Sep 01, 2026 County Council

[1. CALL TO ORDER ]

[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS]

[00:03:44]

AND BACK AND HOPEFULLY HE WILL BE DOING A SHOW HERE SOON FOR US. VERY NICE. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK YOU MOM AND DAD AND THANK YOU HARTFORD COUNTY AND BIG THINGS COMING SOON. CONGRATULATIONS. FIVE CONSIDERATION PETITIONS,

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

MR. I MR. RILEY I MISS I MR. BENNETT I FOR BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO IN THE NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. HUMANE SOCIETY OF HARFORD COUNTY MAY HAVE A

[00:05:01]

MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. AYE. MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND A NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES MAY HAVE A MOTION PLEASE COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER PENMAN. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY, MR. BENNETT. I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THE CONTEXT OF, YOU KNOW, THE REASON WE ARE DOING THESE APPOINTMENTS IS BECAUSE FORMER COUNCILWOMAN IMHOFF HAD BEEN FILLING THESE ROLES FOR THE COUNCIL. AND WITH COUNCILMAN PENMAN RETURNING, IT'S JUST SWITCHING THE NAMES BACK TO COUNCILMAN PENMAN, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S REALLY NO DISCUSSION OR DEBATE NEEDED. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MR. PRESIDENT, I, MRS. ROBERT I MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED.

EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS. DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS, LICENSES AND PERMITS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF HAROLD BOLLING JR. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

DISCUSSION. MR. GIORDANO, I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS. I'VE WORKED WITH HAROLD FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS ON THINGS. HE'S HE'S A GREAT RESOURCE. HIM AND RICH TRUITT NOW RICH GONE, AND HE'S THERE, YOU KNOW, HE ALWAYS CALLS BACK AND AND HIS EXPERIENCES IS GREAT AND HIS KNOWLEDGE IS FANTASTIC. AND I'M GLAD WE HAVE HIM UP HERE. THANK YOU. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

IT'S A SMOOTH TRANSITION. ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MISS ROBERT I MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY, MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. HAROLD'S NOT IN HERE, I SEE. OKAY. DIRECTOR. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MAY HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF WILLIAM BERTINI. THANK YOU. MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. DISCUSSION. ANYONE? MR. GINGER, I THINK THE SAME THING GOES FOR MR. PUTIN. HE'S BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ME. MAYBE LONGER THAN YOU, BUT. NO, NO.

ALL RIGHT, SO BUT JUST VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND, YOU KNOW, VERY THOROUGH IN EVERYTHING HE DOES. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO HAVE HIM AND I APPRECIATE HIS COMMITMENT TO HERTFORD COUNTY.

NO. AND AGAIN, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. HE'S BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE AT WATER AND SEWER. I MEAN IN DPW AND ANSWERS ALL THE QUESTIONS PROMPTLY. AND I THINK HE'S A GREAT FIT. SO ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERTS I MR. PENMAN I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY, MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. WE HAD AN AMENDED AGENDA HERE. EXTENSION OF APPOINTMENT FOR ACTING DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF RICHARD BROOKS. THE THIRD. THANK YOU. A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. ANY DISCUSSION? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, MR. PRESIDENT. I HOPE HE BECOMES PERMANENT. THANK YOU. HE IS ABSOLUTELY ONE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE FIELD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND HE WILL DO A GOOD JOB IF HE DOESN'T TAKE IT TILL SOMEONE ELSE DOES.

ANYONE ELSE. MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT. HI, MRS. ROBERT. HI, MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. HI. MR. BENNETT. I MEAN, SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO NEGATIVE.

THE EXTENSION OF THIS APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOVE TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENTS OF JULIE MANCINI AND DOCTOR JENNIFER PALINKAS. AND THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF PHILLIP MCCALL AND CHRISTINA PRESBURY. THANK YOU. MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

ANY DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT I. MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY, MRS. I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENT IS. APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED. MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS ADVISORY

[00:10:05]

MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE? MISS ROBERTS? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE COMING BACK. I'M ON THAT COUNCIL AS WELL, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON IDENTIFYING ISSUES IN OUR COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO BETTER ASSIST THE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS COMMUNITY. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I SEE MANY FAMILIAR NAMES HERE. I SEE ONE FAMILIAR FACE IN THE AUDIENCE.

CHIEF, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT, I, MR. PENMAN. HI, MR. GIORDANO. HI, MR. RILEY. HI, MRS. HI. MR. BENNETT. I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE ZERO AND A NEGATIVE. THE APPOINTMENTS ARE

[6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ]

MARYLAND INVESTS AN AWFUL LOT IN COUNTY GOVERNMENTS. YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THAT COUNTIES AS TRUE, FULL SERVICE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE. WE HAVE COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE THE COUNTIES RUN THE JAIL OR RUN A NURSING HOME, OR PATCH UP THE BRIDGES, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND VESTS IN COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, AND THE GUIDANCE FROM FROM THE LEGISLATIVE BODIES IS AN EXCEPTION. AND THAT SERVES OUR RESIDENTS AWFULLY WELL. BROUGHT A PACKET OF INFORMATION. IT'S MOSTLY SORT OF POLICY UPDATES FROM THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND A FEW ISSUES THAT ARE SPRINKLING AROUND. I WANT TO HIT THINGS RELATIVELY SUPERFICIALLY, MAKE A COUPLE MENTIONS OF BIG ISSUES, AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING I MISS ALONG THE WAY, RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS OR OR COMMENTS IF YOU'VE GOT THEM. SO LET ME DANCE THROUGH A FEW THINGS SORT OF EXPEDITIOUSLY. FIRST, I'LL JUST SAY, I DON'T THINK ANY STAKEHOLDER HAS AS BROAD A PORTFOLIO AS THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS DO IN MARYLAND, BECAUSE OF WHAT I JUST MENTIONED, BECAUSE OF THE BREADTH OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT SO MANY THINGS DELIVERED LOCALLY, EITHER DIRECTLY THROUGH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS OR FUNDED THROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, IN VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES AND SO FORTH. THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES WHERE THE STATE SETS THE GENERAL POLICY, BUT THE ACTION HAPPENS AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT LEVEL. SO WE'RE STAKEHOLDERS IN LOTS AND

[00:15:03]

I THINK A LOT OF WELL-INTENTIONED IDEAS COULD MISS THE MARK PRETTY SERIOUSLY.

SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK OF THAT FLAVOR IN THE IN THE SNAPSHOT I BROUGHT WITH YOU, WE TRY AND ILLUSTRATE MAKO MOVES THE NEEDLE BILLS THAT WE SUPPORT HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO PASS, AND IT'S TOUGH TO GET THINGS THAT PASS OVER OUR OBJECTION. WE DON'T WIN EVERY FIGHT IN ANNAPOLIS, BUT WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TOWN AND SORT OF PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT. I'LL MAKE A COUPLE BROAD OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BIG TALKING POINTS, AS MADAM PRESIDENT AND I HAVE BEEN JOINING OTHER GOVERNING BODIES. ONE IS AFFORDABILITY IN ITS MULTIPLE FORMS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL MANY HAVE BEEN HEARING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, FOLKS WHO WILL BE COMING IN AS NEW SENATORS AND DELEGATES, AS NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS, FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. IT'S THEIR ELECTRIC BILL. IT'S ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING, CHILD CARE, AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS. MARYLAND HAS A HAS A SUBSTANTIAL AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. THIS IS AN AMERICAN ISSUE. THE WHOLE AMERICAN ECONOMY TALKS ABOUT THE PRICE OF GAS OR EGGS OR WHATEVER THE ISSUE OF THE MOMENT IS. BUT THERE ARE THERE ARE LARGER QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT THAT AFFECT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND YOUR COMMUNITIES.

SOME OF THAT LANDS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THESE ARE MORE BIG PICTURE, MARKET DRIVEN ISSUES, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT THAT A STATE SENATOR CAN DO ABOUT THE PREVAILING INTEREST RATES FOR, FOR FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO FINANCE A NEW HOUSING PROJECT OR EVEN GET A NEW MORTGAGE ON A NEW HOME, SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES ARE KIND OF ABOVE THEIR PAY GRADE, BUT WE DO SEE EFFORTS ON AFFORDABILITY FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I EXPECT IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE GOING FORWARD. MICHAEL, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THAT MIC A LITTLE CLOSER, PLEASE? SURE. SO ON AFFORDABILITY, I THINK THIS TREND IS GOING TO CONTINUE JUST BECAUSE IT'S ON EVERYBODY'S MIND. AND THIS IS SENATORS AND DELEGATES AND TO SOME DEGREE, COUNTY OFFICIALS JUST RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. SO WHAT'S THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? I DON'T KNOW. THIS PAST YEAR, THE STATE LEGISLATURE TRIED TO PASS SOME RELIEF LEGISLATION ON ELECTRIC RATES, SUSPEND SOME PROGRAMS THAT WERE FUNDED BY RATEPAYERS, MAKE A FEW CHANGES ON THINGS THAT CAN BE PASSED ALONG IN THE BILL THAT GETS APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. BUT MARYLAND HAS DEREGULATED THE ACTUAL MARKET FOR THE ELECTRICITY ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVES RATES FOR THE REGULATED COMPANIES. THE ELECTRONS THEMSELVES ARE A COMPETITIVE MARKET, SO THERE'S LIMITS TO WHAT THE STATE CAN DO. WE'RE IN A MULTI-STATE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THAT'S COMPLICATED, BUT I'M SURE YOU ALL HEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE OUR COLLEAGUES IN ANNAPOLIS DO.

IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUED POINT OF TENSION. HOUSING POLICY, PROBABLY MUCH THE SAME. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A DRAMATIC ABATEMENT OF CONCERNS FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS ABOUT SHORTAGES OF HOUSING. DEPENDS ON WHAT REPORT YOU READ, WHETHER WE'RE 60,000, 90,000, 120,000 UNITS OF, OF, OF HOUSING SHORT OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE TODAY OR IN THE SHORT, SHORT ORDER. WE KNOW MARYLAND HAS A SHORTAGE IN HOUSING GENERALLY. SOME FOLKS FEEL IT THE MOST ON THE THE LOW AND MIDDLE END, THE ATTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE LEVELS GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE IS DIFFICULT. THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T CHANGE INTEREST RATES, BUT THEY CAN CHANGE LOCAL ZONING. THEY CAN CHANGE THE RULES AND STANDARDS FOR LOCAL DECISION MAKING. WE FOUND SOME REASONABLE MIDDLE GROUND ON A COUPLE OF BILLS THIS LAST SESSION TO AVOID SOME OF THE REALLY INTRUSIVE IDEAS THAT WOULD HAVE, I THINK, HANDCUFFED LOCAL DECISION MAKING TOO MUCH, BUT SOME MORE CERTAINTY FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO INVEST IN IN HOUSING UNITS, SOME, SOME, SOME MORE SORT OF GREEN TAPING IN AREAS AROUND HEAVY TRANSIT AREAS, LIKE A TRANSIT CENTER, TRAIN STATION, THAT SORT OF THOSE ARE THE PLACES WHERE WE ALL GENERALLY

[00:20:04]

AFTER A COUPLE OF FRUSTRATING YEARS OF BICKERING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT ABOUT STUFF. SO I FEEL GENERALLY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE'VE BEEN ON THESE ISSUES. I DON'T THINK THAT DEBATE IS OVER BY ANY STRETCH. I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THE STATE AND ITS BUDGET, I DON'T WANT TO EXHAUST THIS TOPIC. IT GETS DEPRESSING PRETTY RAPIDLY, BUT THE FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCE FOR THE STATE IS IS RELATIVELY GRAVE. THERE'S A NUMBER OF FACTORS LEADING TOGETHER. I WOULD FRAME IT THIS WAY FOR MOST OF MY TIME. I'VE WATCHED FISCAL ISSUES FOR A REALLY LONG TIME ON BEHALF OF WORKING FOR AND ON BEHALF OF COUNTIES, BUT BEFORE THAT, WORKING FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, YOU COULD COUNT IN AN ORDINARY YEAR ON REVENUE GROWTH BEING SOMETHING LIKE 4 OR 5%.

THE STATE'S MAIN ENGINES FOR REVENUES ARE INCOME TAX AND SALES TAX. AND THOSE ARE RIGHT NOW, WHO HAS A JOB THIS TWO WEEKS AND HAS INCOME TAX BEING WITHHELD? WHO BOUGHT A PAIR OF SHOES THIS WEEK AND PAID SALES TAX TAX ON IT RIGHT NOW? NOT QUITE LIKE PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH ARE A LITTLE INSULATED AND A LITTLE SLOWER MOVING IN ORDINARY ECONOMY. YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE, 1 OR 2% IN PRODUCTIVITY AND POPULATION.

AND YOU END UP WITH GROWTH IN REVENUES OF LIKE 4 OR 5%. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A MATH WHIZ THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, IF THE STATE'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET WAS $25 BILLION AND THE GROWTH WAS LIKE 4% OR A LITTLE BETTER, THAT'S LIKE $1 MILLION OF NEW REVENUE EVERY YEAR FOR WHATEVER YOUR NEW PRIORITIES ARE. AND, YOU KNOW, DOING EVERYTHING THE SAME COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF LAND ON TOP TO BE ABLE TO TARGET HERE AND DO THAT WITH $1 BILLION OF NEW REVENUE. YOU CAN DO THAT. AND THE STATE HAS AN AWFUL LOT OF SORT OF SPENDING PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN GEAR WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 4 OR 5% REVENUE GROWTH.

