[a. Bill 25-011 (Tax Credit For Properties Near Refuse Disposal System)]
          [00:00:03]
          FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 25. DASH ZERO 11. TAX CREDIT FOR PROPERTIES NEAR REFUSE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. TONIGHT WE HAVE OUR TREASURER, ROB SANDERS. YES. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SIR. ROB. COUNTY TREASURER, BRINGING FORTH THE TAX CREDIT BILL ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND THIS IS LEGISLATION WE'VE BEEN BRINGING FORTH. ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN BRINGING FORTH FOR MORE THAN 30 SOME YEARS. IT PROVIDES A FULL TAX CREDIT ON BOTH THE THE GENERAL FUND PORTION AS WELL AS THE HIGHWAY PORTION OF THE COUNTY. PROPERTY TAXES FOR ANY. FOR MANY RESIDENTS, IT'S A PRIMARY OWNER OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENCE THAT'S IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE SCARBOROUGH LANDFILL. SO IT'S ABOUT 1000FT OF IN ANY DIRECTION. SO OF OF THAT LANDFILL. SO THERE ARE 35 PROPERTIES THAT FALL WITHIN THAT, THAT, THAT CATEGORY THAT ARE PART OF THIS, THIS LEGISLATION. IT'S THE SAME NUMBER AS WE HAD LAST YEAR, AND WE WON'T KNOW THE EXACT COST OF THIS LEGISLATION UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THIS WILL THIS WILL BE THE TAX CREDITS THAT GO ON THE UPCOMING JULY'S TAX BILL. BUT IT WILL PROBABLY BE SOMETHING IN THE RANGE OF 88,000, 90,000, SOMETHING IN THAT IN THAT CAPACITY, I DID JUST FIND OUT THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE AN AMENDMENT BE ASKING TO BRING FORTH AT THE NEXT MEETING, BECAUSE WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY THAT WE JUST DISCOVERED THAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE TAX CREDIT. 
          AND THE REASON WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS WE HAVE A A GOOD SYSTEM WHEREBY ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PRIMARY RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRACKING THOSE AND WE'RE SENDING OUT THOSE, THOSE APPLICATIONS. THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY RECEIVES A AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION. AND SO FOR FOR YEARS AND YEARS IT HASN'T HAD ANY PROPERTY TAX BILL. BUT NOW THE ASSESSMENTS ACTUALLY HAS HAVE GROWN TO THE POINT WHERE NOW THERE IS SOME RESIDUAL TAX TAX LIABILITY THERE. SO WE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT TODAY. REACHED OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. THEY WERE VERY EXCITED TO HEAR TO HEAR FROM US. AND OF COURSE IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE COUNCIL WE'LL ADD THAT THAT THAT PROPERTY, ASSUMING WE GET BACK THAT APPLICATION BEFORE THE VOTE'S TAKEN IN EARLY NOVEMBER. MR. RILEY. YES, I WOULD HOPE THE COUNCIL WOULD SUPPORT THIS. AS MR. SANDLER SAID, SINCE 1992, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, BARRY GLASSMAN, PUT THIS IN FOR THE FOLKS THAT DO SURROUND THE SCARBOROUGH LANDFILL. AGAIN, IT'S IT'S A LANDFILL THAT IS SERVICED BY ALL THE HARFORD COUNTY, AND IT'S ONLY 35 PROPERTIES. AND SO I WOULD HOPE EVERYBODY WOULD SUPPORT THIS. ACTUALLY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO GO AROUND AND KNOCK ON ALL 35 OF THESE DOORS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, TO LET THESE FOLKS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO SIGN SOME PAPERS SAYING THAT THERE'S CERTAIN CRITERIA TO MEET IT. AND SO EVERY YEAR I GOT TO DO THE I GOT TO DO THE TRUCKING TO GET THESE 35 PROPERTIES. AND THEY ALL APPRECIATE HARFORD COUNTY AND WHAT THIS TAX CREDIT THAT HOPEFULLY GETS PASSED HISTORICALLY, COUNCILMAN SRODES DID THE SAME THING. THAT'S CORRECT. YOU KNOW, SO COUNCIL AT THIS TIME ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS. THANK YOU MR. SANDERS. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS OR EXCUSE ME DO YOU HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP. THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP. THANK YOU. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 2511. AND WE 
          [b. Bill 25-012 (Article I Labor Relations of Chapter 38 Personnel of the Harford County Code) ]
WILL TAKE IT UP AT A FUTURE MEETING. BILL 25 ZERO 12 ARTICLE LABOR RELATIONS OF CHAPTER 38 PERSONNEL, HARTFORD COUNTY CODE. MR. BENNETT, HELLO. WE'RE GETTING A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION PULLED UP. THANK YOU. SO TONIGHT WE'RE HAVING OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 20 5-0 12, WHICH IS IN RELATION TO ARTICLE ONE OF CHAPTER 38 OF PERSONNEL. THE HARTFORD COUNTY CODE, IF YOU CAN. SO I WANTED TO REALLY TOUCH BASE ON WHO ARE THE UNIONS THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS BILL AND WHO DO THEY REPRESENT? YOU KNOW, AS I'VE GOTTEN A FEW EMAILS SAYING, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T THIS IMPACT ME? I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, BUT I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE NOT EMPLOYED BY HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND ARE SALARIES ARE NOT NEGOTIATED WITH HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. OUR CONTRACTS NOT WITH HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHO'S MOST AFFECTED BY THIS BILL, IT'S THOSE WHO WORK FOR HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT REPRESENTED BY THE MARYLAND CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION BY AFSCME, WHICH IS ASSOCIATION OF FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES. AND THEY BOTH FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE AFL-CIO. SO THE AFL-CIO IS A UNION OF UNIONS, SO TO SPEAK, 100 LOCAL UNIONS FROM ACROSS CECIL COUNTY, ALL AS FAR WEST AS HOWARD COUNTY, FALL INTO THE AFL-CIO, AND THEY HELP SUPPORT THOSE LOCAL UNIONS 
          [00:05:03]
IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO. AFSCME, AFSCME, MARYLAND REPRESENTS COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES FROM ACROSS MARYLAND. LOCAL 1802 IS OUR LOCAL BRANCH OF AFSCME THAT REPRESENTS 113 EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THEN MCE, THE HARFORD COUNTY CHAPTER REPRESENTS ABOUT 500 EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC WORKS, EMERGENCY SERVICES, PARKS AND RECREATION, TREASURY AND. SO A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THIS BILL. YOU KNOW, I I'M SOMEONE WHO TRIES TO MEET REGULARLY WITH OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON. WHAT DO THEY NEED, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THEM BETTER? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM. THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, FOR INSTANCE, WAS THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE MILITARY LEAVE BE REFLECTIVE OF HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS ACTIVELY SERVING IN THE RESERVES TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE. IF THAT WORK. AND AND SO I SAID, YOU KNOW, I HEAR YOU ON THAT NEED. BUT THE LARGER ISSUE IS YOU CAN'T BRING THIS FORWARD DURING NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE IT'S IN THE COUNTY CODE, NOT IN A CONTRACT. AND SO THAT WAS WHERE THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THIS BILL CAME FROM. THE IDEA OF YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING AT THE NEGOTIATIONS TABLE ONE PROPOSED CHANGE A YEAR THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU. BUT THEN IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AS WE MET WITH ALL THE BARGAINING UNITS AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT CURRENTLY CONTRACTS CAN'T BE GRIEVED ALL THE WAY TO THE POINT OF BINDING ARBITRATION. 
          SO IF YOUR CONTRACT'S BEING VIOLATED, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A STRONG RECOURSE TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S REMEDIATED AND FIXED. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY COUNCILMAN GEORGE ARREDONDO OVER TO MY RIGHT WHO SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST ADD THAT TO THE BILL, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY EMPOWERING THING TO SAY AND ENCOURAGING. AND SO THAT LED TO MONTHS OF RESEARCH ON HOW EXACTLY CAN WE DO THAT? HOW CAN WE ADD TO OUR COUNTY CODE CODIFYING THE RIGHT TO BINDING ARBITRATION? YEP. SO WHAT DOES THE BILL SAY? I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL WORDS OF THE BILL TO ANCHOR OUR CONVERSATION THIS EVENING. SO THE PART THAT'S BOLDED IS WHAT I'LL READ. BINDING ARBITRATION FOR CERTAIN GRIEVANCES RELATED TO THE INTERPRETATION, IMPLEMENTATION, ENFORCEMENT OR APPLICATION OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE A FORD AUTHORITY FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE UNITS TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 38 OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CODE DURING THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS. SO THOSE ARE REALLY THE TWO THINGS THAT THIS BILL DOES. SO TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRST ONE A LITTLE BIT MORE, THOSE FOUR WORDS INTERPRETATION, IMPLEMENTATION, ENFORCEMENT OR APPLICATION ARE VERY IMPORTANT. 
          AND SPECIFIC WORDS. THEY NARROW THE USE OF BINDING ARBITRATION. SO THIS IS NOT BINDING ARBITRATION FOR NEGOTIATION. IT'S BINDING ARBITRATION FOR GRIEVANCES WHICH IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. YOU ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT. YOU'VE ALREADY AGREED TO THE TERMS OF THAT CONTRACT AND NOW IT'S NOT BEING FOLLOWED. SO WHEN YOUR CONTRACT IS NOT BEING FOLLOWED, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO THROUGH ALL THE STEPS OF THE GRIEVANCE. AND NOW STEP FIVE WOULD BE BINDING ARBITRATION TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU AGREED TO AT THE NEGOTIATIONS TABLE. THIS BILL WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR THE TERMS OF YOUR CONTRACT TO BE CHANGED THROUGH BINDING ARBITRATION. 
          YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAY I DESERVE MORE MONEY. GIVE ME IT THROUGH BINDING ARBITRATION. 
          YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAY I GET MORE SICK, LEAVE. GIVE IT TO ME. DURING BINDING ARBITRATION, YOUR CONTRACT IS CHANGED AT THE NEGOTIATIONS TABLE. AND THAT'S NOT CHANGED THROUGH THIS BILL. 
          BUT YOU HAVE A CONTRACT IT SHOULD BE LIVED UP TO. AND SO THIS ENSURES THAT THAT HAPPENS AS THIS BILL IS WRITTEN. BINDING ARBITRATION CANNOT BE USED FOR DISCIPLINARY MATTERS. 
          THAT'S STILL GUIDED BY THE COUNTY CHARTER. SO THAT HAS A SPECIFIC PROCESS WRITTEN OUT IN THE CHARTER. AND THAT DOES NOT CHANGE. AND IT CANNOT BE USED TO NEGOTIATE WAGES, COLAS OR TO MAKE ANY CHANGE TO YOUR CONTRACT. IT CAN ONLY BE USED TO ENFORCE YOUR CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE TREATED FAIRLY AT YOUR JOB. AND SO LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN INTRODUCE ONE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 38 OF THE COUNTY CODE, AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WILL RESPOND IN WRITING WITH HIS POSITION TO THE AMENDMENT. IT DOES NOT GIVE COUNTY EMPLOYEES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE COUNTY CODE, ONLY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. AND AS DEMONSTRATED JUST THIS PAST MONTH, WHEN IT TOOK 25 DAYS FOR OUR LOCAL UNIONS TO GET A RESPONSE TO AN EMAIL, JUST ASKING FOR THE RIGHT TO SEND OUT A FLIER. HAVING CODIFIED REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNICATION IS NECESSARY AT TIMES WITH LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE SPOKEN TO WHEN YOU SPEAK TO THEM. SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THIS PORTION OF THE CODE. IT'S JUST TO SAY, ONCE A YEAR 
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DURING NEGOTIATIONS, YOU CAN BRING UP SOMETHING THAT ISN'T IN YOUR CONTRACT, BUT THAT IMPACTS YOUR LIFE. LIKE WHAT DAYS OFF ARE RECOGNIZED, WHAT THE INTERNAL HIRING PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, HOW MUCH LEAVE DO WE GET FOR MILITARY LEAVE, SICK LEAVE, PARENTAL LEAVE, THESE TYPES OF THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT BE IN YOUR CONTRACT BUT IMPACT YOU AS A WORKER EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO ARBITRATION JUST TO TOUCH ON IT IS A CHEAPER AND QUICKER OPTION COMPARED TO LITIGATION. YOU KNOW, ENTERING INTO THE COURT SYSTEM, IT'S A VERY BASIC RIGHT. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAVE HAD THIS RIGHT FOR DECADES. FOR CONTEXT, IN MY DAY JOB, OUR UNION THAT REPRESENTS ME HAS NOT GONE TO BINDING ARBITRATION IN A DECADE. 
          IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE GO AROUND USING BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE COSTS. AND YOU WOULD RATHER USE YOUR UNION DOLLARS FOR ORGANIZING, FOR NEGOTIATING. YOU KNOW, ARBITRATION IS THE LAST RESORT. COUNTY EMPLOYEES ALL OVER MARYLAND HAVE THE RIGHT, INCLUDING IN OUR WESTERN COUNTIES, INCLUDING IN WICOMICO COUNTY, FOR THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, WHO JUST LAST NIGHT PASSED SEVEN ZERO FOR BINDING ARBITRATION FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES. AND THAT INCLUDED THREE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY COUNCIL. IT'S A VERY COMMON PRACTICE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING UNHEARD OF. DOZENS OF STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY GIVE THIS RIGHT TO ALL THEIR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, AND IT'S JUST BRINGING THAT RIGHT HERE HOME TO HARFORD COUNTY. SO AS AN EXAMPLE, IN 2007, WICOMICO COUNTY, WITH A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY PASSED BINDING ARBITRATION FOR THEIR SHERIFF EMPLOYEES. AND I REALLY LIKED THE RATIONALE SHARED IN THE OPENING STATEMENT OF THE BILL, WHICH SAID, WHEREAS IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF WICOMICO COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS TO PROMOTE THE HARMONIOUS AND COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND ITS SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES AND TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC BY ASSURING THAT ALL TIMES THE ORDERLY AND UNINTERRUPTED OPERATIONS OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AN AGREEMENT MAY CONTAIN A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE CULMINATING IN FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION OF GRIEVANCES. SO I THOUGHT, WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE FROM THIS, FROM THIS CENTURY OF OF PEOPLE STEPPING FORWARD AND SAYING, HEY, IT'S NOT JUST GOOD FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES. IT'S GOOD FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO LEAVE. WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO CLOCK IN AND CLOCK OUT AND DON'T GO ABOVE AND BEYOND. WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT TURN OVER AND HAVE TO BE RETRAINED AND REPLACED. IT'S A HUGE DISRUPTION. BINDING ARBITRATION IS A VERY CHEAP THING TO OFFER. IT'S NOT A RAISE. IT'S NOT A PROMOTION. IT'S NOT BETTER HEALTH CARE. BUT IT SAYS YOU MATTER IN THIS WORKPLACE, AND WE'RE GOING TO HONOR THE PROMISES WE GAVE YOU IN YOUR CONTRACT. SIMILAR LANGUAGE WAS SHARED WITH US IN EMAIL BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. AND YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY PROTECT US IS SOMETHING THAT NEVER SLIPS BY MY MIND. IN 2011, IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, THEY PASSED BINDING ARBITRATION, AND IT WAS REPUBLICAN DAVID MARKS WHO STOOD UP AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES NEED. AND CECIL COUNTY, THEIR CURRENT COUNTY EXECUTIVE, ADAM STRAIGHT, 15 YEARS AGO, WAS PUSHING FOR BINDING ARBITRATION FOR ALL SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES BECAUSE HE SAID, IF YOU HAVE A CONTRACT BUT NOT BINDING ARBITRATION, YOU HAVE BINDING BEGGING VERSUS BINDING ARBITRATION, AND A CONTRACT IS A CONTRACT AND YOU SHOULD HAVE TO STICK BY IT. AND AS LONG AS YOU STICK BY IT, THERE'S NO NEED TO EVER GO TO ARBITRATION. SO THE THINGS THAT ARE COVERED IN CHAPTER 38, WHICH WOULD BE THE ONLY PORTION OF THE COUNTY CODE THAT COULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR AMENDMENT, INCLUDE THINGS LIKE WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNTY, RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EMPLOYEES, WHAT UNIONS ARE RECOGNIZED, PAY RATES, TRAINING, LEAVE BENEFITS, DISCIPLINARY ACTION. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT COULD BE PROPOSED FOR AMENDMENTS, BUT THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO BINDING ARBITRATION. AND THEN I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE COUNTY AUDITOR IN HER FISCAL NOTE, WHO MADE SURE TO SAY THAT THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT TO THIS LEGISLATION. NOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT BINDING ARBITRATION DOES NOT HAVE A COST. THEORETICALLY, IF THEY GO TO BINDING ARBITRATION, BOTH THE ORGANIZATION AND THE COUNTY WILL HAVE TO PAY SOME SORT OF PORTION OF THAT COST. BUT THE EXISTING EXISTENCE OF BINDING ARBITRATION IS NOT GOING TO LEAD TO SOME SORT OF STRUCTURAL CHANGE TO HOW MUCH MONEY THE COUNTY IS SPENDING IN ITS BUDGET. THERE'S VERY LITTLE COST TO JUST ENSURING THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES GET THEIR LUNCH BREAK, 
          [00:15:06]
FOR INSTANCE. AND THERE'S MANY MODELS TO HOW BINDING ARBITRATION CAN BE PAID FOR. 
