GOVERNMENT SECURITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW OUR, OUR BLENDED RATE IS FIVE AND A QUARTER.
UM, SO WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE A DROP.
AND ANYBODY WHO HAS A DECENT SAVINGS ACCOUNT, PROBABLY IF YOU LOOKED AT IT TOO, YOU WERE PROBABLY GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER RATE BACK IN OCTOBER, EVEN THOUGH THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY RATE CHANGES FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE.
BUT THE RATES, UM, THAT, UM, THAT YOU'RE GETTING OVER YOUR MONEY IN THE BANK IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY DOWN BY ABOUT A QUARTER OF A PERCENTAGE POINT.
AND I GUESS, AND I AGREE WITH THAT NUMBER, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING IN INSTITUTIONAL MONEY MARKETS FOR, YOU KNOW, MY CLIENTS.
BUT IN TERMS OF DURATION, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PREDICT THE RATE SCHEDULE FOR THE FED, BUT ASSUMING THEY CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THE THREE OR THE FOUR NEXT YEAR, OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE DEFERRED LONGER.
HAVE WE TAKEN ANY STEPS ON THE, THE LESS LIQUID, THE LESS MONEY MARKET TYPE, BUT SHORT BONDS, HAVE WE EXTENDED DURATION AT ALL TO TRY AND LOCK IN THESE RATES IN THE REVERSE OF A, OF A REFI? OBVIOUSLY.
HAVE WE TRIED TO DO THAT TO HOPEFULLY PAD THIS NUMBER? 'CAUSE I MEAN, WHERE WE, WHERE WE CAN, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE DO WANT TO TRY
[03:25:01]
TO MAINTAIN THAT LIQUIDITY.'CAUSE MOST OF THE MONEY WE'RE BRINGING, WE'RE SPENDING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING IT OUT TO, YOU KNOW, TO DISBURSEMENTS THROUGH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR, UM, SO IT'S ALWAYS A, A BALANCING ACT OF JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, DO YOU, UM, DO YOU PUT YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL MONEY IN A, IN A YEAR LONG CD? LIKE IF FOR MY PERSONAL MONEY, I USE A LOT OF THESE FOUR WEEK TREASURY BILLS, I THINK IT'S A GREAT, THAT WAY.
I KNOW I CAN GET MY MONEY BACK IN A MONTH.
UM, BUT UM, SO YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO, TRYING TO, UM, BLEND THAT.
NOW WE HAVE SOME FUNDS LIKE OUR OPEP TRUST FUND AND OUR, UM, THE SHERIFF'S PENSION AND THE MONEY FOR LO SAP FOR THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS.
NOW WITH THAT, WE INVEST THAT FOR THE LONG TERM THAT'S IN A SEPARATE TRUST THAT'S NOT UNDER THE SAME RULES, UM, AS OUR, AS AS THE INVESTMENT POLICY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE MONEY THERE IN, UM, EVERYTHING FROM PASSIVE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UM, S AND P 500 TO REITS AND PRIVATE CREDIT AND ALL OF THESE, THESE THINGS.
AND, UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S IT KIND OF RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE, KIND OF A BLENDED, A BLENDED APPROACH.
UM, BUT ALL THAT MONEY THAT'S IN THE OPERATING FUNDS, IT'S ALL VERY, VERY SAFE.
THERE'S NO BERNIE MADOFF TYPES OF, UH, UH, INVESTMENTS OR ANY, ANY, ANYTHING THERE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND REALLY WANTS AND WHAT I WANT.
YEAH, NO, I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I JUST WAS CURIOUS FROM A, A STRATEGY PERSPECTIVE, 'CAUSE RECORDATION AND TRANSFER TAX, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD GO UP WITH A LOWER MORTGAGE RATE TO INCENTIVIZE BUYING AND SELLING, I HOPE IT WOULD OFFSET THAT, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WITH SUCH A JUMP.
'CAUSE IN 2022 IT WAS NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW, SO I I LOVE SEEING THAT NUMBER AND I'M SURE YOU DO TOO.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A WAY TO PROTECT MORE OF THAT.
'CAUSE I DO THINK RATES ARE GONNA HAVE TO COME DOWN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FEDERAL, UH, DEFICIT.
YOU KNOW, TWO THIRDS OF THE BONDS ARE UP FOR REFINANCE.
I ALMOST FEEL LIKE THE FED'S GONNA PUSH THE NEEDLE JUST TO DO IT.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK INFLATION'S GONNA GO DOWN ANYTIME SOON.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE STAGFLATION FEAR, YOU KNOW, IF WE, YOU CAN CUT, BUT WITH STAGFLATION YOU REALLY CAN'T.
'CAUSE YOUR BUDGETS ARE STILL GOING UP.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS AND THANK YOU.
SO ROBBIE, LET'S GO BACK A YEAR AGO THIS TIME.
UH, WE SAT HERE, UM, AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A ONE-TIME PIECE OF LEGISLATION, CUT THE BOARD OF DEBT BY $20 MILLION, UH, MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
AND BECAUSE OF OUR EFFORTS HERE IN THE COUNCIL, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO RESTORE, UH, WITH YOUR HELP, UH, 10 MILLION OF THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE CUT ANY NEW FUNDING FOR THEM TOO, WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THAT HELPED SET THE STAGE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
AND IF WE FLAT FUND, AGAIN, WHETHER THEY USE ANY OF THEIR FUND BALANCE OR NOT, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EVERYONE ELSE, IF THEY DEPLETE THEIR OWN, UH, REVENUE, IT JUST CREATES ANOTHER ISSUE GOING DOWN THE ROAD.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU, AT THE, UH, SUGGESTION OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, YOU HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSE, UH, WITH THE BOARD OF ED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO TRY TO STAY A LITTLE CLOSER, UH, TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WERE GONNA BE.
WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT WHOLE PROCESS? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK AT THE, IT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, CONTROL HOW YOU, WHAT THEIR, WHAT THEIR BUDGET REQUEST WAS.
AND WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO DO IS SAY, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND, AND AGAIN, UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU KNOW, OUR REVENUE PICTURE, BECAUSE OF THE INCOME TAX WAS IN A, WAS IN BETTER SHAPE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THIS THE OTHER DAY WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT CHANGE IN WITHHOLDING WAS NOT, WAS TRULY NOT EXPECTED.
WE EXPECTED TO DROP IN THE, IN THE RECONCILING THE JANUARY DISTRIBUTION.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS DIALOGUE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH, WITH THE BOARD OF ED IN ORDER TO SHARE FACILITIES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE RUNNING OUT OF OUR FLEET FACILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING, UM, TO EXPLORE THE CONCEPT OF A JOINT, UM, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS KIND OF A, A FACILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY USE OUR H MAN IN ORDER, IT SAVES 'EM CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
THEY USE OUR, UM, FOR VOIP EMPLOYEE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S PROCUREMENT'S BEEN WORKING WITH THEM A LOT YES.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN, BEEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, FOR ALL THAT.
BUT, UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT IS IT, THE, THE, THE KERWIN MANDATE IS, UM, IT IS, IS I THINK JUST A, JUST A HUGE HURDLE.
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MEETING OUR CURWIN OBLIGATION, RIGHT? BUT I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S THE LOCAL EXPECTATION, THAT'S WHERE THIS DISCONNECT IS.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST EASILY BREACH THAT, THAT GOAL IN THE SHORT TERM.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN USE OUR FUND BALANCE.
THEY CAN USE, THEY CAN USE THEIR FUND BALANCE, BUT AS YOU STATED,
[03:30:01]
AND I THINK IT'S CORRECT, THAT THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE END UP, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS FROM NOW? UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND TO THAT END, I DON'T KNOW TO, TO WHAT EXTENT THEY CAN REDUCE SOME OF THEIR, SOME OF THEIR, SOME OF THEIR SPENDING.UM, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT SOME, SOME OF IT, THEY, THEY CAN JUST LIKE WITH ANY TYPE OF OF CUT, SOME OF IT YOU CAN, YOU CAN PROBABLY DO WITH NOT A TON OF PAIN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH A A $40 MILLION DIFFERENCE, THERE'S PROBABLY A, A, I DON'T DENY THEY HAVE TOUGH DECISIONS, TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE ON CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAN JUST GET THEIR, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK USING THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S FUND FUND BALANCE IS, IS THE SOLUTION EITHER.
UM, AND IT WENT ULTIMATELY, I THINK THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN, BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE EXPECTATION OF, OF EXPENDITURES AND THE EXPECTATION OF REVENUES.
