[00:00:11]
I COME TO ORDER HERE AND. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. FIVE. FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING.
[a. Resolution 010-25 (Road Closure Portion of Technology Drive)]
CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION ZERO 1025. ROAD CLOSURE. PORTION OF TECHNOLOGY DRIVE. MR. KMIEC, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AND MEMBERS OF THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOE KMIEC. I'M DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR HARFORD COUNTY. JOHNSON DEVELOPMENT SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO THE HARFORD COUNTY ROAD CLOSING COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 9TH, 2021, TO CLOSE A HARFORD COUNTY ROAD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE RELOCATION AND CLOSURE OF COUNTY ROADS DATED MARCH 1996. AS PART OF THEIR PROJECT TO DEVELOP LOT FIVE IN THE HEAT CENTER. JOHN DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSING TO CLOSE THE SOUTHERNMOST PORTION OF TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, APPROXIMATELY 1150 LINEAR FEET FROM THE EXISTING CUL DE SAC. THEIR PROPOSAL IS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW CUL DE SAC AT THE NEW SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, AND MAINTAIN ACCESS TO ALL EXISTING PROPERTIES. ONLY LOT FIVE WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE PROPOSED ROAD CLOSURE. THE MEMBERS OF THE ROAD CLOSING COMMITTEE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATION. THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS SERVING AS CHAIRMAN. THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, AND THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING. THE COMMITTEE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THIS REQUEST ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2021. SCHEDULING, PUBLIC NOTICE AND MINUTES WERE PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS. COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED FROM HARFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING AND ZONING, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF ABERDEEN. NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED FROM ANY CITIZENS. THE ROAD CLOSING COMMITTEE THEN MET ON NOVEMBER 17TH OF 2021, AND CONSIDERED ALL THE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS RECEIVED. THE COMMITTEE AGREED BY MAJORITY VOTE TO MAKE A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATION THAT TECHNOLOGY DRIVE BECOME OFFICIALLY CLOSED BETWEEN THE LIMITS DESCRIBED IN THEIR PROPOSAL. BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU JOE. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING, AS YOU SAID. AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH MR. JOHNSON AND OTHERS IN REFERENCE TO THE ROAD CLOSURE. MET WITH MAYOR MCGRADY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO. EVERYONE'S ON BOARD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVE IT OFF THE DOCK AND MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. COUNCIL.ANYONE? ANY QUESTIONS? MR. BENNETT? VERY QUICK QUESTION, BUT IS THE TIMELINE THAT WE KIND OF TALKED THROUGH A TYPICAL TIMELINE, THE NUMBER OF YEARS BETWEEN YOUR PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL ROAD CLOSURE AND THEN IT BECOMING A RESOLUTION BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THE ROAD CLOSURE ACTUALLY DONE? WELL, WE ONLY DO THESE ABOUT ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S TYPICAL IT. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, HOWEVER, AT THE TIME THAT THE INITIAL REQUEST AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS DONE SORT OF BEGAN A PERIOD OF TIME OF SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RELATIVE TO LARGE WAREHOUSE SIZED DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES. AND I BELIEVE SOME OF THAT UNCERTAINTY LED TO, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME CONCERNS ABOUT PENDING LEGISLATION AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S WHAT I, I UNDERSTAND OR BELIEVE.
THANK YOU. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT, THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 2021, I THINK TWO OF OUR COUNCIL WERE AROUND. IT WAS A DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT D AT THE TIME. SO THAT WAS JUST INTERESTING TO HEAR HOW LONG THAT TAKES. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE MISS. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN I GUESS. IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THIS WILL BRING THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO A CLOSE, AND WE'LL
[b. Resolution 011-25 (Economic Development Loan -126 South Main Bel Air LLC)]
CONSIDER OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION ZERO 1125, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOAN FOR 126 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BEL AIR, LLC. MR. COLE, HOW ARE YOU? VERY WELL, MR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. GOOD TO SEE YOU. MR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. GOOD TO SEE[00:05:01]
YOU. ALL. MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, RAJ GOYLE, ON BEHALF OF THE HARFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 1125, WHEREIN WE WILL BE MAKING A LOAN OF $200,000 TO 126 SOUTH MAIN BEL AIR, LLC, WHICH CURRENTLY OWNS AND HOLDS TITLE TO REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 126 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BEL AIR. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THAT IS CURRENTLY THE PLACE OF BUSINESS FOR CHARM CITY RUN OF BEL AIR, WHICH IS AN ATHLETIC APPAREL AND FOOTWEAR SPECIALTY STORE WHICH HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE 2005 AND IS CELEBRATING ITS 20TH YEAR OF OPERATING IN BUSINESS. THEY'VE BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THE COMMUNITY, GOOD STEWARDS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE WORKING AND EMBARKING ON A PLAN WHERE THEY WILL BE MAKING A CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN EXCESS OF $1.1 MILLION FOR A NUMBER OF RENOVATIONS TO THE ROOF, HVAC, INTERIOR, SIGNAGE THAT WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASED TAX BASE FOR THIS COUNTY, WHICH SERVES EXACTLY THE GOAL OF THE LOAN FUND, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, IS KNOWN AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FUND. SO AGAIN, WE THANK YOU, THE COUNCIL, FOR THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE LAST YEAR TO THE FUND THAT IS ENABLED, OUR OFFICE AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT THESE LOANS. IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL, AND THESE ARE EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL INCENTIVIZE AND INCENTIVIZE THE GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMIC BASE HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS THIS PROPOSAL AND THIS PROPOSED LOAN CHECKS OFF ALL OF THE BOXES AND IS COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY. ALL OF THE PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES WERE PROPERLY FOLLOWED. AND WE WOULD ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AND I SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN THE AUDIENCE. JOSHUA LEVINSON IS IN THE AUDIENCE, THE OWNER OF CHARM CITY RUN. AND I ALSO WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MANY MUCH OF THE FINANCING IS BEING DONE BY TAKAKO. AND I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GIL KENNEDY AND BURKE BOWERS, BOTH OF HARCO, ARE HERE PRESENT IN SUPPORT OF THIS TRANSACTION. AND AGAIN, THIS JUST PLAYS INTO THE COOPERATION AS LENDING GETS MORE DIFFICULT AND MORE CAPITAL STACK IS NEEDED. THIS IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR LENDING COMMUNITY AND THIS LOAN FUND, AND AGAIN, PLAYS INTO THE VERY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS LOAN FUND, THEREBY TO EXPAND THE ECONOMIC BASE OF THIS COUNTY. SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I WOULD ASK FOR, RESPECTFULLY, YOUR SUPPORT AND APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU RAJ, WE APPRECIATE THAT. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE TO SUPPORT CHARM CITY COUNCILMAN GINGER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO TO THE BUILDING. AND I MET WITH JOSH. I ACTUALLY TALKED WITH JOSH A WHILE AGO AND HEARD HIS STORY AND HOW MUCH THEY DO IN OTHER AREAS, AND WHEN HE CAME TO BEL AIR, SOMEBODY TOLD THEM TO COME TO BEL AIR, AND HE WAS JUST SHOCKED WHEN THEY OPENED UP BEL AIR AND HOW BUSY THEY WERE. AND I THINK IT CONTINUES TO BE THAT AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S A PRESENCE IN DOWNTOWN BEL AIR. YOU SEE IT ALL THE TIME. IT'S I MEAN IT'S ON A GREAT CORNER. YOU SEE IT, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO TOWN AND GOING OUT OF TOWN. SO I DON'T THINK YOU CAN ASK FOR ANYTHING BETTER THAN THAT AS FAR AS VISIBILITY GOES. AND YOU SEE IT ALL THE TIME. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THERE BECAUSE I'M NOT A RUNNER. BUT. BUT JOSH HAD COME IN. HE'LL GET ME IN RUNNING SHOES. I DON'T KNOW IF THEN THAT THINKS SHE'S GOING TO GET ME RUNNING OR NOT, BUT GLAD TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS. YOU KNOW, THE BEL AIR ALSO HAS A DOWNTOWN, HAS A PROGRAM TO REVITALIZE A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS IN IN BEL AIR TO UPGRADE THEM SO THEY THEY LOOK GREAT. THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN GOING THROUGH BEL AIR AND SEEING PEOPLE UPDATE THEIR BUILDINGS, MODERNIZE THEM. IT HELPS BRING BUSINESSES TO THE COUNTY. THERE'S NEVER A WEEKEND THAT GOES BY. YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE STREETS OF BEL AIR SHOPPING, EATING. SO CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN HERTFORD COUNTY. AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND FOR JOSH AND APPRECIATE HIM AND STAYING IN BEL AIR. SO THANKS. THANK YOU COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MR. JANARDHANA. JUST FOR THE RECORD, I AM A CUSTOMER THERE AND SO IS MY WIFE. MR. BENNETT, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE, I THINK THIS IS A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM. I WAS CURIOUS WHAT CONSIDERATION IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS YOU ALL HAVE FOR WHETHER A LOCATION IS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF A MUNICIPALITY. JUST THINKING ABOUT THE TAX IMPACT, THE REVENUE IMPACT ON EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS. COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. WE MAKE NO DISTINCTION IN PROCESSING AND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS BY BUSINESSES, WHETHER THEY ARE IN A MUNICIPALITY OR OUTSIDE. ALL BUSINESSES IN HARFORD COUNTY ARE[00:10:04]
ELIGIBLE. THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS THAT NEED TO BE OPERATING FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR. THEN WE HAVE A DETAILED COMMITTEE REVIEW PROCESS WHERE WE LOOK FROM EVERYTHING FROM CREDIT TO COLLATERAL TO, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY OBVIOUSLY TO COLLECT, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO LOOK AT THE EXPANSION AND THE IMPACT ON THE TAX BASE. AND AS LONG AS ALL OF THOSE PARAMETERS ARE ABIDED BY AND WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THESE ARE GOOD USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLECT, AND THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN EITHER NEW JOB OR NEW CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, THEN THESE ARE EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT WE WILL GET BEHIND. AND SO WE ENCOURAGE ANY AND ALL BUSINESSES THAT COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM TO, TO PLEASE SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.AND THEN MY SECOND THING IS MORE SO A COMMENT. BUT I THINK AS THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW, IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO DEVELOP A DOT MAP OF WHERE RECIPIENTS OF THE LOAN HAVE BEEN A TO CELEBRATE IT, BUT B TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT INADVERTENTLY HITTING THE SAME CLUSTER OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE THE IMPACT SPREAD ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTY. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, COUNCILMAN, AND I ASSURE YOU THAT OUR OFFICE, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO PROMOTE AND MARKET THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL BUSINESSES ARE AWARE. AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIMES AT LOCAL CHAMBERS AT THE MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE, AS WELL AS VARIOUS BUSINESSES UP AND DOWN ROUTE 40, THE NORTH COUNTY, BEL AIR, FOREST HILL. AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE US A GOOD PIPELINE OF APPLICATIONS FOR US TO PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MR. RAJ, WILL YOU TELL COUNCILMAN BENNETT HOW MANY HOW MANY LOANS WE ACTUALLY HAVE ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW, ASSUMING THAT THAT THIS LOAN GETS APPROVED HERE TODAY, THIS WILL BE OUR SEVENTH. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT THAT WITH THE ADDITION OF THIS LOAN, ASSUMING THAT THIS COUNCIL APPROVES, WILL TAKE US UP TO $670,000. AND CAN YOU PROVIDE US WITH A LIST OF THE SEVEN SO THAT MY COLLEAGUE KNOWS WHERE THEY'RE ALL AT? WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THIS COUNCIL A REPORT AROUND JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR, AND SO THERE WILL BE A REPORT FORTHCOMING TWICE A YEAR. WE HAVE TO MAKE A REPORT. SO THAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING. AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE IDENTITY OF ALL OF THE LOANS AS WELL AS THE OUTSTANDING BALANCES. AND THAT SHOULD PROVIDE YOU ALSO THE GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE OF THE OF THE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP. MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS IN THE COUNTY. AND WE'LL CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE THIS UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING. BILL 25 006 PAY AND
