[a. Resolution 002-26 (PILOT Agreement-St. Johns Commons)]
          [00:00:08]
          THE ORDER OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION 002 26. PILOT AGREEMENT. SAINT JOHN'S COMMENTS. MR. SANDALS, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. ROB HALFORD, COUNTY TREASURER I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASKING FOR AN APPROVAL OF AN EXTENSION OF THE PILOT, WHICH STANDS FOR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXATION FOR THE HALFORD COMMONS PROPERTY, WHICH I'M SORRY FOR. THE SAINT JOHN'S COMMONS PROPERTY, WHICH PROVIDES. AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR SENIOR POPULATION. THEY HAVE 40 UNITS AT THAT AT THAT UNIT, SORRY, AT THAT COMPLEX. A PILOT GENERALLY IS IN AGREEMENT WITH, WITH AN ENTITY THAT MORE OR LESS SUPERSEDES THE TRADITIONAL PROPERTY TAX PROCESS OF ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE DONE BY SAINT, THAT ARE DONE BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION. AND THEN NORMALLY WHAT IT DOES IS IT DOES PROVIDE THEM WITH GENERALLY WITH A BREAK ON THEIR WHAT OTHER WHAT THEIR PROPERTY TAXES WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE. BUT IT ALSO JUST PROVIDES SOME, SOME SENSE OF CERTAINTY FOR THESE, THESE ORGANIZATIONS THEY OFTENTIMES HAVE HAVE PRETTY THIN. THIN MARGINS THAT ENABLES THEM TO KEEP THEIR RENTS LOW AND ALSO INVEST BACK IN IN THOSE PROPERTIES. SO HARFORD COUNTY HAS ABOUT 15 PILOTS, ONE OF THOSE AT THE ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND AND IS FOR AN OFFICE COMPLEX, BUT THE OTHER 14 ARE FOR AFFORDABLE, ARE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THOSE PILOTS, THE TOTAL DELTA, I GUESS, BETWEEN WHAT THE PROPERTY TAXES WOULD BE AND WHAT THE THE PILOTS ARE, IS ABOUT $170,000. AND IN THIS CASE IT'S AROUND $15,000. IS THE THE DIFFERENTIAL FOR WHAT SAINT SAINT JOHNS COMMONS WOULD BE VERSUS ITS ITS ASSESSMENT. SO THIS THIS DEAL WOULD HAVE THIS PILOT WOULD HAVE THE PILOT INCREASE BY 3% ANNUALLY OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS. IT'S MORE OR LESS THE SAME PARAMETERS WE HAD IN PLACE THAT WE HAD IN PLACE WITH THE PREVIOUS WITH THE PREVIOUS PILOT. THANK YOU, MR. SANDALS. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN IT UP WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS. MR. GIORDANO. ROBBIE, THANKS. SO WE HAVE 15 OF THESE PILOT PROGRAMS. HOW DOES SOMEBODY GO ABOUT PUTTING IN FOR ONE OF THESE? AND HAVE WE ADDED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND IS THERE ANY MORE COMING DOWN THE ROAD? WE DON'T HAVE ANY ANY NEW APPLICATIONS AT THE TIME. SOMETIMES YOU WILL HAVE WHERE YOU INTEREST THAT THAT COMES OUT. THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITED PARAMETERS THAT WE NORMALLY HAVE HERE, AGAIN, LARGELY FOR SENIOR SLASH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE, LIKE IN BALTIMORE CITY, THEY'LL BE FOR HOTELS OR BIG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. AGAIN, OURS HAVE LARGELY BEEN FOR FOR THIS PURPOSE. AND IT STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION TO BE QUALIFIED FOR IT. AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL AS WELL. SO IF WE DID HAVE THAT. 
          SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE HAD ANY, ANY NEW ONES. I KNOW WE'VE HAD MEG AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS THIS EARLIER, THE GRAU COMPLEX IN HAVRE DE GRACE HAD A RENEWAL NOT THAT LONG AGO, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN QUITE A FEW YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD A BRAND, A BRAND NEW ONE, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST TEN YEARS OR SO. LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A LIST. CAN YOU SHARE THAT LIST WITH THE COUNCIL PEOPLE? SO WE SURE WE HAVE THAT. YES. DOES THAT LIST SHOW HOW LONG THEY'VE HAD THAT FOR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? AND ARE THEY ALL NON-PROFITS OR ARE THEY FOR PROFIT PLACES OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH? YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE. I KNOW THE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM, ARE GENERALLY SET UP AS, AS, AS NON-PROFITS. BUT I CAN'T SPEAK IF ALL OF THEM ARE. SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT IF AT ANY POINT THE PROPERTY TAXES WERE WERE TO BE LESS THAN THE PILOT, THEN WE WOULDN'T CHARGE THEM THE HIGHER AMOUNT. BUT I CAN PROVIDE THIS THIS LIST. IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO AS PART OF OUR OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT IS THAT WE HAVE TO LIST KIND OF WHAT THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT IS OF THAT LOST TAX ABATEMENT. AND SO WE DO WE DO TRACK THIS. SO I CAN PROVIDE THIS LIST OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. BENNETT. IS SAINT JOHN'S TOWER ALSO PART OF THE PILOT. THEY HAVE A SEPARATE THEY HAVE A SEPARATE PILOT. SO THEY'RE ONE OF THE ONE OF THE FOUR TEAMS. AND I HAD TO KIND OF GET MY HEAD AROUND THAT. I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE TWO? AND IT'S LIKE, THIS IS THE MORE YELLOW BUILDING. IT'S OVER THERE BY BY TOWN HALL, SHORTER AND WIDER. YES. WHEREAS THE TOWERS ARE THEY'RE ON CONGRESS. PENNINGTON. YES. 
          PENNINGTON AVENUE. RIGHT. YES. ON PENNINGTON. THIS ONE HERE IS ON PENNINGTON. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE IN THIS PILOT. I KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SAINT JOHN'S COMMONS, WHO WALK TO THE CHURCH AND WHO WALK TO THE LIBRARY, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY ON THE INSIDE. YOU KNOW, THEY DO. THEY REALLY TAKE THEIR PRIDE IN MAKING IT BE A WELCOMING PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. AND I KNOW THAT US REDUCING WHAT THEIR BURDEN WITH PAYING TO THE COUNTY IS A BIG PART OF HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO AFFORD UPKEEP AND MAKING IT A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE. SO I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT WE DO THIS AS A COUNTY, 
          [00:05:05]
ESPECIALLY FOR PLACES THAT PROVIDE 65 AND UP HOUSING. AND OF COURSE, IF AT ANY POINT THEY WERE TO STOP PROVIDING THAT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY WOULD LOSE THE PILOT, SO THEY WOULDN'T JUST BE ABLE TO TURN IT INTO A MARKET RATE AND THEN KEEP THE PILOT. YEAH. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT WITH NO ONE ELSE FROM THE COUNCIL, MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FROM THE PUBLIC? WE DO. MR. PRESIDENT. THERE IS ONE SHERRY SNYDER. BEHIND YOU THERE AT THE PODIUM, MA'AM. AND NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. 
          MY NAME IS SHERRY SNYDER, 208 ELKTON BOULEVARD, ELKTON, MARYLAND, 21921. THANK YOU, SIR. 
