Jan 06, 2026 County Council

[a. Bill 25-018 (Supplemental Appropriation Harford Center and Citizens Care) ]

[00:00:08]

THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 25 ZERO 18, SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION, HARVARD CENTER AND CITIZENS CARE. MR. SANDALS, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SIR. BOB HARFORD, COUNTY TREASURER. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, BRINGING FORTH A REQUEST TO MAKE A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $215,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET TO FUND REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT OF OF ELEVATORS AT BOTH CITIZEN CARE AND THE HARFORD CENTER. MOST OF THIS EXPENSE IS RELATED TO THE CITIZENS CARE CENTER ELEVATOR. WHICH IS 200,000 OF THAT 215,000, AND THE TOTAL COST OF THAT PROJECT IS 400,000, WITH CITIZEN CARE SUPPORTING IT.

PAYING HALF OF IT. PAYING $200,000 IN THE COUNTY. PAYING FOR THE THE BALANCE ON THE HARFORD. ON THE HARFORD CENTER SIDE. IT'S $15,000. AND THAT WAS MORE OR LESS FOR SOME EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THEIR ELEVATOR. WE WILL HAVE A FUTURE PROJECT PROBABLY COMING UP IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR WHERE WE'LL BE USING SOME GRANT DOLLARS, SOME COMMUNITY BLOCK DEVELOPMENT GRANT DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. BUT THIS WAS THEN JUST FOR SOME OF THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS. THANK YOU ROBBIE. APPRECIATE THAT. AND I KNOW THAT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE WORKED WITH YOU TO HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD. AND I GUESS I'LL START PROBABLY WITH MR. BENNETT AS A LIAISON. HELLO. I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO SERVE ON THE BOARDS OF BOTH OF THESE PLACES. CITIZENS CARE IN THE HARFORD CENTER. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT WORK, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, BUT ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR CONSISTENT SUPPORT OF THE TAKING CARE OF THE FACILITIES OF CITIZENS CARE AND THE HARFORD CENTER FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS IS A BEEN A BRIGHT SPOT IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT THIS WORK IS GETTING DONE. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. GINGER. THANKS. I ALSO WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMAN BENNETT'S REMARKS REGARDING HARFORD CENTER. I WENT OUT AND VISITED THEM, AND THEY DID TELL ME THEY HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE ELEVATOR, AND I CALLED AROUND AND SPOKE TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND AND THANKFULLY, WE WE GOT IT WORKED OUT WHERE YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO GET WHATEVER PART THEY NEEDED, ALTHOUGH IT WAS EXPENSIVE TO GET THE ELEVATOR WORKING. I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THAT SHOWS THAT HARFORD COUNTY REALLY CARES, YOU KNOW, ABOUT CITIZENS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO OUT THERE. SO IT'S REALLY APPRECIATIVE. YEAH, THEY WERE BOTH SOME OLDER ELEVATORS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE ONE AT CITIZEN CARE MAY BE ONE OF THE OLDER ELEVATORS IN OPERATION IN THE STATE, AND THE ONE AT HARFORD CENTER WAS KIND OF A PROPRIETARY SYSTEM. WE HAD TO TRANSFER IT TO A CORRECT TO A NON PROPRIETARY SYSTEM. WELL, AT LEAST AT LEAST WE GOT IT UP AND RUNNING. AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME STUFF IN THE BUDGET FOR REPLACEMENT BUT AT LEAST FOR THIS POINT. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU MR. ROBERT. YES. I JUST WANT TO ECHO MY FELLOW COUNCILMAN, THAT WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS GOING ON. AND EVERYONE WORKED TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO GET THINGS DONE AND FIXED. SO THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL, MISS IMHOFF? I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS. NOT JUST AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT AS A FAMILY MEMBER. MY SISTER IS A CLIENT OF HARFORD CENTER AND HAS MOBILITY ISSUES AND WILL BE USING THIS ELEVATOR MOVING FORWARD. SO IT'S JUST COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT OUR COUNTY IS DEDICATING THOSE FUNDS TO THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. THANK YOU. AND I NOTICED THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM BOTH ORGANIZATIONS. ANY COMMENTS AT ALL? JUST THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR. THEIR GENEROSITY, THEIR COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING ELEVATORS. I CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK FOR THE HARFORD CENTER. I'M SURE YOU CAN ALSO ECHO WE BOTH SERVE INDIVIDUALS WITH AMBULATION ISSUES. I SERVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THE ELDERLY, ETCETERA, AND IT IS A CRITICAL SERVICE. WE NEED TO MOVE PEOPLE BETWEEN FLOORS. PEOPLE NEED INDEPENDENCE AND THIS APPROPRIATION WILL MAKE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE TO NONPROFITS WHERE THESE AMOUNTS OF MONEY ARE STRAINS ON AN ALREADY STRAINED BUDGET. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN FOR COMING AND VISITING AND YOUR ADVOCACY. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN ROBERT, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. AND AND, COUNCILWOMAN IMHOFF, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TRUSTING A FAMILY MEMBER, HARFORD CENTER.

SO THANK YOU ALL, SIR. SHERRY SAID, I'LL ECHO THAT AS WELL. WE APPRECIATE THE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT WE HAVE WITH THE COUNCIL, AND MANY OF YOU WERE AT OUR RECENT EXPANSION AND RENOVATION BACK IN THE FALL, AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US KICK OFF THE CONVERSATION, BECAUSE THE ELEVATOR YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT IS FROM 1967 AND HAS HAD SOME REPAIRS. BUT I WILL SAY, OTHER

[00:05:01]

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]

MBOA. THESE AWARDS ARE DESIGNATED TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION, ACTIVELY PROMOTE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION, AND OFFER VALUABLE SUPPORT TO COLLEAGUES THROUGHOUT MARYLAND AND BEYOND. AND WHEREAS, THE MBOS PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROMOTE PROFESSIONALISM AND IMPROVE THE STANDARDS OF BUILDING CODE COMPLIANCE PRACTICES IN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THE SIXTH DAY OF JANUARY 2026, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE EMILY DICKEY, MARYLAND BUILDING OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, 2025 PERMIT TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR, HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS, LICENSE AND PERMITS AND EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR CONTINUED SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES OF HARFORD COUNTY. YAY! SO, AMY, MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOU, BUT WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU, AS YOU KNOW, REALLY PLEASED THAT YOU'RE WORKING IN PERMITS OFFICE WITH OUR CITIZENS EACH AND EVERY DAY, COMING IN AND FILING FOR DIFFERENT PERMITS.

IN TALKING WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, THEY ALL SPEAK VERY HIGHLY OF YOU AND GLAD YOU'RE THERE AND SAY YOU HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE THERE, WHICH DOES NOT SURPRISE ME AT ALL. SO WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PRESENT YOU WITH THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES. CONGRATULATIONS.

AND THANK YOU. COME IN HERE. IS THAT GOOD? YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. I'M DEAD. WE'RE. MAYBE YOU NEEDED A PLAID SPORT COAT. PERFECT. PRETTY GOOD. HAVE YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? JUST THANK YOU. ONE SECOND. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. ESPECIALLY TO MY COWORKERS WHO NOMINATED ME FOR THIS AWARD. THANK YOU, DEBBIE AND HEATHER. THANK YOU ALL.