[c. Bill 25-006(Pay and Classification Plan) ]
CLASSIFICATION PLAN. MISS STEVENS, HOW ARE YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT? GOOD TO SEE YOU.COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TIFFANY STEVENS AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HR. WITH ME TODAY I HAVE NICOLE BARNWELL. SHE IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR. AND TONIGHT WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FY 26 PAY AND CLASSIFICATION CHANGES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE. I KNOW YOU HAVE THE LEGISLATION, BUT I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THE CHANGES. OKAY. PERFECT. SO WE DO HAVE WE DID TRY TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM OF EACH GRADE BY 3%. WE ARE PROPOSING SIX NEW CLASSIFICATIONS TO BE CREATED. IN ADDITION, TWO CLASSIFICATIONS RECEIVE A TITLE CHANGE ONLY AND THEN SIX CLASSIFICATION GRADE CHANGES. THE CREATION OF THE SIX NEW CLASSIFICATIONS RESULT IN NO NEW POSITION OR PINS, AND THE ACTUAL CREATION OF PINS ARE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO JUST TO WALK YOU THROUGH REAL QUICK THE SIX NEW CLASSIFICATIONS WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD WOULD BE ELECTRICIAN, JOURNEYMAN. AND THIS IS TO HELP US WITH OUR HCC STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING DIRECTLY FOR WITH US WITHOUT A MASTER'S. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO POINT THEM INTO THEIR OWN CLASSIFICATION RATHER THAN PUTTING THEM IN. WHAT WE DO NOW IS LIKE A MAINTENANCE MECHANIC.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CREATE THREE TO CLASSIFICATION FOR THEM. WE HAVE THE INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIAN TWO. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE AN INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIAN. WE ARE ASKING TO TITLE CHANGE THAT SO THAT IT HAS A ONE BEHIND IT, AND THEN CREATE THE TWO SO THAT WE ARE CREATING A CAREER LADDER FOR OUR INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIAN. WE ARE THEN LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CALL TAKER. SO THIS WILL BE A NEW POSITION FOR US IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. THIS IS TO HELP WITH RECRUITMENT. RIGHT NOW WE HIRE FOLKS IN DIRECTLY AS PPS, WHICH ARE THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMERGENCY. IT'S A REALLY LONG NAME DISPATCHER COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO BRING THEM IN AS CALL TAKERS SO THAT THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ANSWER THE 911 CALL IMMEDIATELY, AND THEN THEY TRANSFER THAT TO
[00:15:03]
THE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, WHO THEN COMMUNICATES WITH THE FIRE POD OR THE POLICE POD. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO ADD THE WATERSHED RESTORATION ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST ONE, TWO AND THREE. SO WITH THE ADDITION OF THE MS4 PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE ENGINEERING GROUP HERE IN THIS BUILDING, WE HAVE KIND OF BEEN PUTTING FOLKS IN THE CIVIL ENGINEER SPOT.THESE FOLKS. THEY DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A PE, WHICH IS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. THEY DO HAVE TO HAVE AN ENGINEERING DEGREE, BUT NOT SPECIFIC TO WHAT CIVIL ENGINEERS DO. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CREATE CLASSIFICATIONS TO PUT THEM IN AND THEN GIVE THEM A CAREER LADDER. AS WE DO THE CIVIL ENGINEERS, WE ARE NOT ASKING TO DELETE ANY CLASSIFICATIONS. WE HAVE SIX GRADE CHANGES, SO WE'RE ASKING TO UPGRADE THE ELECTRICIAN, WATER AND SEWER OPERATIONS SENIOR TO ALIGN WITH THE INSTRUMENTATION TECH. THERE IS ONE PERSON CURRENTLY THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED, SO WE'RE ASKING IT TO GO FROM A TW THREE TO A TW FOUR. THIS WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT A 3% INCREASE, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAS IN THEIR BUDGET FOR THE ONE PERSON INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIAN SENIOR. AGAIN, THIS IS DUE TO THE CREATION OF THE TWO THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR. SO WE WOULD MOVE THE SENIOR FROM A TW THREE TO A TW FOUR. THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED THAT WOULD GET A 3% BUMP. WE THEN HAVE THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY WORKER ONE TWO AND THE THREE NON-CERTIFIED. SO WE ARE ASKING TO BUMP ALL THREE OF THESE BY ONE GRADE. CURRENTLY THEY START AT AC2, WHICH IS THE VERY, ALMOST THE VERY LOWEST OF OUR GRADES, IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BRING FOLKS IN AT THAT CA2 LEVEL. IT'S ABOUT $15 AN HOUR, WHICH IS MINIMUM WAGE, SO IT'S HARD TO RECRUIT. SO WE WERE LOOKING TO INCREASE THEM A LITTLE BIT TO GET THEM ALSO IN LINE WITH WHERE OUR HIGHWAYS WORKERS ARE. SO THE JOBS ARE VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED. SO MAKING THEM MORE ALIGNED. THIS WOULD HAVE A COST IMPACT AND IT WOULD BE ABOUT $16,000, WHICH WOULD COME OUT OF THE WATER AND SEWER BUDGET, WHICH THEY DO HAVE IN THEIR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. AND THEN THE SUPERINTENDENT FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS. WE ARE ASKING FOR THAT TO MOVE FROM A TW FIVE. TO AN MG1. THIS IS JUST DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE BUILDING CODE, ELECTRICITY AND THE THINGS THAT THIS POSITION DOES REQUIRE. IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN AN INCREASE NECESSARILY. THE PERSON IS THERE'S ONE PERSON IN THIS POSITION. THEY ARE AT AN EQUITABLE. SO AGAIN THERE IS NO INCREASE TO THE SALARY BUT JUST AN INCREASE TO THE GRADE. AND THEN THE TWO CLASSIFICATION TITLE CHANGES WOULD BE THE INSTRUMENTATION TECH TO THE INSTRUMENTATION TECH ONE, WHICH I EXPLAINED WITH THE CAREER LADDER. AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST PROBATIONARY MOUTHFUL TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS TRAINEE. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION BECAUSE WE HAD THE WORD PROBATIONARY IN THERE AND HUMAN RESOURCES. ALL EMPLOYEES THAT COME IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE HAVE A PROBATIONARY PERIOD. SO FOLKS WERE THINKING, OH, WELL, THIS PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEE IS PROBATIONARY FOR THE SIX MONTHS AND THEN THEY MOVE ON. THAT'S NOT THE CASE. THEY'RE TYPICALLY IN THIS ROLE COULD BE FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS. SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION AND TAKE PROBATIONARY OUT AND CALL IT A TRAINEE. SO WITH THAT ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, YOU ANSWERED OR YOU DID. AND I'M SORRY, BUT I HAD GOT ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD TALKED TO MR. OVERBAY ABOUT ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK. I GUESS IT WAS GOT TWO QUESTIONS ANSWERED. IT HAD TO DO WITH THE 17 POSITIONS FOR CALL TAKERS AND VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW DOES THIS PAY CLASSIFICATION PLAN? HOW WILL THAT ROLL INTO THE STUDY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY AT THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES? SURE. SO THIS IS JUST TO GET FOLKS WHERE WE THINK THEY NEED TO BE RIGHT NOW. SO YES, WE HAD ASKED AND IT WAS PASSED TO GET A, A GROUP IN CALLED EVERGREEN TO DO THE PAY AND CLASS STUDY. SO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE CLASSIFICATIONS THAT I JUST REVIEWED WITH YOU, AS WELL AS THE OTHER 300 THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING THEM TO LOOK AT OUR SCALES. SO RIGHT NOW, AS YOU SEE, WE GO FROM LIKE AC2 TO AN MG2. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME CABINET POSITIONS. WE'RE ASKING THEM TO LOOK AT THAT AND TO, TO RIGHT THE SHIP, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, MAKING SURE THAT OUR POSITIONS ARE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AS WELL AS TO OTHER FOLKS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WHO STEAL FROM US AND WE STEAL FROM THEM. ONE OF THEM BEING LIKE FOR WATER. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
[00:20:01]
EQUITABLE IN ALL OUR POSITIONS. AND SO THIS COMPANY IS COMING IN TO DO THAT. THAT SAID, IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM ABOUT SIX MONTHS. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THESE CHANGES TO TAKE EFFECT JULY 1ST, THE PAYING CLASS. AND THEN FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT LOOKING UNTIL FY 27 OR 28 FOR THE ACTUAL CHANGES JUST DUE TO BUDGET. GOTCHA. MR. GINGER, CAN YOU GO OVER THE QUESTIONS THAT PAT ASKED STEVE, OR DOES STEVE HAVE TO GO OVER THE ANSWERS THAT THAT HE GOT? SO THE REST OF US, NO, I, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS WERE ASKED. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE PAY CLASSIFICATION PLAN, IF I MAY. SURE. I SAW THE NUMBER 17 FOR CALL TAKERS. AND I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAD CALL TAKERS AND DISPATCHERS AS THE SAME. SO AS I DELVED INTO IT A LITTLE BIT, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SINGLE OUT CALL TAKERS TO DO THAT SPECIFIC JOB, AND THOSE CALL TAKERS MAY STICK WITH THAT JOB, AND THEY MAY PROGRESS ON TO A DISPATCHER. BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT IN A IN ONE POCKET SO THEY'RE NOT OVERWHELMED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. AND THEY HAVE CURRENTLY SIX IN A CLASS. NOW MY DAUGHTER'S THE INSTRUCTOR. SO THEY ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS AND I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. OKAY. WELL I JUST WANTED THE REST OF US TO KNOW THAT. TIFFANY. GOOD AFTERNOON NOEL. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING.YEAH. GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING. AFTERNOON. WHERE? IN HERE. DOES IT SPECIFY THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS? IT'S NOT HIGHLIGHTED ALL THE DIFFERENT ONES. BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE LEGISLATION. IT'S LAWYER SPEAK. SO YOU'VE GOT CAPITAL LETTERS AND I, I'M, I'M SURE THE ALL SO THE POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED ARE THE POSITIONS THAT ARE IN ALL CAPS. ALL ALL CAPS. SO AND THEN WHERE THE YOU CAN SEE THE BRACKETS NEXT TO THE CLASSIFICATION. AND THAT'S WHERE THEY CHANGE FROM LIKE BRACKETED OUT OF THREE. AND THAT BECAME A FOUR. SO THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THAT CHANGE. AND THEN THE ONLY THING WHENEVER A POSITION IS ADDED OKAY I SEE HIM OKAY.
THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. ROWLEY. I SEE YOU HAVE THIS FOR THE COUNTY. DO YOU ALSO HAVE ONE FOR THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE FUND LIKE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE LIBRARIES? DO YOU HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN LIKE THIS SO WE CAN SEE WHAT THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS ARE AND WHAT THEIR GRADE IS. SO WE DO WE HAVE IT FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CIVILIAN AND SWORN WE HAVE IT FOR THE CIRCUIT COURT AND WE HAVE IT FOR THE STATE'S ATTORNEY. CAN I GET A COPY OF THAT? SURE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE.
THERE'S AN AMENDMENT TONIGHT FOR BUDGET, NOT THAT YOU KNOW, ALL THIS, BUT IN ANY CASE, I'M GOING TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE THE STATE'S ATTORNEY IS SAYING THAT THEIR SALARY IS NOT IN PORTION WITH, I GUESS, THE REST OF THE COUNTY SALARIES. SO IF YOU HAVE A SECRETARY OVER THERE, THEY'RE NOT MAKING THE SAME THING AS A SECRETARY OVER HERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT? YOU OR NICOLE MAY HAVE A BETTER IDEA. I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN INSIGHT ON THAT WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION, BUT WE TRIED TO ALIGN THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE THEIR OWN ENTITY. WE KIND OF JUST ADVISE THEM. IF THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION. NOT NOT REALLY, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, IS AT LEAST WHAT THIS COUNSEL IS TRYING TO SAY IS THERE'S NOT PARITY UP IN THIS IN THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THAT'S REALITY OR IS THAT JUST POLITICS AT PLAY. AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT AT OUR DISPOSAL RIGHT THIS MINUTE. BUT WE COULD GET THAT INFORMATION. COULD YOU GET THAT? BECAUSE THAT COULD BE USED THAT TO MY LIST OF THINGS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE WAS NO ONE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, NO ONE SIGNED UP. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING. AND AGAIN, TAKE THIS U. NEXT WEEK COULD BE A BUSY WEEK.
[d. Bill 25-007 (CPI Bond Authorization) ]
NEXT WEEK IT IS. THANK YOU. NEXT BILL 25 007 COUPON BOND AUTHORIZATION, MR. SANDERS.GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN. GOOD EVENING. JOIN WITH OUR BOND COUNCIL. CHRISTOPHER. SENATE FROM MILES AND STOCKBRIDGE. I'LL LET HIM KIND OF GO OVER THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THIS BOND BILL, AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY'S BOND PROCESS. SURE. THANK YOU. ROB.
[00:25:04]
GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER SENATE. I'M AN ATTORNEY AT MILES AND STOCKBRIDGE BOND, COUNSEL TO THE COUNTY. WE ARE HERE TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY'S ANNUAL CONSOLIDATED PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS BILL.I'LL GO THROUGH THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF IT, AND THEN I'LL OPEN UP THE QUESTIONS. THE BILL, 25 007 AUTHORIZES THE COUNTY TO ISSUE ITS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $126,158,200, THE PROCEEDS OF WHICH WILL BE USED TO FUND THE COUNTY'S CAPITAL PROGRAM CAPITAL PROJECTS PROGRAM. THE BILL DESCRIBES THE VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY'S APPROVED CAPITAL PROGRAM AND BUDGET, AND THE RESPECTIVE AMOUNTS THAT ARE TO BE FUNDED WITH BOND PROCEEDS. IN ADDITION TO THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE BONDS.
