May 20, 2025 County Council

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NOT. OR. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 25 ZERO 17. I WOULD

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US HERE TONIGHT. PLEASE HELP US GUIDE THIS. PLEASE HELP GUIDE THIS COUNCIL AND OUR ADVOCATE CITIZENS AS WE WORK TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OUR COUNTY. PLEASE ALSO GUIDE AND PROTECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES AS THEY WORK TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, NATION, AND ALLIES. PLEASE HELP US SEE THOSE OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH SILENT BATTLES. HELP US PROVIDE CHIVALRY TO OUR FELLOW MAN, AND HELP US ALL GET HOME SAFELY TONIGHT. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. AGENDA NUMBER FOUR.

PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS,

[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]

IT'S NICE TO SEE AGAIN AND AGAIN. HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN THE NEXT DAY. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY TODAY. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. FOR THOSE OF I HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE TO MEET MY MAJOR GENERAL JIM TONIGHT, AND I'D LIKE THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME. I SERVE A DUAL ROLE AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND. I SERVE AS BOTH THE COMMUNICATIONS-ELECTRONICS COMMANDER AND THE SENIOR COMMANDER FOR ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND. TONIGHT WITH ME IS COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR J. HIGH TO MY LEFT. AND COLONEL PHIL MANUEL, WHO IS OUR GARRISON COMMANDER. AS THE SENIOR COMMANDER, WE REPRESENT AN INCREDIBLE INSTALLATION, THE DEDICATED PEOPLE AND VITAL MISSIONS AND CUTTING EDGE CAPABILITIES THAT SUPPORT OUR NATION AND PREPARE OUR WARFIGHTERS FOR ANY BATTLEFIELD.

THIS UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ALLOWS ME TO SEE BOTH AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT WE HAVE LOCALLY, AND THE BROADER STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF OUR WORK AT APG. IT'S A CONNECTION I DEEPLY VALUE. I KNOW YOU ALL SEE THE STRONG AND ENDURING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. THESE TIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR MUTUAL SUCCESS. WE SHARE SO MUCH COMMON GROUND A COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC STABILITY, A DEDICATION TO A SKILLED WORKFORCE AND A DESIRE TO SEE THE REGION THRIVE. WE ARE ALL INVESTED IN THE SUCCESS OF HERTFORD COUNTY. TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE ARMY'S NEWEST INNOVATIONS THAT WILL AFFECT APG AND IMPORTANTLY, HOW THEY WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN NAVIGATE AND TRANSFORM THIS TRANSFORMATION TOGETHER. THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, AND SO MUST THE ARMY TO MAINTAIN OUR EDGE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. THE ARMY IS UNDERTAKING TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE KNOWN AS THE ARMY TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE. ATI THIS. THIS TRANSFORMATION WILL ENSURE A LEANER AND MORE LETHAL FORCE CAPABLE OF FACING ANY THREAT. ARMY LEADERS HAVE STARTED TRANSFORMATION WITH THE TRANSFORMATION AND CONTACT EFFORTS RAPIDLY TESTING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, INTEGRATING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE HOW WE FIGHT, EQUIP AND TRAIN WITH A STRONG COMMITMENT ON CONTINUOUS INNOVATION AND AN INVESTMENT ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. FROM THAT, THE ARMY TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE WILL FOCUS ON THREE LINES OF EFFORT DELIVERING CRITICAL WARFIGHTING CAPABILITIES, OPTIMIZING FORCE STRUCTURE, AND ELIMINATING WASTE AND OBSOLETE PROGRAMS. THIS TRANSFORMATION WILL NATURALLY IMPACT OUR WORKFORCE. WE ANTICIPATE A SHIFT IN JOBS AND STRUCTURES, BOTH CREATING CHALLENGES AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OPPORTUNITIES TO RESKILL OUR TALENTED WORKFORCE. MODERN WARFARE IS INCREASINGLY DATA CENTRIC, AND APG PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING CRITICAL CAPABILITIES. OUR EXPERTISE IN DATA ANALYTICS CYBERSECURITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS IS ESSENTIAL TO SOLDIERS THAT THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. RECENTLY, SEVERAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS, INCLUDING A RETURN TO WORK MANDATE, POTENTIAL FORCE RESTRUCTURES, A HIRING FREEZE, TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE MEASURES DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE HERE TO MITIGATE ANY OF THOSE NEGATIVE EFFECTS. I WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SPECIFIC LOCAL IMPLICATIONS THESE HAVE. FIRST, TO ADDRESS THE RETURN TO WORK MANDATE. I'M SURE YOU'VE

