[1. CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:04]
          FOUR. THREE. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 26 003. 
          PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT. 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. GRACIOUS GOD AND SOURCE OF ALL WISDOM AND JUSTICE, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE ASK FOR GUIDANCE AS WE CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ENTRUSTED TO US. HELP US TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, HUMILITY AND COMPASSION AS WE HAVE JUST OBSERVED THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR YESTERDAY. WE ARE REMINDED OF HIS ENDURING CALL TO CONSCIENCE AND COURAGE. DOCTOR KING ONCE SAID, EVERYBODY CAN BE GREAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN SERVE. MAY THOSE WORDS CONTINUE TO GUIDE OUR WORK. GRANT US THE WISDOM TO WEIGH DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES WITH CARE AND THE STRENGTH TO ACT CONSCIENTIOUSLY AND RESPONSIBLY. WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERY DECISION WE MAKE WILL SATISFY EVERY VOICE. YET MAY EACH DECISION BE APPROACHED WITH THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION, HONEST DIALOG, AND A SINCERE COMMITMENT TO WHAT WE BELIEVE SERVES THE GREATER GOOD. AMEN. 
          [4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]
AMEN. AGENDA NUMBER FOUR PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS. SEE MILTON WRIGHT VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY TEAM. MISS, IF YOU COULD STEP DOWN, PLEASE. DO WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE FIELD HOCKEY TEAM HERE? COME FORWARD PLEASE. THANK YOU. GOOD. HI. YOU SO MUCH. HERE, YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU. I'D SAY WE DO. BE IT HEREBY KNOWN. OKAY, TOM. BE IT HEREBY KNOWN THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND. ON THIS 20TH DAY OF JANUARY 2026, RECOGNIZES AND CONGRATULATES MILTON WRIGHT VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY TEAM 2025 SEASON OF EXCELLENCE FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SKILL, TEAMWORK, DETERMINATION THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. THE TEAM FINISHED THE REGULAR SEASON UNDEFEATED AT 13 ZERO AND CONCLUDED WITH AN IMPRESSIVE 15 ONE OVERALL RECORD. THEY SCORED 80 GOALS, RECORDED TEN SHUTOUTS, AND CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED ELITE PERFORMANCE, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND UNITY. THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, EXEMPLARY COACHING, LEADERSHIP, AND A CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY. ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, WE WOULD LIKE TO PROUDLY RECOGNIZE THIS TEAM FOR A GREAT SEASON AND ALL OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE MADE US VERY PROUD. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE HEAD COACH, MISS KELSEY LOVELACE, FOR HER AWARD AS COACH OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU ALL. AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. WELL THANK YOU. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS OR ANY OF THAT WITHOUT THE GIRLS BEHIND YOU. SO THIS SEASON GOES TO THEM AND ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND EVERY DAY ON AND OFF THE FIELD, AS WELL AS MY ASSISTANT COACHES OVER HERE WHO GIVE A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO THESE GIRLS. SO THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          JESS. JESS, OPEN THAT UP SO THEY CAN GET A PICTURE, PLEASE. SWEET. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE EVERYBODY. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE TWO LAYERS OF THE GIRLS IN FRONT. SO IF YOU GUYS CAN KIND OF STAGGER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE TWO LINES TO SQUEEZE EVERYBODY IN. JUST KIDDING. BEND DOWN THING BECAUSE THEY STILL GOT GOOD KNEES. YOU GUYS GOT TO BEND DOWN. THAT'S GOOD OKAY. YOU GUYS. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT. A LITTLE. ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY 
          [00:05:07]
LOOK AT ME. IF YOU CAN NOT SEE THE CAMERA THE CAMERA CANNOT SEE YOU. ALL RIGHT. GET ALL YOUR BLINKS AND GIGGLES OUT NOW. AND THREE 21321. ONE MORE JUST IN CASE ANYONE BLINKS. 321. 
          THANK YOU EVERYBODY. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD. DO WE HAVE TO SAY OKAY, YOU GUYS CAN. OH. THAT'S GOOD. YEAH. SO WHO WANTS. ALL RIGHT. IT'S ON. WHAT'S UP? HI. JUST BEAR WITH US A SECOND AS WE ALLOW THEM TO CLEAR THE CHAMBER. GO AHEAD. YEAH. OH. OKAY. 
          WARMER WEATHER SOON. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. AGENDA NUMBER FIVE. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, 
          [5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]
APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS. HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF THERESA KOCHER. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE MISS KOCHER TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS IMHOF? I USED TO WORK FOR A COMPANY WHOSE PRINCIPAL HAD A PRINCIPLE CALLED MAKE THE COVERT OVERT, WHICH MEANS DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID AND KEEP IT MOVING. SO DESPITE ALL THE NOISE, I'M A BELIEVER IN GOING STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE. SO LAST WEEK I CALLED AND SPOKE TO TERRY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM HER TO ANSWER SOME CONCERNS. ONE DOES SHE LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY? YES. TWO WERE YOU IN NEW ORLEANS AND WELL AWARE OF QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIORS BEFORE THE REST OF US? YES. WHEN YOU WERE MADE AWARE OF THESE CONCERNS, DID YOU UPHOLD THE EXPECTATIONS AND BEHAVIOR BY CORRECTING, REPORTING OR EVEN SAYING ANYTHING? NO. TERRY AND I THEN HAD A VERY CORDIAL CALL WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT HER PASSION FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD OF ED, AS WELL AS HER UNDERSTANDING THAT IN A TIME WHERE WE NEED TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST, OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, THAT SHE MAY NOT BE THE LONG TERM SOLUTION. IN THIS CALL, WE DISCUSSED IDEAS LIKE HER BEING THE INTERIM BOARD OF ED REP WHILE WE DO AN OPEN CALL, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, I ASKED IF SHE WOULD APPLY TO AN OPEN CALL, WHICH SHE AGREED. IN BOTH SITUATIONS, IT ALLOWED FOR HER CREDENTIALS TO SHOW AND OTHER OPTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED OPTIONS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T TOLERANT OF BEHAVIORS, NOR PART OF THE CULTURE CRASH THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED. NOW, I WANT TO TURN MY ATTENTION TO ALL APPOINTED AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. FOR EVERY NIGHT THAT YOU LAY YOUR HEAD ON A TAXPAYER FUNDED PILLOW, YOU DON'T GET TO CHECK OUT BEFORE AND AFTER 5 P.M. YOU ARE TO UPHOLD A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT REPRESENTS YOU, YOUR BOARD, DEPARTMENT, PROGRAM, AND THE TAXPAYERS WHO DESERVE TO HAVE REPRESENTATION THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE FOOLS. I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MY CAREER IN CHILD SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, AND I'VE NOT ONLY SEEN CULTURE CRASHES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE SEEN HOW TO GET OUT. IT ONLY HAPPENS WITH TRUST, TRANSPARENCY, AND NEW LEADERSHIP. AS THE ONLY HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT ON HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, I WANT TO SHARE THAT I AND ALL HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS I'VE TALKED TO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SHOCK, DISBELIEF AND ANGER, AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON. WE HAVE MATH HOMEWORK TO DO, SPORTS PRACTICE TO GET TO, AND PROBABLY A SCIENCE PROJECT OUR KIDS FORGOT TO TELL US ABOUT. AS FAR AS DOCTOR OLSEN'S CONTRACT, WE NEED THE BOARD OF ED TO ENSURE THAT WE PART WAYS IN THE MOST FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY POSSIBLE, AND FIGURE OUT WHO IS THE BEST PERSON TO REBUILD. AS FAR AS MY VOTE TONIGHT, WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF ALL CANDIDATES TO ENSURE THAT WE END UP WITH THE BEST CANDIDATE POSSIBLE. SO I'M ASKING THAT BEFORE WE CHOOSE THE PERSON TO FILL THE SEAT FOR THE NEXT THREE AND A HALF YEARS THAT OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS, THEN WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY, IF TERRY IS CHOSEN, THEN WE WILL HAVE A CLEAN AND RESPECTABLE START TO OUR NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOF. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT I PLAN TO ABSTAIN TONIGHT WHEN I VOTE. WHILE I DO BELIEVE THAT ALL ETHICS RULINGS ACROSS OTHER COUNTIES, AS WELL AS THE 
          [00:10:01]
PRECEDENT SET BY MY SUPREME COURT RULING, GIVE ME PERMISSION TO VOTE. I THINK WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THIS PRESENT MOMENT, IT'S FOR THE BEST THAT I ABSTAIN FROM THIS VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. GINGER. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I ALSO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH TERRY AND SHE DID TELL ME SHE WAS IN NEW ORLEANS, BUT ALSO SHE DID TELL ME EVERY NIGHT THAT BY 11:00 SHE WAS BACK IN HER HOTEL BECAUSE SHE WAS GETTING UP TO GO TO ALL THE CONFERENCES. SHE HAD HEARD. THEY WENT TO A STRIP JOINT, BUT SHE DIDN'T HEAR ANY OTHER ALLEGATIONS UNTIL I THINK SOMETHING SURFACED FROM THE 911 CALL THAT WAS PUT TO THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO AND THAT CALL BRINGS OUT A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, OBVIOUSLY. AND I HAVE CALLED FOR SEAN TO BE REMOVED BASED ON HIS MORAL CONTRACT, WHICH I STILL STAND FOR. BUT I'VE ALSO SAID TO THE BOARD, THEY NEED TO LOOK TO NOT RENEW HIS CONTRACT. BUT TERRY HAS BEEN A RESIDENT FOR IN HARTFORD COUNTY FOR 39 YEARS. 
