[a. Resolution 040-24 (MS4 Financial Assurance Plan 2024)]
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GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION 040. DASH 24, MISS.
FOR FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN 2024. COUNCIL. TONIGHT WE HAVE MR. WALSH. MISS DANIEL HANKINS AND MR. SANDERS. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. WE WILL BE BRIEF THIS EVENING. WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 40 DASH 24, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE APPROVAL OF A FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN FOR OUR MS4 PROGRAM. MS4 STANDS FOR MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM. IT'S THE COMMON NAME FOR OUR STATE MANDATED MDE PERMIT UNDER WHICH WE OPERATE. WE HAVE A MANDATE TO DO WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS MDE PERMIT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THIS PERMIT COULD LEAD TO PENALTIES OR LEGAL ACTION BY THE STATE. WHY DO WE HAVE AN MS4 PERMIT? SIMPLY PUT, WE LIVE IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED, AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT UNTREATED RUNOFF FROM IMPERVIOUS AREAS, WHICH CARRIES SEDIMENT AND OTHER POLLUTANTS, IS BAD FOR WATER QUALITY AND THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE BAY. AND SINCE THE COUNTY IS THE OWNER OF UNTREATED IMPERVIOUS AREAS, WE ARE UNDER THIS PERMIT. THIS FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN IS A REQUIREMENT OF MDE AND DEMONSTRATES TO MD THAT OUR COUNTY TAKES THIS PROGRAM SERIOUSLY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE DO, AND THE COUNTY DOES. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS HANKINS.
GOOD EVENING. AS STEVE MENTIONED, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO REQUEST THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 040-2 FOR THE MS4 FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN. THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL OF THIS PLAN IS REQUIRED BY ANNUALLY FOR ANY FOR ALL PHASE ONE MS4 JURISDICTIONS UNDER STATE LAW. SPECIFICALLY, THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTION 4-2020.1.
THE WATERSHED PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OFFICE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND OUR GROUP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING THE COUNTY'S MS4 PERMIT WITH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT. WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THE LOCAL STREAMS WITHIN HARFORD COUNTY. WE BELIEVE THIS PLAN TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND DEMONSTRATE THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TOWARDS CONTINUAL FUNDING IN ORDER TO MEET OUR PERMIT COMPLIANCE. EVERY YEAR, WE SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT DOCUMENTS OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS OUR PERMIT CONDITIONS. THIS REPORT IS SUBMITTED TO MDE AND POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW. OUR REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THE SUCCESSES OF OUR PROGRAM AND DOCUMENTS THE TIME INTENSIVE EFFORTS THAT ARE PUT INTO KEEPING THE COUNTY INTO PERMIT COMPLIANCE. THE REPORT IS DUE EVERY DECEMBER AND SHOWCASES THE FISCAL YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE HISTORY OF THE MS4 PROGRAM DATES BACK TO THE CLEAN WATER ACT, ADOPTED IN 1972. HARFORD COUNTY RECEIVED ITS FIRST MS4 PERMIT OVER 20 YEARS LATER IN 1994.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PERMITS ALMOST EVERY FIVE YEARS SINCE THE ORIGINAL. IN 2012, MARYLAND HOUSE BILL 987 WAS ADOPTED. THIS BILL REQUIRED THAT ALL MS4 COMMUNITIES ESTABLISH A STORMWATER UTILITY FEE. THIS WAS MET WITH MIXED OPINIONS ACROSS THE STATE. IN 2015, MARYLAND SENATE BILL 863 RESCINDED THE REQUIREMENT OF A STORMWATER UTILITY FEE, BUT ESTABLISHED THAT EACH JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN TO DOCUMENT THEIR PROGRAM FUNDING EFFORTS AND COVER THEIR PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. LATER IN 2015, HARFORD COUNTY ADOPTED RESOLUTION 005 15, WHICH DEDICATED A PORTION OF THE COUNTY'S RECORDATION TAX TO OUR MS4 PROGRAM. IMPLEMENTATION. PRIOR TO 2016, THERE WERE NO DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCES FOR OUR PROGRAM. IN DECEMBER OF 2022, THE COUNTY RECEIVED ITS FIFTH GENERATION PERMIT AND THIS IS OUR CURRENT PERMIT, WHICH EXPIRES IN DECEMBER 29TH OF 2027. THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE TO SPEND OUR CITIZENS TAX DOLLARS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, CONSIDERING ALL THE FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATES AND SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. THE FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES ONLY ON THE WATERSHED RESTORATION REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE MS4
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PERMIT. WHILE THE FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN REQUIRES US TO DOCUMENT FIVE YEARS OF PROJECTED COSTS, THE CURRENT PLAN IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE APPROVED BUDGETS. HERE YOU WILL SEE THE PREVIOUS 24 BUDGET ARE APPROVED. FY 25 BUDGET AND OUR DRAFT FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET. ALL PHASE ONE MS4 JURISDICTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE WATERSHED RESTORATION FOR 20% OF THE UNTREATED IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IN THEIR JURISDICTION. MDE INCLUDED IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IN THE PERMIT AS A MEASUREMENT TO DOCUMENT PROGRESS TOWARDS REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENT FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF. AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PREVIOUS PERMIT, WE HAD 1215 ACRES OF OUTSTANDING TREATMENT. WE MET OUR PERMIT CONDITIONS BY TRADING NUTRIENTS WITH OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. OUR NEW PERMIT, ISSUED IN 2022 BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS PERMIT, WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY EXTENDED DOCUMENTS THE ORIGINAL BALANCE, THE ANNUAL PRACTICES WE HAD IN PLACE AND THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING REQUIREMENT. THE NEW PERMIT WILL ALSO ASSIGN A NEW 10% IMPERVIOUS REQUIREMENT THROUGH AN ELABORATE ANALYSIS WITH MDE. THE PERMIT DOES ALLOW FOR FUTURE NUTRIENT TRADE, BUT CAPS THE AMOUNT THAT IS ALLOWED. SINCE DECEMBER OF 2019, WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY. WE HAVE CONTINUED OUR ANNUAL PRACTICES IN SEPTIC PUMPING AND OFFERING SEPTIC SYSTEM DISCONNECTIONS, KEEPING THAT CREDIT VIABLE. WE ALSO HAVE COMPLETED 39 PROJECTS FOR A TOTAL OF 1019 ACRES OF WATER QUALITY TREATMENT. THESE PROJECTS ARE DOCUMENTED EXTENSIVELY IN THE REQUIRED FAP SHEETS AND IN OUR VARIOUS ANNUAL REPORTS. THE PLAN ALSO REQUIRES THAT WE DEMONSTRATE HOW WE ARE GOING TO MEET OUR RESTORATION GOAL, AND HOW MUCH MONEY IT IS GOING TO COST. WE HAVE PLANNED A SUITE OF PROJECTS FROM CONTINUING TO OFFER SEPTIC CONNECTION CREDITS TO STREAM RESTORATION, CONSERVATION, LANDSCAPING, TREE PLANTING, STORMWATER RETROFITS AND OUTFALL STABILIZATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY'S WATERSHEDS. WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR SIX OF THESE PROJECTS. THERE ARE ANOTHER 17 PROJECTS IN ACTIVE DESIGN AND A