[00:00:02]
          FIVE. FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR ZONING 
          [a. Zoning Appeal Case No. 6002 (Matthew Watson)]
APPEAL. CASE NUMBER 6002. MATTHEW WATSON, WELCOME, MR. SNE. MISS FORSTER, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING FOR FINAL ARGUMENT IN ZONING CASE NUMBER 602002. EXCUSE ME, THE HEARING EXAMINER'S DECISION WAS RENDERED ON JUNE 4TH, 2024, WHICH ALLOWED A GROUP HOME FOR SHELTERED CARE IN THE R-2 ZONING DISTRICT WITH CONDITIONS. THIS FINAL ARGUMENT SHALL BE BASED SOLELY ON THE EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD, WHICH INCLUDES THE APPLICATION AND DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED TO THE HEARING EXAMINER, RECORDED TESTIMONY RECEIVED AT THE HEARING, AND THE DECISION OF THE HEARING EXAMINER. EACH PARTY HAS 15 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR ARGUMENT. EACH PARTY MAY USE ALL 15 MINUTES AT THE BEGINNING. PRESENT PRESENTING THEIR ARGUMENTS OR MAY PRESERVE SOME TIME FOR REBUTTAL. THE APPLICANT WILL GO FIRST. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ONE REBUTTAL NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME YOU SAVE, MR. SNEE IS HERE THIS EVENING REPRESENTING MR. WATSON, THE APPLICANT. THE PROTESTANTS ARE HERE AS WELL. REPRESENTED BY MISS FORSTER. YOU MUST IDENTIFY ONE REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH YOU HAVE, MR. CITY, YOU WILL PRESENT FIRST WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS, JOSEPH FRANCIS SNEED JR. IF SOUTH MAIN STREET, BEL AIR, TWO 1014 WITH SNEE, LOUCH AND HEMINGER, P.A, ON BEHALF OF MATTHEW WATSON, WHO IS THERE, HE IS SEATED TO MY RIGHT. YOUR LEFT. AND THIS IS BOARD OF APPEALS APPEAL CASE NUMBER 6002. BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE WATSON PROPERTY IS BEFORE YOU. THERE'S A RED DOT RIGHT ABOVE PARCEL 132 THAT INDICATES WHERE IT IS. THIS IS THE SDAT RECORD FROM THE STATE, AND IT INDICATES THAT IT'S KNOWN AS PHILADELPHIA ROAD. AND IT'S APPROXIMATELY 2.03 ACRES IN SIZE. THE NEXT SLIDE AGAIN STATES IT'S 2.03. IT'S R2 ZONING. AND THAT AGAIN IS SHADED IN THAT BROWN COLOR. AND OUR AREA IS R2, WE HAVE EXISTING STRUCTURES ON THAT. AND IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, A CARPORT, A GARAGE AND A SHED. AND THOSE ARE THE CURRENT USES. NEXT SLIDE. 
          THIS IS THE AERIAL SHOWING THE WATSON PROPERTY FROM OUTER SPACE. IT SHOWS THE IMPROVEMENTS TO 1601 PHILADELPHIA ROAD IN JOPPA. TWO 1085 AS PRESIDENT VINCENTE INDICATED, THIS IS THE TIMELINE. THE APPLICATION WAS FILED BACK IN JANUARY, WE HAD THE HEARING BEFORE HEARING EXAMINER CO IN APRIL. THE DECISION CAME DOWN IN JUNE AND THESE GOOD FOLKS TO MY LEFT FILED THE FINAL ARGUMENT IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND HENCE WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR THIS CASE. AS MISTER PRESIDENT CORRECTLY INDICATED, THIS IS A REVIEW ON THE RECORD BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS. IT'S THEREFORE A QUASI JUDICIAL HEARING, AND THE DECISION OF THE BOARD WOULD BE TO ACCEPT, REJECT OR MODIFY MISTER KEHOE'S DECISION. WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AT THE END THAT YOU ACCEPT IT AND SUPPORT IT BY FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW. THERE IN IS THE DEFINITION FOR THE GROUP HOME. THIS IS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT CODE OF HARFORD COUNTY. WHICH WAS UPDATED AND IT SAYS MORE THAN EIGHT UNRELATED PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. AND SOME, BUT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. WE COULD PROVIDE PERSONAL CARE, SOCIAL OR COUNSELING SERVICES, AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION. AND THERE'S YOUR PERMITTED USE CHART. I'M SURE THE BOARD OF APPEALS IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS GROUP. HOMES FOR SHELTERED CARE. IF YOU LOOK IN THAT R2 ZONE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, IF YOU DROP DOWN TO THE LAST CATEGORY, THE GROUP HOMES ARE A SPECIAL EXCEPTION IN THE R2 ZONE, ALONG WITH ALL THOSE OTHERS THAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM. PRINCIPAL PERMITTED USES ARE RESERVED FOR THOSE BUSINESS CATEGORIES TO THE RIGHT ON THE CHART. IT IS 
          [00:05:02]
CODIFIED AT 267 NINE. I THAT THE BOARD OF APPEALS CONSIDER TEN DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE CODE, AND I'VE LAID OUT ALL TEN. I DON'T INTEND TO READ THEM ALL, BUT THESE HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. AND THEY'RE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD FOR THAT CONSIDERATION. AND THERE ARE TEN OF THEM, WHICH WE ADDRESSED AT THE PRESENTATION, BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A MOMENT. THERE ARE, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED, TWO 6788. THESE ARE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AS WELL. AND THOSE SPECIFIC STANDARDS GO FOR THOSE GROUP HOMES. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE DENSITY HERE IS LIMITED TO EIGHT RESIDENTS PER ACRE. WE HAVE TWO ACRES PLUS OR MINUS, SO WE'LL HAVE NO MORE THAN 16 PEOPLE AT SITE IN THE R2 ZONE UNDER THE SPECIAL EXCEPTIO. SO IN ADDITION TO THE CODE REQUIREMENTS, THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF CASE LAW IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND ON A SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS AND JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, YOU HAVE PRINCIPALLY PERMITTED USES A MATTER OF RIGHT. JUST ABOVE THAT IS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION. IT'S PRESUMED TO BE ZONED FOR THAT PURPOSE UNLESS THERE'S AN ADVERSE IMPACT AT THIS SITE THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN A SIMILARLY ZONED PROPERTY OR TWO. IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND THE PRESENTATION WE MADE BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER WAS THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THE ADVERSE IMPACT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT, IF AT ALL, FROM ANOTHER R-2 ZONED PROPERTY IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND TO THAT SUPPORT WE CALLED ON FOR WITNESSES, MR. WATSON, AND THEN THREE EXPERTS, ONE IN HEALTH CARE, ONE A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND ONE AN EXPERT LAND PLANNER. COURTNEY ORR AND ED SUPPORTED MR. WATSON AS THE PROPERTY OWNER. I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ME TO POINT OUT THAT THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL DID PARTICIPATE BELOW BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER. THERE WAS NO EXPERT WITNESSES CALLED BY PEOPLE'S COUNSEL, THEREFORE, WHAT WE PRESENTED REMAINS UNCONTRADICTED IN THE RECORD AND THE IT IS NOTEWORTHY TO POINT OUT THAT PEOPLE'S COUNSEL DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE OR REQUEST FINAL ARGUMENT, I DIDN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE TESTIMONY OF MR. WATSON, BUT JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS. HE WOULD OPERATE AS PRN SOLUTIONS, LLC. THIS WOULD PROVIDE AFTERCARE FOR HEALTH ISSUES, SOBER LIVING, AND SECURITY WOULD BE ON PREMISES 24 HOURS STAFFING, SECURITY CAMERAS AND MOTION DETECTORS AS WELL AS THE MAXIMUM OF 16 THAT MR. WATSON WOULD HAVE ON SITE. ALL OF PATIENTS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO RANDOM DRUG TESTS. TRANSPORTATION IS PROVIDED AS NECESSARY. THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM IS LAID OUT THERE, AND IT'S AN EMPLOYMENT CENTRIC, SO THE PATIENTS ARE SERVED BY A FULL STAFF, ONE OF WHOM WILL BE THERE 24 SEVEN, 365 OUR EXPERT HEALTH CARE COORDINATOR, VERY, VERY GOOD WITNESS AND A CONSULTANT TO MR. WATSON FOR THIS PROJECT, THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL LEVEL 3.1 A SAM. IT'S A LOW INTENSITY FOR AFTERCARE AND IT'S FOR PEOPLE SEEKING LONGER CARE AFTER THEY SAY THEY GET OUT OF A 28 DAY INPATIENT FACILITY, THE SERVICES PROVIDED ARE THERE IN THE BULLET FORM, BUT IT'S A LOT LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS. I REPRESENT. IT'S HANDS ON AND IT'S A LOT OF COUNSELING, YOU'LL STAY AT LEAST. PARDON ME AT MOST FIVE MONTHS. AND THE PAYMENT IS THROUGH MEDICAID. NO PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS ON SITE. IF A PATIENT NEEDS IT, THEY WILL BE STORED SAFELY, MR. LEONARD WAS CALLED NEXT, HE SUMMARIZED THE PROPERTY, 
          [00:10:09]
CONSIDERABLE ROAD FRONTAGE ALONG PHILADELPHIA ROAD. IT IS SERVICED BY PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER, WHICH IS GOOD FOR A COMMERCIAL IMPROVEMENT. WE WOULD SEEK A 24 FOOT WIDE COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY THROUGH THE STATE HIGHWAY ACCESS PERMIT PROCESS. WE WOULD BUILD ON SITE FOUR PARKING SPACES ON ONE SIDE OF THE HOME AND FIVE ON THE OTHER. SO WE MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND WE'RE CONTEMPLATING A 20 BY 30 ADDITION TO HOUSE. OUR PATIENTS. 
          AND THEN THE TESTIMONY OF MR. STEERE, AN EXPERT IN PLANNING, HE WENT THROUGH THOSE TEN FACTORS I DISCUSSED EARLIER THAT THE BOARD OF APPEALS MUST CONSIDER, AND THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE PECULIAR TO, GROUP HOMES FOR SHELTERED CARE. HE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE THAT WE MET OR EXCEEDED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CODE CONSIDERS AND THAT WE, ESPOUSE TESTIMONY ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO TRAFFIC NOISE, ETC, AND MR. STEER'S OPINION AS A LAND PLANNER WENT UNCONTRADICTED, SO HE CONCLUDED, THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ADVERSE IMPACT UNDER YOUR MASTER PLAN AND YOUR RELATED STUDIES. FOR THIS USE AT THE R2 ZONE PROPERTY FOR GROUP HOME, FOR SHELTERED CARE. I INDICATED NO SIDEWALKS ON PHILADELPHIA ROAD AS THAT CAME UP REPEATEDLY AT THE AT THE HEARING EXAMINER LEVEL. AND WHEN WE TOURED THAT VICINITY THERE JUST SIMPLY ARE NO SIDEWALKS. SO EVEN IF WE BUILT ONE, IT WOULDN'T CONNECT TO ANYTHING. SO BASED ON THAT, WE'RE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE BOARD TO AFFIRM MR. KEHOE'S DECISION GRANTING THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION IN THE R2 ZONE TO ALLOW THE GROUP HOME FOR SHELTERED CARE ON THE WATSON PROPERTY, KNOWN AS 1601 PHILADELPHIA ROAD. AND THAT'S JOPPA TO 1085. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD RESERVE APPROXIMATELY FOUR MINUTES FOR REBUTTAL. IF NECESSARY, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. SNEE, MISS FORSTER, YOU'RE REPRESENTING A GROUP OF PROTESTANTS AND YOU ARE THE RECOGNIZED SPEAKER HERE THIS EVENING? YES AND, YOU'LL HAVE 15 MINUTES, MA'AM. OKAY. MY NAME IS DONNA FORSTER. I LIVE AT 1507 PHILADELPHIA ROAD, THREE PROPERTIES AWAY FROM 1601 PHILADELPHIA ROAD. MR. WATSON'S PROPERTY. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY FOR 68 YEARS AND WAS A CLASSROOM TEACHER IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR 41 OF THOSE YEARS. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS AND MYSELF TO ASK YOU THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TO OVERTURN THE RULING ALLOWING AN EXCEPTION TO BUILD A 16 BED FACILITY FOR ADULT MALE ADDICTS AND ALCOHOLICS IN OUR R-2 RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION CONCERNS I'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU ARE BASED ON THE FULL WITNESS TESTIMONY FROM THE APRIL 10TH, 2024 HEARING, NOT JUST ON THE SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN THE HEARING EXAMINER'S RULING. AND WE'RE BASING OUR APPEAL ON SEVERAL FACTORS. 
          FIRST, ACCORDING TO HARFORD COUNTY'S HEARING AND APPEALS PROCESS, IT'S CLEARLY STATED IN SECTION A2743 THAT ALL HEARING WITNESSES SHALL BE SUBJECT TO CROSS EXAMINATION BY THE OPPOSING PARTY. WE RESIDENTS DID NOT GET OUR OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTION THE KEY WITNESS FOR MR. WATSON, MISS WONDOLOWSKI. IT'S HER TREATMENT PROGRAM MR. WATSON HAS HIRED FOR THE FACILITY. WE RESIDENTS WERE TOLD BY THE HEARING EXAMINER THAT ONLY HE AND THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL COULD ASK QUESTIONS DURING MR. WATSON'S PRESENTATION, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE BREAK AND PRIOR TO THE MEETING. THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL TOLD US HE DID NOT REPRESENT US AND WOULD NOT ASK OUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. SO WE WAITED TO QUESTION MISS WONDOLOWSKI, BUT SHE LEFT DURING THE BREAK, SAYING SHE HAD TO DRIVE HOME TO GLEN BURNIE AND TAKE CARE OF HER TWO DOGS. SO AGAIN, WE WERE UNABLE TO CROSS-EXAMINE A KEY WITNESS ABOUT MORE DETAILS, THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM, HOW WILL CLIENTS BE VETTED FOR CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS? WILL MEDICAL PEOPLE 
          [00:15:02]
BE INVOLVED IN TREATMENT, AND WHAT SAFETY MEASURES WILL BE PUT IN PLACE BESIDES PLANTING BUSHES AND INSTALLING MOTION LIGHTS TO ENSURE OUR SAFETY? AND IT WAS EVIDENT MR. WATSON KNEW LITTLE OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE PROGRAM AS HE OFTEN DEFERRED TO MISS WONDOLOWSKI WHEN HE WAS QUESTIONED. WELL, WHAT FACTS WE LEARNED CONCERNED US GREATLY. WE LEARNED THE APPLICANT, MR. WATSON, WILL NOT BE OPERATING THE FACILITY. HE'LL BE AN ABSENTEE LANDLORD. HE HAS TURNED THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OVER TO SECOND AND THIRD PARTIES. HE HAS A NEWLY CREATED COMPANY, WHICH HE ADMITS HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING SUCH A FACILITY. AND OVER TO MISS WONDOLOWSKI. THIS IS A FEE FOR SERVICE REHAB FACILITY WHERE CLIENTS ONLY STAY FIVE MONTHS UNTIL THEIR MEDICAID BENEFITS RUN OUT, AND THEN THEY ARE RELEASED. WHETHER THEY RECOVER OR NOT, AND ANOTHER GROUP WILL TAKE THEIR PLACE. BESIDES NOT BEING ABLE TO CROSS-EXAMINE THE KEY WITNESS, AS WAS OUR RIGHT, OUR SECOND REASON FOR OUR APPEAL IS THAT THERE ARE TWO STATEMENTS GIVEN AS SUPPORT FOR THE EXCEPTION THAT ARE INCORRECT. ACCORDING TO WITNESS TESTIMONY, THE HEARING EXAMINER SAID THERE WILL BE NO DRUGS ON THE LOCATION, BUT WHEN QUESTIONED BY THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, MISS WENDY LASKY SAID THEY WILL NOT BE PRESCRIBING DRUGS BUT DRUGS WILL BE GIVEN ON PREMISES AS PRESCRIBED BY CLIENTS, DOCTORS, DOCTORS. SHE ADMITTED METHADONE, SUBOXONE AND OTHER PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS THAT ARE USED TO TREAT OPIOID ADDICTED CLIENTS WILL BE THERE AND KEPT IN LOCKED BOXES WITH A TRUSTED EMPLOYEE HAVING THE KEY. 
          WE ALSO LEARNED THAT MOST OF THE TIME THERE WILL BE 1 OR 2 STAFF MEMBERS ON HAND, POSSIBLY 3 OR 4 AT TIMES TO OVERSEE 16 RECOVERING ADDICTS. THERE WILL BE DRUGS IN THE FACILITY. THE SECOND INCORRECT STATEMENT IN THE RULING SAYS THERE'S NOT A CHURCH OR SCHOOL IN THE AREA. 
          TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL ARE PART OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ONLY 7/10 OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE FACILITY. THERE'S ALSO A BAR WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. OUR FINAL REASON TO OVERTURN THE RULING. WE STRONGLY FEEL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXCEPTION HAVE NOT BEEN MET. THE FIRST REQUIREMENT FOR HARFORD COUNTY'S CODE SAYS THE PROPOSED USE MUST BE IN HARMONY WITH ADJACENT PROPERTY USES. WELL, THE PURPOSE OF OUR HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT HOME TO SINGLE FAMILIES, AND THE PURPOSE OF MR. WATSON'S FACILITY IS TO PROVIDE A REHAB PROGRAM LASTING FIVE MONTHS UNTIL MEDICAID BENEFITS RUN OUT, AND THEN ANOTHER GROUP OF 16 WOULD ENTER. THIS IS BASICALLY A FEE FOR SERVICE ENTERPRISE WITH NO INTENT TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT HOME FOR ANYONE. THERE WILL BE A CONSTANT TURNOVER OF PEOPLE MAKING ITS USE SIMILAR TO A MOTEL WHERE PEOPLE PAY TO STAY AND THEN THEY MOVE ON. AND YOU CAN BE SURE MR. WATSON WILL STRIVE TO KEEP THOSE 16 BEDS FILLED TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF HIS ENTERPRISE. THUS, A CONSTANT TURNOVER OF PEOPLE. AND ONE OF MR. WATSON'S WITNESSES, EDWARD STEERE, PROPERTY DEVELOPERS, ADMITTED HARFORD COUNTY VIEWS THE PROPERTY AS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AND IT WILL BE GIVEN A TAX BUSINESS NUMBER. UNLIKE TAXES ON THE HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO HARFORD COUNTY RECOGNIZED THIS AS A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE. IT'S NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE RESIDENTIAL USES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT BELONGS IN A COMMERCIALLY ZONED AREA. THE SECOND REQUIREMENT FOR GRANTING AN EXCEPTION IS THAT THE PROPOSAL SHOULD NOT CREATE ADDITIONAL ADVERSE EFFECTS, OTHER THAN THOSE IN INHERENT USE, WHILE THE INHERENT ADVERSE EFFECTS OPENING A REHAB FACILITY IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SERIOUS AND SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, WE HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS. WE HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, WE HAVE ELDERLY AND WE HAVE CLAYTON HOUSE, A PERMANENT HOME FOR SEVERELY CHALLENGED ADULTS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO 1601. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THERE WOULD BE OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES AS PART OF THE TREATMENT. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ALREADY HAD BAD EXPERIENCES WITH A GROUP HOME. AS ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAD A MAN IN HIS UNDERWEAR STANDING OVER YOUNG CHILDREN WHILE THEY WERE PLAYING IN THEIR YARD. DUE TO THE LACK OF SUPERVISION AND OVERSIGHT AND WHAT KIND OF OVERSIGHT WILL BE PUT IN PLACE TO SEE THAT THESE THINGS DON'T RECUR? IMAGINE 16 ADULT ADDICTS WHO HAVE SERIOUS BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL ISSUES, WHO FAILED IN OTHER PROGRAMS BEING HOUSED IN A DRUG FACILITY NEXT DOOR TO YOU, ACROSS THE STREET OR A FEW HOUSES AWAY. WELL, IN ADDITION TO THESE INHERENT RISKS OF A REHAB FACILITY, WE FEEL THE ORGANIZATION, THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND ESPECIALLY OVERSIGHT AS PROPOSED BY MR. WATSON, CREATES ADDITIONAL RISKS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING TO US IS THE FACT THAT MR. WATSON, THE APPLICANT, WILL NOT BE RUNNING THE FACILITY, THAT AN UNKNOWN COMPANY WITH NO EXPERIENCE WILL OPERATE IT, AND MISS WONDOLOWSKI TESTIFIED ONCE SHE GETS THE FACILITY ACCREDITED AND LICENSED, HER DIRECT SUPPORT WILL BE WITHDRAWN. SHE'LL BE A CONSULTANT. SO WHO'S GOING TO 
          [00:20:04]
SEE THAT? THE RULES, THE REGULATIONS, THE CONDITIONS IMPLIED BY THE HEARING EXAMINER ARE TRULY BEING MET ON A DAILY BASIS. BY THE WAY, HER COMPANY IS IN MARRIOTTSVILLE ADDITIONAL RISKS PARTICULAR TO MR. WATSON'S FACILITY IS THE MINIMAL STAFFING OF 1 TO 2 PEOPLE, MOST TIMES TO OVERSEE THE 16 ADULT ADDICTS, THERE WILL BE A PEER PART TIME, PEER COACH, PART TIME DIRECTOR, FULL TIME COUNSELOR WITH NO EVENING OR WEEKEND HOURS AND THE CONSTANT TURNOVER OF PEOPLE. 
          THESE ADDITIONAL CONCERNS OF SUPERVISION, STAFFING, OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS IT RELATES TO MR. WATSON'S PROPOSED FACILITY SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE CONCERNS WE HAVE. EVEN THOUGH DAVENPORT RAISED CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER THE FACILITY WOULD ADEQUATELY ACCOMMODATE 16 ADULTS, NO ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS WERE SUBMITTED, AND HE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING DID NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS EXCEPTION. IN CONCLUSION, YOU ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOU REPRESENT MANY CITIZENS AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE COUNTY, BUT YOU'RE ALSO HOMEOWNERS. SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO STAND UP FOR THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE RESIDENTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BY OVERTURNING THE RULING THAT ALLOWS THIS REHAB FACILITY AT 1601 PHILADELPHIA ROAD. AGAIN, WE BASE OUR APPEAL ON WE DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO CROSS-EXAMINE A KEY WITNESS. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE TWO REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXCEPTION HAVE NOT BEEN MET. 
          IT'S NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ADJACENT USES. HOMES VERSUS REHAB ADDITIONAL RISKS. THERE WOULD BE PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS THERE, MINIMAL STAFFING TO OVERSEE A LARGE NUMBER OF RECOVERING ADULTS, ADDICTS, QUESTIONABLE AND UNCERTAIN OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DAILY OPERATION. NOW WE KNOW THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HARFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE ACCREDITATION, BUT THEIR ONGOING INSPECTIONS PROBABLY WILL HAPPEN LIKE ONCE A YEAR. THEY'RE SPORADIC AT BEST. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO ACTUALLY MONITOR AND OVERSEE THE PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS. THERE IS A CHURCH AND SCHOOL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THIS FACILITY, AND IT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BY MO DAVENPORT. AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING, DUE TO THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS AND THE LACK OF ARCHITECTURAL PLANS. IN CONCLUSION, IF YOU CHOOSE TO LET THE RULING STAND IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALLOWED AND REQUIRE A CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD BE CREATED TO ADDRESS ANY COMMUNITY CONCERNS AS THEY ARISE. THIS SHOULD BE COMPRISED OF NEIGHBORS, SOMEONE FROM THE FACILITY, AND SOMEONE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR THE HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS FORSTER. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND 37 SECONDS LEFT FOR REBUTTAL IF NEEDED. MR. SNEE FOUR MINUTES, 15 SECONDS. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS, WITH RESPECT TO THE CROSS EXAMINATION ISSUE, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT PEOPLE'S COUNSEL WAS THERE, AS THEY'RE HIRED TO DO AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE BY THIS COUNTY AND DID CROSS EXAMINE OUR WITNESSES. SO FROM A DUE PROCESS STANDPOINT, THE OBLIGATIONS WERE CERTAINLY FULFILLED WITH RESPECT TO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING. IT WAS NEUTRAL. IT JUST SAID, SHOULD THE HEARING EXAMINER DECIDE TO GRANT THIS, THEN YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT THINGS. AND WE CERTAINLY DID THAT, AS FOR DRUG, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE PRESCRIBED FROM THERE, BUT THEY'LL BE BROUGHT ONTO THE PREMISES JUST AS YOU WOULD GO TO KLINE'S AND PICK UP YOUR PRESCRIPTION AND TAKE IT AT YOUR HOUSE FOR WHATEVER YOUR MEDICAL NEEDS MAY BE, THE ADVERSE IMPACT, I WOULD SAY THIS, THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERT TESTIMONY PRESENTED BY PEOPLE'S COUNSEL OR OUR NEIGHBORS WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUE OF ADVERSE IMPACT, AND THAT REQUIRES A EXPERT OPINION BASED ON A REASONABLE DEGREE OF PLANNING AND ZONING EXPERIENCE, COUPLED WITH SOUND ENGINEERING AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS NO ADVERSE IMPACT. THAT WAS THE OPINION OF OUR EXPERTS, AND IT WAS UNREBUTTED. AND IT REMAINS UNREBUTTED TODAY, WITH RESPECT TO, OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES, THEY'RE REGULATED BY MR. KEHOE'S DECISION. AND HE SPECIFIED THE HOURS THEY CAN BEGIN AND THE HOURS THEY MUST END. AND AS I 
          [00:25:06]
RECALL, IT WAS LIKE AT 730 OR 830 AT NIGHT. SO THAT THAT HAS BEEN THAT HAS BEEN COVERED. SO WITH THE FACT THAT WE MADE A PRESENTATION BY MR. WATSON, WHO SET UP A COMPANY WHO WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HIRE EXPERTS FOR THIS TYPE OF FACILITY, SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SOBER AND REMAIN SOBER. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND HE WILL PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. AS FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE WE'RE SIMPLY HERE FOR THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION. WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND SEEK GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS FOR STATE HIGHWAY ACCESS, FOR ANYTHING NECESSARY TO DEVELOP THE SITE FOR THIS INTENDED PURPOSE. AND WE WILL DO SO. SO WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS, WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AGAIN THAT THE HEARING EXAMINER'S DECISION BE ADOPTED AND AFFIRMED BY THIS BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS FORSTER. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, 37 SECONDS, YES, WE RESIDENTS HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WE WANTED ASKED OF MISS WONDOLOWSKI FOLLOWING HER TESTIMONY. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL, AS I TOLD YOU, WE MET HIM 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE HEARING, THE FIRST TIME WE TALKED TO HIM, AND HE INFORMED US THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ASKING QUESTIONS ON OUR BEHALF. SO WE HAD THE RIGHT BY THE HEARING PROCESS OF HARFORD COUNTY, TO QUESTION MISS WONDOLOWSKI AFTER HER TESTIMONY. WE HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, AND WE WERE TOLD BY MR. KEHOE THAT WE COULD ASK THESE QUESTIONS. FOLLOWING THE BREAK, AND SHE LEFT. SO WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT AS FAR AS EXPERT WITNESSES, WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOME THERE HAD WE KNOWN WHAT MR. WATSON WAS PLANNING WHEN THIS FIRST CAME, BECAME PUBLIC. IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WE CALL PLANNING AND ZONING AND WE SAID, WHAT, WHAT? HOW DOES THIS WORK? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT IS THIS? ALL WE KNEW WAS THIS A SHELTER, CARE FOR ADULTS. WHAT IS THAT? WELL, MR. WATSON DOESN'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT. SO WE DID THE BEST WE COULD WITH WHAT INFORMATION WE COULD GLEAN. CAME TO THE MEETING. NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE EXPERT WITNESSES BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA. UNTIL THAT EVENING EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS PLANNING TO DO. SO WE WERE WE DIDN'T APPROACH THE MEETING ON AN EQUAL FOOTING. AND THAT CONCERNS US GREATLY. WHEN YOU SAY WE DIDN'T HAVE WITNESSES, WE WOULD HAVE HAD PEOPLE. AND WHEN THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WERE NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS FACILITY ARE THE NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR, YOU KNOW, WORD OF MOUTH GOT TO US. WE DID THE BEST WE COULD TO GO ONLINE. 
          WE SAW WHO MR. WATSON WAS. HE'S A GEOLOGIST BY TRADE. NO, WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS PLANNING UNTIL THAT EVENING. AND WE WERE TOLD BY PLANNING AND ZONING. DOTTIE SMITH, I BELIEVE HER NAME IS THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SHARE THAT WITH US. SO HOW WAS THAT A FAIR MEETING? HOW COULD WE BE EVEN MORE PREPARED THAN WE WERE? AND EXPRESSED OUR CONCERNS AS BEST WE COULD? SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST CONCERNS US WHEN HE SAYS NOTHING WAS CONTESTED. WELL, LIKE I SAID, THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL TOLD US HE WAS GOING TO DO. HE HAD HIS OWN QUESTIONS. HE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS, WE GOT SOME INFORMATION, BUT WE HAD FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND WE WERE DENIED THAT RIGHT TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. WHEN SHE LEFT DURING THE BREAK, BECAUSE SHE HAD A LONG RIDE HOME AND SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HER TWO DOGS. THAT TO ME SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE COMMITMENT AND THE CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT JUST IT JUST BOTHERS ME VERY MUCH. AND I THINK ALL OF US THAT YOU KNOW, NOTHING WAS CONTESTED. WE DID NOT KNOW THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL UNTIL TWO DAYS BEFORE I CONTACTED DOTTIE SMITH. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL? WASN'T HE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT US TWO DAYS BEFORE THERE WAS A CHANGE? AND MR. TOBOLOWSKY, I THINK HIS NAME WAS, GOT IN TOUCH WITH US BY EMAIL. I'LL SEE YOU AT THE MEETING. BEFORE THE MEETING. AND THAT'S WHEN HE TOLD US. OH NO, NO, IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. I'M NOT ASKING YOUR QUESTIONS. I HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF. SO AGAIN, AFTER THIS TESTIMONY, WE WERE WAITING OUR TURN AND WE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. AND MR. TOBOLOWSKY DID NOT ASK QUESTIONS FOR US. SO. AND WE FEEL THAT THE FACT THAT MO DAVENPORT AND PLANNING AND ZONING, IT SAYS RIGHT IN THE RULING BY MR. KEHOE, THEY DID 
          [00:30:01]
NOT RECOMMEND THAT THIS EXCEPTION BE APPROVED. THE FACT THAT THERE WILL BE DRUGS, THEY KEEP SAYING THERE WON'T BE DRUGS, THERE WILL BE NO, THEY'RE NOT PRESCRIBING THE DRUGS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY WILL BE SEEING THAT DRUGS ARE ADMINISTERED ON THE PREMISES AS PRESCRIBED BY PATIENTS. DOCTORS AND I GET THAT. BUT THE FACT IS THERE WILL BE SERIOUS DRUGS METHADONE, SUBOXONE AND OTHER PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS ON THE PREMISES AS THEY TESTIFIED. 
          THERE WILL BE A KEY, A TRUSTEE WHO WILL HAVE THE KEY. NOW, THIS IS 1 OR 2 PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE ON HAND TO DEAL WITH 16 MALE ADULTS WHO ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF RECOVERY. AND WHEN ASKED ACTUALLY, WHEN ASKED BY THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY NEAR RECOVERY? THE WORD MISS WONDOLOWSKI USED WAS THEIR STABLE, AND SHE HAD TO SEARCH FOR THAT WORD. SO THESE PEOPLE ARE VARYING DEGREES OF WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR RECOVERY. BUT THERE WILL BE DRUGS ON THE PROPERTY. AND AGAIN, OUR BIG CONCERN IS THE DAILY OVERSIGHT. WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPANY THAT DIDN'T BOTHER TO TESTIFY, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO THEY ARE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF RUNNING THIS, THAT RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS. THOSE ARE THE ADDITIONAL RISKS THAT WE THINK NEGATES THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION. THAT'S THE SECOND REQUIREMENT. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ADDITIONAL RISKS. OTHER THAN WHAT'S IN THE REHAB FACILITY. AND THIS THE WAY IT'S GOING TO GO DOWN THE WAY IT'S SET UP TO ME, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US, IT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL RISKS AND WE ASK YOU TO OVERTURN IT, THERE WERE CONDITIONS PLACED UPON IT BY MR. KEHOE. HE WAS TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR US. BUT AGAIN, WHO'S GOING TO SEE THAT THESE CONDITIONS ARE MET? NOT MR. WATSON. HE'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE, MISS WONDOLOWSKI IS ONLY GOING TO BE THERE FOR A TIME AND SHE'LL BE GONE. AND WE HAVE THIS UNKNOWN COMPANY RUNNING THIS VERY SERIOUS, FACILITY. SO AND MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, MISS FORSTER. GOOD JOB WATCHING THE CLOCK. YES IT'S MY FOURTH GRADE TEACHER COUNCIL AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. GUTHRIE? YES, I DO, TALKING ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOUR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? NO, THEY THEY TESTIFIED TO BE 1 OR 2. MOST OF THE TIME. AT TIMES THERE MAY BE 3 OR 4 IF THERE'S LIKE AN OVERLAP OF THE SHIFTS, BUT 1 TO 2, MOST OF THE TIME, YEAH. IT SAYS ONE. IT SAYS ONE PERSON WILL BE ON SITE 24 OVER SEVEN. 
          SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBLY ONLY BEING ONE PERSON TO HANDLE 16. WELL, I THINK THAT'S INCORRECT. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE, SO THE EMPLOYEES ARE SUMMARIZED AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 17. AND, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT ON THE BOTTOM. AND THEN THE ONE PERSON IS BASICALLY DURING SLEEP HOURS. SO THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON ANYWAY, EXCEPT PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING. EXCUSE ME JUST A MINUTE. YES, SURE. FOLKS NO OUTBURSTS PLEASE GO AHEAD, MR. SMITH. SO, IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE PERSON WHO WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, THERE WILL BE AN ABUNDANCE OF PROFESSIONALS ON SITE FOR PURPOSES OF THIS GROUP. 
          HOME BUT NOT ALL AT ONCE. AN ABUNDANCE OF PEOPLE ON A DIRECTOR, COUNSELOR, SUPPORT SPECIALIST, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TECHNICIAN, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES AND ON SITE 24 OVER SEVEN. SO THAT'S WHAT WE START WITH, JOE. IT SAYS ONE PERSON WILL BE ON SITE 24 OVER SEVEN, ONE AT LEAST. WELL, WE HOPE IT WON'T BE ZERO, BUT BUT THE ONE PERSON CAN'T DO WHAT THESE OTHER FOLKS CAN DO. COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE, I UNDERSTAND THAT. OKAY, SO IT'S THE WHOLE TEAM EFFORT. WE CAN'T ISOLATE JUST ONE PERSON. IT'S EVERYBODY IN THOSE BULLETS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE THAT WILL BE IN THE FACILITY, PROVIDING THE NECESSARY SERVICES FOR THE FOLKS THAT GO THERE. OKAY. ALSO, DID YOU DO SOME CALCULATIONS ON THE PROPERTIES? A LITTLE OVER TWO ACRES AND IT'S, ITS OWN R-2, WHICH IS USUALLY THE SMALL AMOUNT OF TOWNHOMES THAT CAN BE PUT PER ACRE IF YOU WERE BUILDING TOWNHOMES. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET IT CLEAR TO ME 
          [00:35:07]
WHAT HOW MANY TOWNHOMES THAT THAT YOU COULD BUILD ON TWO ACRES. AND COMPARED TO THIS I YOU KNOW, I KNOW R4, I MEAN R3 AND R4, EACH NUMBER MEANS YOU CAN PUT MORE HOUSES, MORE TOWNHOUSES PER ACRE. SO WAS THERE ANY CALCULATION MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S CONFUSING. WHAT? WHY THAT. WHY THAT HAS ANY BEARING. BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IF THEY WERE DECIDED TO BUILD TOWNHOMES, HOW MANY TOWNHOMES WOULD THEY BE THERE? AND COMPARED TO THIS CONSTRUCTION, YES. WE DIDN'T DO THAT CALCULATION. WE WERE FOCUSED ON THE GROUP HOME. SO I THE ENGINEERS WOULD HAVE TO DO A SKETCH PLAN TO FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT NO, WE DID NOT DO THAT, THE ONLY THAT CAN YOU TELL ME, DID I HEAR THE TESTIMONY CORRECTLY, THAT THEY, THERE WERE NO DRAWINGS OR ANYTHING OF FACILITIES? POSSIBLE FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED. 
          ACCORDING TO MR. DAVENPORT, WHEN YOU TESTIFIED THEY HAD NO ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AT THAT TIME AND THAT WAS APRIL 10TH OF 2024, WHEN THE HEARING WAS HELD. WELL, THERE'S A SIMPLE EXPLANATION FOR THAT, COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE. AND THAT IS YOU DO NOT WANT TO SPEND A SMALL FORTUNE ON DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING UNTIL YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE REQUISITE ZONING APPROVALS IN PLACE, WHICH IS THE GROUP HOME FOR, SHELTERED CARE. AND UNTIL WE ARE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT, THERE'S NO SENSE INVESTING IN ANY OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE NOW FOR NOW. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. MR. GIORDANO, MR. RILEY. YES MISS, FOSTER, HOW MANY FOLKS DO YOU REPRESENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? I MEAN, DID YOU GO DOOR TO DOOR AND WE DID. 
          WE WENT HALF A MILE DOWN TO WINTERS RUN, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY HOUSES ARE THERE. MAYBE 12, 14 HOMES. AND THEN WE WENT UP TO CLAYTON ROAD, WHICH IS PROBABLY ANOTHER 5 OR 6, PROBABLY ABOUT 25 HOMES. YOU HAVE TO STICK TO THE FACTS THAT ARE IN THE TESTIMONY, PLEASE. 
          YES THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YO, MR. RILEY. MISS SMALL, MR. BENNETT, HELLO. GOOD EVENING. 
          COULD EITHER OF YOU SPEAK TO, A BAR THAT'S NEAR THE PREMISES AND WHAT THE DISTANCE IS AND WHAT THE CONSIDERATION IS. IF THAT WAS SPOKEN TO AT ALL, AS FAR AS IN PLANS AND OPERATIONS, I THINK MISS FOSTER SPOKE TO THAT. YEAH, IT'S ABOUT A HALF A MILE DOWN. IT'S WINTERS RUN, WINTERS RUN IN PROBABLY ABOUT A HALF A MILE. I MEAN, IT'S WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. IT'S NOT A NICE WALK ANY WALKING ALONG ROUTE SEVEN IS BAD NEWS, BUT IT'S DOABLE. AND THE SAME WAY, THE OTHER WAY IS THE TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH. AND SCHOOL. YOU COULD WALK TO THAT AS WELL. AND THERE'S SCHOOL BUS STOPS ALONG THE WAY FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. GIORDANO, GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I READ ALSO WAS THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT LIGHTS AND THEY'RE GOING TO PUT AUXILIARY LIGHTS, BUT THEN THE LIGHTS WERE GOING TO GO OUT. BUT THEN ALSO THERE WAS A TIMER. SO THE LIGHTS ARE GOING TO STAY ON. BUT THEN AT A CERTAIN HOUR THE TIMER IS GOING TO SHUT OFF THE LIGHTS. THERE WAS A, THERE WAS SOMETHING IN IN THE PACKET THAT TALKED ABOUT THE LIGHTS AND THE LIGHTING UP THE PARKING LOT. AND THEN AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, THOSE LIGHTS WERE WERE GOING TO GO OUT. BUT IF ANYBODY LEFT OR CAME IN, WOULD THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON AGAIN? THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED, BUT THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED. I WAS IN THE IT WAS IN THE REPORT THAT WAS QUESTIONED. RIGHT. OKAY. RIGHT. 
          BUT WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. COUNCILMAN. OKAY AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WAS THE TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH. HOW MANY, WHAT GRADES DO THEY TEACH CLASSROOMS OVER THERE K8K TO EIGHT. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE THERE BY ANY CHANCE? I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T GO TO THAT CHURCH, BUT IT'S. YEAH K TO EIGHT. AND DO THEY GO ON A BUS OR ARE THEY. DO THEY HAVE BUSSES. PARENTS IT'S A I GUESS A PRIVATE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, A CHURCH SCHOOL. SO A LOT OF THE PARENTS I KNOW A LOT OF THE TRAFFIC ON ROUTE SEVEN IN THE MORNING, PARENTS ARE OFTEN BRINGING THE CHILDREN THERE. OKAY. BECAUSE ONE OF THE TESTIMONY SAID NO IMPACT ON SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, HOUSE OF WORSHIP. SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A SCHOOL, A CHURCH AND A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. SO, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I MIGHT NOTE TO COUNCILMAN THAT, THE 
          [00:40:03]
FOLKS FROM TRINITY DID NOT ATTEND. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE DIDN'T GO UP THAT FAR. THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. ANYONE ELSE? ONE LAST TIME, PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THIS EVENING. 
          THIS WILL, CONCLUDE THIS HEARING, AND WE WILL TAKE THIS UP AT A FUTURE MEETING. THANK YOU. WE NEED TO COME BACK. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WE WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN IT'S ON THE AGENDA. YES WE NEED TO COME BACK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO IF YOU JUST WANT TO BE HERE FOR SURE. 
          TESTIMONY. OKAY. AND IF I MAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT RECESS. IF YOU APPEAL THE. FIVE. 
          [1. CALL TO ORDER]
FOUR. THREE. CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION. DAY 24. DASH ZERO 24. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN JOHN GIORDANO. 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, AS WE GATHER HERE FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE SEEK YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE IN THE DECISIONS WE ARE CALLED TO MAKE. IN THIS MOMENT, I CARRY THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER, BIG AL, WHO RECENTLY PASSED, AND I ASK THAT YOU GRANT ME THE STRENGTH AND CLARITY HE EMBODIED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. MAY HIS LEGACY OF INTEGRITY AND LOVE TOWARDS OTHERS INSPIRE NOT ONLY ME, BUT ALL WHO SERVE IN THIS CHAMBER TODAY. GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS, LORD, THAT WE MAY LEAD WITH COMPASSION AND WORK TOGETHER FOR GREATER GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY. AMEN. AMEN COUNCIL, IF I MAY, BEFORE WE START, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND WELCOME COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOHNNY OLSZEWSKI FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY AND ALSO COUNTY EXECUTIVE 
          [5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS (Part 1 of 2)]
CASSIDY IN THE CHAMBERS THIS EVENING, MAY I HAVE CONSENT TO MOVE FROM AGENDA ITEM FIVE? A TO FOUR A THEREAFTER? SO BE GREAT. THANK YOU. AGENDA NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. COUNCIL APPOINTMENT. HARFORD LIVING TREASURER. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO, APPROVE THE HARFORD LIVING TREASURE OF RICHARD STREET. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE DOCTOR STREET, FOR HARFORD LIVING TREASURE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK I'LL HOLD MINE UNTIL THE FLOOR, MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT. HI, MR. GUTHRIE. HI, MR. GIORDANO. 
          HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. BORSATO. HI MR. BENNETT. HI THERE. BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, 
          [4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]
ONE ABSENT. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. BACK TO AGENDA NUMBER FOUR. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS. HARFORD LIVING TREASURE, MR. STREET, WOULD YOU JOIN ME DOWN FRONT AND ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME WITH YOU? GOT TWO ROWS OF PEOPLE? THERE'S TWO ROWS OF PEOPLE HERE. YES ONE MORE. WE'RE HERE WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. I'M READY AT SOME POINT IN TIME. 
          YES, YOU WILL. COME ON. COME ON UP. I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE MY FAMILY. WHEREAS RICHARD P STREET JR, VMD, WAS BORN ON JULY 10TH, 1945 AND WAS RAISED ON SPENCER FARMS IN HARFORD COUNTY BY HIS PARENTS, RICHARD P STREET SENIO, AND MARY SPENCER STREET. DOCTOR STREET IS MARRIED TO HIS WIFE, ESTHER R STREET, AND HAVE AND THE TWO HAVE THREE CHILDREN KIMBERLY, ZACHARY, DOCTOR RICHARD STREET, THE THIRD, AND CHRISTOPHER C STREET, AND SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN. AND WHEREAS DOCTOR STREET GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE WITH A VETERINARY MEDICAL DOCTOR DEGREE IN 1969, AND PREVIOUSLY ATTENDED SAINT MARGARET SCHOOL, BELLAIRE JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK. DOCTOR STREET PRACTICE, VETERINARY MEDICINE, AND THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR A TOTAL OF 50 YEARS. AND WHEREAS, IN ADDITION TO HIS VETERINARY PRACTICES, DOCTOR STREET JUNIOR SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE BEL AIR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY IN THE 1960S AND MEMBER OF THE HARFORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD FROM 1996 TO 2007. THE MARYLAND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM 2009 TO 2020, STEPPING STONE FARM MUSEUM IN THE HARFORD COUNTY FARM BUREAU, JUST TO NAME A FEW. DOCTOR STREET JUNIOR CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UPPER CHESAPEAKE HEALTH FOUNDATION SINCE 1999, AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SINCE 2004. IN VARIOUS LEADERSHIP CAPACITIES. AND WHEREAS RICHARD 
          [00:45:03]
P STREET JUNIOR WAS RECOGNIZED WITH A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BY THE MARYLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IN 2013, HARFORD PHILANTHROPIST OF THE YEAR FOR THE STREET FAMILY BY THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF FUNDRAISING PROFESSIONS IN 2012, AND MOST RECENTLY AS HARFORD COUNTY GOOD SCOUT IN 2023. NOW THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THIS 17TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2024, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM RICHARD P STREET JUNIOR VMD A HARFORD LIVING TREASURE, AND BE IT FURTHER KNOWN THAT HIS HIS LIFETIME EXPERIENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY WILL PROVIDE A PERMANENT RECORD WHICH WILL RECALL THE PAST, INFORM THE PRESENT, AND GUIDE THE FUTURE OF HARFORD COUNTY. THAT HIS MEMORIES AND HISTORY WILL BE RECORDED BY THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY ORAL HISTORIAN AND WILL BECOME PART OF THE ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION OF THE LIBRARY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          SO IT'S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES. YOU AND I GO BACK A FEW YEARS. AND TO QUOTE, FORMER COUNTY EXECUTIVE JIM HARKINS, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE ANY MORE DESERVING OF THIS AWARD THAN YOU. SO, HE ACTUALLY SENT OVER A FEW WORDS, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD READ THEM REAL QUICK. HE SAID WE COULD NOT RECOGNIZE A MORE WORTHY CANDIDATE FOR THIS HONOR THAN DOCTOR RICHARD STREET. YOU ARE A MAN OF GREAT HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. I QUESTIONED THAT PART, BUT FOR YEARS DICK HAS VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. YOU HAVE BEEN A LEADER IN THE UPPER CHESAPEAKE MEDICAL CENTER'S TRANSITION, NEW BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS. JIM RECOGNIZES THAT YOU ARE TRULY COMMITTED TO HARFORD COUNTY. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT HE'S NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US IN UNO Y, I ALSO, COUNTY EXECUTIVE CASTLE HAD A FEW WORDS HE WANTED TO SA. THANKS, PAT. DOC IT'S ABSOLUTELY AN HONOR. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, JIM HARKINS SAID, MY PREDECESSOR. BUT IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY, TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ALL THE ALL THE HARD WORK, THE AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE COUNTY THAT YOU AND I BOTH LOVE VERY MUCH. AND ALL THE WONDERFUL CITIZENS. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS HONOR AND LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF YOU CONTINUING TO EXPRESS YOUR LOVE AND INTEREST IN OUR IN OUR WONDERFUL COUNTY THAT WE ALL LOVE. SO THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALSO, WE HAVE REPRESENTATION HERE FROM UPPER CHESAPEAKE THIS EVENING. I SEE MR. FERREIRA DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS, I SEE A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THE AUDIENCE. THE CAMPBELLS, STOVER, SHAWNEE. 
          BRIAN KELLY. SURE LYLE. SHELDON. WELL, I'M GLAD THE COUNTY KNOWS, WHAT UPPER CHESAPEAKE DOES IS THAT DICK TRULY IS A LIVING TREASURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND HAS SERVED TIRELESSLY AND WITH GREAT DISTINCTION, MOVING HEALTH CARE FORWARD IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL, ANYONE WANT TO HAVE A COMMENT? I KNEW SOMEBODY WOULD. 
          CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WELL-DESERVED, DESERVED, WELL-DESERVED. YEAH, YEAH. WELL DESERVED. AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NO ONE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. MAYOR IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW. I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT CHOSE ME FOR THIS. THE AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE. I THINK IT WAS THE LIBRARY PROBABLY. BUT, I HAD TO PAY THEM. WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME, CHECK BOUNCED. I REALLY THANK MY FAMILY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. MY WIFE, MY THREE CHILDREN AND SIX OF THE SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN. ONE OF THE DAUGHTER IN LAWS IS UNDER THE WEATHER TONIGHT, AND THE OTHER GRANDCHILD IS IN UNIVERSITY OF, OR THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN COLLEGE. BUT THAT SHE WOULD THEY BOTH WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE IF THEY COULD HAVE, AS A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW, MY BOTH MY PARENTS, THE STREET AND MY PARENTS, MOTHER AND 
          [00:50:04]
FATHER'S FAMILY, THE STREETS AND THE SPENCERS GO BACK IN HARFORD COUNTY, OVER 300 YEARS. AND I HAVE BEEN HERE MY 79 YEARS, EXCEPT WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE AND WAS TWO YEARS IN THE ARMY, SO I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY, AND DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATIONS OF THE FAMILY, WE THEY WERE THEY PASSED IT ON AND TAUGHT THE NEXT GENERATION TO FOR A COMMUNITY THAT GIVES HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU. GIVE BACK TO THAT COMMUNITY WITH YOUR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURES. AND YOU HAVE DONE THAT. THANK YOU. YES. AND I WANT TO THANK ESTHER FOR SENDING OVER THE NAMES. AND, DUDLEY AND LAURA FOR THEIR INPUT AS WELL. SO IT TAKES ALL OF US RIGHT, TO GET THINGS STRAIGHT AND GET IT DONE AND RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT ARE VERY DESERVING. AND YOU ARE. I WAS HERE FOR ANOTHER CAUSE. THIS EVENING. OH, YEAH. YOU ALL RIGHT? LET'S GET ANOTHER PICTURE. OH DO I HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE I ACTUALLY MOVE OVER TO THE OTHER EVEN THINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. I SMILE. 
          YES, I SMILE FOR A REPUTATION. THAT'S NICE. OH OH, I GOT IT. MR. BENNETT, CAN YOU STEP THIS WAY JUST A TAD, PLEASE? PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. RIGHT THANK YOU. QUITE WELCOME. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD SEEING YOU AGAIN. THAT'S CHRISTMAS. TAKE ANOTHER RECESS. UNTIL NEXT CHRISTMAS. 
          [00:55:08]
I DON'T KNOW. OKAY SO COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO AGENDA 5AI BELIEVE IT IS. WE'RE GOING TO COUNT YOU IN. OH I'M SORRY. READY. 5432 COUNCIL AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO GO TO AGENDA ITEM 
          [5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS (Part 2 of 2)]
NUMBER FIVE A EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS. HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MR. ENGINEER, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPOINT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. NEW APPOINTMENT EARL KING AND THE REAPPOINTMENT OF CAROL. RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. ANY DISCUSSION? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT TO THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
          IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I, MR. GUTHRIE. AYE MR. GIORDANO. AYE. MR. RILEY. AYE MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING FIVE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO ABSENT. THE EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVE. AGENDA NUMBER SIX, SPECIAL 
          [6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
PRESENTATIONS MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, AGAIN, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OLSZEWSKI AND MR. SANDERSON FROM MAKEUP. PLEASE. DO YOU? THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. THANK YOU. I THINK WE ALREADY GOT THI. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, REALLY A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT ALONGSIDE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SANDERSON. IN ADDITION TO BEING BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR THIS YEAR OF SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIE. AND THIS REPRESENTS VISIT NUMBER 15 OF OUR 24 AS WE TRY TO GET TO EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE ACROSS OUR GREAT STATE, I WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE, CASTLE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT IN MAKOW COUNTY. EXECUTIVE IS ON OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND I WANT TO JUST NOTE IN ABSENTIA, COUNTY COUNCILMAN PENMAN HAS ALSO BEEN VERY ACTIVE ON OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK, REALLY. WE ARE A MEMBER ORGANIZATION, AND THE WORK THAT WE DO IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR OUR SHARED WORK AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WHAT'S BEEN REALLY INFORMATIVE AS WE'VE HAD THESE TOURS ACROSS THE STATE, IS THAT THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT, LARGE AND SMALL COUNTIES, URBAN, RURAL, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS. IT REALLY THE ISSUES ARE VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE FACING FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BLUEPRINT AND THINGS LIKE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, HIGHWAY USER DOLLARS AND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, COMMUNITY COLLEGE, FINDING SOLUTIONS TO OUR HOUSING NEEDS, AS WELL AS THINGS LIKE SOLAR SITING. SO, IF IT IF IT'S OKAY. MR. CHAIRMAN, WE'LL HAVE MR. SANDERS WITH A RETROSPECTIVE AND A PROSPECTIVE, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE. AND OF COURSE, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HARFORD COUNTY WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND THANKS AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME. I'M MICHAEL SANDERSON WITH THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES. GLAD TO JOIN YOU ONCE AGAIN. WE BROUGHT A PACKET OF INFORMATION I DON'T PLAN TO GO THROUGH THAT IN A WHOLE LOT OF DETAIL, BUT LET ME HIT JUST A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEVANT THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PACKET KIND OF GOES THROUGH OUR BROAD INVOLVEMENT ON POLICY. WE DO A LOT OF WORK IN ANNAPOLIS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF ALL THE SERVICES THAT COUNTIES DELIVER TO EVERY MARYLANDER, I'LL HIT A COUPLE OF ISSUES QUICKLY AND THEN TRY AND GO A LITTLE DEEPER INTO BUDGET AND FISCAL ISSUES, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE TALK OF THE TOWN RIGHT NOW. AND THAT TENDS TO SET THE TONE FOR EVERYTHING. WE FOCUS ON, THE LAST YEAR WE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ISSUES ON BEHALF OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. 
          IT'S A BIG YEAR FOR PUBLIC HOUSING POLICY, AND THAT THAT CAN BE AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLANNING AND ZONING AND LAND USE, WE THINK OF THAT AS OUR COMMUNITY INPUT IS CENTRAL, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO SACRIFICE THOSE PRINCIPLES TO COME TO A GOOD OUTCOME, TO PROVIDE SOME MORE INCENTIVES FOR ACHIEVABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SPECIFIC AREAS AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE GETTING STATE FUNDING THROUGH LOCAL, THROUGH, LOW INCOME HOUSING PROGRAMS, PROJECTS THAT ARE AROUND RAIL STATIONS. WE CONVERTED STATE OWNED PROPERTY AND SO FORTH, SORT OF RIFLE SHOTS RATHER THAN THE BIG BROAD. THE STATE COMES IN AND TELLS US HOW TO ZONE, 
          [01:00:05]
THAT WAS A GOOD COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A NEGATIVE AND COMBATIVE ONE THAT WE'RE PLEASED WITH, THAT I DON'T THINK THE CONVERSATION IS OVER. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE SHORT ON HOUSING IN EVERY PART OF THE STATE. THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT IN SOME PLACES THAN OTHERS, BUT AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, WE'RE FACING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HIGHER INTEREST RATES AND A LOT OF NEW MARKET COMPETITORS IN THE HOUSING PLACE. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN BE PRODUCTIVE PLAYERS ON THAT, WE'RE PLEASED WITH THAT. AND I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE, WE HAVE A CONTINUING ISSUE WITH THE STATE'S GOALS FOR CLEAN ENERGY, AND THAT MEANS DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR, IN PARTICULAR IN BIG PARTS OF THE STATE. WE HAVE AMBITIONS TO HAVE A CLEAN PORTFOLIO FOR ENERGY SELLERS IN THE STATE. THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF A LOT OF SOLAR, AND YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T TRANSMIT SOLAR A LONG, LONG WAY. YOU CAN'T GET IT FROM MONTANA AND BRING IT HERE. YOU NEED TO HAVE IT LOCAL. SO YOU DON'T LOSE TOO MUCH IN TRANSMISSION. AND THAT ENDS UP BEING A CHALLENGE ON THE LAND USE FRONT AS WELL. WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF PRESSURE FOR AGRICULTURAL AREAS TO BE DEVELOPED INTO CLEAN ENERGY SITES FOR SOLAR AND SILICON AND SO FORTH. THAT IS A CHALLENGE ON THE LAND USE SIDE, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON AG LAND PRESERVATION OR HISTORIC AREAS OR YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND. SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON THAT ISSUE. IT IS A DIFFICULT ONE. THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF FOLKS DEEP IN THEIR HEART WANT TO GET CLEAN ENERGY AS A CENTERPIECE OF WHAT MARYLAND IS TRYING TO DO. THE WAY TO GET FROM HERE TO THERE IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY IS TOUGH TO WORK THROUGH. SO WE'RE ACTIVE ON THIS ISSUE, AND IT'S NOT THIS IS NOT DONE BY ANY STRETCH. SO, I'LL MENTION ONE OTHER THING. I THINK I WAS HERE BEFORE, BEFORE YOU AT THIS TABLE LAST YEAR BEMOANING THAT THE STATE HAD GIVEN US SO LITTLE GUIDANCE ON WHERE WOULD YOU CITE THE NEW COMMERCIAL ADULT USE CANNABIS LOCATIONS? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WHOLE WAVE OF ADDITIONAL LICENSEES TO SELL CANNABIS. AND THE STATE HAD GIVEN US LITERALLY ONLY TWO WORDS IN THEIR IMPLEMENTATION BILL. THEY SAID REASONABLE ZONING, WHICH WAS A PHRASE THAT NO MARYLAND LAW HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE. NO ONE WHO DOES PLANNING AND ZONING LAW KNOWS WHAT THAT PHRASE MEANT, FORTUNATELY, WE GOT SOME MORE CLARITY FROM THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR. WE NOW HAVE ABOUT A PAGE OF TEXT THAT KIND OF LAYS OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO AND YOU'D BE ON SOLID GROUND TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS SAID, WE WANT TO HAVE BUFFERS AROUND CHURCHES AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP, YOU'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO SAY, LET'S KEEP IT AT LEAST 100FT FROM AREAS THAT ARE PURELY RESIDENTIAL, YOU CAN KEEP ONE LICENSE HOLDER, A CERTAIN BUFFER AWAY FROM AN EXISTING LICENSE HOLDER. SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS, YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON SHAKY GROUND PREVIOUSLY. WE GOT, I THINK ULTIMATELY SOME BETTER AND CLEARER GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTING IMPLEMENTING THAT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. SO THAT'S A HANDFUL OF THINGS ON A PRETTY LENGTHY LIST OF TOPICS THAT WE'VE ENGAGED ON. AND ALL OF THOSE ARE, I THINK, STILL ALIVE, GOING FORWARD, LET ME SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES ON BUDGET AND FISCAL ISSUES, BECAUSE IT'S THE BIGGEST PICTURE OUT THERE, AND IT CONTINUES TO CONNECT TO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING WE'RE THINKING ABOUT. WITH ANNAPOLIS. PUBLIC SECTOR IS IN A WEIRD SPOT RIGHT NOW. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE STATE'S REVENUES ARE A FUNCTION OF THE ECONOMY OF THE MOMENT, COUNTIES ARE A LITTLE LESS SO BECAUSE THE PROPERTY TAX IS THE NUMBER ONE REVENUE SOURCE FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS. AND PROPERTY TAX IS A LITTLE BIT SLOW TO CATCH UP WITH THE ECONOMY. YOU DO YOU REASSESS PROPERTIES EVERY THREE YEARS. AND IF THEY'VE APPRECIATED IN PROPERTY YOU PHASE IN THAT NUMBER EVERY THREE YEARS. SO IT TENDS TO KIND OF CRAWL RATHER THAN LEAP AND JUMP, THE INCOME TAX AND THE SALES TAX ARE BOTH REALLY DRIVEN BY WHO'S EARNING WAGES RIGHT NOW, WHO'S BUYING A PAIR OF SHOES RIGHT NO. AND IT'S TODAY'S ECONOMY THAT DRIVES. THOSE ARE THE TWO BIGGEST MOVERS BY FAR IN THE STATE BUDGET. SO THEY FEEL MOVEMENT IN THE ECONOMY RAPIDLY, THERE'S SOME SOFTNESS IN THE ECONOMY THAT'S PECULIAR FOR MOST OF THE RECENT PAST, ECONOMISTS WOULD SAY YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE EASY TOP LINE NUMBERS, LOOK AT THE LOOK AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN MARYLAND. THAT'LL BE A PRETTY QUICK AND EASY GUESS AS TO HOW STRONG THE ECONOMY IS. WELL, RIGHT NOW IN MARYLAND, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS BELOW 3%, WHICH IS ORDINARILY BY THE TEXTBOOKS WOULD BE A BASICALLY UNSUSTAINABLE NUMBER THAT WOULD SUGGEST OUR ECONOMY IS ROLLING GANGBUSTERS, WHITE HOT. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SEE. WE'VE GOT A QUIRKY REAL ESTATE MARKET. WE'VE GOT A QUIRKY LABOR MARKET, WE'VE GOT A STRIPE OF WORKERS WHO HAVEN'T COME BACK TO THE WORKPLACE AFTER 2020. AND THE ECONOMIC SHOCK THAT CAME ALONG WITH THE, WITH THE PANDEMIC, AND THAT HAS LEFT US SCRATCHING OUR HEAD. WE HAVE SEEN SOME SLUGGISH REVENUE NUMBERS WHEN SOME OF THE BASE INDICATORS WOULD SUGGEST THINGS WOULD BE REALLY STRONG. WE ALSO, 
          [01:05:01]
OF COURSE, SAW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEP IN WITH SOME TEMPORARY FUNDING TO HELP EVERYBODY GET THROUGH THE PANDEMIC TIME. AND AS THOSE DOLLARS HAVE DRIED UP, THAT ALSO HAS LEFT SOME NEEDS IN ITS WAKE. SO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PAPER OVER SOME SHORTFALLS WITH SOME, SOME MAYBE ARTIFICIAL STIMULUS THROUGH THOSE TIMES. IT'S LEFT US IN A TOUGH SPOT. THE STATE LOOKS AT THEIR BUDGET. THEY'VE GOT ABOUT A $25 BILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND AT THE MOMENT THEY'RE PROJECTING A SHORTFALL OF 6 OR $800 MILLION THEREABOUTS, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER. LIKE THAT'S A HUGE SOUNDING NUMBER TO, TO EACH OF OUR JURISDICTIONS FOR THE STATE THAT IS A DECENT SIZED, BUT SEMI MANAGEABLE FIGURE. WE'VE SEEN SHORTFALLS OF THAT MAGNITUDE GET RESOLVED WITHOUT MAJOR CHAOS, WITHOUT EMPLOYEES BEING LAID OFF OR WHOLE SERVICES BEING COMPROMISED AND THAT SORT OF THING. BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THAT KIND OF SHORTFALL AND THEN THE STATE FALLS OFF A BIT OF A CLIFF. THEY'RE IN A SITUATION DIFFERENT FROM THE COUNTIES WITH THE BIG AMBITIOUS EDUCATION PLAN THAT WE SHARE FUNDING, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE. THE BLUEPRINT IS A TEN YEAR ROLLOUT TO TRY AND ACCOMPLISH AND ACHIEVE AN AWFUL LOT MORE FOR THE KIDS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE STATE HAS BEEN PAYING FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE BLUEPRINT THROUGH A TRUST FUND THAT'S BASICALLY HAS BEEN PREPAID WITH CASINO REVENUES, STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT SAID CASINO MONEY NEEDS TO GO INTO A LOCKBOX FOR BIG EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS. BASICALLY, THEY GOT MONEY IN THE SOCK TO PAY FOR IT FOR THIS YEAR, FY 25 FOR NEXT YEAR, FY 26, AND PRETTY MUCH THROUGH FY 27. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR FORECAST, YOU GET TO FY 28 AND THEIR PROBLEM YAWNS TO LIKE A $3 BILLION SHORTFALL. SO THEY'VE GOT A CASH PROBLEM NOT TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD. AND POLITICALLY SPEAKING, IF YOU'RE INTO THE THIRD YEAR OF A FOUR YEAR TERM, YOU'RE GETTING INTO A TOUGH TIME TO DO ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD RESOLVE THAT KIND OF A BUDGET SHORTFALL. DO YOU DO YOU REIN BACK IN AND CONTAIN A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS IN THE STATE BUDGET AND SPENDING PLAN? DO YOU GO INTO THE BLUEPRINT AND SAY, WE STRETCH IT OUT OR WE POSTPONE PIECES, OR WE TAKE ELEMENTS AND WE SAY, WE'LL DO THOSE LATER OR WE'LL DO LESS, OR DO YOU COME UP WITH REVENUES, EITHER NEW REVENUES OR INCREASED RATES THAT WOULD BRING YOU THE RESOURCES TO LIVE UP TO THE PLEDGES THAT YOU'VE ALREADY MADE, ALL OF THOSE WILL DISAPPEAR, DISAPPOINT SOME CONSTITUENCY, AND THOSE ARE ALL DIFFICULT THINGS TO DO. SO AS WE GET TOWARD THE END OF A FOUR YEAR TERM, IT'S DIFFICULT FORECASTING AS TO WHAT THEY MAY HAVE IN MIND, COUNTY BUDGETS ARE ALREADY FEELING A CRUNCH AND TO VARYING LEVELS IN VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS. BUT WE'RE SEEING THIS DEBATE ABOUT FUNDING THE BLUEPRINT SHOW UP IN MULTIPLE WAYS. IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR EVERY JURISDICTION TO HIT THE NUMBER, AND IT KIND OF DEPENDS PLACE BY PLACE, HOW THE BLUEPRINT NUMBER, SORT OF THE LOCAL SHARE OF THOSE COSTS EVENTUALLY CATCHES UP TO. AND THEN PASSES WHAT THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN. YOU'VE HAD MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT HAS BEEN THE RULE FOR AN AWFULLY LONG TIME. SOON IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR SHARE OF THE BLUEPRINT IS GOING TO EXCEED MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A YEAR NOT TOO FAR OUT WHERE EDUCATION FUNDING NEEDS TO GO UP BY SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, 9%, AND YOUR REVENUES ARE GOING TO GO UP BY TWO, THREE, FOUR. AND IF THAT'S HALF OF YOUR BUDGET, THE MATH IS REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING. SOME COUNTIES ARE ALREADY THERE. SOME COUNTIES ARE LOOKING AT THAT A YEAR OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD. BUT THAT'S A TRUE CHALLENGE FOR THE COUNTY SIDE OF THIS LEDGER AS WELL, WHAT THE STATE MIGHT DO ON THEIR FISCAL FRONT MATTERS AN AWFUL LOT BECAUSE IF THEIR PLAN IS SORT OF LET'S LET'S COUCH CUSHION OUR WAY THROUGH A YEAR OR TWO AND THEN WHEN THINGS GET REALLY TOUGH, WE'LL MAKE THE TOUGH ACTIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED. 