AND IN 2018, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FORECASTING FOR THE TEN YEARS AHEAD WHEN THE STATE SAID, LET'S MAKE A BIG COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, THAT'S GOING TO BE COSTLY. BUT IF THE STATE'S SHARE IS GOING TO BE 300 MILLION A YEAR, WELL, YOU CAN KIND OF SAY, HEY, MAYBE THE FIRST 300 OF THAT BILLION A YEAR IS WE'LL PUT IT TO EDUCATION. THAT'S PRIORITY NUMBER ONE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ABSURD POINT OF VIEW TO THINK THAT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE. AS A TEN YEAR PLAN, STATE REVENUES ARE GROWING AT ABOUT 1% NOW, NOT 5%. AND WHEN THE NEW REVENUES ARE ONLY 250 OR 300, INSTEAD OF 1 BILLION OR 1,000,000,003, THE MATH NO LONGER MATHS AND COMMITMENTS YOU'VE MADE WITH MULTIYEAR FORMULAS, WITH ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE BASED ON ELIGIBILITY, WITH COMMITMENTS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, WITH AN OBLIGATION TO PICK UP SOME SHORTFALLS THAT HAVE THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN FROM DECISIONS MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. YOU PUT ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER, THE NUMBERS START TO STACK UP TO A PRETTY DAUNTING FIGURE. WHEN WHEN THE LEGISLATURE LEFT TOWN IN APRIL PASSING THEIR BUDGET PLAN FOR ONE YEAR, THEY HAD A FORECAST THAT NEXT YEAR'S PLAN, THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS UPSIDE DOWN TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $2.5 BILLION. THAT MIGHT GET WORSE IF IF WE'RE AT 29 BILLION TODAY FOR THE GENERAL FUND, 2.5 BILLION OR 3 OR 3 AND A HALF, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 10% OF THE BUDGET IS UNDERWATER.

THAT'S DAUNTING STUFF. THAT'S A LOT MORE THAN COUCH CUSHION, NIP AND TUCK KIND OF STUFF. SO DIFFICULT DECISIONS AHEAD THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING TO REQUIRE SOME FROM COLUMN A, SOME FROM COLUMN B, SOME RESETTING OF EXPECTATIONS, SOME REEVALUATION OF REVENUES. AND NONE OF THAT'S GOING TO BE EASY. BUT ALL OF THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. AND I HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED THAT THE STATE'S NOT KEEPING PACE ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WHICH WE KNOW IS THE CASE. WE ALSO KNOW THAT TRANSPORTATION IS SHORT, AND COUNTIES LIKE YOU ALL ARE HEARING FROM THE STATE YOUR LIST OF PRIORITY PROJECTS. WE JUST DON'T HAVE MONEY TO DO NEW PROJECTS WITH STATE HIGHWAYS OR WITH BRIDGE REPAIRS AND SO FORTH. THE NUMBERS ARE DAUNTING AND DIFFICULT AND AS TOUGH AS I'VE EVER SEEN. SO CIRCUMSTANCE IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR STATE LEADERS THAT WILL INVARIABLY AFFECT LOCAL PRIORITIES AND LOCAL BUDGETS AS WELL. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE CALLED INTO SERVICE, IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO PUT OUT THOSE 40 OR 50 LITTLE FIRES ON ODDS AND ENDS BILLS, TRYING TO GET THIS AMENDMENT OR GET THAT CHANGED THIS COMING YEAR IS GOING TO BE ONE TO TRY AND, LIKE, KEEP SHOVELING THE COAL INTO THE FURNACE TO KEEP THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE AND ITS COUNTIES A HEALTHY ONE.

THEY ALMOST NEVER ACTUALLY THEY NEVER RESOLVE FISCAL ISSUES OF THIS THIS LEVEL WITHOUT SOME

[00:25:05]

[00:30:05]

I WAS GOING TO SAY, CAN WE GET YOU INSTEAD? BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO MORE UPBEAT. SO, YEAH. MR. GIORDANO, WELL, THANKS FOR COMING, BUT I KNOW WE'RE LOSING A BIG ADVOCATE. I'M ON THE I, A AND B BOARD, WHICH IS INSURANCE AGENTS AND BROKERS BOARD. AND WE LOST JUST LOST BRYSON. BUT WE'RE LOSING PAM ON THERE. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE SOME OF THE PEOPLE NOW IT'S SWITCHED TO THE JUDICIAL SIDE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS CHANGING HOW INSURANCE RATES ARE DONE FOR THE ENTIRE STATE. SO THEY WANT TO SPREAD OUT THE RISK FROM THE CITIES WHERE THE RATES ARE MUCH HIGHER AND HAVE IT MORE EQUAL THAN THE ZIP CODE RATING THAT'S CURRENTLY OUT HERE. AND AS MOST EVERYBODY OUT HERE DRIVES A VEHICLE AND HAS SEEN THEIR PREMIUMS GO UP 30 OR 40% IN THE LAST COMING COMING YEARS, I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE FOR PEOPLE AND YOUTHFUL DRIVERS AND SO FORTH. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO COME ABOUT THIS SESSION, BUT I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE COMING THE NEXT 1 OR 2 SESSIONS, ESPECIALLY SINCE PAM'S GONE AND IT'S MOVED. SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU GUYS STAND WITH THIS, BUT I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN SOME OF OUR MEETINGS, AND I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. A REGIONALLY TRICKY ISSUE. I THINK YOU PROBABLY NAILED IT. THIS IS PROBABLY A THIS TERM ISSUE RATHER THAN THIS SESSION WITH NEW LEADERSHIP, PARTICULARLY IN THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THERE MAY BE SOME, YOU KNOW, FOLKS NEED TO GET THEIR SEA LEGS, BUT THIS ISSUE IS TEED UP FOR A HOT DEBATE. YOU'RE RIGHT. MR. BENNETT. HELLO. GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE BILLS AND AS YOU ADD ACCURATELY POINTED OUT, MAKO CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT IN ANNAPOLIS BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO REPRESENT A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM A DIVERSE BACKGROUND AND SPEAK TO THE NEEDS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND WITH THAT, JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OUR STRONGEST ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY IN A WAY, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE REACHED IN OUR DELEGATION. BUT BEYOND THAT DELEGATION WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE DELEGATES COME FROM IS OUTSIDE OF HARFORD COUNTY, YOU'RE ABLE TO REACH THEM. SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS READING THROUGH THAT YOU HAD OPPOSED HOUSE BILL 1411, WHICH WAS ABOUT ENSURING THAT LARGE SCALE DATA CENTER OPERATORS REPORT THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND THEIR ENERGY AND WATER IMPACT AS AN ASSOCIATION. AND I UNDERSTOOD WHEN I READ THE WHYS BEHIND THAT, LIKE, AT FIRST I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED, BUT THEN WHEN I READ THE WHYS BEHIND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAKO IS OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS BIG ON IF ONE PLACE IS ALREADY TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, LET'S NOT BE DUPLICATIVE AND THAT KIND OF THING. BUT DOES MAKO AND NACO HAVE A COHESIVE POLICY STANCE ON DATA CENTERS? AND I ASK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY, JUST THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO PASS AN OUTRIGHT BAN IN HARFORD COUNTY OF OF LARGE SCALE DATA CENTERS. BUT THE ANXIETY IS WHAT WILL COME FROM ANNAPOLIS THAT COULD UNDO OUR LOCAL DECISION. LET'S SEE. SO THIS ISSUE IS JUST WHITE HOT, FIRST OF ALL, AND I HAVE THE BURNS TO PROVE IT. SO SO THE POLITICS AROUND, PARTICULARLY THE EVOLUTION OF THE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS, THE IDEA OF, OF A,