UM, OR THE REALITY OF REVENUES, I SHOULD REALLY SAY.
WELL, I, I, UM, I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF IT FOR SURE.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THE LIABILITY THAT THE COUNTY HAS AS FAR AS FUND BALANCE, ALL THE AGENCIES THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UH, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD OF ED HAS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEMSELVES, BUT STILL, UM, I I, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S GOTTA BE ROOM FOR MOVEMENT ON BOTH ENDS.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE IT'S AT.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR AVAILABILITY.
THE FACT THAT I CALL YOU MANY, MANY TIMES AND YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE TO PICK UP THE PHONE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. SANDLES? MR. MR. PENMAN ONE, UH, THE BUS STOP ARM PROGRAM, UH, PROCEEDS IT'S MONEY WE DON'T WANT, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE RUNNING, UH, SCHOOL BUS STOPS.
UH, WHERE DOES THAT GO? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, THERE'S A, A GOOD PORTION OF IT GOES TO THE CONTRACTOR THAT, UM, IS KIND OF IMPLEMENTING THE SYSTEM.
AND THEN THE RESIDUAL PART, LIKE ANY SHERIFF REVENUES OR, YOU KNOW, THEY, THERE'S THERE, UM, THERE ARE GENERAL FUND REVENUES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SHERIFF RELATED, UM, FINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE, WE SEE THOSE, UM, IN THE, IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE ALWAYS LISTED IN THE BACK OF YOUR, UH, FINANCIALS.
YOU KNOW, WE LIST ALL THE DIFFERENT REVENUE TYPES OF WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO THE, THE, I THINK IT'S UNDER, WHAT'S IT LISTED UNDER, UNDER, UNDER, UM, FINES.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T, UM, BUT IN THE, IN THE BINS BINDS AND FORFEITURES, BUT NOT IN HERE.
COULD YOU SEND THAT OVER PERHAPS? YEAH.
AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S BLENDED THOUGH WITH OTHER SHERIFF, EITHER THAT ONE IS INDIVIDUAL, IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL.
WE HAD TO ADD IT, IT'S OVER A MILLION DOLLARS SINCE SEPTEMBER.
BUT YOU, YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL ME WHAT IT, WHAT WE HAVE.
I DO HAVE ALL THAT'S TEAMWORK, RIGHT THERE.
SO
YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU JUST GET BACK TO US.
THE PRINT, THE PRINT SMALL AND, AND THAT'S WHY I WASN'T SURE, BUT I, I THOUGHT THOUGH THAT THE, THAT THE BUS FINDS WAS, WAS, WAS LIKE LUMPED IN WITH SOME OTHER SHERIFF FINDS AND NOT ITS OWN CODE, BUT I, I COULD BE EVEN SO, BUT YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE ORDINANCE, IN THE BUDGET ORDINANCE.
THE PARDON? OR IN THE BACK? IT, IT SHOULD BE RIGHT IN THE FRONT FOR GENERAL FUNDS.
DO YOU HAVE THE ORDINANCE? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO YEAH, HE HAS THE ORDINANCE.
UM, SO THE, IN THE BIG PIE CHART, ALL FUNDS REVENUE.
THAT WOULD BE IN OTHER REVENUES, WHICH IS A HUNDRED.
AND YEAH, IT IS A SMALL, IT IS CERTAINLY AT, I KNOW, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY 750,000 SOMEWHERE IN THAT BALLPARK.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, IF IT'S THE COMPANY'S FEES COME OFF THAT OR NOT.
SO THE ORDINANCE 200,000, OH, THERE WE GO.
THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY PROCEEDS ARE 200,000.
NO, THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE, UM, BUDGETED.
[03:35:01]
FOR.SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVING.
SO YEAH, I MEAN, AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR REVENUES, YOU KNOW, THE, THOSE PROPERTY TAX AND INCOME TAXES, UM, IS 90% OF THE REVENUES.
AND SO EVERYTHING ELSE IS, UH, UM, MUCH SMALLER.
DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE THE ACTUALS FOR, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHEN THIS PROGRAM GOT IMPLEMENTED.
SEPTEMBER? YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE SEPTEMBER THE ACTUALS FOR 23 AT THIS POINT, OR 20.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING IN 24.
AND WE BUDGET 200 CAL FOR THE 25.
WHAT YOUR WELL, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING IN 23, BUT THAT DOESN'T 2024.
WE DIDN'T BUDGET ANYTHING FOR 24.
WE DIDN'T SEE, OH, YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THAT.
SO WE'LL GET THOSE NUMBERS IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
WELL, BUT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF THE FINES COLLECTED? YEAH, WELL, WHAT, WHAT WE ED, WELL, THE, THE REPORT WE GOT FROM DEPUTY AT OUR LAST COMMUNITY MEETING THAT SENT SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, OVER 4,000 TICKETS WERE ISSUED AT $295 A PIECE.
WELL, BUT THEY, THE, THE, THE, THE COMPANY KEEPS A CONSIDERABLE, AND NOT ALL OF 'EM ARE PAID PORTION OF IT.
YOU KNOW, I STILL THINK, I THINK TOO, UH, COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE'S POINT, I THINK IT'S UNDERESTIMATION ON 200,000.
I I WILL SAY ANYTIME YOU HAVE A NEW, LIKE A NEW REVENUE SOURCE, UNTIL WE KIND OF REALLY KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW REVENUE SOURCE FOR, UM, THE CANNABIS TAX AND ALL.
SO YOU KNOW, YOU THAT, THAT FIRST YEAR YOU'RE TRYING TO KIND OF ESTIMATE, BUT THEN ONCE YOU START GETTING DISTRIBUTIONS, THEN YOU KNOW, LIKE, OH, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU, UH, HAVE TO KIND OF GIVE A REPORT ON WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH 2024? ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT COMPLETE, YOU WON'T HAVE THE ACTUALS AT THE END OF THE YEAR FOR THE, FOR THE, THE REVENUE FOR, FOR THE SHERIFF? UM, I MEAN FOR THE, THIS ONE HERE, FOR THE SPOT FORM? YEAH.
I MEAN, WE CAN, YEAH, WE, YEAH, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WE'VE RECEIVED, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, YEAH.
IS THAT IT? ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, IT JUST THAT IT'S SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE DEPUTY'S REPORTING ON OUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETINGS COMPARED TO WHAT NUMBERS YOU'RE USING THERE.
IF IT'S A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR SOMETHING, WE'RE TALKING A MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, A GOOD, A GOOD CHUNK OF IT IS, IS, UH, KEPT BY THE COMPANY THAT, BUT CAN WE GET A BREAKDOWN? WELL, WE WOULD HAVE WHATEVER THAT THEY'RE SENDING TO US.
AND THEN, UM, I DUNNO WHO THE, WHO THE LEAD PERSON IS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHO'S, UM, LIKE COORDINATES IT.
WHO COORDINATES THAT, THAT, THAT PROGRAM? WE CAN, I THINK IT'S MR. ROY PERHAPS.
HE ORIGINALLY SIGNED, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK, UM, MR. GUTHRIE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
THEY'RE GONNA GET US A BREAK DOWN.
AT OUR MONTHLY COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THERE'S A DEPUTY ALWAYS THERE AND HE GIVES THAT REPORT.
AND THE LAST ONE HE GAVE WAS, WAS SINCE THE, THE, THE, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN PUT IN, WHICH WAS SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR WHEN THEY STARTED THE, THE CAMERAS.
THAT'S OUR INFORMATION FROM THEM IS THERE'S BEEN OVER 4,000 TICKETS AT 295 HOURS A PIECE.
AND LIKE PAT SAID, MAYBE THEY ALL DIDN'T PAY IT, BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT ALL CHARGED.
PARDON? I SAY THEY'RE NOT ALL CHARGED.
THEY ALL, IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S ANY, JUST LIKE WITH THE EASY PASS AND THE THINGS, YEAH, THERE'S LOTS OF TIMES YOU TROUBLE WITH ENFORCEMENT.
YOU GET ALL THESE PEOPLE NOW WITH THESE TEMPORARY PAPER TAGS AND STUFF LIKE THIS.
BUT, UH, I SAW THE BUS TODAY AND I STOPPED WELL IN ADVANCE OF IT.
SO YOU DON'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ONE FROM ME.
UH, ONE HOPES THAT WHEN THEY GET A TICKET FOR PASSING THE SCHOOL BUS, THEY STOP DOING THAT.