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WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE ONGOING TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY, AND WILL PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES TO THE PROGRESS OF THE ARMY TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE AND THE IMPACT ON APG AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. AND FINALLY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES TIES. THE FREE STATE ACADEMY, WITH ITS OUTSTANDING GROUP OF OVER 65 CADETS, IS EAGER TO VOLUNTEER AND SERVE, SO I'D ASK YOU TO PLEASE REACH OUT WHEREVER YOU SEE A ROLE FOR THEM. WE'D ALSO INVITE YOU TO OUR CELEBRATION THAT IS SHARED IN THE HERITAGE. FOR APG'S ARMY BIRTHDAY, THE 250TH BIRTHDAY OF THE ARMY. COMING UP IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, THESE EVENTS WILL SHOWCASE OUR WORKFORCE, THEIR CAPABILITIES, AND ALL THAT THE ARMY IS DOING TO TRANSFORM FOR THIS NATION. OUR EVENTS ARE FAMILY FRIENDLY AND MOST OF THEM WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO TAKE ONE OF THE SCHEDULED CARDS WITH YOU TODAY. AND OF COURSE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH SUPPORTING LOCAL EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WE APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY'S ASSISTANCE IN TELLING US HOW APG CAN CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE INTO THIS EFFORT THROUGH SCHOOL TALKS, MENTORSHIP AND STEM PROGRAMS, AND MORE. PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY TEAM FOR ANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AND WE'RE ASKED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CAPABILITIES THAT ARE JUST THE SEACOM TEAM HAS HERE. SEACOM IS A GLOBAL GLOBAL COMMAND, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WE DO. AND ONE OF THEM IS SUPPORT TO THE DPR AND SERGEANT MAJOR. WE'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT STORY WITH YOU. HEY, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. SO THE DPR IS THE DEFENSE POW AND MIA ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCY, HEADQUARTERED AT HICKAM AIRFIELD IN HAWAII. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO IS THEY GO OUT AND RECOVER THE REMAINS AND BRING OUR SOLDIERS AND SERVICE MEMBERS HOME. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 70,000 POWS AT MIA. THEY'RE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR. AND THE DPR ACTUALLY HAS A LEAD ON ABOUT 38,000. SO IMAGINE THE CLOSURE FOR A FAMILY AND BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR LOVED ONE HOME. JILL AND I WERE OUT THERE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT IT IS A FIRST RATE OPERATION. AND HOW SEACOM SUPPORTS THAT. IS THAT HOW THEY GO OUT AND DO INVESTIGATIONS AND THEN THEY DO RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS? OUR TEAM PROVIDES COMMUNICATION FOR THOSE IN COUNTRIES THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE A GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE. SO YOU THINK VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, LAOS, WE'VE HAD BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED A HUMANITARIAN OPERATION. WE'VE THEY'VE CONDUCTED OPERATIONS IN CHINA AND HAD EXCHANGES WITH NORTH KOREA. AND SO IT'S JUST AN ABSOLUTELY THING THAT WE'RE A PART OF. AND ONE THING THAT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE. THANKS, ESM. SO THAT CLOSES OUT OUR OUR TIME AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GENERAL. SERGEANT MAJOR, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. BECAUSE WHEN WE TALKED THE OTHER NIGHT, I WAS JUST SO IMPRESSED. I HAD NO IDEA THAT EFFORTS LIKE THAT WERE ONGOING STILL TODAY. AND THE AMOUNT YOU SAID 38,000, THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. BUT BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH, ALL THREE OF YOU, FOR TAKING TIME TO COME. GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT APG. PERSONALLY, I'VE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF LISTENING TO GENERAL CRAWFORD, GENERAL TAYLOR, GENERAL KILGO, GENERAL EDMONSON, AND NOW YOURSELF, GENERAL TURINETTI. SO AS I SAID THE OTHER NIGHT, I JUST APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME. AND, YOU KNOW, HARFORD COUNTY IS BLESSED TO HAVE THE INSTALLATION HERE LOCAL, BECAUSE WHENEVER THERE'S A DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY, WE SEEM TO FARE BETTER THAN OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE OF ALL THE JOBS THAT YOU ALL CREATE AT THE FEDERAL INSTALLATION. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. WE SEEM TO BOUNCE BACK QUICKER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. YES, THERE MIGHT BE MORE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD TODAY, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A PLUS. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES. MISS IMHOFF, I'LL START WITH YOU. GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. MY HUSBAND IS A CIVILIAN ON BASE, AND HIS BROTHER, MY BROTHER IN LAW, IS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED. AND IT'S FROM YOUR GUYS'S LEADERSHIP. THAT REALLY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO BOTH OUR HOUSEHOLD AND MY NIECES AT THIS TIME. BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, MR. GENERAL. SO GOOD EVENING, GENERAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO. AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH THEM. I'M A GRADUATE OF HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THEN MARYLAND. SO I HEARD YOUR YOUR ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE ENROLLED IN THAT PROGRAM. SO WE

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WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU FOLKS DO OVER THERE, NOT ONLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO FOR OUR NATION. THANK YOU, MISS SADDLES. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ALL THAT. YOU DO APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. THANKS.

MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL. AS EVERYONE ELSE SAID.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE APG PHYSICALLY WITHIN MY DISTRICT AND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO SERVE THROUGH APG LIVE IN HAVRE DE GRACE OR LIVE ON BASE. AND I JUST AM VERY THANKFUL TO YOU ALL FOR OPENING YOUR HOME AND HAVING MY WIFE AND I WITH YOU TO GET TO KNOW YOU AS PEOPLE. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO REMEMBER IS UNDERNEATH THE UNIFORMS ARE PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO LAUGH, PEOPLE WHO HOPE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WHO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. AND WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR GARRISON COMMANDER, WHO I BELIEVE IS IN THE MIDST OF TRANSITION. AND SO WE'LL MISS YOU VERY MUCH. ALTHOUGH ALL THE DADS WHO SWIM AGAINST YOU ARE VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU LEAVE. HE'S HE'S VERY SHY, BUT HE'S A VERY GOOD SWIMMER. BUT SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WITH EDUCATION CONNECTION IN MIND, A FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD UPROOTED CHESAPEAKE HERE IN HONOR OF MILITARY CHILD MONTH AND WE, YOU KNOW, ALL WORE PURPLE IN HONOR OF MILITARY CHILDREN. I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT. MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP TO DO SOME PROGRAMING AROUND THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD AND CELEBRATING ALL THOSE KIDS WHO COME TO HARFORD COUNTY FOR TWO YEARS, AND THEN THEY'RE OFF TO THE NEXT STOP WITH THEIR FAMILY, BECAUSE I JUST THINK WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS KIDS IS SO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE, TOO. THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. AND THEN I WOULD BE REMISS IF I LET YOU GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT MENTIONING THE WOODLEY ROAD EXTENSION. SO I'M THANKFUL THAT WE HAD A MEETING TODAY, AND OUR BOARD OF ESTIMATES AND DESIGN IS MOVING FORWARD. WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. YOU I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY 28,000 EMPLOYEES OR IS IT IS IT 28? OKAY. 20 OKAY. BUT 80,000 THAT USE THE SERVICES TO INCLUDE RETIREES AND FAMILY MEMBERS, RIGHT. SO OFF AND ON, I HEAR DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT SOME OF OUR HIGHER SKILLED CONTRACTORS LEAVING AND GOING TO HUNTSVILLE. IS THAT FACTUAL? CAN YOU SAY. I CANNOT SAY THAT ANY OF OUR TEAM HAS MOVED TO HUNTSVILLE? THERE IS, I EXPECT, GROWTH IN HUNTSVILLE. OKAY. I THINK THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED. SOME OF THE COMMANDS POTENTIALLY MOVING THERE WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY. BUT NO, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF THE POLL WE LOST. OUR DEPUTY IS THE IS THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE, MISS LIZ MIRANDA OH YES, THE JOB AT AMC HEADQUARTERS. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I'M NOT TRACKING ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES GOING TO HUNTSVILLE. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN FOR COMING. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN. AND PLEASE GIVE MY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO MONIQUE FOR TOMORROW AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 CITIZEN BUDGET ADVISORY REPORT, MR. PARRISH. ANYBODY ELSE COMING UP? ALL RIGHT. JUST ME. WELL,

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TOGETHER, WE LISTEN TO FOUR DAYS OF TESTIMONY FROM THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENT HEADS AND MET IN PRIVATE TO DISCUSS THE VARIOUS MATTERS RELATING TO THE FY 26 BUDGET. DURING THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WE CREATED THIS REPORT WHICH WE PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING. WE ANTICIPATE THAT YOU WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OUR THOUGHTS AS YOU MOVE ALONG IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FUNDING OF A 3% COLA AND $1,000 MERIT INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES OF HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, UP FROM A 1% COLA AND $1,000 MERIT INCREASE LAST YEAR. AS WELL AS PROVIDING THE NECESSARY FUNDING FOR BOTH THE LIBRARY AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO FUND 3% SALARY INCREASES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS. HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HAVE RECEIVED A PAY INCREASE THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DECLARED THAT THERE IS A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. IF A BUSINESS IS STRUGGLING AND NOT PROFITABLE, THEN EMPLOYEES TYPICALLY DON'T GET A PAY INCREASE. THE 3% COLA IS HIGHER THAN THE FEDERAL COLA OF 2.5%, AND WITH THE $1,000 MERIT INCREASE, MANY EMPLOYEES WILL SEE A 4 TO 5% INCREASE. OVERALL, WE QUESTION HOW THIS IS AFFORDABLE WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHALLENGES OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS WHILE NOT MEETING OTHER FUNDING REQUESTS. IT WAS ALSO INDICATED THAT THE INTENTION WAS TO PROVIDE ENOUGH FUNDING TO MEET THE SHERIFF'S SALARY STUDY. HOWEVER, TESTIMONY FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONCLUDED THAT THE AMOUNT PROVIDED WOULD FALL SHORT. THE STATE'S ATTORNEY ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT FUNDS WERE ONLY PROVIDED TO INCREASE SALARIES FOR ATTORNEYS AT THAT OFFICE, AND NOT ANY OF THE SUPPORT STAFF, WHICH DOES NOT SEEM ADEQUATE. WORKING WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THEIR OPERATING REQUEST IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED AS AN ADVISORY BOARD. WE WOULD CAUTION AGAINST SAYING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN FULLY FUNDED, THOUGH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TOOK PROACTIVE MEASURES BY DECREASING THEIR BUDGET REQUEST PREEMPTIVELY THROUGH A REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE, MANY STUDENT FACING POSITIONS ARE TO BE ELIMINATED AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND NOTHING IS SHOWN THAT CLASS SIZES HAVE BEEN DECREASING IN SIZE. ADDITIONALLY, USING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR AND PROJECTING TO STILL NEED TO USE FUND BALANCE NEXT YEAR IS UNSUSTAINABLE. BALANCING ENROLLMENT IS A MUST, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE IS NO PLAN IN PLACE TO GET TEACHERS SALARIES TO $60,000 PER YEAR, AS REQUIRED BY THE KIRWAN COMMISSION. THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IS NOTED FOR OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM AS WELL, AND ALTHOUGH THE COLLEGE WILL MANAGE WITH THEIR FUNDING FOR NOW, HCC WILL NEED TO INCREASE ITS TUITION, MOST LIKELY IN PART TO THE SUBSTANTIAL CAPITAL PROJECT PROPOSED FOR A WORKFORCE TRAINING FACILITY. COUNCILMAN BENNETT RIGHTFULLY BROUGHT IT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION THAT EVERY $100,000 INVESTED REDUCES THE TUITION BY $1 PER CREDIT HOUR.

CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF COLLABORATION THE COLLEGE HAS WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC

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WE APPLAUD THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE JOPLIN COMMUNITY CENTER, WITH A LOCATION SET AND FIELDS AND TRAILS TO BE BUILT, BUT THE ONLY REAL IMMEDIATE LAND PURCHASE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE NEEDED IS FOR A SCHOOL TO BE BUILT IN THE HABIT OF GRACE TO ABERDEEN AREA.

AS SUCH, HAVING $10 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR POTENTIAL SITE ACQUISITION IS MORE THAN LIKELY HIGHER THAN NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE YEARS. LARGE EXPENDITURES LIKE A PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX AND REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER NEED TO HAVE COMMITMENTS FOR INVESTMENT FROM OUR STATE AND OR FEDERAL PARTNERS TO BE POSSIBLY CONSIDERED. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS TO HAVE A SAY IN THIS PROCESS AND THE COUNTY BUDGET. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, FOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE THIS YEAR IN OUR CURRENT CAPACITY. YOU CERTAINLY MADE AND STILL MAKE US FEEL WELCOMED. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE OF SERVICE AS YOU COMPLETE THE AMENDMENT AND VOTING PROCESS, AND I AM AVAILABLE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AS OUR MY FELLOW MEMBERS. LYNN, LET ME THANK YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR THIS REPORT THAT YOU PRODUCED FOR US THIS EVENING. I WANT TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FOR SERVING AS MY BUDGET ADVISOR, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE WITH US SO MANY DAYS OUT OF YOUR REGULAR SCHEDULE. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. MR. BENNETT, HELLO. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND EVERYBODY WHO VOLUNTEERED THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AGAIN, THE FOUR DAYS OF DRAMA AND INTRIGUE AND LOTS OF NOTE TAKING DON'T GO UNNOTICED. BUT I KNOW FROM KEVIN, MY BUDGET ADVISOR, IT'S ALSO THE PHONE CALLS IN THE EVENING, THE MEETINGS AFTERWARDS, THE EMAILS BACK AND FORTH AS WE GO THROUGH THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF NUMBERS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT ALL MEANS.

AND IT'S VOLUNTEER WORK FOR YOU ALL. I GET A PAYCHECK EVERY TWO WEEKS, BUT YOU DON'T. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR. WITH HAVING SUCH A NEW BUDGET TEAM. YOU WOULDN'T GUESS IT BY HIS YOUNG AGE, BUT MR. TIBBS WAS THE MOST SENIOR ONE THERE, HAVING BEEN THROUGH MULTIPLE BUDGET PROCESSES. SO AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MR. ROWLEY? YES. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AND MR. TIBBS FOR SERVING AS MY COUNSEL. I'D APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOFF. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOU GUYS. I WAS APPOINTED ON THE 22ND. WE ROLLED INTO THE BUDGET ON THE 23RD. AND YOU YOU GUYS MADE IT A LOT EASIER ON ME AND ANSWERED ANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. AND SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY BUDGET

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[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

SO IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS RESOLUTION, YOU'RE SAYING YOU WANT ALL THESE REQUESTS. WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. WE'RE NOT DOING THESE ITEM BY ITEM. CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

SO IT'S ALL OR NONE. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. I'D JUST LIKE TO. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADDING THIS TO OUR BUDGET, HAVE WE DECIDED OR THE FOLKS THAT THAT PUT THIS IN HERE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE CUTS? WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AS WE SPEAK. SO THAT WON'T BE IN PART OF THIS RESOLUTION.

IT WILL NOT. SO WE'RE GOING TO VOTE BLINDLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE CUTS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT, BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH THE CUTS, BUT YET WE MIGHT AGREE WITH SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES HERE. I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH DISCUSSION AMONGST INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THERE'S BEEN AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE AND FOR SAVINGS, THAT IF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DECIDES TO FUND THESE, HE HAS THE FUNDS TO DO IT. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS TONIGHT WHAT THOSE WHERE THOSE CUTS ARE. NO, SIR. BUT THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. YES. FROM THIS DAIS. YES. OKAY. IT'LL HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED IN OPEN SESSION OBVIOUSLY. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. AND JUST FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, OUR RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR ARE $240,000 FOR THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO HELP WITH PAYING THEIR LOWEST PAID STAFF TO GET THEM UP TO PAY PARITY ACROSS OTHER JURISDICTIONS, $600,000 TO HELP WITH COURT SECURITY WITH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, BECAUSE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED. SAFETY CONCERN $1.1 MILLION TO REPLACE EXPIRED EQUIPMENT FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AGAIN FOR SAFETY, BOTH OF THE OFFICERS AND OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN $200,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HELP MEET THEM IN THE MIDDLE. BETWEEN THEIR FUNDING REQUESTS AND WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING SO THAT THEY DON'T GET FLAT FUNDED FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW. SO THE TOTAL REQUESTS FROM US FOR AMENDMENTS IS $2.1 MILLION, WHICH I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WE COLLECTIVELY PUT FORWARD OVER $10 MILLION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET. SO IN COMPARISON, THIS IS A REALLY MILD ASK OF OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMPARED TO WHAT'S COME FROM US BEFORE. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. EMHOFF, I MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY. NO. MRS. SIDLE I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE NEGATIVE ONE ABSENT RESOLUTION ZERO 1225 IS HEREBY APPROVED. NINE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE. TEN INTRODUCTION AND

[10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]

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AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR ON PAGE 2. IN LINE SUBSTITUTE 5,500,000, NOT 550 ON PAGE THREE ON PAGE 25. DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT AGAIN? YEAH. OKAY. AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE ON PAGE 25 AND LINE 17, STRIKE 5,670,000. AND SUBSTITUTE 5,550,000 505,500,000 IS BEING SUBSTITUTED. 5,500,000.

YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. AMENDMENT FOUR ON PAGE 25, IN LINE 20. STRIKE 3,135,000 AND SUBSTITUTE 3,050,005. YEAH. AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE 25. IN LINE 21, STRIKE 30,150,000 AND SUBSTITUTE 28,150,000. AMENDMENT NUMBER SIX ON PAGE 26. IN LINE 21, STRIKE 239,600 AND SUBSTITUTE 219,600, AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN ON PAGE 27. LINE 17 STRIKE 27,067,338, AND SUBSTITUTE 23,867,338. AMENDMENT NUMBER EIGHT ON PAGE 43. IN LINE THREE, STRIKE 15,400,000 AND SUBSTITUTE 13,800,000, AMENDMENT NUMBER NINE ON PAGE 43. IN LINE 15, STRIKE 2,750,000 AND SUBSTITUTE 1,150,000. AMENDMENT NUMBER TEN ON PAGE 44. IN LINE THREE, STRIKE 9,861,188 AND SUBSTITUTE 8,261,188. ON PAGE 11. ON PAGE 44, IN LINE 14, STRIKE 1,600,000 AND SUBSTITUTE ZERO. THANK YOU, MR. ROBBIE. MR. SANDLER, MR. LLOYD, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SOME EXPLANATION, SO.

OH, OH, IS IT ON? OH, YEAH. THAT'S ON. NOW IT'S ON. OKAY, SO JUST AS A REMINDER, ALL OF THESE BILLS I'M SORRY ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, MEANING THAT ALL OF THE REVENUES THAT ARE COLLECTED FROM THE WATER AND SEWER REVENUE ARE COLLECTED FROM THE USERS OF THE SYSTEM, AND THEY ARE USED TO PAY FOR THE OPERATING COSTS OF THE SYSTEM. SO ACTUALLY, BOTH THE OPERATING COSTS AND THE CAPITAL REPLENISHMENT COSTS. SO I KNOW WE DO HAVE SOME SOME NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE. SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS ENGAGED IN A FIVE YEAR RATE STUDY WHERE WE HAVE PROCURED THE SERVICES OF OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS TO TRY TO ALIGN WHAT OUR RATES SHOULD BE. OF THAT WE EXPECT FROM THE WATER AND SEWER USERS IN ORDER TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE OPERATIONAL AND CAPITAL REPLENISHMENT COSTS. AND WE IMPLEMENTED THESE IN 2016 AND AGAIN IN 2020. WE RECENTLY COMPLETED A STUDY WITH THE EXPECTATION OF DOING RATES FOR FISCAL YEARS 26 THROUGH 30.

HOWEVER, THIS WAS A VERY KIND OF TUMULTUOUS TIME, WITH A LOT OF CHANGES HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL. YOU KNOW, INCREASED TAXES, THE CHANGE IN TARIFFS, SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF WITH A LOT OF JUST ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY. AND IT WAS MORE OR LESS KIND OF A JOINT CONSENSUS FROM BOTH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL THAT AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NOT APPROPRIATE TO ENACT ANY TYPE OF RATE INCREASES. NOW, THE BUDGET WAS ALREADY DEVELOPED KIND OF WITH EXPECTATION OF THOSE RATE INCREASES. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS REDUCING OR ROLLING BACK. I SAY THE REVENUE INCREASES OF THOSE RATE INCREASES AND MORE OR LESS KIND OF BRINGING BACK THE REVENUE EXPECTATIONS TO WHERE THEY ARE IN THE IN THE CURRENT YEAR. AND THAT AMOUNT IS $3.2 MILLION. AND THEN IN ORDER TO NOT ONLY REDUCE THE REVENUE BY $3.2 MILLION, WE ALSO THEN NEED TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES. NOW, AGAIN, ON THE OPERATING SIDE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE ARE COMPLETELY FINE. THE RATES ARE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ALL THE CURRENT OPERATIONS. SO THE CURRENT STAFFING WILL BE ABLE TO USE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE PROPER AMOUNTS OF CHEMICALS AND ALL OF THAT ON THE WATER. BUT WHAT WILL TAKE A AT LEAST A HIT OR AT LEAST A PUSHBACK WILL

[00:40:05]

NOW, I SHOULD NOTE, WE WILL NEED AT SOME POINT TO ADDRESS THE RATE QUESTION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN AGING SYSTEM. AND JUST LIKE WITH A HOUSE OR ANYTHING ELSE, YOU HAVE TO RENEW AND REPLACE YOUR YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO NOT GO FORWARD WITH THOSE RATE INCREASES AT THIS TIME. BUT OF COURSE THOSE DO REQUIRE SOME BUDGET CHANGES. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. SO.

