[00:00:02]
FOUR. THREE. TWO. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR. CALLS TO ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 26 005.
PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN JAMES GIORDANO. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS WE BEGIN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. GUIDE OUR DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS WITH WISDOM, RESPECT, AND A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMON GOOD. WE GIVE SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY DURING THE RECENT WINTER STORM TO KEEP OUR ROADS SAFE, OUR SERVICES MOVING, AND OUR RESIDENTS PROTECTED. BLESS THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION, LONG HOURS, AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE. BE WITH ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND STAFF WHO SUPPORT THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES. GRANT THEM STRENGTH, SAFETY, AND ENCOURAGEMENT AS THEY CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. AMEN.
AMEN. COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRAYER, BECAUSE THE RECOGNITION FOR DPW WORKERS AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS IS ABSOLUTELY, TRULY APPRECIATED. HEAR, HEAR. FOR
[5. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS]
PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS, WE HAVE NONE. FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND NOMINATIONS. EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT. HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY HAVE A MOTION. PLEASE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF LILIANA ORCHITIS MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MISTER RILEY. IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS IMHOFF, I HAVE KNOWN LILIANA THROUGH A FEW DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES, AND I HAVE BEEN MORE THAN IMPRESSED WITH HER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP. LILIANA REGISTERED TO RUN FOR THE DISTRICT'S SEAT BOARD OF EDUCATION POSITION IN OCTOBER, AND SHE PRIOR TO THAT, AND SINCE THEN, HAS MADE IT A POINT TO KNOW AS MUCH AS SHE CAN ABOUT HOW THE BOARD OF ED HAS FUNCTIONED AND SOMETIMES DYSFUNCTION. AND I THINK SHE WILL OFFER A FRESH PERSPECTIVE. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT SHE WAS CONSIDERED OUT OF A POOL OF APPLICANTS TO ALLOW FOR A MORE TRANSPARENT AND TRUSTED PROCESS.THANK YOU, MISS IMHOFF. ANYONE ELSE? MISTER GINGER? SO ALSO, I'VE KNOWN LILIANA PROBABLY FOR ABOUT EIGHT NINE YEARS. I THINK EVER SINCE I THINK WHEN SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, ALWAYS EXTREMELY ENGAGED, EXTREMELY SMART. I KNOW SHE WORKS FOR DELEGATE SHALALA DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS. SHE'S INVOLVED ALL THE TIME. I KNOW SHE WAS RUNNING FOR THIS SEAT, SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET HER IN HERE A LITTLE BIT EARLY. AND SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISTER GINGER. MISS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO THANK MISS ORCHITIS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH ME FOR AN INTERVIEW. I WAS ALSO HAPPY TO SEE THAT IN TODAY'S PRESS RELEASE FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, HE STATED HE CONSIDERED ALL APPLICANTS. I WILL BE VOTING YES TO THE APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING, BASED ON HER CONSERVATIVE VALUES AND THE FACT THAT SHE IS A RECENT GRADUATE OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MISS US, MR. BENNETT? HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH MISTER ORCHITIS EARLIER THIS EVENING AND LET HER KNOW THAT I PLAN TO ABSTAIN, NOT FOR ANY REASON AGAINST HER, BUT JUST AGAIN, HISTORICALLY, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT MY BOARD OF ED APPOINTMENT VOTES, THIS WILL BE OUR EIGHTH VOTE, WHICH IS KIND OF WILD TO THINK ABOUT IN THIS TERM. I'VE ABSTAINED SIX OF THOSE TIMES, VOTED YES ON MISS PAGE, WHO I SAW DOING A GREAT JOB ON THE BOARD AND THEN VOTED ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, DOCTOR BOYNTON. AN ETHICS QUESTION ASKING IF IT'S ETHICAL FOR ME TO VOTE ON BOARD OF ED APPOINTMENTS AND WITH RESPECT TO THE ETHICS BOARD AS THEY WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS, I'M JUST WAITING TO VOTE UNTIL THEY TELL ME WHAT THEIR ANSWER IS.