THE BILL FURTHER PROVIDES A MAXIMUM MATURITY OF 20 YEARS FOR THE BONDS SET FORTH, SETS FORTH THE AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY THIS COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE. THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES THE FORM OF THE 2026 BONDS THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE SOLD, SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION, AT THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION AT A LATER DATE. THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES THAT PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS, THE COUNTY COUNCIL SHALL DETERMINE BY ADMINISTRATIVE RESOLUTION THE ESSENTIAL TERMS AND DETAILS OF THE BONDS, INCLUDING THE RATE OF INTEREST AND OTHER TERMS. THE BILL FURTHER AUTHORIZES THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE COUNTY TREASURER, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO PROCEED WITH THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE 2026 BONDS, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE RECORDATION AND TRANSFER TAXES OF THE COUNTY AS ALLOCATED TO THE BOND PROCEEDS TO THE REPAYMENT OF THE BONDS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO PAY DEBT SERVICE ON THE BONDS, THE COUNTY'S FULL FAITH AND CREDIT AND TAXING POWERS ARE PLEDGED TO SECURE REPAYMENT OF THE BONDS PURSUANT TO THE BILL TO THE ULTIMATE BONDHOLDERS. THE BILL FURTHER PROVIDES FOR THE PUBLIC SALE OF THE BONDS AT A LATER DATE, AND THE PROCEDURES FOR SUCH SALE, INCLUDING THE FORM OF NOTICE OF SALE THAT IS PUBLISHED PRIOR TO THE SALE. THE FORM OF ISSUE PRICE CERTIFICATE DOES EXECUTED FOR TAX PURPOSES AND THE FORM OF THE COUNTY'S MUNICIPAL ADVISOR CERTIFICATE, THAT ADVISOR BEING DAVENPORT AND COMPANY. FINALLY, THE BILL AUTHORIZES THE COUNTY TO REIMBURSE ITSELF FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE 2026 MONTHS FROM MONIES PREVIOUSLY SPENT ON CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE COUNTY COVENANTS THAT THIS REIMBURSEMENT SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TAX EXEMPT BOND REGULATIONS ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY AND COORDINATION WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
THE COUNTY COVENANTS THAT WILL TAKE NO ACTION SHALL CAUSE THE INTEREST ON THE 2026 BONDS BECOME FEDERALLY TAXABLE AND WE, AS MILES AND STOCKBRIDGE, DO, ISSUE A BOND COUNSEL OPINION CERTIFYING TO THAT EFFECT. AFTER THE BONDS ARE SOLD AND PRIOR TO BOND CLOSING. THIS SUMMARIZES THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE BOND BILL. HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE ON THIS. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO ROBBIE FOR DISCUSSION OF THE GENERAL CAPITAL PROGRAM. SO THIS IS LEGISLATION THAT WE BRING FORTH EACH AND EVERY YEAR, GENERALLY RIGHT AFTER OR IN THE IN THE MIDST OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT HERE IS THESE ARE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BONDS AND BOTH THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT, AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT WE ARE USING BONDS AS A FUNDING SOURCE FOR, FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND THE REASON WHY IT REALLY HAS THIS SEPARATE LEGISLATION IS BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTING FUTURE TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR THESE PROJECTS, AND THESE ARE PROJECTS. THE ONLY THING THAT WE TAKE OUT DEBT FOR ARE GENERALLY LONG TERM ASSETS. WE DO NOT TAKE OUT DEBT FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF, SAY LIKE A CREDIT CARD. SO WHEN WE TAKE OUT DEBT, IT IS FOR SCHOOLS AND ROADS AND BRIDGES AND SO THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE ARE THEN COMMITTING FUTURE TAXPAYERS TO IT. AND THAT'S WHY WE, WE, WE CORRESPOND THIS LEGISLATION EACH AND EVERY YEAR WITH, WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $120 MILLION DOLLARS OF BONDS IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT. THEY'RE THEY'RE SPLIT BETWEEN ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE RELATED EDUCATION PURPOSES, AND THE OTHER HALF FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS FROM ROADS, BRIDGES, COUNTY FACILITIES, A LOT OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT THINGS, THINGS OF THE LIKE. SO JUST TO AND TYPICALLY WE WOULD ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER CORRESPONDING OR ACCOMPANYING BITS OF LEGISLATION THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE NOT DOING ANY WATER AND SEWER BONDS. THERE'S NO WATER AND SEWER DEBT IN THE CIP, SO THERE IS NO WATER AND SEWER BOND BILL, NOR IS THERE ANY REALLOCATED BOND. SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE LIKE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM PROJECTS WE'RE CLOSING OUT OR CANCELING AND WILL REALLOCATE THEM TO OTHER ONES. SO AS WE TYPICALLY HAVE THREE THREE BOND BILLS THIS YEAR, JUST JUST ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. SO JUST TO THEN AS FAR AS THE WHOLE PROCESS GOES AS FAR AS THE SALE. SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED THE, THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE BOND AUTHORIZATION LATER IN THE YEAR. WE WILL ACTUALLY DO THE BONDS, THE BOND SALE AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE GENERALLY AREN'T NECESSARILY INCLUDED THAT QUICKLY WITHIN OUR BOND SALE, BECAUSE WE NORMALLY WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE ACTUALLY INCURRED THE EXPENSES AND THEN WE REIMBURSE OURSELVES. AND THAT KEEPS US OUT OF ANY ARBITRAGE ISSUES OR, YOU KNOW, ISSUING BONDS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PROPER HOME FOR. SO
[00:30:05]
TYPICALLY, WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL IN DECEMBER WITH A LIST OF THE BONDS THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO SELL. AND THOSE WILL PROBABLY BE FROM THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS OF PROJECTS.AND TYPICALLY THAT'S IN THE 50, 60, $70 MILLION RANGE. SO WE'LL COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL FOR THAT AUTHORIZATION TO SELL THOSE BONDS. THEN WE WILL WORK WITH THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES TO RECEIVE THE COUNTY'S CREDIT RATING. OF COURSE, WE ARE A TRIPLE-A, ALL TRIPLE-A FROM ALL THREE, ALL THREE COUNTIES. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A COMPETITIVE BOND SALE, WHICH WE TYPICALLY HAVE EITHER IN LATE JANUARY OR IN EARLY FEBRUARY. AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE SALES WILL ALSO COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TO BE TO BE APPROVED. SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE NUMEROUS STEPS IN THIS BOND PROCESS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT FINANCING OUR LONG TERM ASSETS FOR THE COUNTY. THANK YOU, MR. SANDERS. THANK YOU, MR. SENATE. ANYONE QUESTIONS. MR. GINGER, DO WE GET TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE BONDING. SURE I MEAN WE SO RIGHT NOW THE BONDS ARE ALL RELATED TO THE BONDS THAT ARE IN THE PROPOSED PROPOSED BUDGET. SO I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO IMPACT THE CAPITAL BUDGET. IF THAT DOES HAPPEN, WE WOULD WE WOULD AMEND THIS BOND BILL. AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH COUNCIL ATTORNEY AND WE WOULD MAKE THOSE AMENDMENTS NEXT WEEK. IF YOU PASS YOUR AMENDMENTS TONIGHT, WE WOULD MAKE THOSE AMENDMENTS NEXT WEEK. AND THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO, OBVIOUSLY, COUNCIL'S DISCRETION AS TO EITHER TO VOTE ON THE, THE BOND BILL THAT NIGHT OR TO DO IT THE FOLLOWING WEEK. IDEALLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE DO LIKE TO HAVE IT ALL DONE BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS SO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY EXPENDITURES AGAINST THAT PROJECT, WE HAVE THE BOND AUTHORIZATION IN PLACE AHEAD OF TIME. HARTFORD ACADEMY, IT'S ONLY 26 MILLION. ISN'T IT GOING TO COST US MORE THAN 26 MILLION? WHAT'S THAT FOR? THAT'S JUST THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT THAT PROJECT, THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE ULTIMATELY $150 MILLION PROJECT WITH 100 MILLION APPROXIMATELY FROM THE COUNTY AND 50 MILLION FROM THE STATE, HOPEFULLY. AND THAT BUT WE OFTENTIMES WILL KIND OF SPREAD, SPREAD PROJECTS OUT, YOU KNOW, OVER, OVER THE COURSE OF A TIME. IT CERTAINLY TAKES MORE THAN ONE YEAR TO BUILD A SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO START WORKING ON THE DESIGN OF THAT SCHOOL FIRST. IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL YEARS. SO THAT'S WE'RE MORE OR LESS JUST KIND OF THE FIRST INSTALLMENT. SO WHEN WE COME BACK THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE OTHER. IT'S PROBABLY SPREAD OUT OVER THREE YEARS, SO IT MIGHT BE LIKE 60 MILLION NEXT YEAR AND THEN 20 MILLION THE NEXT. OKAY, YOU SAID HOPEFULLY, WHEN WILL WE GET THE STATE'S MONEY? WELL, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THE STATE WILL. THE STATE HAS A PROCESS FOR APPROVING PROJECTS. AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE STATE WILL APPROVE THIS PROJECT. THE CHALLENGE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AS THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, IS, IS KIND OF A CASH FLOW ISSUE FROM THE STATE. THE STATE MIGHT SAY, OKAY, OUR FORMULA SAYS WE'RE IN FOR $50 MILLION. AND IDEALLY THEY WOULD PROVIDE THAT $50 MILLION, YOU KNOW, WITHIN LIKE A THREE YEAR SPAN. BUT IF THEY DRAG IT OUT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH APPROPRIATION, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CASH TO WORK WITH IT. YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY MIGHT HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WORK WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, FORWARD FUND THINGS OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MANAGE THAT CASH FLOW. AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE, NOT JUST IN THIS COUNTY, BUT ACROSS THE STATE, AS THESE PROJECTS HAVE BECOME MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, AND THE STATE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION REALLY HASN'T KIND OF KEPT UP WITH WITH THE CURRENT COST OF SCHOOLS. SCHOOLS ARE JUST EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE NOW. I MEAN, $150 MILLION TO BUILD AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SCHOOL IS A UNIQUE SCHOOL. IT DOES HAVE CERTAIN CONSTRUCTIONAL ASPECTS THAT MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE WIDER HALLWAYS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND ALL OTHER. BUT LIKE WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO INTO THIS, THIS LINE OF, OF WORK 20 SOME YEARS AGO, I MEAN, I REMEMBER BUILDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN CARROLL COUNTY FOR, YOU KNOW, $24 MILLION NOW, $24 MILLION, PROBABLY JUST THE DESIGN, YOU KNOW, SO BANK BUILDING IS THAT THE OLD MINT? IS THAT ON ON OFFICE? WHERE IS THAT? THE BANK BUILDING RENOVATION 3.5 MILLION. YES. SO THE BANK BUILDING. YES. I'M SORRY. YES. THE BANK BUILDING RENOVATION. THAT IS THE PROJECT FOR THE STATE'S ATTORNEY. SO LAST YEAR IN THE BUDGET, WE KIND OF HAD THAT PROJECT WITHIN KIND OF A BIG A BIG PROJECT, KIND OF LIKE A CATCHALL PROJECT FOR, YOU KNOW, MAJOR COUNTY FACILITY UPGRADES. THIS YEAR, WE'VE SPLIT IT OUT INTO ITS OWN SPECIFIC PROJECTS. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THAT WILL BE THERE FOR. SO HOW MUCH WAS HOW MUCH WAS ALLOCATED LAST LAST BUDGET CYCLE? WELL, IT GOT DICEY LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF A, AGAIN, KIND OF A CATCHALL PROJECT THAT WAS CUT BY THE BY THE COUNCIL. I CAN'T REMEMBER
[00:35:07]
THE EXACT NUMBER THAT WAS CUT, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE WERE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO SPREAD IT OUT OVER, OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS 2 OR $3 MILLION. AT THE END OF THE DAY. IT WAS. I MEAN, THERE WERE THE COUNCIL CUT APPROXIMATELY, I WANT TO SAY 21.5 MILLION IS WHAT WE CUT IN ORDER THAT THAT EQUALED THE COST OF THE CENTRAL PRECINCT FROM, YOU KNOW, EIGHT OR SO PROJECTS. AND THAT WAS THAT WAS ONE OF THEM. HAVE THEY STARTED WORKING ON IT? THEY'VE WORKED STARTED WORKING ON IT, THOUGH. CORRECT? I THINK THERE IS A DESIGN AND ALL THAT'S WORKING ON IT. BUT THIS, THIS WILL ENABLE US TO DO SOME OF THE BIG CONSTRUCTION. AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE WORKING WITH THE STATE'S ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT MEETS THEIR, THEIR NEEDS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO SUBSTANTIAL WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD WE HAVE NOT HAD THE FUNDING AVAILABLE. YOU WHAT'S BLUEPRINT FACILITY PROGRAM. THAT'S A BOARD OF EDUCATION PROJECT. YOU KNOW YOU KNOW WE OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH THEM. WE WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THEY PRIORITIZE THEM. THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO WITHIN EXISTING SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM BLUEPRINT COMPATIBLE. SO I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ALL CASE, PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON, YOU KNOW WELL, AND PRE-K IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE ITS OWN SEPARATE PROJECT IN A IN A LOT OF CASES.BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF, OF OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES WITHIN SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM, YOU KNOW, COMPLIANT FOR THE WHOLE HOST OF, OF BLUEPRINT OF KERWIN. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, KERWIN IS GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION, BOTH OPERATIONALLY AND CAPITAL.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS JUST THE BEGINNING. OKAY. AND THEN BLUE BELL OR SOUTH PARKWAY INTERSECTION, WE'RE NOT GOING TO FUND THE WHOLE THING. IS THAT CORRECT? WE HAVE SOME DEVELOPER MONEY IN THERE WITHIN WITHIN THE CAPITAL PROJECT. SO THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO HAVE APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CAPITAL OF COUNTY CAPITAL FUNDING IN THERE. BUT WE THINK THAT THE BULK OF IT WILL COME FROM DEVELOPERS. SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE THAT DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTION THAT GIVES US THAT APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY. WE ALWAYS NEED TO HAVE APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO SPEND, WHETHER IT'S OUR MONEY OR NOT, OUR MONEY. AND SO THAT WOULD BE A JOINT PROJECT. AND THEN SUNNYVIEW HAS BEEN ON MY LIST FOR LIKE FIVE YEARS AND STILL HASN'T GOTTEN DONE. SO SUNNYVIEW STREAM RESTORATION AGAIN, PART OF ALL OF, YOU KNOW, MEETING OUR NPDES REQUIREMENTS, CAN WE GET THE RIGHT AWAY? THERE WAS ONE PERSON LEFT THAT WE HAD TO GET THE RIGHT OF WAY. YEAH. AND WE KEEP FUNDING IT IN A BOND. SO AND I THINK THAT THAT PROJECT YOU KNOW, AGAIN I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BRING IN, YOU KNOW, THE DPW STAFF THAT WORKS WITH STORMWATER IN ORDER TO, TO DISCUSS THESE PROJECTS THOROUGHLY. BUT THESE ARE ALL ABOUT MEETING THAT, THAT THAT POLLUTION DISCHARGE REQUIREMENT.
I THINK THIS PROJECT HAS KIND OF GROWN OVER THE YEARS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS A RATHER LARGE PROJECT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO DEFER TO THEM TO TALK TO THE SPECIFICS OF THIS PROJECT WITH THAT BUDGET. YOU KNOW, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH DPW TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS HOW MUCH WE YOU KNOW, WE CAN GENERALLY DO, YOU KNOW, SIX, SEVEN, $8 MILLION WORTH OF WORTH OF BONDS. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO PUT THEM? YOU KNOW, WITH WITH THAT THOSE BONDS ARE PAID FOR WITH A PORTION OF THE RECORDATION TAX THAT WE USE IN ORDER TO PAY THAT. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST. THE TIME IS GOING TO COME.
