Sep 10, 2024 County Council

[00:00:03]

FIVE. FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION. DAY 24.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

ALSO KNOWN AS TONY G'S. NOT HERE, HIS FATHER JUST PASSED AWAY, SO HE'S HE'S DEALING WITH THAT. AND HIS FATHER IS A GREAT GUY. FOR THOSE WHO KNEW HIM, HE'S A GREAT GUY, MY MOM WAS DOWN HERE AT THE HOSPITAL. WE'RE HAVING INS AND OUTS WITH HER. WE'RE NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GOING TO GO. SO IT'S BEEN BEEN A TOUGH WEEK, SO I OFFER. I OFFER THIS PRAYER FOR. FOR ALL THEM AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN NEED. DON'T GRIEVE FOR ME NOW. I AM FREE, I AM FOLLOWING THE PATH GOD LAID FOR ME. I TOOK HIS HAND WHEN I HEARD HIM CALL. I TURNED MY BACK AND LEFT IT ALL. I COULD NOT STAND ANOTHER DAY TO LAUGH, TO LOVE, TO WORK OR PLAY. TASK LEFT UNDONE MUST STAY THAT WAY. I FOUND THE PEACE AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY. MY PARTING HAS LEFT A VOID. THEN FILL IT NOW WITH REMEMBRANCE OF JOY. FOR A FRIENDSHIP SHARED A LAUGH, A KISS. ALL THE THINGS I TOO SHALL MISS. NOT BE HARDENED WITH SORROW. I WISH YOU WITH THE SUNSHINE OF TOMORROW. MY LIFE IS FULL AND SAVORY. MUCH GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD TIMES AND LOVE. ONE TOUCH PERHAPS MY TIME SEEM ALL TOO BRIEF. DON'T LESSEN IT NOW WITH UNDUE GRIEF. LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS AND SHARE WITH ME GOD WANTED ME NOW AND HE HAS SET ME FREE. AMEN, AMEN. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT ALL OF US ON THIS DAIS, CONTINUE TO KEEP JOPPATOWNE ITS CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, DUE TO THE SENSELESS EVENTS THAT OCCURRED THIS PAST FRIDAY, WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE QUICK RESPONSE OF, PRINCIPAL WILLIAMS, THE SRO, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FIRST RESPONDERS, DES, EVERYONE INVOLVED. WE COULDN'T ASK FOR ANY ANY FASTER RESPONSE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR PART TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY. EDUCATION PARTNERS HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS AND CITIZENS SAFE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF WARREN GRANT AND THE JOPPATOWNE COMMUNITY IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND ALSO AS COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE SAID, MR. JAN JORDAN, WHO IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING, HIS FATHER PASSED AWAY THIS PAST SATURDAY EVENING AT THE AGE OF 89, YOU KNOW, AS MANY OF US KNOW HIM AND REFER TO HIM AS BIG AL, HE'S MOST REMEMBERED FOR HIS DEVOTION TO HIS WIFE, ROSEMARY, HIS LOVING FAMILY. AND, YOU KNOW, HE IS A TRUE PATRIOT. I THINK A NAVY VET, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. AND PROBABLY KNOWN FOR HIS LOVE OF COOKING. WE ALL REFERRED TO HIM, LIKE I SAID, AS BIG AL AND CAN FONDLY REMEMBER THE MEATBALL MONDAYS THAT HE PROVIDED FOR US OVER THE YEARS. AND HE DEFINITELY WILL BE MISSED. COUNCIL, MAY I HAVE GENERAL CONSENT TO MOVE TO ITEM FIVE A ON THE AGENDA AND COME BACK TO FOR A THEREAFTER. THANK

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

COUNCIL APPOINTMENT. HARTFORD LIVING TREASURER. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF JAMES EDWIN KRISMER AS THE HARTFORD LIVING TREASURER. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE HARTFORD LIVING TREASURE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I. MR. GUTHRIE. I. MR. PENMAN. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. I. MR. BENNETT.

[00:05:04]

[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]

SO, JIM, I'M STANDING IN FOR TONY G THIS EVENING, IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO DO SO. I KNOW THAT HIS PASSION FOR THE ALFRED B HILTON RECOGNITION IS AS GREAT AS YOURS. I BELIEVE SO AGAIN, IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS HARFORD LIVING TREASURE OR. EXCUSE ME, THIS PROCLAMATION. AND, ON ON BEHALF OF ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, CONGRATULATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A WORD OR TWO. BRIEF SOME PEOPLE WON'T BELIEVE THAT. ANYHOW, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

PLAY A TAPE. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND THE CULTURAL ARTS BOARD FOR GIVING ME THIS, PROCLAMATION. AND I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE, ESPECIALLY, WHO DECIDED AT AGE 80, IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO BE DECLARED A LIVING TREASURE, I WANT TO THANK ALSO, IN A SPECIAL WAY, MY FATHER F WADE KRISMER, WHO WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST HARFORD COUNTY LIVING TREASURES, DECLARED BACK ON MARCH 26TH, 1976. AND OF COURSE, IT WAS HE AND MY MOTHER, MY BROTHER MICHAEL, WHO CAME WITH ME AT AGE 13 MONTHS TO BEL AIR, AND, TAUGHT ME THE LOVE OF COMMUNITY AND THE LOVE OF LOCAL AND INDEED NATIONAL HISTORY, MANY OF THE MORE MATURE MEMBERS OF THIS AUDIENCE MIGHT RECALL THOMAS WOLFE'S BOOK, YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN. WELL, THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF TRUTH TO THAT. SO WHAT I DECIDED TO DO WAS TO NEVER LEAVE HOME. AND SINCE THAT DAY IN JUNE OF 1944, I'VE BEEN DELIGHTED TO EXCUSE ME TO BE HERE AND TO BRING MY WIFE, MY MINNESOTA WIFE, WITH ME TO LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY. SINCE 1969. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF RESEARCH, WRITING, SPEAKING. WHEN'S THE NEXT ONE? THE NEXT ONE IS FOR THE HARFORD COUNTY RETIRED EMPLOYEES DOWN AT. IT IS ON 5:00 ON THE 24TH, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY ELSE. SO THANK YO, MR. VINCENTI. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO GET A PICTURE. OH A

[00:10:07]

CONGRATULATIONS. TO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I JUST FOR ONE MORE. ONE OF YOUR DAUGHTERS. ONE LEFT, ONE LEFT. THE COUNTY AND ONE STATE. I HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER IN CALIFORNIA.

GOOD JOB. CONVERSATION DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. GOOD NIGHT.

MR. BENNETT. I'M GOING TO STEP DOWN. MR. PENMAN, YOU HAVE. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL ON? JACOB. ALL THE VOICES HEARD. ALL THE VOICES OF HOPE. I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP AGAIN.

I'M READY TO DEAL. WITH ME. I JUST WANT TO. OKAY. WHEREAS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH IS A NATIONAL OBSERVANCE HELD EVERY SEPTEMBER TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT NEW EVIDENCE BASED TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PRACTICES. THE EMERGENCE OF A STRONG AND PROUD RECOVERY COMMUNITY, AND THE DEDICATION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE NATION WHO MAKE RECOVERY POSSIBLE. AND WHEREAS, THE THEME OF NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH 2024 IS THE ART OF RECOVERY, THIS YEAR'S FOCUS IS ON THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT PEOPLE IN RECOVERY BRING TO OUR LIVES BY OFFERING A PLATFORM FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION AS A MEANS OF CONNECTION, HEALING AND EMPOWERMENT. ART IS SHOWCASED AS A TOOL FOR GROWTH AND SELF-DISCOVERY. BREAKING DOWN SOCIETAL STIGMAS AND FOSTERING GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. AND WHEREAS HARFORD COUNTY SUPPORTS EVERYONE IN THEIR JOURNEY TO ENDURING RECOVERY, WE RECOMMIT TO HELPING THEM LIVE LONG, SUCCESSFUL AND HEALTHY LIVES. THANK THEM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE BATTLES BATTLING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ARE SUPPORTED NOW. THEREFORE, WE, THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. MARYLAND. ON THIS 10TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2024, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH, SEPTEMBER 2024 AND THANK OUR PROVIDERS AND CITIZENS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE HEALTH OF THE HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY RESTATE, SINCE IT IS NATIONALLY RECOVERED. NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH THAT I AM THE GROWN CHILD OF AN ALCOHOLIC, AND I ALWAYS, ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT ADDICTION TOUCHES ALL FAMILIES. IT TOUCHES ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. IT TOUCHES ALL PEOPLE, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO HELP TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY, TAKE CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW, I SEE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD HERE, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. I SEE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN COUNSELING HERE. I SEE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HARM REDUCTION, YOU KNOW, WHO TOUCH THE LIVES OF PEOPLE EVERY DAY.