          SHE WAS GOING TO MOVE TO DELAWARE. SHE DIDN'T MOVE TO DELAWARE. SHE STEPPED DOWN. WE REPLACED HER WITH MARK CORN. SO SHE WAS VETTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THAT POINT, CONFIRMED FOR THE COUNCIL SERVED FROM 2023 TO 25. I KNOW SHE WORKED WELL WITH THE OTHER BOARD OF ED MEMBERS, BUT ALSO THE MARYLAND EDUCATION ARTICLE SECTION 3601 SPECIFIES THE SAME APPOINTMENT MECHANISM MECHANISM FOR BOTH REGULAR TERMS AND VACANCIES. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINTS A QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL, SUBJECT TO THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, BY A VOTE OF AT LEAST FIVE MEMBERS. THE STATUTE DOES NOT MANDATE A PUBLIC APPLICATION PROCESS. IN EITHER CASE, IT IS A DISCRETIONARY PRACTICE OFTEN USED FOR REGULAR FOUR YEAR TERM APPOINTMENTS TO ENCOURAGE DIVERSE CANDIDATES. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE'VE GOT A VOTE COMING UP AND I THINK WE NEED TO FILL THE SEAT, MOVE FORWARD, AND SHE'LL SERVE OUT THE TERM OF AARON POINTON. THERE IS ELECTIONS COMING UP FOR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND THAT'LL MOVE FORWARD. SO SO I AM IN FAVOR OF REAPPOINTING MISS KOCHER. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. MISS SOUTH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I'M NOT SURE WHY WE NEED TO RUSH THIS. THIS APPOINTMENT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE TODAY. THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. THERE ARE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS SURROUNDING WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW CAN'T AFFORD TO GO BACKWARDS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS SHE WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND PRESENT IN NEW ORLEANS. AND THAT'S CRIPPLED OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS. I CAN'T SUPPORT PUTTING SOMEONE BACK ON. THAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM ORIGINALLY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MR. RILEY. YES, AS A REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT D, I, I TOOK A POLL OF, OF MANY OF THE EMAILS THAT I GOT FROM DISTRICT D AND I'D SAY 80% OF THEM. THIS IS THE SENTIMENT. I'D LIKE TO READ IT OUT LOUD. DEAR MEMBERS OF THE HARFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, THIS LETTER IS TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF TERRY KOCHER TO THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND TO RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO CONFIRM HER APPOINTMENT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY. PREVIOUSLY, SHE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED A FULL TERM AS AN APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. DURING A CHALLENGING PERIOD FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THROUGHOUT HER SERVICE, SHE DEMONSTRATED INTEGRITY, STEADFASTNESS AND A CONSISTENT WILLINGNESS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SHE WAS DILIGENT AND WELL PREPARED, NEVER HESITATING TO ASK DIFFICULT BUT NECESSARY QUESTIONS, AND SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT HER TERM. HER PRIOR EXPERIENCE IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT AT THE MOMENT OF INSTABILITY WITHIN THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE POSSESSES A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THESE QUALITIES ARE ESSENTIAL AS THE BOARD CONFRONTS CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS THAT REQUIRE INFORMED AND STEADY LEADERSHIP, DELAYING OR DECLINING HER CONFIRMATION WOULD UNNECESSARY PROLONGED UNCERTAINTY AND DISREGARD AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED HER INTEGRITY AND FITNESS? FOR THIS APPOINTMENT, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL ACT PROMPT TO PLACE THIS MATTER ON ITS AGENDA AND TO CONFIRMED HER REAPPOINTMENT. AND AGAIN, THAT IS JUST A SAMPLE OF THE MANY EMAILS THAT I GOT, AT LEAST FROM MY DISTRICT. I GOT MANY OTHER EMAILS FROM DISTRICT, DISTRICT 
          [00:15:02]
F AND DISTRICT A THAT DID NOT WANT HER CONFIRMED. HOWEVER, I REPRESENT D AND THEREFORE I'LL BE A YES VOTE. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MR. DENHAM, SO I DO WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING. I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN IMHOFF OVER HERE SAID TO MOVE FORWARD AND SOUNDED LIKE GET A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IF WE DON'T APPOINT SOMEBODY AND THE VOTE WINDS UP BEING A DEADLOCK OF FOUR FOUR, THEN POLSON'S CONTRACT AUTOMATICALLY RENEWS. 
          UNLESS HE. THAT'S INCORRECT. THAT'S INCORRECT. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY OTHER BOARD PEOPLE. SO. SO IF IT'S FOR FOR MEGAN, IF IT'S FOR FOUR, I DON'T REPRESENT THE BOARD. 
          OKAY. SO I'VE TALKED TO BOARD OF ED MEMBERS. THEY'VE TOLD ME THAT IS CORRECT. IF IT'S A44 PARDON. IT CAME FROM THEIR ATTORNEY. CHECK WITH THE BOARD OF ED. ATTORNEY WILL CERTAINLY KNOW THAT ANSWER. SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING OFF. BUT BUT AGAIN THE STATUTE DOES NOT MANDATE A PUBLIC APPLICATION PROCESS EITHER CASE. IT'S DISCRETIONARY OFTEN USED FOR FOUR YEAR TERM. THIS IS NOT A FOUR YEAR TERM. THIS IS REPLACEMENT OF SOMEBODY THAT STEPPED DOWN. SO AGAIN I REITERATE THAT. SO I THINK IF YOU DON'T VOTE HER IN I THINK IT'S DOING A DISSERVICE. SHE'S BEEN ON THE BOARD. SHE WAS VETTED. SHE WAS THERE FOR TWO YEARS. SHE HADN'T HAD ANY PROBLEM. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN EVERY ONE OF THE BOARD PEOPLE THAT WAS DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS SHOULD ALL LEAVE. AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO YOU CAN'T SAY ONE PERSON WHO WAS THERE AND DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE WHO WAS THERE, INCLUDING THE PAST PRESIDENT THAT MAYBE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON. YOU JUST YOU CAN'T. SO THANKS, MISS SUTTLES, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY OFFICE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF HUNDRED EMAILS, AND WE WENT THROUGH THEM AGAIN TODAY. AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE OPPOSED TO APPOINTING HER. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS. MISS ROBERT. YES. THANK YOU. SO IT APPEARS THAT THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS GOING THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CHANGES RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGING MONTHS AHEAD. AND THE MOST RECENT IS THE ABRUPT RESIGNATION OF DOCTOR BOYNTON. GIVEN THE CONTEXT, IT IS UNCLEAR TO ME WHY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHOSE TO IMMEDIATELY FILL THE RESULTING BOARD VACANCY WITHOUT A TRANSPARENT AND COHESIVE PROCESS. AROUND JANUARY 8TH, THE RESIGNATION WAS ANNOUNCED. 
          AT THAT POINT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLEAR THAT A MORE APPROPRIATE APPROACH WOULD HAVE BEEN TO OPEN AN EXPEDITED BUT PUBLIC APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS, ALLOWING INTERESTED CANDIDATES TO APPLY AND BE CONSIDERED. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT APPOINTED TERRY COKER TO FILL THE VACANT BOARD OF EDUCATION SEAT. AND I GET IT. MISS COKER PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE BOARD AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK REAPPOINTMENT FOR ANOTHER TERM. 