          AND I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO SPEAK. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SAINT JOHN'S COMMONS, AND I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO REITERATE WHAT MR. STANLEY'S HAD ALREADY SAID. WE ARE 62 AND OLDER FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS AND THE BUILDING SAINT JOHN'S COMMONS FOR MORE THAN A DECADE HAS PROVIDED THAT HOUSING TO PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOMES, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEIR INDEPENDENT LIVING AND THEIR DIGNITY. AND NOW THAT THE BUILDING IS AGING, IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE WE KEEP OUR COSTS DOWN, ESPECIALLY WHERE TAXES, INSURANCE, UTILITIES ARE CONCERNED. AND THIS IS WHERE THE PILOT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT CAN GIVE US THAT PREDICTABLE INCOME THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR THE RATES OF TAXES EVERY YEAR. SO WE ARE ABLE TO THEN BUDGET MONEY FOR REPAIRS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND HAVE MORE STABILITY WITH THAT. AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US KEEP THE BUILDING SAFE AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE SERVING SENIORS FOR MORE DECADES TO COME. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT WITH THIS, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP. 
          THANK YOU, MR. SNYDER. THANK YOU. WITH NO OTHER SPEAKERS, THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION 002 26. AND WE WILL TAKE THIS UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING. AND WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN FOR ABOUT GOOD EVENING. CHAIR CALLS THE ORDER. LEGISLATIVE SESSION, DAY 26 007. 
          [1. CALL TO ORDER]
I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN US WITH STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER STODDARD'S. COULD I HAVE THE CUB SCOUTS PACK? 899 AND ALL THOSE IN FRONT, PLEASE? OVER HERE, OVER HERE, GUYS, THIS WAY. THE FRONT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER. I KNOW I LIKE THAT. COME ON OVER THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT MORE. THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S GOOD. 
          TIGHTEN UP THERE IN THE CENTER, GUYS. COME ON. I'LL SEE YOU. 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. PLEASE STAND WITH US HERE. JUST FOR A MINUTE. 
          MISS. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD COUNTY. GRANT US INTEGRITY, COURAGE AND COMPASSION AS WE LEAD AND MAKE DECISIONS. WE PRAY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOR SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, STRENGTH FOR THOSE FACING HARDSHIP, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO THRIVE. BLESS THIS MEETING AND GUIDE OUR WORK TONIGHT. AMEN. AMEN, AMEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR. PRESENTATION 
          [4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]
OF PROCLAMATIONS FEBRUARY 2026, BLACK HISTORY MONTH. MISS ROBERT, IF YOU WANT TO STEP DOWN. SURE. IF WE COULD HAVE OUR YOUNG MEN ON TOUR UP FRONT, PLEASE. REPRESENTATION. COUNCIL. 
          AND SAME THING. IF WE COULD HAVE SOME OF YOU ON EACH SIDE, PLEASE. SOME OF THE TALLER ONES IN THE BACK AND SMALLER ONES UP FRONT, PLEASE HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU ON THIS. THAT MEANS I SHOULD GO UP FRONT. YOU SHOULD BE UP FRONT. YES. YES, DEFINITELY. MR. GINGER. DANNY, 
          [00:10:08]
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. WHEREAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS FIRST RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY BY PRESIDENT GERALD R FORD IN 1976 TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE TOO OFTEN NEGLECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS IN EVERY AREA OF ENDEAVOR THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY. 
          PRIOR TO THIS OFFICIAL NATIONAL CELEBRATION, CARTER G. WOODSON DESIGNATED THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY AS HISTORY WEEK IN 1926, AND WHEREAS YOUNG MEN ON TOUR YMO A 501 THREE NONPROFIT MALE MENTORING PROGRAM SERVING YOUNG MEN IN HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, HAS REMAINED COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING YOUTH ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY AS THEY NAVIGATE TO THE IMPORTANT AND OFTEN CHALLENGING TRANSITION FROM BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD. ORIGINALLY SERVING 20 STUDENTS AT ITS FOUNDING IN OCTOBER 2011, YMO HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY AND IS NOW IMPACTING MORE THAN 100 YOUNG MEN THROUGH CONSTANT MENTORSHIP AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT AS THEY CELEBRATE THEIR 15 YEAR MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY. AND WHEREAS, YMO PROVIDES WEEKLY GROUP MEETINGS DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR OPEN TO ANY MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL, YOUNG MEN ATTENDING A PUBLIC SCHOOL SESSIONS INCLUDE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, GUEST SPEAKERS, EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS, AND SPORTS INTEGRATION TO PROMOTE LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERSONAL GROWTH. THE THIS THE PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH TEACH HCP AND A UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE OFFERING HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN A DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM WHERE THEY CAN EARN COLLEGE CREDITS WHILE PREPARING FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026, DO HEREBY SALUTE YOUNG MEN ON TOUR AND EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION TO ALL WHO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN THIS PROGRAM. MENTORSHIP FOSTERS CONFIDENCE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE. THANK YOU. SO I'VE MET ZENO A WHILE BACK AS PART OF MY WORK WITH THE NAACP, AND KNOWING THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS OUT THERE, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF IT, BUT THIS PROGRAM HAS DEFINITELY MENTORED A LOT OF BOYS TO MEN. AND IF YOU'RE AWARE, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR BOYS GIRLS, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A LOT OF WOMEN READY AND ABLE TO HELP OUT, BUT FOR BOYS, IT'S A LOT HARDER. AND SO FOR ZENO TO STEP UP FOR 15 YEARS, PROVIDING THIS PROGRAM IS A GREAT ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY AND A GREAT ASSET TO OUR BOYS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? NOT MUCH FOR WORDS, BUT THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. I'M HONORED. AS YOU SAID, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS NOW. AND AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO JUST CONTINUE TO ENRICH OUR YOUNG, ENRICH OUR YOUNG MEN. SO THANK YOU. YOU MAY WANT TO TIGHTEN UP A LITTLE BIT. HE'S GOING TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH. EVERYBODY IN. WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND KEEP EVERYBODY BETWEEN THE TWO OUTSIDE TVS. SO THE YOUNGER BOYS ARE GOING TO HAVE YOU GUYS COME IN FRONT AND EVERYBODY'S GOING TO TRY AND SQUEEZE TOGETHER ON THIS ONE, MAYBE DO A LITTLE SQUAT. MY KNEES CAN'T HIT. YOU WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK IN TOWARDS. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE CAMERA THE CAMERA CANNOT SEE YOU. SO NOW THE TIME. NOW IS THE TIME TO GET ALL YOUR GIGGLES AND BLINKS OUT. I'M GOING TO COUNT DOWN. AND THEN ON ONE I'M GOING TO TAKE A PHOTO. YOU SEE THE FLASH GO OFF. SO WHEN I COUNT DOWN MAKE SURE YOUR EYES ARE OPEN. RIGHT. 321321321. AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A COUPLE MORE REAL QUICK. 
          321321321. AWESOME. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE TWO MORE. SIT DOWN. THANK YOU THANK YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU NAACP NEXT. 