[00:35:05]

IF HARFORD COUNTY WANTS TO SAY WE WANT TO BAN THEM, WE DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY PLACE HERE THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THAT KIND OF FACILITY. SO WE SAY, NO THANKS. WE THINK THAT SHOULD BE YOUR RIGHT. IF FREDERICK COUNTY HAS AN ABANDONED BROWNFIELD SITE THAT'S INSULATED FROM ANY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AND COULD BE PUT TO ACTIVE USE, AND IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM, WE WOULD SAY THAT SHOULD BE THEIR RIGHT TO SAY, LET'S DO IT IN AN ORGANIZED WAY THERE. AND THAT SHOULD BE THEIR LOCAL DECISION. SO THE EASY PLACE FOR MAKO TO LAND AND TO SAY TO ANNAPOLIS AS TRUTH TO POWER, THIS OUGHT TO BE LOCAL STUFF. WE DO NOT ALWAYS WIN IN ANNAPOLIS, TRYING TO ARGUE THAT BIG POLITICAL DECISIONS OUGHT TO REMAIN LOCAL. I'D BE SHOCKED IF THERE ARE FEWER THAN A DOZEN DIFFERENT BILLS INTRODUCED NEXT YEAR THAT WILL HAVE SOME SOME VERSION OF LET'S LET'S DO A MORATORIUM FOR 24 MONTHS UNTIL WE HAVE MORE DATA, OR LET'S HAVE A WHOLE SERIES OF VERY RIGID REQUIREMENTS THAT MIGHT MAKE DATA CENTERS COMPLETELY IMPRACTICAL, IF NOT ILLEGAL. I THINK THERE'LL BE A WHOLE LOT, A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS SEEKING TO SCORE POINTS AND SAY, I'M AGAINST THESE. I HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. SO I JUST WANT TO STEP IN AND TAKE OVER AND TELL NOT JUST FREDERICK COUNTY. I DON'T LIKE THEIR PLAN, BUT ALSO I WANT TO TELL CAROLINE COUNTY AND HARFORD COUNTY AND ALLEGHENY COUNTY. THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS EITHER, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T REPRESENT THOSE AREAS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT. THIS ISSUE HAS GOTTEN POLITICALLY TOXIC. I SAW A POLL RECENTLY JUST JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T A MAKO THING, BUT JUST I FOLLOW THIS STUFF RIGHT NOW. THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IS MORE OPPOSED TO A DATA CENTER SHOWING UP NEAR WHERE THEY LIVE THAN A COAL BURNING POWER PLANT. RIDDLE ME THIS. I UNDERSTAND FOLKS ARE PANICKED ABOUT THEIR ELECTRIC RATES GOING UP, AND THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE BILLIONAIRES AND BECAUSE OF THE BIG COMPANIES AND SO FORTH, AND WORRIED ABOUT WATER USE AND SO FORTH. BUT IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT ENVIRONMENT, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S A REALLY TOUGH POINT OF VIEW TO JUSTIFY AS A MATTER OF PUBLIC POLICY. ANYHOW. IT IS WHAT IT IS. THE PUBLIC'S RILED UP ABOUT IT. A BUNCH OF SENATORS AND DELEGATES WILL BE, TOO. SO WE'LL BE THERE TO SAY THESE SHOULD BE LOCAL DECISIONS. I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT'LL WIN THE DAY. WE ALSO HAVE OUR ESTATE THAT'S TRYING TO WIN THE NEXT DECADE, AND TECHNOLOGY RELATED ACTIVITY IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THIS GOVERNOR AND AN AWFUL LOT OF FOLKS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRYING TO PROMOTE GROWTH HAVE SAID, YEAH, THESE ARE THE SORT OF THINGS THAT MARYLAND CAN DO. WELL, WE HAVE AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE.

WE'RE A GREAT PLACE TO DO A LOT OF TECH STUFF. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS PLAYS OUT. THE POLITICS ARE ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. AND THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MUCH BIGGER FISH TO FRY THAN THIS AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SITTING IN MY OFFICE TODAY, I THINK I COUNTED A LITTLE OVER TWO DOZEN TEENAGERS ON ELECTRIC BIKES DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE STATE IS WOEFULLY BEHIND IN REGULATING AND UNDERSTANDING THIS CHANGE IN ELECTRIC BIKES. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A KID AND YOU WOULD GET AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER AND IT WOULD MAYBE HELP YOU GO A FEW FEET BEFORE THE BATTERY DIED. YOU KNOW, THESE ELECTRIC BIKES ARE ESSENTIALLY LIKE MOPEDS OR MOTORCYCLES, EXCEPT 12 YEAR OLDS ARE RIDING THEM AROUND WITH NO HELMET ON.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE AN AREA WHERE THE STATE COULD ACTUALLY REGULATE TO HELP LOCAL COUNTIES AND, YOU KNOW, WAYS THAT WE CAN'T. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR AS SOMETHING THAT'S A GROWING SAFETY CONCERN. I CAN JUST JUMP IN ON THAT ONE AND THEN I CAN GO BACK TO THE LAST ONE. SO I KNOW FREDERICK CITY IS LOOKING AT PUTTING SOME KIND OF REGULATIONS IN PLACE FOR BOTH ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AND ELECTRIC BICYCLES. FREDERICK COUNTY HAS TALKED ABOUT IT. I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE IN DELAWARE, AT THE BEACHES, BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE BEING TURNED LOOSE AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND RULES OF THE ROAD. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SERIOUS ACCIDENTS INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE ON THESE THINGS, SO I WON'T SPEAK FOR MICHAEL, BUT I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CATCHING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY SEE PEOPLE OUR AGE JUMPING ON AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER, MAYBE AN ELECTRIC BIKE, BUT I YOUNG PEOPLE, YES. AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS. SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT

[00:40:05]

EVERYBODY REALIZES THEY NEED TO BE THERE. AND THEN THAT ADDS TO YOUR VALUE. IT BUILDS ON ITSELF.

SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT RESOURCE THAT THEY HAVE FOR THEM. SO AND IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. MADAM PRESIDENT, I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR YOUR TIME.

MAKO, AS THE LEAD. IT'S BEEN GREAT. I ALSO HAVE BEEN ON MAKO FOR 12 YEARS, SO AND I AM TERM LIMITED. SO I WILL BE SAYING SAYONARA TO THEM AND THEY WILL PROBABLY BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE ME GO. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ABSOLUTELY, MICHAEL, YOU'VE HAD BEEN A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE ALL THAT TIME. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEP. WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA NUMBER SEVEN.

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

[00:45:04]

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS ]

ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION, MR. BENNETT? YOU KNOW, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IMPACT FEES NOW FOR, GOSH, ALMOST OVER TWO YEARS. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PASSED BILL 24-033A FEW YEARS AGO, WE KNEW THEN THAT THE CAP. WE CURRENTLY HAVE LEFT A GAP BETWEEN THE TRUE COST OF DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT THE DEVELOPERS HAD TO PAY AT THAT TIME. WE KNEW A SINGLE FAMILY HOME COSTS US AROUND $13,000 PER HOME, AND THAT NEW TOWNHOUSE COSTS US NEARLY $14,000 PER HOME. BUT OUR CAP, WHICH WAS SET IN 2005, HAS IT AT $10,000. SO WE AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THAT GAP BECAUSE WE HAVE HIT THE CAP FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND FOR TOWNHOMES, AND OUR IMPACT FEE. AS EARLY AS 19 MONTHS AGO, I SENT A LETTER TO THE DELEGATION INDIVIDUALLY, ENCOURAGING THEM TO RAISE THAT CAP SO THAT THE NEXT COUNCIL WOULD BE EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS THAT GAP IF THEY SO CHOSE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IN TWO SESSIONS, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS. WITH MY TIME ON THE COUNCIL COMING TO AN END SOON, I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THIS OFFICE WITHOUT ASKING THE DELEGATION ONE LAST TIME. WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INFLUENCE THAT WE HAVE TO ASK THEM TO PLEASE RAISE THE CAP, WHICH RAISING THE CAP DOESN'T RAISE THE FEE. IT JUST EMPOWERS OUR LOCAL COUNCIL TO RAISE THE FEE IF THEY SO WISH, SO THAT DEVELOPERS PAY AN EQUITABLE SHARE OF THEIR IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE TO AGREE TO THIS FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS, THE ADMINISTRATION SENT LEGISLATION OVER. IT TOOK MISS ALLEGED FOUR MINUTES TO LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION AND SEE THAT IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW. IT WAS VIOLATING THE ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT THE STATE HAD PASSED, WOULD YOU SAY, IN 2005? SO IN KEEPING WITH THE TIMES, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO INCREASE THE MONEY THAT WE GET COMING IN BECAUSE THAT MONEY'S GOT TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE. IT'S EITHER GOING TO COME FROM THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVESTING, OR IT'S GOING TO COME FROM YOU AS THE TAXPAYER. SO I'M OKAY WITH THIS. AND AGAIN, IT'S IN THE HANDS OF THE DELEGATION. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT, MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO, MR. RILEY. HI. MRS. WILSON. NO. MR. BENNETT, I MR. PENMAN. NO. THERE'S FOUR VOTES

[00:50:10]

MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. BENNETT? I KNOW I, AT LEAST PERSONALLY IN MY DAY TO DAY LIFE, CONSTANTLY SEE YOUNG CHILDREN. IT SEEMS LIKE YOUNGER AND YOUNGER BY THE DAY. ON THESE ELECTRIC BIKES, I SEE CHILDREN WITH THEIR YOUNGER SIBLINGS SITTING TANDEM ON THE BIKE LIKE IT'S A FUN, YOU KNOW, AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE. AND THEN I ALSO HEAR FROM THE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS THAT I KNOW FROM THE HOSPITAL STAFF THAT I KNOW A HUGE INFLUX OF YOUNG CHILDREN ENDING UP IN THE HOSPITAL DUE TO CRASHES ON THESE ELECTRIC BIKES. I KNOW THAT YOU CAN MODIFY AN ELECTRIC BIKE THAT'S SET TO HAVE A MAX SPEED OF 20MPH, AND BASICALLY ELIMINATE THAT MAX SPEED AND GO AS FAST AS YOU WANT. AND I'VE BEEN READING MORE AND MORE ABOUT ELECTRIC BIKES, AND I FOUND A STUDY FROM JOHNS HOPKINS FROM THIS PAST YEAR THAT FOUND RIDING AN ELECTRIC BIKE TRIPLES THE RISK OF A SKULL FRACTURE COMPARED TO RIDING A TRADITIONAL HUMAN POWERED BIKE.

THE TECHNOLOGY HAS GOTTEN TO BE SO GOOD, AND BATTERIES HAVE BECOME SO EFFICIENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A NOVEL TOY, BUT SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY POWER YOU TO DO A COMMUTE TO WORK AND BACK. IT FUNCTIONS LIKE A VEHICLE ON THE ROAD, EXCEPT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RIDING THEM HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS OF PASSING A DRIVER'S TEST, NO DRIVER'S LICENSE, NO REGISTRATION, NO INSURANCE, AND YOU RUN A HUGE RISK OF ACCIDENT WHEN PEOPLE RIDE THESE BIKES. SO I REALLY THINK IT'S TIME FOR THE STATE TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN AND TO PUT FORWARD REGULATIONS TO HELP WITH THE SALE AND THE USE AND THE RIDING OF THESE BIKES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AND TO HELP, YOU KNOW, AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE TO FAMILIES THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING CASUAL TO GET YOUR YOUNG CHILD IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR LATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR EVEN HIGH SCHOOL. BUT IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE HANDING THEM THE KEYS TO A CAR OR A MOTORCYCLE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. ANYONE ELSE, MR. GINGER? SO I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH JACOB ON THIS 35 YEARS OF BEING AN INSURANCE BUSINESS. I DIDN'T HAVE ONE PERSON HIT A BICYCLE. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, I'VE HAD FOUR PEOPLE HIT KIDS ON BICYCLES. SOME HAVE BEEN WORSE THAN OTHERS. BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME REGULATION NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THIS. THE PROBLEM IS YOU LOOK AT BALTIMORE CITY WITH ALL THE DIRT BIKES AND ALL THE ATVS DOWN THERE, THERE'S REGULATIONS NOT TO HAVE THOSE ON THE STREETS, AND THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO UNLESS YOU ENFORCE THAT AND FIND A WAY TO ENFORCE THESE KIDS AND DO SOMETHING, WHICH IS IT'S A MONUMENTAL TASK FOR THE POLICE TO ENFORCE THESE KIDS ON BIKES, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO CHASE THEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO STOP THIS UNLESS THEY STOP MAKING THOSE THINGS ALL TOGETHER, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. WHAT I HOPE TO COME OUT OF THIS IS IS ONE GET A CONVERSATION GOING IN ANNAPOLIS. AND TWO, YOU KNOW, I THINK PARENTS JUST NEED SOME GUIDANCE ON THIS. AND I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN HARFORD COUNTY, THEY USE WHATEVER LEGISLATION COMES TO TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN ON THE ENFORCEMENT OF THESE SCOOTERS.