          HOWEVER, DUE TO HER OWN DECISION, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF RELOCATING OUT OF STATE, SHE DID NOT DO SO. AND THAT'S WHEN MR. KORN WAS APPOINTED IN HER PLACE. WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED OF THIS APPOINTMENT, WE HAVE RECEIVED EXACTLY, EXACTLY 140 EMAILS, 120 WERE AGAINST AND 20 IN FAVOR. I SPOKE WITH MISS COKER FOR AT LEAST 30 TO 45 MINUTES ON SATURDAY TO GAIN A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF HER PERSPECTIVES. WHILE I INITIALLY INQUIRED ABOUT HER ATTENDANCE AT NEW ORLEANS CONFERENCE AND HER AWARENESS OF WHAT TRANSPIRED, THE MAJORITY OF OUR DISCUSSION REALLY FOCUSED ON HER PRIOR VOTING RECORD WHILE SERVING ON THE BOARD. SPECIFICALLY, I RAISED CONCERNS RELATED TO HER VOTES ON THE AP AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY STUDIES, THE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM, AND BOOK RELATED POLICIES AS A MEMBER OF THE NAACP. THESE ISSUES ARE PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO ME AND DIRECTLY RELATE TO A BROADER CONCERN OF EQUITY, REPRESENTATION AND EDUCATIONAL INTEGRITY. MISS COKER EXPLAINED THAT HER VOTES REFLECTED HER BELIEF THAT THE CURRICULUM REQUIRED FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, RATHER THAN OPPOSITION TO THE SUBJECT MATTER ITSELF. WE ALSO DISCUSSED BOOK POLICIES AND HER POSITION ON HOW YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS BOOKS THAT THEIR PARENTS APPROVE OF, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. WHILE I VALUE HEARING DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, PARTICULARLY AS PART OF A HEALTHY PUBLIC DISCOURSE, MY ROLE REQUIRES THAT I ULTIMATELY EVALUATE THOSE PERSPECTIVES THROUGH THE LENS OF NOT ONLY MY OWN VALUES, BUT ALSO OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT, THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS, AND THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AS A WHOLE TO AGAIN EQUATE NEUTRALITY. DURING OUR DISCUSSION, I ASKED MISS COKER WHETHER SHE WOULD HAVE APPLIED FOR THE POSITION IF THE VACANCY WERE OPEN THROUGH A FORMAL PROCESS, AND SHE INDICATED SHE WOULD, IN LIGHT OF THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT, AND GIVEN THE RECENT CHALLENGES FACING HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO INITIATE A TRANSPARENT, TIMELY APPLICATION 
          [00:20:04]
AND INTERVIEW PROCESS TO FILL THIS VACANCY. DOING SO WOULD PROMOTE PUBLIC TRUST, FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE GOVERNANCE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. ALSO, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, PER THE RULES, THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE DIVERSE. IF MISS COKER GOES ON RIGHT NOW, IT WILL BE PRIMARILY A FEMALE BOARD AND ONE MALE. AGAIN, THAT IS NOT REFLECTING A DIVERSE BOARD. SO AGAIN, I JUST ASKED THAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS BE EXPEDITED, THAT ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PUT IN FOR THAT GIVES IT AN OPEN WAY FOR ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO BE ON THE BOARD. AND THEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAN SELECT FROM THAT POOL, AND THEN WE CAN REVISIT THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. ANYONE ELSE? FOR ME? I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT, YES, SEVERAL CITIZENS ASKED OTHER CITIZENS TO SEND EMAILS TO THE COUNCIL. CITIZENS LISTENED AND THEY SENT THEM. AND AS YOU HEARD, WE RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF EMAILS AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE FOR ASKING FOR AN OPEN PROCESS, A TRANSPARENT PROCESS. 
          I HAVE A LIST OF THEM HERE. IT'S ABOUT 165 THAT WANT TO SEE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AGAINST 37 THAT JUST SAY VOTER IN. IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PREROGATIVE. WE'RE NOT ARGUING THAT. BUT HE SET THE PRECEDENT HIMSELF WHEN HE HAD OTHER PROCESSES. WITH A COUPLE OF WEEKS OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY. AND THIS PAST FRIDAY, WE SENT MR. OVERBAY AND THE ADMINISTRATION AN EMAIL ASKING FOR A MORE OPEN PROCESS. AND WE RECEIVED A RESPONSE BACK THAT SAID SOMETHING TO THE LINE THAT THEY WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING SOMEONE IN PLACE BY MARCH 1ST TO FILL THAT VACANCY. AND I STILL SAY THAT IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPEN PROCESS, WE COULD HAVE HAD THIS ON FEBRUARY THE 3RD AND STILL BEEN ABLE TO MOVE IT FORWARD. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. IT'S UP HERE TONIGHT FOR A VOTE, AND IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS. 
          MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, PASS. MRS. ROBERT. NO. MRS. EMHOFF. NO. MR. GIORDANO. YES. MR. RILEY I. MRS. NO. MR. BENNETT ABSTAIN. MR. PRESIDENT. YES. WITH THREE VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE, THREE VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE ONE ABSTENTION. THE APPOINTMENT HEREBY FAILS. WE'LL MOVE TO YOUTH COMMISSION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNSELOR. PRESIDENT, MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS OF CARLENE MITCHELL, JAMES MCVICAR, SIDNEY SHUPE, AMY MCCLUSKEY, GARY MCGRAW, MEGAN. EWING, AARON BRUZZESE, MELINDA VELEZ, MARY BETH COLLINS, ALFRED REEVES, ALICIA MYERS, POPE, JOSEPH HERBERT LAVETTE, GABAZINE, WILLIAM HOWARD, KAYLEE LYONS, DONOVAN. BOYLE, CHARLOTTE MCGEE, JACOB. BUTTON, JOELLE. CARTER, EDEN. GABRIEL. MOORE. BROOKS, JOCELYN JACOBS, DEBBIE JONES, AND MARCUS WEBSTER. THE SECOND. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE GROUP OF APPOINTMENTS FOR THE YOUTH COMMISSION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW THRILLED I AM THAT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD. AS OTHERS KNOW, I SAT DOWN WITH SOME YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, GOSH, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, AND THEY BROUGHT THIS FORWARD AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE YOUTH COMMISSION UP AND RUNNING. 
          WHERE WHERE IS THAT AT? AND THEN THAT LED TO MY OFFICE DOING RESEARCH AND REALIZING THAT THIS HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR SUCH A LONG TIME THAT I BELIEVE, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN VOTED TO AFFIRM A YOUTH COMMISSION IN YOUR TIME ON THE COUNCIL. THAT'S TRUE. 
          WHICH MEANS THE LAST TIME THAT THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE TO BE ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION. AND I JUST REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE REALLY HUNGRY FOR. THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND SO EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, I PUT FORWARD LEGISLATION TO PUT THE YOUTH COMMISSION UNDER COUNCIL CONTROL, BUT THEN THE ADMINISTRATION REACHED OUT AND SAID, ACTUALLY, WE'RE WILLING TO DO THIS. AND I SAID, ALL RIGHT, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO GET IT GOING, THEN WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE IT OVER. AND HERE WE ARE 
          [00:25:01]
READY TO TO GET THE YOUTH COMMISSION UP AND RUNNING ONCE AGAIN. AND I'M JUST THRILLED WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES BEFORE US TONIGHT, THESE ARE SOME REALLY EXCELLENT YOUNG PEOPLE, AS WELL AS EXCELLENT ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO CARE ABOUT OUR YOUTH AND ARE INVOLVED WITH OUR YOUTH. AND I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE FRUITS THAT COME FROM THIS WORK, AND VERY HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTY. WHEN I LOOK AT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALL THEY'RE DOING ALREADY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT? HI, MRS. ROBERT. HI, MRS. EMHOFF. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. BOSS. HI, MR. BENNETT, I YOU'RE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE. ZERO AND A NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED. ARE THERE ANY OF THE APPOINTMENTS IN THE AUDIENCE? COULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. BENNETT. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 
          [7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS AND LEGISLATIVE ADDRESS JANUARY 13TH, 2026. LEGISLATIVE DAY 20 6002 JANUARY 13TH, 2026. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO 
          [8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
CORRECTIONS SUBMITTED? STAND APPROVED. MR. JAN, PLEASE READ RESOLUTION 002 26 INTO THE RECORD FOR INTRODUCTION. RESOLUTION 002 DASH 26 TITLE AS INTRODUCED INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, APPROVING THE EXECUTION BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND AGREEMENT AN AGREEMENT FOR PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES. THE PILOT AGREEMENT WITH SAINT JOHNS COMMON, INC. A COPY OF WHICH OF WHICH IS ATTACHED HERETO AND INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026 AT 7:15 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. AGENDA 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 NONE 15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. WE 
          [15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
HAVE FIVE THIS EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT. NATHAN ROGALA, FOLLOWED BY DIANA SADOWSKI. 