THEY DON'T BECAUSE IN THEIR, IN THEIR REPORT, THEY SHOULD, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOTTEN TICKETS.
WELL, THERE'S, YEAH, THERE'S ALWAYS A FEW BAD ACTORS, BUT MOST PEOPLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA BE BETTER.
YEAH, I THINK THERE WAS ONE THAT IT WAS THREE VIOLATIONS IN ONE DAY.
YOU GOT A TICKET LAW DEPARTMENT.
COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY SENT THE THING UP THERE.
WHO GOT THE FIRST TICKET? JACK? GOOD AFTERNOON.
I KNOW YOU KNOW ME TO MY RIGHT IS MARGARET HARKER, WHO IS OUR DEPUTY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE'S BEEN OVER OFFICIALLY BEFORE IN TOO MANY OCCASIONS.
WELL, SHE'S THE BETTER KNOWN OF THE TWO
SHE'S THE NICER AND THE MORE CONFIDENT.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS FOUR CALL CENTERS, AND I'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE REAL QUICK.
[03:40:01]
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS LEGAL SERVICES.UH, THERE'S A DECREASE THERE OF 10,303 PERSONAL SERVICES.
SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF 11,462.
WE HAD SOME TURNOVER FOR SAVINGS OF 85,847.
UM, IT STILL PROVIDES FOR THE FY 24 COLA OF 44, 327 FY 25 COLA, AND THE ONE AND THE $1,000, UM, FOR 30,959.
UM, TEMPORARY SALARIES DECREASES 37,800, UM, AS WELL AS HEALTH BENEFITS.
AND, UM, FICA AND EP WERE ALL ADJUSTED BASED ON ACTUALS.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES DECREASES $30,000 FOR, UM, CONTRACTUAL LEGAL, LEGAL SERVICES AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS.
BUSINESS AND TRAVEL INCREASED 6,745.
THIS PROVIDES, UM, FOR TRAINING, SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES, BOOKS AND PERIODICALS AND SO FORTH FOR THE, UM, ATTORNEYS.
AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES $1,500.
THIS IS FOR LITIGATION EXPENSE INCREASE.
OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THAT ONE.
ON PAGE TWO 12 THERE, THIS IS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE FORWARDS.
UM, THAT WAS FLAT FUNDED AT 200,000 ON PAGE TWO 14.
THIS IS RISK MANAGEMENT, AN INCREASE THERE OF 125,899.
UM, FOR NET INCREASE OF 1 1 3 6 0 9.
UM, ONE POSITION TRANSFERRED IN FROM WATER AND SEWER AT A COST OF 1 17, 839, UM, FISCAL YEAR 24 COLA OF 8,618, AND THEN 25 AND MERIT OF 6,829.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES $5,800.
THIS IS FOR TELEPHONE SERVICE AS WELL AS OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
UM, TO LOOK UP OUTSTATE MBA RECORDS AT A COST OF 5,000 SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS INCREASE IS $2,140.
IT'S FOR SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND, UM, OTHER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AS WELL AS BUSINESS AND TRAVEL $4,350.
AND THIS IS, UM, INCREASE FOR, TO PROVIDE FOR, UM, SEMINAR COURSES AND US TO DO THAT.
ON PAGE TWO 16 IS PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
AND, UM, THEY WERE, THEY ARE CURRENTLY UNDER PROCUREMENT AND THEY HAVE BEEN MOVED TO, OR WILL BE MOVED TO, UM, THE LAW DEPARTMENT EFFECTIVE JULY.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IT'S TWO PEOPLE, TWO, UM, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AGENTS AT 2 8 9 1 94.
THAT'S THEIR TOTAL COST FOR THEIR, UM, SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OF 29,200.
AND THAT'S MAINLY FOR APPRAISALS THAT FOR SITES, UM, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, JUST YOUR NORMAL OFFICE SUPPLIES AT 1,500.
UM, THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL BOOKS, PERIODICALS, SO FORTH AT 1001 75.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP.
SO WHO ARE THE TWO POSITIONS FROM PROCUREMENT? THEY'RE THE, YOU WANNA KNOW THE NAMES? YES, MA'AM.
THAT WOULD BE PETE WAKEFIELD AND NINA SELZER.
AND THEN, UM, BACK TO THE, UM, THE ONE COMING FROM WATER AND SEWER.
I'M SORRY, THE ONE COMING FROM WATER AND SEWER? NO, NO, NO.
UH, BACK TO, UM, I GUESS POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY FLAT FUNDED AT 200,000 MM-HMM.
THE, IN THE INCREASE FOR THE CHARGING, THE INCREASE TO THE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, THE, I MEAN, NOT THE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, THE CHARGING BOARD.
AND, AND WE'RE WORKING TO GET, UH, THE APPLICATION TO HELP WITH THE BODY CAM AND, UH, DASHBOARD CAMERA VIEW, SO WE CAN GET THOSE SYNCED UP MUCH AS THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS DONE TO HELP TRY TO REDUCE TIME THAT'S SPENT, UH, ON THE MANDATORY TASK BY THE CHARGING COMMITTEE OF REVIEWING ALL THE BODY CAM AND THE ADMINISTRATOR, UH, THE ADMINIS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT HAS BEEN HIRED, HAS BEEN RETAINED, OKAY.
AND THEN MR. B BLOOMQUIST, WE STILL HAVE A PIECE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS IN REFERENCE TO, UH, YOUR REACHING OUT WITHOUT COUNCIL AUTHORITY, UH, TO SECURE, UH, REPRESENTATION FOR THE BOARD OF ETHICS.
UH, I SENT YOU A LETTER, SENT YOU A COUPLE LETTERS THROUGH MR. KEARNEY ASKING YOU TO TERMINATE THAT CONTRACT.
HAS THAT BEEN DONE? NO, IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE.
I FEEL BEYOND, I, I HAVE AUTHORITY ON THE 4 0 3 B TO DO THAT.
[03:45:01]
THE CHARTER OR THE CODE? FOUR THREE B.THE CHARTER GIVES ME THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE.
YOU MUST READ IT TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN MR. KEARNEY.
I MUST HAVE, I I THINK THIS IS GONNA HAVE TO BE READDRESSED AT SOME POINT, BECAUSE EVERY DAY THAT IT'S NOT, I LOSE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONFIDENCE IN YOU TO LEAD THIS LAW DEPARTMENT.
AND I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT IN THE SENSE YOU DISRESPECT THIS, COUNSEL AND I, THIS IS THE FIRST CHANCE I, I, I THINK I'M TALKING MR. MRS. I'M TALKING, JUST HOLD ON A MINUTE.
YOU'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO TALK.
I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU DISRESPECT THIS COUNCIL.
WE TRY TO BE TEAM PLAYERS EVERY DAY.
AND YOU REQUESTED TO HAVE THAT PUT ON THE AGENDA AND YOU WERE TOLD THAT IT COULD NOT BE PUT ON THE AGENDA THAT NIGHT, AND YOU TOOK IT UPON YOURSELF.
AND I THINK YOUR LETTER SAID, IN YOUR OPINION, YOU HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
I QUESTION THAT, AND THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY.
I QUESTION THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S GOTTA BE REVISITED.
UM, COUNSEL, ANYONE WITH ANY QUESTIONS? MR. PENMAN? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, JUST WANT TO, UH, JUMP INTO, LOOKS LIKE THERE'S, UH, A COUPLE NEW POSITIONS IN, UH, TWO OF 'EM IN PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
UM, ARE WE PLANNING ON PURCHASING THAT MUCH MORE PROPERTY THAT WE WOULD NEED TWO POSITIONS FOR THAT? I'M JUST NOT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY ON BOARD.
THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR, BUT THEY'RE TRANSFERRED IN FOR A DIFFERENT ROLE, RIGHT? NO, THEY'RE TRANSFERRED IN.
CONTINUE TO DO PROPERTY APPLICATION.
THEY'RE JUST RE KIND OF REALLOCATED THEM.
A LOT OF IT'S CONTRACT WORK AND LEGAL WORK, SO IT KIND OF FITS BETTER ON THE LAW PART.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HA HAVE, UM, WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, TOOK OVER, HE TALKED ABOUT, UH, A LOT OF THE CASES THAT YOU HANDLE ARE GONNA BE HANDLED IN-HOUSE, THE STATE OF THE ART LAW OFFICE.
BUT FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE USING A LOT OF CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OF SERVICES OF LAW DEPARTMENTS OR LAW FIRMS OUTSIDE.