SO THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. YEAH, I CONCUR IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I'VE SEEN THEM TAKING THE STRIP OF EVEN 755 AND WILLOUGHBY BEACH AND FLYING. AND YOU SEE LIKE A TWO YEAR OLD ON THE BACK, NOBODY HAS A HELMET AND YOU SEE CARS, YOU KNOW, COMING TO MAKE THE TURN. THEY NEED TO WEAR THE BIKES, NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND JUST SHOOTS OUT. SO I THINK DEFINITELY THINGS NEED TO OCCUR. AND I'M HOPING, YOU KNOW, IT'S I FIND IT HARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE I'VE CALLED LAW ENFORCEMENT AS THEY'RE DOING THE RACING DOWN THE STREETS. AND BY THE TIME THEY GET THERE, THEY'RE IN THE DRIVEWAY SITTING AND NOT RIDING THE BIKE ANYMORE. AND THERE'S NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO AT THAT POINT IN TIME. SO WE NEED SOME MORE REGULATIONS ON THESE. THANK YOU, MISS DIXON. MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT, MR. PENMAN, MR. JOHN GIORDANO I, MR. RILEY, MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO IN A NEGATIVE RESOLUTION, 01526 IS HEREBY APPROVED. MR. PLEASE READ BILLS

[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS ]

[00:55:02]

PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH, 2026 AT 6:30 P.M. AND THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. AGENDA NUMBER TEN. WE HAVE NOTHING. 11 NOTHING. 12 NOTHING. 13 NOTHING.

[14. NEW BUSINESS ]

TRANSFER. MISS. JUDGE. MR. CLARK. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON TWO ITEMS. WE TYPICALLY COME AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR BOARD APPROVE IN JUNE, AND WE NEEDED TO RECONCILE A WHOLE YEAR, OUR BUDGETS TIGHT. SO WE HAD A FEELING THERE WERE GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL TRANSFERS. SO WE CHANGED WHAT WE INITIALLY HAD BROUGHT OVER AND SHARED WITH ALL OF YOU. AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE ADJUSTED ONE. SO MR. CLARK IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT VERY BRIEFLY, AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. SURE.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT. AGAIN, IT'S A DECISION ON THE TRANSFER BETWEEN STATE CATEGORIES. WE ARE PROJECTED TO BE OVER IN A FEW OF OUR CATEGORIES. WE ACTUALLY KNOW NOW THAT WE WOULD BE WITHOUT THIS TRANSFER AGAIN. AS MISS JUDGE SAID, WE USUALLY DO THIS IN JUNE. SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES, STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES AND OPERATION OF PLANT AND. WE ARE PROJECTED TO HAVE A SURPLUS IN FIXED CHARGES, INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL COSTS. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A TOTAL OF 7,457,000 TO BE MOVED BETWEEN THOSE STATE CATEGORIES. IT'S SIMPLY TAKING DOLLARS FROM ONE STATE CATEGORY AND REBUDGETING THEM IN ANOTHER STATE CATEGORY, NOT INCREASING OR DECREASING THE BUDGET. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DO ANNUALLY. IF WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT

[01:00:03]

[01:05:08]

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT I, MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO, I MR. RILEY I MISS I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO IN A NEGATIVE. THE BUDGET TRANSFER IS HEREBY APPROVED. SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION.

APPROPRIATION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOVE TO APPROVE FISCAL YEAR 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU. MR. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERTS, MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO I, MR. RILEY, MRS. I MR. BENNETT I BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO IN THE NEGATIVE. THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION IS HEREBY APPROVED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS. YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST DAY AND SECOND DAY. YEAH. COUNCIL. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO ACT AS ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND RETURN TO THE REGULAR LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THEREAFTER, ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, REVISED RULES AND PROCEDURE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE. MAY HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. AND DISCUSSION. MISS ALLEGY, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE UPDATE OR BACKGROUND ON THAT, PLEASE? SURE. SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, MISS DOTTIE SMITH, BOB KEHOE, OUR HEARING EXAMINER AND DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING ALL DISCUSSED SOME POTENTIAL REVISIONS TO THE ZONING PROCEDURE. THEY HADN'T BEEN CHANGED SINCE, I THINK, 2016. THERE WERE SOME PROCEDURAL THINGS THAT PLANNING AND ZONING WAS ASKING THAT MR. KEHOE WANTED TO SEE. THEY'RE PRETTY MINOR. ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES IS THE STAFF REPORT THAT GETS SENT OVER TO MR. KEHOE'S OFFICE. THE. IT USED TO BE WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THE HEARING IN 2016, IT WAS CHANGED TO 20 DAYS. THAT WAS A PROBLEM FOR PLANNING AND ZONING. THEY HAVE A LOT OF VOLUME OF THESE CASES, AND TO GET THE STAFF REPORTS COMPLETED AND SENT OVER 20 DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHEN THE HEARING EXAMINER USUALLY, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T LOOK AT THE FILES 21 DAYS AHEAD, WE CHANGED IT BACK TO SEVEN DAYS. SO PLANNING AND ZONING NOW HAS TO GET THE STAFF REPORT SEVEN DAYS OVER. THERE WERE FEES THAT ARE NOT COLLECTED THAT I THINK JUST KIND OF ROLLED OVER IN. THE RULES WERE NEVER CHANGED. SO WE'VE TAKEN THOSE OUT. THE OTHER SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IS WHEN FINAL ARGUMENT IS REQUESTED. AFTER ALL THE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET, THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT THAT WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE FINAL REQUIREMENT BEING MET, THE FINAL ARGUMENT NEEDED TO BE SCHEDULED IN FRONT OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS. THAT WAS CHANGED TO 90 DAYS, MAINLY FOR IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A SUMMER HIATUS.