SO THAT'S WHY I ABSTAINED LAST TIME, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ABSTAINING WITH THIS VOTE, JUST TO GIVE THE ETHICS BOARD TIME TO LOOK OVER THAT QUESTION AND MAKE SURE THAT I'M HONORING THEIR DISCRETION. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS ROBERT. YES? THANK YOU. I GOT TO SPEAK WITH LILIANA THIS AFTERNOON FOR A PRETTY DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND I ALREADY KNEW WHO SHE WAS
[00:05:03]
AND HAVE SPOKEN TO HER THROUGH THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION AND OTHER AVENUES. BUT I WANTED TO KIND OF ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT HER THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION, LIKE THE AP, AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES, SOME OF THE OTHER COURSES WE TALKED. SHE THOUGHT THAT THOSE WERE APPROPRIATE COURSES AND SAID THAT BECAUSE THEY OFFER MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES, SHE THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD FOR COLLEGE FOR FOR KIDS TO GET THE COLLEGE CREDITS.AND SHE HAD NO OBJECTION TO THAT. HER OBJECTION WAS MORE ON A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, IS WHAT SHE EXPLAINED TO ME. SO IF THERE WAS NOT IF THERE WAS ONLY FIVE KIDS ENROLLED IN THE CLASS, IT WOULD IT BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO HAVE A TEACHER DO THAT? THAT WAS THE ONLY NEGATIVE ABOUT HAVING THE ACTUAL CLASS. WE THEN MOVED ON TO BOOKS. AND WHAT THAT THAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR HER? AND WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SHE SHE FEELS LIKE IF THE CHILD AND THE PARENT WERE AGREEABLE TO A CHILD TO READ THE BOOK, THAT THAT WAS FINE. IF THEY GET IT FROM THE LIBRARY, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING IT INTO THE SCHOOL. WE DID TALK ABOUT MAYBE A POLICY. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR PARENTS TO GET NOTIFIED BEFORE A CHILD TOOK A BOOK OUT OF THE ACTUAL SCHOOL LIBRARY, AND SHE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A GOOD CONCEPT. AND SO SHE WAS NOT OPPOSED TO ANY KIND OF CHILDREN READING BOOKS THAT MAY BE QUESTIONABLE, AS LONG AS THEIR PARENTS ARE AGREEABLE TO THOSE BOOKS. WE TALKED ABOUT DOCTOR MAC BECAUSE DOCTOR MAC IS CURRENTLY ACTING. SHE LOVES DOCTOR MAC BECAUSE DOCTOR MAC WAS, I BELIEVE, HER PRINCIPAL AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AND SHE SPOKE VERY HIGHLY OF DOCTOR MAC. I ASKED HER ABOUT WHAT HER THOUGHTS WERE ON JUST HISTORY IN GENERAL, AND AND SHE SAID SHE FELT THAT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THE GOOD AND THE BAD. THEY BOTH SHOULD BE TALKED ABOUT. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS FINE BECAUSE IT WAS A GROUNDING EXPERIENCE, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AP AMERICAN HISTORY. SHE HAPPENED TO HAVE TO TAKE THAT ONLINE THROUGH COVID, UNFORTUNATELY, WHICH BROUGHT ME TO A WHOLE SLEW OF TEXT, NOT TEXT MESSAGES I RECEIVED WITH FACEBOOK POSTS. AND LILIANA AND I TALKED ABOUT THOSE FACEBOOK POSTS. WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING WAS LILIANA WAS LIKE, I WAS MAD. I WAS MAD THAT I WAS STUCK AT HOME, YOU KNOW, SINGLE MOM, SIBLINGS AT HOME, EVERYONE TRYING TO LEARN DURING THE COVID TIME. THAT'S WHEN I GOT MAD AT THE SYSTEM. I FELT LIKE IT FAILED, THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING THE RESPONSES WE NEEDED, NOT ENOUGH USEFUL RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND FELT ALONE. AND I THANKED HER FOR THAT COMMENT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY HONEST COMMENT AND AGREED WITH HER THAT I'VE HEARD THAT AS A THERAPIST BY A LOT OF CHILDREN, I DID. LILIANA WAS KIND OF GOOD WITH HER, HER WORDING. SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M DONE WITH THE POLITICALLY AND PUBLICLY CHARGED CURRENT BOARD OF ED, AND SHE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT TO THE TABLE. HER THOUGHTS, HER IDEAS, HER MOMENTUM, AND START BEING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. AND I THOUGHT SHE SAID THAT PROPERLY. I KNOW EVERYONE'S CONCERNED ABOUT HER AGE. I HAVE MET FIVE YEAR OLDS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY'RE 45, AND SO I AM NOT CONCERNED ABOUT HER AGE. I THINK SHE HAS PREPARED HERSELF FOR THIS. MY CONCERN WAS REALLY HER MINDSET IN 2020 AND NOW HER MINDSET NOW, AND I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE HER A CHANCE TO GROW AND TO CONTINUE GROWING.
AND THAT IS MY THOUGHTS AND THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME, LILIANA. ANYONE ELSE? MR. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING. BOTH LILIANA AND JAKE RESIDE IN MY DISTRICT, PURCHASED A HOME.
SO ARE HOMEOWNERS, SO CONGRATULATIONS! I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HAD THAT FOR A WHILE, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ROOTS IN HARFORD COUNTY AND KEEPING YOUR ROOTS IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ON THE RECORD AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT. HI, MRS. ROBERT, I, MRS. EMHOFF, MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT ABSTAIN. YOU'RE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSTENTION. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MISS. STAND UP PLEASE. SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, POLICE
[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD 2025 ANNUAL REPORT. MR. RYAN, MR. HUNT. NO SPEED IN HERE. NO[00:10:13]
BACKUP BEEPER ON THAT. I KNOW I FEEL LIKE DOING THE SHOP. I THINK THEY DISCONNECTED IT.GOOD. YEAH. OKAY. YES, SIR. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JERRY RYAN. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD. THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND HARFORD COUNTY STATUTE, YOUR HARFORD COUNTY POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD, KNOWN AS THE PAB, CONSISTS OF MYSELF, VICKY JONES, ELIZABETH CLARK, TORIE LYNCH AND MR. TERRY HUNT. AND WE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND REVIEW. THE PAB MET 530 IN THE EVENING ON JANUARY THE 28TH, APRIL 22ND, JULY 22ND AND NOVEMBER 10TH AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS RIGHT HERE ON THE BOND STREET, THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE THREE MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE ALWAYS PRESENT, AS WELL AS A FEW CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY. AT THE TIME, THE PAB MEMBERS WAS JUDGE JOHN LAMBERT, JR. HE COMPLETED HIS TERM IN JUNE, AND ALLISON IMHOF RESIGNED IN APRIL WHEN SHE WAS APPOINTED TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL. TORIE LYNCH AND ELIZABETH CLARK FILL THOSE VACANCIES. TERESA WALTERS WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. SHE RESIGNED IN SEPTEMBER AND I DREW THE SHORT STRAW, BECAME THE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE CURRENT PAB BOARD, TERRY HUNT. MR. HUNT CAME ON BOARD.