AND IT'S BRAVE WORK AND IT'S IMPORTANT WORK AND IT'S LIFE GIVING WORK. SO THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, NOT ENOUGH CAN BE SAID ABOUT JUST WHAT A POSITIVE IMPACT MAKING RECOVERY HAPPEN HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST ON THE PURCHASED PERSON, BUT ON EACH PERSON IN THEIR LIVES, TOO, AND I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY STATE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE HARFORD COUNTY CAN BE A COUNTY THAT HAS THE LEAST ROADBLOCKS POSSIBLE OF ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE TO GETTING RECOVERY TO HAPPEN. AND

[00:15:04]

RAGE AGAINST ADDICTION. CHRYSANTHEMUMS ACR. DID I MISS ANYBODY ELSE? OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY, SO WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE. IT TAKES ALL OF US. AND, SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE IN THE CENTER. HEY I'M SORRY, SIR. THANK YOU. WE HAVE TO SQUEEZE IN. TELL ME. THIS WAY. SOMEBODY. WHY DON'T YOU GET HER CLOSER TO ME? YES, IT. IS OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU CHRIS. GOOD TO SEE YOU. HEY, CHRIS. AWESOME MAN. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, SPECIAL PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. COUNCIL, WE HAVE

[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]

I KNOW YOU ALREADY GOT ONE OF THESE, BUT YOU CAN USE A SECOND. THANK YOU. THANKS. HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, ANYBODY ELSE WANT ONE OF THESE? WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO, PUT SOME RIGHT HERE. THERE YOU GO. PASS THEM AROUND. OKAY SO I. THINK. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE INTRODUCTION TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I KNOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ME, BUT I'M KRISTEN KIRKWOOD, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HARTFORD LAND TRUST. AND I'M JENNIFER WILSON WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING, WITH THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION PROGRAMS, THIS EVENING, WE WILL BE PRESENTING A SUMMARY OF A REPORT THAT WAS RELEASED IN MARCH OF 2020 FOR THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, THE STATE OF LAND PRESERVATION IN HARTFORD COUNTY, THIS WAS COAUTHORED BY HARTFORD LAND TRUST FOLLOWING A GRANT FROM HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT WITH PROFESSOR TOM DANIELS, WHO IS ONE OF THE FOREMOST ACADEMICS ON LAND PRESERVATION OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. ALSO, HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT WAS A COLLABORATOR, SPECIFICALLY, JEN AND HER COLLEAGUE, RECENTLY RETIRED BILL AMOS. MEMBERS OF THE HARTFORD LAND TRUST BOARD, INCLUDING DEB BOWERS, WHO'S A CAREER LAND PRESERVATION PROFESSIONAL, AND OUR BOARD PRESIDENT NANCY ANSARA, AS WELL, GO AHEAD. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT WAS REALLY TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRESS TO PRESERVE LAND IN HARFORD COUNTY, THE HISTORY OF IT, AND THEN FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS. WE OFTENTIMES JEN AND I BOTH GET VERY GOOD QUESTIONS AROUND, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DATE? WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE LARGER

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HARFORD COUNTY, JUST LIKE MANY OF OUR LARGE NEARBY NEIGHBORING COUNTIES SUCH AS LANCASTER COUNTY, HAVE PRESERVED LARGE AMOUNTS OF LAND WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO BALANCE THAT WITH SIGNIFICANT POPULATION GROWTH AND ECONOMIC GROWTH AS WELL. LAND PRESERVATION REALLY HELPS TO BALANCE THESE THINGS TO MAINTAIN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. THE DATA IN THIS REPORT IS AS OF JUNE 2023. WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT THAT AND HAVE SOME RECENT FIGURES IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AS WELL. BUT THIS GRAPH HERE SHOWS THAT WE HAVE NOW PRESERVED AS OF JUNE 2023, MORE THAN 63,000 ACRES OF PRIVATELY PRESERVED LAND. THERE'S ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 1000 ACRES TO BRING THAT TO DATE. JEN CAN CORRECT ME ON THAT NUMBER, BUT THIS REPRESENTS A COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT OF MORE THAN $253 MILLION IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING SINCE 1982. SO MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS MAP HERE. THIS IS OUR LAND PRESERVATION MAP, WHICH CONTINUES TO CHANGE. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THE COLORS REPRESENT DIFFERENT LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAMS THAT TOTAL UP TO THIS OVER 63,000 ACRES. THE ONE COMMONALITY, THOUGH, IS THAT ALL OF THESE ARE VOLUNTARY TRANSACTIONS BY WHICH A LANDOWNER SELLS OR DONATES OR CAN SELL AT A BARGAIN PRICE, THE RIGHT TO NOT DEVELOP THE LAND. THIS IS SPECIFIC TO THINGS SUCH AS NO NONAGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL USE, NO INDUSTRIAL USE, OR RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. THESE ARE ALL PERMANENT. EXCUSE ME, PERMANENT PROGRAMS AS WELL, WE SHOULD SAY, OF COURSE, LAND PRESERVATION DOES NOT HAPPEN IN A SILO. IT WORKS IN CONCERT WITH NUMEROUS OTHER GROWTH MANAGEMENT TOOLS. HARFORD COUNTY DESIGNATED OUR DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE IN 1977 TO ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT IS TARGETED TO AREAS WITH PLANNED PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER, AND DISCOURAGING HAPHAZARD DEVELOPMENT IN THE RURAL AREAS. BUT OF COURSE, ZONING IS NOT PERMANENT. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN A PROCESS RIGHT NOW TO RELOOK AT NEW ZONING CHANGES THROUGH APPLICATIONS, THERE ARE OTHER TOOLS, SUCH AS THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND PRESERVATION ACT OF 2012, WHICH LIMITS SUBDIVISIONS AND SEPTIC AREAS, WHICH HAVE ALSO PLAYED CRITICAL ROLES IN LAND PRESERVATION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT IN THIS COUNTY. SO IT'S REALLY A VENN DIAGRAM OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WITH LAND PRESERVATION BEING THE ONLY PERMANENT CONSTRUCT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER, MAPS AND TOOLS AS WELL THAT WE LOOK AT WITH THIS ONE. I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT HERE IS IN 2018, THE COUNTY ADOPTED A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN TO IDENTIFY THE IMPORTANT CONCENTRATIONS OF NATURAL HABITAT. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGIES IDENTIFIED IN THIS PLAN WAS LAND PRESERVATION. THERE'S SIGNIFICANT DATA EMERGING REGARDING THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF PRESERVING THESE GREEN SPACES FOR FLOOD PROTECTION, EROSION CONTROL, AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, HABITAT AND RECREATION. SO THE LARGER BENEFITS OF WHY WE'RE DOING THIS ANYWAY, SOME OF THEM ARE OBVIOUS, BUT SOME NOT. SO MUCH SO IT WARRANTS DISCUSSION, WE LIKE TO SAY THAT LAND PRESERVATION PROVIDES BENEFITS TO THE ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY, MAKING UP A TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE OF VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY. IN PARTICULAR, FOR ECONOMY, THERE ARE NEARLY 600 FARMS THAT MAKE UP CLOSE TO A $1 BILLION PER YEAR IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. IN THIS COUNTY. IT DOES PROMOTE LOCAL INVESTMENT. STUDIES SHOW THAT EASEMENT PAYMENTS ARE THEN REINVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH GIVES US A DOUBLE BANG FOR OUR BUCK. THERE ARE OVER 4000 LOCAL JOBS IN THE AGRICULTURAL AND RELATED SECTORS. AND OF COURSE TOURISM. WE KNOW THAT AGRITOURISM IS BOOMING RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS OUTDOOR RECREATION, TOURISM. JUST MOVING ON TO ENVIRONMENT.

