WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. FIVE. FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. [1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:09] LEGISLATIVE SESSION. DAY 25. DASH 003. COUNCIL. THIS EVENING WE HAVE TROOP 809 AND 809 G FROM JARRETTSVILLE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, I WOULD LIKE ALL OF US TO PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN PENMAN. RIGHT UP FRONT HERE. YOU SCOOT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. COME ON DOWN. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 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 TOGETHER THIS EVENING WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE TO LEAD US WITH WISDOM, FAIRNESS, AND COMPASSION AS WE DELIBERATE. GRANT US CLARITY OF THOUGHT THAT WE MAY MAKE DECISIONS ROOTED IN JUSTICE AND COMMITTED TO THE WELL-BEING OF ALL. MAY OUR ACTIONS REFLECT INTEGRITY, HUMILITY, AND UNITY. HELP US TO LISTEN WITH OPEN HEARTS, EMBRACE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, AND SEEK SOLUTIONS THAT PROMOTE THE GREATER GOOD. BLESS OUR MEETINGS WITH YOUR PRESENCE AND GUIDE OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS, AND DECISIONS SO THEY HONOR THE VALUES OF SERVICE AND RESPECT. IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU, MISTER PITTMAN. AGENDA NUMBER FOUR. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS. APPLICATIONS. APPOINTMENTS. [6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS] NOMINATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS CANCELED THIS EVENING. WE HAVE OUR POLICE AND COUNTY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT. MISS WALTER, COME FORWARD, PLEASE. AND WHOEVER ELSE WANTS TO COME WITH YOU. NO ONE WANTS TO COME. JOE AND JOHN, YOU'RE GOING TO JUST LEAVE HER BY HERSELF? ALRIGHT. I'M SURE SHE'S MORE THAN CAPABLE. TALK ABOUT NO MAN LEFT BEHIND. EXACTLY. IT'S A PLEASURE HAVING YOU TONIGHT, CHIEF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. VINCENT AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THIS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE THE 2024 ANNUAL REPORT SUMMARY OF THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. MY NAME IS TERESA WALTER. I AM THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE HARFORD COUNTY POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. BUT JUST REAL QUICK, BEFORE I GET STARTED, REAL QUICK, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR. JOHN LAMBECK. HE HAS BEEN FOR ALMOST TWO AND A HALF YEARS. HE HAD BEEN THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AND HE WAS PERFECT IN THAT HE NAVIGATED THROUGH ALL OF THE INITIAL PROBLEMS, SOLUTIONS, WHATEVER. WHEN IT CAME TO THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, HE DID A GREAT JOB. FORTUNATELY, HE'S STILL STAYING WITH US ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AND THE ACC FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. SO AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION, AND I WANT TO GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO MR. JOHN MCCOY'S FAMILY. MR. MCCOY, JUST LIKE MR. LAMBECK, WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE ON THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER AT THE END OF DECEMBER LAST MONTH. SO MR. MCCOY WAS AN AMAZING MAN. A LOT OF COMMON SENSE. WE HAD SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS. AND AGAIN, I DO EXTEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIM. APPRECIATE THAT. MOVING ON TO THE ANNUAL SUMMARY, AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND BY HARFORD COUNTY STATUTE, YOUR HARFORD COUNTY POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, THE PAB CONSISTED OF MR. JOHN LAMBERT JR, MR. JOE RYAN, MISS ALLISON IMHOFF, MISS VICKY JONES, MR. JOHN MCCOY AND MISS TERESA WALTER. WE ALL SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND REVIEW. THE PAB MET AT 5:30 P.M. ON JANUARY THE 30TH. ON APRIL THE 23RD, ON JULY THE 30TH, AND ON OCTOBER THE 22ND IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE IN BEL AIR, THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE THREE MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE REPRESENTED, AS WERE A FEW OF THE OTHER CITIZENS FROM HARFORD COUNTY. PAB MEMBER MR. JOHN MCCOY RESIGNED DUE TO AN ILLNESS IN JULY, AND MR. RUSSELL WALTER WAS APPOINTED TO FILL HIS VACANCY. DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING THE PAB AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, THE ACC, AND HOW TO BETTER CONDUCT THE ADMINISTRATION OF SAME IN A UNIFORM WAY. AMONG THE FOUR AGENCIES. DISCUSSIONS ABOUT [00:05:05] FILING COMPLAINTS, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT AGENCIES, HOW AGENCIES GET THE COMPLAINTS SECURELY TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, TIMING ISSUES WITHIN THE LEGISLATION, AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES WERE DISCUSSED, BUT MOST OF THEM WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE. ON AVERAGE, THE ACC MEMBERS SPENT ABOUT 20 HOURS A WEEK REVIEWING A CASE AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS. CASES CAN BE OVER 100 PAGES IN LENGTH AND CONTAIN HOURS OF VIDEO REVIEW FROM MULTIPLE BODY WORN CAMERAS. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE STATE ENACTING LEGISLATION HAS SEVERAL ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. THE NUMBER OF CASES FILED FOR 20 FOR 2024 WERE 38. ABERDEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD 18 CASES, THE BEL AIR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD THREE CASES. THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD 11 CASES, AND THE HABIT GRACE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD SIX CASES. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 61 ALLEGED VIOLATIONS. DISPOSITION ON THOSE VIOLATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS. 5% WERE CHARGED. ADMINISTRATIVELY, 10% WERE NOT CHARGED, AND 85% HAD AN UNFOUNDED DISPOSITION. MR. PRESIDENT, THAT WOULD BE THE REPORT. THANK YOU CHIEF. I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE AND THE REPORT. COUNCIL AT THIS TIME, ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS? MR. JORDAN? MY VOICE IS ALMOST GONE. SO THANKS, CHIEF, FOR THAT REPORT. WHAT'S UNFOUNDED MEAN? UNFOUNDED MEANS BASICALLY THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THERE TO PROVE THAT THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF A VIOLATION. AFTER DOING AFTER LOOKING AT ALL OF THE CASE, THE ENTIRE CASE, BODY WORN CAMERAS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT INVOLVE. BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE TO PROVE THAT THAT WAS AN ACTUAL VIOLATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISS ADAMS? THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME LEGISLATION IN ANNAPOLIS. COULD YOU WEIGH IN ON THAT AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT? YES. I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE LEGISLATION, BUT I KNOW THERE'S ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. AND IT'S IT INVOLVES THE TIME PERIOD THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION AND THEN GET IT TO THE PAB AND THEN THE ACC. THEY WANT TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR INVESTIGATIONS, AND THAT CAN BE VERY, VERY PROBLEMATIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ADAMS. MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD TO SEE YOU. WITH THE BREAKDOWN BY DEPARTMENT SHARED. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF IF IT IF THERE'S ANY RHYME OR REASON TO, YOU KNOW, ABERDEEN HAVING SUCH A HIGHER AMOUNT COMPARED TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OR IS IT JUST RANDOM OR IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT? WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION, BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE AGENCY. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS OCCURRED DURING THAT AGE IN THAT AGENCY AT THAT TIME. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. I GUESS I'M GOING TO ASK JOHN JOE, ANYTHING TO ADD AT ALL TO THIS PRESENTATION? VERY GOOD. I APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE US AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WORK SO CLOSELY WITH ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES, ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SIR. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, [7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] LEGISLATIVE ADDRESS AND STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS. JANUARY 14TH, 2025. PUBLIC HEARING JANUARY 14TH, 2025 LEGISLATIVE DAY 20 5-002 JANUARY 14TH, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS, THE MINUTES STAND APPROVED. EIGHT INTRODUCTION. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS WE HAVE NONE NINE. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. NONE. TEN INTRODUCTION [11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS] AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. NONE. 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. BILL 20 4-037 B1. SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. MR. PENMAN, COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 24 037 ZONING CODE CHARTER CHAPTER 267 LIQUOR STORES B1. SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MISS SALES. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 20 4-0. 37. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. PRESIDENT, MR. PENMAN, I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION. I SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION. OBVIOUSLY. I THINK IT'S TIME TO SUPPORT SMALL [00:10:01] BUSINESSES. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT FEES AND TAX INCREASES. AND IT'S TIME TO SUPPORT BUSINESS. SO WE CAN HAVE SMART BALANCED ECONOMIC GROWTH. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK SO MUCH ABOUT TAXES AND FEE INCREASES. THIS BILL WAS A COMPROMISE. AS WE KNOW THERE WAS AN INITIAL BILL THAT DISALLOWED IT. THIS IS SPECIAL EXCEPTION. AND IT WAS SUGGESTED BY MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN JOHN GIORDANO. I THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION. AND IT WAS INTRODUCED. THE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. THERE ARE TEN DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF IT, REALLY. 11 IF YOU LOOK AT THE SIGNAGE ASPECT OF IT. AND IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE CLASSIFICATION OR ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS, IT'S TOLERATED IN VILLAGE BUSINESS AND IT'S ALLOWED IN B2, AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO ALLOW IT IN B1. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS LEGISLATION WAS DESIGNED TO HELP OUT, YOU KNOW, A FEW LOCAL BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES THAT SUBMITTED PETITIONS. I THINK THERE'S 112 SIGNATURES ON THIS PETITION, AND THERE'S 40 EMAILS OF SURROUNDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WANT TO SUPPORT THIS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING IT. I'M SUPPORTING IT FOR MY DISTRICT. I'M SUPPORTING IT FROM THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN MISINFORMATION ABOUT THIS OPENS THE FLOODGATES FOR LIQUOR STORES. AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE. AND THAT WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE LIQUOR BOARDS ASSESSMENT OF THIS. AND ALMOST ENCOURAGEMENT, THINKING THAT IT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN B1. AND THAT IS CONTROLLED ONLY ONE LIQUOR STORE FOR EVERY 4000 RESIDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY. AND THERE'S A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF LIQUOR STORES STILL AVAILABLE. THERE IS MISINFORMATION ABOUT THIS WOULD OPEN UP FOR MARIJUANA, AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE EITHER, BECAUSE SPECIALTY STORES ALREADY ALLOW MARIJUANA IN B1, SO THIS WOULDN'T CHANGE THAT. SO I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE START EVALUATING DIFFERENT WAYS TO HELP BUSINESS. AND THIS IS HOW I THINK WE COULD START THAT CONVERSATION. AND I ASK MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? HELLO. I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS LEGISLATION. WITH DUE RESPECT TO COUNCILMAN PENMAN, I FEEL LIKE IN YOUR RATIONALE SHARED TONIGHT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, BOTH SIDES OF YOUR MOUTH, BECAUSE IN ONE SENSE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS LEGISLATION PUTS US IN A PATH FORWARD TO GROW THE ECONOMY, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SAYING IT WON'T LEAD TO AN INCREASED NUMBER OF LIQUOR STORES. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO FIX THE FUNDING GAP THAT WE HAVE IN HARFORD COUNTY OR EVEN BEGIN TO ADDRESS THAT. I JUST WORRY IT BRINGS LIQUOR STORES CLOSER TO HOMES, CLOSER TO COMMUNITIES. AND THE CONCERN WE HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT WAS ABOUT EXACTLY THAT. SO FOR THAT REASON, I WON'T SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION. NOW I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, IF A PROPERTY WANTS TO CHANGE THEIR ZONING DURING COMPREHENSIVE REZONING SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE A LIQUOR STORE WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS, I SUPPORT THAT, BUT I DON'T SUPPORT LOOSENING THE GUARDRAILS ON WHERE LIQUOR STORES GO IN OUR COMMUNITY, PUTTING THEM CLOSER TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. PENMAN. I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT. THE REFERENCE I'M TALKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF MY MOUTH. I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE. I NEVER SAID THIS WON'T INCREASE THE LIQUOR STORES. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF INCREASED LIQUOR STORES THAT COULD TAKE PLACE IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND IF YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, B1 IS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMMUNITY ORIENTED. AND A LOT OF TIMES IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THAT WE DISCUSSED, IT IS A COMMUNITY ORIENTED LIQUOR STORE. YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO DOWN THERE AND YOU TALK TO THE OWNER AND YOU SIT THERE, THIS LIQUOR STORE OWNER THAT'S WORKED EVERY SINGLE DAY SINCE HE OPENED A BUSINESS OR TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS 20 YEARS AGO, PRACTICALLY KNOWS EVERY NAME OF A CUSTOMER THAT WALKS IN THERE. IT'S A STAPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY. SO, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE OPEN THE DOORS TO EVERY LIQUOR STORE OR LIQUOR STORE IN EVERY CORNER. YES, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT STANDARDS OF LIQUOR BOARD HAS IN PLACE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN EASY TRANSITION. EVEN IF THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE A LIQUOR STORE IN B1, THERE'S A SPECIAL EXCEPTION. AND THERE'S A STANDARD OF 11 DIFFERENT ASPECTS THAT THEY HAVE TO FULFILL. AND THAT'S THROUGH EVALUATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY, EVALUATION OF TRAFFIC. YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS IN THE AREA, ALL THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE IT'S EVEN APPROVED. SO ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS HELP THIS BUSINESS, HELP OTHER BUSINESSES THRIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. PITTMAN. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS COUNCIL, FOR THE MOST PART, IS BUSINESS FRIENDLY, HAS SHOWN THAT OVER THE YEARS. [00:15:03] THIS COUNCIL IS MADE UP OF RIGHT NOW FOR BUSINESS OWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. SO I THINK WE DO BELIEVE IN BUSINESS. I DO BELIEVE WE SUPPORT BUSINESS. AND WITH THAT, IF NO ONE ELSE HAD ANY COMMENTS. MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? NO. MRS. ROBERT. NO. MR. PENMAN. I, MR. GIORDANO. NO. MR. RILEY. NO. MRS. WILSON. I MR. BENNETT. NO. THERE BEING TWO VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, FIVE VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE. BILL 20 4-0. 37 IS DENIED. BILL 24, DASH 40 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 20 FOUR, DASH ZERO 40. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 24 ZERO 40. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I. MR. PENMAN I. MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. I. MR. BENNETT. I. THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ZERO IN A NEGATIVE BILL 20 4-0 40 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AGENDA NUMBER 12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS. BILL 24 ZERO 40 IS CERTIFIED AS A TEXT. FINALLY PASSED 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE. 14 NEW BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE. 17 COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. MISS DIXON, [17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS] WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP. WE DO, MR. PRESIDENT. I KNOW RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO. I DO NEED TO GRAB THE REST OF THE LIST. THE FIRST TWO SPEAKERS, AL PETERHOFF AND MICHELLE REDMOND. BEFORE YOU START TO SPEAK, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. AT THE MICROPHONE IN THE BACK. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. MY NAME IS AL PETROV, 937 NINA AVENUE, HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND. 21078. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND THE COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO IMPROVE YOUR PUBLIC NOTICE SYSTEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. IT IS MY OBSERVATION THAT THE PUBLIC AT LARGE IS OFTEN VERY UNINFORMED ABOUT VARIOUS LEGISLATION AT HAND, WHETHER IT'S CITY, COUNTY, OR STATE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE PUBLIC DOES NOT PAY ENOUGH ATTENTION, BUT SOMETIMES YOU GUYS MUST MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING. A LITTLE NOTICE IN A BURIED WEBSITE IS FAR FROM ADEQUATE. NOW, I KNOW YOUR JOBS ARE NOT EASY, AND MUCH OF YOUR DEDICATED WORK GOES UNAPPRECIATED FOR THE PEOPLE. SOMETIMES IT'S BORING OR MUNDANE AND DOESN'T EVEN REQUIRE THE ATTENTION OF CITIZENS AT LARGE. AND AS LONG AS YOU FOLKS ARE BEING HONEST AND DOING YOUR BEST, IT SHOULD BE FINE. HOWEVER, FROM TIME TO TIME, HOT BUTTON ISSUES ARISE THAT HAVE A TENDENCY TO WAKE UP THE PUBLIC AND FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES IS SUDDENLY AT STAKE. IT IS THESE TIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU NEED TO GUIDE EACH OTHER AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE ALL ACTING AS A BODY. SERVING THE INTERESTS OF HARFORD COUNTY CITIZENS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN IT LEADS TO STRESSFUL RELATIONS WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND IT INSPIRES IDEAS OF MISTRUST AND BETRAYAL. IF YOU HAD A WAY TO PREDICT OR MEASURE THE LIKELY PUBLIC RESPONSE OF ANY PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND TOOK ACTIONS TO MAKE SURE THE PROPER CONSTITUENT CONSTITUENTS WERE NOTIFIED, YOU WOULD BEGIN TO FOSTER REAL TRUST FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND REAL RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER. THIS WOULD LEAD TO MORE HARMONIOUS AND SENSIBLE OUTCOMES ON ANY LEGISLATION. THIS COULD BE A LARGE SIGN POSTED OR AN EMAIL BLAST, OR MAYBE A SIGNING. NEIGHBORHOOD CAPTAINS TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT COMING UP IN A PARTICULAR AREA. IT COULD BE A FEW PHONE CALLS. AT LEAST THE PUBLIC WOULD KNOW YOU WERE TRULY SERVING THEM. IT IS MY HOPE THAT ONE OF YOU SOON WILL PRESENT LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THIS UNATTENDED FLAW IN OUR SYSTEM. COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS TO MAKE THIS PUBLIC NOTICE WORK A LITTLE BETTER. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. IT IS MY HOPE TO SPEAK TO EACH OF YOU VERY SOON ON [00:20:05] IMPORTANT ITEMS AFFECTING MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. CALL YOUR NEXT SPEAKER. SO. GOOD EVENING MADAM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS MICHELLE REDMOND AND I LIVE AT 1011 MORRISON BOULEVARD, HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND, 21078. YES, MA'AM. I HAVE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER AND A RESIDENT HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I OWN PROPERTIES IN BELCAMP AND HAVRE DE GRACE. I AM INCREDIBLY INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY. I AM ALSO A CAREGIVER TO MY 73 YEAR OLD MOTHER, WHO IS ON OXYGEN WITH COPD AND EMPHYSEMA. I HAVE A 13 YEAR OLD WHO HAS ASTHMA AND A FIVE YEAR OLD WITH SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RISK OF CANCER, 5 TO 10 TIMES HIGHER BECAUSE HE HAS A GENETIC DISORDER. AS A WIFE, AS A MOTHER AND A DAUGHTER, I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, BUT ESPECIALLY HAVRE GRACE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SPEAKING ON TODAY NEEDS TO BE NUMBER ONE ON THE AGENDA, AND I AM SO THANKFUL AND WANT TO GIVE MY APPRECIATION TO EXECUTIVE CASSEL AND ALL OF YOU FOR FOCUSING ON PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS THE EMS INCREASE. HE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IN HIS WORDS. WE ARE ALL NEIGHBORS AND WE MUST ALL RISE TOGETHER TO THE CHALLENGE AND ASK OUR OFFICIALS TO BE THE CATALYST TO ENSURE OUR COUNTY IS THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE. THAT IS WHY WE AS A COUNTY MUST FOCUS ON AIR QUALITY, PARTICULARLY IN REGARDS TO INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION, WHICH, ACCORDING TO NEWLY AVAILABLE STUDIES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, GREATLY IMPACTS CANCER RISK, HEART AND LUNG HEALTH, PERSONAL THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY ME, BUT MANY MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. I HOPE THAT WE RISE TO PROTECT ALL OUR CHILDREN AND SENIORS FROM DUST PARTICULATES CAUSED BY HEAVY INDUSTRY, SUCH AS MINING. AS MY SON APPROACHES HIS NEXT CANCER SCREENING, WHICH IS IN ONE WEEK, AND AN INVASIVE MRI THIS SPRING TO ENSURE HE REMAINS SAFE AND CANCER FREE. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT NO CHILD HAS TO ENDURE THE SAME OR WORSE, BECAUSE WE FAILED AS A COUNTY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM POLLUTANTS THAT COULD BE EASILY PREVENTED. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EVERY CITIZEN, AND I BELIEVE THAT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I HAVE HEARD FROM EACH OF YOU IN TURN. I KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE DEDICATED SERVICE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO BUSINESS [16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ] FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR OUR SCOUT TROOP FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. IT WAS 2006 WHEN I CAME TO MY FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, GETTING MY SIT IN THE COMMUNITY MERIT BADGE. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LIBRARY FOR HOSTING ME THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. I WAS A GUEST READER FOR THE FAIRY TALE AND SUPERHERO FESTIVAL, AS WAS SEVERAL OF MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, AND THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. AND I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYONE TO STAY SAFE IN THIS WEATHER AND IN THIS COLD. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE STAYING WARM, THAT IF YOU'RE USING A SPACE HEATER, YOU'RE NOT PLUGGING IT INTO AN EXTENSION CORD OR A, YOU KNOW, AN OUTLET THAT IT DOESN'T BELONG IN. THE LAST THING THAT WE NEED IS A FIRE. SO PLEASE KEEP YOURSELF WARM, BUT ALSO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT, MISS ALICE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I ALSO GOT TO READ AT THE LIBRARY. IT WAS A VERY FUN MORNING. AND TODAY, MY AIDE TARA ATTENDED THE ABERDEEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUNCHEON. AND OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT WAS THE SPEAKER. UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T ABLE TO BE THERE. AND I HEAR IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT. SORRY I HAD TO MISS IT AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SORROWS, MR. RILEY. YES. THANK YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT. CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVE CROSS ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE HARFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS AND LICENSE. AND I JUST WANT TO LET THOSE FOLKS IN HAVRE DE GRACE KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH AL TOMORROW, AND I'LL SEE YOU AT TEN. THANK YOU, MISTER RILEY. MISTER. JANARDANAN. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. MY VOICE IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE WEATHER HERE, BUT I ALSO READ AT THE LIBRARY THE ANNUAL FAIRY TALE SOUP. AND KUDOS TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES. BUT I WAS TOLD I DID THE BEST JOB, SO, YOU KNOW, I PLAY, I PLAY, YEAH, I PLAYED MOP TOP. AND I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY A FEW TEACHERS. I'M GOING TO READ AT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS MOP TOP AGAIN. SO LOOK FOR ME TO POP UP AT SOME OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA OF SOME TEACHERS I KNOW. I'M GLAD, GLAD TO DO THAT. IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS ME TO READ AT THEIR SCHOOL, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE OR ME AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO. SO [00:25:04] THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. JORDAN AND MR. PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WANT TO OFFER MY CONDOLENCES TO THE CASTLE FAMILY IN THE PASSING OF JOE CASTLE, THE FORMER STATE'S ATTORNEY. I CONSIDER JOE A FRIEND. I WORKED WITH HIM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN NARCOTICS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. COUNTLESS WIRETAP INVESTIGATIONS THAT HE HELPED WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE AND HIS, YOU KNOW, SIGNATURE ON THEM. HE WAS A RESOURCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND HE WILL BE MISSED. SWITCHING GEARS. AS A MAKO REP, THERE ARE A LOT OF LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE REVIEWING FOR ANNAPOLIS. AND I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GO DOWN A FEW OF THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE IMPACTS TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE STATE IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND MOST OF THESE THAT I'M GOING TO COVER ARE ABOUT TAX INCREASES. HB 23, PROPERTY TAX MODIFICATION FOR COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL. THIS IS ENABLING LEGISLATION FOR THE COUNTY TO INCREASE THEIR TAXES. THIS WILL PREVENT OR EVEN SLOW SOME BUSINESSES FROM COMING TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND. HB 151 ALLOWING COUNTIES TO RAISE INCOME TAX FROM 3.2 TO 3.7. CURRENTLY, HARFORD COUNTY HAS A 3.06 TAX RATE. TAX INCOME TAX RATE. THE STATE GETS 2.25% OF IT, SO INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES CAN INCREASE IT TO 2.3. AND THAT COULD ONLY BE ASSESSED ON INCOMES. HOUSEHOLDS MAKING $250,000 OR MORE. HB 167 VEHICLE TAX INCREASE. IF THIS LEGISLATION WERE TO BE PASSED, IT WOULD GO FROM 6% TO 6.75%. SENATE BILL 324. ADMISSIONS AND AMUSEMENT TAX. THAT'S GOING TO BE SUGGESTED TO BE INCREASED ALONG WITH OTHER TAX ASSESSMENTS. THE ESTATE EXEMPTION TAX WILL GO FROM 5 MILLION TO 2 MILLION. SO YOU WILL BE TAXED AT 2 MILLION RATHER THAN 5 MILLION. AND THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE STATE, YOUR HOUSE, ALL ALL YOUR ASSETS ALL TOGETHER. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE INCREASED TAXING TO GAMBLING, SPORTS BETTING, CANNABIS. SO THE STATE IS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO TAX ITS CITIZENS. AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SOME OF THE OTHER LEGISLATION HOUSE BILL 87, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND HOME RENTALS. TAXATION REGULATION. I KNOW THAT WAS A DISCUSSION POINT FOR THE VRBOS AND THAT SORT OF THING. THAT'S GOING TO BE ASSESSED. HOUSE BILL 270 DATA CENTERS IMPACT ANALYSIS. THEY'RE GOING TO EVALUATE THAT. THERE'S GOING TO BE SEVERAL SUBTRACTION MODIFICATIONS ENABLING LEGISLATION SO COUNTIES CAN MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS FOR MILITARY TAX CREDITS, PUBLIC SAFETY, CHILD SUPPORT, AGRICULTURE AND RETIREMENT INCOME. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE EVALUATED AS WELL. AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS ANOTHER ALARMING FACT. THE STATE'S GOING TO BE SHIFTING COST BURDENS ONTO COUNTIES. FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE TAX CREDITS TO SUPPORT BUSINESS AND ALSO PENSIONS. THIS I JUST RECEIVED THIS ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE THE MEETING. SO I LOOK TO EVALUATE THIS A LITTLE MORE. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE ALL IN ALL TEACHERS RETIREMENT. THE COST FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES IS GOING TO BE INCREASED FOR HARFORD COUNTY. THE COUNTY LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO ABSORB $3.385 MILLION TO FUND THE CURRENT TEACHER RETIREMENT PROGRAM, SO WE'LL LOOK MORE INTO THAT. AL ALSO, JUST IN REFERENCE TO YOUR CONVERSATION, HOUSE BILL 74 LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICES? TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BILL. I HAVE NOT READ IT MYSELF, BUT IT'S ON THE LIST. IT MIGHT ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR THINGS. THAT'S HOUSE BILL 74, AND I'LL CLOSE. I WATCHED THE INAUGURATION ON MONDAY. I THINK IT WAS A FANTASTIC INAUGURATION AND LET FREEDOM RING. THAT'S ALL I. MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU, MISTER PENMAN. MISS ROBERT. YES. ON FRIDAY, I GOT TO ATTEND THE MLK COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITY AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, SPONSORED BY UNITED WAY AND NAACP, AND IS PRETTY MUCH GIVING BACK TO THE TEACHERS AND SUPPORTING THEM. I HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY MEETING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS £0.03. I HAVE A LINE UP OF ORGANIZATIONS TO MEET WITH AND KIND OF GET EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE, BUT ME PERSONALLY, FOR THE CONSTITUENTS, I AM SETTING UP MEET AND GREETS, ONE FOR EDGEWOOD, ONE FOR ABINGDON AND ONE FOR JOPPA. THEY ARE IN THE WORKS, SO KEEP AN EYE OUT AND THERE WILL BE A FLIER SO THAT YOU CAN ATTEND. THAT IS ALL [15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT] FROM ME. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. SO AGENDA ITEM 15 BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT. AS MISS SIDLES REFERENCED EARLIER, I DID HAVE THE HONOR AND PLEASURE TO SPEAK TO THE ABERDEEN CHAMBER TODAY. [00:30:06] SPEAK TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ELECTEDS IN ABERDEEN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECALL OR NOT, BUT WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL, I SERVED DISTRICT E FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS, AND IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH OUR OFFICIALS THERE. THIS PAST FRIDAY, I HAD A NICE MEETING WITH MAYOR MCGRADY AND MISS SADDLES CATCHING UP ON SOME THINGS IN ABERDEEN, SO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT IN THE FUTURE. ALSO THIS PAST WEEK WE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT MEETINGS, ONE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, COMMUNITY BOARD, COUNCIL MEMBERS, VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THE PAST WEEK. THE RETIREMENT FOR DAVE CROSS FROM DILP AFTER 13 YEARS. SO WE KIND OF, AS I ALWAYS SAY, WE STAY CONTINUALLY BUSY DOING DIFFERENT THINGS ALSO. LAST NIGHT, ACTUALLY, I MET WITH SOME CITIZENS IN HAVRE DE GRACE. SO AS WELL AS A MUSEUM MEETING LAST NIGHT. SO. BUT I TOO WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO JOE CASTILE'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE AND SACRIFICE FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND FOR HIS DECADES OF SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY. AND AGAIN, WHEN I FIRST WAS ELECTED IN 14, ONE OF THE FIRST OFFICIALS THAT REACHED OUT TO ME WAS THE STATE'S ATTORNEY, AND HE ASKED ME TO DO A TOUR WITH HIM IN HIS OFFICE. SO IF YOU CAN ENVISION MR. CASSILLY IN A WHEELCHAIR ROLLING THROUGH THE STREETS OF BEL AIR TO VISIT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND OFFICES, AND HE DID THAT FOR YEARS. HE IS DEFINITELY WILL BE MISSED BY HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILIES. AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO KEEP YOU, KEEP HIM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND WITH * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.