HE WAS TRAINED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND HE IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE AT THE ACC, WHICH IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE. AND HIS HIS HIS TERM JUST STARTED.
DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE AT OUR MEETINGS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING THE PAB AND THE ACC, THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE, AND HOW TO BETTER CONDUCT THE ADMINISTRATION OF SOME OF SOME IN THE UNIFORM WAY AMONGST THE FOUR AGENCIES TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS, HOW AGENCIES GOT THEM SECURELY TO THE ACC, TIMING ISSUES WITHIN THE LEGISLATION AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS WERE DISCUSSED AND MOSTLY RESOLVED AT THE MEETINGS. ON THE AVERAGE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ACC SPENT ABOUT 20 HOURS A WEEK REVIEWING CASES AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS THAT CAME WITH THOSE CASES. CASES CAN BE OVER 100 PAGES IN LENGTH AND CAN CONTAIN HOURS OF VIDEO FROM MULTIPLE BODY CAMERAS, AND ALSO FROM CAR POLICE CAR CAMERAS. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE STATE ENACTING LEGISLATION HAS SEVERAL ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE BY THE LEGISLATOR, ESPECIALLY THE TIME RESTRAINTS, THE STATISTICAL INFORMATION FOR OUR 2025 CASES, THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS INVOLVED IN COMPLAINTS FILED WAS 41. 25 OF THOSE CAME FROM THE ABERDEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT, ZERO FROM THE BEL AIR POLICE DEPARTMENT, 12 FROM THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FOUR FROM THE HAVRE DE GRACE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS AN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF 91 VIOLATIONS OF THE POLICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THE DISPOSITION OF THOSE CASES, 12% WERE ADMINISTRATIVELY CHARGED WITH VIOLATIONS. OF THE RULES, 29 WERE NOT CHARGED AND 59% OF THE ALLEGATIONS WERE UNFOUNDED.
THE COMMITTEE FOUND NO PATTERNS OF NEGLECT OR NO NEED FOR ANY ADDITIONAL TRAINING WAS DETECTED FROM THE REPORTS SUBMITTED IN HARFORD COUNTY. THE CONCLUSION IS THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE WELL TRAINED AND WELL DISCIPLINED, AND OUR POLICE CHIEFS ARE FOLLOWING THE THE NEW LAW AS ESTABLISHED. THAT'S OUR REPORT. THANK YOU JOE. FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW YOU WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE STUCK WITH THIS POSITION NOW, CAN YOU GIVE A REAL QUICK, BRIEF BACKGROUND ON YOUR SERVICE? SURE. THANK YOU. I SPENT 26 YEARS WITH THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE. MOST OF THOSE YEARS IN INVESTIGATIONS POSITIONS, 18 OF THE 26 YEARS AFTER THAT, I WAS THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE HARFORD COUNTY OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL POLICY, WHICH INTEGRATED DRUG COURT PROGRAMS TREATMENT INTO ENFORCEMENT. SO AS I TELL PEOPLE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CRIME AND DRUGS MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE, SO I FELT COMPELLED TO VOLUNTEER FOR THIS BOARD TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, SORT OF TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP THINGS MOVING ALONG AS BEST I CAN. THANK YOU. AND WE COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTY. AND,
[00:15:05]
TERRY, WHEN WE READ YOUR RESUME, IT WAS LIKE FOLDING OUT LIKE AN OLD POLICE REPORT OR SOMEBODY JUST PAGE AFTER PAGE. I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. SO WE APPRECIATE WE APPRECIATE YOUR INVOLVEMENT. WE APPRECIATE THE CITIZENS, MISS JONES AND MISS LYNCH AND ALL THE OTHERS THAT ARE INVOLVED AS WELL. BUT I WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THESE ARE NOT JUST PEOPLE OFF THE STREET. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXTREMELY INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND HAVE A GREAT BACKGROUND. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS, MISS ROBERT? YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUICK ONE. AND JOE, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT. I SEE THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE WITH THE CASES FILED, BUT DOES IT SHOW WHAT AREAS THE IN WAS IT LIKE? I KNOW WE'RE NOT A MUNICIPALITY IN EDGEWOOD JOPPA. SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS. WE DON'T WE DON'T.THEY NEVER BROKE THEM DOWN LIKE SOUTHERN PRECINCT OR NORTHERN PRECINCT. OKAY, OKAY. AND I CAN GET THAT. IF YOU COULD GET THAT FOR ME, THAT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOF. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SERVICE. I GOT TO WORK WITH JOE FOR A LITTLE BIT AS WE SHARED TIME ON THE PAB. TERRY, YOU AND I KIND OF MISSED EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT, BUT WORKING TOGETHER NOW, YEAH, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS. BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS. I KNOW THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL THAT GOES INTO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE NUMBERS AND REPORTS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SEEMS LIKE A LIST OF NUMBERS, BUT IT'S INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE WITH INDIVIDUAL REPUTATIONS, INDIVIDUAL CASES, AND THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION FOR EVERY SINGLE SITUATION. AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. RILEY? YES, JOE. DID YOU SAY ANYTHING FROM BEL AIR? I SAW ABERDEEN HAVING DEGREES 000, AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR FROM HAVRE DE GRACE IS HERE. PAULA. HEADING BEL AIR. I MEAN, BEL AIR. THANK YOU. PAULA. BUT THANK YOU. BEL AIR FROM BEL AIR. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO IN BEL AIR. AND ALSO, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH YOUR DAD AND BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE WAS HE HE WAS THE MAN THERE. AND AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR US IN HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL SUPPORT. MR. BENNETT.