MORE THAN 45% OF HARFORD COUNTY'S SOILS ARE CLASS ONE AND TWO SOILS, WHICH ARE KNOWN AS PRIME FARMLAND. THESE SOILS, OF COURSE, PRODUCE MORE FOOD PER ACRE WITH LESS INPUT AND

[00:25:05]

AND THEN ALSO ON THE SOCIETY SIDE, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS QUALITY OF LIFE. BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO PROTECTED OPEN SPACE DOES BOOST THE VALUE OF NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, INCLUDING THE PROPERTY TAXES. ACCESS TO RECREATIONAL SPACE IS ALSO A TOP DETERMINANT FOR BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO RELOCATE, AND STUDIES BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY HAVE SHOWN THAT INCREASINGLY, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE INTERESTED IN BEING CLOSER TO THEIR FOOD AND THEIR FOOD SYSTEMS AND WILLING TO PAY A PREMIUM FOR THAT LOCAL FOOD, ALSO ON THE COST AVOIDANCE, PRESERVATION SAVES US A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS THROUGH AVOIDING COSTLY EXTENSIONS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES BASED ON UNPLANNED GROWTH. AND WE ALSO HAVE DATA IN THE REPORT THAT DISCUSSES THAT JUST QUICKLY ON AGRICULTURE, BECAUSE I THREW OUT SOME BIG NUMBERS HERE. SO THIS WAS A 2018 REPORT. AND WE DO HAVE THE AG CENSUS, OF COURSE, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AS WELL FOR THESE FIGURES. BUT IN HARFORD COUNTY, 99%. SO LET'S JUST SAY ALL FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT OF OUR FARMS. OUR FAMILY OWNED THE FARMS AVERAGE 118 ACRES, BUT REALLY THE MEDIAN FARM SIZE. SO THE MOST COMMON FARM SIZE IS 27 ACRES. SO THESE ARE SMALL FRAGMENTED PROPERTIES, BUT COLLECTIVELY HAS AN ENORMOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT. WE ALSO RANK AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE IN TERMS OF THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF OUR FARMLAND AND AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES. I WON'T GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE, BUT THE REPORT GIVES A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT EACH OF THE PROGRAMS AND PLAY IN THE COUNTY. WE OFTENTIMES GET QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. WHILE THE HARFORD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM COMES BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. AND THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN GREAT SUPPORTERS OF THAT PROGRAM, THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE RELY UPON, TOO, THAT COME FROM OTHER SOURCES OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING, AS WELL AS DONATED PROGRAMS, THE THREE LOCAL PARTNERS. SO HARFORD LAND TRUST, WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 30 YEARS IN THE COUNTY, WORKING IN EVERY PART OF THE COUNTY. WE ALSO HAVE THE NONPROFIT MANOR CONSERVANCY, WHICH COVERS A PORTION OF HARFORD COUNTY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY, AND THE MY LADY'S MANOR AREA, AND THEN HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WHERE JEN IS. THAT WORKS OUT OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT. SO KIND OF WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES OVER TO JEN TO REALLY TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW THESE PROGRAMS AND PARTNERS WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THESE RESULTS. OKAY, SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, THERE IS WHEN YOU LOOK BACK TO THE EARLY HISTORY, THERE WERE TWO OPTIONS FOR LANDOWNERS. THERE WAS THE MARYLAND ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, WHICH STARTED HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THE FIRST IN THE NATION. AND THEN WE HAD OUR STATE PROGRAM, AND THAT WAS ALL WE HAD AS THAT POPULATION EXPLODED. SO OF COURSE, WE HAD LOTS OF INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM AND NOT A LOT OF MONEY. AND THEN THAT IS WHAT CREATED THE HARFORD COUNTY PROGRAM, WHICH AGAIN, YOU GUYS REVIEW AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT A BOOM THAT WAS TO OUR EFFORTS. AND WE HAVE A PRESERVED THE BULK OF OUR LAND WITH THE COUNTY PROGRAM. BUT YOU CAN SEE AS THE YEARS GO ON, WE'VE ADDED SOME OTHER PROGRAMS WITH LIKE THE RURAL LEGACY PROGRAM THAT CAME IN 2000. AND AS THE YEARS GO, WE HAVE A GOOD MIX OF ALL THESE OTHER PROGRAMS KIND OF WORKING TOGETHER, AND WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH THE LANDOWNER TO TRY TO FIND THE BEST FIT. SO WE LOVE IT WHEN WE CAN USE OUR COUNTY PROGRAM. AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN A GREAT SUPPORTERS OF THAT OVER THE YEARS. AND THEN THIS SLIDE SHOWING JUST OUR COUNTY PROGRAM, AND I NEGLECTED TO GET THE TOTAL. BUT WITH OUR COUNTY PROGRAM ALONE, I BELIEVE WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND 33 TO 35,000 ACRES. IT'S OVER HALF OF OUR PRESERVED ACRES IN TOTAL. SO AGAIN, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH THE COUNCIL AND WE REALLY HAVE APPRECIATED YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS. WHETHER IT WAS APPROVING OUR EASEMENTS OR JUST RECENTLY, ALL OF YOUR WORK AND SUPPORT WITH OUR CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM, WHICH HAVE BEEN A WELL RECEIVED CHANGE TO THE PROGRAM AND HOPEFULLY VERY SOON YOU'LL BE SEEING SOME NEW EASEMENTS COMING YOUR WAY. AND I'LL ADDRESS THIS ONE. SO WE ALSO HAVE A DISCUSSION IN THIS REPORT ABOUT PUBLIC OPEN SPACE. WHILE THAT IS A VERY DIFFERENT PROCESS AND DIFFERENT PURPOSE, WE FIND THAT FROM A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE, THEIR OPINIONS OF OPEN SPACE, WHETHER IT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE

[00:30:02]

WE'VE BEEN OVERTAKEN A LITTLE BIT BY SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS HERE. WE ARE NOW FIFTH IN THE STATE IN TERMS OF ACRES PROTECTED, BUT THIRD TIED FOR SECOND. I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL LAND, MOST OF THESE COUNTIES HAVE THE SAME PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, AND SOME OF THESE DIFFERENCES ARE REALLY BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENT ORIENTATION WITH SOME OF THEIR PLANNING AND ZONING TOOLS, IN PARTICULAR, THE ALLOWANCES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE RURAL AREAS HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT ACROSS SOME OF THESE COUNTIES. SO YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED HERE IN THE RESULTS. LAST YEAR IN MARYLAND, THE MARYLAND THE BEAUTIFUL ACT WAS PASSED. AND THIS MIRRORED A NATIONAL GOAL TO SET A GOAL TO PROTECT 30% OF OUR LANDS BY 2030 AND 40% BY 2040. SO ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND COMPLICATES THIS FIGURE. BUT IF YOU TAKE THAT OUT, WE HAVE MET OUR 2030 GOAL, WHICH IS GREAT. WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THAT. HOWEVER, LOOKING FORWARD TO 2040 TO MEET THAT GOAL DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU ADDED IN ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, WE WOULD NEED TO PRESERVE AN ADDITIONAL 20,000 TO 35,000 ACRES AND EVEN IF WE LOOK AT THE LOWER NUMBER OF THE 20,000, BASED ON THE LAST THREE YEARS OF EASEMENT PRICES, THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $120 MILLION IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, SO THAT NUMBER WILL ONLY INCREASE EACH YEAR. OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT SMALLER PROPERTIES AND MORE TRANSACTIONS. THERE ARE VERY FEW PROPERTIES UNDER 300 ACRES LEFT UNPRESERVED IN THIS COUNTY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN CONTEXT OF SOME MAJOR RELATED CHALLENGES. LAND PRESERVATION VERY MUCH WORKS WITH OTHER LAND USE ISSUES, SO WE'D BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THESE, WE ARE PROJECTED TO ADD ANOTHER 30,000 RESIDENTS FROM NOW TO 20, 45 OR 11% GROWTH. THOSE PEOPLE ALL NEED AND DESERVE A SAFE AND ADEQUATE PLACE TO LIVE. SO HOUSING IS AN ISSUE IN HARFORD COUNTY AS WELL AS MARYLAND, WE ARE LOOKING AT MORE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF LAND. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ON GREENFIELD LAND INDEFINITELY. THAT IS DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS. WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR DEVELOPABLE SPACE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE DONE AND USE IT BETTER. THERE ARE ALSO MORE DEMANDS THAN EVER. IT FEELS LIKE ON OUR LAND, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SOLAR AND OTHER LARGE ACREAGE NONRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CONVERSATIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL, ALSO, THE ECONOMICS OF FARMING IS CHANGING, AND THAT'S VERY MUCH REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE COUNTY'S AG PRESERVATION PROGRAM THAT MANY OF YOU WERE PART OF. SO WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE SMALL FARMS SELLING DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE LARGER FARMING OPERATIONS. SO IN THE STATE, ABOUT HALF OF THE GROUND FARMED IS RENTED. IT'S NOT, OWNER OR