FINAL TEN PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE PLANNING STAGES. THESE PROJECTS WILL YIELD THE RESTORATION CREDITS REQUIRED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR PERMIT AT ITS EXPIRATION. THERE ARE SEVERAL TABLES IN THE FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN BEHIND THE PROGRAM SUMMARY NARRATIVE THAT INCLUDE VARIOUS PROGRAM COSTS. THESE TABLES ARE PROVIDED BY THE STATE AS TEMPLATES TO BE COMPLETED BY EACH PERMITTEE. AND WE WORKED WITH MR. SANDLER AND THE GROUP IN TREASURY TO PULL THE VARIOUS COSTS FOR OPERATING AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, AS WELL AS SHOWCASE THE VARIOUS SOURCES FOR OUR FUNDING. IN ADDITION TO OUR PORTION OF THE RECORDATION TAX, WE HAVE OTHER PAYGO AND BONDED FUNDED ACCOUNTS FOR OUR RESTORATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. WE ALSO ACTIVELY SEEK MULTIPLE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS. WE ARE DESIGNING AND BUILDING. OVERALL, OUR PLAN DEMONSTRATES THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO COVER OUR PROGRAM COSTS. I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU. DANIELLE. ROBBIE, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? NO. JUST AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO, THAT WE DO EACH AND EVERY YEAR. AND AS SHE DID, STATE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FUND THIS RIGHT NOW WITH THE PORTION OF THE RECREATION TAX. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE LONG TERM, WE RECOGNIZE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING OUR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS THAT THAT RECREATION TAX AS IT IS NOW, WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT. WE HAVE SET ASIDE WITHIN OUR FUND BALANCE, ACTUALLY, UNDER THE PREVIOUS COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND CARRIED ON BY THE CURRENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATION FUNDS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE TO TRANSFER TO THIS, TO THIS OBLIGATION. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A BALANCED PLAN. STEVE. ANYTHING. YES, SIR. AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. WE CONTRIBUTE TO OTHER PROJECTS RIGHT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, WHETHER IT BE IN MUNICIPALITY, LIKE THE LIVING SHORELINE IN HAVRE DE GRACE. ISN'T THAT PART OF THIS AS WELL? SO WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OTHER, OTHER PROJECTS, AND SOMETIMES THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PARTNERSHIP[00:10:01]
WHEREBY WE, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVE SOME OF THE CREDITS FROM THEM. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO SOMETIMES CONTRIBUTED FUNDS TO, TO OTHER PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, KIND OF THAT DON'T DIRECTLY BENEFIT. OUR, OUR PERMIT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR, FOUR OR SO YEARS AGO, IS THAT WE NEEDED TO START SHARING A PORTION OF THE RECORDATION TAX WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES. AND THE THINKING THERE WAS THAT IF YOU LOOKED AT THE STATE LAW, THE STATE WAS WAS PRETTY CLEAR THAT IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE THE STORMWATER FEE, THE RAIN TAX, IF YOU WILL. THAT YOU HAD TO EITHER PAY DIRECTLY FOR THE MUNICIPAL PROJECTS, TAKE THEM OVER AND DO THEM YOURSELVES, OR REACH AN MOU. AND WE REACHED AN MOU WITH THOSE MUNICIPALITIES WHEREBY WE SHARE APPROXIMATELY 20% OF ANY REVENUE WITH WITH THEM. SO TO YOUR INITIAL QUESTION, IT'S IT DEPENDS. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT'S A PARTNERSHIP AND WE RECEIVE CREDITS. AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHERE, WHERE WHERE WE'RE PROVIDING FUNDING, BUT WITHOUT THAT DIRECT DIRECT BENEFIT BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE IS RECEIVING PERHAPS THAT DIRECT BENEFIT. THANK YOU. ROBBIE.MISTER JORDAN. SO GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT LIKE IN JOPPATOWNE, WHERE THEY HAD THE CONTRACTOR THAT WAS BUILDING AND THEN ALL THAT STORM WATER SEDIMENT RAN INTO INTO THE BUSH RIVER OVER THERE AND POLLUTED THAT. WHO IS THAT PART OF THIS? OR HOW DOES THAT FALL IN WITH WITH FINES AND SO FORTH? IS THAT PART OF THIS AT ALL OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING? SO IT'S NOT PART OF THIS. THAT'S A SEPARATE INITIATIVE AND OVERSIGHT THAT OUR SEDIMENT CONTROL FOLKS HAVE OVER THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THE STATE REVIEWS THAT DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO THE COUNTY, THE STATE ENFORCEMENT FOLKS WERE INVOLVED IN THAT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ALSO. BUT THAT IS A SEPARATE ACTIVITY FROM THE WORK OF MISS HANKINS AND HER GROUP AND ANY OF THOSE. WE DO HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE STORMWATER PROJECTS THAT. BUT IF THEY DON'T DIRECTLY IMPACT THE PERMIT. WE JUST PROVIDE THOSE GENERALLY EITHER OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND OR THE HIGHWAYS FUND, BUT THEY'RE NOT USED. WE DON'T USE THE RECORDATION TAX FOR THOSE THOSE TYPES OF STORMWATER PROJECTS. THANK YOU, MISTER BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS REALLY AN ACT OF STATE COMMITMENT. CLIENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A ROUTINE, CALENDAR BASED ACT TO TAKE CARE OF. BUT I JUST CONVERSATIONALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE 50 YEARS OF HISTORY THAT YOU MAPPED OUT FROM THE CLEAN WATER ACT TO TODAY, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK. DO YOU FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS EFFECTIVE? IS IT WORKING AT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE TANGIBLE IMPACT OF IT? DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR REFLECTION ON THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO YEARS? I'LL TAKE A QUICK SHOT AT IT. BUT IT'S A IT'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED THING. YOU KNOW, THE STATE OVERALL BUILDS THESE THESE BAY MODELS. AND THEY TAKE INFORMATION FROM EACH JURISDICTION AND PLUG THAT INTO THE BAY MODEL. AND THEY RUN THESE THESE MASSIVE WATER QUALITY MODELS. I KNOW THERE'S SOME DATA OUT THERE THAT SHOWS BENEFITS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING. THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW LIKE THE AG SECTOR THAT THAT HAS THEIR OWN PERMITS. AND THERE'S WORK THERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. CERTAINLY WE THINK OUR PROJECTS ARE EFFECTIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ANY MEASUREMENTS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR PROJECTS OVERALL TO THE HEALTH OF THE BAY. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF POST-CONSTRUCTION MONITORING THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR EVERY PROJECT, WHICH DEMONSTRATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR PROJECTS. THOSE POST-CONSTRUCTION MONITORING ACTIVITIES GOES BACK TO THE STATE AS WELL. AND WE HAVE NUMEROUS MONITORING PLANS THAT THAT WE SUBMIT AS PART OF THIS MS4 PROGRAM. SO ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? YEAH, I'LL JUST ADD THAT IN ADDITION TO SO A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT IS REPRESENTED HERE IN THE FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN IS FOR SPECIFIC CAPITAL PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR MS4 PERMIT.
BUT AS STEVE MENTIONED, THOSE PROJECTS ALSO HAVE REQUIRE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL PERMITS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. WE ALSO, AS A MS4 PROGRAM, HAVE DONE WATERSHED WIDE MONITORING. THIS YEAR IN FY 25, WE WILL BE WRAPPING UP 15 YEARS OF COLLECTIVE WHEEL CREEK MONITORING. SO WE'VE DONE COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES ON PRE AND POST CONDITIONS OF THE WHEEL CREEK WATERSHED. WE ALSO ONE OF THE MS4 REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE
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PAID INTO THE POOLED MONITORING THAT IS RUN THROUGH THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRUST. AND THAT HELPS US TO TAP INTO OTHER WAYS TO GATHER THAT THOSE HARD DATA THAT SHOWS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOME OF THESE BMPS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THE GROUND, AND I THINK LOCALLY, CERTAINLY WHEN WE DO PROJECTS, THERE'S BENEFITS. I KNOW THE STATE PUBLISHES AND PUBLISHES HEALTH OF THE BAY DASHBOARD OUT THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH IN VARIOUS PARTS IN THE BAY OVERALL. SO BETWEEN BOTH THOSE SOURCES, I THINK THERE'S THEY ARE SHOWING PROGRESS. AND THEN ALONG, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS. ALONG THE SAME CONVERSATION TRAIL. IF YOU COULD WAKE UP TOMORROW AND ANYTHING WAS DIFFERENT, EITHER FROM A STATE OR LOCAL PERSPECTIVE THAT IMPACTS THIS WORK. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE IF YOU COULD SNAP YOUR FINGERS TO HELP SUPPORT THIS WORK IN KEEPING OUR WATER CLEAN AND SAFE? FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T SNAP AWAY MICROPLASTICS OR PFAS, BUT YEAH, WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. I THINK. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE CONTINUED FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT FROM OUR STANDPOINT. THAT'S THE FIRST THING AND MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US, CERTAINLY. BUT IF THERE'S EVER ANYTHING WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR, EITHER, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE AT THE STATE LEVEL OR DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO SUPPORT, FROM A LAW PERSPECTIVE, ALWAYS REACH OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST READING OVER BEFORE AND DURING THE MEETING. IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS. AND I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. I GUESS IT'S DIRECTED AT ROBBIE. THE PROPOSED FY 26 PAYGO IS INCREASED. I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED IT. IT WAS. I MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOMETHING, THOUGH. IT'S PROJECTED THAT INCREASE JUST TO COVER THE COST. AND THEN YOU SAID THE GENERAL FUND WAS GOING TO BE USED FOR SOME OF THAT. DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH FROM THE GENERAL FUND. IN, IN THE, IN THE UPCOMING IN THIS CURRENT YEAR AND IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, I DON'T EXPECT US TO BE USING ANY OF THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER AT THIS TIME. NOW, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S BASED ON RECREATION. RECREATION HAS BEEN DOWN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS INTEREST RATES HAVE CLIMBED UP, AND IT KIND OF PUT A PUT A STALL ON THE, ON THE, ON THE HOUSING MARKET. AND SOME OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS STARTING TO BOUNCE BACK A LITTLE BIT. SO WE ARE AT THE WHIMS OF KIND OF THAT, THAT REVENUE. BUT YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW OUR EXPECTATION IS, IS THAT WE'RE NOT THAT WE DIDN'T BUILD ANY OF IT IN FOR THIS YEAR. AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO USE IT FOR NEXT YEAR. BUT IF YOU LOOK IN THE PLAN, I BELIEVE IT'S ON PAGE 16. THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL START SEEING THAT THAT GENERAL FUND TRANSFER. LIKELY PROJECTED YOU KNOW AND AGAIN YOU KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO USE DOWN THE EXISTING FUND BALANCE. AND REALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS, IS WE YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE NOW, WE'VE BEEN SPENDING MORE THAN WHAT WE, WE BRING IN IN RECREATION. BUT WE HAD SEVERAL YEARS WHERE WE WERE SPENDING LESS BECAUSE WE MOSTLY FUND THIS PROJECT THROUGH DEBT FINANCING, THROUGH BONDS. AND SO, LIKE WITH BONDS, YOU KNOW, AT THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU CAN KIND OF SPEND MORE THAN, THAN YOUR, THAN YOU'RE MAKING. AND YOU, YOU BUILD UP A BALANCE THERE TO PULL FROM. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. IT'S LARGELY BY DESIGN. BUT EVENTUALLY THAT DOES RUN OUT. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE'LL NEED THAT GENERAL FUND TRANSFER PROBABLY BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 27. I ALSO DON'T WANT TO GET TOO WONKY HERE. WE ALSO THOUGH HAVE PAYGO, WHICH IS IN THE CURRENT BUDGET. BECAUSE AS I SAID BEFORE, WE FINANCE WE DO MOST OF THE PROJECTS WITH WITH BONDS. SO WHEN WE DO THE STREAM REMEDIATION, THE REAL BIG PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, BYNUM RUN AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, THOSE ARE GENERALLY BONDED PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY'RE LONGER TERM. THEY'RE LONGER TERM ASSETS. WE ALSO HAVE SOME PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO USE CASH FOR IN THE CAPITAL FUND. SO SUCH AS LIKE HELPING WITH SEPTIC HOOKUPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. OF COURSE, WE ALSO USE THE CASH IN THE OPERATING SIDE BECAUSE WE PAY THE PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THESE PROJECTS. WE PAY THEM ALSO WITH THOSE FUNDS, AND WE ALSO PAY THE SHARE OF RECREATION TO THE TOWNS OUT OF THOSE FUNDS. SO SOMETIMES THE TERMS AND ALL CAN GET CAN GET SOMEWHAT SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. SO YOU WILL SEE PAYGO IN THIS IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL AS NEXT BUDGET. BUT MORE OR LESS AS A CAPITAL FUNDING AS FAR AS A FUND BALANCE PERSPECTIVE. AGAIN, I DON'T EXPECT THAT UNTIL UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 27. SO IF I JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT REAL QUICK, JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. THE WATERSHED FUND BALANCE IS GOING TO RUN THROUGH 26. AND THAT LOOKS LIKE PROJECTED 26. FY 26 IS 4.9 MILLION. AND THEN IT SWITCHES TO THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE BECAUSE THE WHY ARE WE NOT USING THE WATER FUND BALANCE CONTINUING PAST THEN EVENTUALLY IT RUNS IT RUNS OUT RUNS OUT. I MEAN AND THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME SOME OF THAT FUND BALANCE.THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE SOME SALARY SAVINGS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THESE ARE KIND OF ROUGH OUT YEAR NUMBERS. BUT THE BIG IDEA IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE SPENDING THAT YOU'RE SPENDING AT THIS LEVEL. YOU'RE SPENDING LARGELY AT THIS AT THIS