HELLO. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO ALL YEAR LONG. COULD YOU KIND OF JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT FOR PEOPLE LISTENING AT HOME? THERE WERE 41 CASES FILED, BUT 91 TOTAL ALLEGED VIOLATIONS. LIKE WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO MAKE THOSE NUMBERS DIFFERENT. SURE, THE INCIDENT IS THERE'S THERE'S 41 OFFICERS INVOLVED, AND THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN ONE VIOLATION THAT THE OFFICER IS ALLEGED TO HAVE COMMITTED. SO THAT'S HOW WE COME TO THE NUMBER OF 91 INVOLVING 41 INDIVIDUALS. SO HOPEFULLY THAT THAT EXPLAINS IT. THREE THINGS HAPPENED. COULD IT COULD BE RIGHT. COULD BE A COUPLE DIFFERENT VIOLATIONS INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT. COULD BE LIKE YOU SAID, TWO, THREE, FOUR. USUALLY THERE'S JUST ONE, YOU KNOW, TO GET TO THAT NUMBER AND THE PERCENTAGES AT THE BOTTOM, LIKE 12% ADMINISTRATIVELY CHARGED, WOULD THAT BE 12% OF THE VIOLATIONS OR 12% OF THE OFFICERS? THAT'S THE THE VIOLATION. OKAY. SO BECAUSE LIKE AN OFFICER, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THREE THINGS ALLEGED, BUT ONLY ONE OF THEM. CORRECT. RIGHT. THAT'S THREE THINGS. AND ONLY ONE IS. THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GINGER. SURE, SURE. THANKS, JOE. HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE RECORDINGS OF THESE INSTANCES MOVING FORWARD? IS THERE A TIME FRAME FOR THAT? OR ONCE YOU GUYS REVIEW IT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THE RECORDINGS ANYMORE. I THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT. AND I CAN FIND OUT. I WOULD ASSUME IT'S THE THREE YEAR RULE THAT THEY KEEP THAT ON FILE. I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW THAT. AND JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY I'LL LOOK INTO THAT. AND IN THE WORDS OF DEAN WORMER, 0.00 FOR BEL AIR. RIGHT. IN CASE ANYBODY DOESN'T KNOW, THAT'S ANIMAL HOUSE. YEAH.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU JOE. THANK YOU TERRY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT OKAY. AND JOE, WHEN YOU SEND THOSE REPLIES BACK JUST SEND THEM TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, OKAY? OKAY. YES,
[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. LEGISLATIVE DAY 2503 JANUARY 20TH, 2026. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BE NO CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES. STAND APPROVED EIGHT. INTRODUCTION. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS. NONE NINE.INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. NONE TEN. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. NONE 11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. NONE 12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS NONE 13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
[00:20:03]
NONE 14. NEW BUSINESS NONE 15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I WOULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS. WE HAD A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS AFTERNOON ON SOME BOND BILLS, AND I THINK MR. PROBABLY SPEAK TO THEM IN HIS COMMENTS, BUT THE RATES WERE VERY GOOD FOR THE COUNTY AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. BOTH MILES AND STOCKBRIDGE AND DAVENPORT, I THINK IT WAS SO APPRECIATE THEIR INVOLVEMENT.[15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
SO 15 COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. WE HAVE THREE, MR. PRESIDENT, MATTHEW BROWN, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM MARTINO, FOLLOWED BY DIANA SADOWSKI. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. MATTHEW BROWN AND 1837 STILL UPON WAY, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, AND I WANT TO START BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MY PURPOSE IS NOT TO RELITIGATE AN OUTCOME, BUT TO WHAT COMES NEXT AND HOW WE CAN RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST MOVING FORWARD. TRUST IS NOT BUILT BY A SINGLE VOTE. TRUST IS BUILT THROUGH CONSISTENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND A WILLINGNESS TO REFLECT ON HOW OUR ACTIONS ARE PERCEIVED BY THOSE WE SERVE. RIGHT NOW, THE RESIDENTS FEEL DISCONNECTED FROM THE SYSTEMS THAT GOVERN THEIR LIVES. THEY DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, AND WHEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, THEY ASSUME THE WORST.EVEN PEOPLE ARE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH. THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THIS PROCESS WILL NOT DONE ILLEGALLY OR ILLEGAL. THE LEGALITY ALONE IS NOT THE SAME AS LEGITIMACY IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE. PUBLIC CONFIDENCE DEPENDS ON WHETHER PEOPLE BELIEVE DECISIONS ARE MADE FAIR, OPEN AND RESISTANT TO FAVORITISM, NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY PASS PROCEDURAL TESTS.