[00:35:05]

ALSO, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE PARALLEL PLANNING AND ZONING TOOLS. SO WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE INTERPLAY OF THINGS SUCH AS THE DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE AND OTHER PLANNING AND ZONING LAWS AND POLICIES AND MASTER PLAN TO THESE LAND PRESERVATION GOALS.

WHEN THE NEXT MASTER PLAN COMES AROUND, WE MIGHT CONSIDER MIRRORING THESE STATE GOALS TO HAVE 40% OF OUR LAND PRESERVED BY 2040. THE NEXT ONE ON DIFFERENT PAYMENT INCENTIVES.

YOU KNOW, THIS WAS IN PART DONE BY SOME OF THE CHANGES TO THE RECENT COUNTY PROGRAM. SO I THINK WE CAN PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK FOR THAT, I TALKED ABOUT PUBLIC OPEN SPACE. WE NEED TO BE EXTREMELY TARGETED AND BULLISH AND STRATEGIC ABOUT LOOKING AT LAND PURCHASES IN AND AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE. EVEN WHEN WE MIGHT NOT HAVE READY FUNDS TO BUILD THE AMENITIES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, BECAUSE THAT WINDOW WAS GOING TO CLOSE TO SECURE THOSE PROPERTIES, AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE, AS WE SAID, ALMOST A $1 BILLION AG INDUSTRY. WE NEED TO LOOK AT SUPPORTING HOW THAT FARMING INDUSTRY IS CHANGING AND CERTAINLY PRESERVE LAND IS PART OF IT. BUT THERE ARE OTHER TOOLS AND POLICIES THAT CAN WORK WITH THAT TO SUPPORT THAT INDUSTRY. WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE OUR FORMAL PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. AND WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN TAKING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. THANKS KRISTEN, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M CURIOUS, JEN, WHEN DO YOU THINK WE'LL GET OUR NEXT LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT CLOSE, WE HAVE A BIG LIST. IT TOOK 19, EASEMENT PROPOSALS TO REACH WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED BECAUSE WE HAVE SMALLER ACRES COMING IN, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANTED, WHAT THAT MEANS WE HAVE A LOT OF LEGISLATION TO WRITE. AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REVIEWING AND CROSSING OUR T'S AND DOTTING OUR I'S. SO I'M HOPING EITHER THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK, SO SOON? VERY SOON. OKAY, I HEARD THAT I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE VERY SOON, AND THEN WITH THE EASEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST PROGRAM, ARE THEY ALL SETTLED IN NOW? THEY ARE. OKAY.

WE HAVE ABOUT IF YOU COUNT THE COUNTY ONES THAT HAVEN'T COME TO YOU YET, WE HAVE ABOUT 2000 ACRES THAT WOULD BE PENDING. OKAY. BETWEEN THE STATE PROGRAM, RURAL LEGACY AND THE COUNTY.

THANKS. COUNCIL ANYONE? MR. BENNETT? HELLO, I APPRECIATE MEETING WITH YOU EARLIER. AND THEN ALSO YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT, I KNOW YOU SPOKE TO SOME THE PRESSURE FOR SOLAR ON GREEN SPACE, WHICH IS SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP FROM THE COUNCIL FLOOR BEFORE AS A CONCERN. JUST YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS RENEWABLE ENERGY, BUT MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE NOT GIVING UP OUR OPEN SPACE FOR THAT, WOULD YOU SAY, THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD ACTION FOR US AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMERCIAL SPACES THAT EXIST ARE, PHYSICALLY EQUIPPED TO HAVE ROOFTOP SOLAR, AND YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL SPACES TO HELP MITIGATE THE AMOUNT OF SOLAR THAT ENDS UP IN OPEN SPACE. CERTAINLY, I WOULD, AND I'M ALSO THE VICE CHAIR OF FOREVER MARYLAND, WHICH IS THE ASSOCIATION OF LAND TRUST FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. AND THAT IS ALSO A POLICY PRINCIPLE OF THAT ORGANIZATION, IT'S VERY MUCH TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THOSE COMPATIBLE USES WITH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A BACK AND FORTH, WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS TALKING AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THAT, MY OTHER QUESTION WAS JUST, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE HISTORY OF YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM IN THE, YOU KNOW, LATE AUGHTS, EARLY 20 TENS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING AT THAT SLIDE, THERE'S THAT BIG DIP. THERE'S A BIG DIP. YEAH. SO IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ONE, I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE SEE ALL THE GREAT, BIG NUMBERS OF BLUE, WHICH IS THE COUNTY PROGRAM. AND THEN IT DROPS OFF. SO I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM REMEMBER THE REAL ESTATE CRASH THAT HAPPENED IN 2008. SO WITH THAT, WHEN OUR PROGRAM FOR A FEW YEARS, BECAUSE OUR PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY A HALF

[00:40:06]

AGAIN, ZONING COULD CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT YOU COULDN'T DONATE AN EASEMENT WHICH HAS POTENTIAL TAX BENEFITS FOR DOING THAT. AND WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE COUNTY. WE HAVE A FAIRLY STIFF RUBRIC BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO DO THAT. WE DO SAY NO MORE OFTEN THAN WE SAY YES. THIS IS ALSO A PERMANENT OR PERPETUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COUNTY OR THE STATE OR THE LAND TRUST THAT CARRIES A COST WITH IT OF MONITORING AND ENFORCING THAT EASEMENT. AND SO WE WOULDN'T DO IT UNLESS WE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME VALUE. AGAIN, IN THOSE CASES WHERE THERE'S NOT DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, THEY COULD ONLY DONATE THAT EASEMENT FOR POTENTIAL TAX BENEFITS. I APPRECIATE THAT, THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE LAND PRES PROGRAM IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAS TO BE A BALANCE WITH THE ECONOMIC GROWTH, RIGHT? BECAUSE ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT DEVELOPABLE PROPERTY, THAT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE DIFFERENT VITAL PROGRAMS LIKE SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT AND ALSO PROVIDES THAT TAXES, THROUGH THE TRANSFER TAX TO BE ABLE TO BUY MORE, MORE PROPERTY FOR THE LAND. PRES. SO I THINK IT'S A CAREFUL BALANCE, HARMONY THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST JUST HOPE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT GOING FORWARD AS AS WE DEVELOP OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, I WAS SURPRISED THAT THOSE NUMBERS UP THERE FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES, TO HAVE THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF LAND PRESERVED, THAT WAS REALLY A SURPRISE, AND IT'S A IT'S A COUNTY WITHOUT A MUNICIPALITY, WHICH IS ALSO SURPRISING, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS. CERTAINLY IN DISTRICT EIGHT, YOU'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SUCCESSES. I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE 129 ACRES AND THE JOPPATOWNE AREA TO MAKE THAT TOTAL FACILITY, A PARK IS GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF A PARK. AND THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, AND THAT'S REALLY GREAT. ALSO, AND EDGEWOOD GOING DOWN WILLOUGHBY BEACH ROAD JUST SOUTH OF THE HIGH SCHOOL THERE ON THE LEFT THAT COMBINE ABOUT, 49 ACRES OF PEACE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THAT, OUTFIT THAT DOES INVESTMENTS LIKE THAT. ARE TOGETHER. THEY'VE JOINED TOGETHER FOR THAT ALMOST 100 ACRES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE WATER. THAT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A NICE PARK. IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING VERY NICE. ALSO, I THINK WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT OF WORKING SOMETHING OUT, DOWN AND FURTHER DOWN. WILLOUGHBY BEACH ROAD ON THE WAY TO THE TO THE PARK. THAT ONE AREA THERE, ABOUT A MILE LONG WHERE IT'S REAL NARROW AND THE KIDS CAN'T GET TO THE PARK WITHOUT HAVING TO WALK LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