          ANYBODY COMING UP? YEAH. SOMEBODY. WHEREAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS FIRST RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY BY PRESIDENT GERALD R FORD IN 1976 TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE TOO 
          [00:15:03]
OFTEN NEGLECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS IN EVERY AREA OF ENDEAVOR THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY. PRIOR TO THIS OFFICIAL NATIONAL CELEBRATION, CARTER G. WOODSON DESIGNATED THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY AS HISTORY WEEK IN 1926, AND WHEREAS, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, NAACP HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ELIMINATE RACE BASED DISCRIMINATION AND TO ENSURE POLITICAL, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY FOR ALL PEOPLE, THE HARFORD COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN ADVANCING CIVIL RIGHTS AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THROUGH ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND WHEREAS, IN HONOR OF THE 100 YEAR MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZE HARFORD COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP, WHICH HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN ITS CURRENT ITERATION FOR 72 YEARS FOLLOWING ITS RESTRUCTURING IN 1954, AND CONTINUES ITS STEADFAST AND ADVOCACY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL JUSTICE THROUGHOUT HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL, HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THE 17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026, DO HEREBY SALUTE HARFORD COUNTY NAACP BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR ITS ENDURING LEGACY OF SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE NAACP. WHEN I FOUND THE NAACP, WHEN I MOVED TO HARFORD COUNTY, I BECAME A MEMBER. AND I HAVE BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER EVER SINCE. AND I'M GOING TO LET OUR VICE PRESIDENT HAVE THE MIC FOR A MINUTE. SURE. THANK YOU. SO ON BEHALF OF THE HARFORD COUNTY BRANCH NAACP, WE JUST LIKE TO THANK THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR QUITE A FEW. 72 YEARS. AND WE JUST WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR ALL RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. SO INSTRUCTIONS ARE GOING TO BE ABOUT THE SAME. CAN I HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE FRONT SCOOT THAT WAY JUST A LITTLE BIT. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT I THINK WE ARE LOOKING GOOD. ALL RIGHT I'M GOING TO COUNT DOWN THE SAME WAY. MAKE SURE YOUR EYES ARE OPEN AND YOU'RE SMILING. 321321 AND 11321 I'M GOING TO DO A FEW MORE HERE. AND 3213211 MORE. 321. THANK YOU EVERYBODY ALL RIGHT. AND THE NEXT IS HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BLACK STUDENT UNIONS. BACK UP AGAIN. 
          ALL RIGHT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE NAMES. I HOPEFULLY I'M GOING TO GET THEM RIGHT. 
          WHEREAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS FIRST RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY BY PRESIDENT GERALD R FORD IN 1976 DURING THE UNITED STATES BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. PRIOR TO THIS OFFICIAL NATIONAL CELEBRATION, CARTER G. WOODSON DESIGNATED THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY AS HISTORY WEEK. IN 1926. BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS NOW OBSERVED ANNUALLY TO PROMOTE, RESEARCH, PRESERVE, INTERPRET, AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR A THEME IS ESTABLISHED FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, THE THEME FOR 2026 IS A CENTURY OF BLACK HISTORY. COMMEMORATIVE COMMEMORATIONS MARKING 100 YEARS OF NATIONAL COMMEMORATIONS OF BLACK HISTORY, AND WHEREAS THE ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL BLACK STUDENT UNION, BSU WAS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2020 BY STUDENTS UK AGENESIS AND SOMJAI BARKSDALE, CREATING A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR BLACK STUDENTS AND ALLIES TO UNIFY, PROMOTE CULTURAL AWARENESS AND COMBAT HARMFUL, HARMFUL STEREOTYPES THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE. ADVOCACY FOR THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF BLACK STUDENTS, AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. IN THE SPIRIT OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, THE ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL BSU HAS HOSTED CULTURAL POTLUCKS, A SCHOOL WIDE FORUM ADDRESSING INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE, BLACK HISTORY MONTH PREP RALLIES AND ASSEMBLIES, JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS AND VOTER 
          [00:20:03]
REGISTRATION DRIVES. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, ON THE 17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. 
          FEBRUARY 2026. I WANT TO THANK THE BSU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. IT'S KIND OF A RARE OCCURRENCE FOR US TO DO THREE PROCLAMATIONS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BUT THIS IS MARKING 100 YEARS OF HONORING BLACK HISTORY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. AND IT'S A BIG DEAL. AND I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST BSU BACK IN SAN FRANCISCO. SO IT'S A BIG YEAR FOR BLACK STUDENT UNIONS. AND IT'S THOSE STUDENTS 60 YEARS AGO WHO ADVOCATED FOR THE START OF BLACK STUDIES AS A STUDY IN COLLEGES AND CAMPUSES. AND HOW FITTING IS IT THAT NOW THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO STAND BEFORE US WERE THE SAME YOUNG PEOPLE STANDING UP TO KEEP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES IN OUR SCHOOLS TODAY, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DOING INCREDIBLE STUFF. AND I LEARNED OF YOU ALL LAST YEAR ATTENDING JACKIE ROBINSON DAY AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL, SEEING YOU PASS OUT FOOD TO ALL THE PLAYERS AND TO BE A PART OF THAT WONDERFUL CELEBRATION THAT THE ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM DOES. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE, CIVIC MINDED AND ENGAGING IN YOUR SCHOOL AND SAYING, HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR SCHOOL A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYBODY? SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE SPACE, IF ANY OF YOU ALL A STUDENT MEMBERS WANT TO SHARE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU'VE REACHED SINCE 2024? HOW HAVE YOU MADE ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL A BETTER PLACE? I'LL PASS THE MICROPHONE TO YOU. 
          IT'S HOT POTATO. OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO START? YEAH. HI, I'M AYAKA. HI. I'M SUMIYA. OH. SO BASICALLY WE STARTED WE STARTED BSU IN OCTOBER 2024. YEAH, WE STARTED THE BEGINNING OF OUR JUNIOR YEAR. WE JUST DECIDED, LIKE, WE JUST DECIDED WE NEEDED, LIKE, MORE INCLUSIVITY IN THE SCHOOL. WE REALLY WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO LIKE OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE DECIDED TO LIKE, DO THINGS LIKE LIKE THEY SAID, HOST POTLUCKS, HOST COMMUNITY GATHERING EVENTS, TRY TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE, AND JUST EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, AND TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF WHAT BLACK HISTORY REALLY IS. AND LIKE, OBVIOUSLY LIKE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR OUR SPONSOR, MR. LANDGRAF. WE HAD HIS CLASS APRIL 4TH LAST YEAR. HE WAS THE BEST TEACHER EVER AND NOW HE DECIDED TO BE OUR SPONSOR. SO THANK YOU, MR. LINDGREN. YES. AWESOME. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS KNOW THE DRILL BY NOW. EVERYBODY BLINKED. YEAH, EVERYBODY DOING THE SAME TIME. GOOD. THREE. TWO. 1321321. 
