Oct 06, 2026 County Council

[a. Resolution 013-26 (Master Water and Sewer Plan Update Fall 2026)]

[00:00:06]

EVENING. CHAIR CALLS THE ORDER OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION 01326. MASTER WATER AND SEWER PLAN UPDATE FALL 2026. GOOD EVENING SIR. MR. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU. THE FIRST SECTION IS MAPS REVISION. ONE IS LOCATED AT 1215 REPS LANE AND JOPPA ZONED R-2. IT IS SHOWN ON GRID B, SIX OF THE WATER AND SEWER SERVICE AREA MAPS AND IS IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP NUMBER 65 AS PARCEL 103. THE SUBDIVISION WATTS MEADOWS RECEIVED PRELIMINARY PLAN APPROVAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING FOR 39 TOWNHOUSE CONDOS. THEY ARE REQUESTING A SEWER CATEGORY CHANGE FROM THE S5 CATEGORY TO THE S3 CATEGORY. REVISIONS TWO AND THREE ARE LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CONOWINGO ROAD AND THE WEST SIDE OF EVERGREEN ROAD IN HICKORY, AND ARE IN GRID B. TWO OF THE WATER AND SEWER MAPS. TAX MAP 41 PARCEL 664 IS ZONED C I AND PARCEL 618 IS SPLIT. ZONED C I AND R TWO. THE PROJECT, KNOWN AS CONOWINGO PROPERTY, RECEIVED SITE PLAN APPROVAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING FOR A 7800 SQUARE FOOT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BUILDING LOCATED ON PARCEL 664. THEY'RE REQUESTING A SEWER CATEGORY CHANGE FROM THE S5 TO THE S3 CATEGORY FOR PARCEL SIX, SIX, FOUR AND 618, PARCEL 664 IS CURRENTLY IN THE WATER ONE CATEGORY. THEREFORE, THEY ARE ALSO REQUESTING A WATER SERVICE CATEGORY CHANGE FROM THE WATER FIVE TO THE THREE FOR PARCEL 618. NEXT IS CHAPTER THREE. SECTION 3.13 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS. THE WATTS MEADOWS SUBDIVISION DESCRIPTION IS BEING ADDED TO THE OVERALL LIST OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS WITH PRELIMINARY PLAN APPROVAL. NEXT IS SECTION 3.15. TABLE 3-1 PLAN DEVELOPMENTS. TABLE 3-1 IS A TOOL USED BY THE DIVISION OF WATER AND SEWER TO ASSESS AVAILABLE DEMAND AND CAPACITY OF OUR SYSTEM. WITH CURRENT AND PAST PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAD APPROVAL FOR DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES WITHOUT SPECIFIC USES HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNITS OR TO USE TO EASILY ACCOUNT FOR THE PROJECT'S DEMAND AND CAPACITY NEEDS. THIS TABLE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO ADD THE WATTS MEADOWS SUBDIVISION AND TO REFLECT THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. FOR ANY ACTIVE PROJECTS.

THE FINAL PAGE OF TABLE THREE ONE SHOWS THE REVISIONS TO THE SUMMARY OF REMAINING RESIDENTIAL BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIALLY ZONED UNITS. A UNITS WITH APPROVED PRELIMINARY PLANS. THE NET CHANGE IN RESIDENTIAL UNITS WAS A REDUCTION OF 281 UNITS, WITH 1158 UNITS REMAINING. THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO THE EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN A BUSINESS ZONE OR THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE ACREAGE. THE FINAL SECTION IN THE WORKBOOK WORKBOOK INCLUDES THE WRITTEN REQUEST MADE TO HARFORD COUNTY FOR THE PROVISIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FALL 2026 WATER AND SEWER MASTER PLAN UPDATE. THAT CONCLUDES THE REVISIONS TO THE FALL UPDATE. THANK YOU COUNCIL. YOUR TIME FOR QUESTIONS. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. BENNETT.

HELLO. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE TABLE. TABLE THREE ONE PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS. ONE OF THE LISTED DEVELOPMENTS STILL IN THE WATER AND SEWER PLAN IS THE ABINGDON WOODS PROJECT, WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT, AND IT'S LABELED AS ANTICIPATED. 928 UNITS ANTICIPATED AND 1 TO 5 YEARS. IS THAT STILL ACTIVELY THOUGHT THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 1 TO 5 YEARS? NO, THAT IS STRICTLY AGAIN, THAT'S A TOOL FOR US TO KNOW WHAT WE'VE ALLOCATED FOR THAT PROPERTY. SO IF ANYTHING GOES IN THERE AT A LATER TIME, WE CAN USE THE REFERENCE OF THAT. WHAT'S WHAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO THAT ALREADY FOR QUICK CALCULATION. AT WHAT POINT WOULD THAT BE REMOVED FROM THE WATER AND SEWER PLAN. OR WOULD IT EVER BE REMOVED FROM THE WATER AND SEWER PLAN? WHEN THERE IS NO INTENTION FOR ANYTHING TO BE BUILT THERE OR IT BECOMES SOMETHING ELSE? THANK YOU. IT'S HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE, MR. RILEY? THE PROPERTY. IS THAT ACROSS FROM THE SCHOOL? IT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM JARRETTSVILLE, WHERE JARRETTSVILLE ROAD COMES INTO OLD ROUTE ONE. SO IT'S A LITTLE VACANT PIECE OF LAND.

THERE'S A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TO THE LEFT OF IT. IF YOU'RE FACING IT, IT'S ACROSS FROM THE

[00:05:02]

OKAY. THANKS. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYONE ELSE? MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? THERE WAS NO ONE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THIS CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION 01326, AND WE WILL TAKE THIS UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK

[Items b & c]

TYSON AND HIS FIRM HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSE WITH THE A P F ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS NOW, AND THIS WHOLE PROCESS STARTED, I GUESS, IN 23. WE'VE INVOLVED SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE I THINK SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PROCESS THAT'S JUST TAKEN UP BY THE COUNCIL, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE AT ALL. THE COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF THE COUNCIL ATTORNEY, MISS ALLEGED CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVE BRIANNA COLEMAN, WHO I BELIEVE IS HERE THIS EVENING. BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVE WADE SEWELL, HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES CHRIS MORTON AND MISSY VALENTINO, HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES. TREASURER. MR. SANDERS IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING. MR. BOWLING, HAROLD BOWLING AND PNC, MATT KROPP AND ALEX RAWLS, ALSO HARFORD COUNTY PTA REPRESENTATIVE RYAN BLOSSER, HARFORD COUNTY REALTORS REPRESENTATIVE VERONICA ELLICOTT, HARFORD COUNTY ENGINEERING REPRESENTATIVE AMY DIPIETRO, HARFORD COUNTY HOMEBUILDER REPRESENTATIVE JIM MARTIN AND ALSO MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL ARE ALSO INVOLVED FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. SO WITH THAT, TYSON, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP. SURE THING. GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT. I WILL GO THROUGH THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, AND GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND AND OBVIOUSLY ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AS WE GO ALONG. FIRST, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY. WHEN WE WERE CALLED TO START THIS PROJECT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AS I SAID, I REVIEW THE REPORT AND VERY QUICK OVERVIEW OF A COUPLE OF CHANGES PROPOSED IN THE FORM OF LEGISLATION. I APOLOGIZE. CAN YOU JUST PULL THE MIC CLOSER TO YOU? YES, SIR. OF COURSE. YEAH. IS THAT BETTER? YES. ALL RIGHT. THE SCHOOL ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITY PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN HARFORD COUNTY IN 1992. SO IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR A PRETTY LONG TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REQUESTED WHEN WE GOT STARTED WAS THAT OUR REPORT INCLUDE A GOOD HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM. SO THAT THAT WOULD ALL BE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE PLACE THAT WOULD BE THERE FOR REFERENCE FOR THIS STUDY ITSELF, BUT ALSO IN THE FUTURE, WHEN YOU CIRCLE BACK TO THE POLICIES IN THE EPF, WHICH INEVITABLY YOU WILL, AT SOME POINT YOU WOULD HAVE THIS MARKER IN TIME OF HOW YOU GOT TO THIS POINT AND HOW YOU MADE SOME DECISIONS IN 2026. SO THAT'S IN THE STUDY.

