Jun 18, 2024 County Council

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 2421. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN US FOR STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMISE TO BE WITH US ALWAYS. WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD DEEPEN OUR COMPREHENSION AND BROADEN OUR THINKING. SO EACH DECISION WE MAKE MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL.

LORD WITH THE SUMMER SEASON UPON US, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER OUR CHILDREN, KEEP THEM SAFE AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER IN THESE CHAMBERS. KEEP OUR HEARTS AND MINDS OPEN, BLESS US AND GUIDE US AS WE CONTINUE TO CONDUCT THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN YOUR MOST HOLY NAME, LORD. AMEN. AMEN. AGENDA

[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]

SO CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS, COACH MOLE, I THINK IT'S THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW, ACTUALLY. ONE OFF AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SO. BUT, THAT'S A THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT.

AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. I KNOW THE PARENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND THE AND THE KIDS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THE COACH, COACH MOLE, COACH PALKO, GREAT JOB, WE HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO COACH THESE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR YEARS TO COME SO WE CAN BRING BACK SOME MORE CHAMPIONSHIPS TO FALSONE. SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, ON YOUR EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. SO LET ME GIVE THIS TO YOU, COACH MOLE. DO YOU WANT TO READ THE PROCLAMATIONS? YEAH. OH, IT'S. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ONE. OKAY BE IT HEREBY KNOWN THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THIS 18TH DAY OF JUNE 2024, RECOGNIZING CONGRATULATE FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL WOMEN'S LACROSSE TEAM FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE 2024 CLASS ONE A STATE TOURNAMENT. WE COMMEND THE TEAM AND THE COACHES FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND SPORTSMANSHIP. THEIR PERSEVERANCE HAS EARNED THEM THE TITLE. THE TITLE OF 2024 CLASS ONE A STATE CHAMPIONS. THIS CHAMPIONSHIP WIN IS A TESTAMENT TO THE DETERMINATION AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD. WE WISH THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVORS, BOTH IN SPORTS AND IN LIFE. FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL MEN'S LACROSSE TEAM FOR THAT, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE 2024 CLASS ONE A STATE TOURNAMENT. WE COMMEND THE TEAM AND COACHES FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND SPORTSMANSHIP, WHICH LED THEM TO SECURE THEIR THIRD CLASS ONE, A STATE TITLE IN FOUR YEARS. THIS REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD. WE WISH THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVORS, BOTH IN SPORTS AND IN LIFE. THANK YOU TONY. AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO THE COACHES JUST FOR, SAY, A FEW WORDS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL, FOR AWARDING US WITH THIS HONOR, IT WAS A GREAT SEASON. SUPER PROUD OF THE GIRLS . AND COULDN'T HAVE BEEN PROUDER TO HAVE THIS AWARD SHARED WITH THE MEN AND THEIR EXPERIENCES BECAUSE THESE KIDS, THEY DID A LOT OF TRAINING OFF THE SEASON.

AND COACH MOLE AND I HAVE A SAYING ONE PROGRAM, WE ARE ONE FORCE IN LACROSSE, AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE THAT RECOGNIZED, NOT TO KNOW YOU, NOT TO REITERATE TOO MUCH OF WHAT YOU KNOW, COACH PALKO SAID. BUT YOU KNOW, WE ONE OF OUR MANTRAS IS ONE PROGRAM. AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE IN THINGS LIKE THIS IS REALLY COOL. AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU VERY

[00:05:01]

AND I THINK, IT'S ONLY HAPPENED ONE TIME BEFORE IN 2012, WHERE THE WOMEN'S AND THE MEN'S PROGRAM BOTH WON. SO CONGRATULATIONS. GREAT WORK. AND, WHAT A. OKAY, LET'S TAKE A GROUP PHOTO. CAN EVERYBODY HERE ON THIS SIDE. I DON'T HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE FRONT ROW. TAKE A COUPLE STEPS THIS WAY AND JUST CENTER IT UP A BIT AND GOOD. PERFECT. MR. RILEY, CAN YOU TAKE A STEP THIS WAY? JUST A TAD. THANK YOU. I ALWAYS WANT TO. MESSES IT UP. I'M SURPRISED YOU MADE IT ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS THAT'S LIKE. THANK YOU. COACH.

CONGRATS, COACH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. YEAH CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT GENTLEMEN. YEP. GREAT JOB.

CONGRATS AGAIN GUYS. YEAH CONGRATS. GREAT JOB. YOU COULD SHAKE IT. SHAKE. AGENDA ITEM

[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]

COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JOHN LANDBECK ALLISON IMHOFF AND VICKY JONES.

THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE POLICE ACADEMY BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN THE MEMBERS THAT ARE BEING REAPPOINTED. BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. PEMON.

ANYONE ELSE? I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE A VACANCY IN THE UPCOMING, BOARD. WE PLAN ON ADVERTISING FOR THAT, THIS SUMMER, BEGINNING IN JULY, I BELIEVE. MISS HARRIS. IS THAT WHAT WE SAID IN JULY? SO WITH THAT, ANYONE ELSE TO COMMENT? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MISTER GUTHRIE, I MR. PITTMAN ABSTAIN. MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. BULL CYCLES I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSTENTION THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED, SEE MR. LAMB BACK IN THE OFFICE OR IN THE CHAMBERS.

THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR SERVICE . THANK YOU. EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS COMMISSION FOR WOMEN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS OF DIANE SENGSTACKE. DEBORAH SCHREIBER, KAREN CHISMAR, THERESA WALTHER, AND CATHERINE NOVOTNY TO THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED FOR THE NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION ON WOMEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. BENNETT, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I JUST WANT TO FIRST SAY, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THESE APPOINTEES, IN FACT, I KNOW SOME OF THEM, AND I LOOKED OVER ALL THEIR APPLICATIONS, AND I VIEW THEM AS QUALIFIED TO BE ON THIS BOARD. BUT IN TALKING WITH THE OUTGOING CHAIR, WHO REACHED OUT TO ALL OF US AND SPEAKING WITH HER ON THE PHONE TODAY, JUST CONCERNED OVER THE FACT THAT THERE WASN'T ANY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN, THE CHAIR OR AS FAR AS THE CHAIR KNOWS, ANYBODY WHO CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE BOARD, ALSO, CONCERNED ABOUT THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO WILL NOW COME FROM TWO DISTRICTS OUT OF THE SIX DISTRICTS IN OUR COUNTY WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF THE BOARD IS TO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, AND JUST CONCERNED OVER THE FACT THAT NONE OF THE APPOINTEES RECOMMENDED BY THE CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD WERE CONSIDERED IN THIS PROCESS. I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS CONCERNING AND UPSETTING TO, THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE BOARD THAT IN THIS PROCESS THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I VOICED THOSE CONCERNS PUBLICLY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MR. PENMAN? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND I WANT TO ECHO THOSE CONCERNS, I KNOW DIANE'S HERE. I HAVE A DEEP RESPECT FOR DIANE, THERESA WALTERS, THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR TERRESTRIAL WALTERS. I THINK SHE WOULD DO A FINE JOB, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION ON, GOING FORWARD ON KIND OF HOW THIS THING WAS PUT TOGETHER, SO I'M HOPING THAT TAKES PLACE, SO I HAVE CONCERNS OVER VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS APPOINTMENT. NOT NECESSARILY. THESE PEOPLE AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MR. PITTMAN. ANYONE ELSE? I WILL SAY THAT, I DID ALSO, RESPOND BACK. FROM MISS

[00:10:08]

PLEASE STAND, PLEASE, AND BE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. PLUMBING ADVISORY BOARD MAY HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF HARRY NEWCOMER AND STEPHANIE AND STEVEN BOGAN AND THE APPOINTMENTS OF RICHARD. NEWTS JUSTIN WOJCIECHOWICZ AND GREGORY SCHOTT TO THE PLUMBING BOARD. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS AND NEW APPOINTMENTS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MISTER GUTHRIE, I MR. PENMAN, I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. WILSON I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE

[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]

THEY CAN GET SOME FRESH CLOTHES, DEODORANT, SOME PERSONAL BODY WIPES, AND THAT WAS ONE OF OUR BIG PROJECTS. WE ALSO DID A MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY PROJECT WHERE WE SUPPORTED, THE STUDENTS

[00:15:03]