          WE'RE GOING TO DO A FEW MORE. 321321321 AND ONE MORE. 321. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS APPLICATIONS APPOINTMENTS AND 
          [6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
NOMINATIONS. WE HAVE NONE SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON COMMITTEE. MR. THORNTON, MISS NAPPY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE. SO THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE BEEN HERE, BUT IT'S EXCITING FOR US TO HEAR AN UPDATE AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS EVENING. APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. PRESIDENT VICENTE, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. I'M FILLING IN TONIGHT FOR OUR CHAIR, CURTIS BEULAH, WHO IS OUT OF TOWN? I AM JIM THORNTON, VICE CHAIR OF THE SERGEANT FOB HILTON MEMORIAL FUND, INC. IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE SUE KNAPP. HER RESEARCH INTO THE BURIAL LOCATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY HAS BEEN METICULOUS, RESPECTFUL, AND DRIVEN BY A GENUINE COMMITMENT TO HONOR THESE SOLDIERS STORIES. THANKS TO HER DEDICATION AND THE RESEARCH OF OTHERS, WE'RE GAINING A CLEAR, MORE COMPLETE 
          [00:25:02]
UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY THAT DESERVES TO BE REMEMBERED AND RECOGNIZED. BEFORE TURNING THE PRESENTATION OVER TO SUE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THOSE MEMBERS OF THE SERGEANT FOB HILTON ORGANIZATION IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED MEMBERS OF THE. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE APPEAL TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THOSE IN THE CHAMBER AND TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. PLEASE REACH OUT TO A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED WITH THIS WORK, LET ME NOW TURN TO SUE FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          SUE. THANK YOU JIM. SO I'M SUE KNAPP. I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, AND I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR INVITING US THIS EVENING TO SPEAK. TONIGHT, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE STORY OF SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON, THE WORK BEING DONE TO HONOR HIM, AND THE BROADER EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE THE UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS, ALSO CALLED THE U.S.C.T. WITH HARTFORD COUNTY TIES. SO SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON IS HARTFORD COUNTY'S ONLY NATIVE BORN RECIPIENT OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR. AND THAT'S OUR NATION'S HIGHEST MILITARY AWARD. HE WAS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIER WHO SERVED IN THE U.S.C.T DURING THE CIVIL WAR. ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, 1864, AT CHAPINS FARM AS PART OF THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET HEIGHTS IN VIRGINIA, SERGEANT HILTON SERVED AS A COLOR BEARER AS A ROLE REQUIRING EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE. COLOR BEARER COLORED BEARERS CARRIED THE FLAGS THAT MARKED A UNIT'S POSITION. LOSING THE COLORS COULD SHATTER A REGIMENT'S MORALE. SAVING THEM COULD RALLY MEN UNDER FIRE. COLOR BEARERS ADVANCED INTO BATTLE UNARMED. ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, HILTON CARRIED THE AMERICAN FLAG FORWARD UNDER HEAVY FIRE. HILTON MARCHED INTO BATTLE, CARRYING NOT JUST HIS COLORS BUT THE HOPES OF HIS FAMILY. BOTH HIS BROTHERS, AARON AND HENRY, ALSO SERVED ALONGSIDE HIM. WHEN THE REGIMENTAL COLOR SERGEANT FELL, HILTON SEIZED THAT FLAG AS WELL, CARRYING BOTH FORWARD. AND YOU PICTURE THIS THERE WERE TWO BIG FLAGS ON POLES, UNARMED, GOING INTO HEAVY FIRE, NOW BURNED WITH BOTH FLAGS AND CONFRONTED WITH UNRELENTING RIFLE FIRE. HE EVENTUALLY DROPPED WITH A SEVERE LEG WOUND. EVEN THEN, HE HELD THE COLORS ALOFT AND SCREAMED, BOYS, SAVE THE COLORS! HE PASSED THOSE, THOSE, THE COLORS TO OTHER, OTHER SOLDIERS. AFTER THE BATTLE, HE WAS TAKEN TO A SEGREGATED FIELD HOSPITAL WHERE HIS RIGHT LEG WAS AMPUTATED. HE DIED ON OCTOBER 21ST, 1864, AND IS BURIED IN HAMPTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VIRGINIA. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT HIS FAMILY KNEW OR WAS EVER NOTIFIED OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR. HIS STORY REMAINED LARGELY UNKNOWN UNTIL HARTFORD COUNTY HISTORIAN JIM KRISMER, AIDED BY JAMES DORSEY AND HUNTER SUTHERLAND, BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT IN THE YEAR OF 2000. ALTHOUGH HILTON'S STORY WAS NEARLY LOST TO HISTORY, HARFORD COUNTY HAS TAKEN SEVERAL MEANINGFUL STEPS TO ENSURE HE IS REMEMBERED AND IS LISTED ON THE CHART. NOVEMBER 2017 THE MARYLAND 22 BRIDGE OVER I-95 WAS DEDICATED TO HIM. JUNE 2018 AMERICAN POST AMERICAN LEGION POST 55, IN BEL AIR WAS RENAMED THE SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON MEMORIAL POST 55, AND IN JANUARY 2021, THE ALFRED B HILTON MEMORIAL PARK WAS REDEDICATED IN HAVRE DE GRACE. OCTOBER 2021 THE MURAL OF HILTON AT THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET HEIGHTS WAS UNVEILED ON AMERICAN AMERICAN LEGION POST 55 AND NOVEMBER 2022. THE SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON MEMORIAL WAS DEDICATED AT DAVID CRAIG PARK. GRACE, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE MEMORIAL, I URGE YOU TO GO. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. 
          IT'S OVERLOOKS THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AND IT'S A REALLY POWERFUL TRIBUTE, REALLY HONORING HIS SACRIFICE AT THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET HEIGHTS. AND THESE RECOGNITIONS REFLECT THE GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF HILTON'S IMPORTANCE, NOT JUST TO HARFORD COUNTY, BUT TO OUR NATION. SO THE SERGEANT ALFRED B HILTON MEMORIAL FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF HILTON AND ALL U.S.C.T SOLDIERS CONNECTED TO HARFORD COUNTY. AND WE DO THIS IN THREE AREAS. FIRSTLY, BY CREATING AND SUPPORTING LASTING TRIBUTES SUCH AS THE MEMORIAL TO HILTON AND HAVRE DE GRACE. SECONDLY, WE PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC RECOGNITION AND EDUCATION. WE HOST ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL EVENTS FOCUSED ON SERGEANT HILTON, THE U.S.C.T. AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL WAR HISTORY. THE FOUNDATION HAS ALSO AWARDED 12 SCHOLARSHIPS TO DATE, TOTALING 12,000 TO HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE FOR $1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS PER YEAR. AND WE'RE FOCUSING NOW ON INCREASING THAT SUPPORT AND NEW. THIS YEAR, WE LAUNCHED 
          [00:30:02]
AN ANNUAL COUNTY WIDE RSA CONTEST FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH MONETARY AWARDS. SO WATCH FACEBOOK. IT'S GOING TO BE PUSHED OUT THROUGH THAT. IT'S ALSO BEING PUSHED OUT THROUGH THE SCHOOLS. ALSO IN THE WORKS IS OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, AND THAT'S GOING TO FEATURE VIDEOS HIGHLIGHTING SERGEANT HILTON AND AND STORIES AND BURIAL SITES OF THE HARFORD COUNTY U.S.C.T. AND LASTLY, OUR EFFORTS TO RESTORE AND PRESERVE THE U.S.C.T BURIALS IN HARFORD COUNTY, WHICH I WILL DIVE INTO A LITTLE DEEPER INTO MY IN MY NEXT CHARTS. SO HILTON'S COURAGE WAS EXTRAORDINARY, BUT HE WAS ONE OF MANY AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO STEPPED FORWARD DESPITE ENORMOUS OBSTACLES. SO DURING THE CIVIL WAR, NEARLY 185,000 AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN, BOTH ENSLAVED AND FREE, ANSWERED THE CALL TO PRESERVE THE UNION AND SLAVERY AND FIGHT FOR THEIR OWN FREEDOM AND DIGNITY. AND MANY HISTORIANS BELIEVE THEIR SERVICE WAS DECISIVE IN THE UNION WINNING AND THE VICTORY. 
          YET. YET THE STORIES ARE DIFFICULT TO TRACE. RECORDS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SERVICE ARE INCOMPLETE, SCATTERED AND DISMISSING. SO THE PICTURE ON THIS SLIDE IS OF THE FOURTH REGIMENT, COMPANY E. IT'S A VERY ICONIC PICTURE. IT'S USED A LOT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MANY PICTURES OF THE U.S.C.T. SERGEANT HILTON IS NOT IN THIS PICTURE. PICTURE. HE DID SERVE IN THE FOURTH REGIMENT, BUT BUT IN COMPANY H THERE IS KNOWN NO KNOWN PICTURES OF SERGEANT HILTON. RECENTLY, THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE DRESSER FOUNDATION TO RESEARCH AND IDENTIFY U.S.C.T SOLDIERS WITH HARFORD COUNTY TIES, MEANING THEY WERE BORN HERE. THEY ENLISTED IN THE U.S.C.T. HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, THEY LIVED IN HARFORD COUNTY OR THEY WERE BURIED IN HARFORD COUNTY. WE IDENTIFY 305 MEN THAT FIT THAT DESCRIPTION. WE HAVE THEIR SERVICE RECORDS, PLUS MANY OTHER RECORDS, FROM SLAVE CLAIMS TO CASUALTY SHEETS, HOSPITAL BED CARDS, FINAL STATEMENTS, PENSION RECORDS. WE HAVE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER. WE RECORDED IT INTO A MASSIVE SPREADSHEET, AND WE'VE BEEN ANALYZING THE DATA AND DELVING INTO STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNCOVERED. OF THESE MEN, 67 MEN DID NOT SURVIVE THE WAR. THAT'S 22% OF THE 305. THEY WERE KILLED IN ACTION. THEY DIED OF WOUNDS, DISEASE, DROWNING OR IMPRISONMENT. 38 OF THEM HAVE NO KNOWN BURIAL. THEY'RE LIKELY INTERRED IN MASS GRAVES WITH LITTLE OR NO IDENTIFICATION. RACIAL PREJUDICE. LIMITED WARTIME DOCUMENTATION MEANT MANY AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFIED. 