WE REVISIT A FEW KEY ASPECTS OF THE APFO THAT I'LL GO OVER. WE TALKED ABOUT THE LIMITATIONS ON APFO THAT ARE IN PLACE BECAUSE OF STATE LAW, THINGS YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT. AND WE WANTED TO ENGAGE WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE EACH OF THEM ALSO HAS A SCHOOL APFO PROGRAM IS PROBABLY, EACH OF YOU ALREADY KNOWS TO SEE WHAT KIND OF ALIGNMENT WE COULD GET THERE. AND THEN TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN MARYLAND ARE DOING THAT ARE SIMILAR TO HARFORD, AND TO SEE IF THAT OFFERED ANY GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF ANY CHANGES THAT WOULD BE ADVISABLE. MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, OF COURSE, BUT FOR CONTEXT, APFO IS SIMPLY FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, LINING UP THE DEMAND FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES WITH THE SUPPLY FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES IN CONCEPT IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. HARD TO ARGUE THAT DEVELOPMENT SHOULD OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME, OR RELATIVELY CLOSE IN TIME TO WHEN FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE.

HOWEVER, WHEN WE TURN TO IMPLEMENTATION, IT GETS MUCH MORE COMPLEX, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE HAD TO DIVE INTO AND COPE WITH AS A COUNTY. AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO USES IT HAS.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE NEEDED TO DEAL WITH. SO ONE OF THE THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND IS, ON THAT DEMAND SIDE, THE COUNTY CAN CONTROL SOME OF THAT. THE MARKET CONTROLS A LOT OF IT.

WHEN DO PEOPLE WANT TO DEVELOP THE LAND. YOU KNOW, HAVE CONTROL OVER SUBDIVISION APPROVALS. ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, IT'S A BIT MORE COMPLICATED. COUNTY CAN'T DO A LOT ABOUT

[00:10:02]

WENT TO 115% IN 20, IN 2003 AND OH FOUR, YOU WENT TO 105%. SO SIGNIFICANTLY STRICTER GETTING CLOSER TO THAT 100% FOR THREE YEARS. AND THEN THAT SWITCH TO 115% IN FIVE YEARS. AND THEN IN 2010, YOU CHANGED TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW, SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE THERE, 110% CAPACITY IS WHAT YOU LOOK AT. LOOK AT WITHIN THREE YEARS FROM THAT, THAT THREE YEARS MEASURES ANY PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD ADD CAPACITY. AND THE EXTENT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LOOKS AT IT ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE THREE YEARS AS WELL. SO THE THREE PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE STUDY HAD TO DO WITH THE THRESHOLD FOR WHAT THE PROGRAM APPLIES TO THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE. AND AND YOUR OUTLOOK THAT I JUST MENTIONED, THE ANNUAL GROWTH REPORT AND SOME REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE APF RELATED TO MODIFYING ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS THAT COME FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND THEN FINALLY, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION, LET'S JUST CALL IT WITH THE CITIES RELATED TO APF. SO THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION RELATES TO THAT CURRENT 110% LOOKING OUT THREE YEARS. AND THE COMMITTEE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS PROBABLY THE THING WE TALKED ABOUT THE MOST ON. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LOCAL AREA AND ALSO AT THE STATE LEVEL. FIRST QUESTION WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT DOES THE APF APPLY TO? IT GENERALLY APPLIES TO ALL RESIDENTIAL, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IMPACTS THE SCHOOLS. IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THINGS THAT DON'T IMPACT THE SCHOOLS, LIKE ELDERLY HOUSING OR CONTINUING CARE HOUSING OR 55 AND OLDER HOUSING, TRANSIENT HOUSING, THAT SORT OF THING. WE FOUND CONSISTENCY THERE, SO WE DECIDED THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO JUST LEAVE THAT WHERE IT IS. SO THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY DOES TODAY. APPENDIX A IS AN OVERVIEW OF THOSE 12 JURISDICTIONS IN MARYLAND THAT WE LOOKED AT. THIS IS JUST A SNIPPET, BUT WE LOOKED AT ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT FACTORS FOR EACH OF THESE COUNTIES. SO IF YOU'RE CURIOUS WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING, YOU CAN TAKE A TAKE A LOOK AT EXHIBIT A FOR SORT OF A QUICK SUMMATION OF THAT. THEN WE GET TO THE 110% IN THREE YEARS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE COMMITTEE FELT LIKE IT WASN'T WORTH MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THIS, THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THIS WAS WORKING WELL, SORT OF THAT MIDDLE GROUND. AND JUST TO MAINTAIN SOME CONSISTENCY IN THIS AREA, AS I SAID, YOU'VE BEEN BETWEEN THE 105% AND 120% OVER THE YEARS, AND THAT THEY FELT HAS BASICALLY WORKED PRETTY EFFECTIVELY. IT'S ESSENTIALLY A A JUDGMENT CALL HERE. SO LET'S SEE HERE. YEAH. SO THIS CHART IS IN, IN THE, IN

[00:15:01]