SO IS THERE ANY JUSTIFICATION ON THAT, ON KIND OF, UM, YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES? AS IT IS, OUR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES HAVE DECLINED TREMENDOUSLY IN FISCAL YEAR 25,546,000 846 21 FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, FISCAL YEAR 21, 4,400, 11,303 AND 23 CENTS FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
FISCAL YEAR 22 1,027,354 96 CENTS FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
FISCAL YEAR 23, 680 5,000 882 80 FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
SO FAR, FISCAL YEAR 24, 180 6,343 AND 72 CENTS FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACTUAL LEGAL SERVICES.
WE, WE HAVE ENDEAVORED AND HAVE SUCCEEDED IN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING OUR OUTSIDE CONTRACTUAL LEGAL SERVICES.
THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO, TO THE NUMBERS TODAY IS MILES AND STOCKRIDGE.
THAT'S, THAT'S A SERVICE THAT'S USED PRIMARILY BY TREASURY, NOT A SERVICE THAT'S USED BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE, UH, SUCCEEDED IN GETTING LOWER RATES AND IN, IN MY OPINION, BETTER SERVICE.
SO I THINK WE'VE SUCCEEDED SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND I THINK THE NUMBERS BEAR THAT OUT IN TERMS OF TAKING MORE IN-HOUSE, DOING MORE IN-HOUSE, AND REDUCING OUR OUTSIDE LEGAL EXPENSES OR CONTRACTUAL LEGAL EXPENSES, CALL IT, WHICH YOU WILL.
WELL, THAT'S GREAT THAT THIS NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN, BUT IT STILL LOOKS LIKE 2.8 MILLION.
AND I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE FIRMS AND THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR FIRM THAT, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUST DISCUSSED THAT'S NOT, THAT I SEE LISTED AS OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT WAS RETAINED.
SO HOW DO I KNOW THAT OUT ALL OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS ON THIS LIST BECAUSE I KNOW OF ONE KRAMON AND GRAHAM, WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A BILL FROM CRAMOND AND GRAHAM YET.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE SUGGESTED WE USE A FIRM THAT CHARGES $495 AN HOUR.
THEIR SERVICES ARE AT $350 AN HOUR.
SO I SUGGESTED THAT YOU USE A FIRM THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE UNDER, UH, CONTRACT AND, AND NO FIRM THAT WE HAD UNDER CONTRACT WAS WILLING TO DO THE WORK THAT'S FINE.
I'M JUST CLEARING FINE FOR THE RECORD HERE.
SO HOW MANY OTHER FIRMS ARE ON HERE THAT YOU JUST HAVEN'T PAID THE BILL FOR? NONE.
HOW MANY OTHER FIRMS HAVE BEEN RETAINED THAT ARE NOT LISTED ON HERE? I JUST ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
KREMLIN AND GRAHAM'S NOT, SHOULD NOT BE ON HERE.
NONE OTHER, HE ANSWERED NONE OTHER.
UM, MR. GUT, UH, I WANT ECHO WHAT PAT SAID BECAUSE WE GOT THIS, UH, UH, CONFLICT BETWEEN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND, AND THE COUNCIL.
[03:50:01]
OUT AND GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS GOING FORWARD.IF IN FACT WE CAN'T STRAIGHTEN IT OUT, I THINK MAYBE WE OUGHT TO BRING IT, TAKE IT INTO THE COURTS AND GET IT DECIDED.
UM, AND, UH, IF, IF, UH, IF, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, THEN I GUESS IF WE CAN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT, WE GOTTA TAKE IT TO THE COURTS.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? UM, HELLO.
I KNOW THE THEORY WITH REDUCING OUTSIDE COUNSEL WAS THAT IT WOULD, UH, AND, UH, INCREASING STAFFING WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT OVERALL WOULD BE A, A COST POSITIVE FOR US.
IT WOULD REDUCE COSTS, UM, AND HELP US SAVE MONEY.
HAS THAT WORKED OUT, UM, IN YOUR BUDGETING TO BE TRUE? AFTER, UH, GOING THROUGH ONE FISCAL YEAR AND NOW ENTERING THE SECOND THAT WE'RE SAVING MONEY BY REDUCING OUTSIDE COUNSEL? I THINK WE'RE SAVING MONEY BY REDUCING OUTSIDE, BY USING, REDUCING THE USE OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
I ALSO THINK WE'RE, I THINK OUR SERVICE TO DEPARTMENTS HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK DOWN SILOS SO THAT WE GET BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
WE GET BETTER COORDINATION OF REVIEW OF CONTRACTS, UH, OF, OF SUPPORT WHEN THERE'S CONTRACTUAL DISPUTES AND SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR WORKERS' COMP AND YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL BY THE, THE NUMBERS BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS HAVE AN OUTLIER CASE.
JUST LIKE WITH THE AUTO LIABILITY, YOU CAN ALWAYS HAVE AN OUTLIER CASE, AND WE MAY HAVE AN OUTLIER CASE THAT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE WITH HUMAN RESOURCES AS WELL AS WITH, WITH, WITH OUR WORKERS' COMP TEAM.
UH, AND, AND THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT LEAVE AND WORKERS' COMP.
WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK MORE COHESIVELY TO GET PEOPLE AND WHO, WHO HAVE SOME PHYSICAL LIMITATION IN, IN JOBS INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING AT HOME.
SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE THAT I THINK ARE ADDING TO THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE COUNTY WORKFORCE.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, GIVING FAIR AND AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A VERY HELPFUL LITTLE, UH, A CHEAT SHEET ON YOUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, DO YOU THINK IT'D BE POSSIBLE TO SEE LIKE A, A SIMPLIFIED BREAKDOWN OF LIKE FY 23 STAFFING, UH, COSTS VERSUS FY 24 STAFFING COSTS? JUST SO WE CAN SEE LIKE, THE TRUE SAVINGS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, UH, AS A COUNTY FROM, FROM THE INITIATIVE OF, YOU KNOW, INCREASING STAFFING AND REDUCING OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S A PRACTICE IN GENERAL, I AGREE WITH IS WE SHOULD LIMIT HOW MUCH WE OUTSIDE CONTRACT AND KEEP AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH OUR, WITH OUR OWN COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UM, BUT I JUST BE CURIOUS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR INTO THE, UH, I DON'T WANNA CALL IT EXPERIMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE PHILOSOPHY CHANGE.
IT'D BE NICE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A TRUE, WE, WE SAVED X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THIS YEAR.
WELL, AND I THINK YOU CAN SAY EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE TOP LINE IS SAVINGS BECAUSE OUR, OUR ATTORNEY COST HAS NOT GONE UP.
NOW WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS, IS WE'VE HIRED A NUMBER OF YOUNG ATTORNEYS AND WE HOPE THAT THAT'S GONNA HELP US FROM A SUCCESSION STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE, WE'VE HAD A MATURE OFFICE, WE'VE HAD RETIREMENTS TO MY RIGHT.
MS. HARTKE CAN GO AT ANY TIME.
I, YEAH, PLEASE
SHE'S BEEN A, A VERY BIG ASSET TO OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT OURS ARE TEMPORARY.
BUT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO DO SOME SUCCESSION PLANNING AND, AND TRYING TO TRAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, FIVE NEW AND YOUNG YOUNG ATTORNEYS TO BE VERY GOOD GENERALISTS AND TO HAVE FAMILIARITY WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF ISSUES SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, STEP INTO THE GENERAL COUNSEL POSITION, IF YOU WILL, AND, AND PROVIDE A BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES TO A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THAT.
JACOB, IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE TWO 11, THAT'S HIS STAFF FOR LEGAL SERVICE.
IF YOU LOOK AT FY 23 BUDGETED SALARIES, IT WAS 1,000,580 TOTAL WITH THE TEMPORARY 1 MILLION 584, 7 77.
THIS YEAR IT'S 1 MILLION 483, 950.
SO WE'RE EVEN SAVING MONEY THERE.
A LITTLE, A LITTLE NOT, NOT A LOT.
UH, MR. JRE AVENUE, WHAT'S THE GOING RATE FOR A NEW ATTORNEY WORKING IN THE COUNTY OFFICE? IT, IT DEPENDS.
IT DEPENDS ON THEIR EXPERIENCE.
UH, AND IT DEPENDS ON THEIR BACKGROUND, BUT IT'S A SIX FIGURE RATE LOOSE, VERY LOOSE SIX FIGURE.