I'VE HAD A MEETING RECENTLY WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND, THEY'RE GOING TO WIDEN THAT AND MAKE AN AREA ON THE FAR SIDE BECAUSE YOU GUYS CAN'T GO ON THE LEFT SIDE BECAUSE THE TURTLES,

[00:45:01]

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

VERY GOOD. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SIR. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT VICENTE. AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS WE JUST SAID. MY NAME IS JACOB BENSON AND I AM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER FOR HARFORD COUNTY. I AM PLEASED TO BE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH RESOLUTION 015, DASH 24 AND 016 DASH 24 FOR THE DESIGNATION OF TUDOR HALL AND THE EMMERTON TWO ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE AS HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARKS. THE HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND DISTRICTS PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT THE OWNERS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN HARFORD COUNTY, OWNERS OF DESIGNATED PROPERTIES RECEIVE ACCESS TO THE COUNTY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION TAX CREDIT AND EXPERT GUIDANCE FROM THE STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSIO. AT THEIR AUGUST 7TH, 2024 PUBLIC MEETING, THE HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDED TUDOR HALL, LOCATED AT 17 TUDOR LANE NEAR BEL AIR, FOR DESIGNATION AS A HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC LANDMARK. IT IS NOMINATED BY THE HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ITSELF, WITH THE CONSENT OF ITS OWNER, HARFORD COUNTY. THE NOMINATION IS SUPPORTED BY THE JUNIUS B BOOTH SOCIETY, WHICH OPERATES THE MUSEUM AT TUDOR HALL. IT IS IDENTIFIED AS A HISTORIC SITE BY MARYLAND INVENTORY OF HISTORIC PLACES.

EXCUSE ME. HISTORIC PROPERTIES M I H P NUMBER HA117 AND IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. THE PROPOSED LANDMARK BOUNDARY, SHOWN IN THE MAP ON THIS SLIDE CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 8.38 ACRES AND IS CONFINED TO THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX PARCEL. THE PHOTOS HERE SHOW THE FACADE, INCLUDING ITS GOTHIC REVIVAL DETAILING AND A VIEW OF THE HOUSE FROM THE GROUNDS. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SITE MAP OF THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING TUDOR HALL ITSELF, THE HISTORIC OUTBUILDINGS, WHICH INCLUDE THE SPRINGHOUSE WORKSHOP, STABLE AND BARN RUINS, AND THE MAN MADE POND, A MODERN GARAGE, PARKING LOT AND DRIVEWAY ARE ALSO LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY. THESE PHOTOS SHOW THE HISTORIC SPRINGHOUSE AT THE TOP LEFT, FOLLOWED BY THE WORKSHOP STABLE AND BARN RUINS. TUDOR HALL WAS BUILT AROUND 1850 TO 1852, AND IS SIGNIFICANT AS A WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF THE RESIDENTIAL GOTHIC REVIVAL STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, AND FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE BOOTH FAMILY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN THEATER. AS WELL AS ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE UNITED STATES CIVIL WAR. THIS NOMINATION IS NOT INTENDED AS A GLORIFICATION OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH OR HIS MURDER OF PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN. IT IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE THAT THE PROPERTY HAS GAINED OVER ITS 170 YEARS. AT THEIR JULY THREE, 2024, PUBLIC

[00:50:05]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THESE NOMINATIONS. THANK YOU JACOB, COUNCIL, ANY TIME FOR TIME FOR QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS? MR. BENNETT, ON THAT LAST PROPERTY, I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT BECAUSE EMMERTON SNOWBALLS WAS WHERE MY FRIENDS RODE BIKES TO GROWING U. THE SNOWBALL STAND IS GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE HISTORIC RECOGNITION FOR TAX PURPOSES. SO THE ENTIRE PROPERTY WOULD BE INCLUDED. THE SNOWBALL STAND WOULD BE WHAT WE CONSIDER A NONCONTRIBUTING PART OF THE PROPERTY. AT THIS POINT. IT IS NOT YET 50 YEARS OF AGE, BUT THE PRESERVATION COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND, AS PART OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION THAT WHEN IT REACHES 50 YEARS OF AGE, BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY TODAY, THAT IT BE CONSIDERED THAT IT BE RECONSIDERED AS A POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTING PART. AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT ANY CHANGES AND SO ON THAT CAN BE MADE TO THAT PORTION OF THE PROPERTY. SO UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING CODE, ANY ALTERATIONS TO THE PROPERTY THAT REQUIRE A PERMIT WOULD REQUIRE THE A REVIEW BY THE HARFORD COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION FOR THE NONCONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS. WE WOULD UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES A PERMIT OR IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY AFFECT THE CONTRIBUTING BUILDING, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS JUST THE SCHOOLHOUSE, RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT A REVIEW REQUIREMENT AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT.

ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENSON, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, WE WILL CONSIDER THIS ON THE 17TH. BE THE NEXT WEEK? YES. OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE. TEN INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NONE 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE.

12 UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE. 13 NEW BUSINESS EXECUTIVE REQUESTS FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

[14. NEW BUSINESS]

[00:55:01]

THAT WAS AFTER GETTING THREE BIDS AND ACTUALLY ANOTHER BID WAS OBTAINED LATER ON BECAUSE OF WE THOUGHT THESE WERE GOING TO GO IN AUGUST. JEFFERSON, IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU'D SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE. THEY'RE TELLING ME THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU. SORRY. WE THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO GO IN AUGUST. IT'S NOT GOING UNTIL NO. THIS WAS THE LOWEST COMBINED BID FOR THE SERVICE OF THE SENGSTACKE CERTAINLY HAS A TITLE COMPANY CAN PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT'S NECESSARY. THESE ARE NOT OVERLY COMPLICATED TRANSACTIONS. THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS TO MAKE SURE WE DO THE TITLE SEARCHES AS WELL AS WE DO IN-HOUSE CSAT SEARCHES, SO THAT WHOMEVER THESE LOANS ARE BEING MADE TO, WE KNOW THAT THE LOANS AREN'T GOING TO BE LEANED UPON OR OTHERWISE DISSIPATED IN AN UNINTENDED FUNCTION. THEY'RE GOING TO BE USED FOR THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT THAT THEY'RE INTENDED TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO COME OVER AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT MR. AND I HAD IN REFERENCE TO THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT. WE DO HAVE COPIES OF THE BIDS. WE DO HAVE ALL OF THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED, THAT WE PROVIDED THEM.

SO COUNCIL AT THIS TIME, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. PENMAN. MR. PRESIDENT THANK YOU, MR. BLOOMQUIST, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OPENING THIS SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I FULLY SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FUND, IT CAN BE A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AS WE KNOW. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT ECONOMIC STIMULUS IN OUR COMMUNITY SO WE CAN PAY FOR THE THINGS, THE RESOURCES THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES, NOW, DO YOU KNOW THE TYPE OR SIZE OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES? HARFORD COUNTY IS INTERESTED IN ADOPTING INTO THIS PROGRAM? IT'S DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO I'M NOT I'M NOT INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH IT. I, I KNOW THERE'S CRITERIA THAT ARE SPELLED OUT IN THE GRANT DOCUMENTS, AND WE FOLLOW THE CRITERIA IN THE GRANT DOCUMENTS FOR MAKING THE LOANS TO COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES. IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, I CAN CERTAINLY HAVE MISS HOLT OR MR. GOULD FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO. NO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE VISION, BECAUSE IT REFERENCES THE SMALL BUSINESS STANDARD OF THE FEDERAL STANDARD, WHICH I READ IT WAS KIND OF I'LL JUST READ IT BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. IT SAYS ARTICLE 121, 102 OF THE FEDERAL CODE CONSIDERS AND MEASURES SMALL BUSINESS SIZE STANDARD BY THE STRUCTURE OF THE INDUSTRY, DEGREE OF COMPETITION.