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ABERDEEN USES 115% AND THEY LOOK OUT FIVE YEARS. ALSO ABERDEEN CONSIDERS ADJACENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO IF THE DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED IN ONE ATTENDANCE ZONE, THEY'LL CONSIDER AVAILABLE CAPACITY IN AN ADJACENT ZONE AS WELL TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT THAT DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY. SO THAT'S A LITTLE LOOSER THAN THAT WAY THE COUNTY DOES IT. AND THE COMMITTEE WASN'T READY TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION. SO THEY DECIDED TO BASICALLY STAY WHERE THEY ARE NOW, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH BEL AIR AND HAVRE DE GRACE AS WELL. OUR ANALYSIS IS SUMMED UP IN APPENDIX B. SO WHAT WE DID HERE IN B IS WE LOOKED AT ABOUT SIX YEARS OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND LOOKED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SERVICE, GOING FROM 100% TO 120%. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU EXPAND 120%, THERE ARE FEWER SCHOOLS AND FAILURE. YOU GO TO 100% THERE, MORE SCHOOLS THAN FAILURE. AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT 110 KIND OF FALLS IN THE MIDDLE AND SEEMS TO REFLECT SORT OF THE STATUS THAT YOU HAVE NOW AND IS EFFECTIVE. THE THIRD RECOMMENDATION, EXCUSE ME, THE FOURTH RECOMMENDATION HAD TO DO WITH AN ADJUSTMENT YOU MADE, I THINK IN ABOUT 2010, CURRENTLY, EACH YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY DOES ITS ANNUAL GROWTH REPORT. AND IN THAT REPORT, IT PROJECTS WHAT SCHOOL CAPACITY IS COMPARED TO CURRENT DEMAND. THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE ARE PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN ADDITION MADE CALLED A MODIFIED ENROLLMENT PROJECTION, AND IT PURPORTED TO REQUIRE THE PLANNING STAFF TO EVALUATE WHAT TYPE OF HOW MUCH GROWTH WOULD OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. SO RIGHT NOW, YOU DO A TEST IN JUNE BASED ON HOW IT LOOKS THERE. IF THERE'S NOT CAPACITY, THAT DISTRICT IS SHUT DOWN. IF THERE IS, THAT DISTRICT REMAINS OPEN TO DEVELOPMENT. THEN IN DECEMBER, ONCE THINGS HAVE SETTLED OUT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, YOU GET NEW NUMBERS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND YOU LOOK AT CAPACITY AGAIN. SO TWICE A YEAR YOU'RE LOOKING AT AVAILABLE CAPACITY. WHAT THE MODIFIED ENROLLMENT PROJECTION WOULD SAY IS THAT PLANNING STAFF IS TO PROJECT HOW MANY CURRENTLY SUBDIVIDED LOTS WILL SEEK A BUILDING PERMIT AND THEREFORE CREATE DEMAND. THE SECOND WOULD BE TO LOOK AT ALL RESIDENTIALLY ZONED LAND AND PROJECT HOW MUCH RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL HAPPEN IN THOSE AREAS. ESSENTIALLY, THIS BECOMES SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT. AND THE COMMITTEE FELT LIKE IT REALLY WASN'T ADDING ANYTHING TO THE ANALYSIS, SINCE YOU'RE ALREADY CHECKING TWICE A YEAR WHERE YOU WERE ON CAPACITY IN VERY HIGH GROWTH COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A P F, THAT'S NOT THAT HARD TO PREDICT BECAUSE THE SUBDIVISION COMES IN, IT GETS PLATTED, BUILDING PERMITS ARE PULLED THE DAY AFTER THE FINAL PLAT IS RECORDED, AND IT BUILDS OUT QUICKLY. NEXT SUBDIVISION COMES IN. HARFORD COUNTY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. YOU CAN HAVE A PLAT HERE AND IT DOESN'T DEVELOP OUT PRETTY, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY. CERTAINLY HARD TO GAUGE OF COURSE, WITH ANY ALL, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIALLY ZONED LAND WHEN SOMEONE WILL COME IN FOR AN APARTMENT PERMIT OR THAT KIND OF THING. SO THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COMMITTEE WAS TO NOT USE THAT. IT WASN'T ADDING ANYTHING TO THE PROCESS AND TO TAKE THAT OUT. SO ONE OF THE PROPOSALS AND ONE OF THE BILLS IS THAT WHEN WE'RE TESTING FOR SCHOOLS, THAT THAT MODIFIED ENROLLMENT PROCESS NOT BE CONTINUED TO BE A REQUIREMENT THAT WE RELY ON WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS IN TERMS OF WHAT AVAILABLE CAPACITY EXISTS. AND HERE AGAIN, PART OF THE SECOND BILL, JUST POINTING OUT THAT THE COUNTY'S ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT AVAILABLE CAPACITY IS THERE IS VERIFIED BY THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND THEN FINALLY, ON THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL FRONT, WE MET WITH THE PRESIDENT AND MET WITH EACH OF THE LEADERS FROM THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO TALK ABOUT TRYING TO ALIGN WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN THE JURISDICTIONS. THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN DOING THAT. HOWEVER, PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS LED TO THE IDEA THAT WHAT WE WOULD START DOING IS MAKING SURE THAT THE MAYOR AND THE PLANNING DIRECTOR FROM EACH CITY IS INVITED TO ALL THE MEETINGS OF THE A P F ADVISORY BOARD. THEY MEET TWICE A YEAR, AND THEY WOULD BE PROVIDED ALL THE MATERIALS FOR THAT MEETING AHEAD OF TIME SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION. IF DURING THOSE BIANNUAL MEETINGS OR SEMIANNUAL MEETINGS, RATHER, THERE WAS A THAT A DISTRICT WAS GETTING TOO CROWDED, SOMETHING WAS GETTING TOO CLOSE TO CAPACITY, THEY COULD BRING TOGETHER THE BOARDS OF THE COMMUNITIES AT THAT TIME IF NEED BE, BUT THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES. SO

[00:20:01]

SO THAT WAS A QUICK RUN THROUGH, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. SO TYSON, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO PUT THIS STUDY TOGETHER, BUT FOR THE THREE TRIPS THAT YOU MADE UP HERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO, TO WORK WITH US. I WANT TO THANK ROBBIE FOR POINTING OUT THAT YOU WERE ONE OF THE FEW CONSULTANTS IN THE AREA THAT TALKED ABOUT A P F AND WERE VERY WELL VERSED. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE MAYOR PAULA SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING, AND THE TOWN OF BEL AIR AND THE CITY OF HAVRE DE GRACE WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT RINGSAKER WERE VERY WILLING TO SIT AND TALK WITH US AND WERE WILLING TO MEET IN THE FUTURE. AND RIGHT AWAY, BEL AIR DID COME IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COUNTY DID. SO THAT'S POSITIVE. AND I THINK IN THE FUTURE, I THINK MUNICIPALITIES, MUNICIPAL, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS WILL WORK CLOSER WITH THE COUNTY. AT LEAST I HOPE SO ANYWAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE PROCESS STARTED BECAUSE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE WERE GETTING FROM CITIZENS. SO WE HEARD THEM, WE TOOK ACTION. IT SEEMED TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET TO WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING. AND SO WITH THAT, MISTER, DID I MISS ANYTHING? AND I CAN RUN THROUGH THE SPECIFIC CHANGES. I CAN RUN THROUGH THE SPECIFIC CHANGES IN THE TWO BILLS. BUT I MEAN, I THINK MR. SMITH DID A GOOD JOB OF THAT. BUT IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO DO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO CLARIFY THE. I THINK IT'S JUST.

SO IN BILL 2612, THAT'S THE BILL WHERE THE ACTUAL APF STATUTE IS CODIFIED IN THE ZONING CODE. IN THAT BILL, THE CHANGES WE MADE WERE ELIMINATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE MODIFIED ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS BEING IN THE ADEQUATE GROWTH REPORT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING HAS TO PUT TOGETHER AND SEND OVER TO THE TO THE COUNCIL TWICE A YEAR. THAT WAS DELETED. THEN THE ONLY OTHER ADDITION IN THAT SECTION OF THE ZONING CODE SUBSTANTIVE ADDITIONS, WAS JUST I THINK IT WAS DONE IN PRACTICE, BUT ACTUALLY CODIFYING THAT THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL VERIFY WHEN SOMEONE HAS EXCEEDED THE STATE RATED CAPACITY. SO WE ADDED THAT LANGUAGE JUST TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR. AND THEN THE OTHER THE ONLY OTHER PIECES WERE THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL KIND OF UNITY AND INVITING TO THE TABLE OF MUNICIPALITIES. OBVIOUSLY, OUR APF STATUTE DOES NOT APPLY IN THE MUNICIPALITIES.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CODE. WE CAN'T MAKE IT APPLY. AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT MOST OF THE GROWTH IS CENTERING IN A FEW MUNICIPALITIES AND NOT US, BUT IT IS IMPACTING THE COUNTY.