BASICALLY WE WERE PLANNING ON RAISING OUR WATER AND SEWER RATES AND HAVING THAT FUND THOSE NEW FUNDS IN THE BUDGET ACCOUNTED FOR. WE PULLED THAT BACK. THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. SO YOU'RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS IN BOTH THE REVENUE SIDE AND THE EXPENSE SIDE? EXACTLY. WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. SO YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE BRING IN, WE ALSO THEN GENERALLY HAVE EXPENDITURES THAT OFFSET IT. SO IN THIS CASE CORRECT. WE ARE BOTH REDUCING THE REVENUE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO REALIZE THOSE REVENUES AND WE ARE REDUCING THE EXPENDITURES IN THIS CASE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET. BUT AT THIS TIME, IT'S NOT GOING TO IMPACT ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE WATER AND SEWER FUND AS FAR AS CAPITAL PROJECTS, BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING ON NEARLY A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION RESERVE. WELL, WE HAVE ENOUGH. WE HAVE A $99 MILLION, ACCORDING TO YOU.

YES. CORRECT. WE HAVE UNRESTRICTED FUND BALANCE AND 130 MILLION RESTRICTED. RIGHT.

WE HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES THAT IN THE SHORT TERM WE CAN AFFORD THIS. YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, IF YOU WERE TO GO BACK TEN YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE TYPES OF RESERVES HERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE WAS I UNDERSTAND THAT, YES. SO WE DO HAVE YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, FOR A YEAR OR SO MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN THIS. BUT AGAIN, EVENTUALLY, JUST LIKE WITH A HOME OR WITH ANYTHING ELSE, YOU YOU HAVE TO THAT'S UNDERSTOOD. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE IN A POSITION TO DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO. AND WHEN WE NEED TO ADJUST PRICES, WE WILL. WE OUR OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS ARE NOT GOING TO SUFFER. AND I BELIEVE, AGAIN, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WATER AND SEWER THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WITH ANYTHING, OF COURSE, WE TRIAGE THE EXPENDITURES, THESE, THESE WERE, YOU KNOW, AT THE LOWEST PRIORITY. AND SO WE'RE PUSHING THEM OUT AND WE BELIEVE THAT, YES, WE CAN WE CAN HANDLE THIS. OBVIOUSLY WE ALSO HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES THAT IF ANY EMERGENCIES WERE TO COME UP, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A POSITION TO HANDLE THIS. SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YES. THANK YOU COUNCIL. ANYONE ELSE WITH QUESTIONS? MR. BENNETT? HELLO.

GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. WITH THIS AND FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS. ARE YOU THINKING THAT WE'LL TAKE THE FIVE YEAR PLAN AND MAKE IT AA4 YEAR PLAN TO GET US BACK ON SCHEDULE? OR ARE YOU THINKING THAT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN WILL JUST BE A YEAR DELAYED? LIKE, HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT ADDRESSING THE FACT WE TOOK A PAUSE THIS YEAR AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE DETERMINED. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES OUT THERE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. WE JUST HEARD THE COMMANDERS FROM APG TALK ABOUT THE FORCE REDUCTION. WE YOU KNOW, WE EVERY DAY YOU TURN ON THE NEWS, YOU HEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. WE HAVE. WE HAVE ENOUGH RESERVES THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHETHER THIS FOR A FEW YEARS, IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS POINT IF WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK THAT LEGISLATION NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER, AGAIN, WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IS WHAT HAPPENED 20 YEARS AGO, WHEREBY WE DIDN'T COME BACK FOR DECADES AND WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A VERY BAD SITUATION. SO WE HAVE THE ADEQUATE RESERVES. WE'RE AWARE OF THE SITUATION. I THINK WE'RE IN A POSITION TO KIND OF MAINTAIN THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ALL OF THAT IS TO BE TO BE DETERMINED. WE DEFINITELY DO DO NOT, THOUGH, AS A COUNTY, I THINK WANT TO GO IN ANY LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE YEAR

[00:45:01]