OFTENTIMES THAT 60 DAYS WOULD RUN IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, A SPECIAL SESSION WOULD HAVE TO BE CALLED. YOU'D HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS ENOUGH. COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE USED TO BE 90 DAYS.

IT WAS CHANGED TO 60. NOW IT'S GOING BACK TO THE 90. SO THOSE KINDS OF PRACTICAL THINGS. AND THEN I THINK A COUPLE TYPOGRAPHICAL THINGS TO CLEAN UP. BUT THOSE WERE THE ONLY CHANGES. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE MR. BENNETT AND THEN MISS, COULD YOU ALSO EXPLAIN THE TIMING OF US VOTING ON THIS AND HOW THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN IF WE WERE ACTING AS A COUNCIL IN THIS MOMENT? SO THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, I THINK BACK IN APRIL, THERE WERE REVISIONS MADE TO THOSE. THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE THEMSELVES HAVE A MANDATE THAT ANY REVISIONS HAVE TO BE HELD OVER AT LEAST ONE WEEK. THERE'S NO SUCH MANDATE IN THE ZONING RULES OF PROCEDURE. SO THEY CAN BE ACTED ON THE SAME NIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE. I THINK WE ALREADY DID THAT. MR. RILEY'S ALREADY

[01:10:01]

MRS. ROBERT I, MR. PENMAN, MR. JANARDHANA, I, MR. RILEY. MR. MRS. BULL BOTTLES I MR. BENNETT I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN THERE BEING SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO AND A NEGATIVE. THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE ARE HEREBY APPROVED.

[15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS ]

COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE DO, MR. PRESIDENT. WE HAVE THREE THIS EVENING. OKAY. JEFF BECK, FOLLOWED BY LINDA STEIN, FLINT AND MATTHEW BROWN. GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ZIP. JEFFREY BECK TWO 1085 JOPPATOWNE, MARYLAND. IT'S THE USUAL SUSPECTS COMING UP HERE TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. TONIGHT YOU INTRODUCED A FLURRY OF NEW BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS, AND WORD ON THE STREET IS THAT THIS COUNCIL INTENDS TO INTRODUCE INTRODUCE EVEN MORE BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THIS TERM. MEANWHILE, SIX OF SEVEN MEMBERS ARE GUARANTEED TO NOT BE RETURNING FOR ANOTHER TERM EITHER DUE TO RETIREMENT, SEEKING DIFFERENT OFFICES OR NOT ADVANCING PAST THEIR PRIMARY. YOU ADDRESSED TONIGHT THROUGH BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES, IMPACT FEES, E-BIKES, WATER AND SEWER AND EVEN A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WAS VETOED JUST TWO SHORT YEARS AGO. OVER A DECADE AGO, A DIFFERENT GROUP OF SEVEN REPRESENTATIVES LISTENED TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND TOOK ACTION, PASSING A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AN INITIATIVE TO PETITION THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO RECOGNIZE EDGEWOOD AS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY. THE MARYLAND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT OF 2010 ESTABLISHED A FRAMEWORK FOR REINVESTMENT AND REVITALIZATION IN EXISTING COMMUNITIES BY STREAMLINING AND STRENGTHENING STATE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING A VERY BASIC FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO APPLY FOR THE DESIGNATION. THIS DESIGNATION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT SERVES AS A CATALYST, EXCUSE ME, A CATALYST FOR AN ARRAY OF GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT ALSO SAFEGUARDS MANY OF THOSE GRANTS, WHICH ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO DESIGNATED SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EDGEWOOD HAS BENEFITED GREATLY NOT JUST FROM GRANT FUNDING, BUT ALSO FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY TO APPLY FOR AND ADMINISTER THOSE GRANTS. SHOUT OUT TO SEVEN, FIVE, FIVE ALLIANCE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORING JOPPATOWNE COMMUNITY HAVE LOBBIED THE COUNTY TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DESIGNATION. ONLY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN APPLY. WE CANNOT DO IT ON OUR OWN. JOPPATOWNE MEETS EVERY THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATE HAS LAID OUT FOR ELIGIBILITY, AND I HAVE RECEIVED WORD FROM THE COUNTY THAT THE COUNTY HAS FINALLY SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION. ONLY ONE PIECE REMAINS THIS BODY. YOU SEE NEW APPLICATIONS AND MAJOR BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING APPLICATIONS REQUIRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESOLUTIONS AND APPROVAL BY THE STATE SMART GROWTH SUBCABINET. BUT WITHOUT THE RESOLUTION, THE APPLICATION FOR EXPANSION MAY AS WELL BE DEAD ON ARRIVAL. THE BLUEPRINT IS THERE. IT WAS WRITTEN 13 YEARS AGO. THE ONUS IS ON YOU.

YOU ARE REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. IT'S HIGH TIME YOU ACT LIKE IT, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO IT NOW, IT WILL BE MY FIRST ACTION IN DECEMBER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME IS IT? HI, MY NAME IS LINDA STEIN. FLINT AND WELCOME BACK. AND SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAND ZIP CODE, MA'AM. PARDON ME. YOUR ZIP CODE TWO 1015. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAND FOR THE NO DOUBLE DIP, BECAUSE THOSE OF YOU WORKING AS A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY AND A SCHOOL TEACHER STILL SERVING ON THIS COUNCIL IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. YOU HAVE INPUT INPUT INTO BUDGETS THAT FUND YOUR PLACES OF WORK. AND YOU WORKED YOU HAVE WORKED TO UNDERMINE THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND OUR COUNTY CHARTER, ONE OF YOU SUPPOSEDLY WORKS WHERE YOU HAVE A MISSION THAT SAYS YOU'RE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT.

ENDEAVOR TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHERS, AND MOST CERTAINLY WASN'T ETHICAL AND ROLE MODEL IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION SEASON. TO BE POSTING VIDEO AFTER VIDEO OF UNTRUTHS, TWISTING INFORMATION AND FACTS, YOU'RE DEFINITELY NOT PRESERVING THE PEACE AND PROVIDING FOR A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WHEN YOU BERATE PEOPLE FOR POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA ANONYMOUSLY, AS THEY HAD TO PROTECT THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND THEMSELVES AGAINST YOU. YES, YOU OVERCAME

[01:15:02]