SO THE IDEA WAS TO JUST INVITE THEM TO THE TABLE. WE CAN'T MAKE THEM BE A PART OF OUR BOARD, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY INVITE THEM TO COME TO THE MEETINGS TWICE A YEAR. SO BILL 2613 IS THE CHAPTER NINE, WHICH ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED THE APF ADVISORY BOARD AND ITS MEMBERS AND THE MEETINGS. SO WE ADDED LANGUAGE THERE, JUST SAYING THAT THEY, THE MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE INVITED. AGENDAS WILL BE PROVIDED. YOU HAVE TO MEET IN DECEMBER AND JUNE OF EVERY YEAR. SO WE ADDED THAT LANGUAGE JUST TO KIND OF OPEN THOSE DOORS OF COMMUNICATION TO GET EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE THE BEST WE CAN BECAUSE WE CAN'T MANDATE IT. SO THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES ARE IN THE TWO BILLS. PERFECT. COUNCIL.

ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. RILEY? SO YOU'RE TELLING ME ABERDEEN IS 115, HARFORD COUNTY IS 110. THEY CAN STILL STAY AT 115. CORRECT. WE CANNOT CONTROL. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ZONING CODE.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITY STATUTE, ALL OF THEIR STATUTES. OUR CODE DOES NOT APPLY IN THE MUNICIPALITIES. AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN APF STATUTES. BELLAIRS HAPPENS TO BE IN LINE WITH OURS WITH LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THE YEARS. SO IS HAVERTY GRACE, EXCEPT THEY DO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. I THINK THEY DO LOOK AT THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE DON'T DO THAT, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE THE SAME. BUT ABERDEEN IS THE MOST LENIENT AND WE CANNOT. OUR LAWS DON'T APPLY IN THE MUNICIPALITIES. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE COMMITTEE ABOUT TRYING TO GO TO THE DELEGATION TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL. YOU KNOW, THAT WE JUST KIND OF BATTED THAT AROUND, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING I THINK PEOPLE CAN CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. HELLO. QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. HOW ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED PART TIME COUNTED IN THE TOTAL STUDENT COUNTS, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A KID IN EARLY LEARNERS ONLY COMES TWO DAYS A WEEK. ARE THEY COUNTED AS A FULL NUMBER? CHRIS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? CAN YOU STEP FORWARD? YEAH, EITHER ONE.

[00:25:03]

TYSON. APF THERE'S THERE'S A LOT HIGHER. IT'S MORE OF A STRAIN ON THE COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY IF THEY KEEP INCREASING THEIR NUMBER OF STUDENTS, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE US GET ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL, ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND WHAT LEVEL DO WE GET TO BEFORE THEY'RE THERE? A CAPACITY. AND WE HAVE TO THEN LOOK AT BUILDING SOMETHING ELSE. WELL, THAT'S A COMPLICATED, COMPLICATED QUESTION. AND SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD HAVE ULTIMATE CONTROL OVER THAT. AT THIS POINT. THE SCHOOLS, THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ARE FINE. IT'S AND OUT OF THE 30 OR SO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IS THAT 30. YOU KNOW, ALL BUT ABOUT FOUR OF THEM ARE FINE. AND OF THOSE FOUR, THREE, THREE, THREE THAT WAIT FOR WAKEFIELD AND HOWARD. YEAH. AND NOTHING YET IN ABERDEEN WITH ALL THAT GROWTH. THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. BUT YOU KNOW THEY'RE NOT WAY OVER BUT THEY'RE GETTING OVER. SO TYSON IF I MAY. YEAH. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING FOR A NEW SITE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THEY'RE BUILDING A SCHOOL NOW BUT STILL LOOKING FOR A SITE BETWEEN HAVRE DE GRACE AND ABERDEEN SOMEWHERE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE CAPACITY IS. AND AND CHRIS, WHAT'S THE COST OF A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? TODAY'S DOLLARS. SO I'LL THE THE STATE NUMBER IS AROUND $536 A SQUARE FOOT. WHAT THE STATE DOES IS THEY. THEY COLLECT THAT INFORMATION FROM ALL LEAS THERE'S 24LEAS THEIR LOCAL EDUCATION AGENTS. SORRY. WHEN I'M USING ACRONYMS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. SO LIKE MONTGOMERY COUNTY, HARFORD COUNTY, CECIL COUNTY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE VARIOUS COUNTIES. AND THEN THEY, THEY ASKED FOR WHAT WAS THE NUMBERS THAT CAME IN FROM ALL THE LEAS AND THEN THEY ADJUST THAT NUMBER YEARLY. SO THE ULTIMATE QUESTION IS HOW BIG IS THE FACILITY? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO BUILD A LARGE FACILITY LIKE HOMESTEAD WAKEFIELD THAT'S 140,000FT■!S AD 1100 STUDENTS. THAT'S GOING TO COST X? OR ARE WE GOING TO BUILD A STUDENT THAT'S A SCHOOL LIKE RED PUMP, THAT'S 800 STUDENTS. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, 100,000FT■!S. BUT THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT IS ROUGHLY 530 SOME DOLLARS A SQUARE FOOT. IS IT SERVED BY PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER? DO WE HAVE TO PUT IN A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT? I MEAN, THESE ARE WHAT'S THE SITE WE'RE GIVEN. IT'S VERY COMPLEX. IT'S NOT AN EASY JUST I HAVE AN ANSWER. AND THESE ARE A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS NOT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT THESE ARE A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT UP DURING THE MEETING. A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE TOSSED AROUND, POSSIBLY THINKING ABOUT LAND BANKING, TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION COST. ROBBIE CAN TELL YOU THAT WITH HIS EYES CLOSED, GIVE YOU THOSE NUMBERS. PRETTY MUCH. MY OTHER QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU HAVE THESE OVER 55 COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE BUILDING, WHO AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CHECK TO MAKE SURE IF SOMEBODY IS OVER 55, DOES THAT MEAN THEY CAN'T HAVE KIDS THAT LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD? AND WHO STOPS THEM FROM GOING IN THERE? WELL, GO AHEAD. NO. GO AHEAD. WELL, TYPICALLY IT DOESN'T GET DOWN TO THAT LEVEL. BUT IF THEY COME IN WITH AN APPROVAL OR A PROPOSAL THAT IS FOR 55 AND OLDER, HOWEVER YOU ENFORCE THAT AT THE APPROVAL STAGE, WHICH COULD BE COVENANTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S ASSUMED TO NOT GENERATE STUDENTS AND YOU DON'T TEST FOR CAPACITY FOR THAT, BUT THEY STILL THEY BUY A HOUSE AND THERE'S THERE'S STUFF OFF OF MOORES MILL ROAD, THERE'S A COMMUNITY GOING IN THERE, 55 PLUS PEOPLE CAN BUY THE HOMES IF THEY'RE 55 PLUS. BUT I DON'T THINK IT SAYS ANYTHING WHETHER THEY KNOW IT DOES THE OUR HOUSING, OUR HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY STATUTE, WHICH IS IN THE ZONING CODE, HAS ALL OF THOSE PARAMETERS. YOU CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE UNDER 18 THERE. THEY CAN VISIT FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS, BUT. BUT NO MORE THAN THREE DAYS. WELL, THAT THAT'S THE ISSUE. AS WITH