AND THEN SINCE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECT EXPENDITURES, I JUST WANTED TO ASK WHILE YOU'RE IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE SINCE THE LAST TIME WE SAW YOU IN PERSON, MARYLAND AND THE UNITED STATES LOST THEIR TRIPLE-A BOND RATING. WE STILL GOT OURS TO HAVE OURS. DOES THAT MAKE OUR TRIPLE-A BOND RATING MORE VALUABLE WHEN OTHERS LOSE THEIRS? AS FAR AS LIKE, HOW WILL THAT IMPACT US WHEN IT COMES TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THEIR COSTS? WELL, I MEAN, IT'S AND AGAIN, THERE ARE YOU DURING THE TIMES WHEN THE RATES WERE WERE VERY LOW, YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO, EVEN COUNTIES THAT WERE SINGLE WAY COUNTIES WERE GETTING REALLY GOOD RATES, JUST VERY SIMILAR TO HOW PEOPLE WITH WITH LOW CREDIT RATINGS IN 2020 MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN A MORTGAGE THAT IS FAR BETTER THAN SOMEBODY WHO HAS AN 800 CREDIT RATING, YOU KNOW, WOULD GET WOULD GET. NOW, HOWEVER, OUR BONDS ARE COMPETITIVELY BID. AND SO TO THAT EXTENT, YOU KNOW, OURS ARE GOING TO BE, I THINK, THE MOST DESIRABLE FROM THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY. PART OF IT ALSO IS I THINK WE TEND TO GO TO MARKET AT A REALLY GOOD TIME IN, IN THE WINTER. AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT FROM KIND OF AN ANALYTICAL STANDPOINT WORKING WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS. I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY ADVANTAGEOUS. NOT ALL COUNTIES HAVE THAT ABILITY OR, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE CERTAIN CASH FLOW NEEDS. WE HAVE ENOUGH RESERVES THAT TO THAT WE CAN ALSO DETERMINE WHEN WE WANT TO GO TO BOND MARKET. WE SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO BOND MARKET BECAUSE THEY NEED THE MONEY. SO WE'RE WE'RE FORTUNATE THERE. SO AGAIN, RELATIVELY SPEAKING I THINK WE'RE IN A BETTER SITUATION. BUT THAT'S ALSO BECAUSE WE AS A COUNTY HAVE BEEN WILLING TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS AND A WHOLE LOT OF AREAS, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THAT TRIPLE A BOND RATING. AND SOME MIGHT SAY THAT'S MAYBE NOT WHY THE STATE OF MARYLAND OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THEIR TRIPLE A BOND RATING ANYMORE IS BECAUSE MAYBE THEY HAVE NOT MADE THOSE SAME TYPES OF HARD DECISIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE, MR. GIORDANO? THANKS, ROBBIE. SO I HEARD YOU SAY IT'S ALL COMING OUT OF THE CAPITAL FUND. SO NEXT YEAR, WILL YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND MAYBE PARE THEM DOWN? I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE DIFFERENT CAPITAL PROJECTS YOU HAD, OTHER THAN WHAT WAS THE TOTAL COST OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS YOU REDUCED BY? WELL, IN THIS CASE, BY, BY THE 3.2 MILLION, 3.2 MILLION. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST ON THE WATER AND SEWER SIDE. SO ANY OF THE OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE NOT AFFECTED UNDER ANY OF THESE AMENDMENTS. SO I'M JUST SAYING COME NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU REDUCED IT BY 3.2 MILLION FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WHERE YOU LOOK AT MAYBE A SMALLER CAPITAL PROJECT, OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO LOOK AT THE SAME CAPITAL PROJECT AND, AND WORK ON THAT? HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? YEAH, I KNOW I THINK THAT WE WILL. AND SOME OF THIS WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR WITH, WITH THE RATE LEGISLATION OR DEFER IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, OKAY, THIS IS HOW MUCH AVAILABLE FUNDS WE HAVE IN WATER AND SEWER, BECAUSE THERE'S NO OUTSIDE FUNDS. WE'RE NOT ABLE TO WE'RE NOT USING ANY TAXPAYER DOLLARS OR ANY GRANTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S ALL PRETTY MUCH GENERATED FROM THE SYSTEM AND THE RESERVES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. AND WE COULD CERTAINLY GO AND WE HAVE ENOUGH RESERVES THAT WE COULD JUST PUT A WHOLE BUNCH IN THE CAPITAL. BUT THEN DO WE CUT OURSELVES SHORT AND THEN NOT HAVE ENOUGH RESERVES? IN CASE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TO GO SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DO THE RATE INCREASE. SO I DO THINK AS A GENERAL TONE, WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SMOOTHING OUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND PROBABLY REDUCING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. AGAIN, STILL MAINTAINING, YOU KNOW, THE MOST CRITICAL NEEDS. BUT THOSE THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE LIKE, OKAY, THIS WAS THIS WAS SEVENTH ON THE PRIORITY. INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO DO IT NEXT YEAR, MAYBE IT'S DONE THE YEAR AFTER THE YEAR AFTER. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING TO HEAR. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? SIR? ROBBIE I AGREE WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THIS. WE DO NOT WANT TO FALL IN THAT SAME CATEGORY AS WE DID BEFORE, BUT I THINK WITH EVERYTHING THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE ON THEM, THIS WAS NOT THE TIME. AND WE WILL BRING THESE AMENDMENTS UP FOR A VOTE NEXT WEEK SO THAT YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE 12 ENROLLMENT OF BILLS NONE 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS NONE 14.

[14. NEW BUSINESS]

[00:50:06]

AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO PUT SOME ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP MONEY ASIDE FOR OUR SUMMER MOMENTUM SCHOLARSHIP THAT WILL HELP STUDENTS THIS SUMMER. OUR PLAN IS TO AGAIN TO ENCOURAGE RETENTION, KEEP THEM ENROLLED, GIVE THEM MONEY TO TAKE CLASSES THROUGH THE SUMMER SO THEY'LL BE MORE INCLINED TO RETURN TO US IN THE FALL. THANK YOU, MISS JACKSON. AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING FROM FISCAL YEAR 20 FOUR'S REQUEST TO THIS, WE'RE NOT TALKING THAT MUCH MONEY. SO NO COUNCIL. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. RILEY, ON AN UNRELATED SUBJECT, DO YOU KNOW YOUR FUND BALANCE FOR THE COLLEGE? I NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, JUST LIKE THE COUNTY DOES. WE HAVE UNRESTRICTED AND THEN WE HAVE INVESTMENT IN PLANT. COULD YOU GIVE ME THOSE? I GUESS WE CAN SEND THEM OVER TO YOU TOMORROW.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. BENNETT, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE INCREASE IN DUAL ENROLLMENT THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT IN YOUR LETTER? YOU KNOW, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU HAVE THAT ARE DUAL ENROLLED AND HOW THAT IMPACTS YOU ALL FINANCIALLY? SO I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER. IT HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY. SO THE FIRST YEAR THE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM, IT WAS CAPPED AND THEN THE CAP WAS REMOVED. SO AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, AS FAMILIARITY WITH THE PROGRAM KIND OF TOOK TOOK GROWTH, TOOK WINGS AND STARTED TO GROW. AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ONE KID THAT GOES THROUGH IT. AND THEN THEY TALK TO ANOTHER PARENT AND ANOTHER PARENT, AND YOU SEE HOW IT KIND OF TAKES ITS OWN WINGS AND THE MOMENTUM GROWS. SO UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PICKS UP 75% OF THE COST. AND AGAIN, IT'S FULL.