[03:55:01]
HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK? PARDON ME? HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M SURE THERE.I I, I, I, I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN SAYING EVERYONE'S WORKING OVER 40 HOURS.
WE, WE HAVE STAFF THAT'S EITHER IN EARLY OR IN LATE.
I, I HAVE STAFF THAT I COMMUNICATE WITH ON WEEKENDS AND THAT COMMUNICATES BACK TO ME WITH ON, ON WEEKENDS.
SO I, I, I FEEL WE HAVE A GOOD MORALE AND I FEEL THAT, THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE VESTED IN, IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND ARE ENTHUSED ABOUT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, CULTIVATE.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. JAN? SO I, I HEARD YOU SAY ABOUT THE WORKERS' COMP.
SO WHAT ARE YOU HAVING A, UM, RETURN TO WORK AND A LIMITED WORK DUTY FOR, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE? IF THEY, IF THEY CAN QUALIFY FOR THAT? IS THAT INSTEAD OF KEEPING 'EM OUT? YEAH, WE, FULL, FULL WORKERS' COMP.
IF, IF WE, IF THEY CAN DO ANYTHING, WE WANT 'EM TO DO ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, SO THEY UNDERSTAND THEY'RE USING FMLA LEAVE IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE ON WORKERS' COMP, WHICH HAS INCENTIVIZED SOME OF THEM TO TRY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, COME BACK AND, AND, AND IF WE CAN GET THEM WORKING.
WE'RE WORKING WITH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
SO JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING'S NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, SOMETHING MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE PRODUCTIVE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, GIVING THEM THE, THE CHANCE THEY NEED TO, TO RECOVER.
DO WE WORK WITH ANY OUTSIDE FIRMS THAT, THAT WORK WITH WORKERS' COMP CASES LIKE THIS? TO, TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO LIMITED ACCESS WORK OR, OR WE DOING NO ONE ELSE CISCO.
I DON'T MEAN TO, UH, CISCO IS OUR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR AND HAS BEEN OUR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.
WE HAVE BEEN TAKEN MORE ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICES THAT CISCO OFFERS IN, IN INCLUDING, IF YOU WILL, WORKPLACE TRAINING AND, AND WORKPLACE SAFETY TRAINING THAT THEY, THEY OFFER AND, AND, AND HAVE OFFERED.
WE'RE WORKING ON SETTING UP AND INTEGRATING THOSE SERVICES WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND, AND DIFFERENT GROUPS WITHIN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THAT SAFETY TRAINING THAT, THAT'S BEEN FACILITATED BECAUSE OF OUR INCREASE IN WORKERS' COMP AND, AND RISK MANAGEMENT STAFF.
WE HAD REALLY ONE PERSON ON RISK MANAGEMENT STAFF WHEN I STARTED.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE TWO PEOPLE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE PEOPLE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE GET THE, THE, THE TRANSFER, THE LATERAL TRANSFER, IF YOU WILL, FROM WATER AND SEWER.
AND, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DES, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FACILITIES TO TRY TO PROVIDE TRAINING THAT CISCO OFFERS, UH, THROUGH VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT TARGET THE TYPES OF WORK THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE DOING.
AND, AND TO TRY TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF, OF WORKPLACE SAFETY PROCEDURES.
WE'VE DONE MORE EVOKE TRAINING AND WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR EVOGUE TRAINING.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS TO HELP US, UH, YOU KNOW, KEEP AND MINIMIZE THE EXPENSE SIDE.
'CAUSE AS WE BRING ON MORE EMERGENCY OPERATORS ON THEIR WORKERS' COMP, THEY'RE TIER TWO.
SO IF YOU, I WERE TO HAVE THE SAME INJURY, WE'D BE TIER ONE.
SO AS WE LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS OVER TIME, IT, IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO BE SAFETY CONSCIOUS BECAUSE WHEN IN A, YOU KNOW, ACCIDENTS CAN HAPPEN THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED IN A MORE PHYSICAL, UH, OPERATION.
BUT IF WE CAN CULTIVATE THE RIGHT SAFETY PRACTICES, HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP INJURIES LOW.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT KNOWS, SOMETIMES PATIENTS DO THINGS THAT ARE JUST CRAZY AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT, THAT A PROVIDER CAN DO.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND THAT RESULTS IN SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.
BUT WE ARE TRYING, EVEN IN AN INSTANCE LIKE THAT, WE'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE HOW ARE WE USING OUR, OUR, OUR INDEPENDENT RESOURCE, DR.
SCHWAR, TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS, UH, MORE CAPABLY AND, AND, AND TO AVOID THOSE GOING FORWARD.
SO WHEN WE HAVE A SITUATION, WE DO TRY TO LEARN FROM IT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE DO A BREAKDOWN AND WE TRY TO SEE WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, CAN DO BETTER THE NEXT TIME.
ANOTHER, ANOTHER QUESTION OR A COUPLE.
ONE IS, UH, ALSO ON THE AUTOMOBILE AND THE GENERAL LIABILITY, DO WE HAVE ANY CASES THAT ARE GONNA BE, UM, ANY, ANY DEATH CASES THAT WE, WE NEED TO HOLD MONEY IN RESERVES, DO YOU NOT IF THAT'S WE HAVE A DEATH CASE, YES.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, DO WE, ARE THOSE NUMBERS BUDGETED IN OR DO YOU NOT BUDGET THOSE NUMBERS IN? THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T BUDGETED IN HERE.
THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST TO GIVE YOU NOTHING FOR RESERVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO, THAT, THAT GOES INTO THE, UH, SELF-INSURANCE RESERVE OR SELF-INSURANCE RETENTION, WHICH IS HANDLED BY TREASURY.
WE COMMUNICATE WITH TREASURY AND, AND, AND WITH THE TWO ACCOUNTANTS, WE HAVE AN, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR, UH, REALLY AN UNDERWRITER
[04:00:01]
THAT, THAT WORKS ON GIVING US THE FIGURE THAT WE NEED TO HOLD BASED ON OUR HISTORICAL LOSSES AND, AND WHAT WE SEE AS OUR PROJECTED LOSSES.SO FOR AN EXAMPLE IN A, IN A MATTER LIKE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MATTER THAT WE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF, OF THE ACCOUNTANTS.
UH, WE, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HOLD A RESERVE ON, ON, ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, AND SO ALL BIG, ALL BIG CASES WHERE WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT LOSS ARE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION AND, AND, AND TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY THE ACTUARY WHO, WHO FIGURES OUT WHAT THE INSURANCE SELF-INSURANCE RETENTION NEEDS TO BE FOR THE COMING YEAR.
BUT ULTIMATELY, IF IT WASN'T IN THE SELF-INSURANCE, THEN IT WOULD NEED TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF, IF THE CLAIM WAS OF A SUFFICIENT SIZE THAT IT WOULD EXHAUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT ANY TYPE OF A BUILT-IN ACTUARIAL RESERVE.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LAW DEPARTMENT OR NOT, BUT THIS CAME UP BEFORE, I HAD SAT DOWN WITH BILLY BEFORE, AND MY CONCERN WAS THAT GENERAL CONTRACTORS THAT WERE DOING WORK FOR THE COUNTY WERE USING, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE THE, UH, INSURANCE COMPANY DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE BETTER THAN A B PLUS RATING OR A B RATING, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INADEQUATE.
AND, AND I ASKED THAT TO BE ADDRESSED SO THAT THEY WERE AT LEAST AN, A RATED CARRIER SO THAT GOD FORBID IF SOMEBODY DID SOMETHING, WE DIDN'T, WE ALSO DIDN'T REQUIRE LIABILITY, UH, UMBRELLA LIMITS FOR IF SOMEBODY DID SOMETHING WRONG.
THE, THE MINIMUM LIMITS OF LIABILITY WERE 1,000,002, WHEREAS OTHER COUNTIES WERE REQUIRING UMBRELLAS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS EVER ADDRESSED, EVER CHANGED, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT, THAT'S A QUESTION.
AND, UM, AND THE OTHER THING, I, YOU CAN ANSWER THAT AND THEN I'LL, I'LL GO BACK.
WELL, SO, SO IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, WE HAVE TO, WE STILL HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB IN FOLLOWING THROUGH ON CHECKING WHAT CONTRACTORS PROVIDE AS THEIR SELF INSURANCE.
AND, AND, AND THAT, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, PROCUREMENT HAS DONE.
I DON'T THINK PROCURE PROCUREMENT'S REALLY STAFF FOR THAT.