FIRM SIZE IS NOT DOMINANT IN ITS FIELDS. STARTUP COSTS, BARRIERS, TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, COMPETITION FROM INDUSTRIES, GROWTH, TRENDS, HISTORIC. SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WHAT SCOPE THEY WERE THEY WERE CONSIDERING FOR THESE THINGS. SO IF THEY HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT. I'LL CERTAINLY CONVEY THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, YOU ANSWERED, YOU COULD HAVE ZERO ONE YEAR. YOU COULD HAVE 3 OR 4 THE NEXT YEAR, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HIRING OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO CONTRACT FOR THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST THING THAT I HAVE, THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT FEE AND THE FEE AGREEMENT IS GOING TO BE PASSED ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES. I APPRECIATE THE TAXPAYERS NOT PAYING FOR IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A BURDEN TO THE SMALL BUSINESS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP, RIGHT? WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THE SMALL BUSINESS. AND LOOKING AT THE FEE AGREEMENT, I'M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN SOME OF THE FEES THAT THAT ARE LISTED THERE, A SETTLEMENT FEE OF $995, THE APPRAISAL FEE, THE TAX FEE, THE FLOOD CERTIFICATE FEE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEE, THE PROCESSING FEE, THE LENDER FEE, THE CREDIT REPORT FEE. AND AGAIN, THE ATTORNEY FEE OF $500.

AND I JUST THINK THAT'S PROBABLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO STACK ON ALL THESE FEES WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO HELP AND STIMULATE SMALL BUSINESS. SO THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE, THOUGH IS YOU KNOW, WITH I CERTAINLY DON'T MIND. YES, THOSE FEES WOULD BE MUCH LESS THAN FOR US USING ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO USE A PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THE REASON WHY

[01:00:02]

DIDN'T THE LAW DEPARTMENT HANDLE THESE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE PAST THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS DONE SOME OF THE DOCUMENT WORK. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM TIME TO TIME, SOME OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS CAME FROM MILES AND STOCKBRIDGE. THEY'RE OUR THEY THEY BILL US ON AN HOURLY RATE, NOT NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT A SERVICE RATE THAT THEY REALLY BRING, YOU KNOW, MUCH MORE TO THE TABLE THAN WE NEED BECAUSE THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, BASIC TRANSACTIONS. SO WE WORK WITH THEM. BUT I DON'T HAVE A HUGE SHOP. RIGHT. YOU HAVE BEEN GENEROUS IN PROVIDING ME, I THINK A WORKABLE SHOP. AND SO IN BALANCING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO EFFICIENTLY AND WHAT IT REALLY BEHOOVES US TO GO OUTSIDE TO KEEP OUR EFFICIENCY AND TO KEEP US FROM GROWING INTERNALLY. THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS DOES. YEAH, BUT IT'S A SHOP THAT YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS DECLARED THAT HE WANTS TO DO THINGS IN-HOUSE. RIGHT AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ON MARCH 14TH OF 2023, WHEN HE PRESENTED TO THIS VERY COUNCIL, I'LL GIVE YOU A STATEMENT THAT HE WROTE, ACTUALLY READ OR SAID, I SHOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CAME INTO THIS OFFICE, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LAW DEPARTMENT. WE HAD A LAW CONTRACTING DEPARTMENT THAT CONTRACTED OUT VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING, AND WE WERE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON LEGAL FEES. MY ADMINISTRATION STARTED.

WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY BUILDING A LEGITIMATE LAW DEPARTMENT WITH REAL LAWYERS WHO UNDERSTAND THE CIVIL LAW AND NOT SQUANDER THE COUNTY'S RESOURCES ON, $400 AN HOUR.

LAWYERS. SO THE COUNTY RESOURCES, I THINK, WOULD INCLUDE SMALL BUSINESSES, FUNDS.

RIGHT. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER PENMAN, I CERTAINLY RESPECT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IF YOU REMEMBER, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS HEARINGS WHEN WE WERE HERE IN APRIL, IN MAY AND JUNE, WELL, APRIL, APRIL AND MAY, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN I WAS OVER HERE. IF YOU RECALL, WE'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF I THINK IT WAS OVER $600,000 LESS IN OUTSIDE COUNSEL FEES WITH NO INCREASE IN OUR ATTORNEY BUDGET AT ALL. SO WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO EFFICIENTLY PROVIDE SERVICES AND THAT'S WHAT THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL DOES. THE OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOU UNLESS YOU BUILD A MUCH LARGER OFFICE AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN SOME COUNTIES HAVE TENS CLOSE, CLOSE TO 100 ATTORNEYS. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT WHERE WE ARE AT NINE. THIS IS PART OF BALANCING THE EFFICIENCY OF PROVIDING A LARGE SUITE OF SERVICES. AND WHEN WE HAVE A NICHE SERVICE SUCH AS THIS TITLE WORK IN THIS DOCUMENT PREPARATION, THE CLOSINGS TO RECORD THE RECORDINGS, THE FILINGS WITH THE LAND RECORDS, THOSE AREN'T TRANSACTIONS THAT THE COUNTY ENGAGES IN A LOT OF IN AN ANNUAL BASIS. AND THE COST IS DE MINIMIS COMPARED TO THE COST FOR OTHER SERVICES THAT WE HAVE STAFFED OURSELVES TO PROVIDE. SO FROM A COST BENEFIT STANDPOINT, IT'S MY DETERMINATION. YOU'RE CERTAINLY ENTITLED TO QUESTION THAT DETERMINATION. I DEEM THIS TO BE A VERY WISE USE OF COUNTY FUNDS. IT REALLY IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, $500 PER TRANSACTION FOR THE FOR THE QUANTITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED AND FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT IT WOULD TAKE. THOSE THAT ARE ON MY TEAM TO PERFORM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS WHATSOEVER. SO I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS THAT THAT WOULD BE MY RESPONSE TO THOSE CONCERNS. NO,

[01:05:05]

THAT'S A HOME TITLE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST REPUTABLE, REPUTABLE FIRMS. SO THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE PROVIDING THE INSURANCE. AND I CAN TELL YOU IF MRS. SENGSTACK DID NOT HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION, THEY WOULD PULL THEIR THEY WOULD PULL FROM HER SERVICES. I KNOW ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH HOME TITLE BEFORE HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB, HAVE HAVE THERE'S BEEN LITIGATION HOME TITLE COVERS THAT LITIGATION AND HAS DROPPED THOSE ATTORNEYS FROM THEIR TITLE INSURANCE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY DID NOT DO GOOD WORK. SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THAT THAT'S WHERE THAT COMFORT LEVEL COMES FROM. IT COMES FROM HOME TITLE. THAT IS AN INSURER THAT PROVIDES THE EXPERTISE OF, IF MRS. SACK DOESN'T DO A GOOD JOB AND MRS. SOMETHING, AND THAT RESULTS IN LITIGATION. THAT'S THAT'S HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. I'M CONFIDENT MR. SENGSTACK WOULD DO A GREAT JOB. BUT A LOT OF ACTUALLY ALMOST EVERY CONTRACT THAT YOU KNOW THAT IS BIDDED OUT. THE CONTRACTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF INSURANCE, PROOF OF INSURANCE. AND I JUST DID THE LAW DEPARTMENT EVER ASK FOR THAT? DID WE DO WE HAVE THA? THAT'S WHAT THE HOME TITLE IS.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I JUST EXPLAINED TO YOU. HOME TITLE. IF A MISTAKE IS MADE IN ANY OF THE TITLE WORK, THE LIEN SEARCHES, THE JUDGMENT SEARCHES THAT RESULTS IN A PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSACTION HOME TITLE, WHICH IS A NATIONAL COMPANY. BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR DECADES. THEY FUND THE LITIGATION. THEY CLEAN UP THE PROBLEM. SO HOME TITLE PROVIDED WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ATTORNEY SCREWS UP, AND THAT MAY NOT BE THE MOST JUDICIOUS TERM. I APOLOGIZE, IT'S LATE IF A MISTAKE IS MADE, THE TITLE COMPANY STEPS IN AND TAKES CARE OF IT. AND THE ATTORNEY PAYS BECAUSE HOME TITLE DISCONTINUES PROVIDING THE INSURANCE TO THEM.