YES, EVICTION PREVENTION, THAT KIND OF STUFF. DO THEY ALSO HELP THEM APPLY AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS? MAYBE IN SOME, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S BALTIMORE COUNTY OR HARFORD COUNTY, HERE'S, YOU KNOW, HEY, I APPLIED FIVE YEARS AGO. I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK. OKAY, LET'S GO THROUGH. DO THEY HELP THEM WITH THAT AS WELL? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO THEM GET CONNECTED TO THE PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP THEM WALK THROUGH THAT. WE DO HAVE SOME OF OUR OWN FUNDING THOUGH THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH, LIKE EVICTION PREVENTION AND SOME SECURITY DEPOSITS. SO IT REALLY DEPENDS WHAT THEY QUALIFY FOR. AND THOSE THOSE SPECIALISTS WILL DRILL DOWN REALLY INTO THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE HAVING, AND TRY TO HELP THEM SOLVE THAT. OKAY. WHETHER IT'S CONNECTING OUTSIDE OR ONE OF OUR SPECIALISTS THAT'S IN IN UNITED WAY, WHAT ABOUT FOOD? AND I THINK I HEARD YOU MENTION SOME OF THAT, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF KIDS ARE, YOU KNOW, WITH GROCERIES GOING UP THROUGH THE ROOF AND, AND, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE MAYBE NOT GETTING THE MEALS THAT THEY SHOULD. ONE OF THE THINGS THEY FOUND OUT IF A KID DOESN'T EAT, THEN HE DOESN'T DOESN'T LEARN. AND I'M PROBABLY LIKE THAT. IF I DON'T EAT, I DON'T LEARN EITHER. SO I WOULD AGREE. BUT I EAT WELL GROWING UP, SO I WORRY ABOUT SOME OF THESE KIDS DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO EAT, DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, BREAKFAST, DON'T HAVE. DO YOU GUYS ALSO, PARTICIPATE OR DO ANYTHING FOR THAT? WE DO. AND ONE OF THE NEW INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE, WE'VE REVAMPED OUR HEALTH INITIATIVES AND THEY'RE DOING MICRO GRANTS IN EACH OF OUR JURISDICTIONS TO HELP SMALLER NONPROFITS WITH FOOD

[00:20:02]

WE DID LASSOS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. WE HELPED THEM. THEY THEY WERE TRYING TO PUT OUT SOME FOOD, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT WAS GOING TO HELP SORT. AND I WAS LIKE, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THIS DONE IN LIKE AN HOUR? I SAID, WELL, LET ME CALL A COUPLE PEOPLE. I HAD LIKE TEN GUYS SHOW UP. SO IF YOU GIVE ME THAT, THAT'LL BE MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT. SO IF YOU GIVE ME THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL COME OUT AND DO THAT. IT'S ALSO A FOOD PANTRY DAY AT THE EPICENTER. SO THEY WILL ALSO BE HAVING, AND THE LAST FEW TIMES I'VE BEEN THERE ON THEIR FOOD PANTRY DAY, THEY'VE HAD A PRETTY LONG LINE OF PEOPLE AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THEIR THEIR CHOICE FOOD PANTRY OF SERVING THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE RIGHT IN THAT COMMUNITY. OKAY.

HAVING MARY BETH STAPLETON ON THE BOARD, SHE ACTUALLY SENT US THE FOOD PANTRY, ITEMIZED LIST OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE THROUGH THE SUMMER, SPECIFIC FOR THAT DIFFERENT AREA. SO I'LL SEND THAT TO YOU AS WELL. AND MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE, IF YOU SEND IT TO JOANNE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS, GUYS.

ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT, AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES FOR YOU ALL, IS THAT PRIMARILY THROUGH FUNDRAISING, THROUGH DONATIONS? HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU ALL? YES. SO FUNDRAISING, DONATIONS FROM PRIVATE DONORS. WE DO A LOT OF WORKPLACE ACCOUNTS. SO, THAT'S PART OF MY JOB IS MANAGING OUR WORKPLACE PARTNERS. WHERE, WHERE FOLKS WILL DONATE THROUGH THEIR PAYROLL CHECK. BUT A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMING IS GRANT FUNDED, AND THEY ASK THEIR RUN BOARDS TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL.

IT CAN BE ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT. BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING THAT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT REALLY JUST SHOWS YOUR VESTED IN THE MISSION . AND SO I'M PROUD TO SAY HARFORD COUNTY HAD 100% FUNDRAISING RATE. THEY DID AND 100% VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT AS WELL. SO AND WE'RE WE THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO DO THAT. YEAH ANGELA SHE'S NOT COMPETITIVE. TWO TWO. MISSILES, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF UNITED WAY, AND YOU ALL DO AMAZING THINGS. PROJECT CONNECT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN.

AND I'D LIKE TO GET THE DATE ON THE CALENDAR TO HELP OUT AGAIN, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US OUT. MR. PENMAN, I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID. JEN. ANGELA, OUTREACH FOR THE COMMUNITY IS SUCH A WONDERFUL SERVICE. WE WOULDN'T BE THE COUNTY WE ARE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE YOURS. IT IS TRULY GODSEND. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING YOU AND VOLUNTEERING IN THE FUTURE. AND THANK YOU AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE, SAME COMMENTS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND I KNOW I'LL BE AT THE EPIC CENTER ALSO. IT'S ALREADY ON MY SCHEDULE, WOULDN'T MISS IT. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT. BACK AT YOU. THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU. AND HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER. ANGELA YES, SIR. ONE QUICK THING. YEAH NO.

WHEN'S THE WHEN'S THE BARBECUE? WHEN'S THE BARBECUE BASH, THE SECOND WEEKEND IN OCTOBER.

SECOND WEEKEND IN OCTOBER. I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO HEAR THAT SO THEY CAN. DON'T THINK IT'S COMING THIS SUMMER. IT'S IN THE FALL. MOVED IT TO OCTOBER. I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT MOVE.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR GIVING ME AN EASY QUESTION. OKTOBERFEST AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN,

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

[00:25:13]

WE'LL LOOK AT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE COUNTY'S AFFILIATED AGENCIES, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION AND, THE INMATE ACCOUNTS AT THE DETENTION CENTER. SO THOSE ARE THE BIG PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED, WE ALSO ALWAYS SET UP OUR AUDIT PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE THINGS LIKE, UNANTICIPATED PROJECTS, REQUESTS FROM YOU ALL, ATTENDING COUNCIL MEETINGS WHEN WE NEED TO, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, PAID TIME OFF FOR STAFF TRAINING, QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM KIND OF THINGS. SO WE THINK WE GOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET ALL THIS WORK DONE. OF COURSE WE'LL UPDATE YOU ALL PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AUDIT PLAN, I CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER THEM. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION. MR. RILEY, I SEE YOU HAVE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, AND IT'S DETERMINED IF THE COUNTY HAS COLLECTED THE CORRECT AMOUNT. DO YOU EVER AUDIT THE FOLKS THAT GET THE HOTEL TAX TO SEE IF IN FACT, THEY ARE SPENDING IT APPROPRIATELY? THE AMOUNT OF MONEY? WELL, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS BEING GIVEN OUT IN GRANTS AND TOURISM GRANTS, WE AUDIT THAT IN OUR GRANT CONTROL AUDIT. OKAY. RIGHT. YEAH I THINK HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS. THE RECIPIENTS OF TOURISM GRANTS. YES. WE LOOK AT THEIR INFORMATION WHEN WE REVIEW THE COUNTY'S GRANT MANAGEMENT PROCESS. SO ESSENTIALLY WE'LL BE LOOKING TO SEE WHETHER THE COUNTY IS DOING WHAT IT SHOULD BE TO MONITOR THE GRANTS THAT IT GIVES OUT. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SO YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY MONITORING WHAT THEY'RE SPENDING THE GRANT FOLKS ARE SPENDING THEIR MONEY ON. YOU'RE JUST MONITORING WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNTY'S GIVEN THE GRANT PEOPLE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY? YES, THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY. BUT ALSO WE LOOK TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE GRANTEES HAVE PROVIDED RECORDS TO THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THEIR.