MOMENTS LIKE THIS REMIND US THAT THE PROCESS MATTERS. WHEN THE STAKES ARE AT THE HIGHEST, EVEN QUALIFIED APPOINTEES CAN BE STRUGGLED TO GAIN CREDIBILITY IF THE PATH TO APPOINTMENT FEELS OPAQUE OR RUSH, THERE'S NOT A REFLECTION ON THEM. IT IS A REFLECTION ON THE SYSTEM AROUND THEM. RESTORING TRUST MEANS COMMITTING TO THE CLEAREST STANDARDS GOING FORWARD. IT MEANS THAT EXPLICIT ABOVE CRITERIA TIMELESSNESS AND EXPECTATIONS. IT MEANS INVITING PUBLIC TRUST AND PUBLIC INPUT EARLIER, NOT AFTER DECISIONS ARE ALREADY PERCEIVED TO BE SETTLED. IT MEANS RECOGNIZING SOMETHING UNCOMFORTABLE BUT IMPORTANT. IF ROLES WERE REVERSED, IF DIFFERENT POLITICAL ACTORS WERE INVOLVED, MANY OF US WOULD HAVE THE SAME ASSUMPTIONS. ASSERTIONS OF OPENNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
FAIR PROCESS MUST APPLY REGARDLESS OF WHO BENEFITS. AT THE MOMENT, STRONG INSTITUTIONS DON'T FEAR SCRUTINY. THEY IMPROVE BECAUSE OF IT. AS LEADERS, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT ONLY TO MAKE DECISIONS, BUT TO ENSURE THOSE DECISIONS ARE, CAN BE, AND WITHSTAND PUBLIC SKEPTICISM WITHOUT ERODING CONFIDENCE IN THE INSTITUTION ITSELF. IF WE WANT THE RESIDENTS TO BELIEVE THIS BODY, WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM TRANSPARENCY IS NOT SITUATIONAL, BUT IS THE STANDARD. MOVING FORWARD, I HOPE WE CAN TREAT THIS MOMENT AS A REMINDER OF THE VALUE OF THE OPEN PROCESS, CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND EARLY ENGAGEMENT. NOT BECAUSE WE WERE REQUIRED TO, BUT BECAUSE TRUST, ONCE LOST, IS HARD TO REBUILD THAN ANYTHING IS TO MAINTAIN.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. WILLIAM MARTINO, 1207 TAILLEFER ROAD, FOREST HILL. IN JANUARY, THE COUNCIL MEETING FAILED TO APPROVE TERRY COKER TO THE BOARD. IT WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE FAKE REPUBLICANS IN HARTFORD COUNTY. NEARLY EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTY HEARD THE RUMORS OF THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT FOR OVER A YEAR. WITH YOUR VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP TO AARON PENMAN AND SHERIFF GAYLOR, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ACQUIRE THE 911 DISPATCH CALL FROM NEW ORLEANS. HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL DID NOT WANT TO KNOW.
SEAN BOLTON WAS YOUR BOY. THE SUPERINTENDENT IS A FAVORITE OF THE TEACHERS UNION, AND THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT B, DISTRICT E AND DISTRICT F BOWED TO THE EVER POWERFUL TEACHERS UNION. YOU REFUSE TO APPROVE TERRY COKER TO FIND A WAY TO APPEASE THE UNION AND KEEP BOLTON AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. THE UNIONS OWN THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL. THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION HAS FUNDED ANTI DEMONSTRATIONS. THEY SUPPORTED
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BLM RIOTS AND THEY DEMANDED FOREVER COVID LOCKDOWNS. THEY ARE A RADICAL LEFT WING ORGANIZATION. AND YET THIS COUNCIL PROSTRATES THEMSELVES TO IT. THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION FULLY ENDORSED THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN THE PREVIOUS ELECTION. I HAVE NEWS FOR HARTFORD COUNTY. IF THE NEA IS BACKING YOU, YOU ARE NO REPUBLICAN BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION OTHER THAN TONY G. THE OTHER SO-CALLED REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN SHOWING THEMSELVES AS THEY TRULY ARE DEMOCRATS. STOP DECEIVING THE VOTERS OF THIS COUNTY AND BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR TRUE AFFILIATION. DONALD TRUMP AND MAGA MOVEMENT WON THIS COUNTY BY NEARLY 20 POINTS IN THE LAST YEAR'S ELECTION. HARFORD COUNTY LEANS RIGHT, AND BEING THE OPPORTUNIST THAT YOU ARE, YOU SLAP AN R BY YOUR NAME, SAY A FEW CONSERVATIVE CATCHPHRASES, AND PRETEND TO BE A REPUBLICAN. I HOPE AND PRAY THIS COUNTY WAKES UP AND REPLACES MOST OF YOU WITH TRUE CONSERVATIVE REPRESENTATIVES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS. GOOD EVENING. DIANA SADOWSKI, 1113 STROM DRIVE, FALLSTON, MARYLAND, 247. I KNOW WHEN I STAND HERE AT THE PODIUM, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH VERSION OF THE GRAMMY YOU'RE GOING TO GET. I THINK WE HAVE AN IDEA. OKAY, GOTCHA. SOMETIMES WHEN I'M LEAVING CHAMBERS, I WALK OUT WITH A HEAVY HEART BECAUSE OF WHAT OCCURS IN THIS BUILDING TONIGHT, BECAUSE OF YOUR AFFIRMATIVE VOTE ON HAVING LILIANA ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, MY HEART IS MUCH LIGHTER. AND I FEEL THAT THE CHILDREN AND THE TEACHERS OF HARFORD COUNTY ARE GOING TO FEEL MUCH LIGHTER, TOO. WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE THE WORK ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO MOVE THAT SHIP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND YOUR VOTE ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN. I KNOW SHE'LL DO A WONDERFUL JOB. SHE'S A POSITIVE INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL WORK HARD FOR THE STUDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY. THE BOE IS GETTING RIGHTED AND I THANK GOD I APPRECIATE THE CONSISTENCY OF MR. BENNETT'S ABSTENTION, AND I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BASH ANYBODY TODAY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE TWO PREVIOUS SPEAKERS DID ENOUGH FOR ME. SO I'LL JUST WISH YOU GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU MA'AM. YOU'RE WELCOME. THERE ARE NO[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. 