GOOD EVENING SIR. NAME AND ZIP. MATTHEW BROWN 21015. HELLO, EVERYBODY. IT'S RETURNED TO FORM SOME RUST OUT THERE, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. AND THAT'S THE IDEA OF GRANDSTANDING. AND POLITICAL GRANDSTANDING HAS BECOME COMMONPLACE IN BOTH LOCAL, NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE. A LOT OF TIMES I'VE SEEN OUR COUNCILMAN TRY TO MAKE A STAND OUT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS, COMPLETELY DEVOID OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANNAPOLIS. IN FACT, WHEN IT COMES TO ANNAPOLIS, LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS. THE REASON FOR SOME OF THE RISING WATER ISSUES, AS I WAS JUST AT THE GREENRIDGE UNITED AGAINST WATER PRESENTATION TONIGHT, AND EVERYONE WAS FOCUSING ON WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING. WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CONGRESS. IT'S ANNAPOLIS AND ANNAPOLIS. IT'S A BOARD, A BOARD OF BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WHO DECIDED INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR A FLAT RATE ACROSS THE STATE, THEY WANTED TO FOCUS IT ON COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT THE COSTS TO BE SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE TO MAKE IT. SO WE ARE PAYING FOR OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE AS A BYPRODUCT OF TRYING NOT TO INCREASE COSTS IN ONE AREA. YOU'VE MADE IT EXPENSIVE EVERYWHERE. EVERYTHING IS WENT FROM BEING MAYBE $1,020 MORE TO ABOUT $5,060 MORE. AND THIS BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE HAS TEN REPUBLICANS, 20 DEMOCRATS. KEEP IN MIND THERE'S 53 DOWN THERE, REPUBLICANS. THAT'S 20% OF THE DEMOCRATS, ABOUT 14%. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS NOT TO BLAME EITHER SIDE. IT'S TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THESE ARE OUR POLITICIANS. AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE IS OUR OWN JASON GALLI. YOU WANT TO HAVE ISSUES WITH YOUR WATER. STOP FIGHTING THE COUNCIL. GO TALK TO YOUR STATE DELEGATE. THERE'S ISSUES IN WHICH THE COUNCIL CAN HANDLE ISSUES OF WHICH THE STATE CAN HANDLE, BUT JUST BLINDLY THROWING NAMES, THROWING PARTIES AT THE PEOPLE DOES NOTHING BUT INCITE MORE ANGER. YOU WANT TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS? LOOK FOR THE ONES YOU CAN GIVE YOUR TANGIBLE RESULTS. AND FINALLY, TO SPEAK ONTO. THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS A JOB TO DO, AND THEY'RE GONNA DO THE JOB THE BEST THEY CAN. BUT ULTIMATELY, WHEN THINGS ARE LEGISLATED, ADJUDICATED, AND GIVEN A JUDGMENT, STOP BEATING A DEAD HORSE FOR THE LAST TIME.

THERE IS A SYSTEM TO OUR GOVERNMENT, STATE, LOCAL, AND FEDERAL. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD, THEY ARE DIRECTLY UNDER THE STATE. EVERY SCHOOL BOARD IN MARYLAND IS STATE JURISDICTION, MEANING IT IS NOT LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND SECOND OF ALL, THE COUNTY CHARTER HAS TO ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION BECAUSE THAT SUPERSEDES THE COUNTY JUST HOW THE STATE CONSTITUTION HAS TO ABIDE BY THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. EVERYTHING IS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. EVERYTHING HAS A WAY THAT IT WORKS. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE SYSTEM, THAT'S ENTIRELY TO YOUR RIGHT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO KEEP BEATING A DEAD HORSE WHEN IT'S ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED. AND LASTLY, WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICAL DISCOURSE OR HAVING DISAGREEMENTS, STATING ANONYMOUSLY WHO YOU ARE TO PROTECT YOURSELF IS PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM GOVERNMENT. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CONSEQUENCES FROM YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE RIGHT NOW ARE BERATING AN INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNER FOR TRYING TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE UP IN JEROME HILL ROAD? THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ]

[01:20:09]

LOOKING FORWARD TO FINISHING STRONG THESE LAST FEW MONTHS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. PENMAN. MR. GINGER, THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT DID A BUNCH OF GRAND OPENINGS THIS SUMMER, BUT MEETING FOR RED PUMP CRESCENT PROJECT, WHICH IS A BIG CONCERN IN THE IN THE AREA. ALSO THE MEETING FOR FOREST HILL SOLAR, ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN RILEY, WAS OUT AT CHROME HILL BEFORE THAT. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING BACK IN 2019 THAT COUNCIL PRESIDENT MYSELF, WE WE LOOKED AT NOT. THERE WAS A SOLAR FARM COMING FOR FIELDER

[01:25:05]

I HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE, BUT THEY LOOK AT IT. BUT IT DOES TAKE AWAY A LOT OF THE IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF THE LAND, MAYBE SOME HORSE FARMS, MAYBE IT'S SOME REGULAR FARMS. BUT HORSE RACING INDUSTRY JUST GOT KICKED IN THE TEETH HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO TOO. SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THEIR PROPERTY AND, AND HOW DO THEY GET MONEY? AND IT'S HARD WHEN THEY'RE PAYING THESE PEOPLE $6,000 AN ACRE. BUT ANYWAY, THANKS, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. YEAH, I'LL BE SHORT AND BRIEF. NO COMMENT. LET'S JUST SIT HERE FOR A FEW. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT SUMMER. AND I'M HOPING ALL OF THE KIDS HAVE A GREAT, HAPPY, HEALTHY SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING.

IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE THIS EVENING. JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON A FEW QUICK THINGS FIRST. OBVIOUSLY HAPPY FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THE STAFF THAT WORK IN THE SCHOOLS. I SHOWED UP TO WORK AROUND 6 A.M. TODAY. HAVE NOT BEEN HOME YET, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ENERGY THE FIRST WEEK BRINGS, IS YOU'RE GETTING EVERYTHING SET UP THIS SUMMER. I'VE BEEN VERY BUSY. I WORKED A LOT WITH MISS LG AND AND HER TEAM ON LEGISLATION AND RESOLUTIONS. I'M SO HAPPY THAT MY TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE INTRODUCED TONIGHT PASSED. YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT MEAN A LOT TO ME AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. I WAS ELECTED TO SERVE UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL COMES IN. I'M GOING TO USE EVERY SECOND AS I CAN TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY. I WORKED WITH CITY COUNCILMAN DAVID GLENN TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING A VACANT AND UNSAFE BUILDING THAT NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HAVERTY GRACE OFF OF, YOU KNOW, NEAR THE LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEGINNING TO SLOWLY WORK THROUGH WITH DILP, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THAT BUILDING TORN DOWN SOON. AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO HELP COUNCILMAN GLENN WITH THAT. AND I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT NONE OF THESE SEATS BELONG TO ANY OF US INDIVIDUALLY. THEY BELONG TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

WE'RE JUST STEWARDS OF THEM TILL THE NEXT PERSON SHOWS UP. AND, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THAT PERSON'S THERE, I'LL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN FOR DISTRICT F, SO THANK YOU. HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. 17 BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT. I, TOO,

[17. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT ]