* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Special Legislative Session on June 10, 2024.] [00:00:03] GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS THE ORDER SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION. DAY 24 DASH 19 ASKS YOU TO PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE. FOLLOWED BY OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE DUE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE LIBERTY. I JUSTICE FOR ALL. LET US PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTY. I PRAY THAT YOU'LL GUIDE OUR COUNCIL AS THEY MEET AND DISCUSS MATTERS WITH REGARD TO OUR COUNTY. I PRAY THAT THEIR MOTIVATION AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO DO IS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PUBLIC. I PRAY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SOLVE OUR COUNTY'S PROBLEMS AND MAKE GOOD POLICIES. HELP US BE COMPETENT. EXCELLENCE AND OUR GOVERNANCE HELP US TO LISTEN WITH UNDERSTANDING AND GOODWILL. HELP US TO SPEAK WITH CLARITY AND RESTRAINT. GIVE US A SPIRIT OF SERVICE AND A SPECIAL PRAYER. OUR FATHER FOR THE NORTHERN HAR HARTFORD FAMILY THAT LOST THEIR, UH, THEIR YOUNG SON, UH, THIS PAST WEEK IN OCEAN CITY. AND THIS WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, INTRODUCTION TO CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NONE, UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT REED AMENDMENTS TO BILL 24 DASH 14, I BELIEVE IT'S 32 THROUGH 36 AMENDMENTS. 32 THROUGH 36 TO BILL 24 DASH 14 ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI AND COUNCIL MEMBERS JAN JORDANO PENMAN, RILEY BOYLE SADDLES, BENNETT, AND GUTHRIE. AMENDMENT NUMBER 32 ON PAGE 36, STRIKING IN ITS ENTIRETY. LINE 14, THIS AMENDMENT IN PARENTES. THIS AMENDMENT REMOVES THE H-C-H-C-S-O CENTRAL PRECINCT TRAINING ACADEMY FROM THE CAPITAL BUDGET WITH A NET EFFECT OF LEAVING THE PROJECT IN THE SAME STATUS OF THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AS IT IS CURRENTLY. AMENDMENT NUMBER 33 ON PAGE 36 IN LINE 21, STRIKE 3,500,000 AND SUBSTITUTE 1,722,737. THIS AMENDMENT REDUCES MAJOR RENOVATIONS, CONSTRUCTION COUNTY FACILITIES BY 1,777,263. AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR ON PAGE 36 IN LINE 24, STRIKE 10 MILLION AND SUBSTITUTE ZERO. THIS AMENDMENT REDUCES BOND FUNDING FOR SITE ACQUISITION BY 10 MILLION. AMENDMENT NUMBER 35 ON PAGE 36 IN LINE 29, STRIKE 3 MILLION AND SUBSTITUTE ZERO. THIS AMENDMENT REDUCES BOND FUNDING BY 3 MILLION FOR THE HCDC FACILITY REPAIRS, UPGRADES AMENDMENT NUMBER 36 ON PAGE 37 IN LINE 19 STRIKES 7 MILLION AS SUBSTITUTE ZERO. THIS AMENDMENT REMOVES 7 MILLION IN BOND FUNDING FROM SEA MELT WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL LIMITED RENOVATION BECAUSE THE PROJECT HAS NOT RECEIVED PLANNING APPROVAL FROM THE STATE. THANK YOU MR. JAN JORDANA, BECAUSE WE ARE TIME SENSITIVE WITH THESE AMENDMENTS. UH, WE WILL BE ACTING ON THESE THIS EVENING. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 24 DASH 14. THAT WOULD BE THE AMENDMENTS TO BILL. WE DON'T AMEND DEPENDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO BILL 24 DASH 1432 THROUGH 36. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. MS. S AFTERNOON IS SECONDED TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS 32 THROUGH 36 TO BILL 24 DASH ZERO 14. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AND MR. RILEY? YES, I'D LIKE TO DO 'EM EACH INDEPENDENTLY. THAT'S FINE. UM, BUT BEFORE WE VOTE, I'VE ASKED THE SHERIFF TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. I'VE ALSO ASKED A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF ED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. UH, THEY'RE NOT HERE YET, BUT I ASKED THE SHERIFF TO BE HERE BECAUSE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET, UH, CAPITAL BUDGET WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THESE CUTS AND HE'S HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THAT MR. GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. I KNOW IT'S A SPECIAL SESSION, SO I APPRECIATE THE, UH, YOU ALL HAVING TO, UH, GO