          AND WE PURPOSELY LEFT THAT FOR THE COUNTY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEIR BARGAINING UNITS. SO IN SOME MODELS, WHOEVER CALLS FOR BINDING ARBITRATION PAYS FOR IT. AND SOME MODELS THERE'S A 5050 SPLIT AND OTHER MODELS, THE LOSING SIDE PAYS FOR THE BINDING ARBITRATION COSTS. 
          AGAIN, AT MY DAY JOB, OUR CONTRACT USES A 50 OVER 50 MODEL. SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST. BUT WE DO KNOW IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, WHERE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD BINDING ARBITRATION FOR A LONG TIME, THEY HAVEN'T GONE TO BINDING ARBITRATION SINCE 2016. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. 
          IT'S REALLY IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS A LARGE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHAT YOUR CONTRACT SAYS IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORKPLACE. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN THE COUNTY BUDGET FOR LEGAL SERVICES. AND I IMAGINE THAT IN THE EVENT OF BINDING ARBITRATION, THAT SOME OF THE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT COULD BE USED TOWARDS THAT. AND WITH IT BEING SUCH A RARE OCCURRENCE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A MAJOR IMPACT ON $1 BILLION BUDGET, WHEN YEAR TO YEAR YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE 1 TO 0 CASES OF BINDING ARBITRATION BROUGHT FORWARD. AS WE TALKED TO EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND, THAT'S CONTINUOUSLY WHAT WE HEARD. THEY HAVEN'T GONE TO BINDING ARBITRATION IN YEARS, OR THEY JUST RECENTLY GONE TO BINDING ARBITRATION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME. IT'S NOT THIS HUGE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE BARGAINING UNIT HAS TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, TOO, AND THEY DON'T HAVE $1 MILLION TO GO AND USE ON THIS. THEY WOULD RATHER USE THE LITTLE BIT OF MONEY THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLE AND GET BETTER THINGS FOR THEMSELVES. 
          SO IN SUMMARY, BILL 25 ZERO 12 AS INTRODUCED, ALLOWS FOR BINDING ARBITRATION THAT APPLIES ONLY TO THE INTERPRETATION, IMPLEMENTATION, ENFORCEMENT OR APPLICATION OF THE CONTRACT. SO FOR GRIEVANCES, NOT FOR NEGOTIATIONS, THIS BILL DOES NOT APPLY TO THE TEACHERS. 
          AND IT AND TO A VERY LIMITED EXTENT IT COULD APPLY TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, BUT NOT TO THE SAME LEVEL AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. FOR THOSE IN EMERGENCY SERVICES, FOR THE TREASURY, DPW AND SO ON. THE BILL SUPPORTS HARFORD COUNTY WORKERS AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO SPEAK UP BY PROVIDING THEM A WAY TO HOLD THEIR EMPLOYER ACCOUNTABLE, TO FOLLOW THEIR CONTRACTS. YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES COME TO ME AND SHARE ABOUT UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS OR ABOUT HAVING LEAVE NOT HONORED OR, YOU KNOW, A MILLION OTHER THINGS. BUT THEN THEY SAY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GRIEVE IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND THAT'S NOT FAIR AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES ■A PATHWAY TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND TO SPEAK UP FOR THEMSELVES. THEY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS COUNTY FUNCTION. AND NONE OF US CAN SAY WE SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          NONE OF US CAN SAY WE SUPPORT EMERGENCY SERVICES. NONE OF US CAN SAY WE SUPPORT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES. IF WE DON'T SUPPORT THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE DIGNITY AND HUMANITY IN THE WORKPLACE, AND TO HAVE AN A PROMISE MADE BE A PROMISE KEPT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES OR FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT'S MY EMAIL ADDRESS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE COMMENTS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. COUNCIL AT THIS TIME, ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE BILL, MR. RILEY? YES. NOT TAKING AN ADVERSARIAL ROLE, BUT JUST TRYING TO GET SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED. DOES IT TAKE THE AUTHORITY AWAY FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL AS A QUESTION TO YOU? I'M SORRY. 
          YEAH. PRESENTLY THE COUNTY COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER THE ENFORCEMENT OF EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS. AND DOES IT TAKE THE AUTHORITY AWAY FROM THE PERSONNEL SALARY ADVISORY BOARD? DO YOU MEAN THE PAB? THEY WOULD STILL HAVE FULL AUTHORITY OVER ANY DISCIPLINARY MATTER, BUT THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR A FIFTH STEP BEYOND THE PAB. IF A BARGAINING UNIT FELT THAT THE ANSWER GIVEN WAS NOT IN MATCHING TO THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE CONTRACT, AND THE ADVISORY BOARD IS MADE UP OF CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY, AM I CORRECT? YES. IT'S THREE APPOINTED MEMBERS FROM THE COUNTY. OKAY, THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOROUGH PRESENTATION. AND JUST FOR ME, JUST IN LIGHT OF ALL THE HARSH COMMENTS COMING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, THE EXECUTIVE, THE MISINFORMATION 
          [00:20:04]
AND FALSEHOODS, I FEEL COMPELLED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT ONE OF THE COUNTY'S GREATEST RESOURCES IS OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, THE NEW OR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE COUNTY WORKFORCE DO A TREMENDOUS JOB FOR US DAY IN AND DAY OUT. SERVICING OUR CITIZENS EACH AND EVERY DAY, WHETHER IT BE OUR HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES WHO MAINTAIN OUR ROADS OR EMERGENCY SERVICES WORKERS, OUR DEPUTIES ANSWERING THE CALL OF DUTY TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO KEEP OUR COUNTY MOVING, WATER AND SEWER, SNOW REMOVAL, IN ADDITION TO OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION PARTNERS, OUR SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND THE STAFF WHO DILIGENTLY WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR ALL OF US. WE AS THIS COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, MISS DIXON. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? WE DO, MR. PRESIDENT. WE HAVE 27 THIS EVENING. ALL RIGHT, SO WITH 27 SPEAKERS, WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO OUR THREE MINUTES. THE ONLY THING THAT I ASK IS THAT YOU BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME AND OF EACH OTHER, AND WE'LL MOVE THIS THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER. FOUL FOR ALBICANS, FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW GALLANT. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. MY NAME IS BALFOUR AL-BUKHARI. 
          I LIVE AT 601 HARVEST COURT, BEL AIR, MARYLAND. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR GIVING ME THE TIME THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BENNETT, FOR BRINGING THIS BILL. I WANT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF 2512. I AM A UNION MEMBER. MY UNION HAS BINDING ARBITRATION, AND IT'S NOT JUST A BENEFIT FOR THE WORKER. OF COURSE IT IS. IT'S ALSO A BENEFIT FOR THE EMPLOYER. 
          IT CREATES A BACKSTOP. IT CREATES A MORE HARMONIOUS WORKPLACE. AND I THINK IT WILL BE A BENEFIT FOR HARFORD COUNTY AND FOR OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT TO EVERYONE'S TIME. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. MATTHEW GALLANT. JERRY EATON, FOLLOWED BY JOY CLARKE. 
          GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, JERRY EATON, 1232 WHISPERING WOODS WAY IN BEL AIR. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          MY NAME IS GERALD EATON. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFFS UNION. 
          I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF BILL 25 012. ON BEHALF OF OUR 385 MEMBERS WHO, IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE OTHER COUNTY UNIONS, SUPPORT THIS BILL. AS MR. BENNETT EXPLAINED, THIS BILL HAS TWO PARTS, EACH OF WHICH WILL ENHANCE OUR BARGAINING UNITS INTERACT WITH THE COUNTY. FIRST IS THE ADDITION OF GRIEVANCE BINDING ARBITRATION. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR OUR UNIONS, BECAUSE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE RECENTLY RELEASED A LOT OF FALSE INFORMATION THROUGH HIS EMAIL CAMPAIGN DISTRIBUTION LIST. WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND A BARGAINING GROUP SIGN A CONTRACT AND IT STATES AN AGREED UPON WAGE AND HEALTH PACKAGE, THAT IS THE WAGE AND HEALTH PACKAGE THAT SHOULD BE DELIVERED. IF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DECIDES THAT HE DOES NOT WANT TO GIVE AN EMPLOYEE GROUP A CERTAIN BENEFIT AFTER SIGNING THAT CONTRACT, PRESENTLY HE CAN JUST BACK OUT WITH GRIEVANCE BINDING ARBITRATION. THE EMPLOYEE GROUP CAN SEEK THE JUDGMENT OF A THIRD PARTY ARBITER AND HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE OF UPHOLDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PROMISED AGREEMENT. GRIEVANCE BINDING ARBITRATION DOES NOT RAISE TAXES, NOR DOES IT TAKE ANY POWER AWAY FROM ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS. WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT KEEP THIS COUNTY RUNNING 24 OVER SEVEN, A WAY TO FIGHT THE TYRANNY OF THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND NO LONGER BOW DOWN TO BOB CASSILLY. THE FIRST PART OF THIS BILL DOES NOTHING MORE THAN ENSURE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MAINTAINS HIS INTEGRITY. THE SECOND PART OF THIS LEGISLATION ALLOWS FOR BARGAINING GROUPS TO REQUEST CHANGES TO CHAPTER 38 OF THE COUNTY CODE. THIS IS THE SECTION THAT DEALS WITH PERSONNEL ISSUES. THIS PIECE OF THE BILL IS ANOTHER WAY FOR EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO HAVE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW CERTAIN PARTS OF THAT CODE AFFECT OUR HARDWORKING COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND TO SEE IF THOSE CHANGES CAN BE MADE FOR BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. IF THIS WAS ALREADY HAPPENING AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS STAFF WERE OPEN TO HAVING DIALOG WITH THESE UNIONS, THIS PROPOSAL WOULD NOT EVEN BE NECESSARY. 
          BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE BOB CASTLE REFUSES TO LET CERTAIN GROUPS TALK TO HIS STAFF OR HIMSELF. IT'S ABSOLUTELY ABSURD THAT IN 2025, WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE SAME LABOR ISSUES WE DEALT WITH IN THE 1930S. IN CLOSING, THE FACT THAT COUNTY EXECUTIVE FEELS THE NEED TO SEND OUT AN EMAIL BLAST WITH ALL THIS MISINFORMATION TELLS US TWO THINGS. ONE, HE'S SCARED THAT ALL THESE UNIONS MAY GET A LARGER VOICE AND ACTUALLY STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS. AND NUMBER TWO, HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT THIS PROPOSED BILL EVEN MEANS. IN FACT, THE ONLY REASON TO NOT SUPPORT THIS BILL IS SO THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAN RETAIN HIS RIGHT TO GO BACK ON HIS WORD ANYTIME HE CHOOSES. ALL THESE REASONS SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO WORRY, SO PLEASE SUPPORT HARFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES BY VOTING YES ON BILL 25 012. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD EVENING MADAM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. HI. DWIGHT 
          [00:25:03]
CLARK, 418 CRISFIELD DRIVE, ABINGDON. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY PRESIDENT VINCENTE AND CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY. MY NAME IS JOY CLARK. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF MCE COUNCIL 610 AND ELECTED BY APPROXIMATELY 500 OF OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES. I'M ALSO A 24 YEAR EMPLOYEE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. SO I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THIS. 
          THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS. THIS IS NOT ABOUT DEMOCRATS VERSUS REPUBLICANS OR VICE VERSA. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. THIS IS ABOUT FAIRNESS, TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE EMPLOYEES WHO DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO THIS COUNTY AND FOR THE CITIZENS WHO DEPEND ON THEM. EVERY DAY. FOR DECADES, HARFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAD ACCESS TO MEDIATION SERVICES, A NEUTRAL AND FAIR PROCESS TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITHOUT HOSTILITY OR RETALIATION. BUT TWO YEARS AGO, THEY TOOK THAT AWAY FROM US. SO WE NO LONGER HAVE MEDIATION. 
          NOW, MEDIATION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS THROUGH THE COURTHOUSE, NOT TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE THE CITIZENS WHEN MEDIATION WAS REMOVED, SO WAS ONE OF THE FUEL, THE FEW TOOLS THAT EMPLOYEES HAD TO SEEK FAIRNESS. THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR BINDING ARBITRATION. IT'S NOT AS A WEAPON, IT'S AS BALANCE. IT'S A SAFEGUARD TO ENSURE THAT WHEN BOTH SIDES CAN'T AGREE, THERE'S STILL A FAIR, NEUTRAL WAY FORWARD. SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR SOMETHING RADICAL OR SOMETHING UNREASONABLE. WE'RE ASKING FOR A SYSTEM THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN MANY OTHER COUNTIES IN THE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, ONE THAT PROTECTS BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE BY ALLOWING OUR DISPUTES TO BE RESOLVED BY AN IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY, EVEN IF THAT IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY DOES NOT LIVE IN THE COUNTY. LET ME BE VERY CLEAR. WE HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO USE BINDING ARBITRATION. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR US AS A SMALL UNION WHO DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO EXIST. WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF OPTION FOR WHEN ACCOUNTABILITY DISAPPEARS, BECAUSE WHEN ACCOUNTABILITY DISAPPEARS, POWER GETS ABUSED. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A TROUBLING PATTERN OF PROMISES THAT WERE MADE AND NOT KEPT. WE HEAR THE WORDS FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY, YET EMPLOYEES CONTINUE TO FACE SITUATIONS THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT. A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS A GRIEVANCE THAT WAS RECENTLY FILED BY EMS WORKERS OVER SHIFT PAY DIFFERENTIAL, A BENEFIT THAT'S CLEARLY GUARANTEED IN OUR UNION CONTRACT. THAT CONTRACT, SIGNED BY BOB CASTLE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, STATES THAT ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE A SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY WHEN THEY WORK CERTAIN HOURS. YET WHEN EMS COUNTY WHEN EMS EMPLOYEES FILED A GRIEVANCE TO ENFORCE THAT RIGHT, THEY WERE DENIED AT ALL FOUR STEPS OF THE PROCESS 1234. THE PAB IS NUMBER FOUR. SO WHEN COUNTY WORKERS CAN'T TRUST THE WORDS IN THEIR OWN CONTRACT, SOMETHING IS DEEPLY BROKEN. AND THAT'S WHERE BINDING ARBITRATION COMES IN. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MA'AM. LINDA FLINT STEIN, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIAN GOBEL. CALL YOUR NEXT SPEAKER. 
          MRS. FLINT IS NOT HERE. CHRISTIAN GOBEL, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS ANDREWS. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, CHRISTIAN GOBEL, 1410 BUSH STREET, BALTIMORE. MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN GOBEL. I'M WITH ACP MARYLAND COUNCIL THREE. COUNCIL THREE REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND, INCLUDING K THROUGH 12 EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY COLLEGE EMPLOYEES, HIGHER ED STATE, CITY, COUNTY. AND WE'RE HERE TO SHOW OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL THIS EVENING. I WANT TO BEGIN TONIGHT, AS MANY FOLKS HAVE, AND BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS BILL DOES AND WHAT THIS BILL DOES NOT DO. FIRST, I WANT TO NOTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BINDING GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION AND BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION. THE BILL BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS BINDING GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION. IT IS NOT BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION. GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION IS A METHOD OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION THAT IS USED BY MANAGEMENT AND LABOR TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES OVER THE INTERPRETATION OR APPLICATION OF AN EXISTING LABOR AGREEMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN AGREED TO BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND LABOR, AND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION REGARDING A PROVISION OR PROVISIONS IN THE CONTRACT. NOW, IN CONTRAST, BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION IS THE PROCESS THAT IS USED BY MANAGEMENT AND LABOR WHEN THEY ARE AT IMPASSE IN NEGOTIATIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT REACHED A FINAL AGREEMENT. IN BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION. IT CAN RESULT IN A FINAL DECISION THAT WILL ESTABLISH THE WAGES, HOURS AND TERMS OF CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT IN A LABOR AGREEMENT. AGAIN, THAT'S NOT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION DOES NOT PROVIDE AN ARBITRATOR THE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH HARFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, NOR WILL IT RESULT IN DECISIONS THAT CAUSED THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO RAISE TAXES OR CUT PUBLIC SERVICES. 