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$8 MILLION LEVEL. AND YOU'RE BRINGING IN $3 MILLION OR SO OF RECORDATION TAX. AND THEN YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, FILLING THAT GAP WITH SOME OF THOSE PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCES. SO WE HAVE $30 MILLION WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE. ASSIGNED. AND THAT WAS AGAIN, A DECISION FROM THE FROM THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION CARRIED FORWARD UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION. FOR THIS PURPOSE, SO THAT WE WOULD GET TO THE POINT THAT WE COULD TRANSFER IT NOW IN THE LONG TERM, AND PROBABLY AS WE COME HERE IN THE FUTURE YEARS, WE WILL WE WILL NEED TO FIND A MORE SUSTAINABLE REVENUE SOURCE. BUT AS FAR AS MEETING THE OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE NOW, BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS, THESE FUNDS SET ASIDE, I THINK WE WOULD BE HAVING A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION WITH THE REGULATORS BECAUSE WE WOULD WE WOULD MORE OR LESS HAVE AN UNFUNDED PLAN.BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT DEDICATED BOTH THE DEDICATED FUNDING AND THE ASSIGNED FUNDING TO COVER THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A BALANCE AND FUNDED PLAN FOR THIS PERMIT, PERIOD. JUST ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION. SO I GET THAT. THE WATERSHED FUND, WHICH WAS 30 MILLION. WHAT ELSE IS THAT FUND USED FOR OTHER THAN THIS PROGRAM. THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT. SO IT'S I MEAN IT'S ANYTHING, ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF THAT FUND IS, IS SPECIFIC TO THIS PERMIT. IN FACT, YEARS AGO I SPOKE ABOUT THIS THE STORMWATER PROJECTS, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S WHY WE WENT AND SEPARATED THEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS THAT'S NOT RELATED TO THIS PERMIT. LET'S MOVE THAT TO A SEPARATE CATEGORY SO THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS STORMWATER FUND NOW, WHICH IS AGAIN, A STANDALONE BUDGET, IT IS ALL ABOUT MEETING THAT THAT PERMIT. SO IF WE HAVE 30 MILLION BUT THIS IS ONLY REQUIRING 5 MILLION. WHY DO I KNOW IT'S A PRESET FROM PAST ADMINISTRATIONS. WHAT. WHY DO WE NEED 30 MILLION IN THAT FUND IF WE'RE. WELL, I MEAN, THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE 30 MILLION WAS THAT WE KNEW THAT IT WAS IT WAS WE KNEW THAT THIS COST WAS GOING TO GROW OVER TIME. AND IT WILL. SO ACTUALLY, FOR A HOST OF FOR A HOST OF REASONS, ONE, YOU HAVE ACCUMULATING DEBT SERVICE. ANOTHER THING WHICH WE REALLY DIDN'T GET INTO NOW IS THE WAY THE PERMITS WORK IS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE WHATEVER IT WAS, YOU KNOW, 10% OF THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AND THEN THE NEXT 10%. AND SO YOU'RE YOU'RE IN ESSENCE KIND OF KNOCKING OUT THE EASIER ONES FIRST. IN ESSENCE. SO IT'S KIND OF SOME DIMINISHING MARGINAL RETURNS OR, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE CARE OF THE LOW HANGING FRUIT AND IT'S GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE OVER TIME. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ALSO GOING TO GET TO GET MORE. IT'S ALSO GOING TO GET MORE EXPENSIVE. AND THAT'S WITHOUT ASSUMING THAT THERE'S NO CHANGES IN OTHER REGULATIONS WHERE THEY SAY THIS DOESN'T WORK. WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A LOT OF THIS WORK, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN REALLY STRONG ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE. SO THE PEOPLE WITHIN WATER AND SEWER.
YOU KNOW, SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE SOME, SOME TEMPORARY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CREDITS THERE IN ORDER TO BUY TO BUY TIME. BUT IN THE LONG TERM THAT'S NOT A LONG TERM SOLUTION BECAUSE NOW I'M GETTING OUT OF MY DEPTH HERE. SO IF I GO TOO FAR, REEL ME BACK IN. BUT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT POINT SOURCES OF THE OF THE POLLUTION. YOU KNOW AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE, THE RUNOFF, YOU KNOW, THE FROM THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AND THE WASTEWATER HAS THEIR OWN POINT, THEIR OWN POINT SOURCE.
AND, AND THERE'S OTHER ONES AS WELL FOR AGRICULTURE. AND SO WE'VE BEEN BORROWING FROM THAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S JUST A TEMPORARY BRIDGE. AND SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE. SO FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS, THIS IS GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER PITTMAN. MISTER JORDAN. IS THIS THE SAME THING AS THE RAIN TAX THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, BACK IN? O'MALLEY? IT JUST CALLED SOMETHING DIFFERENT UNDER. YOU KNOW, WE WERE ON THE. YES, IT THE STORMWATER REMEDIATION FEE AND OTHER COUNTIES DO HAVE IT. BALTIMORE CITY, BALTIMORE COUNTY, ANNE ARUNDEL, HOWARD. MANY OF PRINCE GEORGE'S YOU KNOW, THE LARGER JURISDICTIONS DO. YES. WHERE IT'S SOME TYPE OF A FEE ON IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, YOU KNOW, AND WHETHER THEY JUST HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR RESIDENTIAL OR THEY ACTUALLY TRY TO MAP IT OUT AND HAVE A COST PER, PER, PER SQUARE FOOT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE. BUT YES. SO WE YOU CAN GET AWAY FROM HAVING A RAIN TAX. AND THAT WAS KIND OF ONE OF DANIELLE'S INITIAL, YOU KNOW, POINTS. BUT YOU STILL NEEDED TO HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE. SO THAT WAS VERY EARLY ON IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION MADE. AND THE COUNCIL TO ELIMINATE THE RAIN TAX BECAUSE WE TECHNICALLY SET ONE UP, BUT WE NEVER REALLY, REALLY IMPLEMENTED IT. BUT THEN WE KNEW WE HAD TO FIND ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE. AND THAT'S WHERE THE RECORDATION CAME IN. AND EVENTUALLY WE'LL NEED ANOTHER RECORD. WE WILL NEED ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE TO AUGMENT THIS AS WELL. THANKS. THANK YOU, MISTER JORDAN. ANYONE ELSE? HE'S GOT AN ANSWER. I'M STEVE. WE CERTAINLY WILL CONTINUE TO GO AFTER GRANTS. AND WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL RECENTLY WITH WITH SOME GRANT GRANT MONEY FOR PROJECTS AS WELL. SO THAT'S THAT'S PART OF OUR PROGRAM TO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. SEEING NO ONE ELSE HERE ON THE DAIS. MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP, MISTER PRESIDENT. WITH NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP. I WANT TO THANK
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YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. AND THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION. 040 DASH 24. AND WE WILL CONSIDER THIS AT OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.[b. Resolution 041-24 (Economic Development Opportunity Loan Fund to MJT Holdings LLC)]
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE TO RESOLUTION 041 DASH 24 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY LOAN FUND FOR MJTI HOLDINGS, LLC. MISS HOLT, MISS BURROUGHS. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH OF YOU. I'M KAREN HOLT, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND WITH ME IS BONNIE BURROUGHS, THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE AND FINANCE LIAISON FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FUND, OR EDOF. MISS BURROUGHS WORKS WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD'S FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THESE ARE COMMUNITY BUSINESS MEMBERS WHOSE APPOINTMENT IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL TO SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THROUGH THE COMMITTEE'S EFFORTS, WE'VE REVAMPED THE LOAN PROGRAM AND INCREASED THE CAP AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES. THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, TONIGHT, WE COME BEFORE YOU WITH A LOAN REQUEST FOR APPROVAL THROUGH RESOLUTION 041 DASH 24 FOR MJTI HOLDINGS, LLC.AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MICHAEL AND JENNIFER TAMBURINO CO-OWNERS ARE HERE THIS EVENING.