TUITION IS COVERED FOR AGAIN, AN UNLIT. RIGHT NOW IT'S UNLIMITED. WELL FOR THIS YEAR IT WAS UNLIMITED NUMBER OF CLASSES THAT STUDENTS COULD TAKE. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PICK UP 75% AND WE PICK UP 25%. SO RIGHT NOW THAT COST IS RIGHT AROUND $500,000 FOR THE YEAR 5 TO 600. WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY TOP OUT. SO IF TUITION RATES WERE TO GO UP BY AN EXTRA DOLLAR PER CREDIT HOUR, THAT COST YOU WITH DUAL ENROLLMENT, AN EXTRA $0.25, AND IT COSTS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AN EXTRA $0.75 PER CREDIT HOUR. YES, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. BUT I ALSO JUST THINK IT'S WORTH CELEBRATING THAT ON THURSDAY THERE'S GOING TO BE HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO GET THEIR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE BEFORE THEY GET THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, WHICH IS REALLY THE GREAT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AT JOPPATOWNE. AND THAT P-TECH PROGRAM. I MEAN, HOW JUST WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THOSE BOTH KNOCKED OUT AT THE SAME TIME. THANK YOU ALL. AND ALONG THOSE LINES, I MEAN, WE WERE JUST AT THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE NEW CYBERSECURITY LAB, ALONG WITH SECRETARY OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, THE CEO OF THE PARTNER THAT WAS WORKING WITH THE HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, MYSELF, JUST AN OUTSTANDING PROGRAM. AND THE RESULTS THE KIDS THAT SPOKE TO US WERE JUST PHENOMENAL. AND I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING TO PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION AT THE COLLEGE AND TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHERE OUR KIDS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT AWAY FOR HIGHER PAYING JOBS. SO I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL STRIVING FOR. AND I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THAT EFFORT AS WELL.

COUNCIL, THIS IS A THIS IS AN ITEM WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING ON TONIGHT. SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET TRANSFER REQUEST. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE REQUEST. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT,

[00:55:01]

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. AGENDA NUMBER 17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS.

MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. 16 BUSINESS

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]

GREAT, GREAT THING FOR A LOT OF YOUNG KIDS FAMILIES. THEY HAD THE ROAD CLOSED DOWN I THINK UNTIL ABOUT 1:00 AND THEN TRAFFIC WAS GONE. BUT THERE WAS LOTS OF CROWDS. PIT PITS WERE LOADED WITH PEOPLE, SO THE WEATHER HELD OUT. SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT AND NO INCIDENTS AS FAR AS I KNOW. SO EVERY SATURDAY MORNING FROM 8 TO 12 IS THE FARMER'S MARKET MARY RISTOW PARKING LOT SO YOU COULD FIND PRODUCE, MEATS, BAKED GOODS, FLOWERS, CRAFTS, PIZZA, TRUCK, PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, ALL KIND OF STUFF THERE. SOME GLUTEN FREE BREAD, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. LATER ON IN THE YEAR, THEY'LL HAVE VEGETABLES FOR SALE AND EVERYTHING. I'M LOOKING FOR A STRING BEANS FROM FOGARTY FARMS. THEY'RE PROBABLY THE BEST THAT I'VE HAD. AND THEY THEY KNOW I'M COMING. I, I ALWAYS GET A BIG CONTAINER OF THAT. SO THE BEL AIR FLEA MARKET IS UPCOMING ON SATURDAY FROM 9 TO 2 AT THE MARY STOWE PARKING LOT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENTS BEGIN THIS WEEK. AND I WANT TO WISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I WON'T SAY HOW OLD HE IS, BUT HE'S OLDER THAN ALL OF US. SO 4141 SO EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD MEMORIAL. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. YES, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, PRESIDENT. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. SERTEAUX. I'M GOING TO RESERVE MY COMMENTS.

I'M TRYING TO SAVE MY VOICE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THOUGH, MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR MEMORIAL DAY COMING UP THIS WEEKEND. I HOPE IT'S A TIME OF REFLECTION AND REMEMBRANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S GRADUATION SEASON. I'LL BE PRESENTING CITATIONS TO THE TAM GRADUATES THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR TEACHER ACADEMY OF MARYLAND. IT'S ONE OF OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY,

[01:00:05]

THEN THURSDAY, I'LL BE AT HCHS GRADUATIONS, CELEBRATING OUR GRADUATES FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND THEN FRIDAY IS EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL'S GRADUATION. AND I KNOW MY WIFE IS VERY EXCITED TO SEE HER STUDENTS WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE AT A MILLION GRADUATIONS WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. AND IT'S JUST SO, SO FUN TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAY. AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO CELEBRATE THAT WE SWORE IN A NEW CITY COUNCIL LAST NIGHT IN THE CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE, WITH TWO RETURNING MEMBERS AND ONE NEW MEMBER, MR. ELLIS. AND I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO. CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE HAS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY. I'M VERY LUCKY TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE, WHERE WE NOW HAVE WIDE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE FLAT AND NOT BUMPY, AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU,

[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]

AND THEN ALSO WENT TO ON SUNDAY, THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOUNDATION'S TASTE OF HARFORD. OH YEAH, WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY HAD, BUT THAT PLACE WAS PACKED, SO IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING.

THANK YOU. 500. IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? SO.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.