          WHO'S YOUR FIRST SPEAKER? NATHAN ROGALA. MR. ROGALA, ARE YOU HERE? PLEASE STEP TO THE MICROPHONE IN THE BACK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. NATHAN PERGOLA, 907 SOUTHERN DRIVE, BEL AIR. THANK YOU. ONE ZERO. MR. PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEED FOR CHANGES TO THE ZONING LEGISLATION TO LIMIT THE CONTINUAL DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICTS C AND D, I WAS ENCOURAGED TO RUN FOR THE DISTRICT C COUNCIL SEAT BY FELLOW MEMBERS OF SAINT MARGARET'S PARISH. BUT MY SMALL BUSINESS REQUIRES TOO MUCH OF MY TIME NOW. HOWEVER, I WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF ZONING LAW AND FOR AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A LONG TERM INTEREST IN HARFORD COUNTY AND ARE COMMITTED TO GROWING THEIR BUSINESSES IN A WAY THAT ALIGNS WITH HARFORD COUNTY'S VALUES. IN THE MOVIE LBJ, PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON REMARKS TO HIS WIFE THAT HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATION AS A REPLACEMENT FOR PRESIDENT KENNEDY, AS HE LACKED THE ORATORY SKILLS AND CONNECTIONS OF THE WEALTHY AND HARVARD EDUCATED KENNEDY LADY BIRD JOHNSON ESSENTIALLY TELLS HIM, LYNDON PRESIDENT JOHNSON JOHNSON WAS A GREAT VISIONARY SPEAKER, BUT HAD NO ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT HIS VISION. YOU WERE A SKILLED LEGISLATOR. YOU KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE IN CONGRESS, AND YOU WERE QUALIFIED TO IMPLEMENT THE DREAM OF KENNEDY. LET THAT BE YOUR LEGACY, MR. PRESIDENT. HARFORD COUNTY LEADERS TALK ABOUT KEEPING HARFORD. HARFORD. BUT THESE WORDS ARE JUST A VISION WITHOUT LEGISLATION FROM THIS COUNCIL TO OVERHAUL THE ZONING CODE AND SUBSEQUENT ENFORCEMENT BY THE ADMINISTRATION KEEP HARFORD. HARFORD IS ONLY A SLOGAN. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS A BLOCKBUSTER SCHEDULE OF ZONING LEGISLATION FOR THE WINTER AND SPRING. I HAVE YET TO MEET ANYONE IN DISTRICT C THAT WANTED TO EVEN MORE DEVELOPMENT, OR CREEKSIDE OR COSTCO. I HOPE THIS COUNCIL WILL TAKE THE POLITICAL EXAMPLE OF LBJ AND PASS IMPACTFUL LEGISLATION LIMITING DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL BE FELT FOR GENERATIONS. YOUR ROLE IN KEEPING HARFORD HARFORD IS TO LEGISLATE. THE TIME IS NOW IN ACTION. TODAY WILL ERASE HARFORD'S CHARACTER WITHIN A FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT C. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING MADAM. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. DIANA SADOWSKI, 1113 STROM DRIVE, 
          [00:30:04]
FALLSTON, MARYLAND. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO YOUR NO VOTE ON TERRY KOCHER AS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S APPOINTEE TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT IT'S NOT. BEFORE YOU. THIS VOTE, YOUR VOTE WAS NOT A REFERENDUM ON OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, NOR ON THE ACTIONS OF ERIN POINTON. IT IS NOT A JUDGMENT ON HIS ASSOCIATIONS, NOR A PROXY FOR AN UNRESOLVED CONTROVERSY INVOLVING MR. POINTON, SUPERINTENDENT SEAN BOLSON AND OTHERS IN NEW ORLEANS. ERIN POINTON RESIGNED ABRUPTLY. THAT CHAPTER, HOWEVER TROUBLING, IS CLOSED. WHAT REMAINS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE FORWARD. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION NEEDS STABILITY, CREDIBILITY AND EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP. RIGHT NOW. THIS SHIP NEEDS TO BE RIGHTED NOW FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN, MISS KOCHER SHOULD HAVE BEEN EVALUATED ON HER RECORD, HER QUALIFICATIONS, HER EXPERIENCE, AND HER WILLINGNESS TO SERVE DURING A DIFFICULT MOMENT. REJECTING A QUALIFIED NOMINEE BECAUSE OF POLITICAL PETTINESS OR A SHADOW CAST BY SOMEONE ELSE DOES NOT PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY. IT PROMOTES UNCERTAINTY. IT LEAVES OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WITHOUT STEADY LEADERSHIP. WHEN TEACHERS, PARENTS AND CHILDREN, STUDENTS DESERVE FOCUS AND NOT DYSFUNCTION. AND THIS COUNCIL SHOULD BE PARTICULARLY MINDFUL OF HOW IT HANDLES TRUST. SINCE I'VE BEGUN SPEAKING HERE IN 2023, THIS BODY HAS OPERATED UNDER PERSISTENT DARK CLOUD. 
          THAT CLOUD HAS GONE BY DIFFERENT NAMES. PENMAN, THEN GUTHRIE AND NOW BENNETT. BUT THE PATTERN IS THE SAME. UNRESOLVED ETHICAL QUESTIONS, INVESTIGATIONS AND A RELUCTANCE TO CONFRONT THEM DIRECTLY. WHICH BRINGS ME TO A NECESSARY REQUEST. MR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I AM ASKING YOU TO HAVE COUNCILMAN BENNETT STEP DOWN TEMPORARILY WHILE THE INVESTIGATION INTO HIS ACTIONS AS A TEACHER IS COMPLETED AND RESOLVED. THIS IS NOT A PRESUMPTION OF GUILT. IT'S A RECOGNITION THAT PUBLIC CONFIDENCE MATTERS. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS WITHIN YOUR AUTHORITY. ADDRESS YOUR OWN HOUSE WITH THE SAME URGENCY YOU DEMAND OF OTHERS. MR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, DO THE RIGHT THING TONIGHT. I THANK ANONYMOUS. I'M WEARING BLACK IN THEIR HONOR. WITHOUT ANONYMOUS CASTING THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ON THE CORRUPTION AND THE SHENANIGANS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SWEPT UNDER THE RUG FOREVER. AND I SAY SHAME ON ALL WHO HEARD THE RUMBLINGS OF THIS ACTIVITY AND STAYED QUIET. ALL THIS MAKES ME THINK HOW MANY OTHER ACTIONS ARE HIDING UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS. I'M CONFIDENT THAT ANONYMOUS WILL LET US KNOW, AS THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TRUTH OR TRANSPARENCY. GEORGE WASHINGTON, IN HIS NOVEMBER 1789 LETTER TO JOHN TRUMBULL, NOT TURNBULL, SAID TRUTH WILL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL WHERE PAINS IS TAKEN TO BRING IT TO LIGHT. PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE. TRUTH CAN SOMETIMES HURT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. JOHN MALLAMO FOLLOWED BY LINDA STEIN. FLINT. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING SIR. 
          NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, SIR. GOOD EVENING TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES. JOHN MALLAMO, 2402 EAGLE VIEW DRIVE, BEL AIR, MARYLAND. TWO 1015. IN THE COUNTY'S RESPONSE, THERE IS A STATED CONCESSION. COUNTY EXECUTIVES WAS WORKING WITH NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS AND QUOTING AT THE URGENCY URGING OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS. THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE AIRPORT RECENTLY MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS TO DISCUSS IMPROVEMENTS IN OPERATION, PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO AMELIORATE SOME OF THE IMPACT OF AIRPORT ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS. THAT CONCESSION IS NOT A SOLUTION. THE SOLUTION IS TO ENFORCE THE ZONING CODE AND THE CONDITIONS OF ZONING. CASE 5814. THAT IS WHAT THE APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO OPERATE A GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT AS A PERMITTED USE REQUESTED AND WAS ACCEPTED FOR THAT PURPOSE AS GRANTED IN ZONING CASE 5814. BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, OUR SHERIFF WOULD NOT CONVENE A MEETING WITH THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT IN THE COUNTY AND THEIR VICTIMS TO AMELIORATE THE IMPACT OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF ON THOSE VICTIMIZED, THEREBY NORMALIZING CRIMINAL MISCHIEF AS A RESULT, NO DOUBT THAT RAPE, ROBBERY, MURDER AND MAYHEM WOULD PROLIFERATE. FAR MORE LIKELY, THE SHERIFF WOULD ENFORCE A LAW AND PURSUE APPROPRIATE PENALTIES FOR MISCREANTS FOR 
          [00:35:05]
THEIR UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN THE COUNTY. I WONDER HOW THE UNLAWFUL OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITIES AT THE HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT CAN BE SATISFACTORILY AMELIORATED? OR IS THAT JUST AN ELITE WAY OF STATING THAT THE COUNTY WILL DO NOTHING TO ENFORCE ITS OWN ZONING CODE, WHICH IS A LAW GOVERNING THE OPERATION AND PERMITTED ACTIVITIES ON THE AIRPORT? INDEED, THE VERY EXISTENCE OF THE AIRPORT AS A PERMITTED USE AND THEREBY NORMALIZE AN UNLAWFUL OPERATION TO CONTINUE THE LAW AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION ARE IGNORED. WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS DISCUSSION AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? FIRST, THE COUNTY MASTER PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED IN 2026. THE SAME PEOPLE PROMOTING THE SITUATION AT THE AIRPORT WILL BE DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN. I WONDER WHAT NEW MISCHIEF WILL RESULT FROM THAT. SECOND, WE WILL BE SELECTING OFFICIALS IN 2026 AMONG THE SAME PEOPLE. ENCOURAGING MISCHIEF IN HARFORD COUNTY WILL BE AMONG THOSE SEEKING RESIDENT SUPPORT, NO DOUBT BRINGING ALONG THEIR SILLINESS WITH THEM. RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY. 