ACTUALLY, THE TIME IS COMING VERY, VERY SOON, WHEREBY THAT RECORDATION IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT TO MEET OUR NPDES REQUIREMENTS. AND SO AS WE KIND OF WORK INTO FUTURE BUDGETS, WE ARE EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO TRANSFER ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO PAY THIS DEBT SERVICE AND THESE OTHER OPERATIONAL COSTS, OR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE. BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE GENERALLY COMMITTED TO, I WANT TO SAY APPROXIMATELY IT'S ABOUT $8 MILLION A YEAR OR SO IN, IN BONDED PROJECTS. AND FINALLY WOODLEY ROAD, I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T WE BONDED THAT BEFORE. YEAH. AND AGAIN YOU KNOW WE'VE THIS THIS HAS BEEN A MULTI-YEAR PLAN FOR THIS FOR THIS ROAD. I KNOW WE ARE WE'VE WE'VE ACTUALLY NOW COME TO MOST OF THE AGREEMENTS WITH, YOU KNOW WITH THE ARMY IN ORDER TO, TO START WORKING, WORKING ON IT AND SAY, WHERE ARE WE WOODLEY ROAD UNDER HIGHWAYS. YEAH. SO WE HAVE YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY APPROPRIATED 16.2 MILLION. AND THIS IS FOR WE HAVE $6 MILLION APPROPRIATED WITHIN WITHIN THIS BUDGET, WHICH AGAIN IS ALL ALL BOND FUNDING, YOU KNOW, AGAIN. AND AN EXPENSIVE ROAD BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE UNIQUE LIMITATIONS OF THAT PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, DISPOSAL AND ALL THE LIKE THE ANYTIME YOU YOU START DIGGING UP DIRT ON APGI, IT'S OR EVEN AROUND APGI IT IS IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY IT NEEDS TO GET DONE. WE HAD
[00:40:06]
A FIRE DOWN THERE YESTERDAY. ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT. SO IT TIES EVERYTHING UP. OKAY. THANK YOU.ANYONE ELSE? IS THE BANK BUILDING RENOVATION A 3.5 MILLION? THE TOTAL COST OF THE EXPECTED RENOVATION. LET ME JUST PULL THAT UP HERE IN THE BUDGET. THAT'S FINE, I HAVE YES, THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY, BUT YES, AS FAR AS WHAT THAT THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR. YES. FOR THE FOR THE PROJECT. AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO FIND THAT WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDS, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO REQUEST THOSE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION. BUT THE BUILDING HAS ALREADY BEEN ACQUIRED. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN ACQUIRED. AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID OUT OF SITE ACQUISITION, WHICH IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE PROJECTS. OF COURSE, ONE OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES. BUT THIS IS THEN JUST FOR THE ACTUAL RENOVATION OF THAT, THAT PROJECT. SO WITH IT BEING IN THE BUDGET FOR AS A TOTAL COST, DOES THAT MEAN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR? WELL, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT ALL IT YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO WORK WITH YOU MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HOW EXTENSIVE THE WORK IS. I KNOW WE'RE WORKING WITH WORKING WITH THE STATE'S ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MEETS, YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT SHE WANTS AS FAR AS THE PROJECT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND TALK WITH, WITH BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AS TO WHAT THE ACTUAL TIMELINE WOULD BE. SO THE WAY, LIKE APPROPRIATIONS WILL ALWAYS WORK IS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY CAN'T START SPENDING THIS MONEY UNTIL JULY 1ST. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE'RE WORKING WITH BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, WORKING WITH DPW IN ORDER TO GET THOSE CONTRACTS UNDER PLAY. I WOULD DOUBT THAT IT WOULD ALL BE DONE IN IN ONE YEAR, BECAUSE THINGS SELL. TOMORROW WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT AS FAR AS THE EXACT TIMELINE, I CAN'T SPEAK TO SPEAK TO THAT. BUT ONCE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY, THAT'S WHEN WE CAN START SIGNING CONTRACTS. OF COURSE, ALL CONTRACTS SIGN WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BOARD OF AT THAT LEVEL. WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOF. OKAY, MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. WE'LL TAKE THIS UP AGAIN NEXT WEEK AS WELL. THANK YOU. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THIS EVENING. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A SHORT RECESS FIVE. FOD EVENING. CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 20 5-0 19. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN RILEY. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL GUIDE OUR COUNCIL AS THEY MEET AND DISCUSS MATTERS WITH REGARD TO OUR COUNTY. I PRAY THAT THEIR MOTIVATION AND EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO DO IS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PUBLIC AND NOT THEIR OWN. I PRAY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SOLVE OUR COUNTY'S PROBLEMS AND MAKE GOOD POLICIES. HELP US TO BE COMPETENT AND EXCELLENCE IN OUR GOVERNANCE. HELP US TO LISTEN WITH UNDERSTANDING AND GOODWILL.HELP US TO SPEAK WITH CLARITY AND RESTRAINT, AND GIVE US THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE. IN YOUR MOST BLESSED NAME I PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS, MR. RILEY. COUNCIL, MAY I HAVE
[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
GENERAL CONSENT TO SKIP TO AGENDA ITEM SIX AND RETURN TO FOUR THEREAFTER? YES. SO BE AGENDA NUMBER SIX. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND. MISS ROSE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE? WHICHEVER. WHOEVER YOU LIKE. THANK YOU. YES. OKAY. SIX SPEAKERS. SO GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M ANGELA ROSE, PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AND I'M HERE WITH SOME OF THE STRONGEST SUPPORTERS OF THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND, WHO SHARE ITS COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THIS COUNTY. I'M DEEPLY CONNECTED TO UNITED WAY'S WORK AS CHAIR OF THE HARFORD COUNTY REGION UNITED NETWORK ADVISORY BOARD. WE'RE ONE OF SIX COUNTY BOARDS ACROSS UNITED WAY SERVICE AREA, AND WE'RE COMPRISED OF LOCAL LEADERS WHO HAVE DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND OUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS. WE ACTED AS ADVISORS TO UNITED WAY ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE COMMUNITY, ENSURE MEANINGFUL AND MEASURABLE ACTIONS, AND ADVOCATE FOR UNITED WAY'S WORK. 2025 MARKS 100 YEARS
[00:45:03]
THAT THE UNITED WAY HAS PROVIDED PEOPLE AND FAMILIES ACROSS HARFORD COUNTY WITH OPPORTUNITIES IN HOUSING, EDUCATION, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT. WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING AS PART OF OUR LOCAL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF SERVICE, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE RYAN COWDEN, CO-FOUNDER OF PLANO COWDEN CONSTRUCTION AND CHAIR OF THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. RYAN, THANK YOU, ANGELA, AND THANK YOU, COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND ESTEEMED COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. LIKE MANY OTHERS, I'M SURE ONE OF THE VISUALS THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN I THINK OF HARFORD COUNTY IS THE HABIT OF GRACE CONCORD POINT LIGHTHOUSE. FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY, IT HAS SERVED AS A GUIDING LIGHT FOR SAILORS AND FISHERMEN CROSSING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. NOW THE LIGHTHOUSE IS NEARLY TWICE AS OLD AS THE UNITED WAY, BUT FOR 100 YEARS, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS ALSO BEEN A GUIDING LIGHT, A BEACON OF HELP AND HOPE FOR COUNTLESS PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WHO WANT TO LEAD STRONGER, HEALTHIER LIVES. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF WAYS THAT THE UNITED WAY HAS BOLSTERED OUR NEIGHBORS IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY CALL HOME. I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THEM TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS. SINCE 2015, PROJECT CONNECT HAS BEEN A ONE STOP RESOURCE AND SERVICE FAIR FOR ALL THOSE IN NEED FOR OVER THE YEARS, AND HAS PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 3000 PEOPLE WITH ASSISTANCE FOR FOOD, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, ESSENTIAL NEEDS AND MUCH MORE. WE ARE HONORED TO TRANSITION THIS PROJECT, CONNECT TO OUR PARTNER, THE EPICENTER, WHO WILL NOW CARRY THE TORCH FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK. UNITED WAY'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FAMILY STABILITY PROGRAM OPERATES IN HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS AND IS COMING SOON TO THE EPICENTER. THIS MULTIGENERATIONAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO HELP EVEN MORE FAMILIES AND OFFERS NEW RESOURCES LIKE ADULT EDUCATION, WORKSHOPS ON STRONGER PARENTING, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND MUCH MORE. SINCE 2021, THIS PROGRAM HAS KEPT MORE THAN 200 HARFORD COUNTY FAMILIES HOUSED AND PROVIDED SUPPORT AS THEY BUILD STRONGER FUTURES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN. WE PARTNER WITH AND SUPPORT HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY AND OLD POST ROAD ELEMENTARY, WHERE WE HELPED YOUNG READERS WITH THE DONATION OF BOOKS, PROVIDED FOOD AND OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES FOR STUDENT SCHOOL PANTRIES, PROVIDED HOPE DURING THE HOLIDAYS, HELPED ENSURE TEACHERS HAVE GO BAGS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION. WE HAVE SENT GROUPS OF VOLUNTEERS TO BUILD BENCHES AND UPGRADE OUTDOOR SPACES, AND THAT'S JUST A FEW OF THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS. ABERDEEN IS ONE OF OUR FIVE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE OPERATE. NEIGHD, WORTS RESIDENTH GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING TO PROVIDE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THE NEIGHBORS UNITED TEAM IN ABERDEEN, LED BY INSTEP, HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ENGAGE WITH AND LISTEN TO THEIR NEIGHBORS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN EAST ABERDEEN, THROUGH A VARIETY OF INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OTHER EFFORTS, THE TEAM HAS IDENTIFIED A NEED THAT THEY WILL BE FOCUSING ON THIS COMING YEAR. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THE GROUP HAS ALSO REACHED OUT AND IS WORKING TO BUILD A CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH SMALLER COMMUNITIES IN EAST ABERDEEN TO CO-CREATE FAMILY AND YOUTH PROGRAMS. OUR STEP PROGRAM STRATEGIC TARGETED EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM, WHICH OPERATED DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, PROVIDED NEARLY $4 MILLION IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE FACING EVICTION, KEEPING MORE THAN 1400 PEOPLE SECURED AND HOUSED. THE UNITED WAY RECENTLY SUPPORTED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MINORITY AND SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIR AND STUDENT CIVICS BE BECAUSE THESE ALIGN WITH THE UNITED WAY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL. WE'VE HELPED ACCELERATE THE WORK OF LOCAL LEADERS RIGHT HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY THROUGH OUR GRANTS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS AND FOOD RESILIENCY, AS WELL AS OUR CHANGEMAKER CHALLENGE, WHERE WE INVEST IN CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE EVERY DAY. THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND WORKS TO ADVANCE FINANCIAL SECURITY, YOUTH OPPORTUNITY, AND HEALTHY, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES SO THAT EVERYONE IN OUR REGION CAN THRIVE. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR HISTORY AND OUR PROVEN RECORD OF SUCCESS, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS TRUSTED PROVIDER OF WHAT IS NEEDED, WHERE IT'S NEEDED FOR THE PEOPLE AND FAMILIES ACROSS HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US. WELL, MR. COWAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. YOU'VE DEFINITELY ENLIGHTENED ME ON ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE UNITED WAY DOES FOR THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY AND THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE, THOSE IN NEED, COUNSEL. ANY ANYONE FOR QUESTIONS? MISS IMHOFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LEAVING YOUR CELEBRATION TO BE HERE TONIGHT. THIS IS PART OF IT. THIS IS HUGE. THIS IS PART OF IT. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING US PRESENT AND TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR PRESENTING TO COUNCIL, AND I WANT TO SAY LAST YEAR AFTER WE PRESENTED THE INFORMATION, ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN ENGAGED AND BEEN A PART OF THE IMPACT AND[00:50:01]
THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE'RE JUST SO APPRECIATIVE FOR THE TIME TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. ROWLEY. YES, ANGELA OPENED UP, SAID IF YOU DON'T KNOW HER, SHE'S ANGELA ROSE, WHICH MEANS YOU LIVE UNDER A ROCK. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANGELA, SHE'S VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS ORGANIZATION. BUT, RYAN. ANGELA, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. JIM JORDAN.ALL RIGHT, I GUESS I GOT TO SAY SOMETHING, SO I'M GLAD I GOT TO GET OVER THERE THIS AFTERNOON.
RYAN, I MET YOU EARLIER. SO ON MY WAY TO THE NEXT EVENT, THE ARMY ALLIANCE. SO I WENT ALL OVER. ANGELA, YOU'RE A BIG AMBASSADOR, OBVIOUSLY, FOR UNITED WAY. YOU ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. AND SO I THINK EVERYBODY APPRECIATES ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORTS. SO YOU HAVE A GREAT STORY IN ANGELA. SO THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. SO THE NEXT
[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]
THING WE HAVE IS A PROCLAMATION. WE'RE PRESENT WHERE IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME UP FRONT. WHEREAS FOR 100 YEARS, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND HAS BEEN A STEADY FORCE FORCE FOR GOOD IN OUR REGION, IN OUR REGION, PROVIDING LONG TERM POSITIVE CHANGE THROUGH DEDICATED SERVICE TO PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES IN NEED. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND HAS RESPONDED TO THE CHALLENGES OF NATURAL DISASTERS, WARS, CIVIL UNREST, HEALTH CRISIS, AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. EVOLVING FROM A COMMUNITY CHEST FUNDRAISING ORGANIZATION TO A DATA INFORMED PROVIDER OF DIRECT SERVICES. AND WHEREAS IN HARFORD COUNTY, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS PROJECT CONNECT. IN 2024, PROJECT CONNECT PROVIDED NEARLY 500 HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS WITH ESSENTIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING FREE LAPTOPS, HAIRCUTS, DENTAL AND EYE EXAMS AND FRESH PRODUCE. AND LAST YEAR, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND HAS ANSWERED NEARLY 5000 CALLS. 211 MARYLAND AT UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND PREVENTED HOMELESSNESS FOR MORE THAN 50 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH STRATEGIC TARGETED EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM, AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 100,000 GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTREPRENEURS, FURTHER STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS WE MARK THE CENTENNIAL MILESTONE, WE REFLECT ON UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND'S EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY OF SERVICE AND REAFFIRM OUR SUPPORT FOR ITS MISSION TO BUILD THRIVING COMMUNITIES FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THIS SIXTH DAY OF JUNE 2025, DO HEREBY SALUTE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND 100TH ANNIVERSARY AND EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR ITS DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES IN HARFORD COUNTY. COME ON DOWN! YAY! HE SAID ALL OF THAT ON THAT PROCLAMATION, I DIDN'T. THEY DID. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO REPEAT THE ACCOLADES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, NOT ONLY FOR TODAY BUT FOR THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS. SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, I WANT TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? I GUESS NOT. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SUPPORTERS IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US THIS EVENING. WE HAVE SOME UNITED WAY TEAM MEMBERS, AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD MEMBERS.SO JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. WE COULDN'T DO THE WORK THAT WE DO WITHOUT ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. HERE'S TO 100 MORE. I LOVE THE GLASSES. YOU KNOW, I HAD TO ADD A LITTLE SPICE. LITTLE SPICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I CAN'T READ ALL THIS. OH, WE HAVE GIFTS. OH. UNDERNEATH THE THRESHOLD FOR ANY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE. YOU'RE HOPING IT'S CHOCOLATE? I NEED YOU TO HAVE SOME PROTEIN. YOU HAD A LITTLE PROTEIN. THESE ARE CHEESECAKES. OH. OH, MY.
YES. THANK YOU. YEAH. OH, LOOK HOW CUTE. OH, SORRY. THERE'S SOME FORKS FLYING AROUND. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE HUNGRY, LIKE, RIGHT NOW. YEAH. YOU ARE NOT WRONG. I HAVE EXTRA FORKS HERE. THANK YOU. I GOT ALL THE EXTRA FORKS IN HERE. THANKS. FORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DUE TO SOME OF ITS PERISHABLE. AGENDA. NUMBER FIVE.
[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]
[00:55:12]
CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS. HARFORD COUNTY CULTURAL ARTS BOARD. MR. JORDAN, I MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE.COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF MARGE HENSEL. THANK YOU, MISS SOTTO'S.
SECOND. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE HARFORD COUNTY CULTURAL ARTS BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I, MRS. I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I FOR BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT HEREBY IS HEREBY APPROVED. HUMAN. I'M SORRY. IS SHE HERE? OH, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MISS HENTSCHEL. ARE YOU HERE? NOPE.
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF JEFFREY BECK. HAVE A SECOND, PLEASE. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE MR. BECK TO THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I. MRS. ROBERT. HI, MRS. EMHOFF, I MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY, MRS. ROSADO I MR. BENNETT. I MEAN SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE. ZERO AND A NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MR. BECK, DID I. THERE YOU ARE. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED? THANK YOU SIR. COMMISSION FOR WOMEN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF AARON FLYNN. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND TO APPROVE. AARON FLYNN, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS HOME? SO I'VE KNOWN AARON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I'VE BEEN ON. I WAS ON THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION FOR JUST AS LONG. AND SO I THINK AARON WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT I, MRS. EMHOFF, I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. IS AARON FLYNN HERE? SHE IS.