16 BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. GIORDANO. LUCKY, LUCKY. I GET TO GO FIRST. SO WITH THE DEEP. VERY HARD FOR ME THAT I LOST SOMEBODY. ANGELA GLORIOSO PASSED AWAY. SHE HAD FOUGHT CANCER FOR A COUPLE YEARS, BUT ALWAYS BRAVE SOMETIMES. YOU DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS FIGHTING IT. SHE HAS TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS THAT ISABELLA AND ARIANNA THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE LOST THEIR MOTHER. SO, YOU KNOW, PRAY FOR HER. SHE SHE CERTAINLY IS GOING TO BE MISSED. AND MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT MENTIONED, WE WERE HERE TODAY FOR THE BOND SALE AND WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO HARFORD COUNTY, THE ADMINISTRATION. WE RETAINED OUR TRIPLE A BOND RATING, WHICH ALSO HELPS US GET A LOWER RATE FOR THE BOND. SO WHAT DOES THAT DO REALLY? FOR US, IT ACTUALLY SAVES US MONEY. THIS YEAR WE GOT 3.3% VERSUS LAST YEAR 3.5%. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH, BUT IT'S ABOUT A $2.1 MILLION SAVINGS OVER THE LIFE OF THE BOND. AND WE ALSO DID SOME REFINANCING AND THAT SAVED US ANOTHER 1.2 MILLION. SO THERE'S NINE COUNTIES IN MARYLAND WITH TRIPLE A BOND RATINGS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS TEN AND NOW NINE OR. BUT PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY DID LOSE THEIR TRIPLE A BOND RATING, AS WELL AS THE STATE THAT LOST THEIR TRIPLE A BOND RATING. SO ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS TO HARFORD COUNTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND GOING FORWARD WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE NEW GRAND OPENING OF THE CHESAPEAKE WELCOME CENTER. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. ATTENDED THE 2026 STATE OF THE COUNTY LUNCHEON, ATTENDED THE APG NEW YEAR RECEPTION WITH GENERAL TRINITY AND HIS STAFF OVER THERE, AND THEN HAD THE PLEASURE TO BE OUT IN THE FREEZING COLD FOR TH BAGELRY AND DELI, ALONG WITH COUNCILWOMAN YOLANDA AND ALLISON WAS THERE AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. I WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE SURE I KEPT THE CROWD OPEN, AND THEN I THINK THAT THAT'S IT.THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. AND I MAY ADD
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THAT THIS IS THE 14TH YEAR IN A ROW THAT HARFORD COUNTY HAS RECEIVED A TRIPLE A BOND RATING, THAT THAT SAYS A LOT RIGHT THERE. MR. RILEY. OKAY. JUST A COUPLE COUPLE COMMENTS. FIRST OFF, MAYOR PAUL ADDING, I APOLOGIZE AT BEL AIR. I KNEW IT WAS BEL AIR. OKAY. THANK YOU.AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THIS EVENING. AND I'M SURE YOU'RE SUPPORTING LILIANA AND SO AM I. AND LILIANA, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. I THINK YOU'LL DO A PHENOMENAL JOB.
ALSO, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO HARFORD FAMILY HOUSE. FUNDRAISER IS AN EXCELLENT EVENT, AND I HOPE THEY DO GREAT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. MISSILES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I'LL PASS THIS EVENING. THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS SOULS. MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYBODY THIS EVENING. THIS PAST WEEK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO DISCUSS TRAFFIC AND SAFETY CONCERNS. WE STOOD AT THE INTERSECTION TOGETHER WHERE YOUNG PERSON LOST THEIR LIFE TRYING TO CROSS THE ROAD. AND WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THEY SEE AS THE CONCERNS AT THEIR INTERSECTIONS, AS WELL AS WHAT THEY SEE AS POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS. AND SINCE WE MET, MISS CANTOS AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO STATE HIGHWAYS AND TO DPW TO GET THEM OUT AND TO STAND AND TO SEE THE INTERSECTION WITH HOA LEADERSHIP AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SIGNAGE, ABOUT ROAD MARKINGS, AND ABOUT LIGHTING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION WHERE THE ARBY'S IS, AND YOUNG PEOPLE CROSSING THE ROAD TO GO GET SOMETHING TO EAT OR TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORE OR TO GO VISIT FRIENDS, AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO SAFELY. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WE DO AS A COUNCIL IS GOING OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND HEARING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TO TRY AND GET THINGS ADDRESSED. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT MEETING, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE COMMENTS TONIGHT ABOUT PUBLIC TRUST AND ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING PROCESSES THAT FEEL THAT THE COMMUNITY FEEL HEARD. I THINK THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE VOTE A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THE VOTE TONIGHT. I WANTED TO SHARE.
