Apr 15, 2025 County Council

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WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER. PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 25 004.

[a. Bill 25-004 (Water and Sewer Rate Revisions-FY26-FY30)]

WE ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE RATES ARE BASED ON WHAT WE CALL COST OF SERVICE. THIS IS AN INDUSTRY APPROACH TO SETTING RATES AND ENSURES THAT THE RATES ARE SET FAIRLY AND APPROPRIATELY. AND YOUR LAST COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED IN 2016. SO IT'S BEEN NINE YEARS. IT'S APPROPRIATE TO REVISIT THE COST OF SERVICE AND ALONG WITH COST OF SERVICES, IS REVIEWING THE WATER AND SEWER RATE ELEMENTS, ENSURING THAT THE WATER RATES AND THE SEWER RATES ARE BOTH RECOVERING THEIR RESPECTIVE COSTS, AS WELL AS THAT THE FIXED CHARGES AND THE VOLUMETRIC CHARGES OF THE SYSTEM ALSO RECOVERING THEIR RESPECTIVE COSTS. SO I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE HAVE HAVE UNDERTAKEN. THIS IS A TYPICAL METHODOLOGY FOR A RATE STUDY. IT'S THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE'VE USED FOR THIS STUDY. BUT THE FIRST STEP IS DETERMINING THE REVENUE REQUIREMENTS. IT'S BASICALLY ESSENTIALLY A FINANCIAL PLANNING STEP WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW MUCH REVENUE DOES THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM NEED TO GENERATE EACH YEAR OF OUR OF OUR FIVE YEAR PROJECTION, WE NEXT EVALUATE THE COST OF SERVICE, WHICH IS TAKING THIS REVENUE, AND IT'S ALLOCATING IT TO THE DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE SYSTEM WATER, SEWER, FIXED CHARGE, VOLUMETRIC CHARGE, AND SO FORTH. AND WE USE THIS INFORMATION TO DESIGN THE RATES AND FEES THAT WOULD BE ENACTED TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. AND WE LOOK AT HOW THAT WOULD WOULD IMPACT THE CUSTOMERS AS PART OF DESIGNING THOSE RATES AND FEES. SO THERE'S TWO LEADING MANUALS OF PRACTICE. THE FIRST IS PERTAINS TO WATER RATES. IT'S KNOWN AS THE M ONE MANUAL PRINCIPLES OF WATER RATES, FEES AND CHARGES. THIS IS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION. IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR ESTABLISHING WATER RATES AND THE COST OF SERVICE APPROACH THAT THAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ESTABLISHING THOSE WATER RATES.

SO I'M VERY SIMILARLY IS THE MANUAL OF PRACTICE NUMBER 27, WHICH IS PUBLISHED BY THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION, VERY SIMILAR MANUAL, BUT IT FOCUSES ON WASTEWATER RATES AND

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AND THE GREEN LINE THAT YOU SEE IS THE ACTUAL REVENUES THAT WERE GENERATED FROM THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY, PRIMARILY THROUGH USER RATES. AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THAT BETWEEN 2000 AND 8 AND ABOUT 2015, THE SYSTEM WAS ACTUALLY UNDER RECOVERING, RIGHT. THE REVENUES OF THE SYSTEM WEREN'T EVEN RECOVERING ENOUGH. THEY WEREN'T GENERATING ENOUGH REVENUE TO EVEN COVER THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COST. AND AS A RESULT, THE COUNTY ENACTED TWO VERY LARGE RATE INCREASES IN 2016 AND 2017. AND I'LL SHOW THOSE ON MY NEXT SLIDE. AND YOU CAN SEE WITH THAT THAT GREEN LINE INCREASES. AND TODAY AND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. RIGHT. YOU'VE ESTABLISHED A VERY HEALTHY UTILITY UTILITY THAT'S GENERATING REVENUE TO COVER BOTH THE OPERATING COSTS AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL REINVESTMENT NEEDS. AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE RATES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THIS FINANCIAL RESILIENCY. WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY. SO AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THESE ARE THE RATE INCREASES. THE WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASES FOR EACH YEAR. GOING BACK TO 2008.

BETWEEN 2008 AND 2015 WAS REALLY A PERIOD OF KIND OF LIMITED RATE PLANNING. THE AVERAGE RATE INCREASE WAS ABOUT 2.25% PER YEAR. THERE WAS ONE YEAR WHEN THERE WAS NO RATE INCREASE. AS I MENTIONED, THE REVENUES. THEY WERE NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM. AND AS AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE COUNTY WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF WHAT I CALL RATE CORRECTION. RIGHT. THERE ARE TWO VERY LARGE RATE INCREASES IN EXCESS OF 25% EACH YEAR. AND SINCE THAT TIME, YOU ALL HAVE HAVE HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF MAINTAINING THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE UTILITY, MAINTAINING REGULAR RATE INCREASES WHICH HAVE AVERAGED OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, 4.5% A YEAR. AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, WHICH YOU CAN SEE WITH THE BLUE BARS, IS AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF 4.2% PER YEAR OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AGAIN, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE FINANCIAL HEALTH THAT THAT YOU ALL ESTABLISHED IN 2016 AND 2017. SO I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE THE FIVE YEAR PLAN. AGAIN, AS I'VE MENTIONED, THE AVERAGE INCREASE IS 4.2% PER YEAR. BOTH WATER AND SEWER COMBINED. THE BARS IN THIS SLIDE ARE THE OPERATING REQUIREMENTS OF THE SYSTEM THAT THAT WE HAVE FORECASTED. AND THE GREEN LINE IS THE REVENUE STREAM THAT WE'RE FORECASTING, WHICH INCLUDES THIS 4.2% A YEAR INCREASE. AND AS I THINK YOU CAN SEE, WHAT WE'RE WORKING TO ACHIEVE IS REVENUES THAT ARE SUFFICIENT TO MEET AGAIN, THE ANNUAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS OF THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. SO I WANT TO I WANT TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED RATES. SO THESE ARE THE WATER RATES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING. THIS TABLE SHOWS BOTH THE CURRENT RATES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT, AS WELL AS THE RATES THAT THAT WE ARE PROPOSING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, 2026 THROUGH THROUGH 2030. WE'RE SHOWING BOTH THE FIXED CHARGES, RIGHT. THE FIXED CHARGE IS A QUARTERLY CHARGE. YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE ARE MAINLY BILLED QUARTERLY.

AND THE FIXED CHARGE IS BASED OFF OF A CUSTOMER'S METER SIZE 5/8 INCH METER UP TO. WE HAVE RATES FOR A 12 INCH METER, BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANY 12 INCH METER CUSTOMERS. YOU DO HAVE A COUPLE OF TEN INCH METER CUSTOMERS. AND THEN THE VOLUMETRIC RATES, RIGHT, WHICH IS A RATE WHICH IS CHARGED PER 1000 GALLONS. AND SO THAT PORTION OF THE BILL WOULD VARY BASED OFF OF HOW MUCH WATER A CUSTOMER USES. THESE RATES ARE ALSO PRESENTED IN IN THE BILL THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED A 25 FOR, AND VERY SIMILARLY, IS A SUMMARY OF THE SEWER RATES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING THE CURRENT SEWER RATES, BOTH THE FIXED CHARGES, THE FIXED QUARTERLY CHARGES, AS WELL AS THE VOLUMETRIC CHARGES FOR SEWER SERVICE, BOTH THE CURRENT RATES AND THEN EACH OF THE FIVE EACH OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AGAIN, THESE RATES ARE ALSO PROVIDED IN THE SAME BILL 20 5-4. SO HOW WILL THESE BILLS HOW WILL THESE RATES IMPACT A TYPICAL CUSTOMER OF HARFORD COUNTY? WELL, A TYPICAL CUSTOMER

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AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU ALL ARE VERY COMPETITIVE WHEN COMPARED WITH WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE REGION. AND SO IN CONCLUSION, IN SUMMARY, THE PROPOSED RATE ADJUSTMENTS, RIGHT. WE'RE INTENDING TO MAINTAIN THE FINANCIAL STABILITY THAT THAT THE COUNTY HAS ESTABLISHED. THE PROPOSED RATES WILL MAINTAIN THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. IT WILL FUND BOTH THE OPERATING AND THE CAPITAL NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM. IT AVOIDS ONE TIME LARGE INCREASES LIKE YOU SAW IN 2026 AND 2027. WE HAVE ALIGNED THE COST OF SERVICE, AND I THINK WE ALSO SEE THAT THE RATES THAT YOU'RE CHARGING ARE COMPETITIVE. WHEN WE COMPARE THAT WITH WITH OTHER WATER AND SEWER SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE REGION. AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. ROB. YES. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IS A ENTERPRISE FUND. IT IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT UPON THE REVENUES GENERATED BY THE USERS OF THE WATER AND SEWER FUND. AND THERE IS NO SUBSIDIES IN EITHER DIRECTION FROM, SAY, THE GENERAL FUND TO THE WATER AND SEWER FUND. SO WHEREAS THE GENERAL FUND PAYS FOR SCHOOLS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND IS LARGELY PAID FOR WITH PROPERTY TAXES AND INCOME TAX. THE WATER AND SEWER FUND OPERATING THOSE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, WASTEWATER PLANTS, ALL THE ALL THE PIPES AND THE LIKE ARE ALL MAINTAINED BY THESE RATES, AS WELL AS OTHER ASSORTED FEES AND THE LIKE. AND SO THERE'S NO BORROWING OR MONIES THAT MOVE REALLY BETWEEN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT, BETWEEN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDS. I DO WANT TO JUST KIND OF JUST GO BACK TO THAT ONE SLIDE WHERE WE DO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY. BECAUSE THIS WAS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WHERE WHERE I JOINED HARFORD COUNTY IN 20 2015, 2016, WHEN WE DID HAVE TO TAKE THAT VERY HARD LIFT. IT WAS NOT AN EASY, EASY VOTE ON THE COUNCIL'S PART. IT WAS NOT EASY PART ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S PART. BUT WE WERE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE REALLY FOR 20 YEARS WE DIDN'T SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE OUR RATES. THEY WERE LINKED TO CPI, AND THAT WAS REALLY MUCH DURING A VERY LOW INFLATIONARY PERIOD. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT CHART, WE WERE ACTUALLY HEMORRHAGING MONEY. WE WEREN'T EVEN COVERING OUR OPERATING COSTS, LET ALONE PUTTING ASIDE MONEY FOR CAPITAL. WE LARGELY DID CORRECT THAT. AND THEN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS. AND THIS IS CERTAINLY A BIG POINT THAT I ALWAYS MAKE WHEN I'M DEALING WITH THE RATING AGENCIES AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL CREDIT RATING AGENCY, IS THAT WE DO. I THINK WE DO THIS RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT IT ON A FIVE YEAR BASIS. WE DO THE WE DO THE PROPER STUDIES. WE ALIGN THE REVENUES WITH WITH THE EXPENDITURES, AND THEN WE ADOPT THE RATES. AND IN THIS CASE PROPOSED TO ADOPT THE RATES WHEN THIS FIVE YEAR SPAN, WHICH GIVES US BOTH PLANNING CERTAINTY ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE. BUT I THINK ALSO GIVES OUR CUSTOMERS SOME SENSE OF STABILITY AND CERTAINTY. AS FAR AS THEIR OWN, ON THEIR OWN BUDGETING. SO WE'LL NOTE THAT THESE THE BUDGETS THAT AND THESE REVENUES THAT WE HAVE HERE NOW HAVE INFLUENCED GREATLY OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH OF COURSE CAME OVER TODAY TO THE COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, THE 3% COLA AND THE MERIT INCREASE FOR OUR WATER AND SEWER WORKERS, JUST AS IT DOES FOR ALL OF OUR OTHER WORKERS. OF COURSE, IN THIS CASE, IT'S FUNDED WITH THESE WITH THESE REVENUES, BUT ALSO OUR CAPITAL. AND THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WHERE THE COUNTY HAS A MATURING SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, AND FOR A LONG TIME WE WERE KIND OF BUILDING OUT THE SYSTEM, BUT NOW WE'RE KIND OF MAINTAINING THE SYSTEM. AND WE MAINTAIN THE SYSTEMS LARGELY WITH THESE OPERATING WITH THESE OPERATING REVENUES. AND WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING 30 JUST SHY OF ABOUT $35 MILLION. YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PROGRAM AND ALMOST ENTIRELY FUNDED WITH CASH FROM THESE, FROM THESE WATER AND SEWER REVENUES. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH THIS, WITH THIS NEW STUDY, IS TO SHIFT AWAY FROM ANY TYPE OF DEBT FINANCING AND MOVING MORE INTO PAYGO FINANCING. I JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK TODAY AT BECAUSE OF ALL THE TURMOIL IN THE MARKET, YOU MAY RECALL THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO WE SOLD OUR BONDS FOR 3.49. RIGHT NOW, 20 YEAR TRIPLE-A BONDS ARE SELLING FOR 4.1. SO I THINK BY BY BEING ABLE TO REINVEST, KEEP ON TOP OF OUR OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE MASSIVE WATER LEAKS AND BUSTED PIPES AND, YOU KNOW, CONTAMINATION AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, BOTH THE OPERATING SIDE AND THE CAPITAL SIDE. AND, YOU KNOW, BY HAVING THE PROPER REVENUES IN PLACE, I THINK IT WILL ENABLE US TO DO THAT. AND I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO IN A WAY THAT IS, IS, IS, IS RELATIVELY MODEST AS FAR AS THE OVERALL INCREASE. THANK YOU. JOE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, I DO NOT. THEY DID A

