WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. FIVE. FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. [1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:08] LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 25 ZERO 21. I WOULD ASK YOU ALL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER BENNETT. 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. OH, GOD, GIVE US STRENGTH TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY. LET US NOT TURN INTO COWARDS BEFORE ITS DIFFICULTIES AND PROVE UNRESPONSIVE TO ITS DUTIES. LET US NOT LOSE FAITH IN OTHER PEOPLE. KEEP US SWEET AND SOUND OF HEART IN SPITE OF INGRATITUDE, TREACHERY AND MEANNESS. PROTECT US FROM MINDING LITTLE STINGS OR GIVING THEM TO OTHERS. OPEN WIDE THE EYES OF OUR SOULS. SO THAT WE MAY SEE GOOD IN ALL THINGS. GRANT US THIS DAY A NEW VISION OF YOUR TRUTH. INSPIRE US WITH THE SPIRIT OF JOY AND GLADNESS, AND HELP US TO BE A CUP OF STRENGTH FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN SUFFERING. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AGENDA NUMBER FOUR. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. FIVE CONSIDERATION [5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS] OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS OF ELIZABETH CLARK AND TORY LYNCH. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE, MISS CLARK. MISS LYNCH TO THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT? I JUST COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE APPLICANTS WE GOT FOR THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. MISS CLARK DEMONSTRATED HERSELF TO BE SOMEONE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE THROUGH THE LOCAL CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE ELECTIONS THAT JUST TOOK PLACE. AND WE ALL KNOW MISS LYNCH FROM THE CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD, WHERE SHE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO US. SO I THINK BOTH OF THESE WOMEN ARE GOING TO DO TREMENDOUS WORK ON THIS BOARD. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MISS ROBERT, THANK YOU. AND I CONCUR. I'VE WORKED WITH MISS LYNCH FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND I THINK SHE'D BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE BOARD, ALONG WITH MISS CLARK. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON? MR. GIORDANO HAD HIS HAND RAISED. I'M SORRY. OKAY. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. I JUST GOT TO MEET TORI LYNCH DURING THIS BUDGET HEARING. TALK TO HER A BUNCH OF TIMES. REALLY THINK SHE'S SHARP. SO I'M GLAD THAT SHE APPLIED. AND. AND MISS CLARK'S RESUME, TOO. SO I'M HOPEFUL FOR GOOD THINGS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JIM. MR. PRESIDENT, I MISS ROBERT. I, MISSUS EMHOFF. HI, MISTER. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. WILSON. HI, MR. BENNETT. HI. THERE. BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO AND A NEGATIVE, THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED. I DON'T SEE MISS LYNCH AS MISS CLARK HERE. MA'AM, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND? THANK YOU. EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS, BOARD OF EDUCATION, HARFORD COUNTY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE, TO MOVE. MISS LAUREN STRAUSS, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MOVE TO APPROVE. LAUREN STRAUSS REAPPOINTMENT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS SIDLES. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND TO REAPPOINT MISS STRAUSS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I'M SORRY, MR. BENNETT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY, AND I KNOW I NOTED THIS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE VOTED ON THE BOARD OF APPOINTMENTS. LOOKING AT THE STATE LAW THAT GUIDES THIS PROCESS, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS FOR ME IS THE PORTION THAT SAYS APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE COUNTY BOARD, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SHALL ENSURE, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THAT THE TOTAL MAKEUP OF THE COUNTY BOARD REFLECTS THE GENDER, ETHNIC, AND RACIAL DIVERSITY OF THE COUNTY. I REACHED OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS THE RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENDER DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE APPLICANTS WHO PUT IN AND HOW MANY APPLICANTS WERE THERE. THEY DID SHARE. THERE WERE 52 APPLICANTS, BUT THEY DID MAKE SURE TO SAY, PLEASE NOTE, THE APPLICATION FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT INCLUDE A FIELD TO IDENTIFY RACE. AND THEN THEY FURTHER CLARIFIED. NOR DID IT ASK TO IDENTIFY ETHNIC OR GENDER IDENTITY, WHICH THEN JUST PUTS INTO QUESTION FOR ME, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, REPRESENTING THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE IF WE DON'T EVEN COLLECT THAT BASIC INFORMATION TO KNOW WHO ARE THE APPLICANTS THAT CAME FORWARD, AND ARE WE REPRESENTING ALL PORTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY? BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE TO SAY, I [00:05:05] THINK BECAUSE WE'RE VOTING ON MISS STRAUSS RIGHT NOW, THAT SHE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AT GOING ISSUE BY ISSUE, ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS AND DOING HER BEST TO VOTE WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY. EACH MONDAY NIGHT. THANK YOU, MISTER BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT? MISSUS ROBERT I, MISSUS EMHOFF, I MISTER JOHN GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY, I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE. MISS STRAUSS APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR DOCTOR POINT, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF DOCTOR AARON BOYNTON TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO REAPPOINT DOCTOR BOYNTON TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT. MRS. ROBERT. NO, MISSUS. EMHOFF, PASS. MISTER GIORDANO I MISTER RILEY, I, MISSUS SADDLES. I MR. BENNETT. NO. MR. PRESIDENT I MRS. ROBERT OR MISSUS EMHOFF. I THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO IN THE NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE, FOR THE NEW APPOINTMENT OF MARK COHEN, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF MARK QUINN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISTER BENNETT? I WANTED TO THANK MR. QUINN FOR PUTTING HIMSELF OUT THERE AS A PARENT IN THE COMMUNITY TO JUMP INTO THIS ROLE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO SAY THE ONLY REASON I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING IS JUST DUE TO THE SHORT TIME FRAME AND THE BUSYNESS OF THIS PAST WEEKEND, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO SCHEDULE AND REACH OUT AND GET TO KNOW MR. LEE. SO FOR THAT REASON I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK HIM FOR JUMPING INTO THIS ROLE. MISS ROBERT. YES, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MR. KORN FOR PUTTING HIMSELF OUT IN THIS ROLE. I TOO, HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MR. KORN. ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, IS THAT THE MAKEUP OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND HOW SOME OF THE PROCESS WENT. I DO KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME EDUCATORS THAT WERE THROWN INTO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, AND LIKE ANY OTHER BOARD, THERE SHOULD BE SOME SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE THAT SHOULD BE ON A BOARD. AND I WOULD THINK AN EDUCATOR WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE PERSON TO BE ON A SCHOOL BOARD AS THAT EXPERT PERSON. THE RESUMES I'VE READ NOBODY IS AN EDUCATOR TO THE POINT THAT WE MAY HAVE DOCTORS, BUT THEY'RE NOT EDUCATORS. AND THAT IS MY CONCERN WITH THE SELECTIONS. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. MR. GIORDANO, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO MARK KORN FOR PROBABLY TWO YEARS NOW. VARIOUS SUBJECTS, SOME THINGS INCLUDING SCHOOL, BUSINESS THINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THAT. SO I AM GOING TO FULLY SUPPORT HIM TODAY. CAROL MUELLER FROM MY DISTRICT WAS AN EDUCATOR. SHE TAUGHT MY LAST LEGISLATIVE AIDE, CAITLIN, AND IN CLASS BEFORE. SO I KNOW SHE'S ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MARK BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. AND I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL AND HAVE MR. KORN COME INTO THE OFFICE. AND WE SAT FOR A LITTLE BIT. WE'VE TALKED A COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE, SO I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING, I THINK, OF WHAT HIS PRIORITIES WOULD BE AND WHAT HIS INTEREST IS. SO WITH THAT, MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M GOING TO PASS. MRS. ROBERT, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. MRS. EMHOFF I MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY I MRS. BORSATO I MR. BENNETT ABSTAIN, MR. PRESIDENT I THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO ABSTENTIONS. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. WITH ALL OF YOU, PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED AGAIN. THANK YOU. TWO HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MAY HAVE A MOTION. PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF GERALD MANLEY, THE THIRD. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE MR. MCGLYNN TO THE [00:10:01] HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I BRIEFLY, I WILL SAY I DID REACH OUT TO. STEVE TO GET SOME BACKGROUND. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT. HI, MRS. ROBERTS. HI, MRS. EMHOFF. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. SEIDEL, I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ZERO NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MR. MANLEY, ARE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE? GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENT OF CAROLYN LAMBDEN. THANK YOU. MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU. MISS. TOTALS. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE MISS LAMBDEN TO THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IF I MAY, STEVE? AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS WAS A LATE COME OVER FOR THE FOR THE AGENDA. THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT MISS LAMBDEN WOULD BE SUPPORTED 100% BY THIS COUNCIL. SHE HAS A GREAT HISTORY OF WORKING HERE IN THE COUNTY, VERY WELL KNOWN. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MISSUS ROBERT I MISSUS EMHOFF, I MISTER GIORDANO I MR. RILEY, I MISSUS I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE. [6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS] THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS JAMES V CATHERINE AND JIM MCMAHON, COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS. MR. BROWN, COME FORWARD, PLEASE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. GET THIS. HOW'S THAT? THAT'S WONDERFUL. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS. TONIGHT, I'LL PRESENT THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE JAMES V CAPTAIN JIM MCMAHON COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS. THIS REPORT COVERS A PERIOD FROM JUNE 2ND, 2024 TO JUNE 16TH, 2025. THESE ARE THE TOPICS THAT I WILL COVER TONIGHT. I'M GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON THE ACTIVITIES. THE WRITTEN REPORT GOES INTO MORE DETAIL. I'M HAPPY AT ANY TIME TO TALK WITH ANY OF YOU, EACH OF YOU WITH ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S IN THE. IN THE REPORT, I'LL REFER TO A COUPLE OF THINGS AS I GO THROUGH. OUR MISSION AND VISION, GUIDE US TO WHAT WE DO. WITH A STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION BY BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE 16 DIFFERENT VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN HARFORD COUNTY OR THE VSOS. THERE ARE 13 APPOINTED MEMBERS ON THE COMMISSION. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITY HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND. I CAN'T THANK ALL THESE PEOPLE ENOUGH FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR COLLABORATION DURING THE PAST YEAR. THE PAST YEAR WE HAD A CHANGE OF THREE MEMBERS AND A NEW APG REPRESENTATIVE, COLONEL TROY JOHNSON JUST CAME ON BOARD. COLONEL MANUEL AND COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR DENSON, WHO LEFT ON JUNE 6TH, ATTENDED ALMOST EVERY MEETING THAT WE HAD AND PROVIDED UPDATES AND SHARED INFORMATION THERE. ALSO ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, NON-VOTING MEMBERS WHO ATTEND THE MEETINGS AND ASSIST ON THE VARIOUS PROJECTS. THESE ARE THE MAJOR EVENTS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OUR MAJOR EVENT IS THE VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR THAT WAS HELD THIS YEAR ON NOVEMBER 9TH AT THE BEL AIR ARMORY. WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED 800 PEOPLE ATTENDED WITH 35 VENDORS, INCLUDING THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE VA CLAIMS OFFICIALS ARE THE MAIN DRAW TO HELP WITH BENEFITS, AND THIS IS BY FAR THE LARGEST VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR THAT WE'VE EVER HELD. ON JUNE 8TH TO THE 14TH WAS THE ARMY 250 BIRTHDAY WEEK, A WEEK OF FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS THAT STARTED WITH A CONCERT AND PROGRAM ON JUNE 8TH AND ENDED WITH A DINNER DANCE ON JUNE 14TH AT POST 39. THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WERE ON POST AND INCLUDED A TOUR THAT I KNOW MANY OF YOU ATTENDED ON POST. ON MAY 15TH, THE DOCUMENTARY VIETNAM WAR LIVED AND REMEMBERED BY HARFORD COUNTY VETERANS, WAS [00:15:02] SHOWN AT FLAGSHIP CINEMA IN CHURCHVILLE. IT WAS PRODUCED BY HARFORD TV AND HIGHLIGHTED OUR LOCAL VIETNAM VETERANS EXPERIENCES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR. I'VE INCLUDED THE LINK IN THE WRITTEN REPORT AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, I REALLY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. IT IS REALLY IMPACTFUL. WELL DONE. WE CONTINUE TO BE VERY INVOLVED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE TO PREVENT SUICIDE AMONG SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES INITIATIVE AND THE CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING PROJECT. IN FACT, WE HAD A TEAM YESTERDAY AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY FOR THE STATEWIDE CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING SUMMIT, AND WE WERE ASKED TO PRESENT AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE ATTENDEES ON WHAT HARFORD COUNTY SPECIFIC INITIATIVES ARE DOING AND WHAT HARFORD COUNTY IS. HARFORD COUNTY IS THE LEAD COUNTY FOR CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, A NEW INITIATIVE THAT WE'VE STARTED THIS YEAR IS A VETERANS DEFLECTION COMMITTEE. IT'S A TEAM OF VA SOCIAL WORKERS, THE VA POLICE AND THE VETERANS COMMISSION THAT COLLABORATE AND CONNECT WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM ABERDEEN, HAVRE DE GRACE, BEL AIR AND THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT FAST TRACKS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE VA AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY NEED HELP WITH THE VETERANS. IF A VETERAN IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS VERY QUICK NOW TO CONTACT THE VA TO GET HELP OUT THERE, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CALL AND FIGURE OUT WHO TO GO WITHIN THE VA. AND WE'VE PUT TOGETHER CARDS THAT EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSON CAN HAVE INSIDE THEIR CAR OR VEHICLE. AFTER YEARS OF TRYING, THERE'S NOW A REGIONAL VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. WE CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR WIN. IT WAS ESTABLISHED ON NOVEMBER 11TH, 2024. IT'S A COURT SUPERVISED, COMPREHENSIVE AND VOLUNTARY TREATMENT BASED PROGRAM FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED VETERANS CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANORS IN THE DISTRICT COURT. THE COURT IS HELD IN BALTIMORE AND HARFORD, HOWARD, CARROLL AND BALTIMORE COUNTY PARTICIPATE. ONE OF OUR COMMISSION MEMBERS HAS VOLUNTEERED TO BE A MENTOR, AND WE'VE BEEN AS A SIDE NOTE, WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS. AND, SIR, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD SINCE 2017 WE'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. WE'RE CONDUCTING TWO OUTREACH CLAIMS CLINICS TO BETTER SERVE THE ENTIRE COUNTY. THE FIRST WAS SELLING EDGEWOOD ON APRIL 30TH, AND THE SECOND WILL BE IN JARRETTSVILLE ON JULY 2ND. AND THIS IS A CHANCE FOR ALL VETERANS, WHETHER THEY'RE FROM THE AREA OR NOT, TO HAVE A VETERANS CLAIM REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE VA LOOK AT THEIR CLAIM AND HELP THEM WITH THEIR WITH THEIR CLAIM RIGHT THERE ON SITE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO BALTIMORE, EVEN TO PERRY POINT OR ANYWHERE ELSE. THEY BRING THEM RIGHT THERE. NOW I'LL HIGHLIGHT JUST A COUPLE OF THE OTHER THINGS HERE. I'LL JUST TOUCH ON A FEW OF THESE HERE. THE FIRST IS THE APG RETIREE COUNCIL APPRECIATION DAY. IT WAS THE LARGEST ONE THAT THEY'VE EVER HELD AND WE HELPED THEM WITH THAT. WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT. THE OPERATION GREEN LIGHT, WHICH MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN IN NOVEMBER, AND THAT HAPPENS EVERY NOVEMBER. IT'S A NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS TO SHINE AN OUTDOOR GREEN LIGHT. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT SHOWS THAT THIS COMMUNITY, THIS LOCATION HERE IS VETERAN AND MILITARY FRIENDLY. WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, HARFORD COUNTY PARTICIPATED. WE ALSO ASSIST WITH THE WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA AT THE VARIOUS CEMETERIES IN THE COUNTY AND APG. WE SUPPORTED THE COUNTY'S VETERANS DAY BREAKFAST AND THE MARINE CORPS FLAG RAISING, AND WE HAVE MEMBERS THAT VISIT THE HOSPICES AND LOCAL HOSPITALS TO HELP WITH VETERANS AND CONDUCT OUTREACH TO THOSE VETERANS IN NEED. LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST YEAR THAT WE HELD THE WE ALL SERVE HIKE FOR SUICIDE AWARENESS THAT EMPHASIZES THAT WE ALL. THE REASON WE SAID WE ALL SERVE IS THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CAN BE PART OF THAT. HELPING MILITARY AND VETERANS IN SUICIDE PREVENTION. AND THAT WAS HELD AT POPLAR GROVE PARK. AND AGAIN THIS YEAR, IT'S ON SEPTEMBER 6TH AT POPLAR GROVE PARK. WE WILL HOLD IT. AND IT'S GREAT. WE EVEN WE HAD PEOPLE THERE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND MARYLAND VA SECRETARY'S OFFICE THAT CAME OUT AND JOINED US AT THAT. OUR ASSISTANCE REQUESTS FOR THE PAST YEAR. THEY'RE UP JUST A LITTLE BIT FROM WHERE WE WERE BEFORE. AND MOST OF THE REQUESTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, ARE FROM VA BENEFITS. AND THAT A LOT OF VETERANS DON'T KNOW OR ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE VA SYSTEM. AND WE ARE KIND OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY CALL WHEN THEY SAY, I CAN'T GET AN ANSWER, I CAN'T GET THROUGH TO SOMEBODY. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP? AND THEY COME TO US AND WE TRY TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE, NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. AGAIN, MOST DON'T KNOW THE BENEFITS THE PACT ACT THIS YEAR OR IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS THAT HAVE COME OUT, IT CHANGES, IT SEEMS LIKE, ALMOST EVERY WEEK. SO WE CAN HELP NAVIGATE THAT WITH WITH PEOPLE AS WELL AS DIRECT THEM TO OUR OUTREACH CLINICS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS WE RECENTLY ASSISTED A KOREAN WAR VETERAN. HE HAD NEVER APPLIED FOR BENEFITS BEFORE, BUT NOW HE'S IN FAILING HEALTH. HE TRIED APPLYING ON HIS OWN FOR [00:20:05] THE BENEFITS AND WAS DENIED ACROSS THE BOARD. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE WORKED WITH HIM TO FIND A CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVE THAT HELPED HIM, AND HE WAS RECENTLY RATED AT 100% SERVICE CONNECTED DISABLED VETERAN. AND HE RECEIVED A FAIRLY LARGE VA BACK PAY. AND MANY VETERANS ARE NOT AWARE OF THAT. YOU NEED A RATING OF 70% OR HIGHER SERVICE CONNECTED DISABLED VETERANS 70% OR HIGHER FOR LONG TERM CARE OR CAREGIVER SUPPORT. SO WHAT WE SAY IS DON'T WAIT. IT TAKES ABOUT 25 MINUTES AND A DD214 TO SIGN UP FOR VA HEALTH CARE. AND I'M GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLING ME IN THEIR 80S AND EVEN SOMETIMES IN THEIR 90S SAYING, HOW DO I GET TO BE? I NEED LONG TERM CARE, I NEED HELP NOW. AND THAT PROCESS TAKES A WHILE. SO SIGN UP EARLY, YOU'RE IN THE SYSTEM AND THEN WE CAN WE CAN GO FROM THERE. WE CONTINUE TO USE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS. ONE OF OUR MAIN WAYS OF COMMUNICATING, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL US, PARTICULARLY FROM THE VSO, SAY, THIS IS WHERE I FOUND OUT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. OUR WEBSITE CALENDAR LISTS ALL THE MAJOR EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON BY VETERANS AND FOR VETERANS. THEY FEED INTO THAT AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. EVEN THOUGH FACEBOOK IS FACEBOOK, IT'S STILL WE PUT THINGS OUT THERE, AND IT IS A LOT OF WAYS TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE. THE VSOS OFTEN HOLD BREAKFAST, DINNERS, EVENTS, AND THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET OUT AND SEE THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE INSIDE IN THOSE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. THEY'RE OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS ATTENDED MOST OF THE VETERAN MILITARY EVENTS, AND HE'S BEEN A GUEST SPEAKER AT APG, AT VETERANS COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO SHOW HIS SUPPORT FOR VETERANS AND LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS. AND THEN HE CAN TAKE THOSE CONCERNS BACK TO THE VETERANS COMMISSION. SO COLLABORATIVELY, WE CAN WORK ON SOLUTIONS. WE CAN'T GET IT DONE ALONE. AND OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO PARTNER AND WE NEED THE SUPPORT. AND THE HARFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ALL OF OUR EVENTS, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. THAT'S THE OLD THE NEW NAME FOR THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. AND LAST YEAR THE SECRETARY CAME INTO BEL AIR. HE SAID, LET'S GET TOGETHER WITH THE VETERANS. LET'S I WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. SO WE GOT TOGETHER OVER HERE IN BEL AIR AT POST 55, ALONG WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND IT WAS JUST A IT WAS A LISTENING SESSION. HE LISTENED TO WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY, TOOK DOWN THEIR NOTES, GAVE HIM HIS BUSINESS CARD AND WENT BACK. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, WE'LL NEVER HEAR FROM AGAIN. BUT HE STARTED CALLING. HE CALLED BACK. HE SAID, WHERE DO WE STAND ON THIS? AND WE MAINTAINED VERY CLOSE COMMUNICATIONS TO GET THINGS DONE AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, FIGUREHEAD COMING OUT THERE, BUT VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON. SO WE'RE VERY GLAD WE HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. MARYLAND COMMITMENT TO VETERANS. NOW, THEY HANDLE A LOT OF THE SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL AND THAT THEY SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY, SUPPORTED US IN SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES. THEY SUPPORTED THROUGH A GRANT THAT WE HELD A WORKSHOP ON SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND NOW THEY ARE HELPING US OUT WITH. THEY'RE GOING TO TALK WITH THEM YESTERDAY. WE'RE GOING TO GET A SERIES OF GUN SAFES THAT WE CAN HAND OUT AS PART OF OUR LETHAL MEANS SAFETY, AS WELL AS SOME PAMPHLETS THAT WE CAN DO. SO A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP THE TAB FOR NOW THROUGH A GRANT PROCESS. THEY'VE COME TO US AND THEY SAID, HARFORD COUNTY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OUT THERE WITH THE SUICIDE PREVENTION. YOU'RE DOING THINGS. WE CAN SEE SOME RESULTS. SO THEY'RE PROVIDING US WITH FUNDING. SO THE MARYLAND COMMITMENT TO VETERANS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THERE HAS BEEN BEEN GREAT FOR US. MARYLAND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ALL OF OUR AT ALL OF OUR EVENTS. AGAIN, A GREAT CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND GET SIGNED UP FOR HEALTH CARE AND TO LEARN WHAT'S WHAT'S AVAILABLE. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE. AND LASTLY, I'LL TOUCH ON THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THERE AND HE IS JUST A GO GETTER. HE WILL HELP VETERANS TAKE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF APPLICATION JOB RESUME. AND THEN HE GOES OUT TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE GATE AND FIND OUT WHERE ARE THOSE JOBS. AND HE PUBLISHES THOSE TO ALL THE VSOS. SO THAT'S CONSTANTLY GOING OUT IN THERE. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CONNECTIONS THERE FOR PEOPLE WANT TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT JOBS OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT SHAKY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL. OUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT UPCOMING YEAR, OUTREACH TO VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN BUSINESS AND OTHER CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THERE IS A LOT OF THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING AGENCIES HAVE SUB WE FOUND THEY HAVE SUB ORGANIZATIONS OF VETERANS WITHIN THERE. AND THEY'RE ASKING WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE COUNTY. SO WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THEM TO FIND AND TALK WITH THEIR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS. THE CONTINUED OUTREACH TO VETERANS TO LEARN HOW THEIR TALENTS CAN BE USED IN HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY. WHAT WHAT THEIR THE VSOS ARE GREAT SOURCE OF COMMUNITY, A GREAT SOURCE OF BRINGING COMMUNITIES [00:25:02] TOGETHER. AND AN EXAMPLE THAT I USE IS EDGEWOOD POST 17. WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS THEY HOLD A FARMER'S MARKET THERE. THEY HAD A CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT. THEY DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS WITH. THEY HAVE A CHRISTMAS FREE CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR KIDS, THINGS TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER LOOKING. AND IT'S NOT WELL, YOU HAVE TO BE A VETERAN. IT'S BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER THERE TO SAY, WE ARE SURE WE'RE THE WE'RE THE LEGION POST 17, BUT WE WANT TO BRING THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER. WE WANT TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY HERE. AND I POINT THEM OUT, BUT IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD. IT'S ALL OF THESE. THE 16 DIFFERENT VSOS ARE DOING THAT. WE'RE PLANNING A VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION SUMMIT IN THE FALL WHERE WE GET ALL THE LEADERS TOGETHER. AND AGAIN, WE SAY, OKAY, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR NOW. LET'S LET'S TALK. WHERE ARE WE? WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO. AND WE'RE WORKING ON A STRATEGIC PLAN WITHIN OURSELVES, WITHIN THE VETERANS COMMISSION TO LOOK AND SAY, WHAT? WHAT IS IT NOW? WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO? LET'S FINE TUNE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, AND THEN WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING ON OUR WEBSITE TO TRY TO INCREASE TRAFFIC AND WHAT'S GOING ON, TO GET TO GET MORE PEOPLE THERE. IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL, ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT HARFORD COUNTY IS 19,000 VETERANS AND FAMILIES RECEIVE THE HONOR, SUPPORT AND THE BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE EARNED. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. SUBJECT TO YOUR QUESTIONS, MR. COLONEL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. I HAVE CALLED YOU BEFORE IN THE PAST. YOU HAVE ASSISTED THE FOLKS IN NEED, AND YOU'RE DOING THAT EVERY DAY. AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS DO. AND WITH THAT, MR. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELP LAST YEAR WITH MY FRATERNITY BROTHERS BROTHER GETTING HIM SQUARED AWAY. I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE TEDIOUS AND EVERYTHING, BUT I CERTAINLY KNOW HOW DEDICATED YOU ARE AND HOW GRATEFUL THE FAMILY WAS AND MYSELF. ALSO, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE LONG TERM CARE FOR THE FOR THE VETERANS. CAN YOU SEND ME THAT INFORMATION? I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO READ THAT. I CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF CLIENTS IN MY OTHER JOB THAT ARE VETERANS, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT. IF NOT, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM WHATEVER INFORMATION I CAN ON THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ASK ME QUESTIONS ON HEALTH CARE AND LONG TERM CARE ALL THE TIME. SO I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BE EDUCATED ON THAT AND HELP ANY WHICH WAY I CAN. YES, SIR. AND I WILL SAY THAT THAT'S THE CALLS THAT I'M GETTING MORE AND MORE OF. I'M SURE I USE THE WORD SAD BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, MY SPOUSE HAS ALZHEIMER'S, NEVER APPLIED BEFORE, NEEDS TO GET IN TODAY, AND THEY'VE NEVER APPLIED FOR VA BENEFITS. AND IT'S A IT'S A RUSH TO TRY TO GET THINGS DONE. SO YES, SIR I'LL SEND THAT TO YOU. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOFF. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. MY BROTHER IN LAW IS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED, SO FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, HE'S GOING TO BE A VETERAN SOONER OR LATER. BUT IRONICALLY, I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING WITH OUR MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE THEY ALSO DID A GUN SAFETY HANDOUT TODAY. AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS FOR US TO CAPTURE HOW MANY VETERANS WERE ACTUALLY ON THE RECEIVING END OF THOSE GUN VAULTS. SO I AM VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS GOT FUNDING TO DO A SIMILAR, IF NOT THE SAME THING. YES, MA'AM. THEY I TALKED WITH SAVANNAH WALKER YESTERDAY. WE WERE DOWN THERE TOGETHER AND SHE SAID THEY SOLD OUT RIGHT AWAY. THEY DID. AND SO WE WERE AGAIN, VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE MARYLAND COMMITMENT TO VETERANS IS GOING TO SAY, OKAY, WE WILL SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR LETHAL MEANS SAFETY. IT'S ONE OF OUR CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING WORKSHOPS THAT WE'RE DOING. IN FACT, OUR NEXT WORKSHOP IS NEXT TUESDAY AND WE HOPE TO DO THAT. SO YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT WHEN I MET YOU WAS THE VETERANS COURTS. AND I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE FINALLY TAKEN OFF IN IN OUR AREA. HOW MANY PEOPLE SO FAR ARE ENROLLED IN THAT PROGRAM AND HOW MANY HAVE GRADUATED FROM THERE? I'M JUST CURIOUS. I WOULD HAVE TO GET YOU THAT THAT INFORMATION. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FROM HARFORD COUNTY, SOME OF IT PRIVACY. THEY THEY'RE A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO GIVE OUT, BUT I COULD I COULD GET THAT THE LATEST INFORMATION. JUST WANTED THE NUMBERS. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ROBERT. MR. BENNETT, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAS, AND SAY THAT IN THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, YOUR WORK HAS BEEN A REAL BRIGHT SPOT FOR ME. AND HEARING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL WAYS THAT YOU'VE HELPED SUPPORT PEOPLE AND TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE, IT'S I TREMENDOUS WORK AND REALLY SOMETHING THAT WILL IMPACT FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS WELL PAST ANY OF US DOING THIS [00:30:02] WORK. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU POINTED OUT TONIGHT IS THAT YOU NEED A COUNCIL LIAISON. SO THE STAFF AND I WILL WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND WE'LL IDENTIFY SOMEONE FIRST MEETING IN THE FALL. GREAT. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR [7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SIR. YEP. AGENDA NUMBER SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. THE LEGISLATIVE DAY 20 5-0 20TH JUNE 10TH, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? [8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS a. Resolution 013-25 (Performance and Operational ] THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS MINUTES STAND APPROVED. MR. JANJANIN, PLEASE READ RESOLUTION 1325. RESOLUTION 1325 PERFORMANCE AND OPERATIONAL AUDITS. FISCAL YEAR 2026 AS INTRODUCED. INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY AUDITOR TO CONDUCT OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE AUDITING PROCEDURES, INCLUDING INCLUDED IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN. GOOD EVENING, MR. BROOKS. GOOD EVENING. SO THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. 1325 IS THE SIMILAR RESOLUTION THAT WE BRING TO YOU ALL EVERY YEAR TO HAVE YOU ALL APPROVE WHAT'S IN OUR AUDIT PLAN? WE GO THROUGH EVERY YEAR A PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT WHAT ARE ALL THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS PROCESSES, WHAT CAN GO WRONG, AND HOW BAD WOULD THOSE THINGS BE. WE ALSO CONSIDER WHAT HAVE WE LOOKED AT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? WHAT ARE THE NEW PROCESSES THAT ARE COMING ABOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD COVERAGE IN OUR AUDIT PLAN AND THAT OUR THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, SOME ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE COUNTY. SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE AUDIT PLAN, WE'VE GOT WATER AND SEWER BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS AS A PROJECT. WE'RE PLANNING TO LOOK AT PAYROLL CONTROLS. THE COUNTY'S GETTING A NEW PAYROLL SYSTEM IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. IT WAS A PROJECT. WE HAD LAST YEAR'S AUDIT PLAN, BUT WE'LL PUSH THAT TO FISCAL YEAR 2026. WE'LL LOOK AT GRANT AND AID AWARDS. SO THE GRANTS THAT THE COUNTY GIVES OUT THROUGH PRIMARILY COMMUNITY SERVICES, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT INVESTMENT CONTROLS, INSURANCE COVERAGE AND SELF-INSURANCE PROGRAMS, PRIMARILY LOOKING AT THE COUNTY'S PROCESS FOR DETERMINING WHAT INSURANCE POLICIES WE NEED AND PURCHASE. WE'LL LOOK AT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, BILLING AND COLLECTION. THAT'S THE LANDFILL. WE'LL LOOK AT PROCUREMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOAN PROGRAMS. AND THEN THERE'S SOME AUDITS THAT WE JUST DO EVERY YEAR. SO HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX WILL TAKE A LOOK AT PURCHASE CARD CONTROLS. WE AUDIT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE'LL LOOK AT THE STATUS OF PRIOR AUDIT FINDINGS. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDITS WILL GET DONE. WE'RE ALSO DUE FOR PEER REVIEW THIS YEAR. THAT'S THE ASSESSMENT OF IS OUR OFFICE MEETING ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS. SO THAT'LL HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER. AND THEN ALSO OUR AUDIT PLAN JUST HAS TIME INCLUDED FOR THINGS LIKE PUTTING TOGETHER FISCAL NOTES FOR YOU ALL, ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. IT'S GOT TIME FOR TRAINING FOR THE STAFF IN THE OFFICE TO KEEP UP WITH OUR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, PAID TIME OFF BECAUSE WE GET SICK SOMETIMES. SO THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE RESOLUTION. IT ALSO JUST CONFIRMS THAT THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OR WHATEVER MEMBERS OF MANAGEMENT ARE GOING TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AND THAT ULTIMATELY THE PROCEDURES THAT WE DETERMINE DURING OUR AUDIT ARE OR THE PROCEDURES THAT WE DETERMINED THAT WE NEED TO DO ARE BASED ON OUR CUMULATIVE AUDIT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, AND I CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE RESOLUTION. MR. CRYSTAL, THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS FOR GETTING BACK TO US LICKETY SPLIT. I MEAN, WE ASK YOU FOR SOMETHING AND USUALLY WITHIN THE NEXT DAY YOU GET IT BACK OR IF NOT, GIVE US SOME ANSWERS. SO GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. YOU MENTIONED THE AUDIT FOR THE HOTELS. DO WE GO BACK AND AUDIT A HOTEL THAT HASN'T BEEN COMPLIANT BEFORE? YOU KNOW, LIKE THE PRIOR AUDIT? DO WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT THEM OR DO WE CHOOSE SOME OTHER ONES? OUR NORMAL PROCEDURE IS THAT WE WILL LOOK AT OUR LIST OF HOTELS THAT WE HAVE REVIEWED IN THE PAST, AND TRY NOT TO GET BACK TO THOSE IF WE DON'T HAVE TO. IF THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUE, WE'RE TREASURY HAS NOTICED THAT SOMEONE'S NOT PAYING, THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK. BUT PRIMARILY IT'S BASED ON WHICH ONES HAVE WE LOOKED AT. WE KIND OF TRY TO GET A VARIETY AROUND THE COUNTY. AND BECAUSE THERE ARE, I WANT TO SAY 36 OR 40 OR SO HOTELS, IF WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT 4 OR 5 IN A YEAR, THEN IT'S GOING TO TAKE US SEVERAL YEARS TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THEM. I DON'T WANT TO COME BACK TO THE SAME ONES ALL THE TIME, BUT MY ONLY CONCERN WAS THE ONES WHO WEREN'T COMPLYING AND DOING THAT AND HOW WE TREATED THOSE. YEAH, AND YOU ONLY THINK OF ONE THAT WE'VE GONE BACK TO, I REMEMBER THAT. SO THANK YOU. YEAH. ANYONE ELSE? [00:35:02] SO CRYSTAL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT YOU DON'T DO ALL THIS JUST FOR US. YOU'RE ALL EVERY DEPARTMENT, EVERY EVERY PERSON IN THE COUNTY THAT NEEDS AN AUDIT. THEY COME TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. YEP. SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 1325. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ZERO 1325. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE OR HEARING NONE, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MRS. EMHOFF I MR. I MR. RILEY MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE RESOLUTION ZERO 1325 IS HEREBY APPROVED. THANK YOU. CRYSTAL NINE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE TEN INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE [11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS] HAVE NONE 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS BILL 25 007 CPI BOND AUTHORIZATION AS AMENDED. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 25 007 AS AMENDED. HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. A SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 25 007, AS AMENDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? HI, MRS. ROBERT. HI, MRS. EMHOFF. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. BORSATO. HI, MR. BENNETT. I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ZERO AND NEGATIVE. BILL 20 5-007, AS AMENDED, IS HEREBY APPROVED 12 ENROLLMENT OF BILLS. BILL 25 [12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS] 007, AS AMENDED, IS CERTIFIED AS A TEXT. FINALLY PASSED 13 UNFINISHED BUSINESS [13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS] RECOMMENDATION OF ACTING HEALTH OFFICER. I WANT TO BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD HERE. THIS IS THIS HAS COME ABOUT DUE TO THE PROCESS AT THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. OUR START DATE FOR MISS LEVY HAS BEEN EXTENDED IN INTERIM, AND WE NEED TO APPOINT AN ACTING HEALTH OFFICER TO ENSURE THERE IS NO GAP IN SERVICE BETWEEN MISS AUSTIN'S RETIREMENT AND MISS LEVY'S ASSUMPTION OF THE POSITION. BASED ON THE MEETINGS WITH THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, WE HAVE SELECTED ANDREA PAPPAS AS OUR RECOMMENDATION TO SERVE AS ACTING HEALTH OFFICER. MISS PAPPAS HAS BEEN WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SINCE 2012, AND SHE HAS SERVED IN OTHER ACTING ROLES IN THE PAST, I THINK TWICE BEFORE. SO IF APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION, MISS PAPPAS WILL TO ACTING HEALTH OFFICER WILL THEN BE SENT TO SECRETARY SASHA SHAMI FOR CONFIRMATION. SO WITH THAT, MR. JANARDANAN MAY HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF ANDREA PAPPAS. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE. MISS PAPPAS, FOR THE ACTING HEALTH OFFICER POSITION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS IMHOFF, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MISS PAPPAS OVER THE YEARS, AND I JUST COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUMPING IN AND FILLING IN IN THIS WAY. ENOUGH ACTING EXPERIENCE. YOU CAN GET YOUR SCREEN ACTORS GUILD, YOU KNOW, MEMBERSHIP. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. IT'S JUST IT'S ONE OF THOSE ROLES THAT IS WITHOUT A LOT OF THE SPOTLIGHT AND THE GLORY, BUT IT HELPS US CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING IN THAT WAY. SO NOW, MISS AUSTIN, DID SHE JUMP IN OR DID SHE HAVE TO BE PRODDED? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT. FROM ANDREA SINCE 2012. I'M VERY HAPPY. WELL, WE ARE AS WELL. AND MISS PAPPAS DID COME INTO THE OFFICE AND WE SAT AND TALKED FOR A LITTLE BIT. SO I'M PLEASED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MISS LEVY IN PLACE AS WELL. SPOKE TO HER TODAY. SO THESE THINGS SEEM TO BE MOVING FORWARD. SO WITH THAT, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT I MRS. I, MRS. EMHOFF, MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MISS PAPPAS, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL. WE'RE NOW GOING TO BE ACTING AS THE BOARD OF APPEALS, AND WE RETURN TO ACTION AS HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL THEREAFTER. MR. JOHN GIORDANO, PLEASE READ THE PROPOSED DECISION BY THE CIRCUIT COURT INTO THE RECORD, PLEASE. WHEREAS THE COUNTY COUNCIL BOARD OF APPEALS HAS REVIEWED THE AMENDED ORDER ISSUED BY THE HONORABLE BARBARA KEHOE AND CIRCUIT COURT OF HARFORD COUNTY, [00:40:04] CASE NUMBER 1224, DASH 001044 REGARDING ZONING APPEAL CASE NUMBER 6002. AND WHEREAS THE AMENDED ORDER REMANDS THIS CASE TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS, IN ORDER FOR THE PROTESTANTS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS-EXAMINE WITNESSES BEFORE THE REQUESTED SPECIAL EXCEPTION CAN BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO REMAND THE CASE BACK TO THE ZONING HEARING EXAMINER FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS CONSISTENT WITH THE AMENDED ORDER OF THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR HARFORD COUNTY DATED JUNE 3RD, 2025. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. O'REILLY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO REMAND THE CASE BACK TO MR. KEHOE. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK FOR ANY DISCUSSION. WE'RE JUST GOING TO MOVE ON FOR THE VOTE. MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I, MISSUS ROBERT. MRS. HALL. AYE. MR. GIORDANO. AYE. MR. RILEY, I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE [14. NEW BUSINESS] AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE. THE DECISION TO REMAND IS HEREBY APPROVED 14 NEW BUSINESS. MR. BROOKS, YOU GET TO COME BACK UP. AUDITOR UPDATE. THIS WILL BE PRETTY QUICK. SINCE I PRESENTED TO YOU ALL A FEW MONTHS AGO, IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY. I'LL JUST GO OVER THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE LAST TIME I MET WITH YOU ALL. AND TO DO THAT, WE'LL START WITH EXIT AUDITS. WHEN I MET WITH YOU ALL LAST YEAR, WE HAD JUST COMPLETED THE EXIT AUDIT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER PENMAN. THERE WAS NO INDEBTEDNESS FOUND IN THAT PROJECT. WE ARE ABOUT TO START ANOTHER EXIT AUDIT FOR SHANE GRIMM, WHO JUST LEFT COUNTY SERVICE. OUR PROJECT RELATED TO CONTRACT MANAGEMENT IS IN PROGRESS. WE ARE EXPECTING TO REPORT ON THAT IN JULY. OUR AUDIT OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION IS IN WRAP UP. WE ARE AWAITING MANAGEMENT RESPONSES. THERE WAS JUST ONE ISSUE TO BE REPORTED IN THAT, BUT YOU ALL SHOULD SEE THAT REPORT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. SAME THING FOR THE DETENTION CENTER INMATE ACCOUNTS. WE FINISHED UP OUR FIELD WORK. WE'RE WAITING ON MANAGEMENT RESPONSES. THERE WAS ONE ISSUE, BUT YOU ALL WILL SEE THAT WHEN YOU GET THAT REPORT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE ARE IN PROGRESS WITH OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AUDITS. THERE ARE FOUR HOTELS. WE JUST SENT OUT THEIR NOTIFICATION LETTERS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THE AUDITS. SO YOU ALL SHOULD SEE THOSE REPORTS IN JULY. AND THEN FINALLY OUR PURCHASE CARD AUDIT, WHICH WE ARE DOING CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THAT PROJECT IS STILL IN PROGRESS AND WE WILL PROBABLY REPORT ON THAT IN AUGUST, DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TIMING LOOKS LIKE. BUT THAT'S WHERE OUR AUDIT PLAN STANDS FOR NOW. I EXPECT THAT WE WILL GET ALL THESE THINGS DONE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, AND THEN WE'LL BE INTO THOSE FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, SO I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM. THANK YOU. CRYSTAL, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK WE'RE DONE. THANK YOU. SO NOW COUNCIL WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR CONTRACTS FOR FISCAL 26 FISCAL YEAR 26 FOR ZONING. HEARING EXAMINER MAY HAVE A MOTION. PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR ROBERT KEHOE JR. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND TO APPROVE MR. KEHOE'S CONTRACT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I MAY SAY THAT DURING OUR REVIEWS, THAT PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MET WITH EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, AND I GUESS AFTER THE REVIEW, ASKED IF THEY WERE IN UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WOULD RENEW THEIR CONTRACTS AND ALL SAID YES. SO WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS AGAIN? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MISSUS ROBERT I MISSUS EMHOFF I MR. JOHN GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. ABSTAIN MR. BENNETT I SO WE HAVE SIX VOTES FOR ONE ABSTENTION. THE CONTRACT FOR MR. KEHOE IS HEREBY APPROVED. PEOPLE'S COUNCIL MAY HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR BRIAN YOUNG. YOU HAVE A SECOND. SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR MR. YOUNG. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I, MISSUS ROBERT I, MISSUS EMHOFF I MISTER GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO [00:45:02] AND NEGATIVE. THE CONTRACT FOR MR. YOUNG IS HEREBY APPROVED. ASSOCIATE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL MAY HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR ANDREW TOBOLOWSKY. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE ASSOCIATE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL FOR MISTER CHVALOVSKY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? HI, MRS. ROBERTS. HI, MRS. EMHOFF. HI, MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE. THE CONTRACT FOR MR. TOBOLOWSKY IS HEREBY APPROVED. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO 17 [17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS] COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? WE HAVE ONE THIS EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT. GENE SALVATORE. SOMETHING. BOARD POLICY. I'VE BEEN UP HERE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS GENE SALVATORE. I LIVE AT 2007 RUFF'S MILL ROAD, BEL AIR. TWO 1015. SO I'M HERE AGAIN TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF HARFORD COUNTY IN REGARDS TO THE ARTICLE THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE BALTIMORE SUN ON JUNE 11TH. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, THAT'S WHAT I LEFT A COPY FOR. THERE IS MISINFORMATION IN HERE THAT CAST ASPERSIONS ON MY ORGANIZATION, AND I WANT TO CORRECT IT PUBLICLY. I'VE ASKED FOR A RETRACTION FROM THE PAPER. APPARENTLY THEY DON'T FACT CHECK WHEN THEY WRITE SOME OF THESE ARTICLES. MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY STATES THERE THAT SHE CUT TIES WITH SHADOW CATS TNR, BECAUSE WE WERE CHARGING AN ADOPTION FEE FOR THE HARD TO PLACE CATS THAT WE TAKE FROM THEM. AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THE ADOPTION FEE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY MONEY TO THEM TO GET THESE CATS. THAT'S PATENTLY UNTRUE. SHE KNOWS THAT. WE'VE TOLD HER THAT IN WRITING AND IN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS, AND THE PAPER CHOSE TO SAY THAT. SO I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC THAT THERE IS NO FEE. WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING TO BARN CAT FOLKS. WORKING CATS USUALLY WOULD BE KILLED IF THEY CAN'T BE PLACED SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GO INTO HOMES. WE JUST WANT TO PLACE THEM. WE PROVIDE CRATES, SHELTERS, LITTER PANS, LITTER, FOOD, EVERYTHING TO GET THEM ACCLIMATED TO THEIR NEW SITES. AND IF SHE HAD BOTHERED TO LOOK AT OUR APPLICATION FORM, SHE WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT THERE IS NO FEE. SO I WANT TO COMPLETELY CLARIFY THAT PLEASE, FOR THE PUBLIC. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THE HUMANE SOCIETY IS NO LONGER WORKING WITH US, WE'RE NOT PLACING ANY MORE CATS FOR THEM. WE'RE INSTEAD WORKING WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES AND OTHER PARTNERS. AND WE HAVE PLACED WE HAVE SOME PENDING WILL BE 26 SO FAR THIS YEAR. THE OTHER MISTAKE IN THAT PARTICULAR ARTICLE IS THAT, AGAIN, THEY'RE CITING A 92% LIVE RELEASE RATE. THERE'S A REASON THAT SOME OF US HAVE ASKED FOR THE CALCULATION, BECAUSE WE CAN CALCULATE IT'S BASIC MATH. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE CATS AND THE DOGS THAT COME IN EACH MONTH ARE ALIVE AT THE END OF THE MONTH, AND IT IS NOT 92%. THE CONFUSION, IN PART, IS THAT THE INFOGRAPHIC ON THEIR WEBSITE COUNTS MORE CATS AND I BELIEVE, MORE DOGS. MY FOCUS IS CATS AS WELL. THEN WHAT THEY REPORT TO THE STATE. SO THE STATE NUMBERS SHOULD BE WHAT WE'RE USING. IN EITHER CASE, THEY DON'T ACHIEVE 90% OR 92% FOR CERTAIN. AND SO WE CAN'T TRUST THEIR NUMBERS. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN IN 2023, WE TOOK IN AND FIXED AND VACCINATED 1984 CATS TO THEIR 1499, AND IN 24 OUR NUMBERS WERE LOWER. IT WAS 1828. THERE WERE 1450. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS BECAUSE WE SUPPORT THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH US. AND WHY THIS MATTERS IS THAT IF THEY ARE SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WORK WITH YOU AT ALL, THEY COULD END UP WITH ANOTHER 1800 CATS EACH YEAR THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO HANDLE, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE COMING, OF COURSE, AND ASKING FOR MORE RESOURCES. IN THE ARTICLE, THE EXECUTIVE SAYS THAT HE THINKS THEY'RE TRANSPARENT. MANY OF US DO NOT. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE KEEP PUSHING THEM TO TELL THE TRUTH TO THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISS DIXON. AGENDA [16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS] NUMBER 16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MISS ROBERT, THANK YOU. I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS FIRST KEEPING YOU ON YOUR TOES. I KNOW. RIGHT. SO. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11TH, ATTENDED THE PARTICIPATE [00:50:03] IN THE ARMY'S 250 BIRTHDAY BEHIND THE GATE TOUR. THAT WAS A GREAT TOUR. GOT TO LEARN A LOT OF NEW THINGS. A COUPLE OF US WENT. IT'S DEFINITELY A LONG DAY OF FULFILLING A LOT OF INFORMATION AND EDUCATION. SO, BUT I REALLY ENJOYED GOING BACK THERE AND ACTUALLY GOT TO SIT FOR LUNCH WITH THE NEW GARRISON COMMANDER. AND SO WE GOT TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT HIM. AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST. AND THEN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH, I ATTENDED THE HARFORD COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP BREAKFAST AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY, NORTHEAST MARYLAND, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TOON, WHICH WAS HONORING THE PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR, AND THEN GAVE OUT SCHOLARSHIPS TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE MOVING ON INTO COLLEGE AND SOME WHO WERE ALREADY IN COLLEGE RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS. I ALSO ON FRIDAY 13TH MET WITH FROM MY AREA CORDISH WITH THE SHOPPING CENTERS AND A PARTICIPANT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THERE WILL BE SOME NEW BUSINESSES COMING INTO OUR AREA AS SOME WERE ALREADY ON FACEBOOK TALKING. WE HAVE LABEL SHOPPER, WHICH IS SORT OF LIKE A TJ MAXX, WHICH IS ALREADY LEASED. OUR BIG LOTS, AND THE PURPOSE IS WE ARE TRYING TO FILL UP THE ENTIRE SHOPPING CENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN EMPTY FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND HAVE EDGEWOOD HAVE SOME RESOURCES, SOME BUSINESSES, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THAT BY THE END OF THE SUMMER. I'M HOPING AT THE RATE THE LEASES ARE BEING SIGNED SATURDAY. MY BABY, THE FREEDOM FIVE-K WE HAD A LOT OF PARTICIPATION. IT DIDN'T RAIN ON OUR PARADE. PEOPLE ATE ALL THE DONUTS AND THE KONA ICE. AND SO IT WAS A GREAT ACTIVITY AND WE WILL HAVE THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. AND I THEN ATTENDED THE CASA OF HARFORD COUNTY'S BINGO NIGHT. THEY HAD IT SOLD OUT NIGHT, AND THAT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AS WELL. AND THEN MONDAY, THAT WAS YESTERDAY. I ATTENDED THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SUMMER READING CELEBRATION AT ABINGDON LIBRARY. THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION GIVEN OUT TO ALL THE FAMILIES. A LOT OF FAMILIES WERE IN ATTENDANCE. WHAT I DO LIKE AND I RECOMMEND FOR THOSE FAMILIES IN THE SUMMER, THEY HAD A LOT OF THOSE KITS. THOSE EDUCATIONAL KITS WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. SOME WERE STEM KITS, AND YOU CAN RENT THEM OUT FOR 21 DAYS. AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD RESOURCE FOR CHILDREN IN THE SUMMER, SINCE SCHOOL WILL BE ENDING TOMORROW FOR MOST OF THE SCHOOLS. AND THEN TODAY IT WENT AND PARTICIPATED IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HANDGUN VAULTS AT THE HARFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ENDING OUR SESSIONS TODAY, MY OFFICE WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR CONSTITUENTS AND THEY CAN FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. MISS EMHOFF, GOOD EVENING. SO I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE JUNE 11TH APG 250TH BEHIND THE GATE TOUR. I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE MAJOR GENERAL ON THE NEW GARRISON COMMANDER. THEY WERE BOTH EXTREMELY HOSPITABLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TOUR AND EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE. WE HOPE THAT THE NEW GARRISON COMMANDER GETS THE FULL BENEFIT OF HARFORD COUNTY. IT WAS ACTUALLY A VERY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE TO KIND OF SEE THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE INFORMATION THAT IS COMING TO AND THROUGH APG ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT REALLY IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE KIRK MILITARY HOSPITAL, WHO TAUGHT US MORE ABOUT MILITARY MEDICS AND FRONTLINE FIRST AID THAN I EVER NEEDED TO KNOW, BUT THEY WERE REALLY IMPRESSIVE. SO A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND THEIR ENTIRE INACTION OF LITERALLY PUTTING US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONTLINES. I ALSO WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE ABINGTON EVERTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD, WHERE SEAN SEAN CROSS, THE PRESIDENT OF ARC, WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER. ANYONE WHO KNOWS SEAN KNOWS THAT SHE'S A TREMENDOUS LEADER, SO IT WAS GREAT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARC. THE NEXT MEETING FOR THE ABINGTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD WON'T BE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 11TH. EARLIER THIS EVENING, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO POP OVER AND JUST MONITOR THE PROCESS OF THE HARFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT GIVING OUT THEIR SAFETY, THEIR FIREARM SAFETY VAULTS, WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE ONLINE REGISTRATION SOLD OUT THEIR VAULTS AND THEY PEOPLE WERE SO ANXIOUS, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO OPEN TILL 430 [00:55:05] TODAY. PEOPLE WERE IN LINE AT 3:00. SO THEY STARTED EARLY AND THEY WERE WRAPPED UP BY LIKE 530. SO LIKE PEOPLE WERE NOT MESSING AROUND. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING OFF OF WORK. IT WAS SOME FAMILIES, THEY MADE SURE TO BRING THEIR TEENAGERS IN THE CAR. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM SAYING, IF YOU'RE GOING TO OWN A GUN, YOU JUST BE SAFE ABOUT IT. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. UPCOMING EVENTS. SATURDAY, JUNE 21ST I WILL BE AT THE BEL AIR FARMERS MARKET 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25TH. I WILL BE WITH MANY OF OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE ATTENDING HARFORD COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL TOUR. THOSE ARE MY UPDATES. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOFF. MR. JORDAN, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. SO I ALSO, ALONG WITH MY TWO OTHER COLLEAGUES, ATTENDED THE APG 250 BEHIND THE GATE AND I'D LIKE TO THANK GENERAL TRINITY AND HIS STAFF FOR WONDERFUL TOURS. PROBABLY THE THIRD TOUR I DID NOT AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TOUR. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVER GOING TO BE DUPLICATED, BUT CERTAINLY IS NICE TO GO BACK AND SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS GENERAL TINETTI SHOWED ME IS IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO LOOK YOUTUBE, LOOK, GOOGLE THE BEAST BACKWARDS ON THE COURSE. IT'S THE BEAST IS THE PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE DRIVING BACKWARDS AT LIKE 80 MILES AN HOUR AROUND A RACECOURSE IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. SO THIS PAST WEEKEND, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON ITS 250TH ANNIVERSARY. THANK THEM FOR SHOWCASING THEIR PROUD HISTORY FROM THEIR INCEPTION IN 1775 TO THE PRESENT DAY. THE DISPLAY OF UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT FROM VARIOUS AREAS, WITH BOTH EDUCATIONAL AND INSPIRING. I HEARD THAT MANY VETERANS WERE DEEPLY MOVED BY THE RECOGNITION OF THEIR SERVICE, AND A TRIBUTE PAID TO THE GENERATION OF SOLDIERS WHO SERVED. HAPPY 250TH BIRTHDAY TO THE US ARMY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO OUR NATION. I'M ALSO PLEASED TO REPORT THE HARFORD COUNTY BUDGET HAS OFFICIALLY PASSED. COUNTY EXECUTIVE SIGNED IT. AS A RESULT, COUNTY EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE THE RAISES THEY WERE PROMISED. AND I'VE RESPONDED TO EVERYONE WHO REACHED OUT CONFIRMING THIS COMMITMENT HAS BEEN HONORED. I'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE EMAILS TO SEND OUT, SO THIRD SIAB GOLF TOURNAMENT WE HAD ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND WE DONATED 17,500 TO THE ARC AND 17,500 CHESAPEAKE THERAPEUTIC RIDING. SO THAT'S, I THINK, THE EIGHTH YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD THE GOLF TOURNAMENT AND WE TRY TO GIVE OUT MORE EACH YEAR. SO FINALLY, WELL, MAYBE NOT FINALLY, BUT TODAY ALSO MET WITH ECDC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE TOWN OF BEL AIR. I'VE BEEN ASKED A LOT. THERE IS A WHOLE FOODS COMING TO BEL AIR WHERE THE MALL IS. THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE AN AMAZON FRESH. EVERYBODY ASKS WHY WOULD THERE BE BOTH? BECAUSE AMAZON FRESH HAS GOT MORE STAPLES AND WHOLE FOODS HAS GOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR HIGHER END STUFF, YOUR ORGANIC STUFF. SO PEOPLE TEND TO SHOP AT ONE AND GO TO ANOTHER ONE. THERE IS GOING TO BE 250 HIGH END APARTMENTS. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HIGH END RESTAURANTS. I HAVE CONTACTED 1 OR 2 THAT I KNOW OF TO TRY TO GET THEM TO COME IN AS WELL. LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THIS BUILT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. THERE'S A AN OPENING FOR THAT. THE COMPANY THAT'S DOING THAT HAS GOT A LOT OF MAJOR CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE FOOTPRINT. THEY AND ALL THEIR CENTERS DO HAVE A WHOLE FOODS, AND SOME OF THEM DO HAVE THE AMAZON FRESH, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE REVAMPING THAT TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS. THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A COUPLE REITERATIONS WE WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT. I'LL BE ATTENDING THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE AND BEL AIR. USUALLY I TRY TO DO BOTH THE FLOAT AND DO THE REGULAR THING ON, BUT I'LL SEE IF I CAN GET THAT DONE AND I'LL BE DOING THE HAVRE DE GRACE ONE AS WELL. GOT A COUPLE GRAND OPENINGS GOING AND I THINK THAT IS IT. WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY SUMMER WILL BE AVAILABLE, OUR OFFICE WILL BE OPEN AND WE'LL BE AROUND. SO IF YOU NEED US, LET US KNOW. THANK YOU, MR. JORDAN AND MR. RILEY. YES, I, PRINCIPAL PORTER FROM DARLINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RETIRED AFTER 38 YEARS. WISH HER THE BEST IN HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS. ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE NEWLY RECOGNIZED PATRIOTS AT NORTH HARFORD ELEMENTARY. AND I ALSO WISH EVERYONE A SAFE, RELAXING, AND JOYFUL SUMMER. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MISS ADAMS, THANK YOU. AS WE WRAP UP OUR FINAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEFORE SUMMER BREAK, I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY SUMMER WHILE WE ARE ON BREAK FROM TUESDAY MEETINGS, MY OFFICE WILL BE OPEN AND WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO GO TO LOCAL EVENT. AND FOR ANY UPDATES OR UPCOMING EVENTS, FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK AT. COUNCILWOMAN BOYLE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, [01:00:05] MISS MR. BENNETT, HELLO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYBODY. FIRST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO RECOGNIZE AS OTHERS DID, THE TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOSTED TODAY PASSING OUT 300 GUN VAULTS TO THE COMMUNITY. I'M SO HAPPY THAT OUR WORK IS A COUNCIL, INFLUENCED THEIR WORK AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN SEEKING THAT GRANT AND MAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY HAPPEN, AND HEARING THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS AS THE DAY WENT ON OF HOW COULD THEY SEE THIS GROW? BECAUSE THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS A TREMENDOUS NEED WITH IT SELLING OUT SO QUICKLY. I ATTENDED THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF CHURCH CREEK ELEMENTARY. IT WAS REALLY FUN TO SEE STAFF FROM 30 YEARS AGO TO NOW COME TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT OLD YEARBOOKS AND SEEING THEIR FORMER STUDENTS FULLY GROWN. IT WAS A GOOD REMINDER THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE CHURCH CREEK, THAT'S BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ARE SO MUCH MORE IN A BUILDING. THEY'RE REALLY A COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS REALLY FUN TO JUST BE A BYSTANDER AND WITNESSING THEIR COMMUNITY. I ALSO MET WITH OFFICERS TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR INTEREST IN REBOOTING THE YOUTH COMMISSION. THAT HASN'T BEEN ACTIVE IN SOME TIME HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. THEY HAVE STRONG INTEREST IN BEING ENGAGED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BEING A PART OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND BEING INFORMED AS YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO I REALLY WANT TO HELP THEM IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. CONTINUE TO OUTREACH TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS TEAM AND REQUESTING THAT THEY LOOK AT GETTING THAT STARTED AGAIN, AND IF NOT CONTINUING TO WORK WITH SOME, FINDING WAYS FOR THEM TO BE ENGAGED LOCALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE SOME REALLY IMPRESSIVE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF DRIVE. YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYBODY I MET WITH, ALL THEIR OFFICERS ARE MAGNET PROGRAMS, DOING A LOT MORE THAN I WAS AT 16 WHEN I WAS IN BOWLING CLUB. SO THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IS TOMORROW. SO AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, THAT IS A TIME OF A LOT OF FUN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A TIME OF A BIG LOSS OF CONSISTENCY FOR FAMILIES. SO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE OUR FOOD GIVEAWAYS AND THE LIKE. VOLUNTEER AT OUR LOCAL SUMMER CAMPS, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS PEOPLE TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT TEN WEEKS. AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THAT JUNETEENTH IS CELEBRATED LATER THIS WEEK ON THURSDAY. JUNETEENTH IS IN RECOGNITION OF AN 1865 WHEN THE LAST ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN TEXAS WERE TOLD OF THEIR FREEDOM. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, 1865 IS 160 YEARS AGO, NOT THAT LONG AGO. IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE 100 YEAR OLD PEOPLE THAT WE'VE RECOGNIZED HERE IN THESE CHAMBERS, THREE GENERATIONS BACK FROM THEM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNINGS OF THIS HOLIDAY, AND IT'S A GOOD REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RECLAIMING FREEDOM, GRABBING HOLD, NOT BEING PASSIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT DEMANDING BETTER FOR OURSELVES TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES BECAUSE WE CAN'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT FOR US. BUT WITH THAT, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT SUMMER. I'LL ALWAYS BE AROUND. ALTHOUGH LAST NIGHT I GOT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME DIRECTLY AFTER WORK AND I WAS ASLEEP AT 515, SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF [15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT] A SLOWDOWN, BUT I'LL CONTINUE TO BE AROUND FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS ME. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 15. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT. YOU'VE HEARD MY COLLEAGUE SPEAK AGAIN TONIGHT ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT THEY ATTEND ON A REGULAR BASIS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE DURING WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE SUMMER BREAK. MY OFFICE, AS THEIRS IS GOING TO BE OPEN EVERY DAY, WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY NEED THAT A CITIZEN MAY HAVE. EVENTS. THIS WEEK I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MONICA WORRELL, WHO WAS DESIGNATED AS THE HARFORD COUNTY GOOD SCOUT THIS YEAR. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, VERY WELL RECEIVED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I WAS TALKING TO HER LAST NIGHT, I FOUND OUT SHE FELL AND BROKE HER FOOT. OH NO NO SHE IS. SHE IS LIMPING ALONG BUT DOING WELL. YESTERDAY I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE TO MEET WITH ALBERTA PORTER AT THE CHURCHVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO PRESENT HER WITH A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES IN RECOGNITION OF HER 38 YEARS WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IF YOU HAVE NEVER MET MISS PORTER, SHE'S AN AMAZING LADY. SHE'S A PRINCIPAL AT DARLINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND WE APPRECIATE HER YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AND AMAZING IMPACT THAT SHE HAS HAD ON HER STUDENTS, FAMILIES, TEACHERS AND STAFF. SO WE WANT TO THANK HER FOR THAT. AND THEN [01:05:02] UNFORTUNATELY, OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE PASSING OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF BOTH MICHELLE CASKEY AND ALLISON HEALEY. JEANNIE AND I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO EACH OF THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, AND WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE KEEP THEM IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND THEN MY FINAL COMMENTS AS WE BRING THIS SESSION TO A CLOSE, AND I LOOK BACK AT THE MANY POSITIVE THINGS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, I CAN'T HELP BUT BE REMINDED OF THE CONTROVERSY, THE CONTENTION, AND THE DIVISION THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO COMMUNICATION, RESPECT AND CIVILITY? OUR COUNTY IS IN A DESPERATE NEED OF A UNITER, NOT A DIVIDER. SOMEONE THAT SETS PERSONAL ISSUES ASIDE AND CAN LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE. OUR COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES FROM OUTSIDE, BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE THE ONES FROM INSIDE ARE MINIMAL. WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL ENJOY YOUR SUMMER AND PLEASE BE * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.