OUTTA YOUR WAY TO HAVE A, A MEETING TONIGHT IN ADDITION TO TOMORROW NIGHT. JUST WANTED TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORT REVIEW OF WHAT BROUGHT US HERE. UH, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, OF COURSE, THE CENTRAL PRECINCT AND TRAINING ACADEMY PROJECT, A VAAL PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT FOR OUR GROWING HARTFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY WAS ANNOUNCED WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THAT TIME AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS ON HAND. THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY $21 MILLION BEING [00:05:01] INCLUDED IN THE FY 22 BUDGET AND THEN APPROVED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PROJECT. IN FACT, OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WAS SPENT IN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, UH, WORK AT THE HEAT CENTER, A COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY THAT HAS SAT VACANT FOR ROUGHLY 10 YEARS. ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH NEARLY EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL SUPPORTS THIS PROJECT AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS COMMUNITY SUPPORT REMAINS REMARKABLY HIGH. HERE WE ARE TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER AND NEARLY THREE MONTHS PAST WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE COMPLETION DATE, HOPING TO PRESERVE THE FUNDING THAT WAS NOT ONLY APPROVED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, A PROJECT THAT WAS ALSO UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED BY EACH OF YOU THROUGH YOUR RESOLUTION. REGRETTABLY, THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET COMPLETELY DEFUND THE PROJECT. THERE ARE THOSE WHO GET UPSET WHEN I USE THE WORD DEFUND. SO FOR THEM WE CAN SAY IT REMOVES THE FUNDING OR TAKES AWAY THE APPROVED FUNDING OR DELETES THE APPROVED FUNDING, BUT THE END RESULT IS EXACTLY THE SAME. THE PROJECT IS COMPLETELY DEFUNDED. IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN TO DEFUND, THIS PROJECT WOULD MAKE HISTORY. IT JUST WOULDN'T BE THE KIND OF HISTORY OUR COUNTY WOULD BE PROUD OF. NOWHERE ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAVE WE SEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS REMOVING FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECTS. IN FACT, IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE EVEN IN TODAY'S, UH, IN TODAY AND TODAY'S ECONOMY, COUNTIES SIMILAR TO HARTFORD, UH, OR EVEN SMALLER IN SIZE ARE INVESTING IN PUBLIC SAFETY. AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH CECIL COUNTY HAS BUDGETED EIGHT, UH, AND A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS FOR AN INDOOR RANGE FACILITY WITH JUST TWO CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE OTHER EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR PROJECTS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT MOVING FORWARD ACROSS THE STATE. UH, SHOULD THE COUNCIL LIKE TO SEE THEM AS TO TONIGHT'S AMENDMENTS FOR WHICH I DO BELIEVE, UH, TO BE 100% IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL'S BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITIES IF APPROVED, THE AMENDMENTS WILL PRESERVE THE PREVIOUS APPROVED PROJECT MONIES FOR THIS PROJECT. THE CENTRAL PRECINCT AND TRAINING ACADEMY, BECAUSE OF THE POSITION THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN PLACED IN OTHER PROJECTS WHICH WERE PROPOSED TO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING MEANT FOR THE CENTRAL PRECINCT AND TRAINING ACADEMY MUST BE AMENDED AS WELL. AND THOSE AMENDMENTS ARE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. THIS INCLUDES $3 MILLION FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT WAS PROPOSED FOR DE DETENTION CENTER PROJECTS, MUCH LIKE THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WILL NOW BE IMPACTED, THE DETENTION CENTER PROJECTS ARE CERTAINLY NEEDED AND NECESSARY. WE WOULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE IF THEY WERE NOT THE RESULT OF THESE