          ADDITIONALLY, NOTHING IN THIS BILL CHANGES THE EXISTING AUTHORITY OF THE PERSONNEL ADVISORY BOARD. THE FINAL DECISIONS ON EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE AND DISCHARGE CASES RESTS WITH THE PERSONAL ADVISORY BOARD, NOT AN ARBITRATOR. FURTHERMORE, AS 
          [00:30:03]
IT'S BEEN NOTED, JUST BECAUSE THE PARTIES HAVE GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION AT THEIR DISPOSAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE USING IT FREQUENTLY. IT IS IN EVERYBODY'S BEST INTEREST TO SOLVE THEIR DISPUTES AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN, AND AS EFFICIENTLY AND AS LEAST COSTLY AS THEY CAN. IT ALSO DOESN'T GUARANTEE A CERTAIN OUTCOME. EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR CASE, THEIR EVIDENCE, BEFORE AN ARBITRATOR, AND HAVE A FINAL DECISION MADE BASED ON THAT. IT IS A GOOD WAY TO AVOID COSTLY LITIGATION BEFORE THE COURTS. AT ITS CORE, THIS BILL IS ABOUT FAIRNESS, IT'S ABOUT EFFICIENCY, AND IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. WHEN WE'RE AT IN AN AGREEMENT ARE PUT TO PAPER BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND LABOR, THEY ARE MEANT TO BE HONORED. IT'S ABOUT KEEPING PROMISES TO THE WORKERS OF HARFORD COUNTY WHO DEDICATE THEIR CAREERS TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. IT'S A COMMONLY USED DISPUTE RESOLUTION TOOL IN THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND. HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, IT'S USED BY HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT THOSE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. AND OUR LOCAL UNIONS HAVE THIS PROCESS ALREADY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND, INCLUDING WESTERN MARYLAND, GARRETT COUNTY, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, WASHINGTON COUNTY. THIS PROCESS IS USED BY OUR LOCAL UNIONS, THEIR WITH THEIR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AS WELL. IN SUMMARY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER THIS LEGISLATION. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON THIS BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. CHRIS ANDREWS ANDREWS, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL GRIFFITH. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. 
          CHRIS ANDREWS, 7555 WOODBINE ROAD, PENNSYLVANIA. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I AM CHRIS ANDREWS. I AM A UTILITY WORKER ON HIGHWAYS DIVISION FOR HARFORD COUNTY, AND I SERVE AS A PROUD VICE PRESIDENT OF AFSCME. 1802 MY COWORKERS AND I DO IMPORTANT WORK FOR THE COUNTY. WE MAINTAIN AND REPAIR OUR ROADSIDE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND OUR COUNTY ROADS. WE WORK FOR THE COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY WORKERS BY CLEARING THE ROADWAYS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER AND ASSISTING WITH THE RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY OPERATIONS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY, WE CAN GET TO PEOPLE WHO NEED EMERGENCY HELP AND MUCH MORE. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS AN IMPORTANT RIGHT FOR OUR MEMBERS. 
          IT GIVES US A SAY AND A VOICE IN OUR WORKING CONDITIONS WITH MANAGEMENT, AND ULTIMATELY LEADS TO A WRITTEN AGREEMENT THAT IS MEANT TO BE FOLLOWED BY MANAGEMENT AND LABOR. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES DISAGREEMENTS HAPPEN AND DISPUTES NEED TO BE SOLVED. THE BILL BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WOULD GIVE YOU THE MEMBERS. GIVE OUR MEMBERS, THE WORKERS, THE WORKERS. HARFORD COUNTY A FAIR AND EFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR CASE HEARD AND SOLVED BY A NEUTRAL EXPERT. THAT'S WHAT GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION IS. IT'S ABOUT SOLVING DISPUTES AND OBJECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MANNER. THIS HAS ALWAYS MEANT AS A LAST RESORT, AND WE ALWAYS WANT TO FIND WAYS TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL AND AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. THIS BILL WILL ACCOMPLISH THAT IF YOU IF THIS IS NEEDED. THIS AVOIDS COSTLY LITIGATION. GRIEVANCE. 
          GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION IS A FAIR DEAL FOR MANAGEMENT LABOR AND IS WIDELY USED IN MARYLAND, INCLUDING GARRETT, ALLEGANY AND WASHINGTON COUNTY. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS BILL. COULD FOLKS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL, PLEASE STAND? THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. DANIEL GRIFFITH, 1245 OLD PYLESVILLE ROAD, WATFORD. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. 
          MY NAME IS DANIEL GRIFFITH. I AM HERE TONIGHT TO TESTIFY IN STRONG SUPPORT OF BILL 25 ZERO 12. I WORK AS A SENIOR OPERATOR FOR THE DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS IN HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. I ALSO SERVE AS THE PROUD PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 1802. THE. WE REPRESENT WORKERS WHO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE FOR OUR COUNTY AND ITS RESIDENTS, OUR MEMBERS IN THE HIGHWAYS AND PARKS AND REC DIVISIONS MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR ROADS TO BE CLEARED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. ASSIST. EXCUSE ME. ASSIST FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. ENSURE PARKS AND REC FACILITIES ARE IN GOOD CONDITIONS AND SO MUCH MORE. 
          OUR UNION SUPPORTS BILL 25 ZERO 12, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN BENNETT FOR INTRODUCING THIS LEGISLATION. UNDER THIS BILL, DISPUTES OVER THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CONTRACT WILL BE SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION. THIS PROCESS IS KNOWN AS GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION IS A FAIR, COMMON, FAIR, COMMON AND OBJECTIVE METHOD FOR RESOLVING DISPUTES BETWEEN LABOR AND MANAGEMENT. CONCERNING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION STRENGTHENS TRUST AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS PEACEFULLY, EFFECTIVELY BY GUARANTEEING DISPUTES ARE REVIEWED AND RESOLVED BY AN IMPARTIAL, KNOWLEDGEABLE THIRD PARTY EXPERIENCE AND LABOR RELATIONS. GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION IS NOT NEW. IT ALSO 
          [00:35:04]
IS WIDELY USED IN LABOR MANAGEMENT RELATIONS, ALONG WITH FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR. THIS RESOLUTION PROCESS IS CURRENTLY BEING USED IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING HARFORD AND CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, NUMEROUS COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYERS ACROSS MARYLAND INTRODUCE OR INCLUDING GARRETT COUNTY, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, WASHINGTON COUNTY, CUMBERLAND, HAGERSTOWN USES GRIEVANCE GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION TO RESOLVE THESE DISPUTES. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS LEGISLATION AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR BILL 25 ZERO 12. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR DYLAN LEWIS, FOLLOWED BY DIANA SADOWSKI. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS DYLAN LEWIS, 27, 14 PEMBERTON RIDGE BALDWIN, MARYLAND. I'M PRESIDENT OF TOGETHER WE WILL HARFORD COUNTY AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF BILL 2512. 
          THIS BILL PERMITS BINDING ARBITRATION FOR COUNTY UNION EMPLOYEES FOR CONTRACT CONCERNS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WAGES AND BENEFITS. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A REASONABLE AND COST SAVING EFFORT THAT PREVENTS LITIGATION. I THINK AS A LARGER CONCEPT, WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE THE BENEFIT OF RESOLVING CONCERNS AND CONFLICTS WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF FILING A LAWSUIT. ALTHOUGH LAWSUITS SEEM TO BE THE MODUS OPERANDI OF THIS ADMINISTRATION. IN FACT, WE CAN SEE HOW THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE VALUES CONFLICT RESOLUTION OR DOESN'T VALUE IT, AS IN HIS ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO ELIMINATE THE OFFICE OF MEDIATION FOR THE COUNTY. HE DID THAT TWO YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE, WITHOUT ANY NOTICE, DISRUPTING THE SERVICES THAT THAT OFFICE WAS PROVIDING. IT WAS ABLE TO FIND A HOME UNDER THE HARFORD COUNTY ACTION AGENCY. AND AFTER SOME SCRAMBLING, THAT OFFICE IS BACK IN BUSINESS. THIS OFFICE IS PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS, AND IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF SERVICE THAT A COUNTY SHOULD PROVIDE TO ITS CITIZENS. BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE IN A MORE VULNERABLE SITUATION. WE NEED THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO SAY TO THESE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU ARE VALUABLE, THAT YOU ARE IMPORTANT, AND THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE HEARD AND ADDRESSED AND AN APPROPRIATE AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR CONTRACTS. AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S A PAB, THEY ARE ALSO APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THEIR DECISIONS ARE UNAPPEALABLE. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR BILL 2512 AND VOTE YOUR VALUES. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS DIANA SADOWSKI, 1113 STROM DRIVE, FALLSTON, MARYLAND. GREETINGS, COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE SOMEONE'S GRAMMY STOOD BEHIND THE SPEAKER'S PODIUM. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS BILL, WHICH WOULD AMEND CHAPTER 38 OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CODE. WHILE THE AIM OF RESOLVING DISPUTES IS UNDERSTANDABLE, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE HIDDEN FISCAL RISK. 
          THIS KIND OF BINDING ARBITRATION REQUIREMENT POSES TO OUR COUNTY AND ULTIMATELY TO THE TAXPAYERS. BINDING ARBITRATION IS NOT FREE. PRIVATE ARBITRATORS CHARGE SUBSTANTIAL FEES FOR HEARINGS, PREPARATIONS, ISSUING DECISIONS, AND POSSIBLY POST AWARD HEARINGS IF THE COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO AGREE IN ADVANCE TO BINDING ARBITRATION, THEN THESE COSTS BECOME A BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR THE COUNTY, THE TAXPAYERS, RATHER THAN AN OPTIONAL COST. 
          EVEN IF THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION PAYS PART. IN PRACTICE, THE COUNTY OFTEN BEARS THE LARGER SHARE. THIS MEANS IF THE COUNTY IS BOUND TO ARBITRATION, IT LOCKS ITSELF INTO UNCERTAIN COSTS. WHEN ARBITRATION IS BINDING, THE ARBITRATOR'S DECISION CAN BECOME EFFECTIVELY PART OF THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. AND ONCE WE COMMIT TO BINDING ARBITRATION VIA AN ORDINANCE, WE MAY GIVE UP OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL APPROPRIATIONS, AND THAT COMPROMISES THE COUNCIL'S ROLE IN BUDGETING. IF BINDING ARBITRATION AWARD RESULTS IN LARGE WAGE OR BENEFIT INCREASES, OR REINSTATEMENT OF EMPLOYEES WITH ASSOCIATED COSTS, THE COUNTY MAY BE REQUIRED TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THESE DECISIONS EVEN WHEN THEY AREN'T ANTICIPATED. THE BUDGET PLANNING IS MONTHS AHEAD. YOU KNOW, BINDING ARBITRATION CAN FORCE ADJUSTMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL DID NOT APPROVE OR FORESEE, AND THESE ARE TAXPAYER RISKS. ARBITRATION HAPPENS OUTSIDE THE NORMAL PUBLIC LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TAXPAYERS MAY HAVE LITTLE INPUT ON THE ARBITRATOR'S DECISION, THE REASONING OR THE MAGNITUDE OF THE AWARD UNTIL IT'S FINAL, AND THIS UNDERMINES PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOW TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE SPENT WHEN A DECISION BINDS THE COUNTY 
          [00:40:05]
WITHOUT FULL LEGISLATIVE REVIEW, WE SHIFT FROM OPEN PUBLIC DELIBERATION TO A PRIVATE PROCESS WITH PUBLIC FISCAL CONSEQUENCES. WE'RE CLEARLY NOT OPPOSED TO RESOLVING GRIEVANCES. 
          THE QUESTION IS WHETHER BINDING ARBITRATION IS THE BEST TOOL FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES. 
          ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION METHODS, MEDIATION, NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS, VOLUNTARY ARBITRATION CAN PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL OVER COSTS. THIS BILL MAY APPEAR TO OFFER A MECHANISM FOR FINALITY IN LABOR DISPUTES, BUT IT CARRIES WITH IT SIGNIFICANT RISKS FOR THE COUNTY AND ITS TAXPAYERS. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO VOTE NO ON THIS BILL. THE STATE OF MARYLAND IS ALREADY IN THE THROES OF AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN SPIRAL. OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS DOING HIS BEST TO KEEP THE HEADS OF THE CITIZENS ABOVE WATER. ALL GOOD HOUSEHOLDS TIGHTEN DOWN DURING TIMES LIKE THIS, AND I EXPECT NO. I DEMAND MY COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES TO DO THE SAME. ONE WAY TO DO THIS IS TO NOT PUT FORTH ANY BILLS THAT WOULD COST THE CITIZENRY MORE MONEY. HOW ABOUT WE PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE, MA'AM? HOW ABOUT WE PUT FORTH BILLS TO SAVE CITIZENS MONEY? THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU, HUNTER BAKER, FOLLOWED BY DANNY PAEZ. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. HUNTER BAKER, 215 HEMLOCK LANE, ABERDEEN, MARYLAND. HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT IN FAVOR OF BILL 25 ZERO 12. I BELIEVE THAT THIS COUNTY, THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON THE BACKS OF UNION LABOR. WE DESERVE BETTER FOR OUR WORKERS. AND BINDING ARBITRATION FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES IS A COMMON SENSE APPROACH THAT BENEFITS THE COUNTY AND ITS WORKERS. THE WORKERS BENEFIT FROM THE ASSURANCE THAT CONTRACT LANGUAGE IS ENFORCED THROUGH A NEUTRAL PARTY, AND THE COUNTY BENEFITS FROM BEING ABLE TO RETAIN SKILLED LABOR AND BECOME A BETTER PLACE TO WORK IN. THOSE WHO ATTACK THIS BILL MISLEAD THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE COSTS OF ARBITRATION ON TAXPAYERS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE COUNTY COULD DECIDE ON WHO PAYS FOR THE ARBITRATION. MANY PLACES HAVE BINDING ARBITRATION AND DO NOT NEED TO USE IT. I THINK IT'S BETTER TO HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT THAN TO NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SIR. YOUR NEXT DANNY PAEZ. CALL. YOUR NEXT. THOMAS OHLENDORF, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL RUFENACHT. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS. GOOD EVENING, TOM OHLENDORF. 5015 TEN EAST VIEW TERRACE, APARTMENT ONE, ABINGDON, MARYLAND. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND FELLOW CITIZENS. MY NAME IS THOMAS OHLENDORF, A RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER OF HARFORD COUNTY. I RISE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO BILL 25 012. THIS BILL MAY SOUND PROCEDURAL ON THE SURFACE, BUT ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR HARFORD COUNTY TAXPAYERS ARE SERIOUS. FIRST, BINDING ARBITRATION REMOVES ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR ELECTED GOVERNMENT. UNDER THIS SYSTEM, DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN COUNTY MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE UNIONS COULD BE DECIDED BY AN OUTSIDE ARBITRATOR. SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY MAY NOT EVEN BE FROM MARYLAND, AND HAS NO UNDERSTANDING OF OUR COMMUNITY OR RURAL ECONOMY, OR OUR TAXPAYERS. THE ARBITRATOR WOULD HAVE THE POWER TO INTERPRET AND EFFECTIVELY DICTATE THE MEANING OF COUNTY CONTRACTS. THIS ENORMOUS TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY FROM THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY TO AN UNELECTED OUTSIDER WITH NO STAKE IN OUR FUTURE. SECOND, TAXPAYERS WILL PAY FOR IT. ARBITRATORS ARE NOT VOLUNTEERS. 
          THEY THEY CHARGE DAILY FEES THAT CAN BE EASILY REACHED INTO THOUSANDS PLUS EXPENSES, TRAVEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. WHETHER THESE COSTS ARE SPLIT, ASSIGNED TO ONE SIDE OR NEGOTIATED LATER. COUNTY FUNDS, TAXPAYER FUNDS WILL BE USED AND THAT IS WRONG. THIRD, THIS BILL OPENS THE DOOR TO EXPANDING UNION POWER OVER TIME, EVEN IF SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ARE NOT COVERED TODAY. THIS MEASURE ESTABLISHES A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. ONCE BINDING ARBITRATION IS ENSHRINED IN LAW, IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT'S REACHED GROWS, AND ONCE IT DOES, THE COSTS AND LOSS OF CONTROL WILL GROW WITH IT. THIS COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO STOP THIS NOW BY VOTING AGAINST THIS BILL. THIS IS NOT A PARTIZAN ISSUE. IT'S A LOCAL CONTROL ISSUE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. CRYSTAL 1001 JESSICA'S COURT, BEL AIR. SO I AM HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. 
          [00:45:07]
THIS BILL IS A RESULT OF COUNCILMAN BENNETT'S MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. AS HE SPOKE TO THIS EARLIER. ARBITRATION IS ALWAYS THE LAST RESORT, AND THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE ISSUES FAIRLY WITH TRANSPARENCY AT THE TABLE. THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS WITH HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT. EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN IGNORED AND TREATED UNFAIRLY WITH REGARDS TO THE ABILITY TO PROPOSE CHANGES TO THE COUNTY CODE. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES TONIGHT. THIS WOULD ONLY HAPPEN IN YEARS WHERE CONTRACTS ARE NEGOTIATED, AND THE HOPE IS TO INSPIRE THE COUNTY TO PURSUE LONGER, MORE STABLE CONTRACTS. PROPOSALS AREN'T GUARANTEED TO BE INTRODUCED AS LEGISLATION. 