THANK YOU. THAT ANSWER MY QUESTION, MR. PENMAN. MISS BROOKS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT TOWARDS HARFORD COUNTY, I KNOW THAT I RELY ON YOU A LOT JUST FOR YOUR EXPERTISE. AND IN ADDITION TO ALL THESE AUDITS, YOU HAVE MANY, MANY MORE RESPONSIBILITIES. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN. ANYONE ELSE? SO, COUNCIL, WE ARE GOING TO BE A I'M SORRY. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED. IT'S DATED TUESDAY RESOLUTION. SO BEFORE I MOVE TO IT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED. IT JUST NEEDS TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD. I DON'T HAVE THE RESOLUTION. YEAH, I HAVE THE I HAVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE INTRODUCTION WHICH I CAN READ. THANK YOU SIR. SORRY. HOW DID WE MISS THAT? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, A RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY AUDITOR TO CONDUCT OPERATIONAL AND PERFORMANCE AUDITING PROCEDURES INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN. I MOVE TO APPROVE THIS SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. JONES AND MR. PENMAN. MISS MADE

[00:30:12]

[11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS]

[00:35:05]

MAKE THESE PEOPLE HAPPY. WELL, BOY, YOU MADE THESE PEOPLE UNHAPPY. YOU TOOK $100,000 AWAY FROM THEM. THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. AND THAT'S A SIMPLE MATH OF THIS BILL. THE SIMPLE MATH IS YOU GOT TO TAKE MONEY FROM SOMEBODY AND GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE. NOW NOW WHO'S HERE? GOT ALL THE BACKGROUND THAT ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS HAVE AND ALL THEIR STAFF AND ALL THE HEADS HAVE FOR SAYING WHAT THEY NEED IN THEIR BUDGET. WHO'S GOT THE TIME? YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S ONLY TWO MEMBERS ON THIS COUNCIL WERE WHO AND WE JUST HADN'T RETIRED. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE HAVE MORE TIME THAN THE OTHER FIVE MEMBERS. BUT THEY ALL HAVE JOBS. OTHER JOBS. THEY HAVE BUSINESSES OR WHATEVER. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT COMING DOWN ON THEM, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE TIME TO DO WHAT THEY THINK THEY THEY'RE GOING TO THINK THEY DO. BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS AND THEN YOU GET ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS COMING AT YOU FROM EVERY DIRECTION TO TRY TO GET MORE MONEY. I REMEMBER SOMEONE ON THE COUNCIL BEFORE, AND, SLUTSKY WAS PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME, AND WE WERE, TRYING TO GET SOME MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS SO THEY COULD GIVE THE TEACHERS 3. SO WE TOOK $1 MILLION FROM SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND MOVED IT OVER, GAVE IT TO THE SCHOOL SO YOU COULD GIVE THE TEACHERS ALL 3% RAISE. WELL YOU KNOW, WE GOT CLOBBERED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SO WE TOOK A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THEM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL IS. SO I UNDERSTAND, I MEAN, MY, MY EMAILS THAT COME IN ARE 66 TO 14 AGAINST THIS BILL. AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE OTHER NUMBERS, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S COMING TO MY OFFICE, 66 TO 14, I'M AGAINST IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE BEST INTERESTS OF HARFORD COUNTY OR ITS CITIZENS, SO I, THAT THAT IS THE REASON I'M OPPOSED TO THE BILL. NO. NO, SIR. SORRY AT THE END. OKAY. NO, SIR. ANYTHING ELSE? MR. IS IT MR. BENNETT? I JUST LIKE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, LIKE COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE JUST POINTED OUT, THIS PROCESS ALREADY EXISTS , IN ESSENCE, FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN CUT FROM ANY DEPARTMENT AND ADD THAT MONEY TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S BUDGET, I THINK WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS ALLOW FOR US TO DO THAT FOR OTHER ENTITIES AS WELL. YOU KNOW, AND THE THING ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE SHOULD REMEMBER IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE LARGEST THING THAT WE FUND. IT REPRESENTS A LITTLE OVER 40% OF THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET. YOU KNOW, IT GETS OVER 50% WHEN YOU ADD IN THE LIBRARIES, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO THAT. BUT TO BE ABLE TO, FOLLOW THAT SAME PROCESS FOR NOT JUST THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT ALL ENTITIES. I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HEARD FROM ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEE UNIONS THAT REPRESENT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, FROM DPW AND SO ON, WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD HELP US, AND LIKE I SAID LAST WEEK, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING LARGE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET IN A WORLD WHERE THIS EXISTS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE. THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH, FILL IN TO THE PIE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE SMALL CHANGES THAT WE CAN MAKE AFTER WE SIT THROUGH THOSE FOUR DAYS OF BUDGET HEARINGS AND WE HEAR FROM EVERYBODY, AND WE SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HUGE BUDGET. AND SOMETIMES THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS STAFF MISS A THING HERE OR THERE, LIKE WITH VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR, OR WITH, THE ARC OR SO ON THOSE SMALL DOLLAR ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE COULD HANDLE AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF, RATHER

[00:40:02]

YOU KNOW GET IT FOR US. AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTING IT. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. MISS. YES. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, I DO HAVE TO MAKE A PAYROLL EVERY WEEK. SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW BUDGETS WORK AND HOW THE NUMBERS WORK, THAT'S ONE THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, AS WELL AS THIS DOESN'T GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE BUDGET. IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NECESSARY, AND HOPEFULLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, IT WOULD GIVE US THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION, THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ALLISON. ANYONE ELSE? EXCUSE ME, SIR, I SAID IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH THE MONEY AND NOT HAVE TO SAY NOTHING. SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER IN THE CHAMBERS, RIGHT NOW, OKAY? THANK YOU. I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT NOW I AM. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS BILL. THIS BILL WAS BROUGHT TO ME IN 21. VERY SIMILAR, BY COUNCILMAN WAGNER. AND AT THE TIME, WE DID NOT RECEIVE A LOT OF PUSHBACK OR A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE BILL. SO IT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD. BUT CURRENTLY, WITH THE BILL THAT WE HAVE, IT PUTS US IN AN AWKWARD POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD FROM MANY, MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND CITIZENS ACROSS THIS COUNTY, BOTH IN SUPPORT AND IN OPPOSITION. AND SOMEONE SENT ME AN EMAIL THE OTHER DAY AND THEY SAID, MR. PRESIDENT, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ON THE FENCE.

AND I SAID, I AM ON THE FENCE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I PUT THE SUPERMAJORITY AMENDMENT IN THERE. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME, CONTROL. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO START. BUT I THINK THE THING THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO REALIZE IS THIS IS NOT A VOTE TO SUPPORT THE BILL. THIS IS A VOTE TO MOVE THE BILL TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM. AND IF THEY DECIDE TO MOVE THIS, THEN THAT'S THEIR THEIR VOTE. WE'RE GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.

WE'VE HEARD THEM. I MEAN, THERE'S HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS IN THIS FOLDER, HUNDREDS BEING REPRESENTED TO BOTH SUPPORT AND OPPOSE. SO I FEEL AN OBLIGATION TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE, TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. AND THAT'S WHY I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS, MR. RILEY WITH THAT, I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD DO THAT WITH EVERY VOTE. THEN IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT WE'RE THROWING IT OUT TO THE CITIZENS. UNLESS WE DO THAT WITH EVERY VOTE WE DO UP HERE, I PERSONALLY, I COUNTED THEM. I HAD 250 AGAINST TEN FOR IN MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT D, IT'S A VERY CONSERVATIVE DISTRICT. AGAIN, I WILL SAY, AS I SAID LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT IF YOU GIVE A $10 TO THE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO DO THE HIGHWAYS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE, AS ON THE DAIS, DECIDE TO TAKE $2 FROM THEM. NOW THEY'RE WORKING WITH $8, THAT THEY HAVE TO DO THE SAME KIND OF TASK THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED THEM TO DO, SNOW REMOVAL, POTHOLES AND ALL THAT STUFF GOES TO HELL IN A HAND BASKET. SO I AM VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO THIS. I THINK IT'S BAD GOVERNANCE, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE'D ALL VOTE THIS DOWN. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, MR. GUTHRIE, NO. MR. PENMAN, I, MR. GIORDANO. NO. MR. RILEY, NO. MRS. SIDLES, I MR. BENNETT, I THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THREE IN A NEGATIVE BILL 2416 AS AMENDED, IS HEREBY APPROVED. BILL 20 4-0 18. MR. PENMAN. MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW, THIS BILL 2418 LIQUOR STORES AND BE ONE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT, AGAIN, I WANT TO APPRECIATE, JUST EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO THE COMMUNITY,

[00:45:04]

THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 20 4-019. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT. MR. GUTHRIE MR. MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. BARTELS I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE BILL 2401 NINE IS HEREBY APPROVED BILL 20 4-0 20 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY LOAN FUND. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 20 4-0 20. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 24 OH 20. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. JIM GIORDANO? THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M THE LIAISON TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I'VE SAT IN ON A BUNCH OF THE MEETINGS, WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THE LOAN TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE, AT A HIGHER AMOUNT WITHOUT OVERSIGHT OF THE COUNCIL , THE PEOPLE ON THE, ON THE BOARD ARE ALL ARE, YOU KNOW, ONE IS A BANKER, VERY SUCCESSFUL BANKER, SOME GOOD COMMUNITY LEADERS. AND I THINK WITH THE WAY THE ECONOMY HAS GOTTEN AND THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING, IT'S GROWN. AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT JUST NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED SO THAT, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE INTO THE PROGRAM THAT NEED SOME MONEY THAT THE COUNTY CAN HELP, BASED ON THIS PROGRAM. SO I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? HI, MR. GUTHRIE, MR. KENT, I MR. PENMAN, I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. WILSON I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE BILL 24 ZERO 20 IS