WE, WE HAVE TRIED TO TARGET OUR BIG TICKET ITEMS AND, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET RISK MANAGEMENT TO LOOK AT THAT.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ON OUR CHECKLIST.
BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD W WITH, WITH SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, LOT OF TRAINING WITH RES SAFETY TRAINING AND EVOKE TRAINING THAT, THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DRAWN INTO AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASE AND TAKEN ON THE, UH, THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT AS AN ISSUE, BUT IN HONESTY, WE HAVE NOT YET FOCUSED ON IT PROBABLY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON.
SO THAT MEANS THAT'S, THAT'S A QUESTION I NEED TO ASK PROCUREMENT IF THEY'VE, IF THEY CHANGED YOUR, OR CAN, WHO'S GONNA KNOW IF YOU, YOU CHANGED YOUR GUIDELINES.
MARTY'S GETTING READY TO TELL YOU.
I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT NOT AT ALL.
I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN WITH, THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF PROCUREMENT HAS IN THE MICROPHONE.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF PROCUREMENT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH CHRIS BEES AND RISK MANAGEMENT TO CREATE NEW INSURANCE TEMPLATES.
WE NOW HAVE A HOST OF INSURANCE TEMPLATES FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTRACTS FROM, UH, ACQUIRING SOFTWARE RIGHT UP TO A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
AND THEY HAVE ADJUSTED LIMITS BASED ON OUR INSURANCE CONSULTANTS RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANY OF THEM ARE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THOUGH, AND I CAN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
THAT'S SPECIFICALLY I'LL ASK PROCUREMENT OF THAT.
WE SEE A LOT OF THOSE, UH, CONTRACTS IN THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES.
UM, MARGARET, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? THANKS.
UM, JEFFERSON, I'M GONNA HAVE, UM, SAMANTHA REACH OUT TO BOTH YOU AND CHARLIE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
WE'LL SET UP SOMETHING TO WHERE WE CAN ALL SIT DOWN TOGETHER, THAT'S REASONABLE AND, AND I'LL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
APPRECIATE IT, UM, WITH NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
I SEE YOU GUYS SITTING BACK THERE.
ANDY, HOW ARE YOU? SIX IS IN THERE.
[04:05:04]
HE'S GONNA BE DEVASTATED.HE, I WILL JUST READ THEIR BUDGET AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO THEM.
ON 5 56, EXTENSION SERVICE HAS AN INCREASE OF 29,583.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S NO CHANGES IN CONTRACTUAL SUPPLIES, BUSINESS AND TRAVEL, THAT'S ALL FLAT FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
UNDER MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES, THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 2020 9,583.
GRANTS INCREASES, 17 0 83, AND THIS IS WHAT WE PROVIDE TO THE STATE, AND THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 5.8%.
AND THEN WE ALSO PROVIDED THIS YEAR CONTRIBUTION, UM, OF $12,500.
AND THIS IS FOR THE FOUR H SUMMER CAMP.
AND WITH THAT, CAN I TURN EXCELLENT.
YOU GUYS HEAR ME? VERY AT ALL.
UH, SO GUYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I'M THE, UH, AG AGENT HERE FOR HARFORD COUNTY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION, AND RECENTLY APPOINTED AS THE INTERIM EXTENSION DIRECTOR FOR OUR COUNTY.
UM, OUR PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, SCOTT SATCHEL, IS NO LONGER WITH US HERE.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN ON THIS JOB AS THE, THE DIRECTOR FOR THE COUNTY FOR GRAND TOTAL OF TWO WEEKS.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP WITH THE BUDGET SIDE OF THINGS.
UM, I'VE BEEN AN EXTENSION FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS NOW, UM, WITH HARTFORD COUNTY.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR OFFICE AND OUR OPERATIONS, AT LEAST FROM THE PROGRAMMING SIDE OF THINGS.
UM, JUST AS A BRIEF, UM, EXPLANATION, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION IS A DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
UM, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE FACULTY AND STAFF.
THE REAL DIFFERENCE IS THAT OUR CLIENTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS.
OUR CLIENTS ARE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE OFFICE SPACE IN THE COUNTIES.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICES IN, IN ALL 23 COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING BALTIMORE CITY AS WELL.
SO OUR EFFORTS ARE REALLY DRIVEN TOWARDS COMMUNITY EDUCATION.
THE INFORMATION AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE ARE GROUNDED IN RESEARCH AND SCIENCE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE UNBIASED, UM, DATA AND INFORMATION EDUCATION TO OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER THEIR LIVES, UM, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH THEIR BUSINESSES OR THEIR PERSONAL LIVES.
UM, CAROLINE WAS, UH, VERY GRACIOUS TO PASS OUT OUR ANNUAL REPORT, AND SHE PUT THIS TOGETHER FOR US.
SHE'S OUR, ONE OF OUR ADMINS IN THE OFFICE AND DOES A GREAT JOB WITH OUR, WITH OUR ANNUAL REPORTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER IN EXTENSION.
UM, ONE OF THE FIRST ONES THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE ANNUAL REPORT IS OUR FOUR H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK IS PROBABLY, UH, ONE OF THE MORE, UM, WELL-KNOWN PROGRAMS IN EXTENSION THAT I THINK FOLKS, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF EXTENSION, CHANCES ARE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF FOUR H.
UH, SO OUR, OUR FOUR H PROGRAM, UH, IS LED BY MARY LISA SHADEL, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, KAREN TAYLOR AND LINDA BASANI.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE OFFERS, UH, ALL THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THE CALENDAR YEAR, AS WELL AS THE VAST NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE OVER 102 VOLUNTEERS AND OVER 5,800 VOLUNTEER HOURS THROUGH THAT FOUR H PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT COMES OUT TO A, A, A VALUE OF ALMOST $200,000 IN VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.
UM, MOVING ON TO FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES.
THIS PROGRAM AREA IS LED BY JENNIFER D. DIXON CRAVENS.
UM, SHE'S A NUTRITION EDUCATOR.
HER PROGRAM IS FOCUSED MAINLY ON NUTRITION EDUCATION, UM, AND, UH, DIETS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SHE TENDS TO WORK WITH A LOT OF OUR, UM, SENIOR CITIZENS, UM, PARTNERING WITH LIBRARIES AND, AND DIFFERENT, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT SHE'S OFFERING SOMEWHERE AROUND SIX OR SO CLASSES EVERY MONTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MORE OR LESS, UM, AND REACHING A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTICIPANTS, NOT ONLY IN HARFORD COUNTY, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE STATE.
SIMILARLY, OUR SNAP ED PROGRAM IS ALSO FOCUSED ON, ON NUTRITION EDUCATION.
UM, BUT, UH, THIS IS REALLY IN SCHOOLS.
AND SNAP ED IS A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDED THROUGH USDA.
UM, SO OUR, OUR SNAP ED EDUCATOR IS SHERE HARRIS AND REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING NUTRITION EDUCATION INTO SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY LIMITED INCOME FAMILIES.
UM, AND THE THING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE IS HER REACH WITH NOT ONLY STUDENTS, BUT ALSO WITH PARENTS, UH, WHICH HAS A REALLY POSITIVE IMPACT ON, ON CHANGING HOW, UM, HOW PARENTS ARE FEEDING THEIR
[04:10:01]
KIDS A MORE HEALTHIER DIET.AND FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT, UM, OUR HORTICULTURE AND MASTER GARDENER SIDE OF THINGS, I'M SURE SOME OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, JOYCE BROWNING, WHO'S OUR HOME HORTICULTURIST.
SHE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB LEADING OUR MASTER GARDENERS, UM, DEVELOPING PROGRAMS. UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THEY OFFER WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS.
THEY HAVE OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND A COUPLE OF THE COOL THINGS THAT THEY JUST DEVELOPED FOR LAST YEAR WAS, UM, TWO DIFFERENT POLLINATOR PROJECTS.
THEY HAD, UH, THE POLLINATOR, UH, TRAIL GARDENS, UM, AND ALSO, UM, THE HOME GARDEN POLLINATOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
BOTH OF THESE WERE VERY NEW TO, UM, UH, INNOVATIVE PROJECTS, UH, THAT YOU WON'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE.
UH, THIS WAS LED BY JOYCE, UH, AND HER TEAM, AND ALSO PARTNER PARTNERING WITH THE HARTFORD LAND TRUST.
AND THEN FINALLY TO ROUND IT OUT, UM, MY PROGRAM IN AGRICULTURE.