          SOME OF THOSE ARE THE TOUGHEST YEARS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BECAUSE THE WAY YOU FIND 100 MILLION HERE AND 100 MILLION THERE IS SOMETIMES, WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL EXTEND THIS PROGRAM OUT AND THAT SORT OF THING. BUT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST THE COUNTIES SUDDENLY SHIFTED COSTS FOR TEACHER PENSIONS OR OPERATING THE STATE ASSESSMENT OFFICES OR SOME YEARS BEFORE HIGHWAY USER REVENUES, THE SHARE OF STATE GAS TAXES THAT GO TO LOCAL, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAINTAIN OUR ROADS. WE DON'T HAVE A LOCAL GAS TAX. WE DEPEND ON THE STATE THAT GOT CARVED UP, MOSTLY TAKEN AWAY IN 2009, AND WE'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING BACK FROM THOSE CUTS. SO THOSE ARE THE THOSE ARE THE TIMES WHEN WE'RE KIND OF AT OUR MOST VULNERABLE. SO I THINK, I THINK FISCAL STUFF WILL BE AWFULLY IMPORTANT. THE BLUEPRINT IS ATTACHED TO THAT. AT THE MACRO CONFERENCE, WE HEARD THE GOVERNOR SAY EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE ON THE TABLE, SUGGESTING THAT MAYBE A FINE TUNING AND A AND A TWIST AND A TURN HERE MAY BE IN THE WORKS, WE HAVEN'T HEARD THAT EXACT NOTE FROM LEGISLATIVE LEADERS THE SAME WAY. AND YOU PROBABLY NEED THREE DIFFERENT PARTIES TO BE ON A SIMILAR SHEET OF MUSIC FOR THAT SORT OF STUFF TO HAPPEN. BUT THAT'S TOP OF 
          [01:10:02]
AGENDA COME JANUARY, WHEN EVERYONE COMES BACK TO TOWN IN ANNAPOLIS AND WE ARE BIG STAKEHOLDERS IN THE STATE FISCAL SITUATION AS WELL AS THE CHALLENGES YOU ALREADY FACE LOCALLY. SO WITH THAT, I'VE LEFT A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS OUT. BUT IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO GET INTO FURTHER OR THAT I MISSED, WE'D BE DELIGHTED TO HEAR FROM YOU. 
          COUNCIL. MR. GUTHRIE, WELL, FIRST, I THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, JOHNNY, FOR COMING AND SAY HELLO TO YOUR DAD FOR ME. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BACK IN THE EARLY 2000, HIM AND I RAN AS A TEAM TO THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION AS A TEAM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AFTER WE GOT, LIKE 50,000 VOTES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO RUN AN ENTIRE SECOND DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WE RAN AS A TEAM TO WIN AS A TEAM. AND LO AND BEHOLD, AFTER 50,000 VOTES, WE BOTH GOT BEATEN BY LIKE 7 OR 8 VOTES. AND I GO TO THE CONVENTION. HE DON'T. AND I WAS JUST EMBARRASSED WHEN I CALLED HIM UP AND I APOLOGIZED TO ASK HIM ABOUT THAT. HE'LL TELL YOU, OH, HE'S TOLD ME THE STORY. 
          COUNCILMAN. YEAH I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GO TOGETHER. SO I WOUND UP GOING TO DENVER AND I WAS A HILLARY CLINTON DELEGATE. BUT WE KNOW WE KNOW THE RESULTS ANYWAY. YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR IT GETS TOUGHE, THE FINANCES GET TOUGHER AND TOUGHER, THIS IS MY 14TH YEAR ON THE COUNCIL, AND I'VE ATTENDED EVERY MAKO CONFERENCE, AND THEY'RE REALLY OUTSTANDING. 
          ANYBODY TO THINK THAT OR NOT, THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, AND THEN SEE ALL THE EDUCATION AND STUFF YOU CAN PICK UP AND WHAT I REALLY LOVE ABOUT THE MAKO CONFERENCE IS THAT YOU MEET ALL THE OTHER, COUNCIL PEOPLE AND COUNTY EXECUTIVES, ALL FROM, OTHER DISTRICTS, AND IT REALLY GETS YOU EXCHANGING INFORMATION, WHICH IS GREAT. I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT CANNABIS STUFF, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE GOT IT CALLED FANCY. YOU KNOW, IT'S MARIJUANA. YOU KNOW, I I'M FROM THE OLD SCHOOL, BUT WHAT WHAT I'M UPSET WITH THE STATE ABOUT IS THE STATE IS THE DICTATOR HERE, AND THEY DON'T GIVE THE COUNTIES ANY OPTION WHATSOEVER TO DO ANYTHING TO DIRECT ANYTHING ON THEIR OWN. WE COULD VOTE AGAINST IT, AND IT WON'T MATTER. YOU KNOW, THE STATE, STATE RULES AND I THINK THAT THE STATE SHOULD BE MORE LENIENT AND LET BECAUSE EVERY COUNTY IS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, EVERY COUNTY, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT, THE AMOUNT OF, SOME LIKE LIKE HARFORD COUNTY GOT THREE MUNICIPALITIES. BALTIMORE COUNTY DON'T HAVE ANY. SO 800,000 PEOPLE. WE HAVE 266. 
          SO IT'S DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL DIFFERENT. AND THERE SHOULD BE SOME LEEWAY TO GIVE TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES IN THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS. MORE, MORE LEEWAY, I WAS OF COURSE, THERE FOR THE WHOLE WEEK AND LISTENED TO THE GOVERNOR'S, SPEECH ON THAT SATURDAY. AND I WAS RIGHT UP FRONT. I WAS I WAS DISAPPOINTED, AND I LISTENED TO HIM, AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE SHORTFALLS AND THE PITFALLS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          BUT, HE DIDN'T REALLY GIVE US A LOT OF DIRECTION OF WHERE THE STATE IS GOING OR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THESE EVENTS. AND WHAT ARE THE IDEAS, WHAT IS HE GOING TO ASK ALL THE COUNTIES TO DO OR TO TRY TO CLEAR UP SOME OF THESE PITFALLS? SO THE, THAT WAS A THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING TO ME. BUT OVERALL, YOU GUYS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BECAUSE MAKO IS AN OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION. AND, I'LL, I'LL BE THERE NEXT YEAR. WE KNOW YOU WILL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. GUTHRIE. MR. RILEY. YES. I KNOW EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD A SHOOTING UP HERE IN JOPPATOWNE, AND, AS YOU. WELL KNOW, OUR SHERIFF WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE COULDN'T TALK TO THAT 16 YEAR OLD. DO YOU SEE ANYTHING CHANGING IN THAT ASPECT AS FAR AS, WHEN SOMEBODY COMMITS SUCH A HEINOUS CRIME THAT SOMEHOW WE MIGHT GIVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SOME SOME, PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THESE FOLKS, I WOULD SAY I WOULD HAVE SAID A WHILE BACK THAT I, THAT I WOULD HAVE I WOULD HAVE FORECAST THAT ANNAPOLIS IS DONE WITH THIS ISSUE, THEY, THEY THEY CAME TOGETHER AND MADE A NUMBER OF PROCEDURAL CHANGES IN A BILL AND KIND OF TRIED TO FIND A MEDIUM ON, ON JUVENILE JUSTICE CONCERNS, BUT THEY WERE GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE COMING INTO THE 2024 SESSION. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE GUESSED A WHILE AGO THAT THAT THEY WERE DONE. AND WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES SOMETIMES. ONE REALLY CLEAR EXAMPLE BRINGS FOLKS BACK TO THE TABLE. AND IF IT COMES OUT THAT IN THE PROCEDURE OF THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THAT'S GOING TO GET A LOT OF ATTENTION AND 
          [01:15:01]
CORRECTLY. SO IF THERE REALLY WAS A MISSING PIECE HERE OR THERE AND THE LAW WAS, WAS WRITTEN, NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT SITUATION, I THINK ANNAPOLIS IS USUALLY PRETTY QUICK TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE MISSED THE MARK RIGHT THERE. LET'S OPEN THIS BACK UP AND LET'S GET IT FIGURED OUT. SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DETAILS. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANNAPOLIS LEADERS GET REALLY SPECIFIC ON THIS FRONT. BUT I'VE SEEN THAT PATTERN HAPPEN BEFORE. WE HAD A TERRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCE AT A SCHOOL IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND THAT HAPPENED DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THE TURNAROUND OF THE POLITICS AND DISCOURSE IN ANNAPOLIS. THAT SESSION WAS REMARKABLE, THIS MIGHT IT MIGHT PROVIDE THE SAME SORT OF ILLUMINATED OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM. SO THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE WHERE IT MIGHT NOT HAVE SAID SO BEFORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING, I THINK YOU BOTH KNOW ME, BUT IN CASE YOU DON'T, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. MY DAY JOB IS I'M A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER. I ALSO FORMERLY SERVED ON THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR PILLAR ONE FOR THE IIB, WHICH IS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPANSION, AND I'M ARE A BOARD OF ED LIAISON, SO I PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO BOTH OUR COUNTY BOARD OF ED, BUT ALSO THE STATE BOARD OF ED. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON MAKO'S RADAR THAT SEVEN DAYS FROM NOW, THE STATE BOARD OF ED IS GOING TO BE VOTING ON THEIR LITERACY POLICY. AND WITH THAT, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING AND LOBBYING FOR A STATE LITERACY POLICY FOR FOUR YEARS, BUT IT WILL COME WITH COSTS FOR LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION, WHICH IN TURN MEANS COSTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS TO FUND THE LITERACY POLICY, TO MAKE IT WORK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING COUNTY CURRICULUM. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAINING ALL STAFF RETENTION AT THIRD GRADE. IF YOU'RE NOT ON GRADE LEVEL, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE COSTLY MEASURES PROVIDING INTERVENTIONS AND PLANS FOR ALL CHILDREN WHO ARE SCREENED BELOW GRADE LEVEL K THROUGH THREE, AND SO HOPEFULLY AHEAD OF THE CURVE BALL, ADVOCATING THIS YEAR IN ANNAPOLIS TO MAKE SURE THAT'S FUNDED AT A STATE LEVEL. YOU KNOW, ALREADY COUNTIES ARE STRUGGLING TO FUND THEIR SHARE OF THE BLUEPRINT. AND IF THERE'S 3 MILLION, 5 MILLION, $10 MILLION THAT HAVE TO GO TO ADDITIONAL LITERACY EFFORTS, THAT'S JUST A LOT TO OVERCOME. 
          SO HOPEFULLY MAIKO CAN BE ADVOCATES ON MAKING SURE THAT'S FUNDED FROM THE STATE. NOT THE COUNTIES TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR IN CASE IT WASN'T ALREADY THERE, ON SOLAR, I'M A BIG ADVOCATE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE. BUT I ALSO KNOW TALKING TO A LOT OF OUR EASTERN, SOUTHERN AND WESTERN COUNTERPARTS, THE CONCERN IS THE CONSUMPTION OF GREEN LAND. YOU KNOW, MARYLAND'S A TIGHT TOWN OR A TIGHT STATE, AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF GREEN LAND, AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT GREEN LAND USED UP, FOR JUST SOLAR, AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT NEEDS TO BE PRODUCED, I KNOW A LOT OF OUR RURAL COUNTY COUNTERPARTS WANT TO SEE A PUSH FOR GRAY SPACE AND BROWN SPACE TO BE USED, IS THERE ANY SORT OF STATE, PUSH OR INITIATIVE TO GET THAT DONE SO THAT WE'RE PUTTING SOLAR, YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF COMMERCIAL SPACES, PARKING LOTS, DECOMMISSIONED, WASTE FACILITIES IN THE SORT SO THAT WE'RE KEEPING THEM OFF OF PRIME FARM SPACE, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL HOUSING SPACE AND THE LIKE, BOTH OF YOUR POINTS, COUNCIL MEMBER, ARE RIGHT OUT OF THE MACRO PLAYBOOK. SO, COMPLETELY WITH YOU ON ON ENSURING THAT THE STATE COMES UP WITH THE RESOURCES FOR, FOR THE LITERACY INITIATIVES. THESE ARE HAND IN GLOVE WITH MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THE BLUEPRINT. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE NOT CLEARLY SPELLED OUT IN THE BLUEPRINT, FUNDING GRID, THEY NEED TO BE IN THERE AND THEY NEED TO BE ON THE STATE SIDE. THE STATE NEEDS TO SHOW UP, NOT JUST ADD ONE THING TO THE LIST FOR OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO DO, AND THAT'S BREAD AND BUTTER STUFF FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AND FOR OUR SISTER ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS THE SCHOOL BOARDS ON SOLAR. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE IN THE STATE WHO DISAGREES WITH THE PRINCIPLE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE US MAX OUT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU ALREADY HAVE PLACES LIKE THE GRAY SPACES, RIGHT? WELL, PERFECTLY WELL SAID, THE MARKET IS REALLY TOUGH TO TRY AND MAKE THOSE AS ATTRACTIVE AS BUYING RELATIVELY CHEAP AG LAND. THE NUMBERS ARE REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT. SO THE STATE HAS PASSED TWO BILLS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS TO TRY AND MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, AND LAST YEAR TRY TO PROVIDE SOME TAX INCENTIVES ON THAT FRONT, THE KIND OF STUFF THAT THE PUBLIC SECTOR CAN DO TO TRY AND MOVE THE MARKET. BUT THE WAY YOU 
          [01:20:03]
PENCIL OUT A PROJECT THAT'S ON A BUILT UP AREA IN A MUNICIPALITY IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY VERSUS A SIMILAR SIZED PROJECT ON OPEN GREEN SPACE IN CAROLINE COUNTY IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN SHORE, THE NUMBERS AREN'T EVEN CLOSE. YOU CAN YOU CAN ADD UP TAX BENEFITS AND GIVEAWAYS AND INCENTIVES AND CARROTS AND SO FORTH. AND IT'S STILL AN EASY WALK OVER TO THE SHORE TO FIND THE EASIEST SPOT. 