SO? SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN. I MAY NOT HAVE DONE A COMPETENT JOB OF IT, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T, BUT BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE HOME TITLE INSURANCE. MY QUESTION IS WHOEVER HOME TITLE, THE SENGSTACK FIRM. DID YOU KNOW, I JUST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PROOF OF INSURANCE IN CASE SOMEONE MISTAKENLY MAKES AN ERROR AND WITH, YOU KNOW, REVENUES, LOANS, COUNTY TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THAT THERE'S JUST SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES THERE, MR. PENMAN, BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER, LET ME STOP YOU JUST A MINUTE SO WE CAN GET SOME OTHER

[01:10:05]

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS, HOW MANY COMPANIES RESPONDED TO THE REQUEST FOR BID? IT WAS KEY TITLE, AND IT WAS, GETS TITLE AND GETS LEGAL. AND THEN WE ALSO WENT WENT LATER ON TO MR. HEMINGER WITH THE SUNNI LAW GROUP, WELL, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE NAME IS THAT THEY'RE GOING BY NOW, AND THAT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE. BUT I TAKE IT IT'S KIND OF THE WAY THEY, THEY DO BUSINESS, I DON'T KNOW. YEAH THE TRANSACTIONS AREN'T COMPLICATED. IT'S THE IT'S REALLY THE TITLE WORK THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF. YEAH, I'M FAMILIAR WITH TITLE WORK AS I'M IN REAL ESTATE. SO I KNOW THAT I JUST WANTED DID YOU INTERVIEW ALL OF THOSE COMPANIES? I DID NOT INTERVIEW THEM. MR. DUBOIS FROM OUR OFFICE SPOKE WITH ALL OF THEM AND DID A QUESTION AND ANSWER, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY WERE COMFORTABLE. THEY KNEW WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS WERE AND WE KNEW WHAT WHAT THEY WERE PROVIDING. AND I, I HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS WHICH I CAN PROVIDE TO YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OKAY. THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE GOT FROM THE OTHER, THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT GAVE US QUOTES THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I'LL DO THAT. AND I THIS DOES SEEM VERY REASONABLE, I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT WHO WAS ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED AND WHAT THEIR PRICING WAS LIKE IN COMPARISON. ABSOLUTELY. I THOUGHT I'D GIVE THOSE TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, BUT I WILL MAKE SURE TO GET THOSE OVER TO YOUR OFFICE TOMORROW. GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT, I ARGUE IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO USE OUTSIDE COUNSEL. IT'S AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO US AS AN OPERATING COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE CONSISTENTLY TAKING CARE OF IN YOUR OFFICE. IT'S A ONCE EVERY HERE AND THERE DUTY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO TRAIN TO STAFF AND TO APPROPRIATELY HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, SPECIALTY TRAINING. IT'S JUST IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO REACH OUT TO SOMEONE ELSE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT. AND I JUST THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO COMPARE A SITUATION LIKE THIS TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S QUOTE FROM A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THAT'S TALKING ABOUT VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF WORK. THE CONSISTENT LAW WORK, WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR SOMETHING IN PERPETUITY, THAT YOU'RE CONSTANTLY TAKING CARE OF, SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A TOTALLY APPROPRIATE USE OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND AT NO EXTRA COST TO THE COMMUNITY AND A REASONABLE FEE FOR THOSE WHO ARE UTILIZING THE GRANTS, I FULLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FROM US. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. GUTHRIE. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, JUST A COMMENT. I AGREE WITH MR. BENNETT. COUNCILMAN BENNETT, CERTAINLY. THIS IS MY 14TH YEAR ON THE COUNCIL. I'VE HAD A LOT OF THESE COME UP IN FRONT OF US, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE ALL WORTH, WORTHY OF OUR VOTE AND SUPPORT. AND SO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO A VOTE, I'LL BE IN FAVOR OF IT.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. PENMAN. ONE LAST THING. SURE I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT THE CODE ALLOWS. RIGHT. THE CODE. I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE CODE. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MAY, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL EMPLOYEE, SPECIAL COUNSEL, TO WORK ON PROBLEMS OF EXTRAORDINARY NATURE WHEN THE WORK IS TO BE DONE AND IS SUCH A CHARACTER, SUCH A CHARACTER OR MAGNITUDE AS REQUIRES SERVICES IN ADDITION TO THOSE REGULARLY PROVIDED BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT.

RIGHT. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT? THAT'S NOT THE CODE. THAT'S THE CHARTER. THE CHARTER? EXCUSE ME WITH IT. I'M FAMILIAR WITH ARTICLE TWO, DEPARTMENT OF LAW SECTION. I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE. I'M HERE TO TRY TO HAVE EVERYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M WHAT MY REQUEST IS. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BEFORE WHEN YOU IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT DIDN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL AND NOW BECAUSE I SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, I REALLY DO. I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY ON WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO COME TO THE COUNCIL. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE NOW, OR IS IT APPROPRIATE TO GO TO THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES? I'LL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY. I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE FURTHER TIME HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. BLOOMQUIST, ANYONE ELSE, AS I AS I SAID, WE WON'T MOVE ON

[01:15:07]

[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]

GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. BEFORE I BEGIN, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY WE COULD HAVE THAT PODIUM PUT HERE? ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE. OH, I KNOW, BUT CAN IT BE DONE? ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE. OKAY, MR. WHALEN, THANK YOU. BILL WHALEN, 415 CEDAR SPRINGS ROAD, BEL AIR, MARYLAND, 21015. I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE FINAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON JUNE 18TH, BUT MY COMMENTS WERE SENT BY EMAIL. EACH COUNCIL MEMBER PRIOR TO THAT SESSION. MY COMMENTS WERE NOT NEW. A NEED FOR A ZONING CODE CHANGES TO DEFINE SOBER LIVING HOMES, RECOVERY RESIDENTS HALFWAY HOUSES AND THEIR PERMITTED USE BY DISTRICT TWO. DEFINE AND CLARIFY BOARD OF APPEALS. THAT IS, COUNTY COUNCIL DECISION ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. BOTH OF THESE MATTERS HAVE CAUSED PAST PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF INTERPRETATION AND LACK OF DEFINITION, LEADING TO UNNECESSARY TIME AND EXPENSE FOR CITIZENS. I MADE THE COUNTY AWARE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S POSITION, WHICH IS THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS NOT OBLIGATED TO ENFORCE FINAL DECISIONS OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND PURSUIT OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AS A POLICY LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. THIS IS NOT DEFINED ANYWHERE IN THE CARTER CODE. THERE'S NO AUTHORITY GIVEN TO THE BRANCH TO REVIEW REVERSE, OR IGNORE THE DECISIONS OF THE BOARD OF APPEAL. EXCUSE ME, I REQUESTED COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL AND RECEIVED NONE. I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL IS SATISFIED WITH STATUS QUO, MAINLY BECAUSE NOT BEING INVOLVED WHEN CASES ARE ONLY WHEN CASES ARE APPEALED TO YOU FOR FINAL ARGUMENT. THE COUNCIL HAS ONLY HEARD THREE CASES AND THE FOURTH IS SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK. NO COUNCIL ENFORCEMENT ACTION IS TAKEN WHEN P AND Z FAILS TO EXECUTE THE HEARING ON EXAMINER'S DECISION.