UM, SO I REALLY FOCUS ON WORKING WITH OUR COMMERCIAL FARMERS, UH, TRYING TO, UH, WORK WITH THEM THROUGH ISSUES AND, AND EDUCATION AND ALSO GETTING THEM CERTIFIED WITH PESTICIDES AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
AND THEN ALSO, PATRICIA HOPES, WHO IS OUR NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ADVISOR, SHE WRITES NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANS SO THAT FARMERS CAN BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT LAWS IN MARYLAND.
SO, UH, NU UH, WITH TRICIA'S PROGRAM, SHE IS, LAST YEAR WAS ALMOST ABOUT 12,000 ACRES THAT SHE WROTE INTO PLANS, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD FOR US IN, UM, IN EXTENSION IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
UH, SO THAT'S SORT OF A, A QUICK OVERVIEW OF, OF WHAT WE DO IN OUR PRO OUR PROGRAMS. UM, I DID A COUPLE OF ROUGH ESTIMATIONS, UH, WITH, WITH DOLLARS THAT ARE INVESTED IN, IN EXTENSION, YOU GET YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UM, COMING BACK TO YOU, UH, ROUGHLY $11 MORE THAN WHAT YOU PUT IN.
SO, UM, A LOT OF THESE, THESE IMPACTS ARE, ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY AND MEASURE.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ONES THAT I COULD CONCRETELY,
SO, UM, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE EXTENSION SYSTEM IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF, OF FUNDING BASICALLY.
SO WE HAVE THE COUNTY, WE HAVE THE STATE, AND WE ALSO HAVE FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO, UM, THOSE COMBINED REALLY CREATE EXTENSION AND ALLOW US TO DO OUR JOBS.
AND, UM, AS FAR AS THE COUNTY'S PORTION IS CONCERNED, UM, YOU KNOW THAT THAT PART OF THE BUDGET IS, UM, RETURNED TO YOU IN, IN GREATER DIVIDENDS BECAUSE WE CAN LEVERAGE THESE OTHER DOLLARS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL TO BROADEN OUR IMPACT AND, UM, DO MORE WORK.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF EXTENSION.
YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE DO, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, UM, I WILL TAKE QUESTIONS IF YOU GUYS HAVE THEM.
ANDY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU, UM, SEE YOU AT A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT EVENTS AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND I APPRECIATE THE TOUR THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL.
UH, IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE, I BELIEVE IN A SENSE.
IT, IT KIND OF, UH, FAMILIARIZED A LOT OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT YOU DO, UH, WITH SOME OF THE RESTORATION WORK AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, WITH THAT, UH, COUNCIL, MR. JAN? ANA, I DIDN'T GET THE TOUR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE THINGS AND
AND THEN HOW DO YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF THESE PEOPLE TO FIND OUT WHEN SOME OF THESE EVENTS ARE LIKE THIS? JENNIFER DIXON.
I SEE SHE'S GOT SOME DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, FOR CANNING AND EVERYTHING.
AND IS THAT CLASSES THAT SHE TEACHES? AND WHERE IS THOSE CLASSES TAUGHT AND WEBSITE? FIND 'EM ON YOUR WEBSITE.
SO WE, WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND, AND JENNIFER ALSO HAS A MAILING LIST.
UM, I HAVE A MAILING LIST FOR MY PROGRAM.
JOYCE HAS ONE FOR OUR PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS, UM, WE CAN MAKE A NOTE AND ADD YOUR EMAIL TO HER DISTRIBUTION LIST.
AND I, I ALSO WANNA KNOW HOW TO, HOW I GET MY TOMATOES TO GROW BETTER.
I KNOW WE CAN DEFINITELY HELP YOU OUT.
WE'LL PAY A VISIT TO JOYCE AND WE'LL CONSULT ON ATTITUDE.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE BEFORE I MOVE ON, AND MAYBE MR. MCCORD, YOU CAN ANSWER THIS FOR ME.
I NOTICED, UH, A POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE THEY WERE HAVING ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS FOR THE, FOR THE, UM, AG BUILDING IN STREET.
IS THAT CORRECT? NOTHING TO DEAL WITH IT.
ANY IDEA? HAS ANYTHING COME WITH THAT OR, UH, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE FEEDBACK YET.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT, ANDY, AT ALL? A LITTLE BIT, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING IN PROBABLY
[04:15:01]
A YEAR OR SO.UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT WAS GATHERED, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY STAND WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THE AG CENTER.
IF, IF THEY WANNA CHANGE IT OR NOT.
MR. GUTHRIE, UH, AS I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TOUR THE CENTER, I, ACROSS THE CENTER, I KIND OF WENT, I NOTICED I MADE THE BOOK.
AND IF TONY, IF YOU WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND FIND OUT HOW TO GROW YOUR TOMATOES, GO OUT TO THIS AGRICULTURE CENTER AND THEY GROW EVERYTHING AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE GIVE YOU ALL KIND OF TIPS.
UH,
AND SHE GREW A WHOLE BUNCH OF TOMATOES AND THE LITTLE TOMATOES RIGHT OUT OF A POT ON THE BACK PORCH.
SO, AND, AND EXPENSIVE THEY ARE.
IT'S REALLY AN INCREDIBLE HOW EXPENSIVE THEY'RE, WHEN YOU GO INTO A GROCERY STORE TO BUY A LITTLE BOX OF THOSE LITTLE TOMATOES, YOU, YOU PLANT 'EM OUTSIDE JUST IN A POT ON THE BACK PORCH.
YOU KNOW, I HAD THOUSANDS UP, WELL, MAYBE HUNDREDS ANYWAY, BUT, UH, TONY CAN LEARN.
I KIND OF GROW 'EM PRETTY GOOD.
CHERRY TOMATOES ARE MY FAVORITE.
TONY, YOU GOT A GUY RIGHT HERE TO TEACH YOU HOW TO GROW A CHAR THERE.
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS, DON'T YOU? I DO NOT.
I WASN'T BUYING, I WASN'T BITING FOR THAT.
I, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, FOR THE AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT THEY HAVE AT THE, UH, EXTENSION CENTER, THEY DO A FABULOUS JOB.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S UNREAL.
UH, WHAT WE GET OUT OF THAT, UH, STAFF THERE WE HAVE AT THE EXTENSION CENTER.
AND, UH, WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THE COUNTY WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE FAST.
AND, UH, TONY G IF YOU WANNA LEARN HOW TO GROW TOMATOES, WE CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, UH, I DON'T WANNA WAIT UNTIL JULY TO GET 'EM.
NO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET 'EM IN JUNE UNLESS YOU PUT 'EM IN YOUR HOUSE.
NOW YOU CAN DO THAT IN A, IN A GREEN BOX OR SOMETHING AND MAYBE, AND, UH, YOU CAN HAVE THEM, WE CAN GET YOU ON, BUT YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT OF CHARLA MANURE UNDERNEATH OF THEM TO MAKE 'EM GROW.
MY GRANDFATHER HAD ME DO THAT WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
I REMEMBER THAT QUITE, QUITE WELL.
AND IT WASN'T CALLED CHARLA, IT WAS CALLED HORSE MANURE
SO WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF US
UM, ANYONE ELSE? MR. MR. PENMAN? YEAH.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
I MEAN, THE TOUR WAS TREMENDOUS.
UH, I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
I KNOW WE, UH, COUNCILMAN JANO AND WE HAVE SOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE GONNA OFFER IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK WE'D LOVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE? THANK YOU, ANDY.
GOTTA BE GETTING THERE BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA PAGES.
OKAY, I'LL QUICKLY GO OVER THE BUDGET ON PAGE 5 59.
UH, SOIL CONSERVATION HAS AN INCREASE OF 24,722.
IT IS ALL IMPERSONAL SERVICES.
UM, THEY DO HAVE TURNOVER ADJUSTMENT 13 4 0 2, UM, DECREASE FISCAL YEAR 24 COLAS 12,311, THE 25 AND MERIT, IT'S 10,843.
AND THEN THERE'S ADJUSTMENTS AGAIN TO PENSION HEALTH AND OPEP.
AND THAT'S BASED ON ACTUAL, UNDER MISCELLANEOUS, THERE WAS NO CHANGE.
UM, IT WAS FLAT FUNDING FOR THE, UM, STIPENDS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD.
UM, THE ENON ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION AND, UM, THE URBAN CONSERVATION PLANNING AND THAT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE HARTFORD SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, WE'LL TAKE, TAKE YOUR, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING A ANOTHER TOUR.
UM, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE ON THAT TOUR.