BEFORE I TURN THE MIC OVER TO BONNIE AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTIONS, I'D JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE EDOF PROGRAM HAS GENERATED 107 JOBS AND RESULTED IN NEARLY $5.68 MILLION IN PRIVATE CAPITAL INVESTMENT HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. BONNIE, GOOD EVENING. AGAIN, WE ARE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR A LOAN OF UP TO $200,000 FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FUND FOR MJTI HOLDINGS. MGT HOLDINGS WAS FORMED IN 2024 TO PURCHASE AND CONVERT 909 SOUTH MAIN STREET IN THE TOWN OF BEL AIR, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN OFFICE SPACE FOR BRIGHTSTAR CARE OF BEL AIR, MARYLAND. BRIGHTSTAR CARE OF BEL AIR, MARYLAND IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY MICHAEL AND JENNIFER TAMBURINO UNDER GOLDEN RULE HEALTH SERVICES, WHICH WAS OPENED IN 2018. BRIGHTSTAR CARE OF MARYLAND. BEL AIR, MARYLAND IS AN IN-HOME CARE SERVICE PROVIDER INCLUDING COMPANION CARE, PERSONAL CARE, SKILLED NURSING, AND PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND SPEECH THERAPY. THEY CURRENTLY EMPLOY 60 FIELD BASED STAFF AND SEVEN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. THE PROJECT THAT WE SPEAK OF WILL IT WILL INCREASE EMPLOYMENT TO AS MANY AS 120 EMPLOYEES. THEY WILL BE MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS FROM FALLSTON TO BEL AIR. THE PROPERTY IS A GREAT LOCATION FOR ACCESS, FOR ACCESSIBILITY FOR THEIR CLIENTS, AS WELL AS BEING CENTRALLY LOCATED WITH ADEQUATE PARKING. IT WILL ALSO ENHANCE THEIR OPERATIONAL SPACE, SUPPORT FUTURE GROWTH, AND WILL BRING MODERNIZATION AND FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY AND STABILITY, AS WELL AS CREATE HAVE POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACTS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. MR. BENNETT. HELLO. HI. GOOD EVENING. COULD YOU TELL JUST SOME ABOUT HOW PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THIS FUND? HOW DO THEY APPLY FOR THE FUND? HOW MUCH DO WE TYPICALLY APPROVE EACH YEAR FOR PEOPLE TO RECEIVE AND LOANS? JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HEAR. SURE. SO IN ORDER TO WELL, TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE LOAN, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT ALSO WE DO MARKET THROUGH OUR BIZ BITES NEWSLETTER. WE TALK ANYTIME WE HAVE EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, ANY NETWORKING GROUPS. WE DO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO BUSINESSES ABOUT IT. WE ALSO HAVE A EMPLOYEE WHO HAS WITH OUR OFFICE THAT HAS GONE TO BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, IN ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUALLY, LITERALLY KNOCKING ON DOORS, HANDING OUT FLIERS AND OTHER RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO THE LOAN. OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT ADVOCATES AS WELL FOR OUR LOAN PROGRAM. IN ORDER TO APPLY, WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE ON OUR ON OUR UNDER OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGE UNDER HARFORD COUNTY. OUR APPLICATION PROCESS IS ONLINE. I DO ASK THAT IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO APPLY TO REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR SOMEBODY IN OUR OFFICE JUST SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IT'S THE BEST FIT, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES
[00:30:04]
BESIDES OUR PROGRAM, SO WE JUST MAKE SURE IT'S THE BEST FIT FOR YOU. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AFTER THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD GO THROUGH FOR ANY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION OR ANY LOAN. AND THEN WAS THERE ANOTHER PART OF THE QUESTION I MISSED? NO, I THINK THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S WORTH REMARKING THAT GETTING A 3% INTEREST RATE IS REALLY TREMENDOUS COMPARED. YOU KNOW WHAT? LIKE IF YOU WERE TO TRY AND GET A LOAN FROM A BANK RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE FIVE 6% HIGHER THAN THAT. SIX. AND SO I MEAN, THAT'S JUST IT'S SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO DO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT HELP GROW THEIR CAPACITY, BUT MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT. CAN YOU SHARE ANY OTHER LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES FROM THIS PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT HAVE BEEN DONE? YEAH. SO WE THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF SUCCESS STORIES WE ACTUALLY ASSISTED. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THIS PROGRAM THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON IS WE DO PARTNER WITH OTHER LENDERS, NOT JUST SO WE CAN BE STANDALONE, BUT WE TEND TO PARTNER WITH OTHER LENDERS. AND WE DID THAT IN A SITUATION WHERE IT WAS A CHOCOLATIER AND THE BUSINESS WAS ACTUALLY CLOSING, AND SHE WANTED TO PURCHASE A BUSINESS FROM HER UNCLE. SO IT DIDN'T CLOSE BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY LONG STANDING FAMILY BUSINESS. SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GET QUITE ENOUGH FROM THE ONE FUNDING SOURCE. SO WE STEPPED IN TO KIND OF PARTNER AND TAKE ON SOME OF THE WORKING CAPITAL SALARIES THAT NEEDED TO BE FUNDED WHILE SHE GOT BACK UP AND RUNNING, AND THAT LOAN WAS FIVE YEARS AND THEY WERE STILL IN BUSINESS, SUCCESSFUL, DOING GREAT. WE'VE ALSO HELPED TO FUND OPENING A WHOLESALER, FOOD DISTRIBUTOR AND SALE. I GUESS SALE, A STOREROOM, WAREHOUSE AND WHERE YOU CAN GO AND PURCHASE FOOD AT WHOLESALE AND IN BULK. AND THAT WAS ON ROUTE 40. SO WE HELPED WITH THEIR FACADE, WITH THEIR SIGNAGE, AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR FITOUT. SO YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF SUCCESS STORIES. I MEAN, JUST FROM SHOWING THAT WE'VE HELPED TO CREATE 107 JOBS AS WELL AS INJECT $5.8 MILLION OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT INTO THE COUNTY. SO IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. AND WITH THE REVAMPING OF IT THIS YEAR IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, WE FOUND THAT I THINK THAT WE HAVE FOUND A NICHE THAT WE'RE REALLY GETTING A LOT OF INTEREST IN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. JORDAN. KAREN HOLT.GOOD TO SEE YOU, BONNIE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOU LAUGH OR ANYTHING, SO THAT'S OKAY. SO WHO'S THE WHO'S THE EMPLOYEE THAT DOES THE DOOR KNOCKING? JOE SLIFKA. OKAY. HE'S DONE. SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM. OBVIOUSLY I'VE SENT IN A LOT OF THE MEETINGS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF TRYING TO STREAMLINE THIS, GET THIS WORKING SO THAT WE HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FUNDS TO GIVE OUT TO THE BUSINESSES. I KNOW ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO, JACOB, I SEND OUT A LOT OF EMAILS TO BUSINESSES, TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANTS THAT WE DO. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF TRYING TO INJECT FUNDS INTO. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS THE CHIROPRACTOR'S OFFICE OR THE ONE NEXT TO THE. IT USED TO BE THE SLEEP STUDY, BUT I THINK 1 OR 2 OF THOSE MAYBE IS THIS BUILDING. I JUST LOOKED IT UP REAL QUICK TO SEE WHICH ONE. WHICH ONE WAS THAT? DO YOU KNOW? IT WAS A SLEEP STUDY BUILDING AT ONE POINT. THEY'RE GOING INTO 90909909. DO WE KNOW WHAT IT WHAT IT WHAT WAS IN THERE? IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR SOME TIME, ACTUALLY. BUT IT MIGHT HAVE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SLEEP STUDY. IT WAS IT WAS THE SLEEP STUDY THAT THAT WAS IN THERE. SO HOW MANY PARKING SPACES DO THEY HAVE? THEY'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING THEIR PARKING SPACES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT CURRENTLY HAS. HOW MANY THEY GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT? OH WELL, THEY'RE BACK THERE. CAN TEN OKAY. NOT GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE SPOT.