PROJECTS AT THE JAIL. NOT MOVING FORWARD WILL WILL LIKELY RESULT IN GREATER COST TO REPAIR IN LATER YEARS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROJECT INVOLVING WATER DAMAGE TO THE NEWEST SECTION OF THE JAIL. BUT I FULLY SUPPORT HOLDING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PROJECT AT THIS TIME AS THE ELECTED SHERIFF OF HARTFORD COUNTY. MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS THE OVERALL SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS PUBLIC SAFETY GOES. THERE IS NO MORE VITAL PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT, IN MY OPINION, THE NET OF THE CENTRAL PRECINCT AND TRAINING ACADEMY. AND THEREFORE I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THESE AMENDMENTS AND APPRECIATIVE OF THE COUNCIL MAINTAINING THEIR SUPPORT, THEIR SUPPORT FOR BOTH THIS CRITICAL PROJECT, FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONS. THANK YOU, SIR. UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR AMENDMENT NUMBER 32. UM, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT YET. WELL, BUT, BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE MOTIONS TO APPROVE ALL OF 'EM. YOU, YOU, YOU'RE JUST DIVIDED THE QUESTION CORRECT. OKAY. SO, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON 32. UM, MS. DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT AYE. MR. GUTHRIE? AYE. MR. PENMAN? AYE. MR. ANO AYE. MR. RILEY? AYE. MRS. LES AYE. MR. BENNETT AYE. THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE. UH, AMENDMENT NUMBER 32 TO BILL 24 DASH ZERO 14 IS HEREBY APPROVED. MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON 33? COUNCILOR, YOU REALLY DON'T, DON'T NEED A MOTION ON THIS. JUST VOTE ON 'EM EACH ONE. ONCE ONE AMENDMENT 33 IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. UM, MR. DIXON ON NUMBER 33, MR. PRESIDENT? AYE. MR. GUTHRIE? AYE. MR. PENMAN AYE. MR. ANO AYE. MR. RILEY NO. MRS. BULLS? AYE. MR. BENNETT AYE. THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE NEGATIVE TO NUMBER 32, UM, TO BILL 24 DASH 0 14 33 33, I'M SORRY. 33 TO BILL 24 DASH ZERO 14 IS HEREBY APPROVED. NUMBER 34 MS. DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT AYE. MR. GUTHRIE AYE. MR. PENMAN AYE. MR. ANO? AYE. MR. RILEY, I'M SORRY MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A QUESTION. YES SIR. UH, THIS AMENDMENT REDUCES BOND FUNDING FOR SITE ACQUISITION FOR FOR WHAT SITE? FOR ALL THAT HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED OUT IN THE OUT YEARS. THERE'S NOTHING SCHEDULED CURRENTLY. [00:10:03] SO NO PARTICULAR SITE? NO SIR. I VOTE NO. MRS. LES AYE. MR. BENNETT AYE. THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE IN THE NEGATIVE. THE AMENDMENT 34 TO 24 0 14 IS HEREBY APPROVED. NUMBER 35 MR. PRESIDENT AYE. MR. GUTHRIE AYE. MR. PENMAN AYE. MR. JAN ANO AYE. MR. RILEY AND SHERIFF, YOU OKAY WITH 35 IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES. YES. MRS. S AYE. MR. BENNETT AYE, THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR NUMBER 35 TO BILL 24 0 14. IT'S HEREBY APPROVED. 36. AND IF I MAY, UH, WE'RE WAITING ON MR. BROWN TO GET HERE. HE'S TIED UP AT ANOTHER MEETING. UH, IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND CORNELL BROWN, UH, THESE RENOVATIONS OF SEA MILL SEA, MILTON WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND YET THEY ARE NOT IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET UNTIL ALTO, I THINK 28. UH, SO THEREFORE THESE FUNDS COULD BE USED FOR THIS PROJECT. NOW, IN MY OPINION, AND I'M HOPING THE COUNCIL'S OPINION, UH, WITH THE, UM, AGREEANCE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND, UH, MR. BROWN. SO, MS. DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT AYE. MR. GUTHRIE AYE. MR. PENMAN AYE. MR. ANO AYE. MR. RILEY? NO. MRS. LES AYE. MR. BENNETT, AYE, THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE IN THE ABSENCE, OR EXCUSE ME, ONE NEGATIVE. UM, AMENDMENT NUMBER 36 TO 24 0 14 IS HEREBY APPROVED. THIS WILL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE THIS SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.