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

[00:10:08]

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING? I. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE MOVE TO APPOINT MITCHELL HOPKINS AND DAVID DOUGHERTY TO THE AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AND THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF MEGAN MCMILLAN, JACQUELINE TROUT SMITHSON, AND WILLIAM AMOS. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE OR TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE AG AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. GIORDANO? SO I KNOW MR. AMOS IS IN THE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE TONIGHT, AND I KNOW HE WAS A BIG PART OF HELPING US REEVALUATE LAND PRESERVATION BEFORE. SO I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT HE'S STILL STICKING AROUND AND STILL HELPING. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. HIS KNOWLEDGE IS UNBELIEVABLE AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD SOME OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE BEFORE WHO QUESTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING, HE REALLY WAS QUITE GOOD IN EXPLAINING THINGS. AND WE'VE REVAMPED IT AND I THINK IT'S A FABULOUS PROGRAM. SO I'M GLAD THAT HE'S ON THE BOARD. SO I WANT TO THANK HIM, THANK YOU. AND THE OTHER PEOPLE. WELCOME TO MITCHELL HOPKINS AND DAVID DOUGHERTY. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE IN THE AUDIENCE. IF THEY ARE THEN WE'LL RECOGNIZE THEM ALL. THEY'RE NOT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE? MISS IMHOF, I JUST ALSO WANT TO GIVE A THANKS TO THE AMOS FAMILY AS WELL. I SPOKE WITH MR. AMOS AT AN EVENT NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND I SHARED WITH HIM THAT WHEN MY DAD WAS A NEW FARMER TAKING OVER MY GENERATIONAL FARM, IT WAS HIS UNCLE THAT ACTUALLY SAW THE POTENTIAL IN MY DAD AS A YOUNG GUY FROM BALTIMORE CITY WHO HAD NO CLUE WHAT HE WAS DOING. AND MR. AMOS UNCLE ACTUALLY GIFTED MY FAMILY OUR FIRST ANGUS BULL, AND WE KEPT THAT BULL LONG AFTER HIS UNCLE AND HIS AUNT HAD ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY. BUT IT IS THEIR FAMILY LINEAGE THAT HAS HELPED MY FAMILY LINEAGE, SO I WANT TO THANK THEM. THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I TOO AM GOING TO ECHO MR. GIORDANO'S COMMENTS. MR. AMOS HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE TREASURE, IF YOU WILL, AS FAR AS HELPING US MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AG PRESERVATION EFFORTS. AND I THINK, AGAIN, I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, THESE OPEN GREEN SPACES ARE WHAT MAKES HARTFORD COUNTY AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE, LEARN AND RAISE A FAMILY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS WITH NO OTHER COMMENTS, MR. DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MRS. EMHOFF I MR. JOHN GIORDANO I MR. RILEY MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO

[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]

LOOKING OUT OF THIS ROOM, I SEE COMMON SENSE, COMMON GOALS, AND TRUE CHEERLEADERS FOR HUMANKIND.

ALSO, TAKE MY GLASSES OFF BECAUSE I'M AT THAT STAGE, SO BEAR WITH ME. I ALSO SEE THOSE WHO MAY BE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE SAID TONIGHT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS I OFFER. THIS TONIGHT IS NOT ABOUT OPTICS. IT'S ABOUT THE TRUTH. MY PERSPECTIVE ON COUNTY OPERATIONS IS NOT ACADEMIC. IT COMES FROM A LIFETIME IN THE FRONT ROW, INFORMED BY YEARS OF OBSERVATION, INCLUDING MY FATHER'S TENURE AS COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I KNOW HOW THIS HOUSE IS BUILT, AND I KNOW WHEN THE FOUNDATION NEEDS ATTENTION. THE STRATEGY FOR THIS EVENING IS SIMPLE CORRECTION THROUGH CLARITY. WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE PRECISE, HIGH LEVEL AND HIGH LEVEL OPERATIONAL FACTS. WE RECOGNIZE THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN THE

[00:15:02]

LEARN. APPROACH THIS PRESENTATION WITH AN OPEN MIND. RESPECT THE TRENCHES. LEAVE HERE WITH A BASELINE OF RESPECT FOR THE PROFESSIONALS IN OUR AGENCY WHO ARE IN THE TRENCHES EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT. THIS GENTLEMAN HERE TO MY LEFT RESTORE DECORUM. WE H.E.R. ARE A VITAL COMMUNITY LEADER. IT IS LOGICALLY INCONSISTENT TO EXPECT US TO MEET HIGH SERVICE DEMANDS WHILE OUR OPERATIONAL CAPACITY IS DISMANTLED AND OUR REPUTATION IS UNDERMINED. WE SEEK TONIGHT TO ALIGN THE COUNTY'S SUPPORT WITH THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS PLACED UPON US.

LET THERE BE NO CONFUSION. HERE IS THIS COUNTY'S COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, CAA. IT DOES NOT BELONG TO ONE SINGLE FACTION, ONE SINGLE PERSON, ONE SINGLE ORGANIZATION OR THIS GOVERNMENT.

IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US. OUR MISSION IS TO STAND AS FIRST RESPONDERS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF ECONOMIC CRISIS, ONE OF FAMILY IS FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A MEAL AND A ROOF, OR BETWEEN HEATING THEIR HOME AND BUYING MEDICINE. HA IS THE NET THAT CATCHES THEM. WE TACKLE FOOD INSECURITY, ENERGY BURDENS, AND HOUSING INSTABILITY HEAD ON. THESE AREN'T JUST ISSUES, THEY ARE EMERGENCIES THAT AFFECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORS. WE OPERATE THROUGH THE LAW OF CONGRESS, AND WE ARE FUELED BY A COMPLEX WEB OF FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS. WE ARE HELD TO RIGOROUS STANDARDS OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT ENSURE EVERY DOLLAR IS MAXIMIZED THROUGH THE HARTFORD COUNTY GRANT AND AID, AND THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF PRIVATE DONORS, WE TURN LOCAL INVESTMENT INTO IMMEDIATE RELIEF. THIS FUNDING IS THE LIFEBLOOD THAT ALLOWS US TO PIVOT QUICKLY WHEN A CRISIS ARISES. WE DO NOT JUST PROVIDE SERVICES, WE PROVIDE STABILITY.

WE DO NOT JUST HAND OUT AID, WE RESTORE DIGNITY. AND HARTFORD COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF HARTFORD COUNTY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE MUST TREAT IT AS THE ESSENTIAL ASSET THAT IT IS. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE ALLOWING US THIS TIME TO TALK AND TALK CLOSELY TO THIS MICROPHONE. SO, POPS, I WILL REFER BACK TO MY GLASSES. NOW, I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH HARTFORD COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, BUT WE'RE DESIGNATED AS THE OFFICIAL COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY FOR HARTFORD COUNTY AS A PREVIOUSLY AFOREMENTIONED SINCE 1989, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS GREAT WORK. WE ARE ONE OF 1000 COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE PART OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY ACTION FOUNDATION, AND WE WERE IMPLEMENTED AS A PRODUCT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S GREAT SOCIETY AND WAR ON POVERTY. WE ARE MANAGED. WE'VE MANAGED ERAP FUNDS FOR THE STATE AND FOR THIS COUNTY. DURING EVERYONE REMEMBERS THE COVID 19 CRISIS. WE DID SO VERY WELL AND THIS PAST YEAR, WE WERE PROUD TO OPEN THE HARTFORD COUNTY FOOD BANK IN THE SPRING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FOOD ADVOCACY, UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND COMMUNITY MEDIATION, ALONG WITH HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES SUPPORTING OVER 15,200 NEIGHBORS THIS PAST YEAR. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO BRIAN WAINWRIGHT, WHO WAS OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR HAVING ME. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN REGARDS TO THE DATA THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED TO YOU. FIRST OF ALL, BRIAN, PULL THAT MIC JUST A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU, PLEASE. HOW IS THAT? THAT'S PERFECT. THANK YOU. AND THEN SECOND OF ALL, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE AT OUR PRIOR MEETING, WE HAD ASKED SOME QUESTIONS. NUMBER OF BEDS, FACILITIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME DISCREPANCIES OR SOME LACK OF INFORMATION UNDERSTOOD. AND IN EVERY CASE, HARTFORD COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY WAS REFERRED TO. SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT. WE WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE WANTED TO FILL ANY OF THE GAPS THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY HAVE HAVE. AND I'D BE GLAD TO START AT THAT END OF THE DAY. YES. MISS ROBERT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO START. WELL, YES. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP, FEEDBACK WAS THE AMOUNT OF BEDS FOR ACTUAL FAMILIES RIGHT NOW, EVEN IN MY COMMUNITY ALONE, IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, 40 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DISPLACED

[00:20:02]

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE MAIN REFERRALS TO HARTFORD FAMILY HOUSE IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY DEDICATED TO THEIR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM THAT THEY RECENTLY TOOK OVER FROM PROLOG INCORPORATED, AND THEN FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE WELCOME ONE EMERGENCY SHELTER, NOW KNOWN AS THE HARTFORD FAMILY HOUSE EMERGENCY SHELTER FACILITY IN BELCAMP THAT ONLY OFFERS 34 BEDS FOR SINGLE ADULTS. AND I WANT TO REITERATE THAT SINGLE ADULTS, NOT FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, SUBSEQUENTLY, IS SPECIFICALLY FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE UNFORTUNATELY EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS. AND THE DEFINITION OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IS FOUR EPISODES OF BEING IN AN UNSHELTERED SITUATION IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, OR 12 MONTHS OF STRAIGHT, DEDICATED UNSHELTERED. THAT'S JUST TWO DEFINITIONS OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH A DOCUMENTED DISABILITY THAT AFFORDS ELIGIBILITY FOR THOSE PARTICULAR HOUSEHOLDS.

UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THOSE REFERRALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THAT PARTICULAR PROVIDER MANY YEARS AGO, THEY TOOK OVER A LONG LIST OF INVENTORY OF PSH HOUSEHOLDS FROM THE PREVIOUS PROVIDERS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE ONLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A COUPLE REFERRALS IN THAT SPECIFIC PROGRAM. IN CONCLUSION, THEY'VE SHUFFLED THEIR PROGRAMING, TRANSITIONED FROM EMERGENCY SHELTER TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, WHICH WAS A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN LATE 2023. UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER PROVIDING ROUGHLY 5 OR 6 TRANSITIONAL HOUSING REFERRALS, WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL REFERRAL SINCE THAT TIME. AND I'VE NOTED AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS ON MANY REPORTS. WE HAVEN'T SENT A REFERRAL FOR A FAMILY IN NEED TO HARTFORD FAMILY HOUSE SINCE OCTOBER 2024. THAT IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE DEMAND IS GROWING OUR BY NAMELESS. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE BY NAME LIST, ANY PERSON OR ANY FAMILY THAT COMES THROUGH OUR DOORS AND THEY REPORT TO BE EITHER CATEGORY ONE, WHICH IS THE HUD, HUD BASED DEFINITION OF LITERALLY HOMELESS, EITHER RESIDING IN A TENT ENCAMPMENT, THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLE OR EMERGENCY SHELTER, OR CATEGORY FOUR EXPERIENCING THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION THAT I PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH YOU. AND WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT MEET THAT DESIGNATION. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO SAY NO MORE OFTEN THAN WE SAY YES. AND THAT PROVIDES A GREAT DEAL OF SECONDARY TRAUMA ONTO US, MYSELF AND MY STAFF, BECAUSE WE WOULD LOVE TO PROVIDE A REFERRAL TO A FAMILY IN NEED. WE WOULD JUST HAVEN'T BEEN IN A POSITION TO DO SO. AND THAT'S THAT'S TEETERING OFF WHAT YOU SAID. BECAUSE WHAT I'M FINDING IS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EITHER COUCH SURFING OR LIVING IN THE CARS, AND STILL WE'RE IN THIS COLD WEATHER. STILL, YOU'RE IN YOUR CAR UNLESS YOU'RE SITTING THERE RUNNING IT THE WHOLE NIGHT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO STAY WARM. I KNOW IN SPEAKING WITH LOCAL CHURCHES, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN TAKE IN ADULTS, BUT THEY CAN'T TAKE IN FAMILIES BECAUSE WE'RE STILL AT THAT SAME ADULT, YOU KNOW, PROVISION. AND SO I DEFINITELY SEE THERE'S A BIG GAP IN IN SERVICE FOR THOSE FOR FAMILIES. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS

[00:25:05]

YES. YEAH. AND WE WOULD WORK ACTIVELY DOWN THAT BY NAME LIST OF EVERY HOUSEHOLD THAT MEET THAT, THAT CRITERIA. AND WE WOULD GO DOWN WHEN THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN WAS ACTIVATED. WE WOULD IMPLEMENT AND PROVIDE REFERRALS TO THOSE HOUSEHOLDS, YOU KNOW, DURING THE DURATION OF THE ACTIVATION OF THAT FREEZING WEATHER PLAN. BUT THAT IS OUR ONLY ADDITIONAL REFERRAL OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE WHEN THE WHEN THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN IS NOT ACTIVATED, WE'RE BACK TO THE SAME RESOURCES. AND ONCE AGAIN WITH A GROWING DEMAND AND WE HAVE NO ADDITIONS TO BED CAPACITY, WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF FRUSTRATED PEOPLE, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY. MISS IMHOFF.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. SO I KIND OF COME TO THIS FROM A AN UNUSUAL PERSPECTIVE IN THAT I HAVE BEEN IN COUNTLESS OF YOUR BY NAME LIST MEETINGS. I MISS YOU SO I, I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN BACK BY THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED A FEW WEEKS BACK, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE LISTS AND ANNA'S HOUSE WILL START THERE. I STARTED VOLUNTEERING AT ANNA'S HOUSE WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. IT'S KIND OF HOW I BECAME A SOCIAL WORKER AND HOW I ENDED UP HERE. I KNOW ANNA'S HOUSE VERY WELL. SO OF THE FOUR BEDS, THERE'S FOUR ROOMS FOR FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER AND FOUR FOR SARC. THOSE FOUR BEDROOMS CAN ONLY HOUSE UP TO FOUR PEOPLE, AND EACH BEDROOM IS IDENTIFIED BY A DIFFERENT FAMILY MEMBER, A DIFFERENT FAMILY UNIT. SO YOU WON'T HAVE KIDS SHARING ROOMS WITH COMPLETE STRANGERS. SO AT THE MOST, YOU ARE LOOKING AT EIGHT TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS, FOUR OF WHICH ARE, AS YOU SHARED, ARE DESIGNATED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS. SO WITHOUT THAT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOUR ROOMS FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES IN HARTFORD COUNTY. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AS YOU ALL KNOW, I WORK IN IN SCHOOLS AND IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I CAN COUNT, WELL, MORE THAN FOUR FAMILIES THAT I KNOW OF RIGHT NOW WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, EVEN IN WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS AND WORKING WITH THE PDS, THEY CAN SOMETIMES PROVIDE A WEEK LONG HOTEL VOUCHER AND THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, OR THEY GET REFERRED TO YOU GUYS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS I'VE STATED, I WAS QUITE TAKEN BACK BY HEARING THAT SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS. I'VE SEEN THE LISTS. I'VE SEEN HOW MANY, HOW HARD.

THE DECISION IS IN A ROOM FULL OF 30 TO 40 ADVOCATES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS THE MOST IN NEED OF WHATEVER SCRAP TOGETHER PLACEMENT WE CAN FIND. I'VE. I'VE BEEN IN THE MEETINGS WHERE WE HAD TO SKIP OVER A FAMILY BECAUSE THEY HAD TOO MANY KIDS. I'VE BEEN IN THE MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD TO DECIDE IF SOMEONE REALLY WASN'T IN A MENTAL HEALTH STATE TO BE ABLE TO BE SAFELY HOUSED. AND SO OF THE FOUR FAMILY ROOMS IN HARFORD COUNTY, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT YOU ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY, THAT WE ARE NOT ADEQUATELY ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY RIGHT NOW. I THINK ALL THREE OF US SITTING HERE AND MAYBE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, IF YOU IF YOU THE MATH DOESN'T MATH. SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT WITH DATA THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WITH OPTICS AND AND INFORMATION THAT'S NOT TRACKED WITH DATA. SO I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT THE ANSWER TO THAT IS ABSOLUTELY YES, A RESOUNDING YES. AND TO KIND OF HATE TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS. HOWEVER, ONE OF THE PIVOTAL RESOURCES THAT YOU JUST TOUCHED UPON, THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD THAT BUDGET PULLED. SO WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE FAMILIES TEMPORARILY IN A ONE WEEK HOTEL SITUATION. IT WAS A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM. WE DID VERY WELL. WE COLLABORATED PHENOMENALLY WELL WITH PAMELA SMITH, WHO IS THE MCKINNEY-VENTO LIAISON WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE JUST REALLY HOPE THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN KIND OF TAKE OFF AND MAYBE EVEN EXPAND AND SHOW DATA, SHOW, HEY,