[10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]

SECOND, THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 2424, AS AMENDED.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. GUTHRIE, YES. I'M CERTAINLY GLAD TO SEE THIS COME UP AGAIN, THIS LIVABILITY CODE HASN'T BEEN CHANGED IN 35 YEARS. IT WAS DEVELOPED, IN, JUNE OF 4TH JUNE FOURTH, 1988. THAT'S HOW LONG THIS CODE HAS BEEN. AND IT'S SO OUTDATED, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU I TRIED IT, I DAY APRIL FIRST, 2014. I INTRODUCED THE BILL, THAT FAILED BY A 4 TO 3 VOTE. SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS, LIVABILITY CODE COME BACK. THERE'S SOME REALLY BAD, OPERATIONS AROUND OUR COUNTY, WITH THE REALLY SOME SLUM DOG, MILLIONAIRES THAT ARE THAT ARE THAT ARE AFFECTING, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SOME OF THESE APARTMENTS AND OWN AND IT'S TIME WE

[00:50:04]

ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, I MR. GUTHRIE, I MR. PENMAN, I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. WILSON I MR. BENNETT I MEAN SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE BILL 24 ZERO 24 AS AMENDED IS HEREBY APPROVED 12 ENROLLMENT OF BILLS. BILL 24 ZERO 16, AS

[12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS]

[14. NEW BUSINESS]

[00:55:01]

THERE'LL BE FIVE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. SO THAT PROJECT IS IN PROGRESS, THE LAST ONE IS, IS EMS BILLING CONTROLS. WE LOOK TO SEE THAT THE AMOUNT THAT THE COUNTY IS COLLECTING FOR THE EMS SERVICES THAT PROVIDES IS COMPLETE, CORRECT, TIMELY, ETC, THERE WERE THREE ISSUES THAT WE NOTED IN THAT REPORT, TO MY NOTES, THE FIRST BEING THAT THERE WERE SOME TRANSPORTS THAT HAD NOT BEEN BILLED, A LOT OF TRANSPORTS THAT HAD NOT BEEN BILLED. THIS SEEMED TO BE A RESULT OF WHEN THE COUNTY TOOK OVER THE EMS SERVICE FROM THE FIRE COMPANIES IN 2023, THE SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER OF 2023, THE. IT ESSENTIALLY INCREASED THE VOLUME OF TRANSPORTS THAT NEEDED TO HAVE A QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEW BEFORE IT COULD GO TO BILLING, THE COUNTY JUST WASN'T STAFFED UP TO DO THAT. AND SO THERE WERE A LOT OF, TRANSPORTS THAT DIDN'T GET BILLED. I THINK WE SAID ABOUT 11,700, IT WAS A LOT, WE IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH MANAGEMENT, THEY'VE HIRED MORE PEOPLE TO GET THROUGH THAT. THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THE BACKLOG. I DID CHECK LAST WEEK TO SEE IT LOOKED LIKE ABOUT 40% OF THE BACKLOG FROM 2023 HAD BEEN BILLED, SO THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON THAT, WE ALSO NOTED THAT FOR THE TRANSPORTS THAT HAPPENED IN 2023 AND 2024, THE BILLING RATES HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED BY THE BILLING COMPANY. SO THE COUNTY CHARGES BASED ON WHAT THE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID RATES ARE. THOSE RATES CHANGE EVERY YEAR. SO AT THE BEGINNING OF 2023, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED. THEY WEREN'T , ADDITIONALLY, THE COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED AN INCREASE FROM 100% OF THOSE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID RATES TO 175, THAT CHANGE WAS IMPLEMENTED, BUT IT WAS IMPLEMENTED BASED ON THE WRONG NUMBER, THE WRONG BASE, SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF TRANSPORTS THAT WERE BILLED AT LOWER RATES THAN THEY COULD HAVE BEEN, MANAGEMENT HAS CORRECTED THAT, AND I'VE CHECKED TO LOOK TO SEE SOME OF THE CLAIMS THAT WERE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT, I THINK I LOOKED AT APRIL AND MAY OF THIS YEAR TO CONFIRM THAT THE

[01:00:01]

CRYSTAL. THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. I KNOW, SO BUT THE THING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE. YOU'RE HERE IN MY EAR, MY EYE, BECAUSE I WROTE IT DOWN. SO THE 11,000, OF THE EMS TRIPS. WHAT IS THAT IN DOLLAR AMOUNT, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. WHAT'S THE REVENUE FOR THAT? WE ESTIMATED, JUST BASED ON THE NORMAL SORT OF COLLECTION RATE THAT WE HAVE, THE TYPES OF TRANSPORTS THAT ARE BILLED, WE ESTIMATED THAT IT WAS ABOUT 4.9 MILLION IN COUNTY REVENUE THAT HADN'T BEEN BILLED FOR 2023. SO HOW DO WE RESOLVE THAT, THAT WE GET THAT 4.9 MILLION? AND IS THAT ARE THEY OBVIOUSLY IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE WORKING ON DOING THAT. YEAH. WHEN I THE FOR THE PROGRESS SINCE WE PULLED REPORTS . SO FROM FEBRUARY TO NOW IT LOOKED LIKE ABOUT 3.3 OF THAT HAS BEEN BILLED. OBVIOUSLY IT TAKES TIME FOR THOSE CLAIMS TO GO OUT TO INSURANCE COMPANIES, RESIDENTS, WHOEVER USE THE EMS SERVICE, BEFORE WE GET THAT MONEY. BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING ON THE BACKLOG, EVENTUALLY THAT MONEY SHOULD COME IN. WHAT DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF THAT? EMERGENCY SERVICES. SO THAT'S ALL EMERGENCY SERVICES IS TAKEN CARE OF. THE BILLING AND COLLECTING THAT THEY HAVE AN OUTSIDE BILLER, AN OUTSIDE THERE'S A CONTRACTOR THAT DOES THE BILLING. SO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE HAPPENS WITHIN EMERGENCY SERVICES. AND THEN ELECTRONICALLY THOSE THE MEDICAL RECORDS ARE TRANSFERRED TO THE BILLING COMPANY TO SEND OUT INVOICES. AND ON YOUR END AUDITING IF, IF THEY SOMEBODY DOESN'T PAY FOR THAT, DOES IT GO IN A SEPARATE CATEGORY? THERE ARE PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO WAIVE CHARGES THAT AREN'T THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAID. THERE IS AN ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PROCESS THAT THAT LOOKS TO SEE WHAT THE AGENT LOOKS LIKE ON THOSE. SO IF I MAY, YOU MAY NOT EVERY BILL THAT GETS SENT OUT CAN BE PAID FOR WHATEVER REASON. NOT EVERYONE PAYS FIRE COMPANIES HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FOR YEARS. DEPENDING ON WHICH FIRE COMPANY IT IS, I WAS IN A MEETING WITH CRYSTAL WHEN THIS FIRST POPPED UP, AND I ASKED HER IMMEDIATELY WHAT IT MEANT TO BE BEHIND 11,000 PLUS CALLS. SHE TOLD ME THAT DAY WHAT IT WAS, AND THEN I DID MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS. AND THE REASON BEING IS THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN-HOUSE DOING THE QUALITY ASSURANCE OF THE BILLING COULD BE SENT TO THE OUTSIDE. BILLERS NOW, THAT HAS SINCE BEEN, ADDRESSED AND THEY HAVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN AND SOME OF THAT HAS BEEN CALLED UP AT ONE POINT IT WAS WAY HIGHER THAN 11,000. SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE GAINED A LOT OF GROUND IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. AND I THINK EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET CAUGHT UP. BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THE, THE IMPACT OF WHAT THEY TOOK ON OR WHAT THE COUNTY TOOK ON IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

THEY ARE CATCHING UP. SO I'LL ADD TO WHAT YOU SAID THAT. SO AS I'M LOOKING OUT FOR 2023, THERE ARE ABOUT 3600 TRANSPORTS THAT STILL NEED TO BE BILLED, AND GENERALLY THE COUNTY COLLECTS ABOUT 80% OF WHAT IT BILLS FOR EMS REVENUE. MR. PENMAN, YEAH, THAT'S THAT NUMBER IS SHOCKING, IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON WHEN OR HOW WE CAN COLLECT THAT MONEY THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANIES? WELL NOT REALLY, I MEAN, THERE THERE ARE GOING TO BE INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT AREN'T GOING TO PAY YOUR CLAIMS AFTER A CERTAIN POINT OF TIME, BUT NONE OF THESE ARE AT THAT POINT, CERTAINLY NOT EVERYBODY HAS INSURANCE. SO NOT EVERY EMS TRANSPORT IS GOING TO BE GOING TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY. SOME OF THESE WILL BE SELF-PAY THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE. THE PERSON WHO USES THE SERVICE WILL BE BILLED AT SOME POINT. AT SOME POINT IF IT'S NOT PAID OR THEY CAN'T PAY OR SOMEBODY MAKES

[01:05:06]

AND SO IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN VOLUME, BUT THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE TO REVIEW, RIGHT? NO, I GET IT. I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE GROWING PAINS, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO BE EXPECTED. RIGHT? THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL FIRE COMPANY WAS BILLING. RIGHT. SO THEY CAN PREDICT WHAT THAT NUMBER IS AND, AND PUT PEOPLE IN PLACE PRIOR TO YOU KNOW, MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THE CHANGE OVER THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH TIME TO DO THAT, THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON IT, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN, SPECIFICALLY IN MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSE, THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE HIRED ADDITIONAL STAFF. A FULL TIME PERSON WAS HIRED TO WORK ON IT IN NOVEMBER, AND A RETIREE WILL BE PLACED WITH ANOTHER FULL TIME PERSON IN JULY. SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A CONTINUAL PROBLEM. AGAIN, I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LEARNING CURVES, AND CHANGE IS HARD. BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM HIRING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO WE'RE NOT REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE OFF AND OVERTIME IS NOW AT $8 MILLION. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NOT BILLING EVERYONE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE PREDICTED AND PROVIDED TIME AND ATTENTION FOR, THAT'S ALL. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DIGGING INTO THAT, MR. RILEY. YEAH. CRYSTAL, I'M INTERESTED IN, JUST FOR MY INFORMATION, THE CABLE FRANCHISE FEES. HOW MANY CABLE COMPANIES DO WE HAVE HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY? THERE ARE THREE ARMSTRONG, VERIZON AND COMCAST. AND SO WOULDN'T THAT BE JUST A ONE TIME YEARLY FEE THAT THEY WOULD PAY? NO, IT'S BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THEY COLLECT IN HARFORD COUNTY.

AND SO THEY SUBSCRIPTIONS GO UP AND DOWN. RIGHT. ESSENTIALLY THAT THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

THANKS. MR. KERN, DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT? NO, NO, THAT THAT'S ACCURATE. THAT'S FINE.

HOW MANY VIEWERS THEY HAVE OF CABLE TELEVISION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN. THANK YOU.

MR. BENNETT, ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THE BILLING. I UNDERSTAND IT'S POSSIBLE TO CATCH UP ON PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T BILLED FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE UNDER BILLED. IS THAT ALSO RECTIFIABLE, OR IS THAT LIKE WE MESSED UP? AND NOW YOU GET TO KEEP THE CHEAPER RATE? YEAH ESSENTIALLY. I MEAN, IN THEORY COULD BE, BUT PRACTICALLY IT'S NOT THE AMOUNT WE ESTIMATED WAS UNDER BILLED WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN $200,000. AND OKAY, SO THAT THAT $200,000 IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FOUR. YOU SAID 4.9, CORRECT? OKAY THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. CRYSTAL THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LISTEN, I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO. AND I THINK THE CITIZENS REALLY DON'T HAVE AN IDEA OF ALL THE AREAS THAT YOU YOU HAVE CONTACT WITH AS FAR AS THE AUDITS GO. AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL CONTRACT. COUNCIL. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN A PROCESS OF HOLDING ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES STUDIES OR PUBLIC FACILITIES MEETINGS IN REFERENCE TO SCHOOL CAPACITY.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ON, ON, THE, THE FISCAL NUMBER WHETHER IT BE 110, DROP IT TO 100, WHATEVER. AND, MANY OF US THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO BRING A CONSULTANT ON BOARD AND TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS IMPACT FEES ACROSS THE STREET WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, WE TALKED WITH TISCHLER BUYSSE, WHO'S DOING THE IMPACT FEES.

THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T HANDLE, APFO STUDIES. SO THEY PUT US IN CONTACT WITH WHITE AND SMITH WHITE AND SMITH WHITE AND SMITH AND, TODAY, ACTUALLY, PRIOR TO MR. KEARNEY HAD BEEN WORKING ON

[01:10:06]

THEY WILL PREPARE FOR AND ATTEND UP TO FIVE ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE. THEY WILL PREPARE AND ATTEND UP TO FIVE ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL WORK SESSIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND, AS APPLICABLE, THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS. THEY WILL DEVELOP A REVISED SCHOOL, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE, INCLUDING FOUR ROUNDS OF REVISIONS. STAFF PUBLIC REVIEW COUNCIL AND FINAL. BUT ULTIMATELY, THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THE ABSOLUTE FINAL ON ANY LEGISLATION THEY WILL COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY AND HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF IN DEVELOPING NECESSARY TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL. ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, CAPACITY PROJECTIONS AND COST, SOME OF THIS I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH, SIR , LOSS OF PERMITTING HISTORY, THE FUNDING AVAILABILITY PROJECTIONS AND ASSOCIATED CALCULATIONS, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE ACRONYMS, AND I'M IN, TEN, ONE IN PERSON MEETING RELATED TO THE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF THE SCHOOL ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITY ORDINANCE FOR ADOPTION TELECONFERENCES AND VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH COUNTY STAFF TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS AND WORK PRODUCT. THOSE ARE THE SERVICES THAT THAT THEY HAVE OR WILL BE CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL. AND WE HAVE A NOT TO EXCEED PRICE OF 95,000. YES THAT'S THAT'S 90,000 FOR THEIR FEE, NOT TO EXCEED, AND IT'S 5000 NOT TO EXCEED 5000 FOR ANY OF THEIR EXPENSES THAT THAT ARE APPROVED. AND THAT MONEY WILL COME FROM THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET. IT SPECIFICALLY COMES FROM THE PORTION OF THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET THAT IS ON ACCOUNT. COUNCIL ATTORNEY AND PEOPLE'S COUNCIL APPORTIONMENT BUDGET. THANK YOU, DUE TO SOME SALARY SAVINGS, RELATED TO THE PART TIME LEGISLATIVE AIDE. THANK YOU. MR. GIARDINA. WAS DID WE EVER HAVE ONE OF THESE STUDIES DONE BEFORE? IN THE PAST , OR IS THIS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER HAD THIS DONE THAT? YOU KNOW, OF? I THAT I KNOW OF, I'VE NOT HEARD OF IT, BUT THE REASON BEHIND THIS STUDY IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, DOT ALL OF OUR I'S AND CROSS ALL OUR T'S TO MINIMIZE ANY TYPE OF LAWSUIT THAT MAY COME FROM ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATION THAT MAY BE IMPACTED BY A NUMBER, THAT WE MAY COME UP WITH. I JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS RIGHT FOR US TO ARBITRARILY COME UP WITH A NUMBER. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I, IF I MAY, OVER THE YEARS THAT THAT LIST THAT I CAN RECALL THAT THIS NUMBER HAS BEEN GOING UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN, SORT OF LIKE A JACK IN THE BOX AND I THINK IT'S THE COUNCIL'S GOAL THIS TIME TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING THAT THAT IS BASED UPON SOMETHING MORE THAN, WELL, MAYBE WE'LL TRY THIS, SEE HOW IT WORKS, AND THEN COME BACK AND WE'LL MAYBE WE'LL TRY THIS. IT MIGHT BE BETTER. WELL, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP IN CASE IT HAS TO BE DONE TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD OR FURTHER.