          SO, WE ARE PLAYING A TOUGH HAND ON THAT FRONT. I STILL THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO TRY AND PROVIDE THE INCENTIVES FOR PLACES THAT YOU HAVE EXACTLY LIKE LIKE A LANDFILL, OPEN OR CLOSED TRAIT, TAKE THAT OPEN SPACE AND SO FORTH. BUT THERE'S LIMITS TO HOW MUCH YOU CAN OVERCOME JUST THE, THE PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY OF HOISTING STUFF 28FT IN THE AIR IS A LOT MORE A LOT DIFFERENT FROM JUST DROP IT ON THE GROUND. JUST TWO QUICK OBSERVATIONS, IF I MAY, IN ADDITION, ONE IS TO THAT POINT, WE ACTIVELY, ACTIVELY ARE LOOKING AT TWO LANDFILL PROJECTS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY. BUT THE TRANSMISSION COSTS ARE KILLING US. THE INTERCONNECTIVITY, WHAT BGE IS PROPOSING TO CHARGE TO ACTUALLY GET GET THAT PRODUCTION ONTO THE GRID IS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE PROJECT PENCIL OUT. AND THIS IS SORT OF PRIME WHERE IT SHOULD BE SO THAT WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER THOSE THOSE FARMS AND THE AG LANDS THAT WE'RE ALSO LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL IN HARFORD COUNTY TRYING TO PRESERVE. BUT SO JUST EMPHASIZING, YES IT IS. WE NEED ALL THE SUPPORT WE CAN GET AND THEN DITTO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT YOUR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE. I MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, SEEING THAT WE ARE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FUNDING AT RECORD LEVELS ACROSS THE STATE TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE BLUEPRINT. AND EVEN WHEN WE'RE DOING THAT, WE ARE ALREADY BEING SORT OF TASKED WITH THESE DIFFICULT CHOICES OF BECAUSE EVERYTHING DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BLUEPRINT. WE HAVE BOARDS OF ED THAT ARE COMING BACK TO US TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, BAND AND ATHLETICS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS AREN'T ACTUALLY INCLUDED, THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS. SO IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THOSE IN ADDITION TO FUNDING, THAT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE MONEY ON TOP. SO I THINK ALL THE MORE REASON WHY, IF THERE ARE OTHER CHANGES, WE NEED TO REALLY PUSH OUR STATE COUNTERPARTS TO E ANOTHER EXAMPLE, JUST TO ADD, YOU KNOW, FOR WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISON, COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS INITIATIVE, NOT PART OF THE BLUEPRINT. SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEED FUNDING FOR WHEN THERE'S AN INCIDENT LIKE THE HAPPENED IN JOPPATOWNE FOR SOMEONE TO BE THERE TO RESPOND AND SUPPORT, WHO'S AN CPS STAFF MEMBER THERE? THANK YOU. MR. BENNETT. MR. JORDANO, GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN. THANKS. 
          THANKS FOR COMING. NO, IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO GO OUT AND SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES. SO TAKING YOUR TIME OUT FOR YOUR SCHEDULE, ONE OF MY BIG CONCERNS IS WE'RE LOSING A TRANSMISSION POWER STATION, SO A LOT OF OUR ELECTRICITY IS GOING TO BE COMING FROM PENNSYLVANIA, SO WE HAVEN'T REPLACED ANY POWER STATIONS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO DOWN THE ROAD, BUT BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS. MY DAY JOB, I OWN AN INSURANCE AGENCY. WE'VE GOT PROBABLY 3500 CLIENTS. EACH ONE OF THOSE CLIENTS HAS A COUPLE POLICIES I TALKED TO PROBABLY 15 TO 20 PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS. 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO, THEY WERE BUYING ELECTRIC CARS. TODAY THEY'RE GETTING RID OF THEIR ELECTRIC CARS. THEY'RE GOING BACK TO EITHER GAS OR HYBRIDS. OKAY, MOST OF THEM HAVE SAID IT, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO JACOB DOWN HERE WHO'S GOT ELECTRIC CARS, THEY THEY CAN'T SUSTAIN THEM. THE COST OF THEM, THE INSURANCE COSTS OF THEM. AND AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE INSURANCE HAS GONE UP. THAT'S WHERE THE PAIN EVERYBODY'S STARTING TO FEEL. I SAID THREE YEARS AGO IT WAS GOING TO TAKE THREE YEARS FOR IT TO COME THROUGH. EVERYBODY'S SEEING 40% INCREASES ON THE CAR INSURANCE. HOMEOWNERS IS GOING UP. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STARTING TO LOOK LIKE FLORIDA. THE COST TO REBUILD HOMES HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. AND NOW WE'VE HAD TO IMPLEMENT SOME CHANGES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE US DO TO REBUILD THE HOME. SO YOU'VE SEEN INFLATION GO UP. IT'S KIND OF STEADIED OFF. BUT THE COST OF EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP SO HIGH. I CAN TELL YOU THIS, 20% SALES DECREASE ON A RESTAURANT SIZE IN OCEAN CITY. 
          SAME HERE. IT'S ABOUT 10% BALTIMORE COUNTY. IT'S ABOUT 10%. I'VE GOT A LOT OF RESTAURANTS INSURED. THERE'S A LOT OF PAIN OUT THERE. PEOPLE AREN'T GOING OUT SPENDING THE MONEY. SO IT'S STARTING TO KIND OF CONTRADICT A LOT OF THINGS. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THAT. I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SOLVE IT. YOU KNOW, ANY WHICH WAY. I KNOW THINGS ARE GOING TO GET MORE EXPENSIVE. BUT MY CONCERN IS, NUMBER ONE, ELECTRICITY COSTS MOVING FORWARD, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET IT FROM, YOU START PUSHING THIS. I KNOW SOLAR, IT'S GOING TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT. IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT WE HAVE. AND I DON'T THINK THE PUSH TO ELECTRIC CARS IS THE ANSWER, PROBABLY. I THINK TOYOTA'S GOT THE BEST IDEAS THAT THEY DO A LOT OF STUFF IN HYBRID. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE BENEFITS OF BOTH, YOU KNOW, 
          [01:25:04]
HYBRID VEHICLE AND A GAS VEHICLE, SO AND I SAW THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS HERE, THIS HOUSE BILL. 538, SO ARE THESE THINGS THAT WERE APPROVED OR ARE THESE THINGS THAT IS COMING THE DENSITY BONUSING DENTIST FOR ACHIEVABLE HOUSING OVERRIDE LOCAL ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE? THAT'S A CONCERN OF OURS, TOO. SO, SO THE HOUSE BILL 538 WAS THE 2024 BILL ON HOUSING POLICY THAT DID PASS, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS IN THE BILL AS INTRODUCED WAS TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE DESCRIBED IN THE BILL WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE EFFECTS OF LOCAL, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES LAWS. SO THESE ARE LAWS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE SAID, HEY, IN THE NAME OF SMART GROWTH, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T OVERBURDEN YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN ONE AREA. IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE ALREADY OVERCROWDED IN THE SCHOOLS OR YOU DON'T HAVE THE WASTEWATER PIPES AND, YOU KNOW, SEWER LINES AND SO FORTH, THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO LIMIT GROWTH AND NOT DO MORE BUILDING PERMITS IN THAT AREA UNTIL YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR IT, MOSTLY THAT'S BEEN AN APPLAUDED POLICY AT THE MOMENT. IT'S KIND OF BUTTING HEADS WITH THE IDEA THAT WE NEED TO BUILD HOUSING ANYWHERE WE CAN. THAT STUFF ALL CAME OUT OF THE BILL. 
          IT WASN'T IN THE BILL THAT PASSED, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT MOVING PARTS THERE. SO I DON'T THINK THAT ISSUE IS COMPLETELY BEHIND US. BUT IT CAME OUT OF LAST YEAR'S BILL AND DIDN'T PASS. OKAY. YEAH. WITH WITH INCREASED HOUSING AND EVERYTHING, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED INCREASED SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS. WE KNOW WE'RE BUILDING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I THINK WAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY I THINK WHAT WAS IT, 85 MILLION. WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ANOTHER SCHOOL TO REPLACE THE OLD JOHN ARCHER. AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE 100 MILLION, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THAT COST COMES FOR A PRICE. AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO RAISE TAXES TO, TO BUILD THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THIS BLUEPRINT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HELP THINGS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING BACK AND SAYING, OKAY, WE NEED MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY. AND, YOU KNOW, THE BUCK ONLY GOES SO FAR. YOU KNOW, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE MORE PEOPLE PAIN BY HAVING TO GO BACK TO SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE YOUR TAXES. AND ANYWAY, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE, BUT THANKS. THANK YOU, ANYONE ELSE? SO, MICHAEL, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. WE ALL KNOW HOW WONDERFUL MAKO IS. WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. AS COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE SAID, FOR US TO INTERACT AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS, KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR HOW THEY'RE HANDLING DIFFERENT PIECES OF LEGISLATION OR CONCERNS OR ISSUES, HOW MANY WHAT IS THE ATTENDANCE THERE? I OFTEN WONDERED THAT. SO THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR WE WE'VE BEEN BREAKING RECORDS EACH YEAR. I REMEMBER YOU SAYING THAT IN A MEETING THAT THERE'S A HIGHER ATTENDANCE. THAT'S A GREAT THING. RIGHT? YOU WANT THE TREND LINE TO BE UPWARD. THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN PRETTY REMARKABLE. AND OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE EVENT HAS GROWN ABOUT 35%, WHICH IS BANANAS, WE YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR A PRETTY LONG TIME, AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE ASSOCIATION FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, AND WE GOT PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA OF YOU GET 3 OR 4% GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME AND ATTEND EACH YEAR, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXTRA SPIKE DURING THE ELECTION YEAR WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE EXTRA INTRIGUE. AND THAT WAS A NICE THING TO MODEL ON, WE'VE BEEN SHATTERING THE MOLD. THE ATTENDANCE IS UNIVERSAL. ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENED IS BECAUSE ALL THE COUNTIES AND THEIR LEADERS AND DECISION MAKERS ARE IN THE ROOM, YOU END UP GETTING STATE AGENCIES WHO SAY, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AS WELL. SO I KNOW YOUR COUNTY SITS DOWN WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND YOU HAVE WHAT ENDS UP BEING AN OFFICIAL STEP IN THEIR PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THEIR SIX YEAR PLAN. 
          THEY SAY THE BEST PLACE TO GET SOME INFORMAL INPUT FROM ALL THE JURISDICTIONS YOU GO TO THE MAKEO CONFERENCE, EVERY COUNTY IS GOING TO BE THERE AND YOU CAN TALK NUTS AND BOLTS ABOUT PROJECT LISTS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF. THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT HAS INCREASINGLY BEEN DOING THE SAME SORT OF THING, THE GOVERNOR'S SMART GROWTH SUBCABINET HAD AN EVENT ON SITE AND SO FORTH THIS YEAR, WE TIPPED OVER 3000 OFFICIAL, BOTH REGISTRANTS AND STAFF AT BOOTH AND SO FORTH. ACTUALLY, THIS YEAR WE HAD TO TELL OUR OUR EXHIBITORS WE HAD TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF STAFF FOR EACH BOOTH. WE'RE JUST HAVING TROUBLE GETTING PARKING FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND THE FACILITY. BUT STILL, MORE THAN 3000 PEOPLE OFFICIALLY ON THE BOOKS. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FOLKS WHO ARE AN EXTRA TICKET AT THE CRAB FEAST, OR END UP COMING IN FOR THE ONE SINGLE EVENT AND THAT SORT OF STUFF. SO I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 4000 PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE ORBIT OF THE MAKO MAKO CONFERENCE DURING THAT WEEK IN OCEAN CITY. IT'S PRODUCTIVE AT A LOT OF LEVELS. 
          WE ALL GET A LOT OUT OF IT. YEAH. NO. AND YOU HAD MENTIONED AT OUR AT OUR GENERAL MEETING 
          [01:30:02]
THAT THE NUMBERS WERE UP, BUT I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF YOU HAD SAID AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS. AND FOR ME PERSONALLY, I MEAN, I'VE MADE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS THERE, BEING ABLE TO TALK TO FOLKS AND TRY TO GET SOME INPUT FROM THEM AND SOME ADVICE AND SOME WISE COUNSEL AND SOME THINGS TOO. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE THIS EVENING. I KNOW YOU GOT A BUSY SCHEDULE. I DON'T WANT TO HOLD YOU UP ANY LONGER. IT WAS A PLEASURE SEEING YOU, MISTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE AS ALWAYS. YOU GUYS TAKE CARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON 
          [7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NOW TO AGENDA NUMBER SEVEN. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. LEGISLATIVE DAY 20 4-0 23RD SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE. THE CORRECTIONS STAND APPROVED. 
          [8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS. RESOLUTION ZERO 15 DASH 24 HISTORIC LANDMARK TUDOR HALL. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 15 DASH 24. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE RESOLUTION ZERO 1524. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? HI, MR. GUTHRIE. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI MR. BENNETT. HI THERE. BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO ABSENT THE RESOLUTION ZERO 15 DASH 24 STANDS APPROVED. 
          RESOLUTION ZERO 1624, HISTORIC LANDMARK EMMERTON SCHOOLHOUSE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 16 DASH 24. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION ZERO 1624. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT. HI, MR. GUTHRIE. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI MR. RILEY. HI, MR. BENNETT, I BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ZERO OR EXCUSE ME, TWO ABSENT, RESOLUTION ZERO 1624 IS HEREBY APPROVED. MR. JAN GIORDANO, PLEASE READ IN BILL 24, DASH 
          [9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]
ZERO 31, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BILL 24, DASH ZERO 31 HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS BENNETT AND BOYLE. SADDLES AN ACT TO REPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS. 
          SECTION 123, DASH 68 DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUE OF ARTICLE SEVEN HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX OF CHAPTER 123 FINANCE AND TAXATION OF HARFORD COUNTY CODE, AS AMENDED, TO DELETE THE REFERENCE TO DESTINATION, DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION TO CLARIFY THE APPLICABLE TAX COLLECTED, SHALL BE PAID OVER TO VISIT HARFORD AND TO REQUIRE THAT DISTRIBUTION SHALL BE PAID BETWEEN THE 15TH AND 30TH OF EACH CALENDAR MONTH IN GENERAL, RELATING TO OCCUPANCY, OCCUPANCY, HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX AND FINANCE AND TAXATION. PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2024 AT 6:45 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. 
          ALSO, PLEASE READ IN AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO OR. EXCUSE ME, MR. RILEY, ARE YOU GOING TO READ THOSE IN MR. TEACHER? OKAY, AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 20 4-0 25. AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 24, DASH ZERO 25 ZONING, TOWING, BUSINESS AND STORAGE. INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY AMENDMENT AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE ON PAGE ONE IN LINE 15, AFTER STATIONS INSERT IN THE SCI DISTRICT AND AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ON PAGE ONE IN LINE 16. STRIKE QUOTATION MARKS. 
          COMMA STRIKING THE COMMA. THANK YOU, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. 
          [10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]
AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 24, DASH ZERO 25 ZONING TONING BUSINESS AND STORAGE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT? I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 20 4-0 25. MAY I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, MR. GUTHRIE? THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, MR. RILEY? YES. SO JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE ON THE DAIS, WE DID NOT WANT GAS STATIONS IN JAI, AND SO WE HAD TO IT WAS ONLY FOR THE TOWING FACILITY. AND SO WE HAD TO TAKE THAT OUT. SO THAT'S WHAT PAGE ON PAGE ONE, LINE 15 DOES. IT TAKES OUT GAS STATIONS. IT KEEPS THEM ONLY IN, IN CI. AM I CORRECT THERE. THANK YOU. JUST IT KEEPS THEM IN CI AND KEEPS, TOWING IN JAI AGAIN. ALL OF THIS HAS WENT THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING. THEY ALL AGREE WITH IT. SO THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. 
          ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, I. MR. GUTHRIE. HI MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY, I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE TWO ABSENT AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 
          [01:35:03]
20 4-0 25 ARE HEREBY APPROVED. AGENDA NUMBER 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE. 
          [14. NEW BUSINESS]
12 UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE 13. NEW BUSINESS LETTER OF SUPPORT. MIRACLE LEAGUE OF HARFORD COUNTY, WE HAVE. SAM, DO I HAVE A LETTER IN MY FOLDER? OKAY, SO WE HAVE HAD A REQUEST. 
          THANK YOU. WE'VE HAD A REQUEST FROM THE FOLKS AT THE MIRACLE LEAGUE AND DELEGATE. GOSH. YEAH. 
          MIKE GRIFFITH, TO SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR FINANCING TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE A HANDICAP. 
          FACILITIES, BATHROOM FACILITIES BUILT ON THE SITE. AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS A MATCH. I BELIEVE IT'S 250, MR. WALTON. AUDIENCE. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR, IT'S A $250,000 MATCH BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE, AND, WE BELIEVE THAT THE MIRACLE LEAGUE FIELD AND THE GROUP ITSELF DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB REPRESENTING THE FAMILIES WITH, DISABILITIES. AND, CREATES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE KIDS AND THE FOLKS TO BE OUTSIDE AND PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS, IT IS I GUESS THE FIELD'S BEEN THERE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, WE JUST CUT THE RIBBON ON THE LIGHTS THAT WERE JUST PUT IN THIS YEAR, AND, THIS THIS BATHROOM IS A MUCH NEEDED ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM. SO I WOULD ASK ALL OF US TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS LETTER. AND AT THIS TIME, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE MIRACLE LEAGUE OF HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE LETTER OF SUPPORT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE ELSE? MR. RILEY? YES, I'D JUST LIKE TO, MR. WALLACE, YOU AND ALL THE FOLKS UP THERE, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COUNTY, A LOT OF OUR SPECIAL NEED CHILDREN HAVE HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND HAVE ACTIVITY. AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND I JUST APPRECIATE IT, COMING FROM A COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER AND ALSO JUST FROM A RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY. SO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF. DITTO ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, HI, MR. GUTHRIE. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MR. BENNETT. HI THERE. BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO ABSENT THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE MIRACLE LEAGUE OF HARFORD COUNTY 
          [17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
IS HEREBY APPROVED. AGENDA NUMBER 18. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE FIVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. 