          FROM THESE PEOPLE. I WOULD OFFER THAT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS IS PREDICTABILITY. PAST PERFORMANCE DOES INDICATE FUTURE ACTIONS. IN THIS CASE, THIS DISCUSSION IS ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN HARFORD COUNTY. NOW, REFLECTING ON DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO READ HIS LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL AND SEE HOW IT APPLIES TO THE SITUATION HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. GOOD NIGHT. 
          GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS? YES. MY NAME IS LINDA STEIN. FLINT. I'M AT 403 WINSLOW DRIVE IN BEL AIR. TWO 1015. SO I'M SPEAKING IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL ACTIONS LATELY AND AND TRANSPARENCY. IT'S A FUNNY WORD BECAUSE NOW EVERYBODY'S TALKING TRANSPARENCY. BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS SPOKEN TO THAT. AND IT'S ABOUT BEING CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT AND. MAKING EVERYTHING COME TO LIGHT SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE. AND WHILE IT WAS GREAT, ON THE 13TH OF JANUARY, THE COUNCIL, YOU ALL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR AN ORDERED AN INVESTIGATION BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR INTO THE QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN NEW ORLEANS IN APRIL OF 2024. AND MANY OF US HAD WE KNEW ABOUT THAT, THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. BUT IT FINALLY CAME TO LIGHT. SO THE 13TH OF JANUARY, YOU ORDERED THE INVESTIGATION. I'M SORRY. YOU VOTE ON THE INVESTIGATION. AND THREE DAYS LATER, ON THE 16TH, SHE COMPLETES A FULL INVESTIGATION AND PUBLISHES OUT THREE DAYS TO DA. IT TAKES MORE THAN THREE DAYS TO DO A VERY EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE MISSED. EVERYBODY THAT WAS DOWN THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED. AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE HOTEL. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE MISSED. HOWEVER YOU COMPLETED IT AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE NOW WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THIS THROUGH, AS MR. GIORDANO MENTIONED, THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER APPOINTMENT TONIGHT, BOLTON'S CONTRACT AUTOMATICALLY RENEWS. AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? BOATSWAIN DOES NOT DESERVE ANOTHER PENNY FROM HARFORD COUNTY. BOWSER NEEDS TO BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. HE VIOLATED HIS HIS CONTRACT. AND SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE COUNCIL GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? AND THEN, WHILE MANY HAVE KNOWN FOR THE PAST YEAR, OUR PREVIOUS SUSPENSION SUSPENSIONS OF COUNCILMAN BENNETT FROM HIS JOB, HE FINALLY HAD TO COME OUT AND SAY SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES TEACHERS ARE ACCUSED OF THINGS. AND AND AS A STANDARD PROCESS YOU SUSPEND WITH PAY. AND I RESPECT THAT PROCESS. BUT I GET GET SILENCE ON ALL THIS. BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT NOW BECAUSE COUNCILMAN BENNETT HAS BEEN VOTING ON THINGS INVOLVING THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. HE KEEPS CONTINUING TO VIOLATE THE CHARTER OF THIS COUNTY. I KNOW HE FOUND A JUDGE TO OVERRIDE A JUDGE, BUT HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND THE CHARTER. COUNCILMAN BENNETT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM HIS COUNCIL SEAT WHILE HIS INVESTIGATION GOES ON ABOUT HIS OWN SUSPENSION. BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS A CODE OF CONDUCT AND THAT HE NEEDS TO FOLLOW THAT CODE OF CONDUCT AS WELL. AND IT JUST KIND OF FUNNY HOW 
          [00:40:05]
TONIGHT HE DECIDES TO RECUSE HIMSELF FROM A VOTE TONIGHT, BUT ALL THE OTHER VOTES HE HASN'T. IT'S VERY REAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND OUR STUDENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY DESERVE BETTER. PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? YES. LAST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS NATHAN REGULA. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. NATHAN REGULA REPRESENTING REGALO CONSULTING INC. DOING BUSINESS AS REGULA CYBER, 907 SOUTHERN DRIVE, BEL AIR, MARYLAND 21014. MR. PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS REPRESENT REGULA CYBER, CURRENTLY HEADQUARTERED IN NORTH BEL AIR. I HAVE A DOCTORATE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME IN INDIANA, AND A LAW DEGREE FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY. I FOUNDED THE CORPORATION IN VIRGINIA IN 2016, AND IT HAS BEEN HEADQUARTERED IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND CAROLINE COUNTY, MARYLAND. BEFORE RELOCATING TO HARFORD COUNTY, I RELOCATED THE COMPANY TO BE NEAR MY FAMILY AND MY WIFE'S FAMILY, AND FOR THE AMENITIES OF HARFORD COUNTY, SUCH AS THE SCENIC BEAUTY AND THE ABERDEEN AND EDGEWOOD MARC AND AMTRAK ACCESS TO NORTHEASTERN CITIES. 
          WE ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED TO DO BUSINESS IN FIVE STATES AND PROVIDE GOOD JOBS FOR MARYLANDERS. ENTRY LEVEL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS START AT $45 AN HOUR AND BEGINNING CYBERSECURITY ASSESSORS START AT $135 AN HOUR, PLUS BENEFITS. WE HAVE MINIMAL TO NO IMPACT ON HARFORD COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE. I HAVE LIVED AND OPERATED BUSINESSES IN PENNSYLVANIA, INDIANA, VIRGINIA, AND MARYLAND. PRESENTLY, HARFORD COUNTY RANKS LAST AS A BUSINESS HEADQUARTERS DUE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT DYSFUNCTION. I WOULD CONSIDER CAROLINE COUNTY, MARYLAND A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, AND THEY ARE A VERY SMALL POPULATION COUNTY WITH A BUDGET OF $72 MILLION. GIVEN THE SIZE AND BUDGET OF HARFORD COUNTY, I EXPECTED A WELL-RUN AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT. INSTEAD, WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS PUBLISHED LAWS THAT ARE NOT ENFORCED, LEADING TO UNNECESSARY, REPETITIVE REQUESTS TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ENFORCE SAID LAWS. WASTING TIME AND MONEY I PURCHASED A FOREVER HOME IN LEAWOOD. MY PROPERTY ADJOINS A NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRICT PARCEL THAT ALSO CONTAINS A STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITY AND RECORDED BUFFER YARD TO SHIELD OUR PROPERTY FROM BUSY HENDERSON ROAD. THE COUNTY HAS JURISDICTION OVER. THIS PRIVATELY OWNED PARCEL, HOWEVER DOES NOT SEEM TO APPLY THE LAW AS IS WRITTEN TO ENFORCE ITS PROPER STEWARDSHIP BY ITS OWNERS. MY REQUEST FOR COPIES OF PERMITS AND DOCUMENTS BECAME AN UNNECESSARILY PROTRACTED EMAIL THREAD THAT ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN A PIA WEEKS LATER. IF THE HARFORD COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T WANT TO ENFORCE THE LAWS AS WRITTEN, THE COUNCIL SHOULD REVISE THE LAWS TO REFLECT WHAT WILL BE ENFORCED OR WORK OUT THE DIFFERENCES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
          WHEN CITIZENS BUY PROPERTY WITH RESTRICTIONS RECORDED IN THE APPROVED SUBDIVISION, THEY DO NOT EXPECT TO HAVE TO CONTEMPLATE LITIGATION ON WHAT IS RECORDED FOR TIME IMMEMORIAL IN THE LAND RECORDS OF HARFORD COUNTY, AND IT WILL CAUSE CITIZENS TO PUSH BACK EVEN HARDER ON DEVELOPMENT IF THEY GROW TO EXPECT THAT RESTRICTIONS ARE MEANINGLESS. 