HELLO. YOU'RE HIDING BEHIND THE CAMERAMAN. THANK YOU. HARTFORD CENTER, BOARD OF THE DIRECTORS.
MR. PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF DANIEL PETTS AND THE REAPPOINTMENT OF NANCY BURR. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT, FOR A SECOND. THANK YOU. BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND, TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT? I'LL JUST SAY, AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE HARTFORD CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, NANCY'S WORK ON THAT BOARD IS TREMENDOUS. THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND PASSION SHE GIVES TO THE BOARD IS AMAZING. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SERGEANT PETTS JOINING THE BOARD. THAT WAS MY IDEA. WE WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO BRANCH OUT TO HAVE NEW VIEWPOINTS AND, YOU KNOW, JOBS REPRESENTED ON OUR BOARD. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT SERGEANT PETTS RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE OF HIS SUPPORT OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, BECAUSE OF HIS TIME AS AN SRO IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST HIS GENTLE, KIND, CARING SPIRIT THAT EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS HIM KNOWS THAT HE HAS. AND I WAS JUST THRILLED THAT AFTER SEEING THE HARTFORD CENTER AND SEEING WHAT THEY'RE ALL ABOUT, HE WAS SAYING, I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO JUMP ABOARD. SO I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY THAT ALL WORKED OUT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I, MISSUS ROBERT I, MISSUS EMHOFF, I MISTER JOHN GIORDANO I MR. RILEY, MISSUS I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO
[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
AND A NEGATIVE. THESE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED. AGENDA NUMBER SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. LEGISLATIVE DAY 25 ZERO 18 MAY 27TH, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES. STAND APPROVED. EIGHT.INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS. WE HAVE NONE. NINE. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. WE
[10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]
HAVE NONE. TEN INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. BUDGET AMENDMENTS TO BILL 20 5-005 ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE, AMENDMENT 12 TO BILL 20 FIVE.DASH 005. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT 12 TO BILL 20 5-005. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS IMHOFF. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
[01:00:03]
APPROVE AMENDMENT 12 TO BILL 20 5-005. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SO IF I MAY, I'LL START IT. THIS IS FOR SITE ACQUISITION. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE BUDGET HAD A PROPOSED $10 MILLION. THE ONLY DISCUSSION THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS HEARD FOR ANY TYPE OF APPROPRIATION HAS BEEN FOR A FUTURE SCHOOL SITE IN THE HAVRE DE GRACE, ABERDEEN AREA, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT CAN BE ATTAINED FOR MUCH LESS THAN THE 10 MILLION THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED. SO THEREFORE, WE ARE PROPOSING A $5 MILLION CUT. I HAD A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE THIS MORNING. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM TIME TO TIME WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PICK UP DIFFERENT PARCELS OR THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, I SAID, THAT'S FINE. BUT WHEN THEY COME ALONG, YOU NEED TO INCLUDE THIS COUNCIL IN THE CONVERSATION IN THE PAST. MISTER SANDLER, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS. I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT MISTER OVERBAY, BUT IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS PASSED OVER HERE TO THE COUNCIL. WHEN THINGS CAME UP THAT WERE A LITTLE TIGHT, A LITTLE CLOSE, WE COULD HAVE EASILY DONE THAT FOR ANY APPROPRIATION COMING THROUGH. SO I'M I'M OPPOSED TO THE 10 MILLION. I FULLY SUPPORT THE 5 MILLION FOR A FUTURE SCHOOL SITE. WE ALREADY ARE LOOKING TO BUILD A SCHOOL NOW, AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED ANOTHER SITE IN HAVRE DE GRACE, ABERDEEN AREA, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TIME BEFORE WE CAN BUILD A SECOND SCHOOL, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN. THERE HAS TO BE A FULL REDISTRICTING BEFORE THE STATE EVEN STEPS UP AND FUNDS THE HARFORD ACADEMY. SO THAT'S MY STANCE. MISTER RILEY. ROBBIE, CAN YOU ADDRESS WHY WHY THE 10 MILLION? I MEAN, DID YOU PULL IT OUT OF THIN AIR OR DID IT COME OUT OF A HOW DID WE HOW DID WE GET TO THE 10 MILLION? SO. YEAH, YOU COME SIT FORWARD. BUT I WILL TELL YOU IN THE FUTURE, ASK ME AHEAD OF TIME AND I'LL CALL HIM FORWARD, NOT YOU. YES, SIR. SO TRADITIONALLY, $10 MILLION HAS BEEN THE BALANCE THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO KEEP IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR THESE PROJECTS. AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST THE SCHOOL ACQUISITION, ALTHOUGH SCHOOL ACQUISITION IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WITH RECENTLY FROM THE EVERMORE PROJECT. BUT WE'VE ALSO USED THAT PROJECT FOR SOME PARK ACQUISITION WHEN POS WASN'T ELIGIBLE AVAILABLE. WE'VE USED IT FOR OTHER OTHER SITES KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AS WELL. SOMETIMES LIKE MINOR THINGS TO JUST GETTING RIGHT OF WAYS AND THE LIKE. AGAIN, I THINK A LOT OF IT COMES DOWN TO TRYING TO PRESERVE THAT FLEXIBILITY. I DO KNOW THAT THAT YES, THE HABIT GRACE ELEMENTARY PROJECT, WHICH WE REALLY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO BE. AND MAYBE IT'S $5 MILLION, MAYBE IT'S MAYBE IT'S SIX, MAYBE IT'S SEVEN. WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE NEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE SITE. WE THE PROPERTY WE DO HAVE FUNDS IN THERE FOR THE MORE OR LESS FOR THE COLLEGE'S PORTION. BUT IF WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER, OTHER ASPECTS, SUCH AS FOR TRANSIT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT IS TO USE SITE ACQUISITION FOR THAT. SO AGAIN, I THINK IT'S MAINTAINING THAT FLEXIBILITY. ALL LAND ACQUISITION OF COURSE, ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WOULD GO FOR THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES. WHICH CASE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT IS A IS A MEMBER OF. AGAIN THERE ISN'T A LIST OF LIKE YES THIS IS EXACTLY THE PROJECTS. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS JUST HOW EXPENSIVE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW PROPERTIES HAVE BECOME. YOU JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THE LAST BIG PROJECTS WE PURCHASED, AND IT HAD BEEN A WHILE FOR SCHOOLS UP UNTIL RECENTLY, AND IT WAS LIKE PATTERSON MILL AND THAT WHOLE PATTERSON MILL PROJECT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, THE RED PUMP ELEMENTARY, YOU KNOW, NOT ACTUALLY WE THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED, BUT AGAIN, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. THE PRICE NOW OF SITE ACQUISITION, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE SITE ACQUISITION WHERE IT HAS ACCESS TO WATER AND SEWER. AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BOARD OF ED PROJECTS, THAT THAT WE GENERALLY NEED TO BE WITHIN, WITHIN WATER AND SEWER IF WE HOPE TO GET FULL STATE PARTICIPATION. IT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A AN ELEVATED PRICE. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, LAND IS JUST A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE AND DEAR THAN THAN IT USED TO BE. SO IN THIS PARTICULAR PLACE, EVERMORE PIECE COST US EXTRA MONEY BECAUSE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE TO THAT PROPERTY. CORRECT? YEAH. WELL, THERE'S SOME OF THAT. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW WE STRUCTURED IT. YOU KNOW, WE PURCHASED THE LAND AND THEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PURCHASED THE PORTION THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN BEEN IMPROVED UPON. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A SITUATION THAT WHERE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE WORK WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY SITES. AND IT WASN'T AS IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, 20 TO CHOOSE FROM. WE HAD ABOUT 2 OR 3. AND THE OTHER SITES, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY ALL HAD SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES WHEN IT[01:05:02]
WOULD COME TO BUS ACCESS, ROAD ACCESS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT IS IT'S DIFFICULT. IT'S CERTAINLY DIFFICULT TO FIND THESE THESE PROPERTIES. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG TRACK OF LAND AND IN ORDER NOWADAYS TO THE FOOTPRINT THAT YOU NEED FOR SCHOOLS IS A LOT LARGER THAN IT USED TO BE BECAUSE OF STORMWATER NEEDS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST BACK IN THE DAY, YOU COULD YOU COULD PUT A, YOU KNOW, A SMALL PROJECT LIKE A, LIKE A BEL AIR ELEMENTARY, YOU KNOW, ON A RELATIVELY SMALL FOOTPRINT. YOU KNOW, THOSE DAYS ARE PROBABLY GONE. YOU NOW NEED A MUCH LARGER FOOTPRINT, EVEN FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YEAH, ABOUT 20 TO 30. MR. PRESIDENT, YOU MIGHT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT WHETHER WE DO 10 MILLION OR 5 MILLION, YOU CAN ONLY USE IT FOR THE ABERDEEN ABERDEEN AREA FOR SCHOOL. WELL, NO, I MEAN, IN THIS CASE, THE 10 MILLION. THAT'S WHAT WE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LEAVING THIS FOR BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED. THEY NEED TO BUY. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SCHOOL. WELL NO NO NO NO. BUT WE PUT THAT IN THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNEW THAT WE WERE SUPPORTING A NEW SCHOOL SITE. OKAY. YES, I GOT IT. MR. THANK YOU. ROBBIE, WHEN AND I UNDERSTAND IT GOES TO THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES? THERE'S SEVEN. SEVEN AND ONLY ONLY PAT FROM, FROM THE COUNCILS ON THE BOARD OF COUNCIL. REP.COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE WARREN HAMILTON'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. GOTCHA. OKAY. YOU KNOW, EVEN MORE WAS HOW MUCH. 8 MILLION. YEAH. ABOUT. YES. WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID IT WAS ABOUT 6 MILLION ON THE COUNTY SIDE. ABOUT 2 MILLION FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS. AND PART OF THAT A BIG PIECE, NOT A BIG PIECE, BUT I KNOW A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT TOO, WAS ALSO THAT IT ALREADY HAD A LIGHT IN THERE AND THAT WAS WORTH SOME SERIOUS MONEY. THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS TOO, RIGHT? YEAH. I MEAN, REALLY JUST I MEAN, THE LOCATION OF THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WITHIN, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT WAS KIND OF WITHIN THE CORE OF, OF, OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE DEVELOPMENT AREA. YES. RIGHT.