[00:30:04]

BUT ENFORCEMENT IS ANOTHER ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES, ROBERT. THANK YOU. JASON, I JUST HAD I WANT TO CLARIFICATION IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY. AND IT WAS UNDER ABERDEEN WITH THE 115%. BUT YOU MENTIONED CONSIDERING THE REASON WHY THEY'RE STAYING AT THE LEVELS, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO CONSIDERING ADJACENT ZONES. JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GET WHAT THAT MEANT. THAT'S OUR DEGREES WAS THAT HAVE A DEGREE? SURE. IT'S BOTH ABERDEEN AND HAVRE DEGREES. OKAY. BOTH LOOK AT THE ADJACENT ZONE. SO IT'S JUST A DECISION POINT FOR ANY COMMUNITY DOING A P F FOR SCHOOLS. ARE WE JUST GOING TO LOOK AT. SO THE HOUSING PROPOSAL COMES IN. THE STUDENTS THAT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT WILL GO TO THE SCHOOL AND THAT ATTENDANCE ZONE THEORETICALLY. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT IT TIGHTLY, YOU'D SAY A VERY RESTRICTIVE WAY. YOU'D SAY, WELL, IF YOU NEED CAPACITY IN THAT ZONE TO WORK OUT WHAT ABERDEEN AND HAVRE DE GRACE DO AND WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES DO IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL, IS THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT ATTENDANCE ZONE AND THE ADJACENT ONE, EVEN THOUGH THOSE KIDS ARE NOT LIKELY TO GO TO THE ADJACENT ONE. IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, IT'S ALWAYS A SMALL EXCEPTIONS, BUT IT JUST RECOGNIZES AS A POLICY THAT REDISTRICTING DOES OCCUR AND IT MIGHT THERE. AND THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT SCHOOLS RESPOND TO CAPACITY PROBLEMS. OKAY. YEAH. I WAS THINKING THAT JUST IN CASE IT WAS OVERFLOW AT THE END OF THE DAY BETWEEN THE AREA. SO THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY.

THAT'S RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THE COMMITTEE STRUGGLED WITH IS THERE'S SO MUCH OF THIS THAT THE COUNTY CAN'T CONTROL. REDISTRICTING IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. BUT THAT IS ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK, WHY DO WE USE 110% OR 120 OR 100 INSTEAD OF 100? THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THERE'S OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY IN THERE. KIDS AREN'T STANDING IN THE BACK OF THE CLASSROOM AT 110%. THAT GETS WORKED OUT. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. ANYONE ELSE, MR. RILEY? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE WE ON THE COUNCIL, WE HAVE ANNEXED ABERDEEN FOR MORE MORE ACREAGE THAT WOULD ALSO AFFECT THE A P F AM I CORRECT? I MEAN, ABERDEEN'S ANNEXED COUNTY LAND.

YES, IT WOULD, AND I'VE NEVER FACTORED THAT IN. WHEN WE APPROVED IT OR DISAPPROVE IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. BENNETT? WHAT ABOUT ACTUALS? SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T EVER TRULY PREDICT HOW MANY KINDERGARTNERS ARE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE GREAT WAYS OF TRACKING HOW MANY KIDS ARE TURNING FIVE THIS YEAR IN THE COMMUNITY? I CAN THINK OF ONE SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT HAVE DE GRACE ELEMENTARY THAT HAD TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

ONCE THEY REALIZED HOW MANY CHILDREN WERE SHOWING UP. SO, YOU KNOW, A SCHOOL COULD BE PROJECTED TO HIT X NUMBER, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY X PLUS Y NUMBER. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUALS FOR THE YEAR, WOULD THAT IF THEY HIT THE THRESHOLD IN ACTUALS EVEN THOUGH IT HADN'T BEEN PROJECTED, WOULD THAT STILL TRIGGER THE PAUSE? IT WOULD PRETTY QUICKLY. SO YOU ARE MAKING THE ESTIMATION IN JUNE AND THEN YOU SQUARE IT UP WITH ACTUALS IN DECEMBER. SO IT WOULDN'T BE LONG AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WHEN. YEAH. THANK YOU CHRIS, YOU CAN SIT DOWN. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I JUST I JUST REALIZED YOU WERE STILL STANDING THERE. MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. PENMAN. WHEN THERE IS A MORATORIUM, BASICALLY WHEN THEY REACHED THAT THRESHOLD OF 110%, IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT ON THE COUNTY OR WHETHER IT'S A MUNICIPALITY TO CURE THAT? SO THERE'S NOT A MORATORIUM INDEFINITELY. THERE'S NOT. IT'S IT STAYS CLOSED UNTIL THE AREA. IT STAYS CLOSED UNTIL THE AREA OPENS UP AGAIN. NOW THERE'S WAITLISTS AND THERE'S SOME THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE YOU KNOW, IF YOU SUBMIT A SITE PLAN IN A CLOSED AREA, IF YOU WILL, TO THE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL HOLD IT. IT'LL BE ON A KIND OF A WAIT LIST. BUT NO, AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, NO ONE HAS CHALLENGED THAT FACT THAT YOU'RE SITTING ON A PROPERTY THAT YOU OWN, THAT YOU WANT TO DEVELOP, AND YOU CAN'T BECAUSE THE AREA IS CLOSED AND SHORT OF A REDISTRICTING THAT WOULD MOVE THOSE KIDS AROUND AND OPEN UP A DISTRICT, YOU'RE YOU'RE SITTING ON SOMETHING YOU CANNOT DEVELOP UNTIL THAT'S DONE. AND THERE'S NO TIME FRAME

[00:35:02]