          IF WE LEAVE, THE JOBS WILL LEAVE WITH US REDUCING THE WAGE TAX REVENUE FOR HARFORD COUNTY AND REDUCING FUTURE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR HARFORD COUNTIANS. I'M WILLING TO HAVE A DIALOG WITH ANY HARFORD COUNTY LEADERS THAT DESIRE THE FACTS AND WANT TO IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE MYSELF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THERE ARE NO MORE 
          [Additional Item]
SPEAKERS. MR. PRESIDENT, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MISS BROOKS, COULD YOU COME UP FRONT, PLEASE? I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, AND I WANT YOU TO GO THROUGH YOUR AUDIT SO THAT WE CAN REST ASIDE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR SPEED IN THIS AUDIT. 
          I WANT TO KNOW HOW THOROUGH IT WAS AND WHAT ALL YOU COVERED. SURE. THANK YOU MA'AM. SO OKAY, SO WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, NOT ON THE 13TH WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVED IT, BUT MORE THAN A WEEK BEFORE WHEN THESE ALLEGATIONS FIRST AROSE. I WAS ASKED TO START LOOKING INTO IT AND FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO FAIRLY IMMEDIATELY, I GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE SCHOOL'S AUDITOR TO FIND OUT WHAT SHE KNEW ABOUT IT SO FAR, TO REQUEST HER ASSISTANCE WITH THIS PROJECT. 
          WE GOT TRANSACTION DETAILS, WE GOT RECEIPTS FOR TRANSACTIONS. I SPOKE TO ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE, EXCEPT FOR MISS KOCHER, WHO WAS NOT HADN'T BEEN YET REAPPOINTED TO THE BOARD OR NOMINATED FOR THE BOARD. WE SPOKE TO DOCTOR BALSON, WE SPOKE TO DOCTOR DAVIS, AND I SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. I ALSO SPOKE TO THE IT DIRECTOR FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO WE TALKED TO A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF SORT OF FIGURING OUT WHAT'S EVERYBODY'S STORY, WHO KNEW WHAT AND WHEN, AND PIECING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER TO COME TO WHAT WE CAN BEST DETERMINE WAS WHAT 
          [00:45:01]
HAPPENED. AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, THE OBJECTIVES WERE TO CONFIRM THAT EXPENSES RELATED TO THE TRIP WERE APPROPRIATE, ALLOWABLE AND SUPPORTED BY RECEIPTS. ON THAT POINT, WE FOUND, YES, THE EXPENSES WERE REASONABLE AND SUPPORTED BY EXPENSES. THEY WERE APPROPRIATE. 
          THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE FOUND THAT WAS OUTRAGEOUS OR UNREASONABLE. THE SECOND OBJECTIVE WAS TO DETERMINE WHAT STEPS WERE TAKEN BY CPS TO ADDRESS THE MATTER OF LOST EQUIPMENT. ON THAT POINT, WE FOUND THAT DOCTOR BALSON CALLED THE POLICE. I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE HEARD THE RECORDING OF THE POLICE CALL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE NOTIFIED THE SCHOOL'S IT DIRECTOR PRETTY IMMEDIATELY TO LET HIM KNOW. HEY, MY DEVICES ARE MISSING SO THAT THOSE DEVICES COULD BE DEACTIVATED. HIS NETWORK ACCOUNTS DISABLED, HIS PHONE DISABLED. THEN WE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT HE LET DOCTOR POINTON KNOW THAT THE EQUIPMENT WAS MISSING. HE. SO HE NOTIFIED HIS SUPERVISOR, IF YOU WILL. WE ALSO, BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WITH FOLKS, PEOPLE, THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING WAS GOING ON, BUT GENERALLY PEOPLE HAD AN IDEA THAT THE DEVICES WERE MISSING, THAT THERE WERE RUMORS ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE EVENING BEFORE. AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE JUST THINGS THAT WE CAN'T GET TO. THE RECORDS JUST DON'T EXIST ANYMORE. BUT I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A MINUTE. THE THIRD POINT, OR THE THIRD OBJECTIVE OF OUR PROJECT, WAS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE OF ANY EQUIPMENT THAT WAS MISSING, THAT WAS SCHOOL RELATED EQUIPMENT. IN THE END, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE DEVICES WEREN'T STOLEN. THEY WERE IN THE ROOM SAFE. BUT WE DID STILL WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY HAD TAKEN THESE DEVICES, WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE HAD ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS OR EMPLOYEE RECORDS OR FINANCIAL RECORDS? AND WE DECIDED THAT THAT WAS HIGHLY UNLIKELY, JUST AS A ROUTINE MATTER. THE SUPERINTENDENT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS. IF HE NEEDED SOME INFORMATION, HE'D HAVE TO ASK SOMEONE ELSE FOR THAT. HIS ACCESS TO THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD HOLD EMPLOYEE INFORMATION, WAS ALSO EXTREMELY LIMITED. FURTHER, THE FILES THAT EMPLOYEES USE ARE KEPT IN ONEDRIVE, SO DISABLING THE NETWORK ACCOUNT DISABLES ACCESS TO THOSE FILES. 
          IF YOU'RE OFF SITE WITH CPS DEVICE, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO USE TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION TO LOG IN TO ACCESS FILES. ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, WE DETERMINED THAT IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY. I CAN'T SAY ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING. THERE'S NO WAY TO SAY ABSOLUTELY, BUT TO MY SATISFACTION, THERE WASN'T UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO ANY OF THE RECORDS THAT DOCTOR WILSON MIGHT HAVE HAD IN THOSE RECORDS WOULD HAVE BEEN LIMITED IN ANY CASE. I'LL ALSO ADD THAT. I KNOW THAT MY REPORT IS NOT GOING TO ADDRESS SOME QUESTIONS THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE, EITHER, BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ARE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, OR THE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ARE JUST POINTS OF INFORMATION THAT WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY FIND IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH COUNTY RESOURCE TO SAY, OH, LET'S SEND CRYSTAL DOWN TO NEW ORLEANS AND WANDER AROUND AND SEE WHO SHE CAN TRACK DOWN AND LOOK AT VIDEO CAMERAS AND THAT SORT OF THING, THAT JUST THAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD USE OF COUNTY RESOURCES. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE GATHERED THE INFORMATION WE COULD FIND. WE TOOK WHAT PEOPLE TOLD US AND ADDED IN THE RECORDS WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT TO CONFIRM WHAT WE BELIEVE THE TRUTH IS. AND THE TRUTH, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, MY CONCLUSION IS, IS THAT THESE DEVICES WERE NOT THEY WERE MISPLACED. THEY COULDN'T BE FOUND, BUT THEY WERE NOT STOLEN. 
          THEY WERE FOUND IN THE HOTEL'S SAFE, THE ROOM SAFE AT THE HOTEL. THE HOTEL REACHED OUT TO DOCTOR BOLSON AFTER HE HAD RETURNED TO MARYLAND. I KNOW IN THE PHONE CALL, HE SAYS HE'S REPORTING THAT HIS PHONES ARE MISSING, THAT HIS WATCH, HIS IPAD AND COMPUTER ARE MISSING. 
          WHILE HE WAS THERE IN NEW ORLEANS, HIS PERSONAL CELL PHONE WAS REPLACED. HE FOUND HIS WALLET IN THE ROOM LATER ON, SO HE HAD ID TO TRAVEL BACK. THESE ARE THE KIND OF QUESTIONS WE THINK THROUGH AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN AUDIT. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE HAPPENED? SO HE HAD HIS PERSONAL PHONE BACK. THE HOTEL CONTACTED HIM WHILE HE WAS ALREADY BACK IN MARYLAND TO SAY, HEY, WE FOUND THIS STUFF. WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THIS STUFF IS? HE DESCRIBED IT TO THEM. THEY AGREED THAT IT WAS WHATEVER THEY FOUND WAS LIKELY HIS, AND THEY SHIPPED IT 
          [00:50:03]
BACK TO MARYLAND. WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE RECORDS THAT THE HOTEL HAD RELATED TO THEIR LOST ITEM TRACKING, THAT THEY HAD RECORDS SHOWING THE FEDEX INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD SENT IT TO HIM. WE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE RECEIPTS FOR HIM PAYING FEDEX FOR THOSE THINGS. WE CONFIRMED THAT THE COMPUTER WE I LOOKED AT IT, I HELD IT IN MY HANDS. I SAID, OKAY, THE SERIAL NUMBER AGREES TO THE SERIAL NUMBER WE EXPECT TO SEE. WE REVIEWED RECORDS TO CONFIRM THAT THE PHONE WAS DISABLED TIMELY, AND THAT IT LATER ON WAS RECYCLED THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS THAT THE SCHOOL USES TO RECYCLE PHONES. AND ALSO THAT DOCTOR WILSON'S PERSONAL ITEMS WERE ALSO RETURNED TO HIM. I KNOW THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT I'D HEARD ELSEWHERE. AND SO I KNOW THE THE QUESTIONS THAT STILL ARE OUTSTANDING THAT WE JUST CAN'T ANSWER IS, HOW DID THIS STUFF GET IN THE SAFE? I DON'T KNOW, I COULDN'T SAY, BUT I THINK IN THE IN THE FRAME OF WHAT OUR AUDIT OBJECTIVES ARE, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER HOW THE STUFF GOT IN THE SAFE. I CAN'T THINK OF A SCENARIO THAT SEEMS FEASIBLE THAT WOULD GIVE AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON ACCESS TO THOSE DEVICES WHERE THAT PERSON WOULDN'T HAVE JUST STOLEN THE DEVICES AND SOLD THEM SOMEWHERE. IT JUST BENEVOLENT THIEF DOESN'T SHAKE OUT REAL WELL FOR ME IN MY THOUGHT PROCESS AROUND THIS. SO WITH ALL THAT, THOSE ARE THE CONCLUSIONS GENERALLY FROM MY REPORT. I CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM. THANK YOU CRYSTAL COUNCIL. ANYONE? ANY QUESTIONS, MR. GIORDANO? THANKS, CRYSTAL. DO YOU KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY KIND OF SPYWARE SCANS DONE OR ANYTHING ON THAT? DID IT MENTION IF THEY. I KNOW THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DATA BREACH, BUT DID THEY DO SCANS ON THE EQUIPMENT, SPYWARE SCANS AND SO FORTH? NO. WHEN THE SCHOOL'S IT DEPARTMENT GOT THE DEVICE, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO HAVE PHYSICALLY BEEN TAMPERED WITH. AND BECAUSE THE ACCOUNTS HAD BEEN DISABLED, THEN THERE WEREN'T EXTRA STEPS THAT THEY TOOK AT THE TIME. THEY JUST ESSENTIALLY ACCEPTED, OH, WE GOT THE STUFF BACK. THERE WERE NO DIAGNOSTIC TESTS RUNS THAT POINT, SO THERE'S NO INFORMATION TO REVIEW. DO WE KNOW WHAT THEIR PROTOCOL FOR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE? OR I UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S WHAT THE GENERAL EXPECTATION WAS. 
          THAT'S THE GENERAL EXPECTATION OKAY. SO THE WALLET WAS BROUGHT BACK TO HIM. BUT THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THE WALLET BUT THE AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF. AND I UNDERSTAND NOT BROUGHT BACK. 
          FOUND IN HIS ROOM, FOUND EMPTY. THAT'S WHAT THE REPORT SAID. RIGHT. AND I THINK I ASKED YOU A QUESTION ABOUT BECAUSE PAT HAD SAID TO ME HE RENTED A CAR WAS AND I AND I ASKED I DIDN'T SAY HE DID. I DON'T KNOW, SOMEONE SOMEONE RENTED A CAR. YEAH. OKAY. DO WE HAVE RECORDS OF THE CAR RENTAL? BECAUSE I HAD ASKED THAT IF THERE WAS A CAR WAS RENTED. AND, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ONLY VALET PARKING DOWN THERE. WAS WE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT? THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO WAS REIMBURSED FOR A CAR RENTAL? BUT IT WASN'T SEAN. IT WAS NOT. 
          OKAY. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR SCOPE GOES TO THE ONE END ABOUT WHETHER THE ITEMS WERE STOLEN OR NOT. STOLEN? WHAT ABOUT THE POLICE REPORT? AND THEN I'VE SEEN SOME STUFF OUT THERE. TIME FRAME. AND I THINK THAT'S NOT ON ON YOUR END EITHER. BUT. WHAT WAS. SO THERE WAS SOME PICTURES ABOUT WHEN HE WAS THERE, WHEN HE WAS NOT THERE, ABOUT WHEN HE WAS AT THE CONFERENCE. NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE CONFERENCE. I MIGHT COME BACK TO A QUESTION. OKAY, I GUESS I CAN I DON'T KNOW IF IT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES YOUR QUESTION, BUT I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I CAN SEE THE INTERNET TOO. I SEE STUFF THAT PEOPLE ARE POSTING ONLINE, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO VERIFY MOST OF THE STUFF THAT I'VE SEEN POSTED ONLINE. I, WITHOUT A SOURCE TO CONFIRM WHERE INFORMATION COMES FROM, I WOULD NOT PUT IT IN AN AUDIT REPORT AND SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT WOULD JUST BE A BAD CHOICE FOR MY REPUTATION. THANK YOU CRYSTAL. ANYONE ELSE? THANKS FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION. THANKS FOR YOUR THOROUGHNESS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF YOUR. YOU DID SPEAK TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE AS WELL, RIGHT? WE SHARED RECORDS BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE, LAURA, THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AUDITOR, LAURA TUCHOLSKI, WAS HELPING COORDINATE. SHE WAS ALSO HELPING COORDINATE FOR THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE. AND SO THAT WAS HOW WE GOT INFORMATION FROM THEM FOR THE COUPLE RECORDS THAT WE GOT FROM THEM. YOU SENT US THAT REPORT? YES. YES, I DID SEND YOU ALL A COPY OF THEIR REPORT AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. I DID TRY TO READ THE OTHER REPORT WHERE SOME STUFF WAS IN RED, BUT IT'S HARD TO READ ON YOUR PHONE. 
          [00:55:02]
SOME STUFF WAS IN RED. I DON'T THINK MY REPORT HAD TOLD ME THAT INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT SOMETHING. I JUST GOT IT ANYWAY. BUT OKAY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS, BUT IF YOU WANT ME TO 
          [16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
REVIEW, I'LL LOOK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 16 COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. EMHOFF. GOOD EVENING. ON JANUARY 14TH, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE AERO CENTER FOR EDUCATION MOUNTAIN ROAD GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING. I'VE SHARED ABOUT THIS PROJECT BEFORE. THIS IS A SCHOOL PREDOMINANTLY FOR K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS WHO HAVE AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS AND AN IEP. 
          A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE NONVERBAL AND NEED EXTENSIVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. THE RESPONSE FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE FAMILIES IN NEED WERE EXCEPTIONAL, TO THE POINT THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY NOT ONLY MET CAPACITY AT THEIR SCHOOL, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY EXTENDED A CONTRACT WITH A NEIGHBORING SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GROW THE CENSUS AND MEET THE NEED OF HARFORD COUNTY. ON JANUARY 15TH, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING. JANUARY 16TH, I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH ADDICTION CONNECTIONS RESOURCE WITH COUNCILWOMAN ROBERT, AND THEN LATER ON JANUARY 16TH, I WAS ABLE TO READ A STORY FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY FAIRY TALE AND SUPERHERO FESTIVAL. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME DOING IT AND IT WAS AWESOME. UPCOMING EVENTS. THERE ARE THREE UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND THE AG PRESERVATION SEMINARS. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29TH AT 6 P.M. AT HARFORD COUNTY AG CENTER. SATURDAY, JANUARY 31ST AT 9 A.M. AT CHURCHVILLE REC CENTER. AND THEN TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD AT 6 P.M. AT THE FALLSTON LIBRARY. 
          ANOTHER UPCOMING EVENT IS JANUARY 28TH IS THE FALLSTON CAB MEETING FROM 630 TO 8 AT THE VERONICA CHENOWETH ACTIVITY CENTER. WE HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. GINGER. WHAT? YOU'RE GOING THAT WAY? NO. COMING TO YOU. IT'S GOING TO FORGET ME AGAIN ANYWAY. OKAY. ARE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT DID MOP TOP AGAIN FOR THE SUPERHERO FESTIVAL. I THINK THE KIDS REALLY LIKE IT. I LIKE PUTTING ON THE RED WIG AND CURLY HAIR AND GETTING SOMEBODY TO CUT IT AND ACTING OUT AND HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH THE KIDS. SO I ENJOYED THAT. TODAY WE HAD THE SERVICE AWARDS. 
          SARAH SELF, AUDITOR TEN YEARS AND JACQUELINE HOWARD, FIVE YEARS AS HARFORD SPECIALIST. 
          UPCOMING EVENT IS THE NORTHVILLE JARRETTSVILLE FOREST HILL CAB MEETING TOMORROW AT WHITEFORD VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO BRING UP SOMETHING ON HARFORD COUNTY PASSED RESOLUTION 725, IN OPPOSITION TO MARYLAND HOUSE BILL 1222 ON APRIL 1ST, 2025. 
          THE RESOLUTION EXPRESSES FULL SUPPORT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. 287 DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY PROGRAM. WHILE THE GENERAL BY THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS CONSIDERING ENDING 287 AGREEMENTS, I BELIEVE THAT SINCE HARFORD COUNTY ADOPTED RESOLUTION 007 25, OUR ARRANGEMENT SHOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN AND THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITHIN OUR COUNTY. THE PROGRAM ENABLES LOCAL OFFICERS OFFICERS TO PERFORM SPECIFIC IMMIGRATION OFFICER FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS IDENTIFYING AND DETAINING INDIVIDUALS SUSPECTED OF BEING IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE DID PASS THAT. I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THAT, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT. AND ALSO I THINK CRYSTAL FOR THAT. BUT AND SEAN BELSON'S CONTRACT, THERE'S A MORAL CLAUSE AND I AM GOING TO STICK TO WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT HIS MORAL CLAUSE. AND AND HE NEEDS TO STEP DOWN. SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. JORDAN. AND MR. RILEY. YES. JUST DOING WHAT TONY WAS TALKING ABOUT. I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, THE NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, IS TOTALLY, 100% AGAINST 287. AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT STAY ANYMORE HERE IN MARYLAND. I DON'T SEE MR. TIBBS HERE TONIGHT, AND I WON'T BE AT THE ECONOMIC AG ADVISORY BOARD MEETING TOMORROW, BUT I WILL BE SENDING AURORA. SO I KNOW HE'S WATCHING OR WATCHING BY TV, SO MR. TIBBS WON'T BE THERE. BUT YOU'LL DEFINITELY SEE A REWARD. YOU'LL PROBABLY APPRECIATE THAT MORE THAN SEEING ME. I WILL BE DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS. I'M ON THE MAKO SUBCOMMITTEE LAND USE, SO I HAVE TO BE THERE AT 9:00 AS OPPOSED TO BEING AT THE AG MEETING. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MISS ADAMS, THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. LAST WEEK, THE CHURCHVILLE CRESSWELL FOUNTAIN GREEN DUBLIN DARLINGTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD DISCUSSED THE NEED TO FILL VACANCIES. RESIDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE COUNTY WEBSITE OR CONTACT MY AIDE AND MY OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION. 
          [01:00:01]
TOMORROW IS THE GRAND OPENING OF THE CHESAPEAKE WELCOME CENTER AT HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE FRONT DOOR TO THE HARFORD EXPERIENCE. THE CENTER WILL HOUSE ADMISSION, WORKFORCE, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION, AS WELL AS REGISTRATION AND DUAL ENROLLMENT. THANK YOU, MISS MR. BENNETT, GOOD EVENING. THIS IS A RARE TIME WHERE I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO SHARE. I SLOWED DOWN THIS PAST WEEK. JUST AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY STEPMOTHER HAS BEEN BATTLING CANCER HERE FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. AND WE GOT REALLY TOUGH NEWS THIS PAST WEEK. SO ABBY, ADA, AND I WERE DOWN ON THE EASTERN SHORE SITTING WITH FAMILY AND JUST TAKING TIME TO BE TOGETHER. SO DIDN'T DO A WHOLE LOT COUNSELING OTHER THAN KEEPING TRACK OF MY EMAIL, STAYING IN COMMUNICATION WITH MISS QANTAS, GETTING READY FOR THE MEETING. 
          BUT IT WAS A RARE WEEK WITHOUT A BUNCH OF EVENTS FOR ME, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. 
          THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS ROBERT, YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO. I WAS SITTING THERE. 
          THANK YOU. I TOO WENT TO THE GRAND OPENING OF THE AERO CENTER IN MOUNTAIN ROAD AND IT'S AMAZING FACILITY. I ACTUALLY ASKED IF THEY WERE ACCEPTING SOME KIDS BECAUSE I SEE KIDS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE AUTISM SCHOOL, AND IT WAS SUCH A HANDS ON EXPERIENCE. 
          AND THEY'RE THEY'RE CALMING ROOM COULD CALM ANYBODY. I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO FILL UP REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING OLDER KIDS TO AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR THAT. ON JANUARY 15TH, I HAD THE SOCIAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD. WE WELCOMED THE THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE APPOINTED RECENTLY. AND MAINLY WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO INVOLVE THE FAMILIES THAT DSS WORKS WITH AND SOME OF THE PASSING OF SOME OF THAT FOOD AND THINGS LIKE THAT. JANUARY 16TH, I HAD A MEETING WITH MR. PETERS OF CORDISH AND RAJ OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TRYING TO GET SOME BUSINESSES AND SOME REALLY INTERESTING CONCEPTS INTO THE EDGEWOOD JOPPA JOPPATOWNE AREA. THE MEETING WAS VERY FRUITFUL. WE HAVE SOME GOOD IDEAS AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BRING IN A LOT OF ECONOMIC TOURISM. BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ON FRIDAY. I ALSO WAS A PART OF THE FAIRY TALE AND SUPERHERO READING. I DRESSED UP AS WONDER WOMAN BECAUSE THAT'S MY SUPERHERO, AND THE KIDS LOVE WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY WERE HELPING ME READ IT. SO THAT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS. I ALSO MET WITH THE ACR ADDICTION CONNECTIONS RESOURCE WITH COUNCILWOMAN IMHOFF. AND ON YESTERDAY, ON JANUARY 19TH, IN HONOR OF MARTIN LUTHER KING'S DAY OF SERVICE, THE NAACP, WE BAGGED A LOT OF FOOD FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT TODAY, TO THE POINT WHERE THE STAFF THERE DOES NOT NEED TO BAG, AT LEAST FOR TODAY, MAYBE NOT EVEN TOMORROW. WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT OF OTHER VOLUNTEERS THAT SHOWED UP AS WELL. AND THEN I WENT TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM, WHERE IT TALKED MORE ABOUT THE POSTAL SERVICE AND HOW THAT WORKED BACK IN THE DAY. 
          IT'S VERY INTERESTING. AND SO I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE'S TWO THINGS COMING UP PATHWAYS TO STABILITY, WHICH IS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF DISABILITY SERVICES ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 29TH AT THE EPICENTER. IT'S FOR ANYONE THAT IS LOOKING FOR HUD 81 ONE HOUSING INFORMATION, FINANCIAL PLANNING, DISABILITY BENEFITS, UNDERSTANDING, TICKET TO WORK PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT WILL ALSO BE FILMED BY THE HARTFORD TV IF ANYONE MISSES AND LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED. AND THEN THERE'S THE FAITH IN ACTION TOWN HALL, WHERE THE THE JANUARY TOPIC, WHICH IS GOING TO BE ON JANUARY 30TH, 830 TO 12 AT THE TOWN CENTER, IS THE SILENT STRAIN, CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, FAITH AND COMMUNITY ACTION, LOOKING AT HYPERTENSION, DIABETES AND SICKLE CELL ANEMIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MISS ROBERT 17 BUSINESS FROM THE 
          [17. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
PRESIDENT. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT ALL OF US ENJOY GOING TO THE LIBRARY TO READ TO THE KIDS. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE NICEST THINGS THAT WE DO, AND IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT ATMOSPHERE THERE. THE KIDS ARE ALWAYS VERY RECEPTIVE AND I CAN'T COMMENT ENOUGH ON MARY HASSLER AND HER OUTSTANDING TEAM AT THE LIBRARY, THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS ACROSS THE COUNTY, THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THEY HAVE THERE ARE JUST UNBELIEVABLE. SO AND WE ALWAYS GET A KICK OUT OF MARY AND HER TEAM WHEN THEY COME HERE, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE FRIDAY. 
          THIS PAST FRIDAY, THE COUNCIL ATTORNEY AND MYSELF MET WITH MISS BROOKS FOR HER TO GO OVER HER REPORT. SHE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT REPORT WAS SENT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE PUBLIC FOR THOSE THAT HAD REQUESTED COPIES. 
          [01:05:06]
THAT REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SEE IT. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REQUEST IT. WE'LL PUT IT OUT THERE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, CRYSTAL, I APPRECIATE IT. AND THEN JEANNIE AND I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MARY WALKER. SHE WAS A LIFELONG DEAR FRIEND IN HAVRE DE GRACE. SHE PASSED AWAY THIS PAST WEEK AND WAS LAID TO REST TODAY. BUT I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND ASK YOU TO KEEP THE THE DRESSER AND THE BUTCHER FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. JENNY MEOLI PASSED AWAY THIS PAST WEEK AND JIM BUTCHER JUST RECENTLY, SO JIM WAS AN OUTSTANDING GUY, OUTSTANDING MAN, EXTREMELY TALENTED. AND JUST EVERY TIME YOU SAW HIM, HE HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE. SO HE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE MISSED BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE. SO WOULD HE ASK YOU TO KEEP ALL OF THESE FAMILIES AND THEIR FRIENDS IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS? AND WITH THAT, WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.