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I MEAN, AT THE TIME WE WERE WE WERE HEMORRHAGING, YOU KNOW, FUNDS. I THINK WE WERE SPENDING ABOUT 6 MILLION MORE THAN WE WERE BRINGING IN. AND WE ONLY HAD ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO TO ACT.

AND IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE ACTED AS AS QUICKLY AS WE DID, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO START BORROWING MONEY FOR OPERATING, WHICH IS SOMETHING AS A COUNTY GOVERNMENT WE NEVER TRIED TO DO. NO. THAT'S RIGHT. AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS ABOUT A $6 MILLION FUND BALANCE. AND THEN I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU AND STEVE AS WELL FOR COMING OVER AND BILL PATIN FOR COMING OVER AND WALKING ME THROUGH THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE LEGISLATION. AND THEN HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS SINCE THEN? ANY OF YOU? I PERSONALLY HAVE HAVE NOT. I KNOW WE'VE MADE OURSELVES AVAILABLE. I DON'T, BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. OVERBAY IS HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. OKAY. OKAY. SO I HAD ASKED A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, AND YOU GUYS WERE GREAT IN GETTING THE INFORMATION BACK. I ASKED HOW MANY CUSTOMERS WE HAD, AND I JUST VERIFIED THAT AGAIN YESTERDAY WITH THE AUDITORS. IT'S 45,000 RESIDENTIAL AND 2133 COMMERCIAL. SO AS I LOOK AT THAT AND I LOOK AT THE WATER RATES AND I TRIED JOE, YOU COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THIS BETTER THAN ANYBODY. THE ONE INCH LINE AND ABOVE. WHERE DOES THAT GO? IS THAT RESIDENTIAL? PRIMARILY IT'S COMMERCIAL. OKAY. SO THERE ARE VERY FEW RESIDENTIAL THAT THAT SIZE. RESIDENTIAL IS PRIMARILY 5/8 WITH A FEW THREE QUARTERS, BUT THOSE ARE ACTUALLY OLDER.

WE'RE NOT INSTALLING THOSE VERY OFTEN IN RESIDENTIAL. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BASE CHARGES IN THIS BILL RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, THE RATE TO THE ONE INCH LINE WAS RAISED BY 16%. AND I OR EXCUSE ME, 18% AND A ONE AND A QUARTER WAS 16%. AND THE ONE AND A HALF WAS ALSO ALMOST 17%. SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET FROM THAT START AT THE BASE TO WHERE WE WIND UP WITH A 4.2 INCREASE, AND THAT'S 4.2 ANNUALLY FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A 20% INCREASE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND REALLY WHERE THAT COMES FROM IS, IS THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY. AND BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE IDEALLY LOOKING TO DO IS TO SAY, OKAY, EACH EACH MEMBER, ALL OF THOSE 47,000 ACCOUNTS THAT MAKE UP THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THEIR POOL IN THE SYSTEM AND WHAT SHOULD BE THEIR THEIR CONTRIBUTION. AND YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT I THINK BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY LIFT OF TRYING TO DO SOME OF THE INITIAL LIFTS, I THINK WE WERE WE WERE MORE CONCERNED IN THOSE EARLY, PARTICULARLY IN THAT THAT THAT FIRST GO ROUND OF JUST GETTING THE REVENUE, THE REVENUE UP. AND I THINK THAT WITH THIS STUDY AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO IT MORE, YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT IS EACH INDIVIDUAL'S FAIR SHARE SO THAT WE'RE NOT EVERYBODY IS PAYING WHAT IT IS THAT THEY THAT THEY POOL UPON THE SYSTEM. RIGHT. AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION I ASKED WAS CURRENT FUND BALANCE AND OUR CURRENT FUND BALANCE, AS YOU REPORTED AND AS AUDITORS VERIFIED, WAS 99 MILLION UNRESTRICTED AND 137 MILLION RESTRICTED FOR NEARLY A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION FUND BALANCE. SO IT'S A BIG, SIGNIFICANT JUMP FROM WHERE WE WERE IN 14 AND 15. AND I KNOW THAT MAKING THAT HARD DECISION IN A HEAVY LIFT HELPED US GET TO WHERE WE'RE AT. BUT THEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE ON FIXED INCOMES, AND A LOT OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE THE ONES THAT DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA. AND THEY'RE GETTING POUNDED NOT JUST BY A PROPOSED BILL LIKE THIS, BUT THEY'RE GETTING POUNDED BY A THIRD OF OUR COUNTY, JUST GOT HIGHER PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS, AND I THINK I FORGET WHAT THAT AMOUNTED TO. BUT MR. JORDAN, WHO TALKS ABOUT HIGHER INSURANCE RATES, COST OF GOODS, COST OF FOOD, WE'RE HEARING ALL THE TIME ELECTRICITY. BG WE JUST RAISED

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SO I JUST WONDER HOW MUCH MORE OUR AVERAGE CITIZEN CAN TAKE. AND IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO HOLD THIS BACK A YEAR OR SO INSTEAD OF DOING IT NOW? WHEN WE HAVE A HUGE FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS GREAT. I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT IT. IT'S GREAT. I'M GLAD WE DO, BUT I JUST CAN'T SEE PACKING ON. YOU TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE MET. YOU TALKED ABOUT A RAISE AND A MERIT FOR OUR WATER AND SEWER WORKERS. WELL, WE HAVE THAT. YOU TOLD ME THAT THIS REVENUE, IF WE PASSED, IT, WOULD INCREASE OUR REVENUE BY THREE, MAYBE $3 MILLION, $2.63 MILLION SOMEWHERE IN THERE. WE HAVE THAT. WE HAVE A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION IN OUR FUND BALANCE, 99 UNRESTRICTED, 130, SOME RESTRICTED. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT TODAY TO GIVE THOSE INCREASES AND MERIT. CORRECT. WELL, YEAH, I MEAN THE I'M JUST ASKING YOU IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. SO THE FUND HAS HAS THOSE. I WILL I WILL JUST NOTE THOUGH THAT THE RESTRICTED FUNDS. SO THE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE THAT COMES FROM THE HOOKUP FEES AND LIKE AND THAT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR CAPACITY RELATED PROJECTS. SO WHEN WE ADD CAPACITY TO THE TO THE SYSTEM SO THAT THAT CANNOT BE USED FOR OPERATIONAL. SO THE 99 MILLION OF OPERATIONAL A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT IS OUR 120 DAY RESERVE. SO WE WANT TO HAVE THAT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR 5% RAINY DAY FUND, FISCAL STABILIZATION FUND. THEN THERE'S FUNDS WITHIN THAT THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED TO CAPITAL PROJECTS. THERE ARE CERTAIN THEY'RE CURRENTLY SITTING IN CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND THEN OTHER ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DEPLOYED TO CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND THIS KIND OF GETS TO THAT BY USING THAT, THAT $36 MILLION OF, OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. YOU KNOW, A GOOD PORTION OF THAT IS, IS COMING FROM, FROM THOSE AREAS. SO AGAIN, WE DO HAVE WE DO HAVE STRONG, STRONG OVERALL OVERALL FUND BALANCES. AND I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THE CLAIM THAT IF THESE RATES WEREN'T WEREN'T APPROVED, THAT THAT WOULD HAVE A DRAMATIC EFFECT ON THE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S HOW WE ENDED UP IN THE SITUATION 25 YEARS AGO. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD AT THE TIME STRONG FUND BALANCES. THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, LARGELY DRIVEN BECAUSE OF A LOT OF A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL GROWTH AT THE TIME. AND THEN THAT THAT ENABLED US, I THINK, KIND OF GOT US INTO THAT HABIT OF JUST, OKAY, WE BECAUSE THERE'S ALMOST NEVER A GOOD TIME TO, TO DO A, TO DO A RATE INCREASE. AND I THINK THE BENEFIT OF DOING A 4.2% RATE INCREASE, YOU KNOW, IS THAT IT DOES IT SMOOTHS OUT THOSE, THOSE INCREASES SO THAT WE'RE NOT COMING BACK, SAY NEXT YEAR AND THEN BE, YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR A 7% INCREASE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO NO, I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT. I JUST I WORRY ABOUT OUR CITIZENS. EVERYTHING WE DO IS ON THE BACK OF OUR CITIZENS. THEY PAY THE TAXES, WHETHER IT BE INCOME TAX, WHETHER IT BE PROPERTY TAX, WHETHER IT BE A WATER AND SEWER FEE OR TIPPING FEE OR WHATEVER ELSE. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN. MR. JANJANIN. SO GOOD AFTERNOON, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO LET'S GO BACK TO THAT. DIDN'T WE JUST INCREASE UP? OR HOW MUCH OF THIS FUND BALANCE IS FROM CONNECTION FEES? AND DIDN'T WE JUST INCREASE THE CONNECTION FEES AND IS THAT IS THAT PROJECTED INTO INTO THIS WITH THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S. SO THE CONNECTION CONNECTION FEES. THERE'S NO CHANGE IN IN IN THE INCREASE FOR CONNECTION FEES AS PART OF, AS PART OF THIS, THIS LEGISLATION.