WHAT DID WE PAY FOR BROWN, BROWN AND YOUNG, THAT BUILDING, I DON'T KNOW OFF, OFF THE WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT WE 2 MILLION. 3 MILLION. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. IT WASN'T. IT WASN'T LIKE FIVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I'LL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO MISS YOU DON'T WANT TO, DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK, YOU KNOW. AND THAT'S AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS CERTAINLY A PLACE THAT HAS SOMEWHAT DEVELOPED OVER, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY BOUGHT THAT UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS TALK OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT FOR THE STATE'S ATTORNEY AND SOME OTHER THINGS. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THINGS CHANGE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A NEW ELECTED OFFICE AND THAT, THAT THAT SPACE MAY NOT WORK FOR THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY REQUIRE ANOTHER SPACE. AND SO YOU'RE HAVING TO READJUST IF THE COURTHOUSE MOVES. DO WE OWN THE COURTHOUSE PROPERTY. THAT'S, THAT'S THAT THAT WOULD BE STATE. BUT I MEAN, THERE COULD CERTAINLY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE. DON'T THEY. TURN IT OVER TO US. NO, I DON'T BELIEVE, YOU KNOW. DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT ANSWER? NO. I MEAN, NOW IF A SCHOOL STOPS, YOU KNOW, OPERATING, YOU KNOW, THEY GENERALLY TURN THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PURCHASE, SAY THE LAND FOR THE SCHOOL. THEN IT GOES TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND IF IT STOPS BEING USED AS A SCHOOL THEN THEY WOULD RETURN IT TO US. BUT AS FAR AS THE STATE PROPERTY, NO, I MEAN, NOW, THAT BEING SAID, THEY YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR BUYERS. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. JANARDHANA. YEP. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT THIS, MR. SANDERS, BUT JUST AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE BUDGETS, I WANTED TO SHARE SOME GENERAL THOUGHTS I HAVE, BASED ON THE LETTER THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SENT OUT TO HIS EMAIL LIST THROUGH HIS CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT YESTERDAY, AND JUST TALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF A TIMELINE WITH THAT. AND MY RESPONSE TO THAT. ON JUNE 2ND, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SENT OUT A LETTER TO THE HIS EMAIL LIST IN OUR COMMUNITY ENCOURAGING THEM TO REACH OUT TO US, TO EMAIL US AND SAY NO TO THESE AMENDMENTS. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE LETTER, IT STATES, I PROVIDED THE COUNCIL WITH A DETAILED SIX PAGE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY SUCH INCREASED SPENDING IS UNNECESSARY AND UNWISE. THE COUNCIL DID NOT RESPOND TO MY EXPLANATIONS. I WANTED TO BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT ON MAY 20TH, I RESPONDED TO HIS SIX PAGE LETTER. I RESPONDED WITH REQUESTS FOR FOLLOW UP AND SUMMARIZING MY HOPES AND WHAT I WOULD SEE IN THIS BUDGET BY THE END OF THE BUDGET CYCLE, AND MADE SURE TO SAY, ONCE AGAIN, I REALLY WANT TO VOTE YES ON THIS BUDGET. I REALLY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND COMMON GROUND. NO RESPONSE FROM HIM OR HIS STAFF. ON MAY 27TH, I SENT A FOLLOW UP EMAIL SAYING, HELLO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU SAW MY PREVIOUS EMAIL. HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT ESPECIALLY MATTER TO ME THAT ARE IN THAT EMAIL. SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS YOU PREVIOUSLY IN SPOKEN WORD AGREED WOULD BE GOOD. I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SEND OVER AMENDMENTS TO MAKE THIS WORK, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM YOU. NO RESPONSE. ON JUNE 1ST, I SENT A SECOND FOLLOW UP EMAIL SAYING, IS IT YOUR POSITION THAT YOU WILL NOT RESPOND TO ME? IF SO, LET ME KNOW SO I CAN ACT ON THAT INFORMATION. ON JUNE 2ND,
[01:10:06]
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SENT OUT HIS EMAIL TO HIS EMAIL LIST STATING THAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAD NOT RESPONDED TO HIS SIX PAGE LETTER, IMPLYING THAT WE AS A COUNCIL ARE NOT DOING OUR JOB. I DID MY JOB AND FOR WEEKS POLITELY ASKED TO BE ENGAGED WITH AND GOT NO RESPONSE. ON JUNE 3RD, I SENT A THIRD FOLLOW UP EMAIL TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE THIS MORNING AT SEVEN IN THE MORNING BEFORE I WENT TO MY DAY JOB AND I ASKED FOR HIM TO SPEAK WITH ME FACE TO FACE AS A GROWN MAN, LOOK ME IN THE EYES. INSTEAD OF RUNNING TO HIS CAMPAIGN EMAIL ACCOUNT AND LYING FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THREE BUDGET CYCLES TO THE COMMUNITY. FIRST ROBOCALLING ELDERLY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND IMPLYING THAT WE WERE GOING TO RAISE TAXES, MAKING ME HAVE TO DO CONSTITUENT CARE PHONE CALLS LATE AT NIGHT TO HELP CALM PEOPLE DOWN WHO ARE WORRIED THEY ARE GOING TO LOSE THEIR HOUSE. SECOND REPLY CALLING TO EVERY COUNTY EMPLOYEE IN THE COUNTY, IMPLYING THAT WE WERE GOING TO CUT THEIR COLAS WITHOUT ASKING ANY OF US FIRST IF THAT WAS THE CASE. FRIGHTENING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO THEN REACH OUT TO US AND SAY WHAT'S GOING ON? AND NOW, THIRD, REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TELLING THEM THAT WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOBS AFTER I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR WEEKS TO GET A RESPONSE, TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ALL THAT IS SOME SORT OF PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT 12 MONTHS FROM NOW. OH, THERE'S AN ELECTION IN 12 MONTHS FROM NOW. I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MY COMMUNITY TODAY, AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR AMENDMENTS TODAY. AND I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR WEEKS TO GET SUPPORT TO SUPPORT MY COMMUNITY IN GOOD FAITH SO I COULD VOTE YES ON THE BUDGET. AND IT'S EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING FOR ME THAT OUR ADMINISTRATION IS MORE INTERESTED IN THE GAMES WE PLAY THAN THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. I TOLD THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE I WOULD BE CALM AND COOL ABOUT THIS. I PUT UP WITH A LOT OF GOOD STUFF FROM HIM, INCLUDING NOT GETTING PAID FOR MONTHS, HAVING TO DO ALL MY WORK BY HANDWRITTEN LETTER, HAVING MY STEPMOTHER WHO'S DYING OF CANCER, NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ME GET SWORN IN BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET TO BE A PART OF THE TELEVISED VERSION OF THAT CEREMONY, GETTING MY NAME TARNISHED IN THE PRESS, HAVING THE COUNTY OR COUNTY GOVERNMENT FACEBOOK PAGE USED TO TARNISH MY NAME AND CELEBRATE WHEN I WAS TEMPORARILY REMOVED FROM OFFICE, SOMETHING THAT HASN'T HAPPENED TO THE TWO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED SINCE THEN. I PUT UP WITH ALL OF THAT WITH A GOOD PUBLIC SMILE. I TOLD HIM I WILL NOT BE SO NICE IF HE IS NOT WILLING TO LOOK ME IN THE EYES AND SPEAK TO ME. HE CHOSE NOT TO SPEAK WITH ME. SO I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGH NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE BUDGET THAT HAVE REMAINED VACANT FOR OVER 12 MONTHS. SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR AS HIGH AS 45 MONTHS. MY QUESTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION WAS, WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO LIST POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET THAT NOBODY'S WORKED IN FOR YEARS, AND WHERE IS THAT MONEY BEING SPENT? WHY ARE WE NOT PUTTING THAT MONEY TOWARDS OTHER NEEDS? I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGH NUMBER OF TEMPORARY POSITIONS IN WHICH SOMEONE IS MAKING OVER $100,000 A YEAR FOR A JOB THAT WE CAN'T SEE THE JOB TITLE OF IN THE BUDGET. OF THE FOUR POSITIONS MAKING OVER $100,000 A YEAR THAT AREN'T LAWYERS, THREE OF THEM ARE CAMPAIGN DONORS TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. THAT'S A CONCERN. WHETHER THAT MEANS SOMETHING OR NOT, THE APPEARANCE IS CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HIDDEN IN A PART OF THE BUDGET THAT JUST LOOKS LIKE A PILE OF SOUP. YOU CAN'T BREAK IT APART AND SEE THE INGREDIENTS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT TALKING ABOUT CUTTING COLAS FOR OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES. WHEN I GO THROUGH OUR LIST OF ADMINISTRATION OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, DEPUTY DIRECTORS, 20 OUT OF THE 26 I LOOKED AT ARE DONORS TO THE ADMINISTRATION. AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OF HARFORD COUNTY, ALL JUST HAPPENSTANCE, AGREED UPON THE BEST CANDIDATE. OR IT COULD BE THAT SOMEBODY GAVE $4,850 TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD JOB INVESTMENT. I'M CONCERNED THAT WE ARE OBFUSCATING AND DISTRACTING FROM THE MAIN ISSUES INSTEAD OF ENGAGING IN THE BUDGET, BECAUSE THAT ENGAGEMENT IS SCARY. THAT ENGAGEMENT WOULD MEAN ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE. AND IT'S A LOT EASIER TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO I GET TO KEEP MY JOB FOR FOUR MORE YEARS? I'M DISAPPOINTED IN OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I TOLD HIM I MIGHT BE FIVE FOOT SEVEN, BUT I STAND TALL ON WHO I AM. I CAN LOOK ANYONE IN THIS ROOM OR IN THIS COUNTY IN THE EYES, AND IT'S A REAL SHAME THAT FOR AS TALL AS HE IS, HE SHRINKS DOWN THE SECOND SOMEONE CONFRONTS HIM WITH REALITY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. WE HAVE A[01:15:07]
MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. I'M CALLING FOR THE VOTE, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I, MRS. EMHOFF, I MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY. NO. MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THAT'S SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE IN THE NEGATIVE AMENDMENT BILL TO 25 005 IS HEREBY APPROVED.COUNSEL, AS YOU KNOW, AFTER CONVERSATIONS TODAY WITH EACH OF YOU, WE ARE PULLING AMENDMENTS 13 THROUGH 15. WE'RE WITHDRAWING THOSE. MR. JOHN GIORDANO, PLEASE READ AMENDMENT 16 AND 17 FOR BILL 25 005, AMENDMENT 16 AND 17 TO BILL 25 005, ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ROBERT IMHOFF, GIORDANO BOYLE AND BENNETT. EXCUSE ME, AMENDMENT 16 ON PAGE EIGHT AND LINE 18. STRIKE 2,484,800. ON PAGE EIGHT AND LINE 18 AND LINE 18. STRIKE 2,484,813, AND SUBSTITUTE 2,144,813. AMENDMENT NUMBER 17 ON PAGE NINE. LINE 16 STRIKE 15,748,825 AND SUBSTITUTE 15,048,825. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR AMENDMENT 16 TO BILL 25 005? COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOVED TO APPROVE AMENDMENT 16 TO BILL 20 5-005. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 16 TO BILL 25 005. AND COUNCIL, IF I MAY. I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT. THE COUNCIL IS CHARGED WITH HAVING THE FINAL APPROVAL AUTHORITY OVER THE BUDGET. THIS IS AN ACTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. COUNCIL RECEIVES THE BUDGET ON APRIL 15TH AND WE BEGIN OUR PROCESS THAT DAY. AFTER SIX DAYS OF WORK SESSIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHERE WE HEAR FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY'S BUDGET. THE TWO ITEMS THAT CAME TO SURFACE WERE EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY, AND FOR EDUCATION WAS HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WE ALL KNOW WHAT A STRONG PARTNER, HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS IN THE COUNTY. WE HAVE BEEN THERE RECENTLY TO SEE THEM CUT THE RIBBON ON SOME OF THEIR CYBER SECURITY FACILITIES. WE KNOW THAT WE WANT THAT POPULATION AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO GROW. WE KNOW THAT IF THEY'RE FACED WITH INCREASED TUITION FEES, THAT MIGHT NOT THEY MAY NOT GROW AS QUICKLY AS WE LIKE. SO WE'VE ASKED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO CONSIDER A $200,000 STIPEND TO HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE SO THAT THEY MAY OFFSET SOME OF THE TUITION COST. AND AS FAR AS PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, WE'VE HAD JUDGE CURTIN COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND SPEAK TO HER CONCERNS ABOUT THE MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE AND ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING SECURITY THERE. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE THIS MORNING, HE SAID, WELL, JUST TELL THEM TO MOVE THOSE MEETINGS OVER INTO THE COURTROOM. AND I THINK THAT, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES KNOW WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. SO FOR TWO YEARS, SHE'S BEEN BEFORE US LOOKING FOR SECURITY. THAT SECURITY, ACCORDING TO THE SHERIFF, IF WE PUT DEPUTIES IN, IS $600,000. I WOULD MUCH RATHER SPEND $600,000 TO HAVE RATHER THAN HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN. AS WE SAW YESTERDAY ON THE NEWS, I'D RATHER BE PROACTIVE AND SEE THAT THEY GET THE SECURITY THEY NEED. AND THEN ALSO THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS ASKING FOR PAY PARITY FOR HER ATTORNEYS, AND WE'RE TALKING 240,000 THERE. THAT'S A TOTAL OF $1,040,000. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $1.4 BILLION BUDGET WHERE WE HAVE UNASSIGNED LEVELS AT 6 MILLION. UNASSIGNED IS YES. AND WE HAVE A SIGNED AT 150 MILLION. AND WE HAVE OTHER MONIES SET ASIDE AS WELL. I TOLD THE COUNTY
[01:20:01]
EXECUTIVE TODAY THAT IF HE WOULD RECONSIDER HIS POSITION AND RE-APPROPRIATE A MILLION, $40,000 TO THOSE AGENCIES, THESE AMENDMENTS WOULD GO AWAY. BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL. AND SO FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST I'M JUST TRULY DISMAYED AND CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTS TO POLITICIZE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE TODAY. THIS IS NOT FOR POLITICAL GAIN. THIS IS FOR THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND THAT THEY HAVE THE ITEMS THEY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD. I JUST I THINK FOR ME RIGHT NOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE IT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S ENOUGH. ANYONE ELSE, MR. I'M. WE'RE ON AMENDMENT 16. WE'RE ON AMENDMENT 16 RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. OKAY. WELL, THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT THINGS THAT THIS DIDN'T DEAL WITH. THIS ONLY DEALS WITH STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE AND THE COURTS DOESN'T DEAL WITH THE EDUCATION ASPECT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. I'M SPEAKING TO ALL OF IT. I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION. I DIDN'T DISSECT IT. I SPOKE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. OKAY. SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 900,000 YOU WANTED TO CUT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND AMENDMENT 13? I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DID AWAY WITH IT, BUT WHAT MADE YOU GO FROM 900,000 DOWN TO 340,000? I BELIEVE IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I HAD ON FRIDAY WITH MR. SANDERS, MR. LLOYD AND MR. OVERBAY WORKING THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT AND AXON, THEY AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY FOUND A WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THE TASERS AND THE HELMETS. THEY SPREAD IT OUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. AND AFTER TALKING WITH ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS A PATH THAT THEY COULD ALL WALK DOWN TOGETHER. AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE CHANGED THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. HAD YOU BEEN IN HERE EARLIER TODAY, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH ME THEN. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT IN YOU NOW, IS IT? NO, NO, NOT AT ALL. BUT I'M JUST SAYING YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THIS MEETING. I AM PREPARED FOR THIS MEETING. OKAY? THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU THE QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO YOU WANT TO TAKE 340,000 FROM THE LEGAL SERVICES OF THE LAW? HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THEM? I HAVE NO IDEA. AND NOR DO YOU CARE. OH, SURE I CARE. I WOULDN'T BE SITTING IN THIS ON THIS DAIS IF I DIDN'T CARE. WELL, YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T. NO, NO, NO, LISTEN, YOU ASKED ME IF I CARE. YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE WRONG PATH HERE. I'M NOT WALKING DOWN. I ASKED YOU A QUESTION, AND I ANSWERED IT. YOU KNOW I CARE. WELL, IF YOU CARED, YOU KNOW I CARE. AND I THINK IF WE IF WE CARED ON THIS DAIS, WHY AREN'T WE CUTTING OUR BUDGET 340,000 TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? YOU'RE YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMEBODY ELSE AND SAYING, HEY, LOOK, I WANT TO USE YOUR MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS. WHY DON'T WE PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS INSTEAD OF USING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO PUT IT WHERE OUR MOUTH IS? BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL BUDGET IS CUT TO THE BARE MINIMUM. THERE IS NO EXTRA MONEY FOR ANYTHING IN THIS BUDGET. THE ONLY REASON WHY THE BUDGET HAS BEEN INCREASED LEGALLY FOR SERVICES 200%, WELL, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S STILL MINIMAL COMPARED TO OTHERS. IT'S THERE TO PUT SOME SORT OF A BARRIER FOR US, BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION DID NOT WANT TO PAY THE LEGAL SERVICES WE HAD, THEY WANT US TO USE OUR BUDGET. SO THEREFORE WE HAD TO INFLATE THE BUDGET TO COVER THE COST OF THE LEGAL FEES THAT WE'RE INCURRING NOW, SPECIFICALLY FOR A FRIVOLOUS LAWSUIT. AND WE'RE ABOUT 200,000 PLUS OUT OF POCKET FOR THAT. AM I RIGHT, MR. LEGGETT? AGAIN, I'M JUST SAYING WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING SOMEWHERE ELSE TO CUT SOME TAKE SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY. AND YET WE AS A. I THINK YOU'RE WRONG THERE. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, JIM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I SAT WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, SO HAVE I, AND ASKED HIM TO MOVE MONEY FROM OTHER ASSIGNED FUNDS, WHICH THEY DO ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT COULD BE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE AND OVER WITH. AND WHAT WHAT WERE THE OTHER ASSIGNED FUNDS YOU REQUESTED HIM TO MOVE FROM? I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT I ASKED HIS TREASURY AND HIS BUDGET OFFICE TO FIND THOSE BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT'S WHERE. YOU ASKED SOMEBODY ELSE TO. IT'S AMAZING. ALL RIGHT. AND ALSO, AGAIN, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, I'VE BEEN IN THE COURTHOUSE FOR 20 YEARS AS CLERK OF THE COURT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE JUSTIFICATION IS. THE JUDGE CURTIN IS ASKING FOR THESE EXTRA DEPUTIES. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ANY JUSTIFICATION. IT'S JUST I WANT THIS. SO NOW YOU'RE QUESTIONING[01:25:04]
JUDGE CURTIN. WHY ISN'T THAT WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE BUDGET? I MEAN, AGAIN, IF YOU WERE HERE WHEN SHE DID HER PRESENTATION, I HEARD IT, I HEARD IT. YOU COULD HAVE ASKED HER THAT. I'M ASKING YOU, DON'T YOU KNOW? NO, I DON'T KNOW. AGAIN. SHOULD WE ON THE COUNCIL DON'T KNOW. AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CUT 340,000 FROM LEGAL SERVICES AND GIVE IT TO THE STATE'S ATTORNEY, WHO ALREADY IS GETTING 11% INCREASE THEIR EMPLOYEES. THE COUNTY IS ONLY GETTING THREE, BUT STATE'S ATTORNEY'S GETTING 11. AND WE WANT TO GIVE THEM MORE. IT'S AMAZING TO ME. ANYONE ELSE? MISS ROBERTSON, I DO WANT TO CHIME IN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I ALSO WORKED IN THE COURT SYSTEMS. I ALSO WORK WITH THE MAGISTRATES. I ALSO WORKED WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY MAGISTRATES EVEN THOUGH I WAS IN CECIL COUNTY. I ALSO HAVE HAD MY LIFE THREATENED THREE TIMES. WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH CUSTODY AND DIVORCE CASES, THAT'S WHAT THE MAGISTRATES DO. THEY DEAL WITH THE MOST DIFFICULT CASES, NOT THE CRIMINAL ONES, WHICH ARE REALLY NOT THE MOST DIFFICULT ONES. AND SO FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE SECURITY AND JUDGES BEING KILLED IN THEIR OWN DRIVEWAY, I WOULD RESPECT JUDGE CURTIN'S REQUEST FOR THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE SHE WANTED IT FOR. SHE WANTED TO SECURE HER MAGISTRATES, WHO ARE CURRENTLY UNSECURED. AND THAT'S WHY I AM LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET IN THAT REGARD. ANYONE ELSE, MR. BENNETT? YEAH, I WOULD JUST ECHO COUNCILWOMAN ROBERTS IN HER REMARKS. WE HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH WITH THEM HERE IN THESE CHAMBERS, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN GREAT DETAIL. WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE NEWS RIGHT HERE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. WE TALKED ABOUT COUNCILWOMAN ROBERT, IN HER EXPERIENCE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF OUR MAGISTRATES THAT ALL HAPPENED IN THESE CHAMBERS. AND MANY OF US SAT THROUGH THOSE MEETINGS. MANY OF US ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS. MANY OF US WERE WITHIN THE STATE DURING THOSE MEETINGS. AND I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE PEOPLE CAME TO US MULTIPLE YEARS IN A ROW NOW. SO I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD THEM EXPRESS THESE NEEDS THROUGH TWO BUDGET CYCLES. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THEM. AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, JUST TO NOTE IS IN PREPARING THESE AMENDMENTS, IT WASN'T AN ARBITRARY NUMBER FROM HERE OR NUMBER FROM THERE. IT WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AUDITOR, LOOKING AT BUDGETED VERSUS ACTUALS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MINIMIZING HARM ON DEPARTMENTS. SO WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AUDITOR TO SEE WHERE HAVE WE SAID THIS AMOUNT MONEY WAS GOING TO BE SPENT, BUT ACTUALLY THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS BEING SPENT THAT WAY. BY DEPLETING MONEY, WE'RE NOT IMPACTING THE WORK SOMEBODY IS DOING. HAVE YOU ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL HOW YOU'RE IMPACTING HIS HIS BUDGET? I THINK THIS I THINK YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, COUNCILMAN RILEY, I SHARED IN MY PREVIOUS REMARKS, I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION NOW FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST THREE WEEKS, ASKING TO MEET WITH THEM AND SPEAK WITH THEM. AND YOU MIGHT REMEMBER IN MY REMARKS, COUNCILMAN RILEY, I GOT NO RESPONSE. AND YOUR POINT IS, THAT WASN'T MY QUESTION. YOUR QUESTION WAS IF I HAD TALKED TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE LAW OFFICE, HOW CAN I TALK TO THEM IF NOBODY RESPONDS TO MY EMAIL? SO YOU'VE REQUESTED IT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF LAW. I REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WHO OVERSEES THE DIRECTOR LAW AND WOULD HAVE GUIDED THEM TO ME IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO SOMEBODY AND THERE'S NO RESPONSE. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T X RAY THEIR BRAIN AND GET AN ANSWER RIGHT. I DON'T GO TO THE 7-ELEVEN CLERK AND ASK THE QUESTION IN REFERENCE TO WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE Y, EITHER. OKAY, LET'S LET'S MOVE ON. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT? IF NOT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I, MRS. EMHOFF, MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY. NO. MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE NEGATIVE THE AMENDMENT THE SIXTH AMENDMENT 16 TO BILL 20 505 IS HEREBY APPROVED. AMENDMENT 17 TO BILL 25 005. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT 17 TO BILL 25 005. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, TO APPROVE AMENDMENT 17 TO BILL 2505. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? MR. GIORDANO? GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. SO I THINK PART OF THIS WHOLE BUDGET THING IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ENTERING INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH AXION AFTER YOURSELF, AND I[01:30:01]
GUESS ROBBY SANDLER AND BEN LLOYD MET. YOU FOUND A WAY AND UPGRADED THE TASERS, THE BODY CAMERAS AND THE HELMETS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY. WE KNEW THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT WAS LIKE A MILLION PLUS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT GOT TAKEN CARE OF LAST YEAR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT MYSELF, WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ORIGINALLY PROMISED 15 MILLION, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT TO THE SCHOOL AND THEN CHANGED HIS MIND, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH AND WE HAD NEGOTIATIONS AND WHAT WE FINALLY WIND UP WITH SIX AND A HALF, 6.5 MILLION NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS. WHERE DID THAT 6.5 MILLION COME FROM LAST YEAR THAT THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOUND AT THE TIME? SO WE THE INCOME TAX IN NOVEMBER AND IN FEBRUARY BOTH HAD NEGATIVE NEGATIVE DROPS. AND WE WERE VERY MUCH CONCERNED AT THAT POINT ABOUT WHAT WHERE INCOME TAX WAS GOING TO GO. IT REBOUNDED IN THE MAY DISTRIBUTION. SO WE WERE IN A BETTER IN A BETTER POSITION. AND THE COUNTY ALSO DID SOME ACTIVITIES KIND OF LED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CHARGED ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE UNDER THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT APPROXIMATELY 24% OF THE BUDGET KIND OF MADE US ALL IDENTIFY TWO AND A HALF AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL AN ADDITIONAL TWO AND A HALF FOR A TOTAL OF 5% OF KIND OF BUDGET. REVERSIONS. SO WE KIND OF ENTERED INTO A SOFT SPENDING FREEZE. SO WE HAD MORE IN FUND BALANCE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE REVENUE SIDE. SO WE WERE THEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE THEN ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THE SCHOOL FUNDING FROM, FROM FROM WHAT WE, WHAT WE PUT IN THE PROPOSED AREA. SO IF YOU GOT IT IN MAY, WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A FIGHT WITH HIM TO GIVE US THE MONEY IN JUNE? TALKING ABOUT WHICH YEAR? LAST YEAR I'M NOT.WELL, YEAH. BUT BY THE TIME WE, YOU KNOW, BY THE, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME WE GOT THAT, THAT THAT GOOD NEWS AFTER TWO CONSECUTIVE NEGATIVE YEAR DISTRIBUTIONS, I MEAN IT WAS MAY 31ST OR SO OKAY.
SO LET'S KEEP GOING HERE. SO REGARDING THE BUDGET NINE NOR ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES UP HERE ADVOCATED TO ELIMINATE THE 3% INCREASE FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PUT OUT THERE. SO WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT THAT. WE NEVER SAID WE WERE GOING TO REMOVE THAT. THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAID FROM THE BUDGET ADVISOR, BUT NOT FROM ANY OF US COUNCIL PEOPLE. SO. I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR ANY INCREASE FOR THE OVERALL BUDGET, NUMBER ONE, NOR FOR ANY REDUCTION TO THE EMPLOYEES FOR THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY SINCE LAST YEAR THEY ONLY RECEIVED 1%. INSTEAD, I'M ADVOCATING FOR A STRATEGIC REALLOCATION OF EXISTING FUNDS TO BETTER SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SECURITY OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WHILE FULLY MAINTAINING THE 3% NICKEL FOR THE COUNTIES. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MANY COUNTY DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS RECEIVE SALARY INCREASES ANYWHERE FROM 3% UP TO 10% LAST YEAR, WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYEES SAW ONLY 1%. IS THAT TRUE? DO YOU WANT ME TO PULL THE NUMBERS OR IS THAT TRUE? I MEAN, I KNOW IT WASN'T FOR ME. DID YOU HAVE COUNTY DIRECTORS THAT RECEIVE 10% MORE INCREASE? I WOULD HAVE TO GO AND LOOK AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT YOU KNOW. I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME COUNTY COUNTY DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED SOME TYPE OF, OF ADJUSTMENT. IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT A WIDE SCALE THING. I KNOW IT WASN'T ME PERSONALLY. I RECEIVED THE SAME AS WHAT HOW MUCH DID YOU RECEIVE? THE SAME THAT ALL THE EMPLOYEES DID 1% PLUS. PLUS THE 1000. OKAY. I GUESS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PULL THE I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I PULLED IT UP. I PULLED IT UP TODAY AND WENT THROUGH ALL OF THEM. SO FOR MINIMUM WAS 4%. MAXIMUM WAS OVER 10%. BUT OKAY, LET'S SEE WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR TOO. IF SOMEONE WAS LOOKING AT THE AT THE BUDGET, IT MIGHT HAVE THEN ALSO BECAUSE REMEMBER THE PRIOR YEAR WE WEREN'T ABLE TO WHEN WE DID THE WE KIND OF WE SPLIT IT FROM THE, THE TWO PARTS. WE DID, WE DID ONE ONE PART OF IT IN, IN JULY, THE OTHER PART OF IT IN THE OTHER, THE OTHER PART OF IT IN JANUARY. AND SO WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN IN THE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, WAS NOT REFLECTED BECAUSE WE PUT ALL OF THAT FUNDING INTO PERSONNEL SERVICES. HOWEVER, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT AN ACTUAL PAY PAY, YOU KNOW, PAY ROSTER, YOU WOULD SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT AT LEAST FOR ME, THAT, YOU KNOW, MY PAY, YOU KNOW, DID EXACTLY WHAT THE OTHER EMPLOYEES DID AND I CAN'T SPEAK. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME, SOME DIRECTORS THAT MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED SOME TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, JUST AS PART OF A NEGOTIATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T ANYTHING WIDESPREAD. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE SALARIES WERE, YOU KNOW, ON JANUARY, ON JULY 1ST, JANUARY 1ST. AND YOU'LL, YOU SHOULD SEE THAT, THAT, THAT THE RAISES WERE COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT THE EMPLOYEES RECEIVED. I'LL LOOK FOR THAT. THANK YOU. I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? MR. RILEY? ROBBIE, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK I'M RIGHT ON
[01:35:05]
THIS. EVEN THOUGH WE APPROVE THESE AMENDMENTS AND WE HAVEN'T GOT THE BUDGET IN THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE. BUT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SHELL GAME, MOVE MONEY FROM ONE ENTITY TO THE OTHER. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DOESN'T HAVE TO MOVE THAT MONEY, AM I CORRECT? THAT WOULD NEED TO BE IN AN AMENDMENT FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DOING IT. SO THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE OF ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS IS THAT THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE BUDGET WILL BE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, 1 MILLION, $2 MILLION LESS. AND OUR FUND BALANCE, INSTEAD OF BEING $6 MILLION WILL BE $8 MILLION. BUT THERE WILL BE THERE IS NO CORRESPONDING INCREASE FOR ANY OF THOSE OF THOSE AREAS.NOW, THOSE INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS, THE STATE'S ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN OR THE SHERIFF, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN OF COURSE DECIDE WITHIN THEIR BUDGET TO REALLOCATE IF THEY WANTED TO USE MORE OF IT FOR SALARIES OR TO SPREAD THE SALARIES OUT MORE, MORE EQUALLY, OR IF THEY WANTED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COURT SECURITY, YOU KNOW. BUT OF COURSE, LIKE ALL THINGS, IT WOULD BE A TRADE OFF.
IT WOULD COME OUT OF SOMETHING ELSE, OUT OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS. BUT AS FAR AS THEIR BUDGETS GROWING, NO, JUST THE NET RESULT OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT THE FUND BALANCE GETS LARGER AND IN THE PRIOR, THE PRIOR CASE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT THAT THAT AMENDMENT IS ALREADY PASSED, THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS $5 MILLION. BUT MY POINT IS THAT 340 AND THE 700,000 REALLY GOES BACK INTO THE BIG POT. AND IF HE DECIDES NOT TO MOVE THEM, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO MOVE THEM INTO THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ALSO INTO THE. I THINK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS STATED THAT HE'S THAT HE'S NOT YOU KNOW, WE'RE THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS COMING. SO THE AND YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE CORRECT. OKAY. YOUR ASSUMPTION IS CORRECT. THIS MONEY WILL GET CUT. WE'RE NOT SPENDING MONEY. WE'RE NOT INCREASING THE BUDGET. WE'RE CUTTING THE BUDGET, AND WE'RE INCREASING THE FUND BALANCE IN HOPES THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WILL FUND THESE, WOULD FILL IN THESE. AND IF HE DOESN'T, IT'S ON HIM. OKAY, OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MRS. EMHOFF, I MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY. NO.