[00:30:02]

I'VE DONE THE RIGHT THING. I'VE CONTACTED, I'VE COMPLETED AN APPLICATION, AND THEN YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE'S JUST NO DESTINATION AND THERE'S NO LANDING SPOT. THERE'S NO TEMPORARY SITUATION FOR ME AND MY FAMILY TO KIND OF GET ME TO THE NEXT ROUND OF MY PAYCHECK, OR I HAVE A JOB AND BUT MY JOB DOESN'T START FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS. CAN YOU PUT ME IN A MOTEL TEMPORARILY? AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T. WE'RE WE OPERATE 100% ON DONATIONS AND GRANTS, AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY GRANTS THAT ARE DEDICATED FOR MOTEL VOUCHERS.

AND THAT'S JUST AN OPTION, AN OPPORTUNITY OR DIRECT SERVICE WE JUST CANNOT PROVIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS EMHOFF. MR. BENNETT, HELLO. I WROTE DOWN THE QUOTE OF SKY HIGH LEVEL AND EYE LEVEL BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO. IF YOU COULD JUST TALK ME THROUGH IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, FOR ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING OR WATCHING, WHAT CHANGED IN THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN A YEAR AGO TO NOW, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE NOW. WE'VE HAD A FEW MOMENTS OF THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN BEING ACTIVATED ON WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE A YEAR AGO IN THOSE INSTANCES, AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY, IF THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN IS ACTIVATED. WELL, I CAN I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. SORRY, I'M ON THIS MIC. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN TERMS OF THE OPERATION, THE WORKFLOW, THE KEY COMPONENTS, THE KEY PLAYERS, MOST OF WHICH SOME OF ARE IN THE ROOM TONIGHT. THE WAY THAT THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN IS ACTIVATED, IT'S STIMULATED AND PROMPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. THAT INFORMATION AND EMAIL IS THEN SENT TO US. AND THEN THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ACTIVATE TO SEND IT OUT TO OUR LOCAL HOMELESS COALITION, OUR PROVIDERS, TO TO KIND OF PUT THE BAT SIGNAL IN THE AIR TO SAY, HEY, THERE IS AN ACTIVATION, AND THEN THAT ACTIVATION AND THAT EMAIL UPDATE WILL THEN BE PROVIDED TO OUTREACH PROVIDERS. AND I'M INCLUDED IN THAT. I'M JUST NOT AN ACTING DIRECTOR. I ALSO GO WALKING IN THE WOODS AND GO LOOKING FOR PEOPLE AND PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT. AND THAT ACTIVATION IS SUPPOSED TO STIMULATE TO TRY TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THAT ARE IN THEIR CARS OR IN A TENT ENCAMPMENT TO GET THEM INTO THIS INTERVENTION FOR FIVE DAYS, SIX DAYS, HOWEVER LONG THE ACTIVATION YOU KNOW, IS IN PLACE FOR WE PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM. LAST YEAR IS MOVING THEM INTO MOTELS. THIS YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS PROBABLY THE THE MOST BLARING CHANGE IS THAT THERE ARE NO MOTEL VOUCHERS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE REPORTED TO BE IN THAT SITUATION WHEN THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN IS ACTIVATED. SO THE PIVOT THIS YEAR WAS A A CHURCH IN ABERDEEN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE KIND OF LIKE AA1 STOP SHOP, MASS SHELTERING FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT AND ANYONE WHO REPORTS TO BE UNSHELTERED. I THINK THAT THE COLLECTIVE PANEL KNOWS THE OUTCOME OF THAT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DID NOT TAKE OFF. AND WE HAD TO MAKE A HARD PIVOT. AND WHEN I SAY WE, I DO MEAN THE LOCAL HOMELESS COALITION, BECAUSE IT VERY MUCH IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED TRIED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL OUTCOMES AND ALTERNATIVES. BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES CAME UP WITH

[00:35:05]

YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. RILEY, JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS. WHEN YOU DO, YOUR GOING OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS AND FINDING THESE FOLKS FOR THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN. ARE THEY DISCONNECTED TO HARTFORD COUNTY AT ALL? I MEAN, DO YOU DO YOU RESEARCH WHETHER THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS HERE? DO THEY HAVE BACKGROUND? THEY GOT ROOTS HERE, OR IS THERE ARE THESE JUST PEOPLE FALLING FROM OTHER PLACES, OR ARE MY QUESTION TO YOU, ARE YOU REACHING OUT TO THEIR FAMILIES? THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ROOTS HERE IN NORFOLK COUNTY WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY, STAY WITH GRANDMA OR GRANDDAD OR. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB AND OUR ROLE DURING INTAKE, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE IF WE SHARED WITH EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT, THE HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY IS THE RESOURCES ARE VERY LIMITED AS IT PERTAINS TO THE DEMAND THAT WE'RE SEEING, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE CONSTANTLY FACING WITH CONSTANTLY FACED WITH A LACK OF AN ABILITY TO REFER A FAMILY OR A SINGLE ADULT, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR AN ELEMENT OF DIVERSION TO TRY TO NOT ALLOW THEM COME INTO OUR HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM AND TO IDENTIFY A MOTHER, A BROTHER, AN UNCLE, ANYONE THAT'S WILLING TO PROVIDE THEM A STABLE SITUATION. SO THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY ENTERING OUR HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T JUST OPEN UP THE CURTAIN AND ALLOW EVERYONE IN. THERE IS A VIGOROUS DIVERSION, QUESTIONING. WE WE DRILL DEEP DOWN TO FIND OUT IS THERE A STABLE PLACE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR YOU? AND LET'S TALK ABOUT REUNIFICATION. SO IF A PERSON IS STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, FOR PERSONS STRUGGLING WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OR BOTH, SOMETIMES THEY'VE BURNED BRIDGES WITH THOSE NATURAL SUPPORTS. AND MOM MAY BE TWO ZIP CODES OVER, BUT MOM'S NOT GOING TO ALLOW HER SON TO COME IN BECAUSE OF THE BRIDGES OF THE AFOREMENTIONED CHALLENGES THAT THAT PERSON MAY BE DEALING WITH, OR THAT USED TO DEAL WITH OR IS PROBABLY STILL DEALING WITH. SO IT'S NOT AS EASY AS SOME MAY THINK TO SAY, OH WELL, DO THEY HAVE FAMILY IN THE COUNTY? THEY'LL TAKE THEM IN? ABSOLUTELY NOT. IF IT WAS THAT EASY, TRUST ME, THE MERE AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLDS ON OUR BY NAME LIST WOULDN'T WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH AS IT WOULD BE. NO I DIDN'T. AND THEN BACK TO YOU. I DIDN'T MAKE NO AVERSION TO THAT. IN FACT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE DOING THAT. YOU WERE TRYING TO REACH OUT? YES, SIR.