          WHEN REINTERRED. THEY WERE BURIED IN BATTLEFIELD MASS GRAVES OR IN HOSPITAL GRAVES, AND AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, NATIONAL CEMETERIES WERE CREATED AND THEN THEY WERE REINTERRED INTO THERE, BUT THEY WEREN'T PROPERLY IDENTIFIED WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY BURIED THEM. SO NOW WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. AMONG THE SURVIVORS OF THE WAR, WE HAVE LOCATED BURIAL SITES FOR ABOUT HALF, AND IN HARFORD COUNTY 49 BURIALS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ONLY 26 HAVE HEADSTONES. FOR THE REMAINING 23. WE KNOW THEY'RE IN THAT CEMETERY, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE. AND THESE BURIALS ARE SPREAD ACROSS 18 AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERIES IN THE COUNTY. SO THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT JUST STATISTICS. THEY REPRESENT INDIVIDUAL MEN WHOSE STORIES WERE NEARLY LOST. TO RESTORE DIGNITY AND VISIBILITY TO THESE FORGOTTEN HEROES INTERRED IN HARFORD COUNTY, WE'VE LAUNCHED A HEADSTONE RESTORATION INITIATIVE. SO HEADSTONE IS MORE THAN A MARKER. IT IS A DECLARATION THAT A LIFE MATTERED. MANY EXISTING MARKERS REQUIRE CLEANING, REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. WE'VE ALSO PLACED SMALL SIGNS BESIDE BESIDE EACH U.S.C.T GRAVE TO ENSURE THESE VETERANS ARE RECOGNIZED, ESPECIALLY ON MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERANS DAY, WHEN MANY DO NOT RECEIVE FLAGS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A MILITARY DESIGNATION ON IT, OR A PERSON DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT U.S.C.T MEANS. AND AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE MARKERS IS ON THE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CHART. UP THERE, THE BLUE AND YELLOW. ALSO ON THE CHART ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF EXISTING HEADSTONES. 
          NOW THAT WE FOUND ON THE TOP IS SERGEANT GEORGE BARRETT. HE SERVED IN THE 39TH US COLORED INFANTRY, AND HE'S BURIED AT THE ASBURY CEMETERY IN CHURCHVILLE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURE, HIS HEADSTONE IS ON THE GROUND. IT'S DETACHED FROM HIS BASE, AND THERE'S NO INDICATION OF HIS CIVIL WAR SERVICE. AND WE FOUND TWO HEADSTONES LIKE THAT THAT ARE DETACHED. AND, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. ALSO IN THE MIDDLE BELOW BARRETT, IS A HEADSTONE THAT WE BELIEVE BELONGS TO PRIVATE RICHARD TURNER FROM THE FOURTH U.S. 
          COLORED INFANTRY. AND THIS IS AT GREEN SPRINGS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY IN DARLINGTON. AND THIS HEADSTONE REQUIRES CLEANING JUST TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS HIS. AND THERE ARE SIX OTHER ADDITIONAL HEADSTONES WE FOUND THAT NEED TO BE STRAIGHTENED. THE MAJORITY OF THE HEADSTONES WE HAVE IDENTIFIED NEED TO BE CLEANED, WHICH WE HAVE PLANS TO 
          [00:35:02]
DO IN THE SPRING. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HARBOR GRACE AND OTHER PARTNERS TO RESTORE TWO LONG NEGLECTED AFRICAN-AMERICAN CEMETERIES, PROBABLY NEGLECTED FOR DECADES, EACH CONTAIN ONE U.S.C.T BURIAL. THESE SITES ARE SO OVERGROWN WE HAD TO WAIT TILL LATE FALL TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THEM. IT WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO WALK THROUGH IT. THE PICTURE ON THE SCREEN IS OF SKINNER CEMETERY IN HAVRE DE GRACE, AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PICTURE YOU CAN SEE TWO HEADSTONES WHERE THEY BOTH FALLEN OVER AND BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM ITS BASE. 
          RESEARCH IS ONGOING WITH INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS. WE HOPE MORE BURIAL SITES AND SERVICE RECORDS WILL COME TO LIGHT. DETAILED BIOGRAPHIES AND SERVICE SERVICE SUMMARIES FOR ALL 305 SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HARFORD COUNTY, AND WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. SO LOOKING AHEAD, WE HAVE SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT WILL DEEPEN PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ENSURE THESE MEN ARE REMEMBERED. THE FOUNDATION PLANS TO INSTALL SIGNAGE AT EACH OF THE 18 HARFORD COUNTY CEMETERIES WHERE THE US SOLDIERS ARE BURIED, LISTING ALL THEIR NAMES SO THEY'RE ALL REMEMBERED WHETHER THEY HAVE A HEADSTONE OR NOT. WE ALSO HAVE A LONG TERM GOAL A COUNTY WIDE MEMORIAL HONORING ALL 305 US SOLDIERS WITH HARFORD COUNTY TIES. REMEMBER EARLIER I STATED ABOUT HALF OF THEM WE FOUND WERE BURIED? IT'S A GOOD CHANCE WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ALL THE OTHER HALF. WE'LL FIND A FEW. I HOPE THESE MEN FOUGHT FOR A COUNTRY THAT DID NOT YET RECOGNIZE THEIR FULL RIGHTS. 
          YET THEY BELIEVED IN THAT PROMISE. A MEMORIAL LISTING THEIR NAMES WILL ENSURE THEY RECEIVE THE HONOR THEY DESERVE AND ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN. OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER AND EDUCATIONAL EVENT WILL BE HELD ON JUNE 6TH AT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HARFORD COUNTY AND IN ADDITION TO A VISIT BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS REENACTED BY DUKE THOMPSON, THE PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE SEVERAL INTERESTING AND MOVING STORIES OF THE HARFORD COUNTY, US, THAT OUR RESEARCH UNCOVERED AND DETAILS WILL BE POSTED SOON ON OUR WEBSITE. SO, IN CONCLUSION, AS A PERSON WHO UNDERTOOK THIS RESEARCH PROJECT, I CAN ATTEST THAT IDENTIFYING THESE SOLDIERS THROUGH THEIR SERVICE RECORDS AND THEN SEARCHING FOR AND FINDING THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACES HAS BEEN A DEEPLY MOVING EXPERIENCE. EVERY TIME I LOCATED A BARRIER, I FELT I FOUND YOU, I FOUND YOU, SOMEBODY FOUND YOU. NOW YOU MATTER. THE INFORMATION WE UNCOVER HELPS RESTORE THEIR DIGNITY, VISIBILITY AND RIGHTFUL PLACE IN OUR HISTORY. 