          WITH FIVE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING, I WOULD REMIND EACH OF YOU THAT YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER, MONICA MCHALE, FOLLOWED BY LEE MADDOX. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MONICA MCHALE. 2103 WYNDHAM COURT, BEL AIR, MARYLAND. 21015. 
          CAN I START? OKAY THANK YOU. COUNTY COUNCIL. APPRECIATE BEING HERE. I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU GUYS IN A LITTLE BIT, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THERE IS A DAC MEETING TOMORROW AT 9 A.M, WHICH I'M NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, SO I WANTED TO ATTEND TONIGHT, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE GETTING AN EXTENSION FOR THIS DAC MEETING SO THAT WE CAN BRING EXPERTS. AS PER MR. SNEE'S RECOMMENDATION, AND TO ACTUALLY POSTPONE THE TIMING OF THE MEETING TILL 7:30 P.M, WHEN PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY CAN ATTEND, THERE WAS A LARGE TURNOUT ON JULY 17TH AT THE ABINGDON FIRE HOUSE. AND I HAD WENT TO THAT ONE WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF HEARING THAT THE MEETING MIGHT BE SOON THEREAFTER. SO I WAS VERY ACTIVE IN TRYING TO TRACK IT, I HAD REQUESTED FROM THE FORMER ASSISTANT, MISS CASTILLO, TO NOTIFY ME, BUT THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE IN THE STAFF, AND MR. DESANTIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE NOTICE UNTIL, I THINK IT WAS SEPTEMBER 11TH, AND I WENT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF IT, ON LAST THURSDAY, THE 12TH. AND SIGNS STATED THAT THEY WERE POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 4TH. SO I WAS A LITTLE DISCOURAGED AT THE SHORT NOTICE OF ACTUALLY KNOWING WHEN THE MEETING WOULD BE. AND I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE TRY TO GET MORE OF THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY INVOLVED, AS WELL AS EXPERTS, SO THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPERTY OF CADDY FARMS, I WAS TOLD BY ONE PERSON ON NEXTDOOR APP, BRENDA OFFENBACHER THAT SHE WORKS AT COSTCO IN WHITE MARSH, AND THAT SHE'S SAYING IT'S 
          [01:40:03]
ALREADY A DONE DEAL, WHICH WAS VERY DISCOURAGING, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE REAL STATUS AS WELL AS I'VE SEEN PROPERTY. DIXIE CONSTRUCTION MOVED DIRT ON THE PROPERTY ON AUGUST 24TH, A SATURDAY AT 11 APPROXIMATELY. I WAS ACROSS THE ROAD GETTING A BLOOD LABS DRAWN FROM MY MOM AT LABCORP AND ALSO ON THE 31ST OF AUGUST, WITH NO NOTICE OF WHY THEY'RE MOVING DIRT, I HAD ASKED KINDLY FOR MR. SABATINO TO GO AND SEE INQUIRE, AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE MOVING DIRT TO MOVE TO THE PROJECT ON 95 SOUTH, BY THE EXPRESS LANES, NOT BEING INFORMED THAT MOVING DIRT IS MOVING THE PROJECT FORWARD. SO I'D LIKE A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENCY. I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH BRIGHT OAKS DOES NOT HAVE ONE, THE COMMUNITIES BE INFORMED THAT THE STACK MEETING IS OCCURRING AND THAT BRIGHT OAKS HUNTERS RUN PATTERSON MILL, CALVERT'S WALK AND BARRINGTON COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN THAT AREA BE PERMITTED TO ATTEND WITH ADEQUATE NOTICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LEE MADDOX AND I RESIDE AT 1700 CHURCH POINT COURT IN PERRYMAN. MY TOPIC TONIGHT IS TRUST TRUSTS IN OUR LOCAL LAWS, IN THIS COUNCIL AND IN THE COMMUNITY. THE COUNCIL TOOK A STAND BY ENACTING LEGISLATION LIMITING WAREHOUSES TO 250,000FT■!S IN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONES UNDER UNDER BY UNDERSTANDING THE HARMS OF OVERSIZE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS, CAN CAUSE. NOW, DEVELOPERS OF THE MITCHELL FARM ARE TRYING TO PUSH THROUGH AN ILLEGAL 800,000 FOOT SQUARED FREIGHT TERMINAL BY BUNDLING IT WITH A COMMUNITY SUPPORTED PROJECT, THE THOROUGHBRED THOROUGHBRED HORSE TRAINING FACILITY. THIS COERCION IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT REMINDS ME OF AN OLD SHIP SAILING THROUGH DANGEROUS WATERS. YOU'VE ALREADY SET THE SAIL. YOU AND YOUR COMPASS, YOUR ZONING LAWS, HAS KEPT THE SHIP ON TRACK. BUT NOW WE HAVE A DEVELOPER TRYING TO THROW YOUR COMPASS OVERBOARD, HOPING TO STEER THE SHIP IN A DANGEROUS TERRITORY FOR THEIR OWN GAIN. IF WE LET THEM, WE RISK WRECKING THE ROCKS, WRECKING ON THE ROCKS WITH THE LONG TERM DAMAGE THAT WILL RIPPLE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. 
          THE MITCHELL COMPANY FARM WAS HISTORICALLY ZONED FOR AGRICULTURAL BEFORE BEING CONVERTED TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IN THE 1990S, WITH THE PROMISE OF TWO ESSENTIAL ROADS, WOODLEY ROAD AND MITCHELL LANE. YET HERE WE ARE, NEARLY 30 YEARS LATER AND NEITHER REQUIRED ROAD HAS BEEN COMPLETED TODAY. CORN AND SOYBEANS COVER THE LAND, WHILE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT THREATENS TO DESTROY NEARLY 17 RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. WE CANNOT LET THAT BROKEN PROMISES JUSTIFY RECKLESS DEVELOPMENT. REZONING THE MITCHELL FARM BACK TO AGRICULTURAL FILLS. THE DONUT SAFEGUARDS OUR FUTURE AND STILL SUPPORTS A HORSE TRADING FACILITY. THE DEVELOPMENT POSES A REAL DANGER TO THE PERRYMAN WELL FIELD, WHICH SUPPLIES 30% OF HERTFORD COUNTY'S DRINKING WATER. WITH OVER 10,000,000FT■!S OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ALREADY BURDENING THIS RESOURCE, THE MIGRATION OF KNOWN PFAS CONTAMINATION FROM APG MAY BE HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK. OUR COMMUNITY'S WATER SUPPLY IS TOO IMPORTANT TO GAMBLE WITH OUTDATED STUDIES AND ILLEGAL DEVELOPMENT, AND NOW THE DEVELOPER IS TRYING TO INTIMIDATE US FURTHER, THREATENING TO PUT SOMETHING EVEN WORSE ON THE PROPERTY IF WE DON'T ACCEPT THEIR ILLEGAL PROPOSAL LIKE A HIGH DENSITY BATTERY PLANT OR A BOEING MANUFACTURING FACILITY. WE KNOW LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THESE KINDS OF HEAVY MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS. 
          IT'S TIME TO CALL THEIR BLUFF AND STOP LETTING THEM BULLY THIS COMMUNITY INTO ACCEPTING WHAT IS UNLAWFUL AND HARMFUL. AS IS OFTEN SAID IN POLITICS, NOTHING HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT. THE DEVELOPERS TACTICS AREN'T ACCIDENTAL. THEY'RE COERCIVE AND THREATEN TO UNDO THE PROTECTIONS WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR. THE PEOPLE OF HERTFORD COUNTY ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO KEEP THE TRUST WE HAVE PLACED IN YOU. REJECT THESE TACTICS, UPHOLD THE ZONING LAWS YOU PASSED AND STAND WITH US IN DEFENDING THE INTEGRITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH OF HERTFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. BILL WAYLAND, FOLLOWED BY DAVID BAUER. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. SURE. 
          BILL WAYLAND, 415 CEDAR SPRINGS ROAD, BEL AIR, MARYLAND, 21015. HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENT 38 YEARS IN SAME HOME. I DIDN'T KNOW MONICA WOULD BE HERE. AND I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ON THE SAME SUBJECT. MY HOUSE IS ONE HALF MILE FROM THE PROPOSED COSTCO, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE DAC MEETING TOMORROW. RIGHT HERE IN THESE CHAMBERS AT NINE. THE PLANS INTRODUCED IN JULY, SHOWED A DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE 162,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE, 821 PARKING SPACES, 24 GAS PUMP STATIONS ON 22 ACRES OF THE 33 ACRES AT PLUMTREE AND EMMORTON ROADS. THE REMAINING 11 ACRES 
          [01:45:08]
ARE SUBDIVIDED IN SEVEN LOTS. THEY CAN DEVELOP FOR ALMOST ANYTHING RESTAURANTS, CAR WASH OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS USE. AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS MEETING WAS IN THE BUSINESS SECTION OF THE BALTIMORE SUN THIS MORNING. THE SUN ARTICLE STATES. STAFF MEMBERS WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEVELOPER FOR THE PROJECT IN ADDITION, ALL CONCERNS FROM CITIZENS AT THE COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING IN JULY WILL BE ADDRESSED BY AGENCIES SUCH AS MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY. 
          THE DEVELOPER WILL BE OBLIGATED TO RESOLVE ANY ISSUES RAISED BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ONCE ALL ISSUES ARE RESOLVED AND APPROVED BY PLANNING AND ZONING, THEY WILL GRANT PLAN APPROVAL AND OR SITE APPROVAL. THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND CITIZEN. 
          COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ARE ALLOWED. FEW GENERAL COMMENTS BECAUSE OF TIME LIMITS. 
          RESIDENTS AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING IN JULY CITED TRAFFIC CONGESTION, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE. MAJOR MAJORITY FOR A COSTCO DID NOT RESIDE IN THE CLOSE VICINITY OF THE SITE. COSTCO MAY BE DESIRED IN BEL AIR. I'M NOT TOTALLY AGAINST IT, BUT THERE ARE BETTER LOCATIONS THAN THIS SITE. TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY WAS SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY ON JULY 24TH. COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS BY LETTER THAT I MADE TO THE COUNTY ON SEPTEMBER 4TH REMAIN UNANSWERED. IN MY OPINION. NO TRAFFIC STUDY OR OFF SITE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS WILL SOLVE A FUTURE TRAFFIC VOLUME AS TO BE OVER 10,000 TRIPS PER DAY ON WEEKDAYS AND 17,000 ON SATURDAYS. ANYONE WHO TRAVELS 24, NINE, 24 OR TOLL GATE ROAD FROM US ONE TO I-95 OR BACK WILL BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. FAR, FAR MORE THAN PRESENT, THE COUNTY HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST IN PURCHASING THE LAND FOR PARKLAND AND CITIZEN USE. LIKE ELSEWHERE, THE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE COUNTY HAS FAILED TO MISERABLY MEET THE PURPOSE OF 260 7-3. IN 2013, THE COUNCIL FAILED TO APPROVE BILL 1316 TO RESIST SIZE OF BOX TYPE STORES TO 75,000FT■!S. BEFORE THAT, THY APPROVED REZONING FOR RESIDENTIAL USE TO BUSINESS USE FOR THE BENEFIT OF DEVELOPERS NOT CITIES CITIZENS. WILL THE LEGITIMATE CITIZENS CONCERNS BE ADDRESSED TOMORROW OR WILL THEY BE IGNORED AND UNFINISHED? POSSIBLE PODIUM POSSIBLE? THANK YOU. I KNEW YOU WOULD REMEMBER THAT. WHAT HAPPENED TO IT USED TO BE ONE THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER, 2952 KIRKWALL COURT, ABINGDON. THIS EVENING I HAVE A COMMENT ON THE COUNTY'S RESPONSE TO THE JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING. AS A QUICK BACKGROUND, I DO NOT CLAIM ANY EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA, BUT I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN SECURITY. SECURITY FAILURES AND THE RESPONSES TO SECURITY MEASURES AND FAILURES FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. RESPONSES TO TRAGEDIES. OF COURSE, SPAN A WIDE RANGE. ON ONE END IS THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, WHICH ORIGINALLY MEANT SYMPATHY AND EMPATHY, BUT WHICH HAS COME TO MEAN TAKING NO ACTION. ON THE OTHER END, STRONG EMOTIONS OFTEN DRIVE A NEED TO ACT. NOW TO DO SOMETHING. PEOPLE OFTEN WANT TO SEE A RESPONSE, EVEN IF THAT RESPONSE CAUSES PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF FIXING THEM. OBVIOUSLY WE WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THESE OPTIONS. WE WANT RATIONAL EXAMINATION OF THE PROBLEM THE D WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, AND WE WANT MEASURES THAT ADDRESS A WIDE RANGE OF SITUATIONS AND NOT JUST THE ONE SCENARIO THAT HAPPENED AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL. I EXPECT YOU ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A PETITION TO DEMAND METAL DETECTORS AT EVERY ENTRANCE OF ALL THE SCHOOLS, AND TO MANDATE CLEAR BACKPACKS. THESE ARE MEASURES THAT ARE VERY CLEARLY AIMED AT THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE THE CORRECT MEASURES TO PREVENT A FUTURE TRAGEDY. BACK IN 2018, THE COUNTY HELD A TOWN HALL TO DISCUSS SCHOOL SECURITY FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING IN PARKLAND, FLORIDA. IN THAT CASE, THE SHOOTER WAS EXTERNAL TO THE SCHOOL AND THE LOCAL DISCUSSIONS GENERALLY FOCUSED ON EXTERNAL THREATS. A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION 
          [01:50:03]
THEN WAS HAVING MORE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ARMING TEACHERS AND STAFF, AND ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR STUDENTS TO GO OUTSIDE TO GO BETWEEN BUILDINGS. MY DAUGHTER ATTENDS PATTERSON MILL, WHICH IS OVER 200,000FT■!S IN AREA. HOW MANY SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS WOULD IT TAKE TO REALLY COVER THAT SPACE? REMEMBER, THERE WAS AN SRO AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOO. 
          PLEASE DO NOT LET STRONG EMOTIONS DRIVE THE COUNTY'S RESPONSE TO THIS TRAGEDY. PLEASE TAKE PATIENCE AND LOOK AT THE RESEARCH. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SIR. THE LAST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS EDWARD PANNWITZ. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS? YES. EDWARD PANNWITZ. I LIVE AT NINE LAKE DRIVE IN BEL AIR. 21014. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS COSTCO PROJECT. MY COMMUNITY IS ABOUT A THIRD OF A MILE FROM THE LOCATION. IT'S WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, THERE ARE TWO ROADS INTO OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH OF THEM. THE ONLY ACCESS IN AND OUT IS 924. 
          EVEN NOW, SOMETIMES IT TAKES AS LONG AS SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT MINUTES TO GET IN AND OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY ON A 924. THE SITUATION WILL ONLY GET WORSE, YOU KNOW, WITH ANOTHER, ANYWHERE FROM 7 TO 8, 10,000 CAR TRIPS. YES THEY'RE ALL NOT GOING TO COME THAT WAY, BUT A LOT OF THEM WILL COME THAT WAY. AND THERE'S OTHER DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING RIGHT IN THAT AREA AS WELL. THE CHICK FIL A AND WHATEVER ELSE GOES ON TO THAT PROPERTY. AND ADJACENT TO THE COSTCO, THERE'S OTHER ISSUES I WON'T DWELL ON THOSE. BILL AND MONICA TALKED ABOUT THOSE ALREADY, I SAY THE BIG CONCERN FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S THE SAME GENTLEMAN AS IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO. WE WENT THROUGH THIS TEN YEARS AGO WITH THE WALMART AND WALMART WALKED AWAY FROM THE SITE. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC SITUATION. THEY COULD NOT RESOLVE THE TRAFFIC SITUATION. IT'S NO BETTER TODAY. IT'S WORSE IF ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES THAT ARE THERE, AS BILL MENTIONED, THIS IS NOT A COSTCO ISSUE, EVERYBODY AT THAT MEETING, THAT SIM MEETING IN JULY PRETTY MUCH WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH A COSTCO BEING IN HARFORD COUNTY. JUST NOT AT THAT LOCATION. IT'S IN OUR OPINION, IT IS A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR BEL AIR SOUTH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. 