AND THEN THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, DO THEY HAVE A FORMER AFFILIATION FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTY? WE SIT ALONG AN I-95 CORRIDOR THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, I'VE PROVIDED SERVICES TO A FAMILY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA WHO THE CAR BROKE DOWN AND THEY HAPPENED TO PULL OFF IN A REST STOP HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I'VE PROBABLY PROVIDED SERVICES TO HOUSEHOLDS ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE BUS PASSES, TRAIN TICKETS TO GET FOLKS BACK HOME. WHEN WE DO DO A DEEPER DIVE TO TRY TO FIND OUT, OH, YOU DO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS. THEY'RE JUST NOT AROUND. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET YOU BACK HOME? WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET YOU BACK STABLE AGAIN? SO WE GO

[00:40:04]

SOMETIMES WE HAVE AN AFFILIATION. IF THERE IS A HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, AFFILIATION OR IF THERE'S ANOTHER OUTREACH PROVIDER THAT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH. AND THEN DURING THE CASE CONFERENCING AND THE BY NAME LIST AS COUNCIL WOMAN, MISS IMHOFF ALLUDED TO. EXCUSE ME. THAT'S OKAY. AND THEN WE DO WE WE DO AS BEST AS WE CAN TO THEN REUNITE THEM TO SOMETHING STABLE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S JUST NOT ALWAYS TO BE THE OUTCOME. BUT SO MY POINT OF BRINGING UP THE REASON WHY WE'RE SITTING ON THE I-95 CORRIDOR, WE HAVE TWO MAJOR TRAIN STATIONS IN OUR COUNTY AS WELL. SO THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A TRANSIENT NATURE TO OUR COUNTY, WHETHER IT'S FOR GOOD OR WHETHER IT'S FOR BAD. THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST OF HARFORD COUNTY. AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS DEALT WITH FOR THE THE LAST EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS OF BEING, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR DEPARTMENT. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE DO. WE SERVE EVERYONE THAT COMES THROUGH OUR DOORS. IF AND I SAY IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE THEM ANYTIME THERE IS A PERSON THAT'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, THAT'S ACTUALLY A BENCHMARK THAT WE TRY TO ELIMINATE AND TRY TO PRIORITIZE AND GET THEM OUT OF THAT SITUATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO WE PROVIDE A REFERRAL IF IF ELIGIBLE OR WE PROVIDE A REFERRAL IF THERE IS A VACANCY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH COLLABORATION OF CASE MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, SHARING OF RESOURCES OR PERMANENT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, WE TRY TO PUT THOSE FOLKS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING DESTINATIONS. AFTER A BRIEF STINT IN AN EMERGENCY SHELTER OR A LONG STINT IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. AND SO WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION TO WHAT YOU FORESEE AS A PROBLEM IN IN TERMS OF HOMELESSNESS IN HARFORD COUNTY? YES. WELL, NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO ADVANCE THE BED CAPACITY TO MEET THE, THE THE DEMAND THAT WE'RE SEEING CURRENTLY. AND HOW IS THAT DONE? HOW IS THAT DONE? WELL, THROUGH FUNDING, THROUGH AWARENESS, THROUGH ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY, THROUGH MY EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS. IT'S QUITE ODD BECAUSE I'VE FOUND MYSELF COMBATING THE FACT THAT THERE IS A HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM IN HARFORD COUNTY BASED UPON WHO I'M SPEAKING WITH. SOME WILL SAY, ABSOLUTELY, BRIAN, I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I'M ALONG FIGHTING THAT SAME FIGHT WITH YOU. BUT THEN THERE'S SOMETIMES I HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE IN A ROOM AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THERE'S MORE THAN THERE'S NOT A HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND THEN I SAY, COME AND HAVE A SEAT WITH ME, RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE TELLING ME THE PROBLEM.

I'M ASKING FOR SOLUTIONS. WELL, THE SOLUTION IS TO INCREASE THE BED CAPACITY. WE'RE A NONPROFIT PROVIDER, AND WE CANNOT COME UP WITH PUTTING BRICK ON TOP OF BRICK. WE CAN ADVOCATE, WE CAN IDENTIFY PROBLEMS. WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BE PART OF THE SOLUTION IN TERMS OF BRAINSTORMING. BUT HOWEVER THE THE THE REFERRAL SOURCE HAS TO INCREASE FOR SINGLE ADULTS, FOR FAMILIES WITH FUNDING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY OR SOMEBODY ELSE'S, IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S RESPONSIBILITY. AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE HEARD IS THAT WE DID HAVE A HOTEL VOUCHER, AND THAT THE PEOPLE REQUESTED THAT THEY DON'T GIVE OUT HOTEL VOUCHERS BECAUSE THEY WERE ABUSING THEM. DID I AM I DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? THAT WAS WHAT WAS FROM THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. YES. FROM FOR THE EMERGENCY, FOR THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN. WELL, I AM FAMILIAR. LAST YEAR WHEN THE MOTEL VOUCHERS WERE AVAILABLE, PART OF OUR JOB IS TO DO THE DEEP DRILL DOWNS TO HOUSEHOLDS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT ARE YOU THE YOU, THE FOLKS THAT DECIDED YOU DIDN'T WANT VOUCHERS ANYMORE? OH NO, OUR AGENCY DID NOT. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY AGENCY THAT DID OR WAS THE LAST PRESENTATION JUST MAKING IT UP? SO I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY SOMETHING ON THAT, IF I MAY. WHEN THE COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES CAME TO OUR AGENCY IN THE SPRING TO REVIEW OUR GRANT APPLICATION, THEY CAME IN WITH A PROPOSAL FOR A BETTER PLAN THAN HOTELS. SO, OF COURSE, WE WERE ECSTATIC TO HEAR WHAT THIS PLAN WOULD BE BECAUSE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE HOTEL PLACEMENTS THROUGH FREEZING WEATHER PLAN WAS $55,000 LAST YEAR. SO THAT BUDGET MODIFICATION WAS REMOVED FROM OUR BUDGET. AND WE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A A MUCH BETTER PLAN. SO WHEN YOU HEAR THAT NEWS, YAY! THAT'S GREAT. WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WORKING IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS ANYMORE. WHAT'S THE PLAN? I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE EXCITEMENT CAME FROM, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE ARE EITHER ECSTATIC OR EXCITED. I

[00:45:02]

ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AFTER 5:00 PM, THOSE PLACEMENTS ARE NOT WERE NOT HANDLED BY OUR AGENCY. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS NO DATA THAT WAS TRACKED BASED ON THOSE POST FIVE PLACEMENTS TO VERIFY IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE IN FACT CROSSING COUNTY LINES AND HOPPING UP AND DOWN 95 TO GET HOTELS, AND THEN IN FACT, DAMAGING HOTELS AND ABUSING THE SITUATION, I THINK THE ISSUE IS NOT AS MUCH NOT HAVING HOTELS OR HAVING HOTELS. I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR THE MOTEL VOUCHER DEPLETION THIS YEAR IS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, NOT AS MUCH INDIVIDUALS. I THINK THE PLAN THAT THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH IN CONJUNCTION WITH HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS A WORKABLE PLAN FOR SINGLE ADULTS, FEMALE AND MALE, FOR FAMILIES. THAT'S WHERE THE WHERE THE ISSUE LIES

[00:50:07]

HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY WAS SPENT? THE NUMBER 56, $55,956.57. THANK YOU GAIL. SO IF THE COUNTY HAD GIVEN THAT MONEY TO YOU, RATHER THAN SPEND IT ON A CHURCH, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I'D SAY IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT WE COULD RE-APPROPRIATE THOSE DOLLARS TO HOUSE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT MR. WAINWRIGHT WAS SPEAKING OF EARLIER. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. A GROWING DEMAND IN THAT AREA, UNFORTUNATELY. THANKS. MISS ROBERT, THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION. AND IT WAS JUST KIND OF BASED ON ALL THE CONVERSATIONS. SO LAST YEAR, PJ, HOW MANY FAMILIES ACTUALLY ACCESSED THE HOTELS WITH THE VOUCHERS AND FOR HOW LONG OF A PERIOD OF TIME FOR MAYBE A AVERAGE, DID THEY SPEND IN THE ACTUAL HOTEL DURING THE FREEZING WEATHER? SO LAST YEAR WE HAD 124 HOTEL MOTEL PLACEMENTS, AND THAT WAS THROUGH FREEZING WEATHER PLAN THROUGH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEN THROUGH FAMILIES WHO WERE TRANSITIONING. IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR WE HAD A VERY, VERY COLD WINTER, SO A LOT OF THE PLACEMENTS WERE LONGER THAN THE AVERAGE STAY, WHICH WOULD BE 1 OR 2 DAYS. WE HAD FAMILIES STAYING IN HOTELS FOR A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS, A WEEK, A WEEK OR LONGER. SO THOSE HOUSEHOLDS COULD BE SINGLE INDIVIDUALS. THEY COULD BE FAMILIES. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW THE BREAKDOWN OF THE 124 HOUSEHOLDS. I DIDN'T PREPARE THAT SPECIFIC DATA TONIGHT, WHETHER IT'S IN THAT, OKAY, SO IT WAS SOMETIMES IT WAS A SINGLE PERSON AND SOMETIMES A SINGLE, A SINGLE. THEN WE, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE UP TO A DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ROOM TO STRETCH AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT ONE PERSON IN A ROOM WITH TWO BEDS.