HISTORICALLY, WHEN OUR BUDGET INPUT SESSIONS HAVE BEEN FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE EACH YEAR GOING BACK TO 2020, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THE TIME HAD A COMMUNITY BUDGET INPUT SESSION ON JANUARY 23RD AND 2021. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THE TIME HAD HIS BUDGET INPUT SESSION ON JANUARY 21ST AND 2022. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THE TIME HAD HIS BUDGET INPUT SESSION ON JANUARY 27TH AND 2023. COUNTY EXECUTIVE. CASTLE HAD TWO BUDGET INPUT SESSIONS ON JANUARY 26TH AND JANUARY 30TH. IN 2024, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD HIS BUDGET INPUT SESSION ON JANUARY 23RD, AND LAST YEAR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD HIS BUDGET INPUT SESSION ON FEBRUARY 6TH.
THIS IS THE ONE DAY EACH YEAR THAT THE COMMUNITY GETS TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AS OF TODAY, FEBRUARY 3RD, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS YET TO ANNOUNCE AN OPEN PUBLIC INPUT SESSION FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. WE'RE ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS AWAY, TEN WEEKS AWAY FROM RECEIVING A FULL BUDGET FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE BUDGET COMING TO THE COUNCIL IN APRIL, THE LAST TIME THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS THE INPUT TO USE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO INFORM HIS BUDGET.
AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO PUSH FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO COME FORWARD WITH BUDGET INPUT SESSION FOR THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT YEARLY EVENT THAT PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE HOW THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR TAX DOLLARS SPENT. AND IT'S THE ONLY TIME EACH YEAR THAT THE COMMUNITY GETS TO DIRECTLY SPEAK TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, WE HOST TWO BUDGET INPUT SESSIONS EVERY YEAR BY CHARTER, BUT AT THAT POINT, THE BUDGET'S ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN, AND ALL WE CAN DO IS CUT FROM THE BUDGET. BEING ABLE TO SPEAK BEFORE THE BUDGET IS SUBMITTED IS SO IMPORTANT, SO THAT YOU CAN SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK BEFORE THE BUDGET IS PUT IN THE DRAFT FORM. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO URGE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ANNOUNCE A BUDGET INPUT SESSION, BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, WE'VE PASSED THE DATE OF ALL PREVIOUS BUDGET INPUT SESSIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT.
MISS ROBERT, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. ON JANUARY 23RD, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE PARENTS PLACE OF MARYLAND. THAT MEETING TURNED OUT TO BE VERY INFORMATIVE. THEY DO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, BUT THEY SUPPLY A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. THEY WILL
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WALK AND GO WITH A PARENT TO AN IEP MEETING. THEY WILL MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS GET LINKED UP WITH SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THEY ARE LIKE A NOT A NONPROFIT. THEY DON'T GET PAID FOR THIS AND THEY DON'T CHARGE FOR THESE SERVICES. SO THEY ARE GOING TO SUPPLY ME WITH INFORMATION, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THAT OUT TO EVERYONE SO THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS. BUT IT WAS A GREAT INFORMATIONAL PIECE FROM THEM, AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY REALLY COVERED THE ENTIRE STATE. BUT NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHO THEY ARE, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM LINKED UP WITH VARIOUS RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN MEET AND GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO GO AND TALK TO PEOPLE AND ADVISE THEM OF THEIR SERVICES. AND THAT SAME DAY, I MET WITH COUNTY AND LOCAL PARTNERS AT HARTFORD FAMILY. WE LOOKED AT THE FREEZING WEATHER PLAN. WE LOOKED AT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NO REAL TRUE HOMELESS SHELTERS, ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES. AND ON THAT NOTE, I DID GO ON SATURDAY TO THE HEARTS FOR HOMELESS EVENT THAT WAS FOR THE HARTFORD FAMILY HOUSE. THERE WAS ABOUT A 450 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, THEY SAID.SO THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T EVEN SEE MR. RILEY THERE AT ALL. BUT I HEARD HIS NAME, SO I KNOW HE WAS THERE. THAT'S HOW BIG THE ROOM WAS. AND SO THEY HAD A GREAT AMOUNT OF DONATIONS GOING TO THEM. ALL THE DONATIONS ARE GOING TOWARDS THAT, THAT NEXT PART THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD ON. I THINK THEY GOT SOME DECENT MONEY BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE VOTING IN AUCTIONING ON EVERYTHING. AND THEN I HAD A MEETING WITH 755 ALLIANCE ON FEBRUARY 1ST, WHERE WE LOOKED AT MAPPING OUT EVENTS AND THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. BEING THE FIRST ONE IS THE NATIONAL BOAT RACE, WHICH WILL BE IN MAY, AND WE ARE LINKING UP TOGETHER AND DOING THE MUSIC AT THE POINT FESTIVAL THE SAME TIME. SO THAT'S THE ONE EVENT I CAN MENTION ALREADY, BECAUSE THAT ONE IS COMING TOGETHER. AND THEN WE HAD OUR EDGEWOOD JOPPATOWNE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING LAST NIGHT AS WELL. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE HARFORD TRANSIT LINK THAT WAS POSTPONED DUE TO THE SNOW IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE EDGEWOOD REC CENTER. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOF. GOOD EVENING. ON JANUARY 21ST, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE CHESAPEAKE WELCOME CENTER GRAND OPENING ON JANUARY 23RD. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE HARFORD COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