IT'S CERTAINLY A LOT, UH, BETTER TO ACTUALLY SEE SOMETHING IN PERSON ON SITE RATHER THAN US BRING SOME PRETTY PICTURES IN HERE.
SO, UM, WE'D CERTAINLY DO THAT AND WE'LL TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION TO DO ANOTHER TOUR.
[04:20:01]
HIGH CUT GUY.I'M GONNA LET QUENTIN GIVE THE REPORT
WE'LL CERTAINLY TRY TO, UH, ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
MIGHT NOT FIX EVERYTHING, BUT WE'LL AT LEAST TRY TO ADDRESS IT.
UM, AS LEE MENTIONED, UM, MY NAME IS QUENTIN CORNWELL.
I'M THE SOIL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE HARTFORD SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK, UM, PRESIDENT PATRICK SINI AND THE, UH, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE OR BE HERE BEFORE YOU.
UH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU, UH, WHICH I ALREADY GAVE YOU, IS, UH, KINDA LIKE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR PROGRAM.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE FIRST, IF YOU GO IN THE FIRST IS OUR ACTUAL BUDGET PROPOSAL.
UM, THE SECOND ITEM IS, UH, HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WAS OUR DIRECT SOURCE FUNDING FOR OUR FISCAL 2324.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, 96.2% CAME FROM HARTFORD COUNTY, 3.8%, UH, PERCENT CAME FROM MD AT MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
AND THEN, UH, WE ALSO PULLED SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR, UM, THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR 2023.
UM, WE KIND OF SHOWCASED A FEW OF THE BMPS THAT WE INSTALLED.
UH, ONE OF THOSE WAS STREAMSIDE FENCING, WHICH WAS OVER 2,488 FEET.
UH, WE ALSO, UM, WITH OUR ANNUAL COVER CROP PROGRAM, UH, WE HAD 70 FARMERS PARTICIPATE AND THEY PLANTED 14,443 ACRES OF CERTIFIED COVER CROPS IN THE FALL OF 23.
UM, AND THROUGH OUR EROSION SETTLEMENT CONTROL PROGRAM, WE HAD 260, 68 REVIEWS, AND WE ALSO HAD APPROVED A HUNDRED, UH, EROSION, SUN CONTROL AND STORM MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
ALSO, WE ALSO MANAGED THE FOREST HARVEST, UH, APPLICATIONS AND FOR THE COUNTY.
AND WE HAD 6, 6 56 PLANS, UH, WHICH ENCOMPASSES ALSO A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED ACRES AND, UH, WITH 1,261 ACRES HARVESTED.
UM, AND THEN AS YOU GO TO THE NEXT, AGAIN, AS IT WAS ALWAYS MENTIONED WITH EXTENSION SERVICE, UM, WE HAD ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE FOR, UM, OUR CALENDAR YEAR 23.
UM, WE DID, UM, DID A JOINT, UH, VENTURE WITH A FARM BUREAU AND EXTENSION SERVICE, UM, WITH OUR LEGISLATURE TOUR.
UM, THAT WAS IN JULY OF 23 AND IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.
UH, WE THOUGHT IT WAS, UM, VERY USEFUL.
AND PI WANTED TO THANK THE PRESIDENT FOR THAT AND HE ENCOURAGED ME IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO DO THAT.
SO, NO, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL AND, AND AS MR. PENMAN SAID, UH, IF THE OPPORTUNITY WOULD RISE AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AGAIN.
WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE IT ON ADVISEMENT.
UM, AND ALSO WE HAD OUR ANNUAL COOPERS YEAR, UH, DINNER THAT IS, UM, IN, UH, SEPTEMBER.
UM, WE ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNCIL KNOWS THIS OR NOT, BUT, UM, WE WERE SHOWCASED BY THE, UH, MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
UM, THEY WERE TRYING TO SPECIALIZE OR TRY, UM, KIND OF TARGET THE EQUINE SECTOR OF THE AG AGRICULTURE.
AND SO THEY ACTUALLY DID A FILM, UH, THAT WAS OUT ON MOLLY HILL FARM, UM, RIGHT HERE, I GUESS IS THAT, UH, CONSIDERED, UM, WHAT AREA IS IT? UM, WHITEFORD, WHITEFORD AREA.
UM, AND WE PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
SO THERE IS A LINK, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WOULD HAVE, YOU CAN'T REALLY TECHNICALLY JUST, UM, IF YOU TYPE THAT IN IT, IT SHOULD GO TO THE SITE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO SOME BMPS THAT WE'VE PUT IN THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
AND THOSE ARE SHOWCASE OR HIGHLIGHTED THERE, UM, THROUGH OUR STATE ORGANIZATION, THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION CONSERVATION, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR.
AND IF YOU LOOK IN THERE, THE PICTURE OF THAT IS FROM OUR TOUR FROM LAST YEAR.
AND ALSO THE ANNUAL REPORT FROM, UM, MARYLAND ASSOCIATE ATION DISTRICT.
AND IN THAT REPORT, THEY, THEY DO HIGHLIGHT THE, UM, NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND MARATHON TEAM, AS YOU KNOW, FROM IN 23.
THEY WON THE STATES, THEY WON THE COUNTY AND THE STATES, AND THEY PARTICIPATED NATIONALLY AND THEY PLACED 10TH, WHICH WERE VERY COMPETITIVE FIELD.
UM, AND ALSO WE INCLUDE JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY PLEASURE THE, UH, OUR TWO MOST RECENT, UM, NEWSLETTERS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE CONTINUES TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS TO ADDRESS EROSION AND WATER QUALITY CONCERNS, UH, THROUGH SOIL CONSERVATION, WATER QUALITY PLANS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND MORE.
ONE OF OUR OBJECTIVES, UM, CONTINUES TO MEET THE STATE'S GOAL OF THEIR, UH, 2025 WATERSHED IMPLICATION PLAN.
IT'S IN ITS PHASE THREE STAGE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S COMING TO A CONCLUSION WITH THE NEXT YEAR.
[04:25:01]
REACHED SOME OF THE GOALS THAT THEY SET FOR US, BUT NOT ALL.SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT, UM, ON OUR URBAN SECTOR ALREADY MENTIONED.
UM, SO OUR HARVARD SOIL COMPENSATION DISTRICT HAS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EROSION SEVENTH CONTROL REVIEW FOR THE COUNTY.
WE ALSO DO THE PROCESSING, THE STORM MANAGEMENT PONDS, AND WE HANDLE ALL THE FOREST HARVEST OPERATION.
OUR, OUR APPLICATIONS, UM, ALSO, UH, MENTIONED, UM, THE WORD OF, UH, JUST SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED WORKING ON HERE RECENTLY.
UM, WE REACH TO IN ORDER TO REACH OUT TO SMALL URBAN SUBURBAN OWNERS, UH, WHO DO AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES, UH, SUCH AS GAR VEGETABLE GARDENS, POULTRY SUCH.
UM, WE ARE, WE OBTAINED A TECHNICAL ASSISTANT GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CUSTOM BASIN DISTRICTS IN LATE 2023.
UH, THIS GRANT WILL ENABLE US TO DEVELOP AN ONLINE EDUCATIONAL BASED TOOL TO PROVIDE SIMPLIFIED BP OUTLINES, UM, AND SUGGESTED FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UH, LANDOWNERS, UH, TO BASICALLY TO HELP TO ADOPT CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES, UH, AND ALSO OTHER GUIDANCE, UH, TO HELP THEM, UH, TO, LIKE I SAID, THEY WERE MENTIONED ABOUT TOMATOES TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY.
UM, ALSO, UH, UH, TO ENHANCE BETTER USE OF THE SOIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THROUGH SOIL TESTING, STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO THAT WE ARE PROTECTING NOT ONLY THE SURFACE, BUT ON ANY RUNOFF THAT GOES OFF OUR OUR LANDS.
UM, SO, BUT WITH THAT, I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US, UM, HERE TODAY.
ANYONE WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. BENNETT? HELLO.
UM, I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU JUST SHARED 'CAUSE I HAVE HAD A CONSTITUENT WHO'S BEEN REACHING OUT VERY INTERESTED IN URBAN FARMING AND, UH, WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, SO I'LL DEFINITELY BE EMAILING YOU TO CONNECT YOU WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THEY'VE BEEN VERY EXCITED ABOUT NOW FOR MONTHS.
ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NO ONE ELSE? UH, LEE QUENTIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, UH, AGAIN FOR THE NEXT TOUR.
THIS CONCLUDES THE AFTERNOON SESSION.