UNDERSTOOD? SURE. AND THEN THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IS ALWAYS TO REFER THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO WHICHEVER OPENINGS. HARFORD FAMILY HOUSE WELCOME. ONE SHELTER WOULD HAVE. THAT'S THE FIRST STEP, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE THOSE BEDS ARE FULL. THERE IS SOME THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT WILLING TO GO TO A CONGREGATE SHELTER FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, AND THOSE REASONS ARE ENDLESS. THAT WOULD BE A ANOTHER CONVERSATION. BUT JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A BED AVAILABLE, WE CAN'T MANDATE THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE ABLE.

IT'S NOT A GOOD FIT TO GO THERE. SO THAT'S THE FIRST THAT'S THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. THE SECOND LINE WOULD BE THE EMERGENCY ROTATING SHELTER, WHICH IS OPERATING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS CURRENTLY. NOT AT CAPACITY. AGAIN, SAME SITUATION WITH THE EMERGENCY ROTATING SHELTER. SO THAT NOW STEP THREE WOULD BE THE CONGREGATE WARMING SHELTER WHICH IS HELD IN EDGEWOOD. NOW, IF YOU WERE TO SWITCH OUT THE CONGREGATE SHELTER WITH HOTELS, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME MORE INTEREST. BUT AS WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE BEST POSSIBLE SCREENING WE CAN TO GET INDIVIDUALS PLACED INTO ONE, TWO, THREE. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, LET'S MAKE A DEAL.

DOOR ONE, 2 OR 3. OBVIOUSLY, WITH DOOR NUMBER THREE BEING A MOTEL, THAT MIGHT BE THE MOST, YOU KNOW, THE BEST OF INTEREST TO ANYONE WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS JUMPING TO THAT BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NEED MORE CASE MANAGEMENT, ACCESS TO MEALS, ACCESS TO CASE MANAGEMENT, JOB SEARCHES, TRANSPORTATION, THAT SORT OF THING. SO EVERY SITUATION IS IS UNIQUE. IT'S IT'S NO SITUATION.

IT'S THE SAME. IT'S UNIQUE. SO I THINK TO MAKE BROAD STATEMENTS ABOUT A POPULATION OR A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TO SAY THIS IS WHAT ALL OF THEM ARE DOING OR THIS IS WHAT MOST OF THEM ARE DOING. I THINK THAT'S AN UNFAIR STATEMENT TO MAKE IN GENERAL. YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S PERSONAL PREFERENCES. THERE'S PREVIOUS TRAUMAS THAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH. AND BACK TO THAT, THAT C WORD THAT WAS MENTIONED, THE CONGREGATE SHELTER. NOT EVERYONE IS WILLING TO GO INTO A CONGREGATE SHELTER ENVIRONMENT, REGARDLESS IF A PERSON IS STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS OR BOTH, THEY JUST MAY NOT. IT COULD BE A HARD WORKING INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO GET SLEEP TO GO TO WORK IN THE NEXT MORNING, BUT THEY CAN'T GET ANY SLEEP BECAUSE THEY'RE OVER TOP OF SOMEONE OR UNDERNEATH SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. IT'S IT'S A ROUGH SITUATION. MR. RILEY. YEAH, JUST LAST COUPLE QUESTIONS. SO WHAT WENT ON WITH THE CHURCH? I, I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I GOT THE IMPRESSION LAST TIME WE HEARD ABOUT THIS THAT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH WITH THE THE TOWN OF ABERDEEN, OR DID I HEAR THAT WRONG? ADAMS, SINCE

[00:55:01]

MOST OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE BETWEEN THE MAYOR, MCGRADY, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE CONGREGATION AT CHURCH OF GOD AT 511 EDMUND STREET. THE REVIEW WAS THAT THE USE OF THE SPACE DID NOT ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S ZONING CODE, AND THE USE OF THE SPACE AS A CONGREGATE, SHELTER OR SHELTER. USE WAS NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT WAS IN ABERDEEN'S ZONING CODE. AND SO IS THAT GOING TO GET RESOLVED? IS THE $55,000 GOING BACK TO THE COUNTY? WHAT? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING? I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE $55,000, BUT BASED OFF OF THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN, I DON'T SEE ANY CHANGE IN THE CITY'S POSITION ON THE USE AT 511 EDMUND STREET. THANKS. THANK YOU. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT MR. RILEY WAS GOING TO TOUCH ON, AND HE DID BRIEFLY, BUT BASED ON OUR LUNCH YESTERDAY AT ROTARY, WHERE YOU WERE THE GUEST SPEAKER, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT FUTURE GROWTH, IF ANY, OR OR EXPANSION OF FACILITIES WE TALKED ABOUT. WELCOME ONE. WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? THE LAST I'VE HEARD WITH WELCOME ONE, THERE IS A PLAN IN PLACE. THERE'S A PLAN THAT'S BEEN DRAWN AND THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE HEARD AS FAR AS THAT PROCESS GOES. AND I BELIEVE THE EXPANSION WOULD ALLOW FOR ROOM FOR FOR FAMILIES. I'M NOT SURE IF THE SIZE OF THE FAMILY IS EXACTLY, BUT FOR FAMILIES, IS THAT THE SECOND FLOOR OR IS THAT EXPANSION TO THE SIDE? I DON'T BELIEVE THE SECOND FLOOR IS ALLOWABLE FOR EXPANSION BASED ON THE HEIGHT OF THE OF THE ROOF, BUT OKAY, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT QUESTION FOR FOR ROBIN, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT IF SHE'D LIKE TO ANSWER THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A PLAN. THERE'S A PLAN THAT'S BEEN DRAWN. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING AS FAR AS PERMITTING OR MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PROCESS. SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE A LOT OF YOUR PARTNERS AND YOUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING, ROBIN. IT'S UP TO YOU. IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME FORWARD. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING. WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THAT PLAN REVIEW AND THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT TO BID IN FEBRUARY. THAT'S THE LATEST NEWS THAT I HAVE. IT IS THE LIBRARY, THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE IS TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE OUR SHELTER IS. AND MARY HASSLER IS GIVING UP SOME OF THAT SPACE SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE SHELTER. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE FUNDING THROUGH THE COUNTY TO BRING IN NON-CONGREGATE FAMILY SPACE, WHICH WILL ACCOMMODATE ABOUT FOUR FAMILIES. AND THEN THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR CONGREGATE WHERE WE CAN EXPAND WOMEN. WE CAN HAVE EIGHT MORE WOMEN THERE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO UTILIZE THAT. THIS EXPANSION PROCESS OR PROJECT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DISCUSSION FOR YEARS ABOUT IT. WE HAVE WORKED WITH FREDERICK WARD. THE DRAWINGS ARE ALL DONE. BUT, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE KIND OF WAITING AT THIS POINT. SO I MEAN, IT'S IT'S KIND OF A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER, I GUESS. BUT I GOT TO ASK IT, WHAT IS THE REMEDY? WHAT WHAT WHAT IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL EYES IN MIND, WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO THIS? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? WELL, I CAN ANSWER THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. IT'S IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE FIX.