          SO PLEASE JOIN OUR EFFORTS ON THIS CHART. YOU CAN SEE THE LIST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS. AND WE WELCOME SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. REACH OUT TO THE FOUNDATION VIA EMAIL TO GET INVOLVED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING HARFORD COUNTY'S HISTORY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? SO SUE AND JIM, LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION HERE THIS EVENING. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR VETERANS. WE ALL ARE VETERANS A GREAT DEAL. AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN TO RECOGNIZE THEM. FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIALS THAT YOU'VE PUT UP. I MEAN, WE HAVE FOLLOWED THAT FROM DAY ONE, BEEN A PART OF THAT FROM DAY ONE, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION. I'M GLAD THAT YOU PUT YOUR FUNDRAISER UP THE DATE OF THAT, BECAUSE WE'LL ALL SUPPORT THAT, I'M SURE. AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR COMMENTS. QUESTIONS. MR. BENNETT, HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I ECHO EVERYTHING COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAID. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS A TREMENDOUS WORK. I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU, OF THE 305 PEOPLE IDENTIFIED, IF YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND IF THEY ANY OF THEM STILL HAVE FAMILY WHO LIVE IN THE COUNTY, LIKE IF THEIR LINEAGE, YOU KNOW, STILL IS IN HARFORD COUNTY. WELL, HILTON HAS FAMILY STILL IN THE COUNTY AND I KNOW SEVERAL OTHERS I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE IN THE COUNTY. I THINK THAT I MEAN, THAT'S SUCH A BLESSING FOR FAMILIES THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW THEIR OWN HISTORY FROM THE CIVIL WAR. TO BRING THAT TO LIGHT IS I MEAN, IT'S JUST A GIFT TO THE WHOLE COUNTY AND TO THOSE MEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE REMEMBERED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. MR. EMHOFF. I HAVE KIND OF LIKE A GEOGRAPHICAL QUESTION FOR THE MOST PART. A LOT OF THE THE THE TWO OF THE STONES YOU GUYS WERE REFERENCING WERE IN NORTHERN HARFORD COUNTY AND ONE WAS IN HARVEY GRACE. IS THERE NOT ANY BURIAL SITES IN THE CENTER OR THE SOUTHERN OF THE COUNTY, OR IS IT WAS IT LIKE SPECIFIC AREA? I'M JUST CURIOUS. YEAH, THERE WAS 18 CEMETERIES. THERE'S ONE IN JOPPATOWNE, ANOTHER IN, IN WAS IT FALLSTON. THERE'S ONE ON ONE. 152 IN FALLSTON. YES. OKAY. YEAH. THAT'S MY HOME TURF. 
          ABERDEEN HAD ONE. YEAH. THERE WERE SEVERAL YOU KNOW, BUT THEY WERE, THEY WERE SPREAD OUT 
          [00:40:04]
THROUGH THE COUNTY. I, I WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE WHEN I WAS DRIVING, PUTTING THOSE SIGNS IN THE HAVERTY GRACE CEMETERY. HOW DID YOU GUYS COME. HOLD UP JUST A SECOND. GENTLEMEN, GENTLEMEN. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE CEMETERY IN HAVERTY. GRACE, THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. HOW DID THAT ONE GET IDENTIFIED? WELL, WHEN WE WERE DOING THE RESEARCH, THERE'S FINDAGRAVE.COM WHERE YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND YOU CAN FIND WHERE THE GRAVES ARE. BUT JIM KRISMER AND HIS ORIGINAL SPREADSHEET HAD IDENTIFIED SEVERAL OF THEM ALREADY AS BEING LOCATED IN OLD CEMETERIES. SO WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS ONE U.S.C.T THERE. IT WAS VERIFIED ON FINDAGRAVE.COM. VERY COOL. WELL, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. GINGER. JIM, GOOD TO SEE YOU. LIKEWISE. SUE, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER MET, BUT WE'VE EMAILED A BUNCH OF TIMES. YES. SO BUT THANKS FOR THAT. ALL THAT INFORMATION. I'M JUST AMAZED THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING ALL THIS INFORMATION. THAT'S THAT'S THIS OLD THAT YOU CAN PUT ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER. BUT BUT I'M JUST AMAZED BY THAT. YOU CAN PUT THIS STUFF TOGETHER FOR ALL THOSE YEARS BACK AND, AND FIND THAT NOW ISN'T WHAT A LOT OF THE CHURCHES THAT ARE AROUND NOW THAT HAVE THAT HAVE GRAVES, DO THEY COUNT AS CEMETERIES THAT YOU LOOK IN TO. CORRECT. 
          SO WHERE I GOT THE INFORMATION FROM WAS STARTED WITH THE ACTUAL SERVICE. RECORDS FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED, AND THAT'S ONLY BEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND THAT'S AVAILABLE ON FOLD3. SO IT WAS THROUGH SEARCHES THROUGH THERE THAT I WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL ONES OVER AND ABOVE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY IDENTIFIED BY JIM KRISMER. AND THEN FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON THOSE SERVICE RECORDS. SLAVE CLAIMS WILL BE IN THERE. DEEDS OF MANUMISSION, THEIR PENSION RECORDS. AND SO THAT HELPED. 
          THAT WAS A STARTING POINT. BUT MANY OF THE CHURCHES IN OUR NEXT STEP IS TO TRY TO FIND THE CHURCH RECORDS OF THOSE BURIALS. IN MOST CASES, IT DOESN'T. IT ISN'T THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THOSE CHURCHES HAVE BEEN LONG GONE. BUT WE ARE GOING TO START WORKING ON THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN CAN FIND THEM. AND I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME TO SEE SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MURALS AND EVERYTHING PUT UP OVER TIME, WHICH JUST AMAZING. AND SOME REENACTMENTS OF SERGEANT ALFRED HILTON AND TO HEAR THE STORY ABOUT THAT. SO BUT ANYWAY, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK. SO, JIM, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU USE TO FIND OUT FOR SURE IF THERE'S REMAINS IN THESE SITES. ARE YOU STILL DOING THAT? THAT'S CORRECT. AND WE USE PARTICULARLY NOT IN THE US CT PROJECT, BUT ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH IS USING GROUND PENETRATING RADAR. AND SO AT SOME POINT WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL ON THAT PROJECT OVERALL. BUT PERHAPS WE SHOULD PROVIDE EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS, THOSE SITES THAT ARE WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT. THAT WOULD BE PERHAPS GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU TO HAVE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT COUNCIL AND MAYBE SOME CHURCHES THAT MIGHT BE IF THERE ARE ANY CHURCHES THAT MIGHT BE TOO AS WELL AS THAT ARE AREN'T ON THAT. THAT COULD BE BURIAL SITES THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE US. SURE. WE CAN DO THAT. YEAH, WE HAVE THAT DATA. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT. HOPEFULLY WE'VE INFORMED YOU ABOUT THE WORK OF THE THE ORGANIZATION. AND WE'RE ALSO MAKING THE APPEAL, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS WORK. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, JUST LEST ANYONE ELSE THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AGENDA 
          [7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN APPROVAL OF MINUTES. LEGISLATIVE DAY 25 006 FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS TO STAND APPROVED EIGHT. 
          [8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]
INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS. RESOLUTION 006 26. CITIZENS NURSING HOME BOARD AUTHORIZATION. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. RESIDENT AGENT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 006 26. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 006 26. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BENNETT, I JUST WANT TO PREEMPTIVELY THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT WITH THIS RESOLUTION. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS CARE AND THEM CONTINUING TO DO THEIR GREAT WORK AND HAVE A EASE OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE STATE AS THEIR LAWS AND RULES HAVE CHANGED. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COUNTY LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR COMING IN AND EXPLAINING THIS ALL TO US SO WELL LAST WEEK. THANK YOU. 
          [00:45:03]
ANYONE ELSE SEEING NO ONE ELSE, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MRS. EMHOFF, I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I FOR BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE RESOLUTION 006 26 IS HEREBY APPROVED NINE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS WE HAVE NONE TEN. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE NONE 11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS. NONE 12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS NONE 13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS NONE 14. 