WE HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE FROM A PROFESSIONAL TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OF WHERE WE WERE. SO I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP. AND WE ARE GOING TO ASK, COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE AND

[01:15:04]

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, IT'S JUST THAT, I KNOW THEY'RE THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS, YOU KNOW, BUT WE WEREN'T PROFESSIONALS 20 YEARS AGO WHEN WE DROPPED IT FROM 120. IT DIDN'T TAKE IT DIDN'T TAKE ROCKET SCIENTISTS TO REALIZE THAT WE NEEDED TO DROP THE APFO FROM 120% TO 100 AND TO 105, AND THEN EVENTUALLY 110 BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL OVERCROWDING AND WHAT IT EVENTUALLY DID, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HARKINS SAID AND PUT AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER, TOOK UP A WHOLE PAGE HOW BAD THAT BILL WAS, IT SAID PEOPLE WERE GOING TO GET UNEMPLOYED. WE'RE GOING TO LOSE JOBS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND IN FACT, IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE HAD TO BUILD A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW SCHOOLS AND TO CORRECT THE OVERCROWDING. AND THEN WE DID THAT, BUILT A BRAND NEW BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, BRAND NEW, TORE THE OLD ONE DOWN, BUILT A BRAND NEW PATTERSON MILL MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL TO WHERE EDGEWOOD DOWN HIGH SCHOOL BUILT THAT TORE DOWN DEERFIELD. BUILT, BUILT THAT, PUT A BUNCH OF MONEY INTO JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, PUT MILLIONS INTO ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL, BUILT HAVERTY GRACE, NEW MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL THAT WAS ALL.

BECAUSE OF THAT APFO DROPPED DOWN AND CONTRACTORS KNEW AT THE TIME THEY WERE BUILDING ABOUT 2000 HOUSES A YEAR. AND, THIS WHEN THAT PASSED AND DROPPED IT TO 105, THEY CLOSED DOWN ABOUT 18, AREAS IN THE COUNTY FOR CONSTRUCTION. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT A THAT A CONTRACTOR IS, IS OUT THERE AND HE'S WATCHING THIS. APFO. SO AS THIS NUMBER WAS SLOWLY RISING FROM 105 TO 110 TO 112 TO 118, AND THEY'RE SEEING GETTING CLOSE TO 120. THERE'S NO MIRACLE WHEN IT HITS 120. THAT DOESN'T SAY, WELL, OKAY, EVERYTHING STOPS. YOU KNOW, NO, IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS CONTRACTOR EYES ARE WATCHING IT GROW UP TO 120. AND THEY REALIZE THEY CAN PUT THEIR THEIR PROJECT IN THE PIPELINE. AND THEY'RE GOOD FOR TWO YEARS. SO JUST AS IT GETS CLOSE TO 120, THEY PUT THE PROJECT IN AND FOR 100 FOR 200 HOMES OR WHATEVER THE HELL IT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT THE NUMBER IN THERE AND THEN IT CAN'T STOP. THEY'VE GOT TWO YEARS. SO THE NUMBER CAN KEEP GOING. AND IT DID BACK THEN WE HAD WE HAD SCHOOLS 130, 140% OVERCROWDED. IT'S INSANE RIGHT? FALLSTON I REMEMBER FALLSTON BECAUSE I WENT TO FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR A MEETING THERE AND, BECAUSE, MY, MY PATRIOTS SITTING HERE ALONGSIDE ME, THE OTHER ONE, NOT HIM, WAS OPPOSED TO THE BILL. AND UNTIL SHE FINALLY GOT, EVERYBODY, GOT ON HER BIG TIME BECAUSE OF THE OVERCROWDING OF THE SCHOOLS. AND SHE EVENTUALLY VOTED FOR THE BILL. SO I JUST, PAT, IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHY, THIS IS A GOOD THING TO SPEND $100,000 FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL ME TO DROP THIS 5. I APPRECIATE IT. WELL, AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SAY TO YOU, THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE FIRM THAT DEALS WITH APPLE, AT LEAST ON THE EAST COAST, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK TO AND IDENTIFY.

[01:20:07]

MR. RILEY, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ARE THEY GOING TO GIVE US. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, OKAY, COUNCIL, YOU SHOULD GO TO AN EXACT NUMBER OR OR I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE END THE END RESULT OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US AS A COUNCIL AS FAR AS, AS INPUT IS MY QUESTION. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED TO THEM THROUGH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND FROM THE HARFORD COUNTY ITSELF, AND THEY WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US AFTER REVIEWING ALL THAT INFORMATION ON A NUMBER. YES. OKAY. SO THE NUMBER CAN ONLY FLUCTUATE ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE HAVE IS BETWEEN 110 AND 105 BECAUSE OF THE I HAVE NO IDEA. THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO CONSULTANTS. SO MY POINT IS YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING LOWER THAN 105 ON THE DAIS. IT'S 110 NOW. SO WE'RE DOING THIS FOR THE 5. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE NUMBER IS GOING TO BE. IT COULD BE 100. I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE NO IDEA. RIGHT. BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET US TO GO TO 100. BUT I'M JUST SAYING. I'M JUST SAYING WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, MR. GUTHRIE.

WELL, YOU ONLY HAVE A COUPLE SCHOOLS NOW THAT ARE EVEN OVER 110. BACK 20 YEARS AGO, WE HAD 18 SCHOOLS THAT WERE OVER 120. AND IT WAS THAT WAS MASSIVE AT THAT TIME. WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, IN COMPARISON ON THIS IS SMALL POTATOES. IF YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE IT DOWN TO 105 OR 100, WHEREVER IT MIGHT ADD UP, WIND UP. IT'S A COUNCIL'S DECISION. I'M JUST HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY I CAN'T HELP IT, BUT IT'S BEEN $100,000 FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL ME SOMETHING I ALREADY KNOW. I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. GUTHRIE. MR. BENNETT, YOU KNOW, I'M BIG ON LOOKING AT OTHER COUNTIES AND JUST LOOKING FOR MODELS OF SUCCESS ELSEWHERE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AS A COUNCIL, WE RECOGNIZE THERE IS NO ONE SET PATH THAT OTHER COUNTIES HAVE TAKEN WITH, THEIR APFO NUMBER, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR WESTERN COUNTIES, FOR INSTANCE, SET A STRICTER NUMBER FOR THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAN THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS, WITH THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEING THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE A SMALLER FOOTPRINT THEY PULL FROM FOR STUDENTS. SO HAVING STRICTER NUMBERS THERE DOESN'T IMPACT AS MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE FOR, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. WHEREAS YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS PULL FROM THE FOOTPRINT OF MULTIPLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LOOSER NUMBER THERE HELPS PREVENT, YOU KNOW, MASS SHUTDOWN OF CONSTRUCTION ALL AT ONCE WHEN THAT, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL HITS A CERTAIN NUMBER, WHEREAS OTHER REGIONS HAVE SET A FLAT NUMBER FOR ALL TYPES OF SCHOOLS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE GUYS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING A WORKGROUP LIKE THIS WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE AND ELSEWHERE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S SUCCESSFUL ELSEWHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE AS JUST COMING OUT WITH A NUMBER, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE OPTIMAL PRACTICE TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT. THANK YOU,

[01:25:03]

YOU'RE WELCOME. MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON THIS COUNCIL PRESIDENT? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT. I'M SORRY. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITY STUDY. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE SCHOOL ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES STUDY. AND WHITE SMITH IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, I. MISTER GUTHRIE. NO, MISTER PITTMAN, I MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY. NO. MRS. BULL SADDLES I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO IN THE NEGATIVE. THE CONTRACT FOR THE APFO STUDY IS HEREBY APPROVED.

THANK YOU. ZONING HEARING EXAMINER. WE STILL HAVE. WHERE WE HAVE ANOTHER CONFLICT, WITH OUR ZONING EXAMINER, CASES AND WE. IF YOU RECALL, WE JUST DID A CONTRACT WITH MR. PLITT, HE'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS ONE. SO WE ARE ASKING TO. BRING IN, MR. BEST OR BESTIE. I'M NOT QUITE SURE. BESTIE BESTIE. AND, SO IF I COULD GET A MOTION ON THAT, PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF DAVID BESTIE AS ZONE ZONING HEARING EXAMINER. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE, THE ZONING HEARING EXAMINER, MR. KEARNEY WANTS YOU ADD SOME BACKGROUND TO THIS AS FAR AS HOW YOU GOT MR. BESTIE'S NAME. SURE. DOROTHY SMITH, OUR ZONING HEARING ASSISTANT, CONTACTED THE GENTLEMAN AND BROUGHT IT TO YOU, I BELIEVE, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE GENTLEMAN. I HAVE READ HIS, RESUME, AND IT CERTAINLY DOES NOT QUALIFY RECYCLED PAPER. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, A MR. GUTHRIE. HI, MR. PENMAN. HI, MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY, I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE THE APPOINTMENT OF DAVID BESTIE AS ZONING HEARING EXAMINER IS HEREBY APPROVED, AND THEN FINALLY, WITH THE CHARTER AMENDMENT PASSING, MR. PENMAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE CHARTER AMENDMENT BALLOT LANGUAGE? YES. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE HARFORD COUNTY BALLOT QUESTION REGARDING BILL 2416. QUESTION B PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE HARFORD COUNTY CHARTER. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, THANK YOU, MISS SUTTLES. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. IS THERE ANY BALLOT LANGUAGE? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT? CAN CAN, SOMEONE READ THAT LANGUAGE ALOUD JUST TO HAVE IT SPOKEN ONTO THE RECORD? OF COURSE, ARTICLE FIVE, BUDGET AND FINANCE, SECTION 512, ACTION ON THE BUDGET BY THE COUNCIL TO AMEND THE HARFORD COUNTY CHARTER TO PROVIDE FOR THE ABILITY OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO INCREASE CERTAIN ITEMS IN THE PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET BY A VOTE OF AT LEAST FIVE MEMBERS, IN ADDITION TO THE PRESENT ABILITY TO DECREASE OR DELETE ITEMS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I, MR. GUTHRIE. NO. MR. PENMAN, I MR. GIORDANO. NO. NO. MR. RILEY, NO. MRS. BULL CYCLES I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THREE IN A NEGATIVE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT BALLOT LANGUAGE IS HEREBY APPROVED. AGENDA NUMBER 17. COMMENTS AND

[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]

GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. I STAND FOR YOU TODAY TO ADDRESS A DEEPLY CONCERNING ISSUE REGARDING THE HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE AND ITS COMMUNICATION PRACTICES. IT HAS COME TO, TO THE ATTENTION OF MYSELF AND MANY CONCERNED

[01:30:04]

INSTEAD OF PROVIDING STRAIGHTFORWARD FACTUAL UPDATES, THE POSTS ARE FREQUENTLY FRAMED IN A WAY THAT UNNECESSARILY INFLAMES AND DISTORTS THE NARRATIVE. FOR INSTANCE, RATHER THAN SIMPLY INFORMING RESIDENTS OF AN IMPORTANT BUDGET MEETING, THE OFFICIAL MUNICIPAL PAGE SAYS NEWSFLASH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BUDGET MEETING TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE THREAT TO THE TAXPAYERS. THIS KIND OF SENSATIONALISM IS NOT ONLY UNPROFESSIONAL, BUT IT UNDERMINES THE TRUST AND THE TRANSPARENCY THAT SHOULD BE THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SUCH RHETORIC PLANT SEEDS OF DOUBT AND ERODES THE ESSENTIAL TRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS CONSTITUENCY. MOREOVER, THERE'S THE DISTURBING TREND OF CENSORSHIP ON THIS PAGE. COMMENTS AND POSTS THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE VIEWS OF MR. CASILLI ARE FREQUENTLY EITHER HIDDEN OR OUTRIGHT DELETED. THIS IS AN AFFRONT TO FREE SPEECH AND OPEN DIALOG PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY. CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS AND ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING SILENCED. LET'S BE CLEAR THE HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES SHOULD NOT, HAVE POLITICAL VIEWS. THEY ARE A NEUTRAL DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL FOR INFORMATION INTENDED TO SERVE AS AN OUTLET FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. THESE PLATFORMS ARE MEANT TO REPRESENT THE COLLECTIVE BODY AND THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING TRANSPARENT AND UNBIASED INFORMATION. FROM A MUNICIPAL STANDPOINT, THIS MANIPULATION AND CENSORSHIP MUST END, AND I URGE THE COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE THESE PRACTICES AND TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTY'S SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED TO INFORM AND ENGAGE, AND NOT TO MANIPULATE AND MISLEAD. WE DESERVE A GOVERNMENT THAT RESPECTS ITS CITIZENS AND VALUES TRANSPARENCY AND HONEST COMMUNICATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE SIR. GOOD EVENING TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES. MR. KEARNEY. I WISH YOU CONTENTMENT AND YOUR FUTURE ACTIVITIES, HOPEFULLY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. JOHN PALERMO, 2402 EAGLE VIEW DRIVE, BEL AIR, MARYLAND. AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING ON BILL 2416, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, YOU APPROACHED ME AND ASKED, WHAT WAS THE NAME I CALLED YOU, SIR. I DID NOT CALL YOU A NAME. YOU INFERRED THAT I DID. AFTER LISTENING TO THE VIDEO CLIP WITH MISS KATHERINE ANNE, THE ARBITER OF ALL ISSUES THAT EVER WERE OR ARE NOW, AND EVER WILL BE. WE BOTH CONCLUDED THAT I DID NOT CALL YOU A NAME. YOU ASKED FOR A COPY OF MY COMMENTS THAT I GAVE YOU RELUCTANTLY. NOW YOU'VE GOTTEN THOSE. YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY LOOKED AT THE VIDEO. IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT NAME I CALLED YOU, I'D APPRECIATE IT. YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME OR WE CAN GET TOGETHER NOW. AT LAST WEEK'S COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE SESSION DURING AGENDA ITEM 16 COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. TWO MEMBERS ENGAGED IN A RATHER ANIMATED DISCUSSION ON A TOPIC OF NO GREAT CONSEQUENCES. THAT DISCUSSION REFLECTED ON THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, AND IT REVEALED AND DISPLAYED THE COUNCIL'S CHARACTER FOR IMPERIOUS, IMPETUOUS, OBTUSE. YOU UNDERMINE YOUR OWN CREDIBILITY BY YOUR OWN ACTIONS. I KNOW THERE'S A STEADY PROCESSION OF RESIDENTS TO THESE CHAMBERS. CHALLENGE YOUR CREDIBILITY. LET ME OFFER THAT.

IT IS YOUR ACTIONS THAT FORM THE BASIS OF THOSE CHALLENGES. I WISH YOU ALL A SAFE AND HAPPY SUMMER AND I'LL SEE YOU IN THE FALL. GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU SIR. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. SIR, YOU AND I CAN SPEAK AFTER THIS MEETING. BUT YOU HAD TO SIGN UP BEFORE. I DON'T GUESS YOU KNEW THAT. OKAY, BUT WE WILL TALK, BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. GUTHRIE,

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]

[01:35:03]

THEY READ, DECORATED AND REDRESSED IT UP AND LOOKS VERY GOOD. THEY WERE DOING A GOOD JOB. IT SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON ON ROUTE 40 HERE LATELY. DIFFERENT PLACES, NEW PLACES OPENING AND PEOPLE FIXING UP THEIR OLD PLACES. SO WE REALLY WE'RE GLAD TO SEE THAT ALSO, LIEUTENANT CHARLES, HIS HIS RETIREMENT PARTY. THEY THREW A LITTLE PARTY FOR CHARLIE HERE AT, DOWN THE STREET HERE. AND, IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE HIM ALL THE YEARS HE'S HE'S BEEN HERE, HE'S CERTAINLY, HIM AND I HAVE HAD OUR CONVERSATIONS OVER THE YEARS, AND, I THINK THE REASON I CAME BACK IN OFFICE, I THINK THAT'S THE REASON HE RETIRING. HE BUT, NO, I REALLY THANK HIM FOR ALL HIS HELP OVER THE YEARS, ALSO ON 13 SOUTHERN COUNTY TASK FORCE HAD THEIR COMMUNITY MEETING AT THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER, EXTREMELY WELL ATTENDED. YOU KNOW, THEY THEY SEPARATE THE BASKETBALL COURT IN HALF WITH THE DIVIDER. AND IT WAS FILLED. IT WAS PACKED. AND, COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMES WITH HIS ENTIRE STAFF, AND THEY HAVE A BIG TABLE ALL ACROSS THE FRONT.

THEY SIT ME ON THE CORNER AND, IT HAS HAS ALL THE HEADS OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, GIVE, GIVE THEIR UPDATE AND SPEECH ON THINGS THAT, THAT THEY'VE BEEN BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, WHICH IS, WHICH IS EXTENSIVE, AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH IT, AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEY ALLOW, THEY HAD ABOUT 30 SOME PEOPLE SIGNED UP, LIKE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, SPEAK.

AND IT WAS A LOT OF GOOD, TRANS, TRANSPORTING WORDS BACK AND FORTH AND ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY THAT TURNED OUT VERY WELL.