I'M NOT ASKING ON A SPOT. SO WHEN DO THEY EXPECT TO MOVE IN. SO THEY ARE MOVING IN IN 2025.
THEY'VE ALREADY SETTLED ON THE LOCATIONS. OKAY. SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO IN THERE AND I TAKE IT DOES THIS FUND HAVE TO BE CONTINGENT ON THE PEOPLE LIVING IN HARFORD COUNTY OR NOT? THE OWNERS DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY, BUT THE BUSINESS HAS TO BE LOCATED IN HARFORD COUNTY. OKAY. SO THE BUSINESS DOES THE OWNERS DON'T. RIGHT. IT HAS TO BE A HARFORD COUNTY BUSINESS. SO CAN I ASK IF THEY LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY? NO, NO. OKAY. I THINK MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT JUST WENT OFF. WE'RE DONE. YEAH. OKAY. NO, I THINK IT'S A I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM. I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. JUST TRYING TO FIND THE NICHE OF WHAT WORKS. SO I KNOW THIS ONE. ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WE'RE DOING UNDER THE NEW PROGRAM, WHERE IT
[00:35:04]
HAS TO COME TO US THAT WE HAVE TO APPROVE THAT. SO I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. GOOD LUCK TO THEM. MR. PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WANT TO THANK FOR THE PRESENTATION. I SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. AS YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES. MJ HOLDINGS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THE COUNTY, REVITALIZING THIS PROPERTY AND BRINGING VALUABLE TAX DOLLARS HERE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN. MR. RILEY, ARE YOU MOVING BECAUSE YOU'RE COUNCILMAN F INSTEAD OF C? YOU WANTED YOU WANTED TO STOP. JUST STOP. WELCOME TO MY DISTRICT. OH MY GOD. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE DAIS? WELCOM, NEIGHBORS. MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT. AND THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION OH 41 DASH 24. AND IT WILL BE TAKEN UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE HANG AROUND FOR A FEW MINUTES SO THAT HE CAN
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
GET HIS QUESTIONS ANSWERED. AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO I'M GOING TO CALL THAT TO ORDER NOW. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 20 5-001I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU IN PRAYER, ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND BLESSING FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA. WE ASK YOU TO SHOW US HOW TO COMPLETE THIS TASK IN A WAY THAT IS PLEASING UNTO YOU. GUIDE US IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AND OUR DECISIONS, HELPING US TO SEEK WHAT'S TRULY BEST FOR OUR COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS. LORD, WE ASK YOU TO WRAP YOUR LOVING AND HEALING ARMS AROUND THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, THOSE INJURED OR AFFECTED BY THE HORRIFIC AND EVIL EVENTS RECENTLY IN OUR COUNTRY. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US IN WAYS WE CANNOT IMAGINE. IN YOUR MOST HOLY NAME, LORD, WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AGENDA ITEM NUMBERS FOUR,[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
FIVE AND SIX. WE HAVE NO BUSINESS THIS EVENING. SEVEN. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 17TH, 2024. LEGISLATIVE DAY 24 033 DECEMBER 17TH, 2024. SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION. LEGISLATIVE DAY 20 FOUR. DASH 034 DECEMBER 30TH, 2024. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS, THE MINUTES STAND APPROVED. EIGHT. INTRODUCTION[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]
AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS. WE HAVE NONE. MR. VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE READ BILL 20 5-001 TERM LIMITS CODE REVISION. BILL 20 5-001 TERM LIMITS. CODE REVISION AS INTRODUCED. INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE. AN ACT TO REPEAL AND REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS. SECTION FOUR SEVEN TERMS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS OF ARTICLE ONE. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF CHAPTER FOUR ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNMENT OF THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE, AS AMENDED. TO REVISE THE COUNTY CODE TO ESTABLISH TERM LIMITS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REFLECT THE CHANGES BY THE CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSED IN BILL NUMBER 23, DASH ZERO 28, AND APPROVED BY THE VOTERS OF HARTFORD COUNTY, AND GENERALLY RELATING TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025 AT 7:15 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. AGENDA NUMBER TEN. INTRODUCTION. CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NONE. 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE. 12 ENROLLMENT OF BILLS WE HAVE NONE. 13[13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
UNFINISHED BUSINESS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPOINT ALONDA ROBERTS AS COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT EIGHT. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO NOMINATE OR APPOINT MISS MELINDA ROBERT AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT EIGHT. AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, PLEASE, MR. BENNETT? I KNOW I SAID THIS WHEN WE HAD OUR DELIBERATIONS LAST WEEK, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST SAY AGAIN HOW LUCKY WE WERE TO HAVE THREE AMAZING OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM. HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO SOON TO BE COUNCILWOMAN ROBERTS ON JOINING US UP HERE. BUT ALSO HUGE THANK YOUS GO OUT TO ZACH AND TO HEATHER. ALL THREE OF THEM PEOPLE I KNOW AND CONSIDER TO BE GOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD PEOPLE. AND IT GOES WITHOUT[00:40:03]
SAYING THAT THE BEST THING I'VE DONE IN MY TWO YEARS ON THE COUNCIL IS HIRING HEATHER TO BE MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE. SO THANK YOU TO HEATHER FOR ALWAYS BEING THE PERSON THAT MAKES ME DO A GOOD JOB. BUT ALSO, THANK YOU TO NOLAN AND ZACH FOR MAKING IT HARD ON US BY HAVING THREE GOOD OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM. THANK YOU, MISTER BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MISTER PENMAN? THANK YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT. I WANT TO THANK YOU EACH FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS. IT WAS NOT EASY. YOU GUYS PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. ZACH. HEATHER. THANK YOU. IT WAS A DIFFICULT CHOICE. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS, AND I WELCOME YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISTER JORDAN? I'LL CHIME IN. SO I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF YOU. AS I WAS AWAY ON VACATION WITH LIMITED EMAIL ABILITY. SO IT WAS KIND OF PANICKING. AND THEN I DID GET THE EMAILS BACK FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED YOU, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT. THAT HELPED A LOT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH WITH WHOEVER'S UP HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING FOR YOU FOR RIGHT NOW. THANKS. I WANT TO THANK THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART.THANK YOU, MISTER JORDAN AND MR. RILEY. YES. I AGAIN WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S SENTIMENTS.
APPRECIATE ALL THREE OF YOU. I THINK NOT ONLY DID YOU MOVE THE NEEDLE ON ME LAST WEEK, BUT YOU ALSO APPARENTLY MOVED THE NEEDLE ON MANY OTHERS. AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, MISTER RILEY. MISS SADDLES, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND THE FACT THAT YOU MET WITH US AND ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS WAS REALLY GREATLY APPRECIATED. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SADDLES. AND I GUESS FOR ME, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION THAT NOT ONLY YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING AND SHOWING INTO THE FUTURE, BUT BEFORE GETTING HERE, WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO THIS POINT, ALL OF YOU, AND WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TO MEET WITH US. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AND I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED THAT WE'RE AT A POINT TO WHERE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD NOW.