THAT'S THAT 132 MILLION. THAT'S I ALMOST THINK ABOUT THAT. I WOULD ALMOST THINK ABOUT THAT VERY SIMILAR TO WHEN WE HAVE OUR IMPACT FEES LIKE WE TALK ABOUT, WE HAVE IMPACT FEES THAT WE CHARGE ON NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION TO PAY FOR SCHOOL CAPACITY. TO ME, THE HOOKUP FEES AND THE EDU CHARGES, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF THAT. AND WE PUT THAT INTO A SEPARATE BUCKET FOR WHEN WE HAVE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, BIGGER PUMP STATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, OR DRILL MORE WELLS OR TAKE ON ADDITIONAL CAPACITIES. THIS IS JUST MORE LIKE YOUR LIKE YOUR GENERAL FUND. SO THIS THIS IS JUST IS LARGELY KIND OF FOR OUR, OUR BASIC OPERATING AND KIND OF SYSTEM REHAB CHARGE. SO I DO THINK THAT IN THAT CASE THE 99 MILLION IS THE APPROPRIATE METRIC TO USE THERE. AND I DO HAVE THE. YEAH. WHAT WAS IT I HAD OF THE 99 MILLION AT THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR. SO 31

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AND TO ALSO BE SURE THAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FACILITIES IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE WE AT LEAST IN THE NINE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE NOT HAD THE MINDSET OF SOME OF OUR NEIGHBOR JURISDICTIONS OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. OH, WE'LL FIX IT NEXT YEAR, OR WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WAIT UNTIL SOME OTHER PERIOD OF TIME. I BILL BETWEEN GIVE HIM A LOT OF CREDIT FOR THE GROUP THAT HE RUNS, THAT THEY TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE FACILITIES AND THE OPERATION OF THEM IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE. AND SO THIS RATE PROJECTION REFLECTS THAT REALITY OF WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED. THE OTHER THING IS, TOO, IS WE HAVE A RELATIVELY YOUNG INFRASTRUCTURE COMPARED TO THE BALTIMORE CITIES OR THE BALTIMORE COUNTIES OF THE WORLD. HOWEVER, THE BULK OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WAS BUILT IN THE 70S AND 80S WHEN THE COUNTY REALLY TOOK OFF. SO THOSE FACILITIES ARE NOW SHOWING A 30 OR 40 YEAR AGE. SO THE RATE OF PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS TIME GOES ON, AND WE TRY TO STAY AHEAD OF THEM SO THAT THAT USE OF THOSE FUND BALANCES AND USE OF THOSE RAINY DAY FUNDS, AS ROBBIE MENTIONED, ARE THERE TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP THIS SYSTEM RUNNING AND OPERATING AS WELL AS IT HAS. IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE PERCENTAGE OTHER THAN THE 4.2 THAT YOU LOOKED AT? HOW DID YOU GUYS I MEAN, WAS THERE 3.6? WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD SEE SEPARATE FROM THIS, MAYBE LOWER AND SEE WHERE THAT PROJECTS OUT TO? MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THAT FOR A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE INSTEAD OF THIS 4.2%. WELL, THE AND ROBERT CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE STARTED WITH THE COST. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO OPERATE THE SYSTEM AT A LEVEL THAT WE CHOOSE TO OPERATE IT, WHICH IS HIGH QUALITY, IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REPAIR WHEN NECESSARY AND NOT DEFER UNTIL ANOTHER TIME. AND MR. BERTINI DID SPEAK TO THAT. SO THE COSTS DRIVE THE REVENUES. IT'S NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. WE DON'T PICK A REVENUE NUMBER OR A PERCENT INCREASE NUMBER AND THEN SEE IF THE OPERATING COSTS MATCH. THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN THE, THE COST OF SERVICE TYPE OF ANALYSIS THAT ARCADIS DID THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE SINCE THAT 2014 WENT DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE ACTUAL OPERATING COSTS OF EACH OF THOSE METER CONNECTIONS YOU PICKED UP ON COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, THAT THOSE HAVE A DIFFERENT, LITTLE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE BUILT INTO THEM. AND THAT WAS WE DIDN'T DESIGN THAT WE RECOGNIZED OR OUR OUR CONSULTANT, ARCADIS RECOGNIZED WHAT THOSE INCREASES WERE FOR THOSE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS WITHIN THE SYSTEM. SO AND I WASN'T AVAILABLE OR I WASN'T DIDN'T HEAR ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH BILL BERTINI WITH THIS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS. NOW, I KNOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER SITTING IN ON THE MEETINGS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RATE INCREASES FOR THE WATER AND SEWER THAT WERE DRASTIC, I THINK 2017. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST CHANCE I'M SITTING TO HEAR THIS GO OVER THIS. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S WHY I HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL. LOOKING AT THIS AND

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SO YOU KNOW I KNOW WE'VE HAD A RATE INCREASE BEFORE AND THEN THEY HAD A RATE INCREASE. SO I'M KIND OF CURIOUS TO SEE IF THEY'RE GOING EVERY FIVE YEARS OR WHERE WE'RE GOING. KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY'RE ONLY WATER, WATER AND SEWER. SO I'M JUST LOOKING FOR THE WATER. YEP.

THAT'S IT. MR. THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, I LIVE IN THE CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE. SO THIS IS NOT MY WATER AND SEWER BILL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW. BUT FOR CONTEXT, I PAY. FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS, I'VE NEVER PAID MORE THAN $180 A QUARTER. AND THAT INCLUDES MY TRASH COLLECTION AND MY WATER BILL, WHICH I KNOW FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS, THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. BUT ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL ABOUT, WITH HOW THE CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE SETS UP THEIR WATER AND SEWER RATES, VERSUS THIS IS THEY DO. BY USAGE ONLY.

SO THERE'S NO BASE COST DEPENDING ON YOUR HOOKUP. BUT IT'S JUST HOW MUCH WATER DID YOU USE. SO THEIR RATES ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER PER 1000 GALLONS, BUT THERE'S NO BARE MINIMUM PAYMENT FOR THE MONTH. IF YOU USE ZERO GALLONS AND FLUSHED YOUR TOILET ZERO TIMES, YOUR BILL WOULD BE ZERO. EXCEPT FOR YOUR TRASH AND THAT. BUT. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CHOOSE TO GO RATE ONLY, WHEREAS SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CHOOSE TO HAVE A BASE COST BASED ON YOUR HOOKUP SIZE? AND THE REASON I THINK ABOUT THAT IS, FOR INSTANCE,

[00:40:05]

[00:45:05]

AND THAT'S THE ONE THING IF YOU HAVE LIKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW, HOMES THAT ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT OCCUPIED OR THEY'RE VACANT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL UNDER OBLIGATION TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT THAT HOUSE IS SERVICED. AND SO THAT WAS SOME OF THE THINKING BEHIND THAT, THAT MODEL WHEN WE WENT TO IT BACK IN, YOU KNOW, EIGHT YEARS AGO. AND THEN MY LAST THOUGHT, THINKING ABOUT MY HOME OF HAVRE DE GRACE, BECAUSE WE JUST WENT THROUGH AND REPLACED A TON OF PIPES, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, THERE WERE WOODEN PIPES THAT WERE RUNNING WATER THROUGH THEM AND HAVRE DE GRACE. AND SO IT'S HAD ME REALLY THINK HEAVILY ABOUT THE COST OF MAINTAINING OUR WATER SYSTEMS, ESPECIALLY AS THE PILE OF PIPES SIT NEXT TO MY HOUSE THAT THE CITY IS WAITING TO INSTALL. HOW HOW MANY MILES OF PIPING DO WE HAVE? AND IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, HOW MUCH MORE DOES IT COST TO SERVICE WATER AND SEWER IN LESS DENSE AREAS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THINK OF YOUR RR VERSUS YOUR R FOUR PER HOUSING UNIT, LIKE HOW MUCH DOES THAT ADD TO COST WHEN IT'S AN EIGHTH OF A MILE BETWEEN HOMES? WELL, TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, ROUGHLY 700 MILES OF WATER MAIN UNDERGROUND, ROUGHLY 700 MORE OF SEWER MAIN UNDERGROUND AS FAR AS THE UNIT COST TO BUILD THOSE MAINS TO THOSE THOSE INDIVIDUAL HOUSES THOSE ARE PRIMARILY FUNDED BY WERE BUILT BY DEVELOPERS THEN PAID FOR PAID FOR BY THEM. NOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN IT MOVING FORWARD IS PART OF THE REASON WHY WE NEED THE CONTINUOUS REVENUES TO BE ABLE TO DO THE REPLACEMENTS, DO THE REPAIRS AND SO ON. BUT THE. THE, THE BASIS OF CALCULATION IS TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN, NOT TO BUILD NEW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ALONG THOSE LINES OF PIPES. AND BEFORE I SAY THAT, LIKE MR. BENNETT, I'M NOT A CUSTOMER OF THE COUNTY EITHER. I'M ON WELL AND SEPTIC, BUT.