FRIDAY IDENTITY FLAG, DAY CELEBRATION AT FIRST HERTFORD SQUARE, THE PEOPLE WERE GETTING BACK TOGETHER AND GETTING THAT, HARVARD SQUARE BACK IN THE, THEY HOPE TO OPEN THE POOL AND, THEY HAD A BIG CEREMONY. AND CINDY JONES, WHO SHE, SHE HOSTED A THING ALONG WITH THE BAND. TIM MILLER, LADY THERE WHO WAS A GREAT ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I LIKE CINDY JONES. AND I APPRECIATE HER KIND WORDS AT, AT THE, AT THE EVENT, THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. MR. PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING THIS SUMMER. SUMMER BREAK IS HERE, BUT, DISTRICT B OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON LEGISLATIVE AND DISTRICT, NEEDS. SO, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE, IF SOMETHING IS NEEDED, THIS SUMMER, MY OFFICE WILL ALSO BE PARTNERING WITH THE HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST SEMINARS AND DISTRICT B TO MEET WITH BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SHOWCASE THE WORKFORCE TRADE SKILLS PROGRAM BEING INTRODUCED BY THE COLLEGE. SO LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT TO THE COUNTY. AND CHARLIE, I'M GOING TO MISS LOOKING OUT AND SEEING YOU THERE, I JUST I KNOW I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME AND THE COUNTY AND YOUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. JORDAN, THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE CITIZENS OF BEL AIR, HARFORD COUNTY, ARE RELIEVED FOR THE CAPTURE OF THE KILLER. FOR RACHEL MORAN. AND THANK HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SHERIFF GAYLOR AND THE FBI WITH THE APPREHENSION OF THE UNDOCUMENTED ILLEGAL, PERSON FROM EL SALVADOR THROUGH OUR POROUS BORDER. MAKE NO MISTAKES. IF THIS HAPPENS IN BEL AIR, A RELATIVELY LOW AREA OF CRIME, IT CAN AND MOST LIKELY WILL KEEP HAPPENING. WITH THE RECENT INFLUX OF DANGEROUS VENEZUELA GANGS AND VIOLENT CRIME. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP, WE NEED TO HOLD ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CONTINUED WAVE OF PEOPLE CROSSING INTO THE US AND OUR NATION'S CAPITAL, OTHER IMMIGRATION OUTS COME HERE. THEY GET WORK PERMITS, THEY GET GREEN CARDS. THEY'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE. THEY WANT TO BE MODEL CITIZENS. MY GIRLFRIEND CAME HERE 25 YEARS AGO. SHE HAD A GREEN CARD. SHE. THEY TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY THAT PEOPLE COME THROUGH THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. THEY THEY PREFER THAT THEY COME, YOU KNOW, GET THEIR GREEN CARD, COME THROUGH A WORK PERMIT OR SOMETHING. SO A LOT OF THESE

[01:40:01]

HOPEFULLY THEY, THEY'RE WORKING ON SOME LOCAL SPORTS THINGS WHERE THEY CAN, GET SOME OF THE FOOTBALL GAMES STREAMED LIVE OR, OR BROADCAST ON THAT. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. SO THEY DID PUT A LOT OF WORK IN THIS. AND THEY EXPECT TO SEE IT GO FORWARD. SO AND THEN I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GOOD SUMMER, OUR OFFICE WILL BE OBVIOUSLY WILL BE IN THE OFFICE. WE'LL BE AROUND. WE'LL BE WORKING ON SOME STUFF TO, AND, I AM A BIG ADVOCATE OF THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE COMING ON. AND ACTUALLY, I THINK I'M FINALLY GETTING TO MEET WITH, DOCTOR HILL, DOCTOR HILL SHORTLY. SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. JORDAN. AND MR. RILEY, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR TWO FOLKS, KIM SPENCE AND BILL AMOS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, WHO WILL BE RETIRING. IN FACT, THEY'RE RETIRED ALREADY. THE TWO STARS THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO ME IN MY TWO YEARS HERE AND THEN.

CHARLIE. OF COURSE, I KNOWN YOU FROM THE COURTHOUSE, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE THE MANY YEARS YOU'RE HERE IN THE COUNCIL AND THE TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOU HAVING A GREAT TIME WITH, YOUR PRECIOUS WIFE BACK THERE TRAVELING THE UNITED STATES. AND I HOPE YOU GET THOSE ALL FIVE ZERO FOR YOU. ALSO, I WANT TO SAY, I WANT TO THANK BO JARRETT, HE PUT ON, HE WANTS TO REZONE HIS PROPERTY IN JARRETTSVILLE. WE HAD ABOUT 500 PEOPLE THAT WENT TO JARRETTSVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER. COULDN'T HAVE WENT BETTER.

PROBABLY NOT GOOD FOR BO JARRETT . BUT AS FAR AS THE, THE CROWD AND EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING WENT PHENOMENAL. WE WERE THERE FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS, AND I APPRECIATE THE JARRETTSVILLE COMMUNITY COMING OUT AND GIVING ME THE INPUT OF WHAT I SHOULD DO IN REFERENCE TO, ZONING THERE IN JARRETTSVILLE. SO. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MISS SORRELLS, THANK YOU. YESTERDAY I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SUMMER READING ADVENTURE KICKOFF. I WAS EVEN ABLE TO TAKE MY TWO LITTLE BOYS AND THEY WERE IN VERY MUCH ENJOYING IT, TODAY I PARTICIPATE IN THE HARFORD ACADEMY GOLF TOURNAMENT, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE PTA AT HARFORD ACADEMY, AND I WILL ALSO BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY INTEREST MEETING WITH HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. ABOUT WATER'S EDGE REGIONAL WORKFORCE. WE WILL BE

[01:45:03]

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY SUMMER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ISLES. MR. BENNETT, HELLO. GOOD EVENING. FIRST, I JUST WANT TO, RECOGNIZE TOMORROW IS JUNETEENTH, CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM, AND, IT'S A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TOOK A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT I DID ATTEND THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AT THE WARD Y IN ABINGDON ON FRIDAY, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN. AND IT WAS JUST A LOT OF GREAT VENDORS AND MUSIC AND FOOD. BUT THEN I HAD TO RUSH OFF TO THE HARFORD COUNTY REC COUNCIL'S VOLUNTEER DINNER, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS AND YEARS, OVER A THOUSAND YEARS OF VOLUNTEER TIME AMONGST THOSE WHO WERE RECOGNIZED THAT NIGHT, SO THAT WAS REALLY SPECIAL. AND THEN, I ALSO MET WITH THE ABINGDON WOODS COALITION, AND WITH HARFORD COUNTY CLIMATE ACTION CONTINUING TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE PRESERVE OUR GREEN SPACE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT BECAME ALL THE MORE RELEVANT AT OUR ABINGDON BELCAMP PERRYMAN COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING WHEN WE GOT TO HEAR FIRSTHAND THE EXPERIENCE OF SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ABINGDON WHO HAD THEIR HOMES FLOODED OUT IN THE MOST RECENT BIG RAINSTORM, WE HAD 9.5FT OF RAIN IN ONE FAMILY'S BASEMENT, 9.5FT HIGH, WHICH IS JUST TREMENDOUS.

IT'S, WHAT A DISASTER. AND, YOU KNOW, SO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HANDLE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW WE HANDLE OUR, OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE THAT IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO THROUGHOUT THE SUMMERS IS WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COUNCIL TO HELP PREVENT FUTURE FAMILIES FROM HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, THIS, FATHER WHO'S HAVING TO RIP OUT ALL OF HIS BUSINESS FROM HIS BASEMENT PIECE BY PIECE HIMSELF BECAUSE HE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE SOMEONE DO THE DECONSTRUCTION HIMSELF. JUST A TREMENDOUS TRAVESTY, TO IMPACT THE ABINGDON COMMUNITY. SO MANY PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THAT. SO WORKING ON THAT THIS SUMMER TO THINK, HOW CAN WE HELP OUR COMMUNITY MAKE SURE LESS PEOPLE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE THAT AS WE, YOU KNOW, ARE IMPACTED BY THESE BIG STORMS, AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO WISH CHARLIE A HAPPY RETIREMENT. THANK YOU AGAIN. I THINK WE'VE CELEBRATED YOU MANY TIMES AT THIS POINT, BUT IT'S WELL DESERVED, AND IT WAS GREAT TO CELEBRATE YOU AT YOUR RETIREMENT PARTY, AND TO SEND YOU OFF. SO THANK YOU, CHARLIE, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT, MR. GIORDANO, YOU FORGOT SOMETHING. YEAH. I'M IN DENIAL THAT YOU'RE RETIRING. CHARLIE SO, UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS OUT OF TOWN. MISSED YOUR RETIREMENT PARTY, SO I'M THINKING YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE HERE, COME SEPTEMBER, BUT, YOU KNOW, AROUND. YEAH SO I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE FAR, SO THAT'S GOOD. BUT THANKS FOR YOUR HELP, THANKS FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE. SOMETIMES YOU TOLD ME THINGS I DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR, BUT I APPRECIATE HEARING THEM. AND I WISH ALL THE BEST. AND I HOPE YOU WIN SOME POKER

[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]

[01:50:04]