NAME AND ZIP CODE, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, BRIANNA COLEMAN 21047. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THE CONVERSATION THAT JUST OCCURRED IN THIS ROOM IS LITERALLY LIKE MUSIC TO MY EARS, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN UP HERE ADVOCATING FOR THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ENGAGING IN ASKING QUESTIONS. I HAD PREPARED TO SPEAK TO BOTH BILLS SEPARATELY, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO PUT THEM TOGETHER. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT BOTH BILLS. THESE BILLS ARE THE RESULT OF WORK THAT BEGAN MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO. AS YOU HEARD COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTE SAY. AND AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, WHO COULD FORGET THIS FACE? I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ADVOCATING FOR SOLUTIONS TO OUR OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS. I INITIALLY THOUGHT LOWERING THE CAPACITY PERCENTAGE WAS THE ANSWER. WHILE I STILL BELIEVE THERE IS MORE THAT CAN BE DONE, THE APF WORK GROUP GAVE ME A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM. A SCHOOL CAN REACH THE COUNTY'S CAPACITY THRESHOLD AND BE PLACED UNDER MORATORIUM, STOPPING ADDITIONAL COUNTY DEVELOPMENT WHILE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY CAN CONTINUE UNDER ITS OWN ORDINANCE. AS YOU KIND OF HEARD THEM JUST TALK ABOUT, EVEN THOUGH THOSE STUDENTS ULTIMATELY ATTEND THE SAME EXACT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE CAN SEE TODAY THAT WITH BEL AIR ELEMENTARY, G. LISBY AT HILLSDALE, WHICH IS ABERDEEN, AND HARVEY DE GRACE ELEMENTARY, ALL THREE ARE UNDER COUNTY F F MORATORIUMS, BUT THOSE MORATORIUMS DO NOT APPLY TO THE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITIES. THE STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY LIVE WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY OR NOT, ALL WALK THROUGH THE SAME SCHOOL DOORS AND COUNT TOWARDS THE SAME ENROLLMENT NUMBERS. BILL 26013 CERTAINLY DOESN'T SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. IT DOESN'T CHANGE MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITY AUTHORITY, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE.

OR REQUIRE MUNICIPALITIES TO FOLLOW THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE. WHAT IT DOES IS FORMALLY INVITE THEM TO THE CONVERSATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME INFORMATION. THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL STEP, BUT WHEN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS ARE APPROVING DEVELOPMENT, THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACTS THE SAME SCHOOL, COMMUNICATION MATTERS. AND THEN I WANT TO MOVE ON TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER BILL. AS TYSON SAID, WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME DISCUSSING HOW WE DETERMINE SCHOOL CAPACITY AND SPECIFICALLY THE MODIFIED ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, THE MODIFIED PROJECTIONS ATTEMPTED TO ACCOUNT FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT THAT ALSO MEANT WE WERE LOOKING AT MANY WHAT IFS IF DEVELOPMENT DIDN'T HAPPEN AS PROJECTED, THOSE NUMBERS DIDN'T NECESSARILY REFLECT WHAT ACTUALLY SHOWED UP IN OUR CLASSROOMS. SO I SUPPORT REMOVING THE MODIFIED ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS FROM THE ANNUAL GROWTH REPORT AND RELYING ON THE INFORMATION FROM HC S. I WANT TO GET A LITTLE OFF TOPIC BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD ASKED HOW HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN SEATS? LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN YOU SHOWED UP TO SCHOOL, THERE WAS MORE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM THAN ANTICIPATED. SO CHRIS CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS, BUT LIKE STUDENTS LITERALLY DON'T COUNT UNTIL THEY'RE HIDING IS IN A SEAT. SO UNTIL THEY WALK THROUGH THE BUILDING AND SIT IN A SEAT, THAT'S WHEN THEY GET COUNTED. ANYWAY, THIS IS A GREAT CONVERSATION. I REALLY HOPE IT CONTINUES. I ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT, BUT MAYBE YOU'LL LET ME TALK TO SAY, I REALLY WANT TO THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTE FOR HIS TIME ON THE APF ADVISORY BOARD AND FOR THE WORK HE AND SAM PUT INTO THIS PROCESS. HAVING PARTICIPATED IN THE WORKGROUP, I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME AND DISCUSSION WENT INTO GETTING US HERE. I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED MR. VINCENTE'S WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES IN THAT ROOM AND THIS ROOM, AND HIS HELP TO MOVE

[00:40:01]

[d. Bill 26-014 (Charter Amendment - Section 512 Action on Budget by Council)]

WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITIES, HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND UNDERSTAND WHERE FUNDING MAY BE NEEDED. YET UNDER THE CURRENT PROCESS, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE AUTHORITY TO ADJUST THE BUDGET PROCESS TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS. THIS BILL GIVES THE COUNCIL MEMBERS A GREATER ABILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING IN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS AND BRING RESOURCES BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT AND THEY SERVE, WHILE ALSO PUTTING STRONG SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY. IF THE COUNCIL INCREASES FUNDING FOR AN EXISTING BUDGET ITEM, WE BALANCE THE BUDGET BY REDUCING THE FUNDING SOMEWHERE ELSE. IN THAT SAME AMOUNT, WE CANNOT CREATE NEW BUDGET ITEMS, CHANGE REVENUE PROJECTIONS OR ADOPT ON BALANCED BUDGETS. IT'S ALREADY IN THE CHARTER UNDER 515. IT CREATES A MORE BALANCED PROCESS BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNCIL, WHILE AGAIN MAINTAINING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS ASPECTS ABOUT THIS BILL. ONCE THIS COUNCIL VOTES ON IT, IT DOES NOT MAKE THE CHANGE ON ITS OWN. IT SIMPLY PUTS THE QUESTION TO THE VOTERS. THE FINAL DECISION DOES NOT BELONG TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. IT DOES NOT BELONG TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL. IT BELONGS TO THE VOTERS. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT POINT, BECAUSE THERE WAS A STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THAT I THOUGHT WAS PARTICULARLY RIDICULOUS, AND EMBARRASSING FOR THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

WHEN HE REFERS TO MYSELF AS A LAME DUCK COUNCILMAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS LEGISLATION AND THE OTHER LEGISLATION THAT I HAVE INTRODUCED THERE, IT'S NOT NEW PROCESS. IT'S NOT A NEW CONVERSATION. THIS CONVERSATION FOR ALL THIS LEGISLATION, HAS BEEN HAD SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS, AND I WAS PUT ON THE SIDELINE ILLEGALLY FOR TWO YEARS. SO WE'RE FINISHING WHAT WE STARTED. SO IF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTED TO CONTROL THIS BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, PERHAPS, MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE RAN FOR A COUNTY COUNCIL POSITION. BUT ALTHOUGH MAYBE HE DOESN'T NEED TO, IF HE HAS A PROXY HERE, A PROXY THAT THEY WANT TO GIVE INFORMATION TO, AND THEN USE CHATGPT TO WRITE A TOTALLY RIDICULOUS LETTER. AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S SEEN THAT IT WAS CIRCULATED AMONGST THE COUNCIL ACTUALLY WENT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S A VIOLATION OF THE RULES OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, BUT I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY. BUT PERHAPS, BUT THIS LETTER IS RIDICULOUS. IT'S GARBAGE AND I'LL ADDRESS IT. THIS BILL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. THIS BILL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY POSITION, MY DAY JOB. THIS BILL WILL BE VOTED ON AND THEN AGAIN VOTED IN 2028 ON THE ELECTION BALLOT. I WON'T BE ON THE COUNCIL. I WON'T BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE ANYTHING. SO THE FACT THAT THIS WAS WRITTEN IS RIDICULOUS. IT'S INSULTING. IT'S MISLEADING THE COMMUNITIES AND IT'S GARBAGE. IT BELONGS IN THE TRASH CAN. AND FRANKLY, THE ETHICS THAT IS MENTIONED IN

[00:45:03]