ALONG THOSE LINES OF PIPES, I KNOW FOR YEARS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS OR CERTAIN AREAS INTO PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER, LIKE FRIES ROAD, LIKE UP AROUND BENSON. WHERE ARE THOSE PROJECTS AT? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THOSE? BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THOSE TWO SPECIFIC. IT PERTAINS CLOSER TO THE ACTION ON THOSE I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY. WE CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU. I'D APPRECIATE THAT. I'D APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN ONE LAST THING. I'M SORRY. POINTED THIS OUT TO BID. AND ONCE IT'S BID, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? PROBABLY SIX MONTHS. HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN WAITING ON FRIES ROAD? HOW MANY? OKAY, 5 OR 6. OKAY, ONE LAST THING FOR ME. THE AUDITORS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE USAGE PER 1000 GALLON. I GUESS IT IS. YEAH, 1000 GALLONS UP $0.59. SO THAT'S ALSO AN 8% INCREASE ON THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. SO IF YOU LOOK AT IF YOU LOOK AT THE AND THE WAY THAT YOU GET TO THE FOUR, THE 4.2, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BASE CHARGE ACTUALLY FOR THE 5/8 YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S THE SAME RATE. SO THAT DOESN'T GO UP KIND OF TO COUNCILMAN BENNETT'S POINT THAT'S ACTUALLY HELD FLAT. SO IN ESSENCE WE ARE YOU KNOW, WE ARE INCREASING THE VOLUME RATE MORE IN THAT IN THAT FIRST YEAR. AND THAT ALL GETS BACK TO THAT COST OF SERVICE. LIKE, OKAY, WHO SHOULD BE PAYING? YOU KNOW, WHO PAYS WHAT. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER TO COVER THE SYSTEM. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT WHO PAYS WHAT IT IS LARGELY BASED UPON A USAGE, A USAGE MODEL. AND SO THAT'S HOW THAT'S WHY THAT'S RECALCULATED

[00:50:02]

AND I THINK COUNCILMAN BENNETT AS WELL, KEEP IN MIND THAT WATER USAGE AND WATER BILLS DON'T CARE HOW WELL OFF YOU ARE, THAT IF THERE IS A HOUSE WITH EIGHT RESIDENTS BECAUSE IT'S TWO FAMILIES AND OR WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS VERSUS MY WIFE AND I IN OUR HOUSE, IT'S DRIVEN BY THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF GALLONS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING USED. AND SO TRYING TO FIGURE A WAY TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE ALL THOSE VARIABLES. I'M NOT SAYING IT CAN'T BE DONE. I'M SURE HE CAN WORK ALL KIND OF MAGIC, BUT THE THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO THOSE DECISIONS THAT MAY BE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. IF YOU LOOK AT ONLY ON USAGE, BECAUSE THOSE TWO FAMILIES, MY NEIGHBOR THAT HAS SIX PEOPLE, THEY HAVE FOUR KIDS, MINE ARE ALL GONE, IS GOING TO PAY A MUCH HIGHER WATER BILL THAN I WILL. THAT'S PRIMARILY IF IT'S ALL USAGE, THAT MEANS THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE PAYING A LOT MORE OF THAT SUBSIDY, TOO. AND THEN CONTRARILY, IF THERE'S A HOUSE WHERE PEOPLE MOVE TO FLORIDA FOR SIX MONTHS SO THEY'RE NOT USING WATER, BUT THE COUNTY IS STILL MADE, THE INVESTMENT IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THE MAINS, REPAIR TO THE MAINS, MAKING SURE THAT WHENEVER THEY DO GET HOME AND WANT TO TURN THAT FAUCET ON, IT'S READY TO GO. AND THAT'S THE APPROACH AND THE MENTALITY BEHIND THE AN ELEMENT OF FIXED COST, TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE COLLECTING REVENUES TO HAVE THE SYSTEM READY TO SERVE AT WHATEVER RATES THOSE OR WHATEVER DEMAND RATES ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT. SO IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE PERSPECTIVE THAT THAT YOU'VE ALL BROUGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. MR. RILEY. JOE, IT WAS EXACTLY MY POINT. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GOT LOW INCOME, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO USE MORE OR LESS WATER. TO ME, THAT'S NUTS. THE OTHER THING IS, AT PAT'S POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY NOW OR YOU'RE GOING TO PAY LATER. SO YOU DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO IT NOW OR LATER. I WILL TELL YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID LOOK AT IS, IS IT'S A MEASURE OF AFFORDABILITY, RIGHT? SO THE EPA HAS HAS ESTABLISHED, RIGHT, THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR A SYSTEM LOOKING AT THINGS ON A SYSTEM WIDE BASIS, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, SOME CUSTOMERS ARE NOT AVERAGE, SOME ARE ABOVE AVERAGE, BUT THEY SAY THAT A CUSTOMER SHOULD BELOW 4.5% OF MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME. SO THE COST OF WATER AND SEWER SERVICE IS BELOW 4.5% OF MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME. IT'S CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE. YOUR CURRENT RATES ARE AT 0.9% OF MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME. SO FROM THAT METRIC IT'S A IT'S A VERY AFFORDABLE SYSTEM. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. YEAH. JUST LAST TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID EARLIER, IF YOU WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE US THE TWO POSSIBLE PATHS THAT ARE COST NEUTRAL OF EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, COME UP TO THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY OF RATE ONLY VERSUS BASE PLUS RATE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN GIVING US JUST AN ADDITIONAL OPTION TO CONSIDER AS A COUNCIL THAT MAY LEAD PEOPLE WHO RIGHT NOW ARE FEELING HESITANT, MORE WILLING, AND TO SPEAK TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, WATER DOESN'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE. BUT WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY PEOPLE MAKE WHO WATER THEIR LAWNS, WHO HAVE LARGE GARDENS, WHO DO RECREATIONAL, YOU KNOW, WATER ACTIVITIES LIKE HAVING A POOL, HAVING A SLIP AND SLIDE, YOU KNOW, SO WE KNOW WHO HAS THE INCOME TO DO THOSE EXCESS WATER ACTIVITIES THAT REALLY DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF WATER USAGE THAT YOU HAVE. SO I DO THINK THERE IS A CORRELATION, AND I THINK THE DATA WOULD SUPPORT THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN INCOME AND WATER USAGE. SO I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW TO, TO RUN THAT THAT ANALYSIS I WILL JUST SHARE WITH YOU JUST SOME

[00:55:01]

ALL RIGHT, BEFORE YOU GUYS GO, I MEAN, FOR THE RECORD, I DO. I AM A VOTING MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES. I SEE EVERYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH FOR BOTH SIDE RUN AND THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

YOU GUYS DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THIS THIS HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. YOU GUYS PRODUCE AWARD WINNING WATER FOR THE COUNTY. WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. AND EVERYBODY DOES THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AT BOTH PLANTS AND WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS MORE ABOUT THE CITIZENS AND THE AGING COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE AND THOSE THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOMES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU ON THE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER THIS EVENING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

AS WE BEGIN THIS SESSION, GRANT US WISDOM, FOCUS, AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER AS WE WORK THROUGH TONIGHT'S AGENDA. AS WE APPROACH THE UPCOMING BUDGET, WORK SESSIONS GUIDE US TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE WITH THE RESOURCES ENTRUSTED TO US. HELP US MAKE DECISIONS THAT REFLECT THE NEEDS AND VALUES OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. MAY OUR WORK TONIGHT AND IN THE WEEKS AHEAD BE DONE WITH INTEGRITY, PURPOSE, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE COMMON GOOD. AMEN. AMEN,

[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]

[01:00:01]

PLEASE LICENSE CENTERS WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE BACK AND YOU CAN GET A SERVICE. GREAT, AND I'LL HAVE YOU ALL. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANKS. ALSO, WE HAVE WORLD AUTISM MONTH AND COMING FORWARD FOR THAT IS TRACY WOOTTON. AND SHE IS WITH ROCK THE SPECTRUM. ABSOLUTELY I MAKE HISTORY AND NICKI SORRY GOT THE WRONG PERSON. I MISS A TRAY.

YEAH WE HAVE NICKI BUT WORLD AUTISM MONTH. SO AUTISM MONTH CELEBRATES ALL THOSE ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM. WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT ROCK THE SPECTRUM IS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THEM FOR YEARS, AND A LOT OF MY CLIENTS HAVE UTILIZED THEIR FACILITY. I WENT THERE TO SEE THE FACILITY AND IT IS AMAZING. AND THEY DON'T JUST HAVE AUTISTIC CHILDREN THAT GO THERE.

THEY HAVE ALL CHILDREN THAT GO THERE, AND PARENTS HAVE A GOOD PLACE TO SIT AND WATCH THEIR CHILDREN PLAY. THEY HAVE GREAT STAFF THERE AND NOW THEY HAVE A MOBILE BUS THAT GOES TO ALL LOCATIONS AND CAN SHOW UP AT DIFFERENT AREAS AND PROVIDE THAT SAME SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS AND OTHER REC CENTERS, ETC. SO I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS TO MISS WOOTEN. THE PROCLAMATION FOR AUTISM MONTH. THANK YOU. WHEREAS WHEREAS AUTISM SPECTRUM SPECTRUM DISORDER ASD IS A COMPLEX LIFELONG DEVELOPMENTAL CONDITION AFFECTING COMMUNICATION RELATIONSHIPS, SOCIAL SKILLS AND SELF-REGULATION, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONE INCH 36 CHILDREN ARE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, AND WHEREAS, WORLD AUTISM MONTH, OBSERVED EACH APRIL, SEEKS TO RAISE AWARENESS, PROMOTE ACCEPTANCE AND IGNITE CHANGE THAT LEADS TO A MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM EDUCATION, UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT ARE VITAL, AND FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY THAT CELEBRATES THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND STRENGTHS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM. AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY AND ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THIS 15TH DAY OF APRIL 2025, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM WORLD AUTISM MONTH, APRIL 2025 AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO BECOME MORE EDUCATED ABOUT AUTISM, PROMOTING A SOCIETY THAT EMBRACES DIFFERENCES WITH COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT. AS WELL. I'LL HAVE BOTH. I JUST HAVE TO SPEAK JUST A TAD. THANK YOU. A LITTLE BIT BACK. NO MORE THIS WAY. OKAY. AND THEN THE SQUIRREL SETTLES. DID YOU SEE IT THAT WAY? JUST A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE. AND, MR. BENNETT, JUST A TAD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, I DID KNOW MISS WOOTEN WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS. SURE. FINE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

I AM NIKKI, AND MY HUSBAND AND I OWN. WE BROUGHT THE SPECTRUM. HE HAD AN UNEXPECTED PROCEDURE

[01:05:07]

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

THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU. MR. JAN GIORDANO MOVED AND SECOND, TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. BOYLE SEATTLE I MR. BENNETT I YOU'RE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE VACANT. THE REAPPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED SIX SPECIAL

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

LEGISLATIVE DAY 20 5-0 12TH APRIL EIGHT, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES?

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

[01:10:03]

[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]

INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND TO ADOPT THE COUNTY BUDGET, CONSISTING OF THE CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026. THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026, AND A SPECIAL PURPOSE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026, AND THE GRANTS BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026, AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR ALL EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1ST, 2025 AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026. AS HERE AND AFTER INDICATED PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 7TH AND THURSDAY, MAY 15TH AT 7 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL

[10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]

[01:15:06]

MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE AMENDMENT ONE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT, AS WE GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE AMENDMENTS, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SHARED THAT. I TOLD OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCILMAN RILEY EARLIER THIS EVENING WITH US, CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS THAT ALL INVOLVE GOING HIGHER THAN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT FROM PLANNING AND ZONING AND THE PAB, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC CLARITY AND CONSUMPTION. THAT THOROUGH RATIONALE IS PROVIDED FOR EACH ONE. AND WITHOUT THAT, I WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SUPPORTING THESE. SO I HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT FOR EACH AMENDMENT. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU.

MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. BORSATO I MR. BENNETT. NO. THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT ONE TO BILL 20 5-002 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? FOR THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT, I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT BE ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL. HOWEVER, WE DO KNOW THAT ON THE PAB THERE WERE MEMBERS ON THAT WHO LIVED IN DISTRICT B AND THEY RECOMMENDED NO CHANGE. AND WITH THAT REASON, I FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING NO ON THIS AMENDMENT AND TRUSTING THE ADVICE OF THE PAB.

THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. FOR ME, AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, WE VISITED A PROPERTY. WE LOOKED AT IT FIRSTHAND. WE REALIZED THAT IT WAS A SPLIT ZONED PIECE OF PROPERTY, AND WE DECIDED TO GRANT MOVE A LINE ON THAT PROPERTY, BUT CONTINUE TO KEEP A STRONG AG AND WOODED BUFFER ON THAT PROPERTY. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT, I MR. GIORDANO. SO I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. AND THE REASON FOR MY ABSTAINING IS THAT MR. LENHOFF MOTHER IN LAW WORKS IN MY OFFICE. WE INSURE THAT PROPERTY, SO I NEED TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS.

THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. MR. RILEY. I MRS. I, MR. BENNETT. NO. THE FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE NEGATIVE, ONE ABSTENTION, AND ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT TWO TO BILL 25 002 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT THREE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT. I. MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MISSUS. SEIDEL. I. MR. BENNETT.

NO. THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT THREE TO BILL 25 002 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR.

[01:20:01]

THANK YOU. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT. I, MRS. ROBERT. I'M GOING TO SAY NO. MR. GIORDANO.

I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. OTTO. I. MR. BENNETT. NO. THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. THE AMENDMENT FORWARD TO BILL 25, DASH 002 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT EIGHT. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER EIGHT.

MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S MOVED. AND SECOND, TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER EIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT. I. MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. OTTO. I. MR. BENNETT. NO. THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT EIGHT TO BILL 25 TO 0 ZERO TWO IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT FIVE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S MOVE IN SECOND TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I. MR. MISSUS ROBERT, I. MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MISSUS OTTO. I. MR. BENNETT. NO. THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT FIVE TO BILL 20 502 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT SIX, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER SIX. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I, MRS. ROBERT. I. MISTER GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. SEIDEL. I. MR. BENNETT.

NO. THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT SIX TO BILL 2502 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT 7TH MAY HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT? YEAH. JUST TO REITERATE ONE LAST TIME, BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST OF COUNCILMAN RILEY'S AMENDMENTS, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEEDLESSLY DIFFICULT OR OBTUSE. I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN A PROCESS AS IMPACTFUL IN THE COMMUNITY, LIKE COMPREHENSIVE REZONING. AND ANYTHING WE DO IS EXPLAINED AND COMMUNICATED TO HELP THE PUBLIC CONSUME WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FRONT OF THEM. AND THAT'S WHY I'VE VOTED NO ON EACH OF THESE PREVIOUS AMENDMENTS WITHOUT RATIONALE SHALL BE SHARED PUBLICLY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT. I. MRS. ROBERT. NO.

MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. OTTO, I. MR. BENNETT. NO. EXCUSE ME. THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. TWO NEGATIVE, ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT SEVEN TO BILL 20 502 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT NINE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NINE. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. MISS OTTO'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NINE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO. STATE THAT WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP, I DID GO AND SPEAK TO THE NEIGHBORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS SMALL PIECE PARCEL THAT WAS OFF OF PROSPECT MILL ROAD, THAT WAS ATTACHED TO A MUCH LARGER PIECE, WOULD NOT BOTHER THEM AT ALL. AND THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. AND SO THEREFORE I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT. I. MRS. ROBERT. I. MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. OTTO I.

MR. BENNETT. I. THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE VACANT. AMENDMENT NINE TO BILL

[11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS]

[01:25:07]

APPROPRIATION. SPECIAL PAYS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 20 5-003. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 2503. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT. I. MR. GIORDANO. I. MR. RILEY. I. MRS. OTTO. I. MR. BENNETT. I. THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ONE VACANT. BILL 25 003 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AGENDA NUMBER 12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS.

[12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS]

[14. NEW BUSINESS]

AND THIS PROCESS RIGHT HERE IS TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU AND HEAR YOU. SO, MISS IMHOFF, IF YOU'LL START. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. MEMBER. FOR. FOR ANYONE WHO I HAVEN'T MET, MY NAME IS ALLISON IMHOFF. THROUGH MY CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP, I'VE LEARNED THAT IF YOU WANT SOMETHING GREAT, YOU HAVE TO TAKE CHANCES. IF YOU WANT LIVES TO CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT. AND IF YOU WANT THE WORK TO CONTINUE EVEN AFTER YOU'VE LEFT, YOU HAVE TO BUILD A TEAM THAT LEADS FOR THE FUTURE. WHEN I FOLLOWED MY PROFESSIONAL PURPOSE BACK TO HERTFORD COUNTY, I KNEW THAT BEING ABLE TO SERVE AND REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY THAT I GREW FROM WOULD BE THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME. MY DAD HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO READ A BUDGET, FIX A FENCE, STEER A CALF, AND PASS A BILL. MY MOM HAS TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY EVERYONE HAS A VOICE. THEY BOTH TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING UP FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS. AUTHOR SIMON SINEK TALKS ABOUT START WITH WHY. WHY DO YOU GET UP EVERY DAY? WHY DO YOU LEAVE? I AM SIX GENERATION OF HARFORD COUNTY, SIX GENERATIONS OF ACTIVE, ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE SEEN THE UNIQUE BEAUTY OF THIS COUNTY AND THE REMARKABLENESS OF ITS PEOPLE. AS MUCH AS I AM HERE FOR IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE GENERATIONS BEFORE ME, IT IS THE SEVENTH GENERATION OF CITIZENS HERE WITH ME TONIGHT, UP PAST THEIR BEDTIME THAT I'M HERE, STANDING, SITTING BEFORE YOU. IT IS THEM AND ALL THE FAMILIES OF HARFORD COUNTY THAT ARE MY WHY. JOHN C MAXWELL SAID THAT THERE ARE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE CHARACTERISTICS THAT EVERY EFFECTIVE LEADER MUST HAVE A SENSE OF CALLING, AN ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE, CREATIVITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING, GENEROSITY AND CONSISTENCY. I PRIDE MYSELF ON HAVING ALL THESE THINGS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE THE BEST INTEREST OF DISTRICT, BE CITIZENS AND ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY AS THE CORE OF MY PURPOSE. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS A BIG OPINION AND A LOT OF FREE TIME, AND AN ACTIVE, ENGAGED CANDIDATE

[01:30:01]

PAUL HARVEY SAID, I NEED SOMEONE WILLING TO GET UP BEFORE DAWN. MILK COWS WORK ALL DAY IN THE FIELDS, MILK COWS AGAIN, EAT SUPPER, THEN GO TO TOWN AND STAY PAST MIDNIGHT AT THE MEETING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO GOD MADE A FARMER. I NEED SOMEONE WHO COULD PLOW DEEP AND STRAIGHT, KNOCK A CORNER SOME TO SEED WEED, FEED, BREED AND RAKE. SOMEONE WHO'D BAIL A FAMILY TOGETHER WITH SOFT, STRONG BONDS OF SHARING, WHO WOULD LAUGH AND THEN SIGH AND THEN REPLY WITH SMILING EYES WHEN HER LITTLE GIRL SAYS SHE WANTS TO DO AS HER FAMILY DOES. SO GOD MADE A FARMER. THIS COUNTY AND COUNCIL NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS DEDICATED THEIR DAYS TO HELPING THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH THEIR MOST VULNERABLE CHAPTERS, AND THE REST OF THEIR WAKING HOURS, ENSURING THAT OUR SCHOOLS, ELECTED OFFICES, COMMUNITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES HAVE SUBSTANTIAL LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION. SOMEONE WHO IS A PRODUCT OF THE COMMUNITY THEY ARE REPRESENTING.

I AM THAT PERSON. I HAVE NEVER MET A CHALLENGE I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT FOR MYSELF OR FOR A MEMBER OF MY COMMUNITY, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PUT THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF THE COMMUNITY BEFORE OUTSIDE OPPORTUNISTS, AND I'LL PROUDLY LEAD US INTO OUR NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS INHOFE. MR. ENGLISH, PLEASE BRING UP MIKE CLOSER TO YOU. YES. HOW'S THAT? THAT'S PERFECT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY. MY NAME IS RUSSELL ENGLISH JUNIOR, BUT MOST PEOPLE CALL ME RUSS. I'M 65 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE. MOVING HERE AT THE AGE OF TEN WITH MY PARENTS FROM CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. WE'VE LIVED IN DISTRICT B JUST OFF PLEASANTVILLE ROAD. I'VE ATTENDED FOREST HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BEL AIR MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL. GO, BOBCATS! YAY! AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, I WENT INTO THE MARINE CORPS FOR FOUR YEARS AND OBTAINED THE RANK OF SERGEANT IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. DURING MY TIME IN THE MARINE CORPS, I WAS TRAINED AS A C-130 ENGINE MECHANIC, BUT GOT VOLUNTEERED FOR OVERSEAS DUTY AND I TRAVELED THE WORLD. I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES AND FOUND MY NICHE IN THE LIAISON OFFICE ON KADENA AIR FORCE BASE IN OKINAWA, JAPAN, WHERE I COORDINATED LOGISTICS BETWEEN THE MARINE CORPS, THE NAVY, THE AIR FORCE, AND THE JAPANESE CIVILIAN OFFICES FOR TWO YEARS. THEN I RETURNED TO THE US AND FINISHED OUT MY MILITARY OBLIGATION, DOING WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY TRAINED TO DO, AND I REALLY LIKED WORKING ON C-130 AIRCRAFT AND FLYING ON THEM. AFTER MY TIME IN THE MARINES, I RETURNED BACK HERE TO HARFORD COUNTY AND LIVED IN BOTH JOPPATOWNE AND THE EDGEWOOD AREAS BEFORE MEETING AND MARRYING MY WIFE, MARY. WE BOUGHT HER MOTHER'S HOME AND DUE TO OUR STRONG FAMILY VALUES, HER MOTHER LIVED WITHIN OUR HOUSEHOLD FOR THE BALANCE OF HER LIFE. SHE LIVED TO A RIPE OLD AGE OF 94. MY WIFE HAS LIVED IN THIS HOUSE HER ENTIRE LIFE.