          IT JUST SAYS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE NEEDS TO RESPOND TO EMPLOYEES. THE BILL IS NOT A POWER GRAB. IT'S NOT MOTIVATED BY SPECIAL INTERESTS. IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS, RESPECT AND PROVIDING AN EMPLOYEE INPUT IN THE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THEIR JOB AND FAMILIES. I'M AN EDUCATOR AND WE HAVE BINDING ARBITRATION AT THIS MOMENT. WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF MANY IN SENIOR LEADERSHIP AND HC WHO DO TREAT EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. I'VE HAD THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM WHERE A SUPERVISOR LIED ABOUT ME AND EFFORTS TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT MY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. I CAN ALSO POINT TO INSTANCES WHEN OUR CONTRACT AND EVEN INFORMAL INPUT WAS HONORED, SIMPLY BECAUSE ADMINISTRATORS WOULD HAVE BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE HAD THEY BROKE THE CONTRACT OR IGNORED EDUCATORS IN CONVERSATION. COUNCILMAN BENNETT HAS MET WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE STAFF TO REVIEW THE LEGISLATION. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S RESPONSE WAS TO RELEASE FACTUAL INACCURACIES IN CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS THAT BINDING ARBITRATION CAN BE USED FOR NEGOTIATIONS OF PAY, BENEFITS AND DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, THAT IT'S GOING TO CAUSE OUR TAXES TO GO UP. 
          EMPLOYEES HAVE NOT BEEN PERMITTED TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION AT WORK, ALL BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOW HE TREATS HIS EMPLOYEES. THE POSSIBILITY OF BINDING ARBITRATION. AGAIN, AS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED TONIGHT MANY TIMES, OFTEN MEANS IT'S NOT UTILIZED. IT PROVIDES ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROMOTES OPENNESS OVER TIME. IT CAN INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION TO TREAT PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR YOU WITH RESPECT. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES. COUNCILMAN BENNETT MENTIONED ANNE ARUNDEL, WHERE BINDING ARBITRATION HASN'T BEEN USED. THE EXAMPLE WAS PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES IN OVER A DECADE. A YES VOTE IS A VOTE THAT HONORS COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDES GUARDRAILS TO PREVENT DISRESPECT AND VIOLATION OF BASIC CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. JENNIFER ENSOR, FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY BECK. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. IT'S JENNIFER ENSOR, 4131 FLINTVILLE ROAD, DARLINGTON, MARYLAND. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I JUST STATED MY NAME IS JENNIFER, AND I SERVE AS THE SHOP STEWARD FOR PARKS AND RECREATION UNDER MC COUNCIL. 610 I'VE WORKED FOR HARFORD COUNTY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I AM ALSO A HARFORD COUNTY CITIZEN AND TAXPAYER. I CAN TELL YOU THE EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE THIS COUNT, EXCUSE ME, THE EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE THIS COUNTY LOVE WHAT THEY DO. WE SHOW UP IN EVERY CONDITION, IN THE RAIN AND THE SNOW AND THE HEAT THAT KEEP THIS COUNTY RUNNING BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. BUT CARING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD ACCEPT BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE'VE SEEN UNQUALIFIED. 
          I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME? WE'VE SEEN QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES BEING PASSED OVER FOR PROMOTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE WE'VE WATCHED AS POSITIONS ARE FILLED BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. THAT KIND OF FAVORITISM DESTROYS MORALE AND DRIVES AWAY GOOD EMPLOYEES AND ULTIMATELY HURTS THE CITIZENS WE SERVE. LET'S SEE IF THIS ADMINISTRATION TRULY BELIEVES IN TRANSPARENCY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE, THEN BINDING ARBITRATION SHOULD NOT BE FEARED BECAUSE TRUTH NEVER FEARS ACCOUNTABILITY. SO TONIGHT I ASK THIS COUNCIL TO STAND WITH YOUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES SUPPORT BINDING ARBITRATION NOT BECAUSE WE WANT TO USE IT, BUT BECAUSE ITS VERY EXISTENCE WILL HELP ENSURE WE NEVER HAVE TO. THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, JEFFREY BECK, 102 SHELL ROAD. 
          JOPPATOWNE, MARYLAND COUNCIL PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITIZENS THAT YOU SERVE. COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO BILL 25 OH 12 AS INTRODUCED. PLEASE UNDERSTAND, MY OPPOSITION IS NOT TO THE CONCEPT OF BINDING ARBITRATION OR TO UNIONS IN GENERAL. RATHER, IT IS TO WHAT I FEEL IS A POORLY WRITTEN BILL THAT CREATES A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR VERY WIDE INTERPRETATIONS AND BALLOONING COUNTY EXPENSES IN THE FUTURE. MY CASUAL READING AS A NON-ATTORNEY SLASH NONUNION MEMBER, NON PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE CHANGES TO 
          [00:50:05]
SECTION 38 SIX PRESENT TO ME, NO OBVIOUS DELINEATION OF WHEN OR WHERE BINDING ARBITRATION WOULD BE LIMITED TO, DESPITE THE COUNCILMAN'S BEST EFFORTS TO ASSURE ME OTHERWISE, I SEE NO VERBIAGE THAT WOULD PREVENT BINDING ARBITRATION FROM POTENTIALLY BEING APPLIED TO EVERY ASPECT OF THE CONTRACT PROCESS, INCLUDING DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, CONTRACT INTERPRETATION, AND EVEN THE NEGOTIATION OF THE CONTRACT ITSELF. THE COUNCILMAN, IN MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, COMPARED HARFORD TO VARIOUS OTHER MARYLAND COUNTIES. THE IMPLICATION IN THOSE POSTS WAS THAT ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES IN THOSE COUNTIES ARE GUARANTEED THROUGH LOCAL ORDINANCE, THE RIGHT TO BINDING ARBITRATION. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT IS NOT TRUE OF THE COUNTIES MENTIONED. SOME DO PROVIDE FOR BINDING ARBITRATION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES. ONE COUNTY MENTIONED IT DID COME CLOSE, BUT THEY HAVE A VERY, VERY, EXTREMELY DETAILED AND DELINEATED PROCESS WHICH MUST BE FOLLOWED TO GET TO THE POINT OF ARBITRATION AND IS COMPLETELY VOID OF ANY VAGUE OR AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE, WHICH I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. IF THOSE COUNTIES ARE SUCH A SHINING EXAMPLE, WHY NOT MIRROR THEIR LEGISLATION MORE CLOSELY? THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT COST, AS THE COST OF BINDING ARBITRATION CAN QUICKLY REACH INTO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. YET THERE ARE ZERO MENTION IN THE BILL OF WHO BEARS THIS COST. I WAS TOLD THAT THAT WOULD BE DECIDED AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, WHICH STILL LEAVES THE QUESTION UNANSWERED. AND IF THE COST OF ARBITRATION CAN BE DECIDED AT THE TABLE, WHY CAN THE BARGAINING UNITS NOT ALSO NEGOTIATE FOR THE INCLUSION OF ARBITRATION AT THE TABLE, ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR THIS BILL? IN FACT, MOST UNIONS GAINED BINDING ARBITRATION FOR GRIEVANCES AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, NOT THROUGH LEGISLATION. 
          I WAS ASSURED THAT THE AUTHOR'S OWN UNION, AS HE SAID TONIGHT, IS A MUCH LARGER UNION THAN ANY AFFECTED BY THIS BILL, HASN'T HAD TO USE ARBITRATION IN NEARLY A DECADE. WHEN PRESSED AS TO WHY THE NEED FOR IT, THE RESPONSE WAS ESSENTIALLY SPEAK SOFTLY BUT CARRY A BIG STICK. 
          ARBITRATION, THEN, IS A THREAT INTENDED TO QUIETLY BULLY THE COUNTY. MY BIGGEST OBJECTION, THOUGH, IS TO THE CHANGES PROPOSED TO SECTION 38 EIGHT, WHICH CODIFIES INTO LAW THAT BARGAINING UNITS, POTENTIALLY REPRESENTING NONRESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY, CAN PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNTY CHARTER AND ARE GUARANTEED A RESPONSE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE. EVERY COUNTY RESIDENT ALREADY HAS RECOURSE TO PROPOSE CHANGES TO COUNTY. 
          PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE. YES, SIR. AS IS EVIDENCED BY THIS, THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS BILL. THANK YOU SIR. YEP. I'LL EMAIL THE REST. THANK YOU. JANET JENSEN, FOLLOWED BY GARY JOHNSON. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, JANET JENSEN, 710 LINWOOD AVENUE, BEL AIR. EVERYBODY SAID EVERYTHING. I'M JUST HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL. 25 012. I AM A UNION MEMBER, NOT THIS ONE, BUT THE ONE AT WORK. WE WE NEED OUR UNION. PLEASE SUPPORT THE BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. GARY JOHNSON, 704 PLEASANT HILL CIRCLE, KINGSVILLE, MARYLAND. I HAVE NO GRIEVANCE WITH COUNTY EMPLOYEES. HOWEVER, THE TAXPAYERS OF HARFORD COUNTY ELECTED TO A COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND A COUNTY COUNCIL TO HANDLE THEIR AFFAIRS, AND THEY WERE ELECTED TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE SERVICES THAT WE RECEIVE AND HOW THESE SERVICES ARE TO BE FUNDED. WE HAVE PUT OUR TRUST IN THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE EMPOWER THEM TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS AND EXPECT THEM TO HONOR THOSE CONTRACTS. 
          WE DID NOT VOTE FOR UNIONS. UNIONS CARE ONLY FOR THEIR MEMBERS, NOT TAXPAYERS. 
          THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS, THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPROVEMENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR PERFORMANCE. THESE UNIONS HAVE INCREASED THE COST OF GOVERNMENT, WHILE MAKING IT LESS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC. THE CURRENT COUNTY EXECUTIVE, WHO RAN ON A PLATFORM OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, HAS OFTEN HAD TO DENY BUDGET REQUESTS FOR OUR LOCAL TEACHERS UNION. EVERY YEAR THEY DEMAND MORE AND MORE WHILE THEY FAIL TO PROPERLY EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN YEAR AFTER YEAR. BILL 2512 OH 12 IS THEIR EFFORT TO REMOVE MR. CASLEY FROM THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED. THE TEACHERS UNION HAS ONE OF ITS AGENTS, MR. BENNETT, BRINGING FORTH THIS BILL. HE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. DESPITE WHAT THE MARYLAND SUPREME COURT HAS RULED, HE SHOULD NOT BE A MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL AS HE HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. HE SHOULD NOT BE PUTTING FORTH THIS BILL NOR VOTING ON THIS ISSUE. MR. BENNETT IS A UNION MEMBER. HIS UNION HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT DOES NOT LIKE MR. CASTLE'S DECISIONS. INSTEAD, MR. BENNETT PUTS ASKS US TO PUT OUR TRUST IN A BOARD OF BINDING 
          [00:55:02]
ARBITRATION. WHO WOULD SIT ON THIS BOARD? WOULD THEY BE COUNTY RESIDENTS? WOULD THEY EVEN LIVE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND? DON'T BE FOOLED. ARBITRATION BOARDS ARE NOT IMPARTIAL PARTIES. THEY ARE TOOLS OF A UNION, AND THEIR PURPOSE IS TO DO THE WILL OF THE UNION. IF OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS VIOLATED THE TERMS OF A UNION CONTRACT, ARBITRATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SUCH A SYSTEM OF ARBITRATION ALREADY EXISTS IN HARFORD COUNTY. IT IS HANDLED DISPUTES FOR YEARS. 
          SOMETIMES IT DECIDES IN FAVOR OF THE COUNTY, SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT. WHY IS THIS NOT SUFFICIENT? MR. BENNETT IS PROPOSING A BOARD OF BINDING ARBITRATION. SUCH A BOARD WOULD PROVIDE FINAL AND ENFORCEABLE DECISIONS. THIS CAN LEAD TO QUICKER RESOLUTIONS WHEN COMPARED TO LITIGATION, BUT BINDING MEANS THAT THE PARTIES ARE LIMITED IN THEIR ABILITY TO APPEAL A DECISION, EVEN IF A LEGAL MISTAKE HAS OCCURRED IN THE PROCESS, SUCH A MISTAKE WOULD STILL BE BINDING. WHY SHOULD WE TAKE THAT RISK? THE SEPARATION OF POWERS WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR TWO PARTY SYSTEM PROVIDES US WITH ENOUGH CHECKS AND BALANCES TO ENSURE THAT ANY ABUSES OF TRUST, IF THEY SHOULD OCCUR, CAN BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT A RISK OF PERMANENT HARM. MY WIFE AND I ASK THAT THE COUNCIL VOTE NO ON BILL 20 5-0 12. THANK YOU SIR. 
          KENDALL HILL FOLLOWED BY TINA GRAF. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. KENDALL HILL, 4027 PATRICK ROAD, DARLINGTON, MARYLAND. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KENDALL HILL. I WORK AS A MAINTENANCE WORKER FOR PARKS AND REC. I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR TWO YEARS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT BILL NUMBER 25 012. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIMPLE, FAIR WAY TO RESOLVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LABOR AGREEMENT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS BILL. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SIR. TANISHA GANNON, FOLLOWED BY KRYSTINA BREELAND. 
          GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. TINA GRAF, 1732 BOGGS ROAD, FOREST HILL, MARYLAND, 21050. MY NAME IS TINA GRAF, AND I'M THE PROUD SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISON AT FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I'VE BEEN EMPLOYED FOR 17 YEARS. I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF AFSCME. THIS BILL DOESN'T AFFECT ME AS AN EMPLOYEE OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          MY UNION CONTRACT ALREADY PROVIDES BINDING ARBITRATION. I'M HERE TO SIMPLY SUPPORT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO SUPPORT ME AND OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY. I FEEL THAT HARFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE SAME PROTECTIONS AS WE HAVE IN HC. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS BILL, AND JACOB, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. TANISHA GANNON, 4405 GREENWICH COURT, BELCAMP, MARYLAND. MY NAME IS TANISHA GANNON. I'M A CHIEF CUSTODIAN FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M ALSO THE LOCAL 2471. ASK ME PRESIDENT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE BILL. 25012 AS MISS GRAF JUST STATED, WE DO HAVE GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION IN OUR CONTRACT. THAT IS TO PROTECT THE EMPLOYEES. ALSO, WE HAVE NOT HAD TO USE THAT TOOL RECENTLY, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT OPTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA BERLIN. I LIVE AT 2123 AVENUE IN EDGEWOOD. OKAY, SO MY NAME IS CHRISTINA BERLIN. I WORKED AT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR 18 YEARS, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT THE BILL. 25 ZERO 12 I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIMPLE, FAIR WAY TO RESOLVE DISAGREEMENT WITH MANAGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LABOR AGREEMENT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. JAMES ENGELBRECHT, FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MCLEAN. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. YES, SIR. MY NAME IS JAMES ENGELBRECHT. I LIVE AT 3811 WILLOUGHBY BEACH ROAD, EDGEWOOD, MARYLAND. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JAMES ENGELBRECHT. I WORK AT HARFORD COUNTY HIGHWAYS IN ABINGDON. I'VE BEEN THERE FOR NINE YEARS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT BILL 25 012. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIMPLE, FAIR WAY TO 
          [01:00:05]
RESOLVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LABOR AGREEMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, SIR. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. GOOD EVENING. ADDRESS. MY NAME IS ALICIA MCLEAN. MY ADDRESS IS 2961 BRADEN BALL ROAD IN WHITEHALL. SINCE THE AGE OF FIVE, MY DAUGHTER HAS DREAMED OF BECOMING A LAWYER. HER ONLY HESITATION OVER THE YEARS WAS, MOM, HOW DO I DEFEND SOMEONE WHO IS CLEARLY GUILTY? I'M NOT SURE I COULD DO THAT MORALLY OR ETHICALLY. MY ANSWER WAS ALWAYS THE SAME. YOUR ROLE AS AN ATTORNEY IS TO BE AN OFFICER OF THE COURT. YOUR DUTY IS TO ENSURE YOUR CLIENT RECEIVES DUE PROCESS, NOT NECESSARILY AN ACQUITTAL. THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT BILL 25 012 PROPOSES. PROCEDURAL DUE PROCESS. TO ENSURE THAT THE METHODS AND PROCEDURES IN GRIEVANCES BETWEEN HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND ITS EMPLOYEES ARE FAIR AND JUST. SOME WORRY BINDING ARBITRATION MIGHT REPLACE REAL ATTEMPTS TO COMPROMISE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT UNDER THE CURRENT NON-BINDING PROCESS, MONEY SPENT ON ARBITRATION GRIEVANCE ARBITRATION GUIDANCE CAN BE THROWN OUT THE WINDOW. IF ONE SIDE DOESN'T LIKE THE OUTCOME, THAT'S A BIGGER WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAN FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE PROCESS THAT ACTUALLY STICKS. CHAPTER 38 OF THE COUNTY CODE ALREADY STATES THAT THE COST OF FACT-FINDING AND ARBITRATION SHALL BE BORNE EQUALLY BETWEEN THE PARTIES INVOLVED. THIS ENSURES THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH RESEARCH FROM RESPECTED INSTITUTIONS LIKE CORNELL, PEPPERDINE, AND YALE MAKE ONE THING CLEAR BINDING ARBITRATION WORKS. IT RESOLVES DISPUTES FAIRLY, REDUCES CONFLICT AND COSTS, AND PROTECTS DUE PROCESS. EACH OF THESE BUILDS A MORE POSITIVE, STABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT, LEADING TO GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND EMPLOYEE RETENTION. LET ME BE CLEAR. I HAVE THREE KIDS PLAYED OUT. SCARE. SCARE TACTICS DON'T WORK ON ME. MY TAXES ARE NOT GOING TO BE RAISED, MY ESSENTIAL SERVICES ARE NOT GOING TO BE CUT, AND MY VOICE IS NOT GOING TO BE MUFFLED WHEN THIS BILL PASSES. THE ONLY REASON TO FEAR THIS BILL IS TO FEAR ACCOUNTABILITY. BINDING ARBITRATION PROMOTES GOOD FAITH ON BOTH SIDES THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS. UPDATING NEGOTIATION PROCESSES TO ENSURE COMMUNICATION IS SIMPLY ENFORCING BASIC HUMAN DECENCY. THREE MONTHS AGO, MY DAUGHTER BEGAN HER LEGAL PATH AT UNIVERSITY, AND I AM BEYOND PROUD THAT SHE WALKED INTO UNIVERSITY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WILL NEVER BE ABOUT A WIN LOSS RECORD, BUT ALWAYS ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING ABOVE ALL ELSE. THAT LESSON ABOUT FAIRNESS, INTEGRITY AND DUE PROCESS IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS BILL REPRESENTS. IT ASKS US TO ACT WITH HONESTY, BASIC HUMAN DECENCY AND FAIRNESS ON ALL SIDES, AND IT HOLDS US ACCOUNTABLE IF WE DO NOT. IF THOSE PRINCIPLES CAUSE DISCOMFORT, PERHAPS THE CONCERN LIES NOT WITH THE BILL ITSELF, BUT WHAT IT'S ASKING OF THOSE IT AFFECTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. KENNETH DELANO, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT THOMAN AND FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW KOSTER. 
          GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS. GOOD EVENING, KENNETH DELANO, 700 SOUTH ADAMS STREET AND HAVRE DE GRACE. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KENNETH DELANO. I'VE BEEN A PROUD COUNTY EMPLOYEE FOR 25 YEARS AT PARKS AND RECREATION. 
          I CURRENTLY SERVE UNDER THE TITLE OF CREW LEADER TWO. TONIGHT I SUPPORT BILL NUMBER 25 012. I BELIEVE IT'S SIMPLE AND FAIR WAY TO RESOLVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LABOR AGREEMENT. JUST LET ME ADD ONE OTHER THING IS, I ALSO SERVE AS A CHIEF SHOP STEWARD. I'VE BEEN A SHOP STEWARD FOR 20 SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 20 YEARS, AND WHENEVER THERE'S ANY SORT OF DISAGREEMENT WE WANT TO GET, WE WANT TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I CAN ONLY THINK OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE IT WHERE A GRIEVANCE WENT ABOVE MY SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE. SO I JUST WANT TO I THINK NO ONE WANTS TO TO CONTINUE A FIGHT. IF WE CAN GET IT RESOLVED AT THE LOWEST LEVEL POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SIR. SCOTT THURMAN. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. SCOTT THURMAN, 211 SLAVE ROAD, DELTA, PA. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. I'VE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY NOW FOR 21 YEARS, AND I HOPE THE COUNTY COUNCIL PASSES THIS BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD 
          [01:05:03]
EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. MATTHEW KOSTER, 212 PRINCETON LANE, BELLAIRE. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MATTHEW KOSTER, HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE BALTIMORE FIREFIGHTERS IAFF LOCAL 734. I'M HERE TO URGE A STRONG, CLEAR AND FAVORABLE VOTE ON BILL 2512. LET'S BE HONEST, A CONTRACT WITHOUT ENFORCEMENT IS NOT A CONTRACT. 
          IT'S A SUGGESTION WHEN WORKERS NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AND SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, THAT AGREEMENT MUST HAVE MEANING. BINDING ARBITRATION ENSURES IT DOES. IT GUARANTEES THAT DISPUTES ARE RESOLVED BY A NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR, NOT BY WHO HAS MORE POWER, MORE MONEY, OR MORE LEVERAGE. THIS BILL ALSO RECOGNIZES SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL WORKERS DESERVE A VOICE IN THE LAWS THAT GOVERN THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS, ALLOWING LABOR ORGANIZATIONS TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 38 DURING NEGOTIATIONS BRINGS EXPERTISE, TRANSPARENCY AND RESPECT INTO THE PROCESS. IT PROMOTES COLLABORATION, NOT CONFLICT, ACROSS THIS STATE AND ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. BINDING ARBITRATION HAS BEEN A PROVEN TOOL FOR LABOR, PEACE, FAIRNESS AND WORKPLACE STABILITY. HARFORD COUNTY SHOULD BE NO DIFFERENT. THIS IS HOW YOU BUILD TRUST. THIS IS HOW YOU RETAIN GOOD EMPLOYEES, AND THIS IS HOW YOU HONOR THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE GOVERNMENT FUNCTION ON BEHALF OF GOOD WORKING PEOPLE, ON BEHALF OF FAIRNESS, AND ON BEHALF OF EVERY EMPLOYEE WHO JUST WANTS THE CONTRACT THEY SIGN TO MEAN SOMETHING. I URGE YOU TO PASS BILL 2512. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MISTER PRESIDENT. 
          FIRST OF ALL, SIR, WILL YOU FIND A SEAT, PLEASE? THANK YOU. WITH SPEAKERS, THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 20 5-0 12. AND IT WILL BE CONSIDERED AT A FUTURE MEETING. 
          AND IF I MAY, FIVE. FOUR. THREE. CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION, DAY 
          [1. CALL TO ORDER]
25 ZERO 27. PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN 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. IF I MAY SHARE A PRAYER FOR MY DAYS IN SCOUTING, SOFTLY FALLS THE LIGHT OF DAY. AS OUR CAMPFIRE FADES AWAY SILENTLY, EACH SCOUT SHOULD ASK, HAVE I DONE MY DAILY TASK? CAN I KEEP MY FIRE BRIGHT? DID I GUILTLESS SLEEP TONIGHT? HAVE I DONE AND HAVE I DARED EVERYTHING TO BE PREPARED? AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. COUNSEL, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CLERK OF THE COURTS IN THE CHAMBER WITH US THIS EVENING. MISS KRZYZEWSKI, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING FOR PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, 
          [6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ]
APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. I WANT TO THANK MISS RICHARDSON FOR HONORING THE SHERIFF'S REQUEST FOR SWAPPING POSITIONS HERE THIS EVENING. SO, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP THE SHERIFF GAYLOR AND ALSO CAPTAIN KRULAK. 
          AND COUNCIL, IF I MAY. IF YOU REMEMBER, LAST WEEK I ASKED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE ADMINISTRATION TO COME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO PUBLICLY EXPLAIN OR TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE DIFFERENCES IN REGARDS TO THE JOINT MOBILE COMMAND BUS. AND I'M HONORED TO SAY THAT THE SHERIFF IS HERE THIS EVENING. 
          COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS SENT A LETTER, AND I'VE ASKED MR. OVERBAY, WHO'S IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING, TO SEE IF HE WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING. HE'S CHOSE NOT TO. SHERIFF, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL. I'M GETTING OVER A LITTLE BUG, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. I'M TOLD I'M NOT CONTAGIOUS. SO MY DOCTOR SAYS SO, I HOPE. BUT YES. YESTERDAY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. OH, I SHOULD THANK BARB RICHARDSON IN ALLOWING US TO STEP UP HERE AND GO FIRST. WE'RE GOING TO BE BRIEF AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A LITTLE LONGER PRESENTATION. AND IN LIGHT OF MY NOT BEING 100%, SHE WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO LET US GO. SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. YESTERDAY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AGREED TO MAINTAINING THE JOINT COMMAND UNIT AT THE SOUTHERN PRECINCT. EACH COUNCIL MEMBER RECEIVED HIS LETTER AND MY RESPONSE TO THAT LETTER TODAY. SO I'M HOPING THAT IS THE END OF THIS ISSUE. I DID ASK CAPTAIN KRULAK OF THE COMMANDER OF OUR SPECIAL 
          [01:10:04]
OPERATIONS DIVISION, WHICH OVERSEES THE MOBILE COMMAND UNIT, ARE PART OF IT, ALONG WITH SWAT AND K-9 AND SRT MOTORS, AND ALL THAT FALLS UNDER HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO COME TONIGHT. PREPARE TO DO A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO GO OVER THE HISTORY OF THIS UNIT FROM CONCEPTION TO CAPITAL, FUNDING REQUESTS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BILL DELIVERY AND ITS USE AND STORAGE. YOU HAVE THE POWERPOINT. I DON'T SEE WITH THIS ISSUE HOPEFULLY RESOLVED, ANY REASON FOR US TO SIT HERE AND BELABOR THE POINT AND GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE POWERPOINT. BUT WE ARE BOTH HERE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE. BEFORE WE GET TO ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT VANZETTI AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR BRINGING SOME LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE AND BRINGING THE PARTIES TO THE TABLE, AND I THINK THAT IS HOW WE GOT TO SOME COMMON GROUND AND GOT THIS RESOLVED. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN ROBERT AND COUNCILMAN BENNETT. I WASN'T AVAILABLE FOR THIS MEETING THIS AFTERNOON, BUT BOTH COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHO ARE THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, MET WITH ME AND MEMBERS OF MY STAFF IN ADVANCE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. SO WITH THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER MIGHT HAVE RELATED TO ANYTHING BUT RELATED TO THE COMMAND UNIT, SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL. ANYONE. MISS IMHOFF WAS THE. IS THERE ADDITIONAL STIPULATIONS WITH MOVING IT BACK TO THE SOUTHERN PRECINCT? NONE THAT HAVE BEEN CONVEYED TO US. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR MEETING WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON. YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS WHOLE ISSUE ARISED. WHO AM I TO SAY WHERE THE BEST LOCATION IS FOR, FOR THIS UNIT? AND THE ANSWER IS, I'M NOT THE PERSON TO SAY SO. I REALLY APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO HEAR FROM YOUR STAFF AND BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE REASONING OF OF PLACING IT AT THE SOUTHERN PRECINCT AND WHY IT MEANT SO MUCH TO YOU TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO COME AND ENLIGHTEN US IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON'T HAVE THE BACKGROUND THAT YOU HAVE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS ROBERTS. YES, THANK YOU, SHERIFF, FOR MEETING WITH ME ON FRIDAY. I WAS EDUCATED GREATLY ON THE UNIT, KNOWING THAT IT WAS ALSO IN MY DISTRICT. I PRIVY TO SEE THE ENTIRE GARAGE. OF ALL THE TRANSPORTATION, ALL THE. I WAS GOING TO SAY ALL THE TRANSPORTATION DEVICES AND EQUIPMENT THAT WERE THERE. AND KNOWING ALSO WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE CONVERSATION, THE PERCENTAGE OF NUMBERS THAT I GOT FROM YOU SAYING THE PERCENTAGE OF THE CALLS, THIS IS WHERE THAT MOBILE UNIT WAS BEING UTILIZED AT THE MOST. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, TO CONTRIBUTE THE FACT THAT OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY HAVE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND WE OUR DISTRICT DEPENDS ON YOUR AGENCY THE MOST. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR MEETING WITH ME AND EDUCATING ME ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT. I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE VEHICLE IS. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE WILL NEVER, YOU KNOW, NOT BE THERE FOR ANY OF THE MUNICIPAL AGENCIES, BE IT THE COMMAND UNIT OR ANY OTHER POLICING NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE. SAME THING FOR DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. AND WE KNOW DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES IS GOING TO BE THERE FOR US WHEN WE NEED THEM. SO I'M GLAD THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IS RESOLVED. ANYONE ELSE? AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS COUNCIL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSPARENCY TO ALL THE CITIZENS TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. SO, OR AT LEAST BE A SMALL PART OF THE RESOLUTION. SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANK YOU, BARB, FOR ALLOWING HIM TO STEP AHEAD OF YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO HERTFORD COUNTY OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY. CAPTAIN. KILLING. I'M SORRY. THEY COULD ALWAYS HELP. 
          US. SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU AND MARCUS HERE THIS EVENING. MARCUS. COUNCILMAN RILEY SAYS THAT YOU HAVE. YOU'RE ON A TIME LIMIT, SO ROCK AND ROLL WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I WILL DO MY BEST. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARCUS WEBSTER. I'M AN INDIVIDUAL WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, HAVING PREVIOUSLY UTILIZED THAT EXPERIENCE AS A CERTIFIED PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST AND A REGISTERED PEER SUPERVISOR. I'M GRATEFUL TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING AS THE 
          [01:15:02]
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY, AND IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. OUR OFFICE IS OVERSEEN BY DIRECTOR BARBARA RICHARDSON AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR SUSAN BAUER, WHO, LIKE ME, ARE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND RESILIENCE OF HARFORD COUNTY THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, EDUCATION AND TREATMENT. THIS EVENING, I'LL PROVIDE TO YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS, AND I'LL ALSO DISCUSS THE INTENT AND THE IMPACT OF OUR OPIOID RESTITUTION FUND, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AND REPAIR FUND, TO SHOW HOW WE'RE USING DATA DRIVEN STRATEGIES TO BUILD PATHWAYS TO STABILITY, RECOVERY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENT. THE OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY IS A VITAL COMPONENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL TO PREVENT SUBSTANCE MISUSE, SUPPORT RECOVERY, AND CONNECT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO LIVE HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIVES. WE APPROACH THIS MISSION THROUGH PROVIDING PREVENTION, EDUCATION, OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ENTITIES WITH A LIKE MINDED VESTED INTEREST IN PREVENTING SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND BREAKING GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF ADDICTION, AND COORDINATING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE. EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS GROUNDED IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR SCHOOLS, OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE RESIDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY. TO OUR TEAM. EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF PREVENTION THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE COUNTY. THE OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY OFFERS A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE TAILORED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR YOUTH, ADULTS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS. OUR CLASSES AND TRAINING PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE PLEDGE PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WONDERFUL MEN AND WOMEN OF HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH FOCUSES ON PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, LEADERSHIP, AND DECISION MAKING FOR YOUTH. OUR QUESTION PERSUADE REFER TRAINING, WHICH IS A SIMPLE LIFE SAVING METHOD THAT TEACHES COMMUNITY MEMBERS HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO SIGNS OF SUICIDE. OUR YOUTH AND ADULT YOUTH AND ADULT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, WHICH HAVE TRAINED HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROFESSIONALS TO IDENTIFY AND ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. OUR RESPONDER STRONG PROGRAM, A WELLNESS PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ADDRESSING STRESS MANAGEMENT, TRAUMA RECOVERY, AND COMPASSION FATIGUE. WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE TITLED JUST GOALS, NO SMOKE, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED BY PREVENTION ASSOCIATE AISHA BAILEY AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A PEER TO PEER PILOT INITIATIVE WITHIN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DESIGNED TO REDUCE REPORTED YOUTH VAPING AND CANNABIS USE. INCREASED STUDENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTH RISKS AND HITS OUR EDUCATOR AND PARENT AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT. CREATE STUDENT LEADERSHIP GROUPS PROMOTING HEALTHY CHOICES, AND INTEGRATE OUR PREVENTION CURRICULUM WITH PEER TO PEER EDUCATION MODELS. AND LAST, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR SAVE A LIFE TOUR, WHICH IS A DYNAMIC AND ENGAGING PRESENTATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH MATRIX AND MATRIX ENTERTAINMENT THAT DEMONSTRATES THE REAL LIFE IMPACT OF IMPAIRED AND DISTRACTED DRIVING. 
          THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT ABSTRACT IDEAS. THEY ARE HANDS ON, PRACTICAL, AND DESIGNED TO MEET, DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE. AND LAST YEAR ALONE, MY AMAZING TEAM OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES REACHED THOUSANDS OF HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS THROUGH SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT PREVENTION DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN IN THE CLASSROOM. IT HAPPENS THROUGH TRUST BUILDING, CREATING DIALOGS, MENTORSHIP, AND MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE BASED ON THEIR NEEDS AND THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO OPERATE KEY DIVERSION AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO PUNITIVE MEASURES, SUCH AS THE TEEN COURT PROGRAM, OVERSEEN BY OUR TEEN COURT COORDINATOR, MISS SIDNEY SHUPE, A VOLUNTARY DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH AGED 13 TO 17 WHO HAVE COMMITTED MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES WHERE INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE FORMAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, THEY APPEAR BEFORE A JURY OF THEIR PEERS, WHERE ACCOUNTABILITY AND REFLECTION LEAD TO GROWTH, NOT STIGMA. AND WE'RE ALSO PROUD TO HOST THE BRIDGE PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPRINGBOARD COMMUNITY SERVICES, WHICH CONNECTS YOUTH AGED 10 TO 17 TO FREE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEED BEFORE CHALLENGES ESCALATE. THESE PROGRAMS DEMONSTRATE OUR ESSENTIAL BELIEF THAT EVERY YOUNG PERSON DESERVES NOT JUST A SECOND CHANCE, BUT A PATH FORWARD. LASTLY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR DRUG TAKE-BACK INITIATIVE, DRUG TAKE-BACK INITIATIVES, WHICH ARE COORDINATED BY THE INCOMPARABLE MISS SANDY GALLIN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE MSP, WEGMANS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, HAVRE DE GRACE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BEL AIR PD AND THIS PAST YEAR ALONE, WE'VE COLLECTED MORE THAN 2,000 POUNDS OF EXPIRED OR UNUSED MEDICATIONS WITH THE GOAL OF DECREASING MISUSE AND KEEPING OUR WATERWAYS CLEAN. OUR NEXT NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY IS SCHEDULED FOR THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ASSIST US ALL IN HELPING TO PROMOTE THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE. IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED, WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OVERSEEING THE COUNTY'S OPIOID RESTITUTION FUND OR, AS I'LL REFER TO, FOR AMENDMENT REPRESENTATION, THE AWF. THE AWF REPRESENTS ONE OF 
          [01:20:03]
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES IN RECENT YEARS TO INVEST IN LONG TERM PREVENTION AND RECOVERY, WHILE PUTTING AN END TO THE OPIOID AND OVERDOSE CRISIS IN THIS COUNTY ONCE AND FOR ALL. I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO NOT ONLY BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF THIS IMPORTANT UNDERTAKING LOCALLY, BUT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, I JUST FINISHED UP MY TERM. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS AN APPOINTEE UNDER GOVERNOR HOGAN OF MARYLAND AUF ADVISORY COUNCIL, PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR STATE LEGISLATURE ON HOW FUNDS SHOULD BE USED. WE'RE ALIGNING THIS WORK WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL BEST PRACTICES TO ENSURE THAT OUR INVESTMENTS IN PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ARE DATA DRIVEN, COMMUNITY INFORMED, AND RESULTS ORIENTED. HERE, YOU'LL SEE OUR GRANT AWARDS PROCESS THAT WE UTILIZE ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENT WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION. WE I DO WANT TO NOTE WE UTILIZE E CIVIS, WHICH IS A WEB BASED PLATFORM TO SOLICIT APPLICATIONS, EVALUATE PROPOSALS AND PROCESS ACTIVITY AND FINANCIAL REPORTS WHILE PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY AND MONITORING TO REMAIN IN LINE WITH THOSE BEST PRACTICES. THE PURPOSE OF THE AUF HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY IS CLEAR TO BUILD A HEALTHIER, MORE SUPPORTIVE HARFORD COUNTY BY FOCUSING ON PREVENTION, EDUCATION AND CENTRALIZED TREATMENT TO CREATE PATHWAYS TO STABILITY AND PURPOSE. HERE YOU WILL SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE FUNDS AWARDED UNDER THE FIRST ROUND OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FUNDS, WHICH IS A THREE YEAR GRANT PERIOD UNDER OUR DUAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH OF CENTRALIZED TREATMENT AND PREVENTION EDUCATION, AS WELL AS OUR INAUGURAL AWARDEES, RAGE AGAINST ADDICTION, LASSOS, ASHLEY ADDICTION, VOICES OF HOPE, CHRYSANTHEMUMS, AND THE ED LOLLY FOUNDATION. AS I OFTEN REMIND THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THEY ARE NOT JUST OUR AWARDEES, THEY'RE OUR PARTNERS. THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DUAL FRAMEWORK COMMUNITY, INPUT REMAINED ESSENTIAL AND IN COLLABORATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, THE DEPARTMENT TOOK ALL INPUT TO DEVELOP THE FRAMEWORK AND AS A RESULT, CENTRALIZED TREATMENT, PREVENTION AND EDUCATION WERE THE TOP PRIORITIES. HERE YOU'LL SEE THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN DUAL FRAMEWORK. AS I MENTIONED, THAT WAS THE RESULT OF MULTIPLE COMMUNITY SUMMITS AND FOCUS GROUPS. AND GIVEN THAT PREVENTION IS THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF OCP, WE'RE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO WORK ALONGSIDE OUR AWARDEES, LASSO'S ASHLEY AND ED LOLLY, TO STRIVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REPORTED ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE IN HARFORD COUNTY BY THE END OF FY 28, AND DETERMINE BEST PRACTICES THAT WILL ENSURE CONTINUAL DECLINE IN REPORTED ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE IN HARFORD COUNTY. EACH YEAR, WE UTILIZE SAMHSA'S STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EVIDENCE BASED MODEL WHICH GUIDES US THROUGH THE FOLLOWING. 
          ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH DATA COLLECTION AND COLLABORATION, BUILDING CAPACITY THROUGH TRAINING, AND EMPOWERING OUR PARTNERS TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN PREVENTION EFFORTS. PLANNING TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES WHICH ALLOW US TO IMPLEMENT THESE INITIATIVES INTO ACTION ACROSS THE COUNTY, WHILE CONSISTENTLY EVALUATING AND MEASURING OUTCOMES WHILE CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING THROUGH EVIDENCE BASED RESULTS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE ADOPTION OF THIS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BEST PRACTICE WILL ENSURE THAT THE AUF IS USED EFFICIENTLY, TRANSPARENTLY AND WITH MEASURABLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT AS IT PERTAINS TO PREVENTION AND EDUCATION. I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME KEY MEASURABLES THAT WE'LL BE TRACKING DURING THE DURATION OF THESE PROJECTS. OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WE'LL BE TRACKING INDIVIDUAL SURVEYED. WE'LL BE TRACKING INDIVIDUALS SERVED THROUGH PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAMS LIKE THE ROOTS PROJECT WILL MONITOR CHANGES IN RATES OF REPORTED USE AMONG OUR ADOLESCENTS THROUGH THE LASSOS. WE WILL BE WORKING WITH HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, TRAINING AND PROVIDING ACADEMIC DETAILING AS IT PERTAINS TO PRESCRIBING, AS WELL AS INCREASING CULTURAL COMPETENCY TO INCREASE PREVENTION AWARENESS TO HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. BY MONITORING THESE KEY INDICATORS, WE CAN ENSURE OUR EFFORTS TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS, STRENGTHENED COMMUNITIES, AND FOSTERING A MORE EQUITABLE APPROACH TO PREVENTION AND CARE. THE OTHER PILLAR OF THE FRAMEWORK IS OUR CENTRALIZED TREATMENT PILLAR, AND WE KNOW THAT NAVIGATING THE TREATMENT LANDSCAPE CAN BE OVERWHELMING, ESPECIALLY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. IN A SUBSTANCE USE CRISIS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS OFTEN EXPRESS THAT THEY TOO FACE DELAYS, CONFUSION, OR DUPLICATION OF SERVICES WHEN SEEKING HELP, AND OUR GOAL IS TO SIMPLIFY THAT PROCESS BY CREATING A CENTRALIZED TREATMENT NETWORK, A COORDINATED SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS RESIDENTS DIRECTLY WITH TREATMENT, SUPPORTS, RECOVERY SUPPORT AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES. THIS PILLAR BRINGS TOGETHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS, ENSURING THAT INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE, CONTINUOUS CARE FROM THE MOMENT THEY SEEK HELP THROUGH SUSTAINED RECOVERY, AND BY CENTRALIZING ACCESS AND IMPROVING COORDINATION. WE ARE NOT JUST EXPANDING TREATMENT ACCESS, WE ARE TRANSFORMING HOW SUPPORT IS DELIVERED IN HARFORD COUNTY. SOME OF OUR METHODOLOGY. UNDER THIS FRAMEWORK, WE'RE PROVIDING FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO VOICES OF HOPE TO STAFF THE ONLY RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER IN HARFORD COUNTY TO INCREASE THEIR HOURS TO 24 OVER SEVEN, WHICH WILL SERVE AS A CENTRAL POINT OF INTAKE, WHICH PAIRS WELL WITH THE SUBSTANCE USE AND TREATMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE 
          [01:25:01]
OVERSEE IN OUR OFFICE, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM REF. THIS SECOND FUNDING STREAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND SEEKING TREATMENT, REMOVING ONE OF THE PRIMARY BARRIERS WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSING CARE. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE PROVIDING CAPACITY FUNDING TO PROVEN ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS RAGE AGAINST ADDICTION AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS, IN WHICH THEY HAVE HIRED CASE MANAGERS AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS, ALLOWING THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS INTO THE SYSTEM. AND LASTLY, WE'RE STRIVING TO CREATE A REGULAR COALITION TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION, IDENTIFY GAPS WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS TO ENHANCE OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE. UNDER THIS PILLAR, WE'RE TRACKING INDIVIDUALS WHO ENTER THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS BY SERVICE TYPE, TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED RECEIVE QUALITY CARE, SUCH AS TREATMENT, WHILE ALSO TRACKING THOSE WHO LEAVE AND ENGAGE IN THE LARGER CONTINUUM OF CARE. IN ADDITION TO THE AUF, OUR OFFICE ALSO SEES THE COMMUNITY OVERSEES THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AND REPAIR FUND, OR CRF. THE CRF REPRESENTS A FORWARD LOOKING INVESTMENT IN HARFORD COUNTY'S FUTURE BY. AS THE MARYLAND OFFICE OF SOCIAL EQUITY STATES REPAIRS THE PAST HARMS OF CANNABIS PROHIBITION BUT ALSO PROMOTES THE REVITALIZATION OF COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DISPARITIES. AS A RESULT OF THE LEGISLATION OF SORRY AS A RESULT OF THE LEGALIZATION OF RECREATIONAL CANNABIS, THE CRF WAS ESTABLISHED AND PASSED BY THIS BODY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND SHORTLY AFTER THE PASSING OF BILL 2430, OUR OFFICE GOT TO WORK DEVELOPING OUR TIMELINE AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO TELL US WHAT THEY WANTED THESE FUNDS TO BE USED FOR, AFTER WHICH WE RELEASED A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION WHICH RESULTED IN 13 AWARDEES TOTALING OVER $550,000 IN FUNDING. AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY INPUT WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE INSTRUMENTAL GIVEN THAT WE ARE HOME TO SEVERAL HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND WE STRIVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND CONSIDERATION IS TAKEN IN REGARDS TO HOW THE FUNDS SHOULD BE SPENT. BEGINNING IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE CONDUCTED SIX INPUT SESSIONS TO DISCUSS THE FUND, ITS PRIORITIES AND CONSULTATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OFFER A PREVIEW TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS. WE IDENTIFIED NINE POTENTIAL USES OF THE FUND BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS LISTED IN THE 2023 MARYLAND OFFICE OF SOCIAL EQUITY CRF SURVEY, WHICH YOU'LL SEE HERE, RANGING FROM MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND MENTORING ALL THE WAY TO PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. AND IN 2023, AS I MENTIONED, THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL EQUITY CONDUCTED A SURVEY WHICH ONLY YIELDED RESPONSES FROM 54 RESIDENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND IN ORDER TO PROMOTE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY INTEREST RELATED TO CRF, WE TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO DEVELOP A SUPPLEMENTAL SURVEY, WHICH YIELDED RESPONSES FROM 159 INDIVIDUALS. WE ALSO PUBLISHED A REPORT ON OUR FINDINGS, WHICH IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, AND OUR QUESTIONS ON THE SURVEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. WE WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. DID YOU LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY? IF SO, WHAT WAS YOUR ZIP CODE? WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOU AS IT PERTAINS TO RACE? WE WANTED TO KNOW. AGE. ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME. ARE YOU A MEMBER OF A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION? IF SO, WHICH ONE? WE WANT AN INPUT FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND NON-ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU, THEM, THE RESPONDENT OR A FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY THE CRIMINALIZATION OF CANNABIS IN THE PAST AND ASKED THEM TO EXPLAIN. AND IN REGARDS TO CRF, WE ASKED THEM TO PRIORITIZE AND RANK THE ISSUES THAT THEY FELT WERE MOST IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE FUNDS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. HERE YOU'LL SEE A SNAPSHOT OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM PRIORITIES, AS IDENTIFIED BY THE OVER 150 RESPONDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE SURVEY, AND OUR TOP THREE FUNDING PREFERENCES FROM THE COMMUNITY WERE EDUCATION AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND MENTORING. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL WHO COMPLETED THE SURVEY, AS WELL AS THE MANY ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELPED TO PUSH IT OUT AND WORK ALONGSIDE US DURING THE INITIAL PROCESS. HERE, YOU'LL SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE FRAMEWORK FUNDED AREAS AND THE AWARDED PROJECTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WERE ABLE TO REFLECT THE COMMUNITY'S DESIRED FUNDING AREAS AND AS A RESULT, HARFORD COUNTY IS UNDOUBTEDLY LEADING THIS EFFORT ACROSS THE STATE. 
          MYSELF, HAVING BEEN INVITED TO PRESENT ON VARIOUS STATE WEBINARS AND ADVISE OTHER JURISDICTIONS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THIS SENSITIVE YET IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATING THESE FUNDS. AND ONE OF OUR PROUDEST INITIATIVES THROUGH THE CRF IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE HARFORD EDUCATION AND REINVESTMENT TRUST. THIS BLOCK GRANT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CPS TO PROMOTE RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH, IN LINE WITH THE ALLOWABLE USES OF THE FUND TO EXPAND EXISTING EFFORTS OR LAUNCH NEW STRATEGIES THAT STRENGTHEN CONNECTION, OPPORTUNITY AND BELONGING AMONG OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AT THIS TIME, WE ARE WORKING WITH CPS TO UTILIZE THE FUND TO ASSIST IN THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE MENTORSHIP ALLIANCE, A FOUNDATIONAL INITIATIVE ON THE PART OF DOCTOR POINTON AND DOCTOR BOLSON. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE USING CRF FUNDS TO ADDRESS ADDITIONAL EQUITY NEEDS, SUCH AS THIS PAST SUMMER WHERE WE TEAMED UP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO PROVIDE A FREE SUMMER CAMP TO ADOLESCENTS IN EDGEWOOD, WHICH WAS A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDED A SAFE, STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN, 
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CONNECT AND THRIVE AT NO COST TO THEIR FAMILIES. AS WE CONTINUE TO FY 26 AND BEYOND, OUR OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON SEVERAL KEY PRIORITIES, INCLUDING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS, INCREASING AND IMPROVING SOCIAL EQUITY, AND UNDERSTANDING BOTH THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE USE. ADDITIONALLY, WE REMAIN INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHILE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO LET US KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SEEING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND LETTING US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER. WE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND ENHANCE OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS BEYOND EMAIL AND TABLES, AND INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY HARDER TO REACH. WE'LL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF PAST CANNABIS CRIMINALIZATION AND ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES CREATED BY CHANGING POLICIES. AND LASTLY, AS ATTITUDES AROUND SUBSTANCE USE EVOLVE, WE WILL STAY PROACTIVE, MONITORING TRENDS, ADDRESSING MISCONCEPTIONS, AND PROVIDING CLEAR, EVIDENCE BASED EDUCATION FOR ALL THAT IS GROUNDED IN TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PARTNERSHIP. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE CHALLENGES WE FACE. 
          ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY HEALING ARE COMPLEX, BUT OUR RESPONSE IS STRONGER THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. I ONDCP IS PROUD TO WORK ALONGSIDE ALL OF OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO CREATE A COUNTY WHERE PREVENTION IS PROACTIVE, TREATMENT IS ACCESSIBLE, ADDICTION IS NOT STIGMATIZED, AND WHERE WE CAN CELEBRATE ONE ANOTHER'S JOURNEYS WITHOUT JUDGMENT. OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON CONTINUED COLLABORATION ACROSS THE COUNTY AND IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND TOGETHER WE CAN CONTINUE TO INVEST IN PREVENTION, EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE, RESTORE TRUST, AND INSPIRE HOPE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THE SUBSTANCE USE AND OVERDOSE CRISIS. ON BEHALF OF ACP AND OUR TEAM, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, YOUR TIME, AND YOUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A SAFER, STRONGER AND MORE CONNECTED HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU. 
          BARBARA, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE. WELL DONE MARCUS. 
          YES, YES. SO, MARCUS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION. AND AS YOU'RE TALKING, I'M THINKING BACK TO THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU AND I MET, AND YOU HAVE GROWN JUST SO MUCH. THANK YOU. SIR. YEP. COUNCIL MISS HIM. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR NOT JUST BEING HERE TODAY, BUT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. YOU'LL BE YOU'LL BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO ISN'T AFFECTED BY ADDICTIONS. AND IRONICALLY, IN A REGULAR OCCURRENCE, A LOT OF THE RESOURCES THAT YOU LISTED OFF TODAY, I'M PROVIDING TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I AM JUST SO PROUD THAT THESE SERVICES ARE LOCATED HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. OH, HELLO. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. 
          THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE. I MEAN, WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU IN THIS ROLE. IT IS SUCH A BLESSING TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT YOU ARE THE ADVOCATE TO MAKE SURE THIS JOB IS DONE AND DONE WELL. YOU KNOW MY OWN PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE. I'M THE GROWN CHILD OF AN ADDICT AND SO THIS WORK HAPPENING MEANS A WHOLE LOT TO ME BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT WHAT IT COULD HAVE DONE FOR ME 25 YEARS AGO. YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO, BRIDGING ORGANIZATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT, AND I JUST WANTED TO PINPOINT SOMETHING FOR YOU THAT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP WITH ADDRESSING. I KNOW VOICES OF HOPE HAS COME TO US IN THE PAST AND SHARED THAT IN CECIL COUNTY, THEY GET COMMUNICATION FROM THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHENEVER THEY RESPOND TO AN OVERDOSE, SO THAT THEY CAN THEN DO FOLLOW UP OUTREACH TO THAT PERSON TO CHECK IN ON THEM TWO DAYS LATER, TEN DAYS LATER, AND SAY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? CAN WE GET YOU ANYTHING? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET, YOU KNOW, SERVICES PROVIDED TO YOU? BUT PRESENTLY IN HARFORD COUNTY, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DOESN'T PROVIDE THAT DATA TO VOICES, WHICH MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR THEM TO KNOW. IS THERE SOMEONE OUT THERE STRUGGLING OR WHO HAS AN INFECTION OR IS HUNGRY? AND SO IF YOU COULD HELP ASSIST IN IN BRIDGING THAT DIVIDE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ASSISTANCE TO VOICES, TO BE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE QUICKLY WHO RECENTLY EXPERIENCED OVERDOSE. AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND CELEBRATE ALL THE WORK THAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF WITH THE CRF FUND. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE ALL THE INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT'S BEING USED HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, THE WAY SMALL DOLLAR DONATIONS WERE ABLE TO BE DONE FOR SMALL ORGANIZATIONS MAKING BIG EFFORTS. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN GO USE $100,000. $10,000 CAN GO A LONG WAY FOR PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE WITH THAT. AND I HOPE TO SEE IN THE COMING MONTHS MAYBE SOME PHOTOS OR 
          [01:35:03]
VIDEO OR TESTIMONY OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE WITH THAT MONEY, BECAUSE IT'S WORTH CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING, AND IT'S JUST SO EXCITING TO KNOW THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME, THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE. IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY YOU'RE HOPING TO SEE IN APPLICANTS THIS YEAR? OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT THIS FIRST ROUND DIDN'T QUITE REACH, THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, TO DIVERSIFY THE WORK THAT'S DOING OR EXPAND THE WORK THAT'S DOING FOR ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING, IT MIGHT BE THINKING, HOW COULD WE USE THIS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY? ABSOLUTELY. SO NUMBER ONE IS, IS LETTING YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. I KNOW THAT'S INTIMIDATING. AS I MENTIONED DURING OUR COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS, I AM AN INDIVIDUAL WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WHO GREW UP IN A DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED AREA. SO THIS IS THIS ISN'T WORK OR ADMINISTRATING A FUND. THIS IS PERSONAL TO ME. I'M ASKING THAT ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS GET INVOLVED, ATTEND OUR COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS ON OCTOBER THE 28TH, AS WELL AS NOVEMBER THE 19TH. ALSO COMPLETE OUR 2026 CRF SURVEY. BUT AS IN REGARDS TO APPLICANTS, ONE THING THAT WE NOTICED DURING THE INITIAL ROUND WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INTIMIDATED BY THE APPLICATION PROCESS. ONE THING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE MEANTIME, WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL, YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR RICHARDSON, FOR PUSHING THIS MATTER FORWARD, IS WE ARE INFORMING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON HOW TO WRITE GRANTS. GRANTS CAN BE VERY INTIMIDATING PROCESS ON OUR WEBSITE. IT'S AT HERTFORD COUNTY HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICES UNDER THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES TAB. WE ACTUALLY HAVE RECORDED GRANT TRAINING WEBINARS THAT WERE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONSULTANT, ENTIRELY FREE, ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE POTENTIAL APPLICANTS TO REVIEW OR REVIEW THOSE VIDEOS, TAKE PART IN OUR COMMUNITY INPUT. ALSO, REACH OUT TO US WITH ANY QUESTIONS, BUT DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR FEARFUL. I DO WANT TO GIVE A GREAT SHOUT OUT TO PATRICK DICKERSON, WHO'S SITTING BEHIND ME TOO. ONE THING THAT WE WE INSTITUTED AS WELL THIS YEAR IS WE PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO ALL OF OUR APPLICANTS, BOTH THOSE AWARDED AND NOT AWARDED, TO KNOW WHAT WORKED IN YOUR APPLICATION AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK. SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, I MAKE IT VERY WELL KNOWN THESE ARE NOT HERTFORD COUNTY TAX DOLLARS. UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO A DISPENSARY, THEN THOSE ARE YOUR TAX DOLLARS IN REGARDS TO CRF. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THOSE FUNDS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY. SO ATTEND OUR PUBLIC INPUT. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE FOR SUPPORT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE WHAT IS PRODUCED ON THE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COULD YOU EMAIL US THE DIRECT LINK FOR THOSE GRANT WRITING WEBINARS? IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO ADD THAT TO OUR OUR NEWSLETTERS, THAT WE SEND OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE THAT AT ONE CLICK. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT OUT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL. MISS ROBERT, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE WERE WORKING IN CECIL COUNTY WHEN VOICES OF HOPE OPENED UP UP THERE. SO I'VE KNOWN MARCUS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I JUST WANTED TO. I HAD A CLARIFICATION QUESTION. THE GRANTS AWARDED. DID YOU SAY IT'S A THREE YEAR UNDER THE AWF? THEY ARE MULTI-YEAR GRANTS. THAT WAS ACTUALLY A RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME THROUGH THROUGH THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL. OKAY. SO WE WANTED WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S HARD TO EXECUTE AND PLAN A PROJECT IN ONE YEAR. SO THE AWF, GIVEN THE THE THE IMMEASURABLE IMPACT THAT THEY CAN HAVE, THOSE ARE MULTI-YEAR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. OUR CRF ARE ONE YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALLER DOLLAR AMOUNTS, BUT WE ALSO TEND TO PROVIDE HEAVIER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON THOSE REGARDS BECAUSE WE ARE SOLICITING APPLICATIONS FROM TYPICALLY SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T APPLY FOR OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY GOTTEN COUNTY FUNDS OR GOVERNMENT FUNDS. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I CONCUR WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BENNETT ABOUT THE MONEY IS NEEDED. THERE'S LOTS GOING ON WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE. YOU KNOW, ME AS A THERAPIST I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS. SO YOU HAVE THE MENTAL HEALTH AND THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE. AND A LOT OF IT IS STARTING AT A YOUNGER AGE WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DEPRESSED OR, OR ANXIOUS AND FINDING OTHER WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, MASK THAT. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. AND I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME NUMBERS ON HOW EVERYTHING'S BECOMING SUCCESSFUL. I AGREE, COUNCILMAN, AS I'VE TOLD MY TEAM VERY FREQUENTLY, TRAUMA IS THE GATEWAY TO ADDICTION. SO EXACTLY. THANK YOU, MR. MARCUS. YOU AND YOUR STAFF PUT THIS TOGETHER. IT'S PHENOMENAL. BUT I'D LOVE TO OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN HERE. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU ALL THE QUESTIONS, BUT I SEE SOME STUFF ON HERE ON HERTFORD. POTENTIAL USES USES. BUT NOT ALL OF THESE WERE ENGAGED. IS THAT WHAT I'M GATHERING WHEN I GO THROUGH THIS? ABSOLUTELY. WE SOLICITED BASED OR DURING THE EVALUATION PROCESS. WE CONSIDERED THE PUBLIC INPUT AS WE SCREENED APPLICATIONS. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AFTER EVALUATION AND WHAT WAS AWARDED MIRRORED WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED. ONE THING I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS A NEW LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN PASSED. IT'S BEEN ADOPTED. IT'S BEEN THE STATUTES GUIDANCE. BUT IT WAS SENATE BILL 894. SO WE'RE UTILIZING THAT NEWER GUIDANCE AS IT PERTAINS TO ALLOWABLE USES UNDER THE FUND AND WILL BE COVERING THAT DURING OUR COMMUNITY INPUT AS WELL. SO MY UNDERSTANDING THEN IS THIS 
          [01:40:01]
HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE MONEY IS THAT A IS THAT EACH YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, OR IS THAT THE TOTAL FOR THREE YEARS? NO, SIR. 
          UNDER THE CRF, IT IS A ONE YEAR FUNDED PROGRAM STARTING JULY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH. OKAY. SO THEN THEN WILL THESE BE REEVALUATED EACH YEAR? DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS MIGHT GET THE MONEY. THEN EVERY YEAR WE'LL CONTINUE TO SOLICIT ADDITIONAL PROPOSALS. ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH UNDER THE CRF AND CRF IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AWARDED PROJECTS ARE NEW OR EXPANDING INITIATIVES. THAT KEEPS US IN THE CLEAR AS IT PERTAINS TO THE LEGISLATION AND THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS. SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING OUR APPLICANTS OR POTENTIAL APPLICANTS TO CONTINUE TO FIND NEW OR INNOVATIVE OR EXPANDING IDEAS AS TO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING ON. BUT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE ALSO ENCOURAGE INTERESTED APPLICANTS TO APPLY, SUCH AS GRANT AID AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH OUR LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARD. OKAY. YEAH. JUST OKAY. AND IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THE 554,825, IS IT GOING TO BE THE SAME AMOUNT NEXT. DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE UNTIL OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. SO ONE THING ONE QUESTION COMES UP IS WHEN WILL ALL BE RELEASING. WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR INCREDIBLE HEALTH OFFICER, LAUREN LEVY, AND THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE OPIOID RESTITUTION FUND, THAT WE'RE MIRRORING THE BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT'S NEEDED IN COUNTY. DURING THE FIRST PROCESS THROUGH ORF AND CRF, WE CAST A VERY WIDE NET TO SAY, GIVE US YOUR BEST PROPOSALS AND IDEAS BASED ON THE INPUT WE RECEIVED, BUT THOSE WILL BE MULTI-YEAR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. I ANTICIPATE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. BUT OF COURSE WE NEED A LOT OF INPUT ON THAT. CRF WILL, AS I MENTIONED, WILL RUN JUST A YEAR LONG GRANT MORE SMALLER CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS. DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ALL NIGHT LONG? ALL THE TIME? AS I MENTIONED, COUNCILMAN, THIS ISN'T WORK. THIS IS PERSONAL. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANYONE ELSE? BARBARA MARCUS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          WE APPRECIATE YOUR ENTIRE TEAM AND ALL THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, WE ARE. WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE MARCUS AND WE NEED TO KEEP HIM HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. SO WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER POSSIBLE TO KEEP HIM HERE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS MARCUS. SO THANKS. THANK YOU. AGENDA 
          [7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NUMBER SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE BOARD OF HEALTH UPDATE FALL MINUTES HAVE NOT BEEN SENT TO US YET. SO WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT. 
          JUST VOTE ON THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM OCTOBER 14TH, 2025. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 20 5-0 26TH OCTOBER 14TH, 2025. SO ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO 
          [8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
CORRECTIONS? MINUTES STAND APPROVED. MR. JAN, PLEASE READ RESOLUTION ZERO 3525 AND ZERO 3725. EXCUSE ME THROUGH ZERO 3725 INTO THE RECORD, PLEASE. RESOLUTION ZERO 35 DASH 25 ENTERPRISE ZONE MERCEDES AS INTRODUCED. INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A REAL PROPERTY TAX CREDIT AGAINST THE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX IMPOSED ON THE ELIGIBLE ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTY IN THE GREATER ABERDEEN HAVRE DE GRACE ENTERPRISE ZONE, KNOWN AS ONE MERCEDES DRIVE, BELCAMP, MARYLAND 21017. LOT LIBER 16611. FOLIO 00250, MAT 0058. PARCEL 0537, LOT ONE PLAT REFERENCE 4654. TAX ID NUMBER ZERO ONE. DASH 0122142. PRESENTLY OWNED BY WM AND GREAT INGREDION INCORPORATED. RESOLUTION ZERO 3625 FIVE ENTERPRISE ZONE 1301 GOVERNOR COURT AS INTRODUCED. INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A REAL PROPERTY TAX CREDIT AGAINST THE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX IMPOSED ON THE ELIGIBLE ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTY IN THE EDGEWOOD JOPPA ENTERPRISE ZONE, KNOWN AS 1301 GOVERNOR COURT. ABINGDON, MARYLAND. 21009 LIBER 010497. 
          FOLIO 00353 MATT 062. PARCEL 0766. LOT SEVEN PLAT REFERENCE 58 DASH 28 TAX ID 01196324. 
          PRESENTLY OWNED BY PACA, LLC. RESOLUTION ZERO 3725 ENTERPRISE ZONE 1621 ROCK ROAD, CLARK ROAD AS INTRODUCED. INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, THE REQUESTED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A REAL PROPERTY TAX CREDIT AGAINST THE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX IMPOSED ON THE ELIGIBLE ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTY IN THE GREATER ABERDEEN HAVRE DE GRACE 
          [01:45:03]
ENTERPRISE ZONE, KNOWN AS 1621 CLARK ROAD, HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND. 21078 LIBER 16736. 
          FOLIO 00271. MAP 0606. PARCEL 0113. LOT TWO PLAT REFERENCE TWO 1496. TAX ID NUMBER 06401809. PRESENTLY OWNED BY SR MARYLAND. HARFORD 1621 LLC. PARENT COMPANY. SAGARD REAL ESTATE. PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025 AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. AGENDA NINE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS WE HAVE NONE TEN. 
          [11.  CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS]
INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NONE 11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS BILL 25 009, CHAPTER 268 OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CODE, SECTION TWO 6821. A FINAL PLAT. ARTICLE FIVE. MISS, MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL NUMBER 25 009. I HAVE A SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. GIRINDRAWARDHANA. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 25 009. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT. HI MRS. EMHOFF I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE BILL 20 5-009 IS HEREBY APPROVED BILL 25 ZERO TEN POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOVED TO APPROVE BILL 20 5-010. HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. O'REILLY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 20 5-0 TEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MRS. EMHOFF HI MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE BILL 20 5-0 TEN IS HEREBY APPROVED 12 ENROLLMENT 
          [12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS]
OF BILLS. BILL 2509. BILL 25 OH TEN ARE CERTIFIED AS A TEXT FINALLY PASSED 13 UNFINISHED 
          [14. NEW BUSINESS ]
BUSINESS. WE HAVE NONE 14 NEW BUSINESS COUNTY AUDITOR REQUEST ANNUAL AUDIT EXTENSION. MISS BROOKS. GOOD EVENING. SO I AM HERE THIS EVENING. I DO THIS EVERY YEAR WITH YOU ALL TO TALK ABOUT THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDITS. THE COUNTY CHARTER REQUIRES THAT AN AUDIT BE COMPLETED EVERY YEAR BY OCTOBER 31ST FOR THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR. AND IN MOST YEARS, I COME BEFORE YOU ALL AND ASK FOR AN EXTENSION TO DECEMBER 31ST FOR THE SMALL AGENCIES THAT THE COUNTY FUNDS THAT DON'T GET THEIR AUDITS DONE BY OCTOBER 31ST. THOSE ARE THE HUMANE SOCIETY, ARC, THE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES, AND THE VOLUNTEER FIRE AND EMS ASSOCIATION. I ALSO ASK FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM AUDIT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND EXTENSION SERVICES BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF STATE AGENCIES. THIS YEAR'S REQUEST IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE COUNTY IS ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION RELATED TO THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. NORMALLY IT'S DONE IN PLENTY OF TIME, BUT THIS YEAR THERE WERE A FEW HICCUPS RELATED TO ONE OF THE COMPONENT UNITS BECAUSE THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDE THE HARFORD CENTER, THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE LIBRARIES AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. ALL OF THEIR AUDITS HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE COUNTY'S CAN BE FINALIZED THIS YEAR. 
          THERE'S SOME CHANCE THAT IT WON'T GET DONE BY OCTOBER 31ST. WE EXPECT IT PRETTY SOON AROUND THERE, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IN CASE IT'S LATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED AN EXTENSION, SO YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE MY EXTENSION AND EXEMPTION REQUEST, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL SUPPORT IT. AND OF COURSE, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          COUNCIL. ANYONE HAVE ANY? MISS EMHOFF, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE DELAY WAS FOR THIS YEAR? YEAH, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM GOT A NEW FINANCIAL REPORTING SYSTEM THIS YEAR, AND SO IS THEY'RE PULLING TOGETHER THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN THIS NEW SYSTEM FOR THE FIRST TIME. 