SO WITH THAT, MISS DIXON. MISTER PRESIDENT. I, MR. PENMAN. HI, MR. GIORDANO. I, MISTER RILEY. I MISSUS I MISTER BENNETT. I THERE BEING SIX IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE ABSENT, ONE VACANT. SEAT.
THE APPOINTMENT OF MISS NALANDA ROBERT IS HEREBY APPROVED FOR DISTRICT A. AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER
[14. NEW BUSINESS]
14. NEW BUSINESS. OATH OF OFFICE. I WANT TO WELCOME THE CLERK OF THE COURT, MISS CASKEY, HERE THIS EVENING. THANK HER FOR HER TIME. AND, MISS ROBERT, IF YOU WOULD JOIN US UP FRONT HERE, FOLKS. THE DEMOCRATS ALWAYS GET A SPECIAL SWEARING IN. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU TONIGHT? HE'S NOT WRONG. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE IT. YEAH, I NEED TO. ALL RIGHT.SHE'S GOING TO NEED ONE TO. GRAB HER. THANK YOU. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DO A DUET. OKAY.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I. I STATE YOUR NAME. YOLANDA. ROBERT. DO YOU SWEAR? DO YOU SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THAT? I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND THAT I WILL. AND THAT I WILL BE FAITHFUL, BE FAITHFUL AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE, AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND, TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS THEREOF AND LAWS THEREOF. AND THAT I WILL, AND THAT I WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL, TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT AND JUDGMENT, DILIGENTLY AND DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY AND FAITHFULLY, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE OR PREJUDICE. EXECUTE THE OFFICE. EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF COUNCILMAN. OF COUNCILMAN FOR HARFORD COUNTY. FOR HARFORD COUNTY, ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION. ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE AND LAWS OF THE STATE.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANK. YOU. SHE SAID. COUNCILMAN. I THINK SHE'S GOING TO TALK. I
[00:45:13]
MADE HER. IS SHE GOING TO TALK UP HERE? COUNCILWOMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US, PLEASE? AGENDA NUMBER 17. COMMENTS AND[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE'S ONE, MISTER PRESIDENT. HOLD ON ONE SECOND.THANK YOU. HENRY GIBBONS. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. HENRY GIBBONS, 2402 PAPAYA ROAD IN EDGEWOOD. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT. NOT JUST AS THE CHAIR OF THE HARFORD DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE WITH WITH WHOM YOU'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS ON ON FILLING THAT SEAT, BUT ALSO AS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT A. AS YOU HEARD FROM FROM MY INTRODUCTION, I WANT TO FIRST OFF CONGRATULATE COUNCILWOMAN ROBERTS ON HER APPOINTMENT AND THANK HER FOR BEING WILLING TO STEP INTO THE SHOES OF FORMER COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE AND TO FILL THE SEAT SO THAT THE DISTRICT THE DISTRICT MIGHT BE PROPERLY REPRESENTED ON THE COUNCIL. WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. I WANT TO THANK ZACH AND HEATHER FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AS WELL, AND TO OUR OTHER APPLICANTS WHO PUT THEMSELVES FORWARD AND ALLOWED THEM TO AND SHOWCASED THEIR OWN QUALIFICATIONS AND UNIQUE AND UNIQUE ABILITIES. IT MADE OUR PROCESS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT THAN WE THAN THAN THAN WE HAD, THAN WE HAD THOUGHT. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY COUNCIL ALSO, AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, FOR WORKING WITH US AND FOR BEING PATIENT WITH OUR PROCESS AS WE EXECUTED. AS WE EXECUTED THE PROCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR OWN BYLAWS AND WITH THOSE OF THE STATE PARTY. LAST, I WANT TO CHARGE COUNCILMAN ROBERT. AND JUST REMIND AND TO LET YOU SORT OF GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING ON THIS. YOU NOW REPRESENT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT A, NOT JUST THE DEMOCRATS, NOT JUST THE REPUBLICANS, BUT THE INDEPENDENTS AS WELL. AND AS SUCH, I WOULD I WOULD CHARGE YOU TO WORK WITH YOUR ALL OF YOUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT AND PROACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP, YOU KNOW, WORK ACROSS THE AISLE AND WITH YOUR FELLOW DEMOCRATS AS WELL, TO DELIVER THAT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND GROWTH TO THE DISTRICT, WHILE ALSO BALANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY. WE CHARGE YOU TO WORK TO DELIVER THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING AND ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF SOME OF THE MORE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED REGIONS, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT A. AND LAST, I WOULD I WOULD CHARGE YOU TO EXERCISE THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE PUBLIC RESOURCES SO THAT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT A AND OF THE COUNTY MIGHT BENEFIT. THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO STEP UP AND REPRESENT YOUR FELLOW RESIDENTS. AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANYONE ELSE? THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MISTER
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]
PRESIDENT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA NUMBER 16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MISTER BENNETT.[00:50:01]
HELLO. GOOD EVENING. HAPPY NEW YEAR. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK TO THE COUNCIL BUILDING THIS YEAR.CONGRATULATIONS TO NALANDA. THE PRESSURE'S ON BECAUSE WE'RE USED TO ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF CONVERSATION FROM THAT END OF. BUT. I WANTED TO REAL QUICK HIGHLIGHT THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AND REPAIR FUND. THAT'S CURRENTLY HAVING COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER FROM WHEN WE HAD OUR HEARING ABOUT THIS FUND, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I ADVOCATED FOR WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR COMMUNITY BEING ABLE TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHERE AND HOW THAT MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT. SO THEY'VE ALREADY HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, ONE ON DECEMBER 17TH IN ABERDEEN AND THE OTHER DECEMBER 30TH IN ABINGDON. BUT THERE'S THREE MORE COMING UP. THURSDAY, JANUARY 9TH AT NOON. THERE WILL BE AN ONLINE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THIS FUND SHOULD BE USED. ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 14TH, THEY'RE GOING TO HOST. AT 6 P.M. AT THE JARRETTSVILLE LIBRARY, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. AND THEN SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST AT 10 A.M. AT THE EDGEWOOD LIBRARY. SO THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHARE HOW YOU THINK THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AND REPAIR FUND SHOULD BE USED TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT CAN BE USED. WE CAN BE REALLY CREATIVE. IT CAN'T BE USED TO FUND THINGS THAT ALREADY EXIST. SO THE EXAMPLE THAT I THINK WE GAVE DURING THE MEETING IS THAT IT CAN'T BE USED TO PAY THE SALARY OF SOMEONE ALREADY DOING A JOB, BUT IT CAN BE USED TO ENHANCE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO AND ADD ON TO THINGS THAT ALREADY EXIST, LIKE ADD AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, FOR INSTANCE. AND THE OTHER PART TO REMEMBER IS THAT CAN'T BE USED TO PAY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS. AND IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND, ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE IS A SURVEY YOU CAN FILL OUT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AS WELL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MISTER BENNETT. MISS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE. AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCILWOMAN ROBERTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WORKING TOWARD A SUCCESSFUL 2025. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SALES, MR. RILEY. YES. JUST A COUPLE THINGS I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A HEALTHY, PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. THANK YOU TO NALANDA.
I'LL GET IT SOONER OR LATER. YOU GOT IT THIS TIME. I GOT IT THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE DAIS. ALSO, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, MILO'S BIRTHDAY IS TODAY, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MILO. ALSO, IF YOU'RE PRAYING INDIVIDUAL, DON'T FORGET THAT THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY JUST WENT DOWN TO ANNAPOLIS AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A 90 DAY SESSION. SO I'LL BE DIVORCEE FOR 90 DAYS. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO PRAY FOR ME. I COULD WREAK A LOT OF HAVOC IN 90 DAYS. AND ALSO THE 119TH CONGRESS IS IN SESSION. SO PRAY FOR THEM ALSO. THANK YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISTER RILEY. MISTER JOHN GIORDANO. PRAY FOR ME, FOR MISTER RILEY BEING AROUND FOR ME FOR 90 DAYS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, NALANDA. THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. SO. AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. PLEASE BE CAREFUL. BLACK ICE IS OUT THERE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT BLACK ICE IS. IT'S WET. IT'S ICE IS UP AND YOU SLIP, FALL AND CRACK YOUR HEAD AND BREAK SOMETHING. OR WIND UP IN A HOSPITAL. SO HAPPENED TO ME TODAY. I SLIPPED AND I CAUGHT MYSELF. BUT JUST.
REALLY. EVERYBODY BE CAREFUL. THANK YOU. HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU, MISTER MISTER PENMAN. THANK YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT. I TOO WANT TO WISH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE COUNCIL. AND CONGRATULATE YOU, NALANDA ONCE AGAIN. YOUR DISTRICT. DISTRICT A IS WHERE I WAS RAISED WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL. GRADUATED FROM EDGEWOOD. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON YOUR ENDEAVORS AND IMPROVING DISTRICT K. JUST SOME INTERESTING ENERGY NEWS. WHICH WAS FORWARDED TO ME BY BILL TIMONEY. CONSTELLATION ENERGY ENTERS INTO A $1 BILLION DEAL TO SUPPLY US GOVERNMENT WITH NUCLEAR POWER. THE ONCE FEARED CLEAN AND EFFICIENT NUCLEAR POWER IS NOW ATTRACTING RENEWED INTEREST TO MEET THE ENERGY DEMANDS THROUGHOUT THE PJM INTERCONNECTION. WHILE THIS WILL ONLY HELP MINIMALLY WITH THE ENERGY DEFICIT THAT PJM AND MARYLAND FACE, IT'S PROGRESS. FINDING RELIABLE AND REASONABLE ENERGY THAT SOLAR AND WIND JUST CAN'T PROVIDE AT THIS POINT. ALSO WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE THAT MANY OF HARFORD COUNTIES IN THE STATE HAVE EXPERIENCED. THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ANNOUNCED ITS 2025 REASSESSMENT OF 712,000 RESIDENTS IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. FROM GROUP ONE, GROUP ONE WILL BE ASSESSED A ROUGHLY 20% INCREASE IN THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. THE GROUP ONE INCREASE WAS THE
[00:55:07]
EVALUATION OF 60,761 HOME SALES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT GROUP ONE IS, ACCORDING TO THE STATE SITE, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE NORTH END, A LITTLE BIT OF HAVRE DE GRACE, A LITTLE BIT OF JOPPA. EVERY THREE YEARS, THEIR PROPERTY VALUES ARE REEVALUATED. SO NEXT YEAR, GROUP TWO WILL BE REASSESSED AND TWO YEARS GROUP THREE. AND IN THREE YEARS, GROUP ONE WILL BE REEVALUATED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER INCREASE. THE SAD PART IS THAT THE UPCOMING INCREASES WILL HAVE ALL THE RECENT FEE INCREASES, BUILDING PERMIT FEE INCREASES, LICENSE FEES, IMPACT FEES AND ALL THOSE FEES WILL INFLUENCE INFLATION AND INCREASE THE COST OF HOUSES AND LIVING AND RESULT IN HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES FOR EVERYONE. ONCE AGAIN, FEES AND TAXES ON MULTIPLE LEVELS. AND I JUST WANT TO READ A QUOTE FROM RONALD REAGAN, WHICH I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PRESIDENTS THAT OUR UNITED STATES HAS EVER HAD. WHEN I WAS A BOY IN THE MIDWEST, GOVERNMENTS FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL WERE ONLY TAKING ABOUT $0.15 OF EVERY DOLLAR EARNED. TODAY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST HALF A DOLLAR EARNED IN THE UNITED STATES. AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT BECAUSE THE TAXES ARE HIDDEN IN THE SO-CALLED BUSINESS TAXES. POLITICIANS WANT TO SAVE THE LITTLE MAN AND TAX BUSINESS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THAT EVERY TAX ON BUSINESS IS JUST A PART OF THE COST OF PRODUCTION, AND CUSTOMERS WIND UP PAYING WHEN THEY BUY THAT PRODUCT. IT'S A HIDDEN SALES TAX. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HIDDEN SALES TAXES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, INTRODUCED BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, AND I HOPE DURING THE COUNTY ADDRESS, WHICH WILL BE NEXT WEEK, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PROVIDES REAL PROGRESS, REAL STRATEGIES TO GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY THROUGH SMART, BALANCED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NOT MORE FEE INCREASES. BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH MORE OUR COMMUNITY CAN HANDLE WITH THE STATE AND LOCAL FEES AND TAX INCREASES FROM THE CASSILLY AND THE MOORE ADMINISTRATIONS. AND I'LL CLOSE WITH ONE FINAL RONALD REAGAN QUOTE. EVERY NEW DAY BEGINS WITH POSSIBILITIES. IT'S UP TO US TO FILL WITH THE THINGS THAT MOVE US TOWARDS PROGRESS AND PEACE.AND I HOPE THE NEW YEAR BRINGS US PROGRESS AND PEACE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISTER PITTMAN. PRESSURES ON MISS ROBERT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I FEEL HONORED TO BE IN THIS POSITION. AS SOME PEOPLE KNOW, I DID. YOU KNOW, WALK THE STREETS. I TALKED TO A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS BACK IN 2022 AND STILL WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TALK TO THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M EXCITED TO BE IN THIS POSITION. I THANK ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT ARE HERE AND SUPPORT ME. I WILL SAY THIS. THIS WAS MORE NERVE WRACKING THAN WHEN I WAS ON WHEEL OF FORTUNE. JUST SAYING. BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND GETTING THE JOB DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. 15 BUSINESS
[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
FROM THE PRESIDENT. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS AGAIN, MAKE NOTE TO OUR LEGISLATIVE ADDRESS AND STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS. NEXT WEEK, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14TH, IN THESE CHAMBERS AT 7 P.M. AND THEN I, TOO, WANT TO THANK MISS ROBERT AGAIN. AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SAY FOR THE COMMITMENT, BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T EVEN REALLY KNOW WHAT COMMITMENT SHE'S MADE. SHE THINKS SHE DOES, BUT SHE DOESN'T. SO THANK YOU. BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE FOLLOWING. AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WINTER WE GET HIT PRETTY HARD IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO START WITH A FELLOW BY THE NAME OF JOHN MCCOY, WHO SERVED ON OUR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, SHALON LAWSON FROM HAVRE DE GRACE. MISS GLASSMAN, A FORMER COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S MOTHER. DAVID SHRODES, THE UNCLE TO CHAD SHRODES. FRANK MARTINO. AND THEN TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY, DONALD GRIM, MISTER SHANE GRIMM'S DAD.SO EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE EXTREMELY WELL KNOWN IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS, AND WE WANT TO THANK THEM AND KEEP THEM IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND WITH
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.