WHILE I'VE ONLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING THERE FOR 37 YEARS. WE RAISED THREE WONDERFUL CHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY INTEREST BY PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR HARFORD COUNTY BOYS AND GIRL SCOUTS, COMMUNITY SPORTS PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE SOCCER, BASEBALL, AND SOFTBALL. I NOTICED THE CHANGES IN HARFORD COUNTY THAT HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE PAST 40 PLUS YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED HERE. I ALSO HAVE HEARD THE COMPLAINTS FROM MY NEIGHBORS ON THE GROWTH AND CHANGE THAT HARFORD COUNTY IS GOING THROUGH, AND SPEAKING WITH FRIENDS AND CITIZENS THROUGHOUT HARFORD COUNTY. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THE SAME THINGS NEED TO CHANGE. I AM ONE VOICE AND GETTING THINGS DONE BY MYSELF WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, BUT IT IS MY RESOLVE TO WORK WITH THE MEMBERS, ALL MEMBERS OF HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, TO BRING SOME RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS WITHIN HARFORD COUNTY. I STARTED PUBLIC SERVICE AT THE AGE OF 16, ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE BY JOINING A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, AND THEN AFTER THE MARINES, I JOINED ANOTHER FIRE COMPANY AND WITH THEIR HELP AND TRAINING, I WAS HIRED BY BALTIMORE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT. ULTIMATELY, I WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT, AND I RETIRED AFTER 34 YEARS OF SERVICE. THREE YEARS BEFORE I PLANNED TO RETIRE, I DECIDED TO RUN FOR THE STATE DELEGATE POSITION FOR DISTRICT SEVEN, AND THEN AGAIN AFTER RETIREMENT IN 2022 FOR DISTRICT SEVEN. BRAVO. RUNNING FOR THE GOVERNMENT POSITION HAS BEEN ONE OF MY MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE. WHILE I DID NOT WALK AWAY WITH THE TITLE, I WALKED AWAY WITH SOMETHING MORE VALUABLE GROWTH. SO WHEN THE COUNCIL SEAT FOR DISTRICT B BECAME AVAILABLE, I TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER MYSELF TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY. I THINK I BRING A LONG TIME RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE TO THIS SEAT, AND LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING ANYONE IN DISTRICT B THAT IS INTERESTED IN VOICING THEIR OPINION OF WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE CHANGED IN HARFORD COUNTY. I BELIEVE BEING RETIRED, MY PERSONAL DRIVE AND DESIRE TO MAKE THIS JOB MY OWN WILL ALLOW ME TO PUT THE NECESSARY HOURS OUT WITHOUT CONFLICT FROM A FULL TIME JOB TO MAKE THIS POSITION A BENEFIT FOR THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT B, AND FOR THAT MATTER, ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR.

[01:35:04]

BUT MY FIRST QUESTION A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON IT. A LITTLE OVER A DOZEN YEARS AGO, I WAS STARTING A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING, AND SO I WAS ATTENDING A REGIONAL TRAINING ON HOW TO DO THAT WORK. AND THE TRAINER SAID SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME, WHICH IS IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE A COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO FIRST BE A MEMBER OF IT. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, COULD YOU SPEAK TO YOUR CONNECTIONS AND SOCIAL INVESTMENTS IN THE DISTRICT B COMMUNITY THAT KEEP YOU ROOTED IN THAT COMMUNITY? SO I'LL GO. I'LL GO FIRST. SO I HAVE I'M LIFELONG OF DISTRICT B, I WENT TO YOUTH BENEFIT, MIDDLE FALLS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, FOLSOM HIGH SCHOOL. MY FAMILY IS VERY, VERY CONNECTED TO THE FOLSOM FIRE DEPARTMENT. IN FACT, A FEW YEARS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND I ACTUALLY DONATED A HOUSE TO THEM TO USE FOR TRAINING. I'M VERY CLOSE WITH MY GIRLS SCHOOLS. I AM ALSO A SOCIAL WORKER IN HARFORD COUNTY, SO THERE IS PROBABLY NOT A ZIP CODE THAT I HAVE NOT WORKED IN. I WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH VICTIM SERVICES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. I'M ALSO BECOMING MORE AND MORE CONNECTED WITH THE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF SOCIAL ACTION THAT IS OCCURRING IN OUR DISTRICT. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THEM FOR A LONG TIME, BUT ACTUALLY GETTING TO KNOW A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LEADING THE WAY. AND SO I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS. THANK YOU. BASICALLY, MINE STARTED BACK WHEN I WAS PROBABLY TEN, 11, 12 YEARS OLD. FALLSTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HAD SCOUT TROOP THERE. SO I GOT INVOLVED

[01:40:07]

IRONICALLY ENOUGH, WE GOT THAT STOPPED, AND THEY'VE MOVED IT AND TOOK IT OVER TO MR. NORMA'S OLD PROPERTY OVER THERE AT THE EXIT RAMP FROM 95. THEY PUT A ROUNDABOUT IN THERE. SO WORKING HARD WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WORKING HARD WITH THE STATE, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE AND A WONDERFUL TIME LEARNING ALL THOSE ASPECTS, AND IT'S BEEN GREAT. AS FAR AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AREA, I CAN TELL YOU, BEING A CAREER FIREMAN, I KNOW PRETTY MUCH ALMOST ALL THE FIREMEN AROUND HERE. IF THEY DON'T KNOW OR OF THEM PERSONALLY, THEY KNOW ME BY MY NICKNAME FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I WON'T SAY IT HERE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY PLEASURABLE. SO I HAVE BEEN ENJOYING EVERYTHING I'VE DONE AND LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, AND WORKING CONSISTENTLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WORKING AND MOVING OUTWARD. AND WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED JUST RECENTLY WITH OUR ZONING AND PLANNING. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO A COUPLE RESIDENTS IN OUR COUNTY, IN OUR DISTRICT, AND LISTEN TO THE PLIGHT THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR AND HOW THEY WANTED TO PROGRESS WITH THAT. AND I'VE TALKED TO MISTER PAT VANZETTI A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ONE OF THOSE, AND THAT WAS UP THERE AT PLEASANTVILLE ROAD AND MOUNTAIN ROAD AT THE SAWMILL. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING FURTHER AND LEARNING MORE AND CONTINUING TO SERVE AND HELP THE CITIZENS OF THIS AREA. WITH OR WITHOUT THIS POSITION. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILMAN BENNETT. MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. MY WIFE AND I GOT MARRIED ABOUT 24 YEARS AGO. WE MOVED TO HARFORD COUNTY FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY. BECAUSE WE WANTED ALL THE BENEFITS THAT THE FALLSTON AREA PRESENTED, IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, TO RAISE A FAMILY TO, YOU KNOW, LIVE, WORK, PLAY, PRAY AND ALL THOSE THINGS. JUST A WONDERFUL, RICH COMMUNITY. MY I HAVE THREE CHILDREN. THEY TWO WENT TO FALLSTON. THERE WERE TWINS.

THEY'RE NOW 21 AND GO TO UMBC. BUT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN BOY SCOUT TROOP 801. AS A DAD, I GOT A CHANCE TO GO TO ALL OF THEIR EVENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND A PLEASURE TO SEE ALL OF THAT. MY DAUGHTER WENT TO SMA, AND THIS JUNE SHE'LL BE GOING TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY, AND SHE'LL BE ENROLLED THERE IN BASIC TRAINING FOR THE AIR FORCE, AIR FORCE ACADEMY, WHICH WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HER AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT SHE ATTAINED AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL WITH SMA. ADDITIONALLY, I'M INVOLVED IN I'M A INVOLVED IN THREE NON-PROFITS. THESE NONPROFITS ARE PRIVATELY FUNDED, NOT WITH ANY GOVERNMENT FUNDING. ONE IS FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES. I'M ON THE STATE BOARD FOR MARYLAND, AND WE HAVE A STRONG AND THRIVING LOCAL GROUP HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THEIR HEADQUARTERS OVER THERE ON CHURCHVILLE ROAD. AND THEY AND THROUGH THEM WE INVEST IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. ANOTHER ONE IS CHOOSE HOPE. THE ONE THAT CONGRESSWOMAN ROBERT HAD VISITED LAST WEEK OR A WEEK BEFORE. LOCATED IN EDGEWOOD, I'M THE CURRENTLY THE CHAIR OF THAT VOLUNTARY VOLUNTEER, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR CHOOSE HOPE WOMEN'S CENTER, AND I'M CONNECTED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THAT NATIONALLY. I'M ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ALLIANCE FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION, WHERE WE HAVE A MISSION TO END THE HIGH SUICIDE RATE IN CONSTRUCTION. I HAVE A LOVE FOR PEOPLE. SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH. BACK IN 2014, I WAS ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. BACK THEN, IT WAS OFFICER BOB BENEDETTO, AND WE WERE WORKING ON PLANS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY AND SAFETY. BACK IN 2014. SO LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING BEING HERE AND HELPING OUR COMMUNITY GROW. THANK YOU. ALL THREE OF YOU ARE VERY INVOLVED IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS, WHICH IS

[01:45:05]

AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT A MORE REALISTIC OPTION FOR PEOPLE WITH YOUNG FAMILIES TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT. YOU KNOW, IN IN MY CHILDHOOD, I SAW A LARGE BOOM OF, YOU KNOW, UPPER MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING. AND THE FAMILIES AREN'T NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR CONDOS.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. AND I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPTION TO BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK HOME. I RECENTLY MET WITH THE CEO OF THE HOSPITALS, AND SHE SAID THAT WHILE WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY POPULATION OF PEOPLE AT RETIREMENT AGE AND BEYOND, WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT. SO BRINGING BACK THE POPULATION OF YOUNG FAMILIES WHO COULD ACTUALLY FILL IN THOSE ROLES WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL. AS FAR AS THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, THE COUNTY IS A PRETTY DIVERSE AREA. SO EVERY DISTRICT, EVERY ZIP CODE IS GOING TO NEED SOMETHING ELSE. AGAIN, I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING A SOCIAL WORKER, AND I'VE WORKED WITH EVERY SOCIOECONOMIC GROUP OR POPULATION. I'VE WORKED IN EVERY ZIP CODE, AND EVERY ZIP CODE IS GOING TO NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT. BUT I WOULD ARGUE IT IS ACROSS THE COUNTY. PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE HERE. SO WE NEED TO JUST MAKE IT AN OPTION FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. OKAY. THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, SIR. INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES I'VE COME ACROSS WHEN TALKING TO EVERYBODY WITHIN NOT ONLY JUST DISTRICT B, BUT LITERALLY ACROSS HARFORD COUNTY. I'M UP AT STEPPING STONE FARM MUSEUM QUITE A BIT. I'M ACTUALLY A VICE PRESIDENT OF SUSQUEHANNA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION, AND WE HAVE BEEHIVES UP THERE, AND WE DO DEMONSTRATIONS UP THERE, AND STUDENTS COME UP TO ACTUALLY HEAR AND SEE WHAT BEEKEEPERS DO, LISTENING TO THE PARENTS AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT COMES UP. AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE I'M TALKING ABOUT MOSTLY IS OUR ROADS. OUR ROADS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, AND BUILDING ON WHAT MR. EMHOFF HAS SAID, HOUSING HAS BEEN THE ISSUE WITH THAT AS WELL. WE'VE BEEN ADDING MORE AND MORE HOUSES AND WITH LESS INFRASTRUCTURE. THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING LONGER AND LONGER TRAVEL TIMES. THEY'RE ACTUALLY USING SIDE ROADS. MOST OF THE SIDE ROADS IN THIS COUNTY ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR THE HIGH VOLUME, HIGH SPEED. THEY WERE DESIGNED ON LOW VOLUME, LOW SPEED. AND THIS IS CAUSING AN ISSUE. IT'S TEARING UP OUR ROADWAYS NOT JUST IN DISTRICT B, BUT ACROSS THIS ENTIRE COUNTY. AND THAT COST IS GOING TO COME BACK ON THE TAXPAYERS EVENTUALLY BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGING THESE ROADS. AND WE HAVE TO SPEND TIME AND MONEY TO REPAIR THEM. SO WE NEED TO TALK TO THE STATE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET OUR LARGER ROADS, STATE ROADS, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE INCREASED TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AS WELL AS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE FOR THE EXPANSION AND BUILDING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PROTECTING OUR RURAL LIFESTYLE, WHICH INCLUDES GRADE SCHOOLS AND INCLUDES A SAFE ATMOSPHERE AND ENVIRONMENT TO RAISE CHILDREN IN. OH, AND FOR THE COUNTY OVERALL, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THE LAST TESTIMONY FROM LAST WEEK FROM GABRIEL, FROM I'M NOT SURE IF THREE P'S HERE, BUT SHE WAS FANTASTIC AND I THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST KIND OF REMINDS US OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT IN THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION. JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE TODAY, I GOT HERE AT 1130 AND IT'S 9:00. YOU KNOW, TOMORROW I'LL BE AT A BASEBALL GAME IN ABERDEEN. ON THE SATURDAY I'LL BE AT OPENING DAY FOR THE MIRACLE LEAGUE. THE HOURS ARE ODD FOR COUNTY COUNCIL AND THEY CAN INVOLVE INCONVENIENT TIMES FOR HOME LIFE, FOR WORK LIFE. YOU KNOW, I TAKE UNPAID TIME OFF FOR MY DAY JOB TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. HOW WILL YOU BUILD YOUR LIFE STRUCTURALLY TO ENSURE YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THE JOB AS YOUR DISTRICT NEEDS AND DESERVES? SO WHEN I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION FOR THIS POSITION, I OBVIOUSLY