          [15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]
NEW BUSINESS NONE 15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? MISS DIXON? WE DO, MR. PRESIDENT. WE HAVE TWO THIS EVENING. EZEKIEL HOPKINS, FOLLOWED BY CASSANDRA. BEVERLY. BEVERLY. CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER AGAIN. EZEKIEL HOPKINS. 
          GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. EZEKIEL HOPKINS, 2200 THOMAS RUN ROAD, BEL AIR, MARYLAND, TWO 1015. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BE HERE TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW. I DON'T LIKE PUBLIC SPEAKING. DON'T LIKE ANY OF THAT. HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? YOU GOT THREE MINUTES, SIR. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS ANY OF THIS, ANY OF WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY. AND I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE. PROBABLY. I THINK YOU SHOULD JUST PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING. SOME PEOPLE LIKE ME IN THE COUNTY, I THINK, GET A LITTLE BIT OFF TRACK WITH THEIR LIFE. MAYBE IT HAS TO DO WITH DRUGS, MAYBE THEY WENT TO JAIL OR PRISON. MAYBE THEY JUST HAD WRONG THINKING. OR MAYBE, LIKE ME, YOU JUST GET A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED, LIKE A LATE BLOOMER OR SOMETHING. AND I THINK THIS COUNTY AGAIN, NOT THE COUNCIL, NOT THE GOVERNMENT NECESSARILY, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THE SYSTEM FOR GETTING PEOPLE BACK ON TRACK IS WORKING. I'M JUST NOT SURE. A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE NATIONAL PROBLEM, NOT EVEN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. JUST THE WAY THAT APPLYING FOR JOBS WORKS. THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THAT, NOT THE PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT. BUT I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM. LET ME GIVE YOU A MORE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE. I'M RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IN THE TOWN GOVERNMENT. AND I THOUGHT, LET ME CALL IN A FAVOR, NOT ACTUALLY A FAVOR. JUST WANTED TO CALL THEM AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU POINT ME TOWARDS SOMEWHERE THAT I CAN VOLUNTEER TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY? COULD ONLY POINT ME TO THE FOOD BANKS AT CERTAIN CHURCHES, WHICH DON'T GIVE ME A CALL BACK, AND THEY ONLY WANT DONATIONS, WHICH, AS I SAID, I'VE GOTTEN OFF TRACK. I'M POOR. I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT. I CAN ONLY HELP WITH MY TIME AND LABOR AND INVESTMENT INTO ANYTHING THAT'S MEANINGFUL. AND I JUST IT'S JUST THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET OFF TRACK AND YOU DON'T HAVE SOCIAL CAPITAL, WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT? YOU JUST GET STUCK. I'M STUCK. AND I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS, THAT'S ALL. MR. HOPKINS, STICK AROUND AFTER THE MEETING. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. 
          GOOD EVENING. CASSANDRA. BEVERLY. 137B, ALLISON STREET, BEL AIR, MARYLAND. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT VICENTE. AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CASSANDRA BEVERLY, AND I'M THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CAUCUS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS. THE CAUCUS WAS ORGANIZED IN 2018 WITH A MISSION TO ADVOCATE FOR FAIRNESS, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN HARFORD COUNTY. WE ARE A NONPARTIZAN GROUP COMPRISED OF BUSINESS OWNERS, CLERGY, LAWYERS, AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES. I WAS LAST BEFORE YOU TO DISCUSS THE COMMUNITY REPAIR AND REINVESTMENT FUND THAT PROVIDES GRANT FUNDS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THE HARMS RESULTING FROM THE OVERPOLICING OF CERTAIN COMMUNITIES VIS A VIS THE CRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AROUND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE FUNDS, MARCUS WEBSTER, THE PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR. WELL, THE PROGRAMS UNDER HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE HAVE WORKED WITH MARCUS WEBSTER, WHO HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF THE FUND, TO SOLICIT INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND TO EDUCATE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS. I'M HERE 
          [00:50:01]
TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. I WOKE THIS MORNING TO THE DEVASTATING NEWS OF THE DEATH OF CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, REVEREND JESSE JACKSON. REVEREND JACKSON IS ONE OF THE GIANTS OF OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY. DUE TO HIS LONG AND TIRELESS COMMITMENT TO THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. HE WAS A PROTEGE OF REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR AND THE FOUNDER OF THE RAINBOW PUSH COALITION, A MULTI-RACIAL, MULTI-ISSUE PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FIGHTING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. AS I REFLECT BACK ON REVEREND JACKSON'S LIFE AND THE TIMES THAT HE LIVED THROUGH, I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THOSE TIMES AND THESE. THERE ARE NO BLATANT SIGNS OUTSIDE OF BUSINESSES SAYING NO NEGROES ALLOWED OR WHITES ONLY. BUT THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR, CLEARLY BEING CONVEYED BY OUR GOVERNMENT THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE AN IMMIGRANT, ARE NOT WANTED AND THAT OUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE NOT VALUED. THAT IS WHY, NOW MORE THAN EVER, THE TEACHING OF BLACK HISTORY IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. NOW, WHEN THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ERASE ANY SIGN OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK MEN AND WOMEN FROM THE MILITARY AND THROUGH THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNMENT, NOW, WHEN THERE IS A COORDINATED EFFORT TO USE CODED LANGUAGE TO BLOCK THE TEACHING OF UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS IN OUR SCHOOLS, YOUNG PEOPLE MUST BE TAUGHT THAT BLACK PEOPLE'S HISTORY DID NOT BEGIN IN THIS COUNTRY WITH ENSLAVEMENT. THEY MUST BE TOLD THAT DOCTOR KING HAD MORE THAN A DREAM ABOUT PEOPLE BEING JUDGED BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER, NOT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. HE DREAMED OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL NOW SPEAK SO WELL ABOUT REVEREND JACKSON AND REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING VILIFIED THEM AND WORKED AGAINST THE THINGS THAT THEY FOUGHT FOR THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. THAT IS THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH. WE MUST TEACH TRUTH EVEN WHEN IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. I PRAY THAT ONE DAY WILL COME. WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TO HAVE A BLACK HISTORY MONTH. HOWEVER, THAT DAY IS NOT ON THE HORIZON. IT WILL NOT COME WHILE THE FIGHT AGAINST TRUTH CONTINUES. TRUTH MUST WIN FOR ALL OF US TO WIN. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM, THANK YOU. NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT, WITH NO OTHER SPEAKERS, WILL GO 
          [16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]
TO 16 BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. MISS SUTTLES WILL START WITH YOU TONIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. ON FRIDAY, MY EIGHT ATTENDED THE RIBBON CUTTING AND THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HOMELANDS MARKET IN CHURCHVILLE. THE MARKET AIMS TO BE A WELCOMING SPOT WHERE FAMILIES CAN PICK UP FRESH LOCAL FARM PRODUCTS, UNIQUE GIFTS, HOME DECOR AND FRESH DAIRY. FROM BROOM'S BLOOM. THIS THURSDAY AT 630 IS THE CHURCHVILLE CRESWELL FOUNTAIN GREEN, DUBLIN DARLINGTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. IT WILL BE HELD AT THE CHURCHVILLE REC CENTER AND NEXT TUESDAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DISPLAY IN REAL TIME CRIME CENTERS AND DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS AT THE HARFORD NIGHT IN ANNAPOLIS ON FEBRUARY 24TH, AND THAT WILL BE HOSTED BY THE ABERDEEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MR. BENNETT, HELLO. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE THIS EVENING. I ATTENDED THE ABINGDON CAB MEETING LAST WEEK, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER IMHOFF, AND THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION AROUND MEDICARE, WHICH I'M A FAR AWAY FROM EVER USING MEDICARE, BUT IT WAS STILL VERY INFORMATIVE. 