LAST DECEMBER, MR. BENNETT AND I HAD MEANINGFUL DIALOG ON THIS MATTER. I CAN'T GO INTO DETAILS TIME. THINK ABOUT THIS. P AND Z CONTINUES TO HAVE. IF THEY HAVE CONTINUE TO HAVE SO ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY AND POWER TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT THEY ENFORCE OR NOT ENFORCE. WHEN THE FINAL DECISION OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS, THAT BECOMES MEANINGLESS TO THE TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE NO WRITTEN POLICIES, PROCEDURES OR PROCESS FOR EXECUTION OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS BY P AND Z OR THE COUNTY COUNCIL. I MET WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS STAFF ON SEPTEMBER 4TH ON THE SAME ISSUES. I PROVIDED A SEVEN PAGE SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PROBLEMS AND MY RECOMMENDED CODE REVISIONS. THE REPORT WAS APPRECIATED, WELL RECEIVED. WE HAD MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS. I DID NOT EXPECT IMMEDIATE ACTION AND SUSPECT HE WILL DISCUSS MY RECOMMENDATIONS WITH HIS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. TIME WILL TELL WHAT ACTION WILL BE TAKEN, IF ANY. PERHAPS THE ADMINISTRATION PREFERS STATUS QUO. THEY PRESENTLY HAVE THE UPPER HAND AND AUTHORITY AND SEE POSSIBLY NO NEED FOR CHANGE. IN CLOSING, UNFORTUNATELY, MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, CREDIBILITY OR COMMUNICATION.

THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, CITIZENS HAVE A SAY IN HOW OUR GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENTS AND NOT BE IGNORED AS I AND OTHERS CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WHALEN, ANYONE ELSE? THAT'S IT. THERE'S NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO AGENDA

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]

[01:20:01]

FOR A TIME, I TAUGHT AT MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO TAUGHT, THE YOUNG BOY WHO PASSED AWAY THIS PAST WEEK, WHO KNEW HIM DEARLY. HE WAS ON THE MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM, AND IT'S JUST A VERY SAD TIME. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, SOMETHING TO FEEL PRODUCTIVE. LIKE WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ATTEND BOARD OF ED MEETINGS, THE CAB MEETINGS, OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS JOIN JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL'S PTA. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PARENT OR A TEACHER AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL TO JOIN. YOU CAN JOIN AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER FOR $8 A YEAR. AND THEN THAT THAT MONEY, CAN BE USED BY THE JOPPATOWNE COMMUNITY TO TAKE ACTION DIRECTLY IN THEIR SCHOOL TO GET SOMETHING DONE, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO SPEND $8 TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT JOPPATOWNE THEIR PARENTS, THEIR TEACHERS, THEIR STUDENTS. AND TO BE ABLE TO HELP IN THAT WAY, BEYOND THAT, I'M CONTINUING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE STATE WITH OTHER COUNTY GOVERNMENTS TO SEE WHAT ARE WHAT ARE ACTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE BOTH, IMMEDIATELY AND LOOKING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE TO, TO MAKE OUR KIDS AND OUR EDUCATORS SAFER AT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO TONY AND HIS FAMILY RIGHT NOW. AND, DIONNE, PRAYING FOR YOUR FAMILY AS WELL, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL CAN CAN GO WELL, AND ALSO JUST IT'S A VERY SAD WEEK, BUT, YOU KNOW, TOMORROW IS SEPTEMBER 11TH, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT DATE AND NEVER LET IT PASS BY AS JUST A REGULAR DAY ON THE CALENDAR. TO, TO THINK OF, ALL OUR COUNTRY'S BEEN THROUGH IN 23 YEARS. I WAS IN FIRST GRADE AT THE TIME, BUT TO, MAKE SURE THAT WE THINK OF HOW WE REBUILT AND HOW WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH ANYTHING AS A NATION. AND TO ALWAYS, LET THAT DAY BE REMEMBERED. SO THAT'S ALL TONIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. GUTHRIE, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, IN REGARDS TO, WARREN GRANT, THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS LOST HIS LIFE IN THAT JOPPATOWNE MESS, HE'S, HIS VISITATION RIGHTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IS GOING TO BE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 19TH, FROM 2 TO 4 P.M. AND 7 TO 9 P.M. AT THE MCCOMAS FUNERAL HOME IN ABINGTON, ALSO AGAIN ALSO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, FROM 10 A.M. TO 11 A.M. THE FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, STARTING AT 11 A.M. AT MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN

[01:25:02]

AND WHAT UPSETS ME ABOUT A SITUATION LIKE THIS. AND IN GEORGIA, AND WHEN THIS KIND OF STUFF HAPPENS, IS THAT WE'LL HAVE THESE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS AND A POLITICIANS IN ANNAPOLIS AND IN AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WILL HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND TALK ABOUT IT. AND YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF WEEKS IT'LL START TO DRAG OUT. THEN BY A MONTH IT'S ALL FORGOTTEN ABOUT AND NOBODY DOES A THING ABOUT IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME WE GOT TO STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF AND REALLY DO SOMETHING, EVERY INCIDENT IS DIFFERENT, BUT IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND, HOW, OUR POLITICIANS CAN'T GET SOMETHING PASSED. EVEN A SIMPLE THING, LIKE A BACKGROUND CHECK TO FIND OUT IF SOMEBODY IS IN AN IMBECILE OR A, CRAZY OR SOMETHING AND ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND BUY A GUN WITHOUT HAVING A BACKGROUND CHECK, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET THE WE CAN'T GET THEIR ATTENTION, OR THEY ARGUE WITH EACH OTHER AND, AND THEN THE GUN LOBBY, YOU KNOW, PAYS THEM ALL OFF, AND THEN IT GOES BY THE WAYSIDE. SO I'M UPSET WITH IT, MY FAMILY'S UPSET WITH IT. AND I TALKED TO A LOT OF WHEN I WENT DOWN THERE. WHEN I GOT THE CALL, FAT PAT CALLED ME. I WAS AT MY DOCTOR'S, GETTING A CHECKUP, AND HE CALLED ME, WHEN, WHEN IT HAPPENED, AND, SO I CUT MY VISIT WITH THE DOCTOR SHORT AND CAME RIGHT UP TO JOPPATOWNE SAW A LOT OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THERE, AND EVERYBODY'S JUST SHAKING THEIR HEADS. SO, WE JUST NEED TO ALL GET TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING AND STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. AND REALLY DO SOMETHING, OR THIS COUNTRY IS EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP THE PHONE, EVERY TIME MY PHONE CLICKS OVER HERE, AND THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING IN ANOTHER STATE WHERE SOMEBODY SHOT SOMEBODY. SO I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. BUT IF UNLESS WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE, ALSO, WE'RE HAVING A FUNDRAISER FOR THE FAMILY, OF WARREN, THIS SATURDAY, IT'S SEPTEMBER 14TH, UP AT COPENHAGEN PARK, THE FOOTBALL FIELD. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THE LITTLE LEAGUES AND ALL THE FOOTBALL AND HAVE THEM RUNNING FOOTBALL GAMES ALL DAY LONG. AND FROM NINE IN THE MORNING TO NINE AT NIGHT FOR 12 HOURS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THER. AND THE MAIN REASON THERE IS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO COME AND DONATE AND MAKE A DONATION FOR THE FAMILY. WE DID THIS THE OTHER NIGHT AND, JUST ON A WHIM AND, WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT OVER $700 IN ONE NIGHT. WE HAD POTS AND PEOPLE WERE PUTTING MONEY IN, SO, WE APPRECIATE IT. IT'S ALSO A GOFUNDME PAGE. IF YOU CAN HELP OUT, YOU CAN HELP OUT THE FAMILY. WE'LL APPRECIATE IT, ALSO, ON SEPTEMBER THE 28TH, JOPPATOWNE IS GOING TO HAVE A TOUR IN, STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. TO BRING EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THE TO THE, THE TERRIBLE PROBLEM WE'VE HAD IN ON THE GUNPOWDER RIVER WITH THE WITH THE MUD, SITUATION WITH THE RUNOFF I HAVE SEEN. NOW THERE'S A MAJOR LAWSUIT BEING FILED AGAINST THAT DEVELOPER, TO THE TUNE OF EACH INCIDENT. WILL. NOW, WE GOT SOME SERIOUS MONEY, WILL BE $25,000 IN INCIDENT, PER INCIDENT PER DAY. SO MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME ATTENTION AND, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL GENERATE INTO, $1 MILLION OR MORE THAT THE COUNTY CAN GET TO HELP DREDGE THAT, GUNPOWDER, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S THE NEXT THING WE'RE GOING TO GOING TO HAVE TO

[01:30:05]

[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]