[01:50:02]

I'M ON THE PAB, I'M ON THE FAMILY ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I'M ALREADY FULLY AWARE THAT I WILL HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THIS ROLE OVER SOME OF THE OTHER OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT I HAVE. LUCKILY, I HAVE A REALLY TREMENDOUS VILLAGE. WHO NOT ONLY SUPPORTS ME BUT UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SERVICE. AND SO I, I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT NOT ONLY IS MY TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS TOP NOTCH, BUT I HAVE THE FULL FLEXIBILITY AND SUPPORT BEHIND ME. THANK YOU. I'M RETIRED. I'M LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO. I WANT TO COME OUT AND HELP. SO NO, I ACTUALLY HAVE A SMALL PART TIME COMPANY AND I DO SOME CONSTRUCTION WORK. BUT IN THE PAST AND EVEN RECENTLY, I'VE GOTTEN PHONE CALLS. HEY, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME DO THIS JOB OR WHATEVER. AND I'VE TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT MY CLOCK AND JUST SIMPLY SAID, I'M ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO BED. BUT WITH THIS TYPE OF A JOB HERE, THIS IS SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO. AND THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I WANT TO PUT MY TIME AND EFFORT. I KNOW IT'S WE'RE STEPPING INTO A POSITION THAT'S ALMOST HALFWAY OR OVER HALFWAY THROUGH ITS TERM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CATCH UP TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF HOURS HERE, PROBABLY IN THE AVERAGE OF 40 TO 60 HOURS A WEEK, JUST TO GET CAUGHT UP FOR THE FIRST STAGES OF THIS. I HAVE THAT TIME, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING THAT TIME NOT JUST TO GET AWAY FROM MY WIFE. THAT'S SIMPLE, BUT ACTUALLY, NO, I PREFER HER, AND I'M KEEPING HER UP TO PAR ON EVERY PART OF THIS. BUT I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE. I THINK YOU BETTER STOP NOW. OKAY. I THINK SHE'S WATCHING. THAT'S WHY I HAD TO SAY THAT. SO, NO, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PUTTING ALL THE TIME I HAVE AVAILABLE, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH COMING IN AND SPENDING EXTRA HOURS. GREAT. SO YOU HAVE HIT MY WEAKNESS. SO ORIGINALLY I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE FULL COMMITMENT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS TRULY PART TIME. BUT JUST AS RUSS HAS HAS STATED, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BE CLOSER TO 40 HOURS. AND JUST LISTENING TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL DOES BUSINESS ON. I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWER READER, WILL PROBABLY TAKE ME LONGER. SO, SO WITH THOSE CHALLENGES AND ALSO FOR, FOR MY EMPLOYER, THERE'S NO WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO I WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO USE FLEX TIME FOR COUNCIL BUSINESS. I'D HAVE TO ACTUALLY USE PTO. AND THE OTHER COMPLICATION IS OUR PTO CAN ONLY BE USED IN HALF DAY INCREMENTS, WHICH MEANS A TEN MINUTE MEETING FOR COUNCIL BUSINESS WOULD COST ME HALF A DAY. SO THERE WERE JUST A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. AND THEN LIKEWISE, I UNDERSTOOD THE RECUSAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT THERE WERE ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL ONES FOR MY EMPLOYER. SO AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME SOME CHALLENGES THERE. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. CHANDRA. GOOD. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE FOR FALLSTON? DEVELOPMENT IN 152 CORRIDOR.

ROUTE ONE CORRIDOR. SO WHOEVER WANTS TO ANSWER FIRST, GO AHEAD. I'LL CHIME IN. SO, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS CHASED COWS DOWN HARFORD ROAD, I DON'T RECOMMEND IT ON BELAIR ROAD. I UNDERSTAND THE REQUESTS FOR ZONING AND REDISTRICTING ALONG THE BUSINESS TYPE OF CORRIDOR. I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE NEED ALONG. 152. BUT I THINK EACH AREA NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON DIFFERENTLY.

YOU KNOW, I LITERALLY DRIVE PAST THE LUMBERYARD EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WERE WORKING TO TRY TO CHANGE PART OF THEIR PROPERTY FROM AGRICULTURAL TO BUSINESS. I'VE NEVER KNOWN THEM TO HAVE A FARM ANIMAL ON THEIR PROPERTY. SO IN THOSE SITUATIONS THAT MAY MAKE SENSE, BUT I THINK EVERY SINGLE ROADWAY, EVERY SINGLE ACCESS POINT, EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY SHOULD BE EVALUATED DIFFERENTLY. I HAVEN'T CHASED A COW DOWN THE ROAD, BUT I DID CHASE A PIG AND MY HORSE, SO. FALLSTON AREA IS GROWING FAST, BUT IT NEEDS TO LOOK AT WHAT IT'S DOING. SHE HAS TALKED BEFORE ABOUT HOUSING. HOUSING IN THE FALLSTON AREA IS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY SON IS LOOKING FOR A HOUSE IN HARFORD COUNTY RIGHT NOW, AND HE'S BEEN BASICALLY GETTING AN EYE OPENER AS FAR AS STICKER SHOCK ON SOME OF THE HOUSES. HE'S ACTUALLY LOOKING FURTHER NORTH NOW, GOING UP, LOOKING INTO MR. ROUSE'S DISTRICT UP IN DUBLIN DARLINGTON AREA. THE HOUSING UP THERE IS A

[01:55:01]

IF YOU'VE EVER TRAVELED MOUNTAIN ROAD OR 24 OR 22 AT PEAK RUSH HOUR OF THREE TO BASICALLY 5:30 P.M, YOU DON'T GO ABOVE TEN, 15, 20 MILES AN HOUR IF YOU'RE LUCKY. SO GETTING HOME TAKES A LONG TIME. WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE I STATED BEFORE, TO PUTTING IN SOMETHING THAT WILL BE GREAT FOR OUR KIDS IN THE FUTURE. WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING OF ONE NATURE OR ANOTHER, AND TRY AND KEEP THE DENSITY OF THOSE HOUSES DOWN TO A MINIMUM. GREAT, GREAT. WELL THANK YOU. SO AROUND THE ROUTE ONE CORRIDOR. THERE ARE PARTS OF IT THAT I BELIEVE NEED TO BE PERHAPS REDEVELOPED. THERE DO SEEM TO BE SOME SPACES THAT ARE EMPTY OR NOT FULLY UTILIZED OR MAXIMIZED FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES. I'D BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF SEEING THAT CORRIDOR PERHAPS REDEVELOPED AND MAXIMIZING THE SPACE AND THE USAGES THERE FOR 152. I, I DO AGREE THAT IT DOES FEEL ESPECIALLY WITH NOW. MOST PEOPLE RETURNING TO WORK IN PERSON. THERE IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON ON ROUTE 152 AND THE STATE JUST, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WAS JUST BUILT ALONG 95 TO, TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE DENSITY THERE. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE WILL BE MORE TRAFFIC COMING UP. ROUTE 152. SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME POSSIBILITIES FOR SOME SMART GROWTH. WHEN YOU LOOK AT CERTAIN PARTS OF MOUNTAIN ROAD OR 152, YOU CAN SEE JUST BY THE PLACEMENTS OF WHERE THE UTILITY POLES ARE THAT THERE IS, THAT THE ROADS ARE INTENDED TO BE MUCH WIDER. PERHAPS EVEN DOUBLE THE WIDTH THAT THEY ARE NOW. SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT. WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE IS GOING TO BE GROWTH. BUT THE TRICK TO IT, OR THE KEY TO IT, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SMART GROWTH AND WE MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT DEVELOPS, THAT WE MAXIMIZE THE COMMUNITY TO THE BENEFIT IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, IN TERMS OF AMENITIES, IN TERMS OF SUPPORT FOR THE LIFESTYLE OF THE COMMUNITY. AND ONE MORE QUESTION. YOU ALL WERE ASKED A QUESTION. IF YOU WERE WOULD RUN AGAIN. TWO OF YOU TWO ANSWERED YES. ONE ANSWERED NO. SO OBVIOUSLY THE POSITION HAS BEEN KIND OF IT WAS UP IN THE AIR FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT STILL SEEMS TO BE UP IN THE AIR. SO ORIGINALLY I ANSWERED TO BE DETERMINED. BUT AS I SHARED DURING MY MEETING WITH THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, I WILL DO WHATEVER MY DISTRICT NEEDS ME TO DO. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN FOR SEVERAL POSITIONS IN OUR GOVERNMENT. AS I STATED IN MY OPENING SPEECH. I DIDN'T WALK AWAY WITH A WINNING TICKET. HOWEVER, THIS POSITION IS GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY MUCH DEEPER, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BEING ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND RUN AGAIN AND POSSIBLY PUT IN AS MANY AS 14 YEARS IN THIS POSITION IF THE COMMUNITY WANTS ME OR KEEPS ME. SO AGAIN, I ORIGINALLY SAID YES, THAT I WOULD RUN IN IN 2026. BUT AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THAT. GIVEN THAT THIS, I DO NOT SEE MYSELF BEING ABLE TO DO THIS AS A QUOTE UNQUOTE PART TIME POSITION. ANYONE ELSE? SO LET ME THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. MR. MCBRIDE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SENDING US THREE OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES.