          IT'S A COUPLE OF BUGS TO WORK OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NUMBERS ARE CORRECT AND ACCURATE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY'VE GOT PRETTY CLOSE. THEY'RE AT A FINAL DRAFT. I THINK THEY'RE THE AUDITORS HAVE IT FOR THEM TO FINALIZE. BUT OF COURSE, IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES COMING OUT OF THAT, THEN THOSE CHANGES HAVE TO ALSO FLOW INTO THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND THOSE HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY'S AUDITORS AGAIN FOR ANOTHER REVIEW. SO THAT'S WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AUDIT EXTENSION REQUEST. HAVE A 
          [01:50:01]
SECOND. SECOND. MR. RILEY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE REQUEST. I THINK WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE DISCUSSION PHASE, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT. HI, MRS. ROBERT. 
          HI, MRS. EMHOFF. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. WILSON. HI, MR. BENNET, I I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO IN THE NEGATIVE. THE EXTENSION REQUEST IS HEREBY APPROVED. THANK YOU. CRYSTAL. BE RULES OF PROCEDURE. THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, THESE RULES AND DRAFTS ARE DONE BY MISS ALLEGY TO UPDATE OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN CIRCULATED THROUGH THE COUNCIL, AND THEY WILL COME UP FOR A VOTE AT OUR NEXT MEETING. SO JUST WANTED TO HAVE IT ON THE RECORD, MR. BENNETT. MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO STATE ON THE RECORD THAT I STILL FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER AS A COUNCIL POSSIBLY ADJUSTING UNDER SECTION I NUMBER THREE, WHERE IT SAYS THAT ANY PERSON DESIRING TO SPEAK DURING A PUBLIC HEARING SHALL THEN STATE INTO THE RECORD THEIR NAME, HOME ADDRESS, PERSONS OR ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED, AND WHETHER SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE SUBJECT MATTER, SPECIFICALLY THE PORTION ABOUT HOME ADDRESS, I THINK IT'S REASONABLE FOR EVERYONE TO SUBMIT THEIR HOME ADDRESS IN WRITTEN FORM. BUT FOR THOSE WHO MAY NEED PERSONAL PROTECTION TO NOT HAVE THEIR HOME ADDRESS REVEALED TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS THOSE WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF SPOUSAL ABUSE OR WHO HAVE A PROTECTIVE ORDER AGAINST SOMEBODY IN THEIR LIFE. I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO ASK FOR A WRITTEN FORM OF HOME ADDRESS, AND FOR ZIP CODE TO BE SPOKEN INTO THE RECORD, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER AND DISCUSS BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THIS IS VOTED UPON. I THINK IT'S PROPER TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING, AND I'M SURE OTHERS WILL WEIGH IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO 17 COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM 
          [16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
ATTENDING CITIZENS. THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. VERY GOOD. 16 BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND. MR. BENNETT, I THINK. I'M DOING EVERYTHING TONIGHT. I WANT TO FIRST SHARE MY CONDOLENCES TO MARY HASSLER AND HER FAMILY FOR ALL THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY ARE SUCH A CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE IN EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS RIGHT NOW. I DO WANT TO CELEBRATE THAT. THE HARTFORD AWARDS TOOK PLACE THIS PAST WEEK, AND THAT RIGHT NOW IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BUSINESS APPRECIATION WEEK. IT'S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING GOOD THINGS AND THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HELP SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. ONE WAY YOU CAN DO THAT IS COMING TO THE GRAND REOPENING AND FALL FESTIVAL, TAKING PLACE IN HAVRE DE GRACE THIS SATURDAY, AND CELEBRATION OF THE DOWNTOWN RESTORATION PROJECT. THERE'S GOING TO BE A RIBBON CUTTING AT 1230, WITH THE FALL FESTIVAL RUNNING FROM 1 TO 5, AND IT WILL BE ON NORTH WASHINGTON STREET WITH A PETTING ZOO. PUMPKIN PAINTING TREATS. IT SHOULD BE A LOT OF FUN JUST TO COME DOWN TO HAVERTY GRACE AND ENJOY THE NEW SIDEWALKS THAT ARE NO LONGER RICKETY AND BUMPY WHEN YOU TRY AND TAKE A STROLLER DOWN THEM. THAT'S ALL. I HAVE THIS, MR. PRESIDENT. 
          THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS ROBERT, GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO MENTION ONE MAJOR EVENT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY REGARDING THE DAVE'S COVE PERMIT. THEY DID VOTE ON THAT RESOLUTION. HOWEVER, THEY ARE STILL ASKING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, WHICH CLOSES TOMORROW, OCTOBER 22ND. AND YOU CAN SEND EMAILS TO MR. PAUL PAVLINKA IF YOU NEED THAT INFORMATION, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AND I CAN PROVIDE YOU THAT CONTACT. BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AFFECTS HARFORD COUNTY'S WATERWAYS AS WELL, WITH THE DISCHARGE THAT'S GOING INTO THE GUNPOWDER RIVER IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, WHEN WEATHER HITS, IT TURNS AROUND, SPINS IT UP, AND IT ENDS UP INTO OUR WATERWAYS AS WELL. SO THAT IS WHY I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT SPECIFIC PERMIT. SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS. JUST WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH IS THE SECOND ANNUAL HBCU COLLEGE FAIR FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS, AND THAT'S AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL FROM 6 TO 8. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31ST. THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OVER IN EDGEWOOD IS HAVING THEIR TRUNK OR TREAT, AND THAT'S FROM SEVEN 5 TO 7 P.M. AND SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND IS THE FINAL FARMERS MARKET THAT WE ARE HAVING IN EDGEWOOD. AND HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE A LOT MORE IF WE CAN GET THAT FUNDING. AND THEN MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD WILL BE OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD 
          [01:55:03]
MEETING AT THE EDGEWOOD, JOPPA JOPPATOWNE SOUTHERN PRECINCT AT 630. AND THAT IS IT FOR ME FOR THE EVENING. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. MISS IMHOF, GOOD EVENING. I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO START BY WELCOMING TO DISTRICT B INSPIRE CONFIDENCE GROUP, WHICH HAD THEIR GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY ON OCTOBER 16TH, AND DIVINE SWEETS AND GIFTS GIFTS, WHICH HAD THEIR GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY ON OCTOBER 17TH. ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 20TH, I WAS HONORED TO ATTEND THE 117 29TH SUPPORT MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEPLOYMENT CEREMONY AND FAREWELL ON APG. THIS CEREMONY HONORED QUITE A FEW OF OUR NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY BEING DEPLOYED TO THE BORDERS AND WILL LIKELY BE DEPLOYED FOR THE NEXT YEAR. AND THIS WAS A CEREMONY THAT WAS ABLE TO HONOR THEIR WORK, THEIR DEDICATION AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR APG AND THEIR CREW FOR INVITING US THIS PAST WEEKEND, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE LEDOUX GARDEN CLUB. IT EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. SO FOR ANYONE WHO IS CONSIDERING IT, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET YOUR ANNUAL PASSES TO LEDOUX GARDEN SO THAT YOU CAN GET THE EARLY TICKETS FOR NEXT YEAR. I ALSO WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT SOME UPCOMING EVENTS THIS COMING SUNDAY. THE FREEMASONS AND THE SHRINERS OF THE TEMPLE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING THEIR ANNUAL TRUNK OR TREAT IN A HAUNTED HOUSE THIS COMING MONDAY. HARFORD COUNTY COMMISSION FOR WOMEN IS HOLDING A FREE PERSONAL SAFETY FOR WOMEN'S CLASS AT THE MCFALL SENIOR CENTER AND ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, FROM 4 TO 8 P.M. THE HARFORD COUNTY EQUESTRIAN CENTER IS HAVING THE HARFORD COUNTY FARM FAIR FALL FEST, WHICH WILL INCLUDE LIVE MUSIC, FOOD, HAY RIDES, COSTUME CONTESTS, COSTUME CONTESTS AND TRICK OR TREATING AND MORE. AND ALSO JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS COMING THURSDAY IS THE LAST FALL AND FIRE HALL FOOD TRUCK THURSDAY OF THE YEAR. AND THEN, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE FALLSTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING IS ON WEDNESDAY 29TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE AT THE CHENOWETH CENTER IN FALLSTON. THANK YOU MISS, I APOLOGIZE OCTOBER 29TH AT 630. MY BAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JANARDHANA. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I ALSO WANT TO CONDOLENCES TO MARY AND HEATHER HASSLER. I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HEATHER WELL OVER THE LAST PROBABLY TWO YEARS. SHE SHE WORKS WITH US. SO VERY DEVASTATING AND TRYING TO HELP THEM ANY WHICH WAY I CAN. SO DEEPEST SYMPATHIES FOR THAT. SO I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK. SO KLEIN SHOPRITE 100 YEARS. I REMEMBER WHEN THEY SWITCHED TO SHOPRITE, IT WAS REAL FAMILIAR WITH SHOPRITE BEING FROM NORTH JERSEY YEARS AGO, AND I WAS HOPING IT WAS STILL KLEIN. SO THANKFULLY, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU ONLY SEE THE LITTLE KLEIN'S UNDERNEATH THAT, THEY'RE BIG PART OF THE COMMUNITY. THEY DONATE BACK TO, YOU KNOW, CHARITIES ALL THE TIME AND GREAT PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I WISH THEM 100 YEARS OF GREAT SUCCESS GOING FORWARD AS WELL. BRIAN MICHAELS, WE WENT OUT STATE FARM INSURANCE. HE'S BEEN THERE 25 YEARS. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIAN. EVEN THOUGH HE'S MY COMPETITOR, I WAS GLAD TO GO AND SUPPORT HIM. AND TODAY WE WERE AT SAVONA AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY'VE BEEN THERE 20 YEARS. I THOUGHT THEY'VE BEEN THERE LONGER, BUT SHE'S FROM LONG ISLAND, LONG ISLAND, AND IF YOU EVER WENT TO AN ITALIAN DELI OUT IN LONG ISLAND, IT'S IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT SAVONA IS LIKE. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FREE SMELLS. SO WHEN YOU GO IN THERE, EVERYTHING SMELLS SO GREAT. YOU WANT TO BUY EVERYTHING. AND SO IT'S A GOOD THING I BOUGHT SOME ITALIAN CHEESE THAT NOBODY REALLY HAS. 
          AND SHE HAD IT. SO I WAS REALLY EXCITED. THEN IT WAS OFF TO THE GREEK VILLAGE. THEY'VE BEEN THERE 30 YEARS, SO MORE SMELLS. SO YOU KNOW EVERY PLACE IS SMELL, SMELL, SMELLS. I'M DOWN 60 POUNDS AND I'M TRYING NOT TO EAT, SO IT'S REALLY TOUGH. FINALLY ANCHOR MECHANICAL. 
          THEY'VE BEEN IN THEIR NEW FACILITY OUT IN FOREST HILL FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. THEY EMPLOY ABOUT 180 PEOPLE UP THERE AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM. THEY WERE IN FOREST HILL. THEY WANTED TO STAY IN FOREST HILL. IT'S A GREAT LOCATION. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO MARK AND GABE ON THAT. AND ALSO DID THE HARTFORD AWARDS LAST NIGHT. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO MY BIG SISTER FOR FULLER AND ASSOCIATES. SHE WON AN AWARD YESTERDAY, AND MY ONLY PROBLEM WAS I DIDN'T GET TO GIVE IT TO HER. SO I WISH I WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING ON THAT. UPCOMING EVENTS. THE TOWN OF BEL AIR MUNICIPAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 4TH. POLLS OPEN AT 7:00, CLOSE AT EIGHT AT TOWN HALL, AND THEN THE VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH AT BEL AIR ARMORY FROM 10 A.M. TO 1 P.M. AND FINALLY, I'M I'M THANKFUL TO THE ADMINISTRATION, MYSELF AND COUNCILWOMAN ROBERT OVER THERE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE HARTFORD CENTER AND THEIR ELEVATOR TO TRY TO GET 
          [02:00:01]
THAT FIXED. I HAD A MEETING WITH THEM OUT IN JULY AND FOUND OUT THEIR ELEVATOR WASN'T WORKING, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING AND TRYING TO GET THAT RESOLVED. AND I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT IT RESOLVED. THEY'RE GETTING A CIRCUIT BOARD SO THE ELEVATOR CAN BE UP AND RUNNING. SO THEY ALSO GOT NEW LIGHTS. SO VERY THANKFUL FOR ANY ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM. AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE STUFF THAT WE DO OR THE COLLABORATION THAT WE WORK WITH, WITH EACH OTHER TO TRY TO GET THINGS DONE. SO BOTH YOLANDA MYSELF WERE VERY ADAMANT ABOUT TRYING TO GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF. SO I DO WANT TO THANK HER AS WELL. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. MR. MR. RILEY, YES, MY CONDOLENCES ALSO TO MARY. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE ALSO. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK. WE WENT TO FIVE LOCATIONS SMITH HARDWARE, KING DODGE, JERSEYVILLE BUILDERS, PETERS TRUCK EQUIPMENT AND ANCHOR MECHANICAL. AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME SMELLS THAT TONY HAD. BUT I DO WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW YOU'RE NOT ITALIAN. WHAT CAN I TELL YOU? I AM ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IS HER BIRTHDAY TODAY. SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE, PLEASE. CONGRATULATE HER ON 35 YEARS OF. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. NO HAPPY BIRTHDAY. GOOD EVENING. THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, FROM 10 TO 2, YOU CAN DROP OFF UNWANTED, UNUSED OR EXPIRED MEDICATIONS AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FACEBOOK PAGE. 
          TOMORROW IS THE GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE EARLY CENTER'S NEW INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE HARTFORD COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FROM YOUTH TO REPRESENT EACH DISTRICT. YOU CAN APPLY ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE OR CONTACT MY OFFICE FOR HELP. AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS TO MYLA ON HER WEDDING THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND. SO WISHING YOU A BEAUTIFUL DAY. 
          THANK YOU. SO MANY THOUGHTS. ARE YOU THINKING POOR MIKE? YES I AM. I AM. AGENDA 15 BUSINESS 
          [15. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT  ]
FROM THE PRESIDENT I TO ATTENDED THE GARDEN GLOW ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN RILEY WAS THERE AS WELL. AND I AGREE WITH MISS IMHOFF. IT'S ABSOLUTELY A MUST DO IF YOU LIKE HALLOWEEN PUMPKINS. THE FALL ATMOSPHERE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE PLACE TO GO. BUT BE PREPARED FOR LONG LINES AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE. BUT IT'S A GREAT EVENT, GREAT FUNDRAISER FOR THEM. ALSO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE MARYLAND FIVE STAR ON SUNDAY WHEN I THANK COUNTY EXECUTIVE ADAM STRAIGHT AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT AL MILLER FOR THE INVITE. WHAT AN OUTSTANDING EVENT AND TO THINK THAT THERE'S ONLY THREE OF THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY AND TWO. 
          TWO OVERSEAS, CORRECT. 97 IN THE WORLD. OKAY. SEVEN IN THE WORLD. BUT IT'S JUST AMAZING. 
          IT REALLY IS. AND PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD COME TO THIS EVENT. AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ESTIMATING CONSERVATIVELY, 35 TO 38,000 PEOPLE OVER THE FOUR DAYS. IF YOU'VE NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO IT. ALSO, WE ATTENDED THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN EXCELLENCE OR EDUCATION AND EXCELLENCE AWARDS. IT IS ANOTHER GREAT ORGANIZATION. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT DEB MORLOCK AND THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT SHE DOES TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS THE MUCH NEEDED TOOLS THAT THEY NEED, AND THE RECIPIENTS OF THEIR AWARDS THIS YEAR WERE TERRY TROY. AS YOU ALL KNOW, JUST OUTSTANDING LADY, WARREN HAMILTON. HE HAS SERVED ON OUR BOARD OF ESTIMATES HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR DECADES AND INVOLVED VERY, VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH THAT ORGANIZATION. 
          AND JENNIFER GASDIA, WHO I DON'T REALLY KNOW, BUT I KNOW HER FAMILY AND SHE'S A TEACHER HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THEM. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE HARFORD AWARDS LAST NIGHT. AMONG THE MANY THAT WE SEE THAT ARE RECOGNIZED, ASHLEY ADDICTION WAS ONE, HOPKINS FARM BREWERY WAS ANOTHER. AND THEN HARFORD BANK, I MEAN, JUST AN OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY BANK. CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEM. THIS MORNING WE ATTENDED THE HARTFORD BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE FOR EDUCATION, AND THEN ALSO WE MADE A STOP TO A COUPLE 
          [02:05:01]
BUSINESSES TODAY, ONE BEING KEENE DODGE AND DAVE ADAMS IS A CLOSE FRIEND, SO I WAS HONORED TO STOP AND VISIT WITH HIM. SO JEANNIE AND I ALSO WANT TO WISH OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES OR EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO MARY HASSLER AND HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS OVER THAT DEVASTATING LOSS. SO WE ASK THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM IN
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.