THE EASIEST WAY TO CURB HOMELESSNESS IS TO HAVE HOMES FOR THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS TO TO BE IN, BECAUSE THE FIRST STEP IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY WOULD BE TO HAVE A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD SO THAT THAT'S THE BIGGEST STRESSOR IN YOUR LIFE, AND THEN YOU CAN START TO WORK TOWARDS THE OTHER THINGS, SUCH AS JOBS AND TRANSPORTATION. BUT YOU'RE SORT OF TAKING OFF THE BIGGEST, THE BIGGEST STRESSOR, WHICH IS HOUSING. SO SPACE, WHICH IS WHAT BRIAN SPOKE ABOUT.

CAPACITY, INCREASING CAPACITY. HARFORD COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY DOES NOT OWN PROPERTY. WE DO NOT RENT PROPERTY. WE ARE NOT LANDLORDS. WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF REFERRING TO AGENCIES THAT DO OWN PROPERTY, DO RENT PROPERTY, DO HAVE LANDLORDS. SO IT'S A WHOLE BIG EFFORT AND I'M NOT SURE. NO THAT'S TRUE. HARFORD FAMILY HOUSE OWNS 41 PROPERTIES. WE HAVE AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN ABERDEEN. AND AS P.J. WAS MENTIONING, MOST PEOPLE THAT

[01:00:03]

IF YOU LOOK AT ANY ZIP CODE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND I KNOW THAT YOU RECEIVE THE REPORTS, WE SEND QUARTERLY DATA TO EACH OF YOU, TO ALL OF OUR STATE DELEGATES, STATE SENATORS, AND THE NUMBER ONE GROWING PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AT HARFORD COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IS IS HOMELESSNESS. AND IT'S GROWING IN EACH ZIP CODE. IT'S IT'S CREEPING UP FROM EDGEWOOD AND ABERDEEN INTO THE 210141521009. SO IT'S NOT JUST IN CERTAIN ZIP CODES THAT JUST HAPPENS TO BE WHERE THE SHELTER IS. BUT IT'S IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY GROWING I'D SAY NATIONWIDE. YEAH. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, THE PIT COUNT THE OVER 200 THAT'S REALLY BASED ON HUD DEFINITION FOR HOMELESSNESS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE PAM SMITH WHO WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE CHILDREN, SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. THERE'S OVER 500 OF THEM CURRENTLY THAT DON'T HAVE A PERMANENT ADDRESS. SO THEY'RE COUCH SURFING, OR THEY'RE IN AND OUT OF MOTELS FOR LITTLE DISTANCES. AND, YOU KNOW, ALISON MENTIONED THAT SHE WORKS IN HER, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE LIFE WITH SCHOOLS. I THINK IT WAS JOPPATOWNE YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT. SO, YEAH, I'VE WORKED ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE COUNTY, ACTUALLY ACROSS NORTHERN MARYLAND, AND WE HAVE ALMOST 300,000 CITIZENS IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND THERE'S FOUR ROOMS FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES IN ONE SCHOOL ALONE THAT I WORK IN, IN RIVERSIDE.

THERE'S. TEN STUDENTS OUT OF 40 WHO HAVEN'T HAD A PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN YEARS. AND BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE HERE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE JOB OPPORTUNITY THAT THEIR FAMILIES DO HAVE, THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE FOR THEM TO GO. SO THEY WILL SPEND THEIR CHILDHOOD BOUNCING FROM AIR MATTRESS TO SOFA TO CAR TO SHELTER, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT IS GENERATIONAL. SO INTERVENTIONS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED OF IT'S COLD RIGHT NOW, AND A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES WOULD MUCH RATHER STAY IN FAR MORE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TOLD ONCE THAT THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR THEM.

OKAY, COUNCIL, ANYBODY ELSE WITH ANYTHING? I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME VISIT WITH US THIS EVENING AND GIVE US SOME INPUT. ROBIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE ONE THING THAT WE NOTICED RIGHT AWAY IS WHEN YOU TAKE A FAMILY IN YOU, YOU TEACH THEM TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES INTO THE FUTURE. YOU HELP THEM GET A JOB. YOU HELP THEM FIND A WAY TO GET THEMSELVES ON THEIR FEET, MANAGE A CHECKBOOK. SO WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY'RE THEY'RE SELF-SUSTAINING. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[01:05:02]

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

THANK YOU MR. SANDERS. OKAY. AGENDA NUMBER NINE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. WE HAVE NONE TEN INTRODUCTION. CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NONE 11 CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS.

WE HAVE NONE 12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS NONE 13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS NONE 14. NEW BUSINESS

[15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]

I DO WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO DISCUSS THESE CONCERNS WITH ME DIRECTLY. YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS RENEWED ATTENTION CAN ONLY STRENGTHEN OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSE. IF WE CAN FIND OUR WAY BACK TO SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS BEST PRACTICES, WHILE ALSO BUILDING ON THE NEW

[01:10:05]

BUT WE HAVE MANDATED TRAINING THAT FIRE AND POLICE GO THROUGH. WE HAVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND MANAGEMENT. WE DO CPR, FIRST AID AND MENTAL HEALTH, FIRST AID. A LOT OF OUR HOMELESSNESS, THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THEY HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, ALCOHOLISM. WE CAN'T CARE FOR THEM EFFECTIVELY WHILE WE'RE WHERE WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL OF THESE SOLUTIONS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THOSE THINGS AND CARING FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY NEED IN SUPPORT. AGAIN, BEING BANNED. SOME OF THEM DON'T WANT TO COME INTO THE WARMING CENTERS FOR THAT REASON AS WELL. I WAS AT THE WARMING CENTER. I TRIED TO VOLUNTEER, I WAS WELCOME, I WASN'T WELCOME TO SPEND THE NIGHT AGAIN. I LOGGED 1000 HOURS IN THREE MONTHS LAST YEAR AT THE ROTATING SHELTER. I WAS THERE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT FOR THREE MONTHS. I LOVE OUR PEOPLE, I DO. I'M TRYING NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL BECAUSE I'M VERY HAPPY THAT EVERYBODY IS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THEM NOW. BUT THE SECOND NIGHT WE CAME, WE BROUGHT FOOD. WE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T HAVE HOT FOOD. NO ONE KNEW WHY THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION. SEEMED A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE WARMING CENTER HAD OPENED UP. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THOSE COMMUNICATION ISSUES. I HAVE IDEAS. I ALSO SENT A PROPOSAL TO THE COUNTY FOR A HOMELESS SHELTER THAT IS BUILDING SUBSIDY, WHERE THAT TAKES A LOT OFF OF THE TAXPAYERS. IT TAKES A LOT OFF THE COUNTY WHERE THE BUILDING COULD RUN ITSELF. IT WOULD BE FOR FAMILIES, FOR INDIVIDUALS. WE GET A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS TO COME IN THROUGH THE CHURCHES THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THE WORK. SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN THAT, I'M HAPPY TO GO OVER THAT. AND THEN ALSO JUST THE OVERALL COMMUNICATION.

AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A HOMELESS POPULATION THAT'S HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. AS YOU SEE, IT'S 208 PEOPLE. AND AND WE REALLY DO WANT TO ADDRESS THAT. SO THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE ADAM SAID, WE ARE HERE TO HELP WITH THAT. AND WE HAVE THE HARFORD COUNTY HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS ALLIANCE. THEY'RE WILLING TO COME IN AND STEP IN. AND IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME TO A MEETING OR SEE WHAT WE DO, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP. SO PLEASE DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE AREN'T PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE ARE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING. THANK YOU, MA'AM, AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS JOHN MALLAMO. YES. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, SIR.