AND WE WILL BRING THIS FORWARD THIS NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT IN A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE. THANK YOU. MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO

[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]

[02:00:03]

MY NAME IS AARON MATZKE. ADDRESS IS 1807 HARBINGER TRAIL, EDGEWOOD, MARYLAND, 21040. THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF HARFORD COUNTY IS A PRIVATE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING OUR COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER. THE ORGANIZATION HAS YET TO SHARE FISCAL YEAR 2023 FINANCIAL DATA DESPITE SEVERAL PUBLIC REQUESTS. I'M HERE TODAY TO INQUIRE AS TO WHY CONSTRUCTION WAS HALTED ON THE 4000 SQUARE FOOT TRAINING FACILITY, PAID FOR BY A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OF MARYLAND BOND FUNDS. THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN VACANT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND REMAINS UNFINISHED. THE CRUX OF WHAT I'M LOOKING TO GET INFORMATION ON IS WHO IN OUR COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY, AND SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS. MANY ARE ASKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, BUT ARE BEING MET WITH SILENCE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION AND INFORM THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER MASK. MISTER OVERBAY IS SITTING RIGHT HERE. I'M SURE HE'S GOING TO GET YOUR INFORMATION AND HE WILL RESPOND TO YOU IMMEDIATELY, I'M SURE. THANK THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DENISE VIVINO, FOLLOWED BY GINA KRIEGER. GOOD EVENING. MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

HELLO. MY NAME IS DENISE VIVINO. I LIVE AT 3536 SCARBOROUGH ROAD STREET, MARYLAND. 21154. I HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT THE HARFORD COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. THEY TERMINATED ME LAST WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9TH, BECAUSE I SPOKE UP FOR ANIMALS. SINCE I HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING, I HAVE BEEN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FOUR DIFFERENT DIRECTORS. I WAS A BLUE LEVEL VOLUNTEER, WHICH MEANT I COULD WALK MOST DOGS EXCEPT FOR STAFF ONLY DOGS. I HAVE FOSTERED, BATHED, GROOMED, WALKED, CLEANED KENNELS AND DID OFFSITE EVENTS FOR THEM. THESE ARE MY CONCERNS BASED ON MY OWN OBSERVATIONS AT THE HARFORD COUNTY SHELTER. THEY HAVE GUILLOTINE DOORS ON THE KENNELS THAT ARE BROKEN IN THE WINTER WHEN IT IS FREEZING OUTSIDE. THE DOGS WATER BOWLS FREEZE AND THEY CAN'T DRINK WATER. TO ME THIS IS NEGLECT AND CRUEL. SINCE OCTOBER 14TH, SINCE OCTOBER THERE HAVE BEEN 14 DOGS AND ONE CAT EUTHANIZED. DOGS AND CATS ARE BEING EUTHANIZED WITHOUT LEGITIMATE CAUSE. ALSO, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOOD OR EXERCISE FOR DOGS, PARTICULARLY ON HOLIDAYS WHEN THEY ARE LEFT ALONE FOR UP TO 19 HOURS. PUPPIES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FROM OUT OF STATE FOR ADOPTION, WHILE OUR OWN DOGS ARE SITTING THERE WAITING FOR THEIR FOREVER HOMES. STRAY CATS AND DOGS ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY EVALUATED BY STAFF IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER.

FOR PAID EMPLOYEES WERE TERMINATED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS BECAUSE THEY SPOKE UP FOR ANIMALS. TWO EMPLOYEES RECENTLY QUIT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY WERE BEING TARGETED, AND THEY WERE NEXT BECAUSE THEY WERE SPEAKING UP FOR THE ANIMALS. TWO VOLUNTEERS IN ADDITION TO ME WERE ALSO TERMINATED FOR ADVOCATING FOR THE ANIMALS. AS A RESULT, MANY ANIMALS, MANY VOLUNTEERS HAVE STOPPED COMING TO THE SHELTER ALTOGETHER. THEY CANNOT STAND BY AND WATCH THE INHUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AND HUMANS. THE RECENT TREND OF BULLYING AND UNNECESSARY KILLING HAS TO STOP. MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO CHANGE WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE. WHERE IS THE OVERSIGHT FROM THE BOARD? WHERE IS THE OVERSIGHT FROM THE COUNTY? WE CAN AND MUST DO BETTER. OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOUR HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MA'AM. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MISTER PRESIDENT.

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]

GOOD EVENING. SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I MET WITH ALL THREE PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR DISTRICT B SEAT. I DIDN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE I HAD FULL FLEDGED INTERVIEWS WITH THEM AND GOT TO KNOW THEM VERY WELL. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 10TH, I ATTENDED WITH A LOT OF OTHERS HERE. THE CLIENTS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY GROCERY SWEEP, SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO WATCH THAT INDIVIDUAL. GET ENOUGH MEAT AND SHRIMP TO PROVIDE A DONATION TO THE HARFORD COMMUNITY ACTION

[02:05:01]

THANK YOU, MR. JORDAN AND MR. RILEY. MARTY, YOU GOT TO FIND BETTER THINGS TO DO, BROTHER. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE NICHOLS ON THEIR SEVENTH EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY AND THEIR CLIENTS ON THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY. THANKS, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. TODAY IS PURPLE UP DAY, A TIME TO HONOR THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF MILITARY CONNECTED CHILDREN. THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES, AND WEARING PURPLE IS OUR WAY OF SHOWING THEM THAT WE SEE THEIR SACRIFICES AND WE SUPPORT THEM. AND UPCOMING. I WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF THE CHURCHVILLE CRESWELL FOUNTAIN GREEN COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. IT'S THURSDAY AT 630 AT THE CHURCHVILLE REC CENTER ON LEVEL ROAD, AND THERE WILL ALSO BE A PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2022 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ABERDEEN AND THAT WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23RD AT 7 P.M. AT THE ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS STYLES. MR. BENNETT, HELLO. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE THIS EVENING. FIRST I WANT TO JUST THANK AGAIN THE CANDIDATES WHO CAME THIS EVENING. THEY ARE ALL INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE AND I'M JUST GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE GOT THREE GOOD CHOICES TO MAKE. SO THERE WILL BE NO WRONG CHOICE NEXT WEEK. I GOT TO MEET WITH A RETIRED CORRECTIONS OFFICER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HARFORD COUNTY CORRECTIONS, WHICH WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I WAS VERY OPEN WITH HIM. CORRECTIONS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A BLIND SPOT FOR ME. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT WORK, AND UNLIKE OUR DEPUTIES WHO ARE OUT ON THE STREET, CORRECTIONS IS NOT VERY PUBLIC FACING. SO AS LONG AS YOU MAKE GOOD CHOICES, YOU DON'T SEE THEM VERY OFTEN. SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPACTFUL TO SIT DOWN AND TALK. FOR A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AND HEAR ABOUT HIS LIFE'S WORK, AND TO HEAR ABOUT THE UNIQUE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND ROLES THAT COME FROM BEING IN CORRECTIONS. THAT WAS GREAT. I ALSO WENT OUT WITH STEVE WALSH FROM DPW TO TOUR THE JAMES RUN NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY HAVE A UNIQUE ISSUE THERE WHERE THEY HAVE IT'S A BRAND NEW NEIGHBORHOOD, BRAND NEW SIDEWALKS, AND THE TOPS OF THEM ARE JUST DISINTEGRATING OFF. AND SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THAT'S HAPPENING AND WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AND ALSO IN CONVERSATION WITH DPW IS TRYING TO PINPOINT IS THERE A PATTERN FOR, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN TYPE OF CEMENT MIX THAT'S CAUSING THIS, A CERTAIN COMPANY THAT'S

[02:10:03]

LAST YEAR. THE STUDENT WHO REACHED OUT LAST YEAR GRADUATED, BUT THEN HIS CLASSMATES REACHED OUT AND SAID, WE WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS. WE DON'T WANT IT TO END JUST BECAUSE OUR CLASSMATE GRADUATED. SO I JUST THINK THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL. AND A LOT OF THE THINGS I SHARED TONIGHT SHOW THE POWER OF REACHING OUT TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT A MILLION MILES AWAY. IF YOU CALL, WE ACTUALLY ANSWER. IF YOU EMAIL, WE ACTUALLY RESPOND. SO I JUST THINK THAT'S A GOOD REMINDER TO ALL OF US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. THANK YOU, MR.

[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]

COUNCILMAN RILEY WAS THERE WITH ME. AND WE WERE ABLE TO LISTEN TO CITIZENS CONCERNS. B.G.E.

REPRESENTATIVES WITH SOME OF THE TRANSMISSION AND PRODUCTION OF ENERGY. THAT'S SCHEDULED TO IMPACT MANY OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS. MISS HEISER WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO THAT, BECAUSE SHE SPOKE VERY ELOQUENTLY UP AT NORTH HARFORD. ALSO, I WENT TO AND ATTENDED THE NORTH HARFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AG NIGHT THAT PUT ON BY THE HARFORD COUNTY FARM BUREAU. THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND I MEAN, THERE WERE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS A VERY, VERY OUTSTANDING EVENING FOR YOUNG FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY HOW TO MIX FEED FOR LIVESTOCK, BUT BUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE AG COMMUNITY. MY WIFE, JEANNIE ATTENDED THE TASTE OF ABERDEEN FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS OTHER PLACES. SHE SAID IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING EVENT AT THE WETLANDS. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE MANOR RACES AT MY LADY'S MANOR SATURDAY. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A LITTLE SOGGY, IT WAS STILL AN OUTSTANDING EVENT.

FIRST TIME I'D EVER BEEN. MR. BENNETT MENTIONED THE SUSQUEHANNA HOSE COMPANY BANQUET AND AS, LIKE ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT ESPECIALLY THE HOSE COMPANY, THEY RESPOND TO EVENTS, FIRES, ACCIDENTS, ANYTHING, NOT ONLY JUST DIDN'T HAVE DERRY CITY LIMITS, BUT THEY RESPOND ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTY WHEN NEEDED. AS WELL AS BEL AIR AND OTHER COMPANIES TOO. BUT I WANT TO CLOSE MY COMMENTS TONIGHT IN REFERENCE TO YESTERDAY MORNING AS I WAS COMING FROM ABERDEEN. UNEXPECTED. I CAME ALONG A SEVERE AND HORRIFIC MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND WAS THERE LONG BEFORE ANY OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, LONG BEFORE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND THE CITIZENS THAT LEFT THEIR

[02:15:05]