          AND I KNOW MY PARENTS JUST RECENTLY STARTED ON MEDICARE AND WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS. 
          SO I THOUGHT OUR CAB MEETINGS, THEY'RE ALL JUST SUCH A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT, TO LEARN ABOUT THE THINGS GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND I REALLY THINK THE CAB MEETINGS ARE UNDERUTILIZED FOR THAT, THE RESOURCE THAT THEY ARE. SO I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY CAB MEETING. THIS UPCOMING SATURDAY IS THE HARVEY GRACE ICE FESTIVAL, WHICH IS ALWAYS A BIG HIT. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS WIZARD OF OZ, SO I, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN. AND THE TROLLEY, WHICH IS FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND HAVERTY GRACE WILL BE RUNNING DIRECTLY FROM THE STAR CENTER PARKING LOT TO DOWNTOWN, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FINDING PARKING CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN. YOU CAN PARK AT THE STAR CENTER AND TAKE THE TROLLEY INTO TOWN. SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THAT AND KNOW THAT ONE WEEK FROM TODAY IS THE FILING DEADLINE TO RUN FOR OFFICE. IF YOU'VE EVER LOOKED AT US AND THOUGHT, OH, THEY MUST KNOW SOMETHING SPECIAL TO BE UP THERE, WE JUST PAID $50 TO BE ON A LIST. 
          THAT'S ALL IT TOOK. SO YOU CAN ALSO PAY $50 TO BE ON A LIST AND AND JOIN US ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL OR MANY OF THE OTHER POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, REGISTER OF WILLS OR YOUR LOCAL CENTRAL COMMITTEE FOR YOUR POLITICAL PARTY OR SCHOOL BOARD. THESE ARE IMPORTANT POSITIONS IN OUR 
          [00:55:05]
COUNTY, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO FILE, AND THERE'S MANY RACES THAT RIGHT NOW EITHER HAVE ZERO PEOPLE FILED OR ONLY ONE CANDIDATE FILED. SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE A PART OF THAT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND PUT THEIR NAME OUT THERE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS ROBERT, THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE THINGS. DEBBIE, MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE, ATTENDED THE GRAND OPENING RIBBON CUTTING FOR BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS. I COULDN'T GET THERE, BUT SHE CAME BACK WITH A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION. SO I'M GOING TO VISIT THERE ON FRIDAY AND TAKE MY OWN PERSONAL TOUR OF THE ESTABLISHMENT. AND THEN YESTERDAY, I GOT THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO THE STATE SENATE AND BEING COMMISSIONED FOR THE MARYLAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST BOARD OF TRUSTEES. SO THAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT IN ANNAPOLIS, AND THAT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE AS WELL. JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW A COUPLE OF THINGS TOMORROW NIGHT THROUGH THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILIES, THEY ARE OFFERING A WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION. AS I STATED LAST WEEK, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF SUICIDE IN THE STATE, HARFORD COUNTY, AND THAT IS FROM 12 TO 1 P.M. VIA ZOOM. AND YOU CAN FIND THE INFORMATION ON THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEBSITE. THERE'S ALSO THE HABITAT GRACE YOUTH COMMISSION IS HOSTING STOP BULLYING SERIES, AND THERE'S A PARENTS GUIDE TO IDENTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION THERE. AND THAT IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH FROM 630 IS WHEN DOORS OPEN AND IT'S AT THE STAR CENTER. AND THAT IS ALL FOR ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. MISS IMHOF, GOOD EVENING. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE SCOUTS OF AMERICA, SPECIFICALLY CUB SCOUT PACK 899 FROM FALLSTON FOR LEADING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT AND MEETING WITH ME EARLIER. YOUR THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND GREAT DISCUSSION, AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TO SEE. I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK THE THE GROUP THAT CAME OUT EARLIER. YOU GUYS TAUGHT ME A TON ABOUT SCOUTS, AND IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO KNOW THAT A LOT OF YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY NOT ONLY THE SAME AGE AS MY GIRLS, BUT IN THE SAME CLASSES AS MY GIRLS. ON FEBRUARY 11TH, I MET WITH MEMBERS OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL MATH CURRICULUM TEAM ALONG WITH WADE SEWELL, OUR DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE. OUR DISCUSSION CENTERED ON THE MATH CAP TESTING, INCLUDING THE THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF STUDENTS COMPLETING COMPUTER BASED TESTING DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AS PART OF THEIR PREPARATION. IT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE EXCHANGE ON CURRENT ASSESSMENT PRACTICES AND POTENTIAL WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS. IT ALSO SPARKED A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF PARENTS AND A LOT OF STUDENTS. EVEN AFTER THE FACT. ON FEBRUARY 12TH, I ALSO ATTENDED THE ABINGTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. THEY HAVE A A NEWLY ROBUST BOARD, SO I'M GLAD TO KIND OF SEE A FEW MORE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE TO THAT SPECIFIC MEETING AS WELL. ON FEBRUARY 25TH IS THE FALLSTON COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. IT'S FROM 630 TO 8 P.M. AT THE VERONICA CHENOWITH ACTIVITY CENTER. I ALSO WANT TO WISH ANYBODY WHO CELEBRATES A HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR. AND FOR ANYBODY WHO CELEBRATES MARDI GRAS. WOW. THANK YOU, MISS INHOFE. MR. GINGER MAN, I'M SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THAT UP. HEY, I WENT TO THE GRAND OPENING OF HOMELAND'S MARKET WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE, BUT HE LEFT EARLY, AND I GOT ICE CREAM, SO, YOU KNOW, HE MISSED OUT ON THAT. THERE'S A CAB MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT FOR JARRETTSVILLE. 
          INCLUDES FOREST HILL AT THE JARRETTSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. 
          AND I CAN'T SAY WHAT SHE SAID IN FRENCH, SO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. MR. MR. RILEY. YES? I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE GLADDEN KURTZ. 60 YEARS OF SERVICE. ACTIVE SERVICE WITH THE JARRETTSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE DID AN AWARDS BANQUET FOR HER, AND ALSO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO BEHAVIORAL INNOVATIONS GRAND OPENING, ALONG WITH DEBBIE. AND NOT ONLY IS THE JARRETTSVILLE TOMORROW NIGHT, BUT THURSDAY NIGHT, THEY ALSO HAVE THE CHURCHVILLE CRESSWELL. THAT'S ALL, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. MR. RILEY. 17 
          [17. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT ]
BUSINESS FROM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TODAY IS KIND OF A SPECIAL DAY BECAUSE IT IS FORMER COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD SLUTSKY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY. SO I CALLED AND WISHED HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HE'S 83 TODAY DOING WELL. AND THEN ALSO EVERYONE'S MENTIONED THE RIBBON CUTTING AT HOMELANDS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT USED TO BE A BANK. AND WHEN I WENT 
          [01:00:04]
IN THERE TO WALK THROUGH THE PLACE, IT'S AMAZING. IT'S A GREAT VENUE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND ALSO LOCAL FARMERS TO SELL THEIR WARES. I THINK HIGHVIEW FARMS HAD SOME MEAT PRODUCTS IN THERE AND ALSO BROOMS. LOOMS, BROOM COULDN'T GET IT OUT. IT WAS, IT WAS VERY GOOD. YES. AND THEN AGAIN TRAGICALLY GOT US SHARE CONDOLENCES FOR THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF TOMMY CLOSE. VERY SAD TO HEAR THAT HE PASSED AND THEN THE SUDDEN TRAGIC PASSING OF MIKE PEEL AND CHIP HEAPS. SO I'D ASK YOU TO KEEP ALL THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES IN YOUR
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.