GOOD EVENING TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AND BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

JOHN MALLAMO, 2402 EAGLEVIEW DRIVE, BEL AIR, MARYLAND TWO 1015 I DO APPRECIATE YOUR ACTIONS RELATED TO ASSISTANT HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES EXTENDING THE SEWER LINE OUTSIDE THE DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE. LETTER SUPPORTING OPPONENTS TO POWER LINES AND LANDFILLS, LABOR LAW LEGISLATION. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD NOW ASSIST ME RESOLVE A LONG STANDING ISSUE AT THE HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT. THE AIRPORT IS OPERATING AS A PERMITTED USE BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING EXAMINER, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS, AFFIRMED TWICE BY THE CIRCUIT COURT OF HARFORD COUNTY AND BY THE MARYLAND AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AND MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. NONE OF THOSE AGENCIES OR COURTS OFFERED ANY RELIEF FROM THE CODE OR CONDITIONS OF ZONING. CASE 5814. THAT STATUS IS UNDISPUTED. HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ZONING LAWS OF HARFORD COUNTY OR THE CONDITIONS OF

[01:15:03]

WHEN THE LAWS YOU ESTABLISH, WHEN YOU DO NOT FOLLOW, THE LAWS YOU ESTABLISH, OR THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE AND THEN NORMALIZE UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES YOU BREAK YOUR PROMISE IS A PROMISE MADE, REALLY A PROMISE KEPT, OR JUST A CATCH PHRASE FOR A CAMPAIGN BUMPER STICKER AND PANDERING FOR VOTES. I WONDER NOW WHAT OTHER MISCHIEF WILL YOU INFLICT ON HARFORD COUNTY? THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT. ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? THERE IS NO ONE ELSE, MR. PRESIDENT. ALL

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]

YEAH, I THINK YOU TOLD ME, MISS ROBERTS. GOOD EVENING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I'VE ATTENDED SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS AND GRAND OPENINGS. FOR THE FIRST ONE WAS MOSER'S MOTORS ON DECEMBER 12TH WITH A COUPLE OF COLLEAGUES. HERE I HAVE ATTENDED. ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, THE JOPPA TOWN COUNCIL'S ANNUAL WINTERFEST, WHICH HAD A NICE BUNCH OF VENDORS. THEY HAD THE CHOCOLATE COVERED OREOS, WHICH PEOPLE ARE LEARNING THAT ARE MY FAVORITE. THEY HAD CRAFTS AND THEY HAD SANTA. AND THEN LATER THAT NIGHT WE HAD OUR FIRST EDGEWOOD CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING THAT WE HAVE HAVEN'T HAD IN TEN YEARS. IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. WE HAD THE PUBLIC LIBRARY THERE HELPING CHILDREN WRITE LETTERS TO SANTA. WE HAD MUSIC, WE HAD TOYS, AND WE HAD COOKIES AND HOT CHOCOLATE. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS AGAIN. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ANNUAL EVENT. EVERY YEAR FROM HENCEFORTH IS THE PLAN. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH I ATTENDED EGGS AND ISSUES AND THAT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION. GETTING PREPARED FOR THE LEGISLATION GOING INTO SESSION, A BIG CONVERSATION WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOW THAT LOOKS FOR AFFORDING TO MEDICALLY TO PAY FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR THE EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE COMING DOWN THE PIKE THAT MAY AFFECT SMALL BUSINESSES FOR AFFORDING BEING A SMALL BUSINESS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT GRAND OPENING OF TIFFANY AND COMPANY BAKERY. THAT WAS A GREAT GRAND OPENING, GREAT TREATS FOR EVERYONE TO TRY. I HAVE ALSO MET WITH A PERSON WHO OWNS A DAYCARE, AND THAT PROVIDER IS TRYING TO GET THAT TO BE A 24 HOUR. SHE'S ALREADY ALMOST DONE, BUT THE PURPOSE IS TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE THAT SHIFT WORK FOR THE WAREHOUSES. SHE'S GOING TO PUT IT RIGHT NEAR WHERE THE WAREHOUSES ARE. SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS COME TO FRUITION, BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR THE FAMILIES THAT NEED THOSE SERVICES FOR THAT 24 HOUR EXPERIENCE. DAVE'S COVE, WE HAD A MEETING BECAUSE TOMORROW IT WILL BE GOING TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS. AFTER HEARING FROM APPROXIMATELY 200 OF US MOBILIZED TOGETHER, THEY'VE

[01:20:05]

COME ENJOY YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT OR TRY SOMETHING NEW. AND THE ONE OF THE NEW LAWS THAT MIGHT GO INTO EFFECT NEXT YEAR. STARTING IN 2017, IT HAS TO BE FUNDED IS FOR THE MARYLAND FAMILY LEAVE ACT. THEY ARE GOING TO CHARGE PAYROLL 0.9%, AND IF YOU HAVE 15 EMPLOYEES OR MORE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE THING. IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN 15, YOU PAY HALF, THE EMPLOYERS PAY HALF. BUT PRETTY MUCH I'M SORRY, YOU THE EMPLOYEE PAYS HALF AND THE EMPLOYER PAYS THE OTHER HALF. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVER GOING TO FLY. THE EMPLOYER MIGHT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE WHOLE THING, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE OUTSIDE OF THAT. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. THANK YOU MR. JORDAN AND MR. RILEY. YES MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE CASSIDY FAMILY. IF YOU DON'T KNOW HE LOST HIS MOM THIS PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. ALSO, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, TONIGHT OUR PRESIDENT HAS BEEN ON EXCELLENT BEHAVIOR. AND THE REASON WHY THAT IS, IS BECAUSE HIS LOVING WIFE IS HERE TONIGHT. AND I, I WANT TO THANK HER FOR BEING HERE BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN KEEP HIM IN LINE. JEANNIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH, MY GOODNESS, MISS.

THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR. I'M EXCITED TO BE BACK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GREAT WORK WE'RE GOING TO DO ON THIS COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE THIS EVENING. I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THE ABINGTON CAB MEETING IS COMING UP ON JANUARY 8TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE ABINGTON FIRE STATION. I ALWAYS REALLY ENJOY THOSE MEETINGS AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO IT'S IMPORTANT, EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN BELCAMP RIVERSIDE. PERRIMAN, EVERY, YOU KNOW, BOX HILL, COME AND BE A PART OF THE MEETING. AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT IN THE TIME BETWEEN OUR LAST MEETING AND NOW, COUNCILMAN ROBERT AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF

[01:25:03]

[17. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT ]

THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO RECEIVED AN INVITATION FROM CECIL COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN A WORK SESSION FOR CONOWINGO DAM AND CONSTELLATION ENERGY. MISS BERRY ATTENDED FOR ME LAST WEEK AND BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THE INFORMATION. WE WILL BE PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK TO IDENTIFY A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WILL REPRESENT HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, ALONGSIDE HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. AND ALSO, I WANT TO THANK MISS ROBERT, MISS IMHOFF FOR THEIR MEETING WITH MR. MEXICO IN REFERENCE TO HOMELESS LAST WEEK. WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. JEANNIE AND I BOTH WISH TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES FOR THE DOHERTY AND COLLINS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THE SULLIVAN AND ROMAN FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THE GRANGER, MENSER AND VINCENTE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. AND CONDOLENCES TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE CASSILLY, THE FAMILY, THE CASTLE FAMILY AND THE WEBSTER FAMILY AND THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. HIS MOM WAS A SPECIAL LADY, NO DOUBT SO. AND THEN ALSO, LIKE MANY OF YOU, I'M DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE INFORMATION RELEASED EARLIER TODAY ON FOX 45. YOU'VE OFTEN HEARD ME SAY THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR GREATEST RESOURCE. THEY REPRESENT OUR FUTURE. AND AS A RESULT OF THESE ALLEGATIONS AND REPORTS, I'VE SPOKEN WITH COUNCIL ATTORNEY AND COUNTY AUDITOR AND HAVE INSTRUCTED MISS BROOKS TO LAUNCH AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION, ALONG WITH THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, INTO THE EXPENSES AND ATTENDANCE AT THE EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW ORLEANS IN APRIL OF 2024. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS INVESTIGATION WILL BRING THE FULL TRUTH TO LIGHT IF THESE ALLEGATIONS PROVE TO BE TRUE, I FULLY SUPPORT THE RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF ANY LEADERSHIP OR ANYONE ELSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS BUILT ON A FOUNDATION OF TRUST, AND OUR COUNTY CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE TRUST IN THE INSTITUTION THAT EDUCATES OUR GREATEST ASSET, WHICH IS OUR CHILDREN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.