          [16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. WITH NO MORE SPEAKERS, WE'LL DO BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. GIORDANO. OH, I'M GOING FIRST. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. SO. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY, ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH TO THE GRAND OPENING OF THE HAIR CUTTING IN ROCK SPRING ROAD, ON MONDAY, THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN CARROLL SCHOOL ON SATURDAY WAS ABLE TO DO MY FRIEND JOE AYLOR TEN YEAR CONSTRUCTION OF TAR HEEL. EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LOT LONGER THAN THAT. THEY THEY BECAME MORE OF A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, AND THEY INCORPORATED DID SOME THINGS DIFFERENT SO THAT THAT'S BEEN TEN YEARS. AND THEN THIS PAST SUNDAY, MYSELF, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AND COUNCILMAN RILEY DID HARPER'S, HARFORD HARVEST, UP IN CHURCHVILLE. AND WE HAD A GREAT MEAL. THERE WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 55, 60 PEOPLE. WE ATE OUTSIDE FROM ALL LOCALLY SOURCED. PRODUCTS. SO, IT WAS THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, ESPECIALLY IN HARFORD COUNTY. THIS IS, LATINO HERITAGE MONTH, AND, MUCHAS FELICIANO'S LA FAMILIA LATINA DE HARFORD COUNTY EN EL MES DE SU ANIVERSARIO. AND FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, THE COUNCIL FOR THE, BASKET FOR THE, THE PASSING OF MY FATHER, I HAVE TO SAY, HE WAS 89. HE WAS GOING TO BE 90 IN OCTOBER, AND WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR HIM AT THE HOUSE BECAUSE HE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO STAY IN A RESTAURANT. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, HE HE PASSED AWAY, SATURDAY WAS WAS A WEEK AGO, AND HE HAD FALLEN ON THURSDAY AND, AND THAT SUNDAY, I HAD TAKEN HIM TO THE 
          [01:55:01]
CASINO AND BREAKFAST. I HAD GOTTEN UP EARLY AND I SAID, DAD, I'M COMING OVER TO MAKE YOU BREAKFAST UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND HE SAID, WELL, LET'S, LET'S GO OUT, THAT WAS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS TO DO WAS, WAS GO TO THE CASINO. MY MOTHER HAD PASSED AWAY 15 YEARS AGO, AND SHE SAID TO ME, TAKE CARE OF YOUR FATHER WHEN HE WANTS TO GO TO THE CASINO, TAKE HIM. THE FIRST YEAR MY MOTHER DIED, WE WENT EVERY OTHER WEEKEND FOR A YEAR AND FREE ROOMS AT THE BORGATA. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE FREE IN THE LONG RUN, BUT WE DRIVE UP. WE DRIVE UP EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. HE CALL AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING. AND WHERE ARE YOU? WE GOT TO GO, HE WANTED TO GO. HE WANTED TO HAVE BREAKFAST AT ELMER'S DINER, AND HE WANTED TO BE AT THE CASINO BY 11:00. 
          AND IF WE GOT THERE BY 1030, 11:00, WE WERE ABLE TO CHECK IN, HE USED TO LIKE TO GO TO THE HOT TUB AND, HE WOULD TALK YOUR EAR OFF, BUT HE WASN'T AN OUTGOING PERSON. BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE TO SAY, 15 YEARS OF I DON'T HAVE MY, MY BUDDY TO WATCH THE YANKEES ANYMORE OR THE GIANTS, SINCE WE'RE FROM NORTH JERSEY AND, MOVED HERE WHEN I WAS 14. BUT, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK. 
          IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LOT TOUGHER THAN I THOUGHT, I KNOW HE'S AT PEACE. HE'S WITH MY MOTHER. THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. AND HE HAD BROKEN A COUPLE OF RIBS, A COUPLE OF VERTEBRAE. 
          REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS. AND JUST THE PAIN WAS EXCRUCIATING. SO I'M GLAD HE'S AT PEACE. BUT IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY BUDDY AROUND ANYMORE. SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. AND MR. RILEY. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. AGAIN, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE JOE TAR HEEL CONSTRUCTION ON HIS 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. I ALSO APPRECIATED THAT DINNER WE GOT AT HOMELANDS FARMS. THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THAT, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO THE FOUR H CAMP, DEER CREEK OVERLOOK. THEY CAME HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND ASKED IF WE WOULD TAKE A TOUR IN MY DISTRICT. I WENT UP THERE, AND IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO UP THERE TO THE FOUR H CAMP, HARFORD ASSOCIATIO. 
          ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THOSE OFFICERS THAT WERE INSTALLED. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THE MIRACLE LEAGUE. THANKS FOR INVITING THE COUNCIL OUT, THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU FOLKS AND ALSO ALL THE CLIENTELE THAT WERE THERE. WE APPRECIATE AGAIN WHAT YOU DO. THANKS, MISTER PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISTER RILEY. MISTER BENNETT, HELLO, GOOD EVENING, FIRST, JUST SOME GENERAL THOUGHTS THAT I HAVE AFTER EXPERIENCING TONIGHT'S MEETINGS. I JUST A GENERAL CONCERN. I HAVE IS DEMOCRACY ON PAPER AND DEMOCRACY IN, YOU KNO, DEMOCRACY ON PAPER DOES NOT GUARANTEE DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. 
          AND I JUST THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WITH ALL OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WE HAVE IN PLACE TO COLLECT COMMUNITY INPUT AND COMMUNITY SAY THAT WE, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFEGUARDED TO BE COMMUNITY FRIENDLY AND ACTUALLY AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF AND EMPOWERED TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD, THERE'S JUST SEVERAL THINGS THAT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT THAT LEFT ME FEELING CONCERNED THAT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ALWAYS IS, AND THAT NO ONE EVER SEES AN EXPERIENCE AND FEELS LIKE THAT WAS JUST THERE TO SAY IT WAS THERE. I WAS NOT HEARD. SO THAT WAS JUST A GENERAL THOUGHT. I JUST WANTED TO PUT INTO THE AIR. AS I LISTENED TO PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT AND WE WENT THROUGH OUR AGENDA, THIS EVENING I GOT TO MEET WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR MYSELF, AND TONY SAT DOWN WITH COUNTY EXECUTIVE CASSILLY, I THANK HIM FOR HIS TIME, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON THINGS, BUT HE ALWAYS TAKES MY MEETINGS, WHICH I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, WE'RE WORKING ON WITHIN MY DISTRICT, AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO MY DISTRICT IN SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, A BIG SAYING OF MINE IN PRACTICE IS NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HOLD FIRM IN, IN EVERYTHING I DO, WHETHER IT COMES TO THE PEOPLE ON PUMPKIN PATCH LANE THAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE OF BELCAMP, THE PEOPLE OF ABINGTON, PEOPLE OF PERRYMAN, HAVRE DE GRACE, IT CAN'T BE DONE ABOUT US WITHOUT US. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S VERY CLEAR, THIS PAST WEEK, I GOT TO ATTEND THE NAACP YEARLY MEET AND GREET ALONG WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENT, WHO DROVE PAST ME AS I WAS WALKING THERE BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT BY MY HOUSE, AND THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT. SOMETHING WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO. AND IT'S JUST A LOT OF FUN. PEOPLE IN THEIR 90S COSTUMES, WE, OBVIOUSLY ARE HAVING A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS. IN REGARDS TO THE HORSE TRAINING FACILITY AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, TO, TO FIND THAT PATH FORWARD 
          [02:00:01]
AND WORK TOGETHER ON THAT, THERE'S TWO COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS IN RELATION TO DISTRICT F. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH. EXCUSE ME. THERE'S GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING FOR THE PROPOSED BELCAMP CAR WASH AT ABINGTON FIRE COMPANY AT 6:30 P.M. AND THEN ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC MEETING WITH DPW TO DISCUSS MILLS BRIDGE REPLACEMENT. AND THAT WILL ALSO BE AT ABINGTON FIRE COMPANY AT 6 P.M, SO THOSE ARE JUST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BE AWARE OF, TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR. AND IF THOSE THINGS IMPACT YOU TO, TO BE THERE AND TO BE A VOICE. SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. GUTHRIE, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT, AWFUL EVENT AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY. AND HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, MARTIN GRANT, WHO'S THE YOUNG MAN WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN THAT EVENT, THEY'RE HAVING A VIEWING AT MCCOMAS ON IN ABINGTON, FROM 2 TO 4. AND 7 TO 9 ON THIS THURSDAY 19TH. ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO STOP BY? I'M SURE THE FAMILY WOULD BE GLAD TO SEE HIM, I'VE BEEN INUNDATED, CAN IMAGINE WITH ALL THE. BECAUSE I'VE LIVED IN THE AREA FOR 58 YEARS AND KNOW JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY, THE PARENTS, A LOT OF THEM TALKING TO ME ABOUT IT AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO. IT'S, THERE'S LOTS OF IDEAS BEING THROWN OUT THERE, AND, WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO TRY TO ENTERTAIN SOMETHING, TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, SITUATION. AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS NO, BUT WE'LL GET THROUGH IT. I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY, BUT MY, YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER IN LAW WHO LIVES WITH US, BEEN LIVING US FOR OVER TEN YEARS. SHE HAD, IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. AND IT'S JUST BEEN A PROBABLY JUST LIKE TONY SAYS. THERE'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE WEEK ALL THE WAY AROUND, SUNDAY, A WEEK AGO, MY MOTHER IN LAW GOT RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL, AND WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FROM SUNDAY TO FRIDAY. WE BROUGHT HER HOME FRIDAY, AND THEY'RE DOING HOSPICE FROM THE HOUSE. SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT MEANS, SHE'S 98 YEARS OLD. WE WERE HOPING TO GET HER TO 100. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PRODDING HER, AND SHE'S GOT A LOT OF FIGHT IN HER. SO I HOPE, I HOPE SHE. SHE MAKES IT, WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS. AND. AND MY WIFE, I COULDN'T GET HER HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL. SHE SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL WITH MOM ON SUNDAY, AND SHE STAYED AT THE HOSPITAL 24 HOURS, SIX STRAIGHT DAYS, AND NEVER CAME HOME. SHE WOULDN'T LEAVE HER MOM. SHE DIDN'T HAVE A SHOWER OR A CHANGE OF CLOTHES. I OFFERED TO BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHES. 
          NO, I'M OKAY, I SAID. WELL, YOU GOT TO TAKE A SHOWER. YOU STINK. NO, SHE DIDN'T LAUGH AT THAT EITHER. SO, BOY, DID SHE SLEEP WHEN SHE CAME HOME, THOUGH, AND I TOOK I TOOK CARE OF MOM. TOOK HER OFF HER HANDS WHILE SHE GOT HERSELF SOME REST, SAINT FRANCIS CHURCH IN ABINGTON, ON 450 ABINGTON ROAD, IS HAVING A BLOOD DRIVE, ON THIS THURSDAY, 920, FROM 11 TO NOON, I'LL CERTAINLY BE UP THERE TO GIVE MY, MY BLOO, THE TOWN'S HAVING A FILTER ON, FOR THE GUNPOWDER. YOU KNOW, THE CLEANUP OF THE GUNPOWDER RIVER. WE'RE TRYING TO BRING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE TO THE FACT. SO THIS, SATURDAY, NOT THIS SATURDAY, BUT SATURDAY THE 28TH. WE'RE WE'RE GATHERING ALL THE BOATS AND KAYAKS TOGETHER TO LEAVE FROM MARINER POINT PARK TO, OTHER POINTS ALONG THE RIVER. AT 930, A M, THE GOAL ONE IS TO MEET AT THE AMTRAK BRIDGE. ABOUT PASSES BY 1030. AND GOAL TWO IS TO MEET AT THE POINT DOCK. BY THE BIG BOY THAT WE HAVE MOUNTED THERE THAT, IF NOBODY KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, UMPTEEN YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A BIG BOY THAT USED TO FLOAT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GUNPOWDER, SHOWING YOU THE ENTRANCE TO THE GUNPOWDER. AND THAT BOY BROKE LOOSE AND CROSSED THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC AND GOT GOT TO EUROPE. AND WHEN IT GOT TO EUROPE, THEY FOUND OUT WHERE IT CAME FROM, AND THEY SENT IT BACK. AND THEN, I THINK IT WAS COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHARLIE ANDERSON AT THE TIME. THAT'S HOW FAR BACK IT GOES. HE TOOK IT AND HE MOUNTED IT, AND HE BROUGHT IT UP OUT OF THE WATER, AND IT'S MOUNTED AT THE MARINER POINT PARK. SO WHEN YOU COME IN, YOU SEE IT RIGHT THERE AT THE ENTRANCE. NOW NOW I GOT TO GET ON THE, PARKS AND REC. THEY'RE GONE NOW, BUT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAINTING IT. IT NEEDS SOME PAINT. IT NEEDS SOME UPKEEP. I SAID, GET US THE PAINT. WE'LL PAINT IT. THE KAYAKS. IN OTHER 
          [02:05:10]
WORDS, IF YOU WANT TO COME AND RENT A KAYAK, THEY HAVE THEM THERE FOR RENT. AND, I THINK THE, IT'S ABOUT 30 BUCKS FOR THE DAY, AND FOR THE FIRST 20 WHO COME, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE, MAD ABOUT MUD T SHIRTS. THE ORGANIZATION'S CALLED MAD ABOUT MUD HAS BEEN RUNNING A LOT OF THIS STUFF, TO TRY TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE GUNPOWDER, I NOTICED THAT I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW GOOD THE GRASSES ARE GROWING ALL THROUGH OUR STATE. AN ARTICLE JUST CAME OUT THAT ALL THROUGH THE STATE, ALL THROUGH THE THROUGH THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, THAT 90% OF THE GRASSES OUT THERE ARE COMING BACK. ALL EXCEPT THE GUNPOWDER AND ALL THE GRASS IN THE GUNPOWDER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT FLOW OVERFLOW FROM THE DEVELOPMENT WHICH I'M GREAT THAT THERE'S A GREAT LAWSUIT BEING FILED AND FOR $25,000 A EVENT, A CHARGE. SO I'M HOPING THAT GOES THROUGH, WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT. MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. 
          [15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
GUTHRIE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16, BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT. AND AS YOU CAN HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES, WE'VE HAD A VERY BUSY WEEK, IN THE OFFICE AND OUT OF THE OFFICE, WE ATTENDED THE ROUTE 40 BUSINESS ASSOCIATION LUNCHEON, THE NAACP MEET AND GREET, THE HOMECOMING PROJECT GALA, WHICH CELEBRATED 18 YEARS OF RECOVERY HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR THE WOMEN'S HOME. AND THEY HONORED THEIR FOUNDER, ROBIN KEENER, WHO PASSED AWAY, AT THE ARMORY, THE BEL AIR ARMORY. WE HAD ARTS ACROSS AMERICA. IT'S THE OPENING OF THE PLEIN AIR ART FESTIVAL, I MET SATURDAY WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY CAUCUS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS, CELEBRATED TAR HEELS TEN YEARS, HERE IN THE COUNTY. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, WE TALKED ABOUT THE HARVEST DINNER AT HOMELANDS FARM AND AS TONY SAID, WHAT WAS UNIQUE IS THIS FARM WAS HIGHLIGHTING OUR YOUNG. 
          THIS DINNER WAS HIGHLIGHTING OUR YOUNG FARMERS. AND, THE FARM ITSELF, WAS OWNED BY THE HARLAN FAMILY AT ONE TIME, AND ITS DESCENDANTS HAVE IT NOW. KATE ALLEN AND LOUISE UMBERGER WERE THERE HOSTING THE DINNER, ALONG WITH, EMMY. I THINK IT IS. I GOT TO PUT MY GLASSES ON EMMY DALEN BEAVERS, THE HUBER FAMILY WAS THERE. THE MAGNUS FAMILY WAS THERE. THE HOPKINS FAMILY, THE PEVERLEY DUNHAM FAMILY, AND THE MUSSER FAMILY. THESE ARE ALL ITEMS THAT WERE RAISED LOCALLY IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND, I THINK THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THERE WAS PROBABLY 50 OF US AT A TABLE, SO IT WAS VERY NICELY DONE. SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO SAY THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES. THEY CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THEIR CITIZENS IN ALL DISTRICTS. ALL EVENTS, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THEM. SO
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.