MRS. SEIDEL I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE NEGATIVE AMENDMENT 17 TO BILL 20 505 IS HEREBY APPROVED. YOU KNOW, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THAT THIS COUNCIL PRIDES ITSELF ON A RECORD OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. IT'S OUR DUTY TO LOOK OUT FOR ALL THE NEEDS OF ALL OUR HARFORD COUNTY CITIZENS, DEPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. IT WAS, AS I SAID EARLIER, OUR HOPE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WOULD APPROPRIATE FUND BALANCE, SEND OVER AN AMENDMENT. AND IT'S CLEARLY UP TO HIM, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT AT LEAST WE CAN GO BACK TO THESE AGENCIES AND SAY, WE HEARD YOU. WE TOOK THE APPROPRIATE STEPS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHOSE NOT TO. OR MAYBE HE CHOOSES TO. HE'S STILL GOT ANOTHER WEEK. IT'S UP TO HIM. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA NUMBER 11. CALL FOR FINAL READING BILLS. WE HAVE NONE 12 ENROLLMENT OF BILLS WE HAVE NONE 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS WE HAVE
[14. NEW BUSINESS]
NONE 14 NEW BUSINESS COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY FOR SUMMER SCHEDULE. THERE IS NO MEETING SCHEDULED IN JULY OR AUGUST. OUR REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY SCHEDULE RESUMES ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2020 FIVE. MAY HAVE A MOTION. PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOVE TO APPROVE THE LEGISLATIVE SUMMER SESSION DAY SUMMER SCHEDULE. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU. MR. RILEY MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE OUR SUMMER SCHEDULE. ANY. YES. SO EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS WE'RE NOT WORKING OR NOT HAVING A MEETING, WE CERTAINLY ARE WORKING. I KNOW TO MY NEW COLLEAGUES, TO MY RIGHT, YOU WILL BE WORKING, I'M SURE, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US CONSTITUENTS STILL CALL. SO WE ANSWER THE CALLS. IT'S JUST WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A MEETING OR TWO MEETINGS, I GUESS IN JULY, A COUPLE OF MEETINGS IN JULY AND AUGUST. SO THANKS. AND TO THAT POINT AS WELL, MISS LYNCH ASKED ME EARLIER WHAT I DID ON MY BIRTHDAY. I'LL BE DOING THE SAME THING OVER THE SUMMER THAT I DID ON MY BIRTHDAY. I'LL BE WORKING IN THIS OFFICE. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I, MISSUS ROBERT I, MISSUS EMHOFF, I MISTER GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY I MISSUS OTTO I MR. BENNETT I WE ALL AGREE WE LIKE SEVEN THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE. THE SUMMER SCHEDULE IS HEREBY[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
APPROVED. LET'S GO TO AGENDA NUMBER 17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. MISS[01:40:04]
DIXON, WE HAVE TWO THIS EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MISTER JEFF BECK AND SHANE GRIMM. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. JEFF. EXCUSE ME. JEFF BECK, 1 OR 2 SHELL ROAD, JOPPATOWNE, MARYLAND. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL AND CITIZENS. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO DO MY TINY LITTLE PART TO HELP SHINE A LIGHT ON A TOPIC THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, SPECIFICALLY MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH. MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE BY NOW THAT JUNE IS NOTORIOUSLY, NOT NOTORIOUSLY, FAMOUSLY, PRIDE MONTH. IT IS ALSO MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. MEN ARE FACED WITH SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH, DUE TO A VARIETY OF SOCIAL STIGMAS AND SOCIETAL STIGMAS, MEN ARE FAR LESS LIKELY THAN WOMEN TO SEEK HELP WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, AND MEN ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SELF-HARM THAN WOMEN BECAUSE OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. VARIOUS POLLING AND DATA INDICATES SOME VERY CONCERNING NUMBERS. APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF MEN ADMIT TO HAVING SUFFERED SYMPTOMS OF POOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUCH AS DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. NEARLY HALF OF THOSE MEN ADMIT TO NEVER HAVING SPOKEN WITH ANOTHER PERSON ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, AND MANY OF THOSE MEN ADMIT THAT IT WOULD TAKE THOUGHTS OF SELF-HARM IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WANT TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE THAT IS AN EPIDEMIC THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED. I THINK HARFORD COUNTY DOES HAVE SOME GOOD RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH CRISIS RESPONSE AND THE KLEIN FAMILY CENTER, JUST TO NAME A FEW. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO THE COUNCIL, TO EVERYBODY WATCHING, LISTENING. CHECK ON YOUR FRIENDS ALWAYS, OFTEN WHENEVER YOU CAN. AND IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. BECK. THANK YOU FOR THAT ADVICE. AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TONIGHT FOR THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. SHANE GRIMM, 1512 NORTH BEND ROAD, JARRETTSVILLE, MARYLAND, TWO 1084. IT'S A LITTLE MORE NERVE WRACKING BEING BACK HERE BEHIND THIS MICROPHONE THAN THAT MICROPHONE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO STOP BY THIS EVENING. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE BEFORE I LEFT EMPLOYMENT WITH HARFORD COUNTY ON FRIDAY. TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS. AND IT'S I'M GOING TO MISS EVERYBODY, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME DURING MY CAREER, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MISS ELEGY FOR BEING A GREAT ATTORNEY, GREAT FRIEND. I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN BENNETT FOR HIS EMAIL, AND I HOPE HE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED. I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN BOYLE FOR HER SUPPORT OF THE TRIBAL FAMILY RECENTLY, FOR THE FAMILY THAT LOST THEIR HOME, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM OUT WITH SOME FUNDS. SO, COUNCILWOMAN IMHOFF, SORRY I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU, BUT ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR HIS SUPPORT DURING COMPREHENSIVE REZONING. AS YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A CHALLENGING PROCESS AS ALWAYS. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT THERE'S SOME GREAT PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT ARE SENIOR STAFF. MATT KROPP AND ALEX RAWLS ARE REALLY LEADING THE TEAM RIGHT NOW, AND I HAVE COMPLETE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN THEM, AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE SENIOR STAFF. SO THANK YOU EVERYTHING FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AND BEING SUPPORTIVE.
THAT'S ALL I CAME HERE TO SAY. HEY, SHANE, THANK YOU FOR COMING BY TONIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE ALL APPRECIATE YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTY AND TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT. I WILL PROBABLY STILL BE CALLING YOU FOR DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE FACE, AND I HOPE YOU'LL PICK UP THE PHONE. I DEFINITELY WILL. AND THE ONE THING I DID FORGET TO MENTION IS THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE MIRACLE LEAGUE.
YOU'LL SEE ME. YOU'LL SEE ME OUT ON THE BASEBALL FIELD ALL SUMMER. NO WORRIES. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH THOSE KIDS. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME AND YOUR SUPPORT CONTINUES TO MEAN A LOT TO ME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR.
[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISS DIXON. WE'LL GO TO NUMBER 16 BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.AND I THINK WE'LL START WITH MISS ROBERT TONIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. VERY SHORT. WE HAD OUR EDGEWOOD JOPPATOWNE CAB MEETING LAST NIGHT AND WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING TALKED AND GAVE GOOD INFORMATION OF THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW NOW, EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT NOT BE IN THAT REALM.
AND THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE OLDER. SO IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT CONVERSATION AS WELL AS THE FIRE GENTLEMAN THAT SPEAKS AT OUR MEETINGS. HE ADVISED A LOT ABOUT GRILLING FIREWORKS, THE FIRE BLANKETS, EVERYTHING ABOUT BE MINDFUL ABOUT FIRE, STARTING WITH
[01:45:02]
CANDLES. SO IT WAS IT WAS A GOOD, GOOD MEETING LAST NIGHT. AND JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT SUNDAY, JUNE 8TH IS OUR FARMER'S MARKET AT THE EDGEWOOD AMERICAN LEGION. SO THAT IS FROM 830 TO NOON AND THEN FRIDAY FOR A GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. IT'S WEAR ORANGE, SO WEAR YOUR ORANGE ON FRIDAY. IF YOU SUPPORT GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS. THANK YOU, MR. ROBERT. MISS IMHOFF. SO I JUST WANT TO SEND ANOTHER CONGRATULATIONS OUT TO FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY ON THURSDAY, MAY 29TH.I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE EDGEWOOD, JOPPA JOPPATOWNE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD LAST NIGHT WITH COUNCILWOMAN ROBERTS. IT WAS A PACKED HOUSE, WHICH WAS JUST LOVELY TO SEE. AND THEN I'M IN THE PROCESS OF COORDINATING SOME SITE VISITS WITH THE CURRENTLY PARTIALLY CLOSED PLAYGROUND. WE WERE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING BEFORE THE SUMMER STARTED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO TRY TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING, AND THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND REOPENED BY THE END OF JUNE, SO I'LL BE DOING SOME SITE VISITS HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOFF. MR. JORDAN. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. SO I GOT TO GO TO MY ALMA MATER, BELLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL, AND DO THE GRADUATION. SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS. WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK THAT I GOT UP TO TALK ABOUT. AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE PRINCIPAL GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO PRIOR GRADUATES, AND THAT I WAS ALSO AN ALUMNI OF BELLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL. ALSO DID PATTERSON MILL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. AND THEN THIS FRIDAY IS FIRST FRIDAY AND IN BELLAIRE. SO FROM 5 TO 8. SO COME EAT AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS, LIVE MUSIC, SHOPPING, UNIQUE BOUTIQUES, DOWNTOWN BELLAIRE. AND THERE IS ALCOHOL SERVED. SO. AND THEN SUNDAY, JUNE 8TH IS THE BELLAIRE MARKET. IT'S THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH THROUGH OCTOBER, AND TOWN STOP BY MUSIC STOP BY SHOP UNIQUE HANDCRAFTED JEWELRY, ARTWORK, HOME DECOR AND FROM TALENTED LOCAL ARTISANS. AND THEN MR. GRAHAM MIRACLE LEAGUE. I FLOATED THE IDEA AND I STILL WANT TO WORK ON THAT WITH, I THINK, YOU AND TOM WALLS ABOUT GETTING A BOCCE COURTS WITH THE SAME MATERIALS. SO THOSE KIDS HAVE ANOTHER AVENUE TO USE OTHER THAN SOFTBALL, BUT THEY CAN PLAY BOCCE. I'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP CONSTRUCT THAT TOO. SO LET'S WORK ON THAT AND GET THAT AS THE NEXT PROJECT FOR THEM. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. YEAH, I ATTENDED NORTH HARFORD GRADUATION. I JUST WANT TO SEND OUT CONGRATULATIONS. THOUGH THOSE NORTH HARFORD HOPE THEY'RE ENJOYING THEIR WEEKEND IN OCEAN CITY. THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS SORRELLS. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE AT ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLD THEIR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY, JUNE 9TH AT 7 P.M. IN ABERDEEN CITY CHAMBERS. AND THERE IS A RIBBON CUTTING THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 5TH TO CELEBRATE THE NEWLY RENOVATED HOME TWO SUITES BY HILTON HOTEL IN ABERDEEN AND THAT WILL BE HELD AT 4 P.M. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SALES. MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYBODY. I WANT TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ACROSS THE COUNTY. TO OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T GRADUATED YET, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR PRE-K STUDENTS.
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS 13 SCHOOL, 12 SCHOOL DAYS LEFT, I 11 TODAY WAS THE LETTER N IN MY ABC COUNTDOWN. BUT TIME'S TICKING, WHICH IS FUN FOR MANY, BUT FOR OTHERS, IT'S TEN LESS MEALS A WEEK THAT THEY'RE GETTING GUARANTEED FOR FREE. I CAN SPEAK PERSONALLY FROM SAINT JOHN'S CUPBOARD, WHICH MY CHURCH SUPPORTS. A YEAR OR TWO AGO, WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN 70 OR 80 PEOPLE ON A FRIDAY TO GET FOOD. IT'S NOW 120 ON A FRIDAY. ALL OF OUR FOOD BANKS ARE JUST EXPERIENCING TREMENDOUS STRAIN RIGHT NOW. SO IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE CAPACITY TO GIVE, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO BE GIVING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE SUMMERTIME IS ALWAYS A TOUGH TIME. WHEN PEOPLE STOP, THEIR CHILD STOPS RECEIVING THAT LUNCH AND THAT BREAKFAST FIVE DAYS A WEEK. IT PUTS A GREATER NEED ON OUR LOCAL FOOD BANKS LIKE MANNA HOUSE, GRACE PLACE, SAINT JOHN'S CUPBOARD, THE ACTION AGENCY. SO PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THOSE NEEDS. AND OH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT ABINGDON VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY IS CELEBRATING ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY THIS SATURDAY FROM 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. 10 A.M. TO NOON WILL BE THE HONOR GUARD PRESENTATION AND MEMORIAL SERVICE, AND THEN FROM 12 TO 4 WILL BE THE OPEN HOUSE, WHICH WILL HAVE TOURS AND FREE FOOD. VERY NICE. AND THEN FROM FROM ME, I JUST WANT TO ADVERTISE THE
[15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
[01:50:05]
ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD MEETING FOR TOMORROW NIGHT. 6 P.M. COUNCIL MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM. AND THEN AS FAR AS EVENTS, WE TALKED ABOUT GRADUATIONS. I ATTENDED WAY MORE THAN I ANTICIPATED, BUT JOPPATOWNE, NORTH, HARFORD, FALLSTON, BEL AIR, HAVRE DE GRACE IN HARFORD TECH THIS PAST WEEK. AND THEN ON WEDNESDAY, I HAD THE HONOR TO SIT WITH BESIDE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THE HARFORD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND PRESENT HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS AND DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STYLES. I WANT TO THANK ANGELA ROSE AND VICKY HAUN FOR ORGANIZING THE CLASS, AND THIS CLASS WAS KIND OF SPECIAL BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY FAMILIAR AND FRIENDLY FACES IN THERE. MISS LATHROP FROM MR. OFFICE WAS THERE DOCTOR CYBELLE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD SEVERAL ADMINISTRATORS, ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE THERE. KOMAR CONSTRUCTION HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE THERE. JENNIFER FARRELL WAS THERE. NATALIE JOHNSON FROM INTER COUNTY OUTREACH, JASON DEETER FROM HARFORD BANK, RACHEL PETERSON, A FORMER A FORMER AIDE HERE, AND VOICES OF HOPE. I THINK RIGHT OR NO COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY. WHERE DOES SHE WORK AT VOICES, VOICES, VOICES OF HOPE. YES, CHRIS. RICKY FROM THE TOWN OF HAVRE DE GRACE. MATT ELLIS, A NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER. THERE WAS ALSO. AND TRACY PENMAN, CAPTAIN PENMAN FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AND THEN SADLY, A TROUBLES ME TO SAY THAT TODAY I LOST A VERY CLOSE, NOT CLOSE ROTARY BROTHER, BERNIE COX. HE PASSED LATE THIS AFTERNOON. NOT SURE WHY YET.DON'T KNOW ANY OF THE DETAILS AT THIS TIME, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE KEEP BERNIE'S FAMILY AND HIS FRIENDS IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND THEN ALSO YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE, WAS THE SERVICES FOR THE LATE JUDGE SY WHITFIELD. HE PASSED AWAY ON MAY 23RD AT THE AGE OF 88. AND WHILE IN THE ARMY, JUDGE WHITFIELD ALSO ATTENDED UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF LAW AT NIGHT, GRADUATING LAUDE IN 1965. HE PRACTICED LAW FROM 1965 TO 82, SERVED AS THE ASSISTANT AND CITY ATTORNEY FOR HAVRE DE GRACE, AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CHARTER BOARD. IN 1971, HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE HARFORD COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT IN 82, WHERE HE SERVED WITH INTEGRITY UNTIL HE RETIRED. SO I WOULD STILL SAY PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP JUDGE WHITFIELD'S FAMILY AND BERNIE COX'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND YOUR THOUGHTS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.