THIS WAS MY FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY. AFTER A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT, THEY WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THEIR BYLAWS TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO ALLOW FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY WITH THEIR SPENDING AND GENERAL OPERATIONS.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT IT'S HAPPY TO SEE AND SAY THAT THAT IS ACTIVELY OCCURRING. ON JANUARY 23RD, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING WITH HARFORD FAMILY HOUSE WELCOME ONE SHELTER WHERE WE KIND OF DISCUSSED WHERE WE ARE WITH MEETING THE NEEDS IN REGARDS TO CARING FOR OUR UNHOUSED CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING MOVING FORWARD. ON JANUARY 23RD, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND A GATHERING AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS FOR A NEW YEAR'S RECEPTION, AND THEN ON JANUARY 29TH, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE TOWSON HOP BAGEL, BAGEL AND DELI GRAND OPENING AS WELL. I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE. THEY WERE WAITING IN LINE FOR HOURS OUTSIDE AND IT WAS SO, SO COLD AND BUT THEY STUCK IT OUT AND I GOT TO GIVE IT TO HIM. TONIGHT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND A LAND PRESERVATION OPEN INFORMATION MEETING AT THE FALLSTON LIBRARY, WHERE THEY WERE TRYING TO GET A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT TO DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE AS FAR AS DIFFERENT LAND PRESERVATION OPTIONS AS WELL. THE HUMANE SOCIETY IS IS HOSTING ITS THIRD ANNUAL CASH BINGO FUNDRAISER ON FEBRUARY. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH AT THE LEVEL VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. I WANT TO GIVE THE HUMANE SOCIETY HUMANE SOCIETY A SHOUT OUT. THIS PAST YEAR, THEY DEALT WITH QUITE A FEW ANIMAL HOARDING AND AND VERY LARGE SCALE ANIMAL RESCUE MISSIONS.
AND WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS, WHILE THOSE ANIMALS ARE IN LEGAL LIMBO, WHILE THE OWNERS ARE GOING THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS AND THE APPEALS PROCESS, THE HUMANE SOCIETY CANNOT ADOPT THOSE ANIMALS OUT. AND SO THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR CARING FOR THESE LARGE GROUPS OF ANIMALS FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. SO WHILE WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
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SCHOOLS AND PEOPLE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THE HUMANE SOCIETY ALSO HAD TO CONTINUE TO FUNCTION DURING THIS ICE AND SNOWSTORM THAT WE JUST HAD. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO, IF YOU CAN, TO HELP THEM OUT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THEY REALLY DO SOME REALLY REMARKABLE WORK. AND THE WAY OUR HUMANE SOCIETY IS FUNDED IS VERY UNUSUAL COMPARED TO A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES SURROUNDING US, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM THIS FAR. BUT THEY DO NEED OUR HELP FOR UPCOMING EVENTS. THE ABINGDON EDMONTON CAB MEETING IS FEBRUARY 12TH AT 630 AT THE ABINGDON FIRE COMPANY, AND ON FEBRUARY 25TH IS THE FALLSTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING AT 630 AT THE VERONICA CHENOWETH ACTIVITY CENTER.THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MISS IMHOF. I WILL MOVE ON TO 17 BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT.
[17. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]
MR. GIORDANO MENTIONED OUR EVENING AT QUARTERS ONE AT THE ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND WITH MAJOR GENERAL TORNEK AND SERGEANT MAJOR IN HIS FAMILY, AND WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE BEL AIR TOWN COMMISSIONERS THAT EVENING. AND IT'S A GREAT EVENING FOR US TO INTERACT WITH LEADERSHIP AT APG, WHICH IS OUR NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER AND OTHERS THERE. IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT EVENING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR. SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT MR. GIORDANO ALSO JUST ASKED ME TO MENTION SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS, ONGOING SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS IN THE COUNTY. HE'S GETTING A LOT OF EMAILS FOR STATE HIGHWAY ISSUES, AND HE'S ON IT TRYING TO WORK WITH STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION. ALSO, I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY CONTINUES THEIR EFFORTS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAD ON THE ROAD AS WELL.THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE HOSTED THE 18TH ANNUAL SUSQUEHANNA FLATS VINTAGE COLLECTIBLES SHOW THAT IS HELD AT THE LEVEL FIRE HALL, AND THAT IS TO BENEFIT BOTH THE LEVEL FIRE COMPANY AND ALSO THE HAVRE DE GRACE DECOY MUSEUM. AND IF YOU EVER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A FULL DAY AT ONE OF OUR LOCAL FIRE COMPANIES, YOU'LL GET AN IDEA OF HOW IMPORTANT OUR EMS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE TO LISTEN TO THE CALLS, TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO, TO LISTEN TO THE TRUCKS COME AND GO, NO MATTER HOW COLD IT IS OR HOW HOT IT IS. THEY'RE OUT THERE EVERY DAY. SO IF YOU EVER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW SOME APPRECIATION TO SOME OF THESE VOLUNTEERS, I'M SURE THEY WOULD APPRECIATE IT. AND THEN FINALLY, JEANNIE AND I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF JIMMY JAMES JUNIOR AND LEE COLEMAN. JIMMY JAMES WAS A PROUD LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE DARLINGTON OF DARLINGTON AND THE DARLINGTON VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, AND THEN LEE COLEMAN PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, ONE OF OUR FIRST NUCLEAR SUBMARINES. SO WE ASK YOU TO KEEP BOTH THESE FAMILIES AND THEIR FRIENDS IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL AD
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.