EVERYONE ON THIS COUNCIL SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IS WRONG, THEN I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT. NONE OF US SHOULD WANT TO BE RIGHT BECAUSE THE EDUCATION DOESN'T WORK. BUSINESS DOESN'T WORK IF PEOPLE ARE NOT SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THE ETHICS BOARD WANTS TO FIND ME GUILTY OF ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN REFERENCE AS A REASON WHY THIS BILL AND OTHER BILLS SHOULDN'T BE INTRODUCED. IT'S RIDICULOUS. AND THE FACT THAT THEY WANT AN OPINION ON MY POSITION ON THESE BILLS, WHICH IS NOT EVEN PERMITTED BY THE CODE. ONLY I CAN ASK FOR AN OPINION WITH THE ETHICS BOARD, BUT IF THEY THINK IT'S A VIOLATION, GO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE ETHICS BOARD.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO IT AT ANY POINT. THE COUNTY HAS DONE IT MULTIPLE TIMES. SO WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE ON. IF WE CAN START THE PRESENTATION. SORRY. ALL RIGHT. BALANCING THE BUDGET PROCESS. THIS PROPOSAL IS ABOUT ONE SIMPLE CONCEPT. AGAIN BALANCING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE STILL DEVELOPS THE PROJECTIONS AND PROPOSES THE BUDGET. BUT THE COUNCIL, AFTER HEARINGS, PUBLIC INPUT AND REVIEW, HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO ADJUST FUNDING PRIORITIES. AND ULTIMATELY, THE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT THIS CHANGE. LET ME TAKE THE SLIDE TWO. WHAT DOES BILL 26-014 ACCOMPLISH? IT CREATES A SHARED BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY NOT ON LIMITED COUNCIL AUTHORITY LIKE SOME WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE. IT GIVES COUNCIL MEMBERS A MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF THEIR DISTRICTS THAT THEY REPRESENT. IT ALSO ENCOURAGES COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. AND ONCE AGAIN, AND PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT, WE ARE NOT IMPOSING THIS CHANGE. THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY, THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE IF THEY WANT THIS CHANGE. SLIDE THREE, PLEASE. THE PROPOSED CHANGES TODAY, THE COUNCIL CAN GENERALLY DECREASE OR DELETE ELIGIBLE BUDGET ITEMS, BUT IS VERY LIMITED ON ABILITIES OF REDIRECTING FUNDING. THIS PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO INCREASE AN EXISTING BUDGET ITEM. BUT HERE'S WHAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART IS IF WE ADD MONEY SOMEWHERE, WE HAVE TO CUT IT SOMEWHERE BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. WE CAN'T SIMPLY JUST SPEND MORE MONEY IN ANY AMENDMENT. STILL REQUIRES THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL TO VOTE IN APPROVE. SO ONE COUNCIL MEMBER CAN'T SAY I WANT SUCH AND SUCH AMOUNT OF DOLLARS FOR SUCH AND SUCH PROJECT AND JUST AND GET IT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE MAJORITY.

SLIDE FOUR PLEASE. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND GUARDRAILS. THESE SAFEGUARDS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS BILL. THE COUNCIL STILL HAS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. AS I MENTIONED, ACCORDING TO CHARTER 515, WE CAN'T CREATE NEW BUDGET ITEMS. WE CAN'T CHANGE THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS TO MANUFACTURE ADDITIONAL MONEY. I KNOW WE HAVE A FALSE NARRATIVE OUT THERE, BUT THIS WILL NOT CAUSE A TAX INCREASE. ANY AMENDMENT, AGAIN REQUIRES A MAJORITY VOTE. SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT REALLOCATING EXISTING RESOURCES, NOT EXPANDING GOVERNMENT AND CREATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW ACROSS THE STATE, THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. IT'S A COMMON PRACTICE ACROSS MARYLAND. HARFORD COUNTY WOULD NOT BE CREATING SOME NEW UNUSUAL BUDGET PROCESS AS THE SLIDE SHOWS BROADER LEGISLATION.

BUDGET AUTHORITY ALREADY EXISTS IN MANY COUNTIES ACROSS MARYLAND, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THE POINT IS NOT THAT EVERY COUNTY OPERATES EXACTLY THE SAME. THEY DON'T.

THE POINT IS THAT ALLOWING THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH GREATER AUTHORITY OVER HOW EXISTING FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SLIDE HERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS THAT ALLOW THE COUNCIL OR COMMISSIONERS TO INCREASE BUDGET LINE ITEMS. SLIDE SIX PLEASE. AGAIN, REDUNDANCY. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE

[00:50:02]

WE CONDUCT DAYS OF BUDGET HEARINGS, WE HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM RESIDENTS. WE ESTABLISHED A CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD. OUR COUNTY AUDITOR ANALYZES THE BUDGET. WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY FOR REVIEWING THE BUDGET, BUT LIMITED AUTHORITY TO ACTUALLY ADJUST IT, LITTLE AUTHORITY TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR DISTRICTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES. AS I MENTIONED, THAT WE REPRESENT. YEAH. OKAY. EXCELLENT. AS FAR AS THE EXPERTISE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE LAST TIME THIS WAS INTRODUCED, THIS COUNCIL GOT CALLED PART TIME LEGISLATORS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ESSENCE, WE'RE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE IT OUT. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. THE COUNCIL ISN'T MAKING THESE DECISIONS IN A VACUUM. WE HAVE THE COUNTY AUDITOR PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL, PROFESSIONAL BUDGET ANALYSIS, IDENTIFYING AREAS, EACH BUDGET OF OVER FUNDING. NOW WE HAVE ATTORNEYS REVIEWING THE CHARTER AND THE CODE REQUIREMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBERS SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME QUESTIONING DEPARTMENTS IN REVIEWING THEIR REQUESTS. THE PROPOSAL ALLOWS US TO ACTUALLY USE THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE LIMITED ADJUSTMENTS. WHEN WE BELIEVE THE BUDGET COULD BETTER REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GOING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S ONE OF THE LIMITED AREAS WE CAN ACTUALLY PUSH MONEY TO IS PUBLIC EDUCATION. SO THIS THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION TO BEGIN WITH. AND THEN THE LAST SLIDE. THE FINAL CLOSING SLIDE, LET THE VOTERS DECIDE. AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK THE DISCUSSION ULTIMATELY BELONGS. VOTING FOR THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE THE BUDGET PROCESS. IT GIVES THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT THE CHANGE. IF VOTERS BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM SHOULD REMAIN EXACTLY HOW IT IS, THEY CAN VOTE THAT WAY IF THEY BELIEVE THEIR ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE A GREATER ABILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR DISTRICTS AND REALLOCATE EXISTING FUNDING WITH SAFEGUARDS, THEY CAN VOTE THAT WAY. THIS IS THEIR GOVERNMENT, THEIR TAX DOLLARS, AND ULTIMATELY THEIR DECISION. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DENY THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY AND THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION? AND WITH THAT, MISTER PRESIDENT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. UNFORTUNATELY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE THE SOUND IS NOT ONLINE. SO, MR. BENNETT, INTERESTING. YEAH. GOOD EVENING. I'M SORRY PEOPLE CAN'T HEAR ME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY FIRST REITERATE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLOCATE FUNDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND. THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY PLACE BESIDES FUND BALANCE, THAT WE CAN CURRENTLY REALLOCATE FUNDS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO THAT'S THE LARGEST PART OF THE BUDGET THAT TYPICALLY MONEY GETS MOVED AROUND TO GO AND SUPPORT. AND SO THIS BILL DOES NOT IMPACT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ANY WAY. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS BILL, AND I KNOW I SAID THIS PREVIOUSLY WHEN WE HAD A BILL BEFORE US VERY SIMILAR TO THIS ONE A FEW YEARS AGO, WHAT I THINK ABOUT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I REMEMBER OUR FIRST BUDGET CYCLE AS A COUNCIL, THE HARFORD CENTER AND THE ARC WERE MISTAKENLY CUT AND FUNDING YEAR OVER YEAR, OR WHEN NONPROFIT FUNDING WAS CUT BY 10% ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU ADD ALL THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING UP TO MAKE UP FOR THOSE CUTS, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN $1 MILLION OUT OF THE COUNTY BUDGET, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO FIX WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUDGETED VERSUS ACTUALS OVER YEARS, OR YOU LOOK AT POSITIONS IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FILLED IN 4 OR 5 PLUS YEARS, IT'S VERY EASY TO MAKE UP $1 MILLION AND BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT CUTTING ANYTHING WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT IS OPERATING. HOWEVER, WE AS A COUNCIL

[00:55:04]

AND SO THERE COMES THOSE MOMENTS WHERE, AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND $750,000 OF EFFICIENCIES IN THE BUDGET JUST BY LOOKING AT VACANT POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET POSITIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FILLED FOR EXTENSIVE PERIOD OF TIMES, LINE ITEMS THAT CONSISTENTLY COME OVER, COME IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS UNDER BUDGET. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FIND THOSE THINGS. AND WE DO FIND THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE SIT AND WE LOOK THROUGH HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF THE BUDGET, BUT ALL WE CAN DO IS SAY, PLEASE. AND THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO ACTUALLY BE PROBLEM SOLVERS AND HELP ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS THAT COME BEFORE US. IN THOSE FOUR DAYS OF HEARINGS, IN TWO EVENINGS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE IN REGARDS TO THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE, MR. GIORDANO? I GUESS NOBODY CAN HEAR US. SO MY TALK INTO THE MICROPHONE. BUT THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IT'S ALL BACK. OH, IT'S BACK ONLINE. OKAY. SO. THERE I DID SEND A LETTER. I DID SEND A LETTER TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND ALL THE COUNCIL PEOPLE AND ASKED HIM TO PULL THE BILL BASED ON THE ETHICS REPORT FROM CARMEN AND GRAHAM THAT GAVE THE ON BEHALF OF THE HARFORD COUNTY ETHICS BOARD, AS YOU KNOW BY ORDER. ENTERED AUGUST 7TH, 2026, THE CIRCUIT COURT DENIED MR. PENMAN'S PETITION FOR WRIT OF ADMINISTRATION MANDAMUS AND AFFIRMED THE BOARD'S DECEMBER 2024 TO PITTMAN OPINION IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE BOARD REMAINS WILLING TO ENTER INTO A NON PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT WITH MR. PENMAN. TO THAT END, I ATTACH AN AGREEMENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION BY 5 P.M. TODAY, AUGUST 21ST. PLEASE RETURN THE EXECUTED AGREEMENT OR CERTIFICATE FROM MR. PENMAN THAT HE HAS TERMINATED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

FAILURE TO COMPLY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS. HCC 23-9. SO PART OF THAT WAS THAT HE HAD TO SUBMIT TO THE ETHICS BOARD ANYTHING THAT PERTAINED TO ANYTHING THAT COULD WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT RESULTED AND WHICH HE DID NOT, HE DID NOT DO. BUT REGARDLESS, ALSO, THERE IS, AS MR. JACOB. MR. COUNCILMAN BENNETT YEARS AGO.

DIONNE. AND WHEN THEY WERE ON THE COUNCIL, THEY DID MOVE MONEY FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND IT WAS $1 MILLION INTO THE SCHOOL. AND THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE GET TO MOVE IT.

SO AS COUNCILMAN PENMAN SAID, WE CAN'T INCREASE THE BUDGET, BUT YOU CERTAINLY CAN MOVE MONEY FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER IT'S AMBULANCE, WHETHER IT'S LAW DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR ANYTHING ELSE. AND IF THOSE ENTITIES STILL NEED TO BE FUNDED AND WE'VE MOVED MONEY TO DIFFERENT ENTITIES, THEN WHAT IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAVE TO DO IF HE IF THEY'VE UNFUNDED THE AMBULANCE CORPS OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEY NEED MORE MONEY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AMEND THE THE BUDGET.

AND WHERE DOES THAT DO THEY HAVE TO THEN INCREASE THE TAXES THAT. THAT'S ALSO A BIGGER QUESTION. SO I DID DID REACH OUT. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, AND, MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE TODAY IN OPPOSITION TO BILL 2614. THE LEGISLATION WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE BALANCE OF BUDGET

[01:00:05]

AND I CAN TELL YOU BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS NOW, ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS SOMETHING THEY WANT IN THEIR DISTRICT. I WANT SOMETHING I WANT IN MY DISTRICT, SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS SOMETHING IN THEIR DISTRICT. AND THEN WE GET TOGETHER AND WE HORSE TRADE.

AND THEN WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE? HE HAS 12 TO 15 DEPARTMENT. HE'S GOT A FUND. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR COUNCIL WHERE THEY TOOK THE MONEY FROM WAS FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW WHY THEY TOOK IT FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT? BECAUSE THE LAW DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO FUND. THE THE THING AGAINST THE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE OFFICER THAT SHOT SOMEBODY. AND SO THEY DECIDED TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO PUNISH THE LAW DEPARTMENT. AND BECAUSE THEY DID THAT, NOW THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS DOWN TWO LAWYERS. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BACKGROUND THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT I'M. THE MIKES ARE BACK ON AGAIN. IS THAT WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENE IS A LOT OF HORSE TRADING. AND SO YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND, AS CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY, THIS IS GOING TO PASS THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE THERE'S FIVE UP HERE THAT ARE GOING TO GO FOR IT, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE TAXPAYER. HARFORD COUNTY. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PROPOSAL AND IT'S JUST IN ITSELF, OKAY, MAYBE YOU MIGHT SAY, JIM, I'M NOT SURE WE'RE TRADING IS GOING TO GO ON. I CAN TELL YOU IT DOES. THE OTHER THING I WILL TELL YOU IS, REMEMBER, SHERIFFS AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND TEACHERS CAN BE ON THIS COUNCIL. YOU GET ENOUGH TEACHERS AND AND DEPUTIES ON THIS COUNCIL. THEY WILL RULE THIS BUDGET. I DON'T CARE WHO SITS OVER THERE IN THE OTHER OFFICE. THEY WILL DECIDE WHO GETS WHAT AND AND WHEN THEY GET IT. AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT ALL OF US. AND I KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, NOT IN THIS COUNCIL. THAT'S WHY MOST OF US AREN'T GOING TO BE HERE. BUT I HOPE IN THE NEXT COUNCIL, THEY TAKE IT AWAY FROM THIS COUNCIL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.

MR. PENMAN, A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON, MR. RILEY. YOU WANT TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE VOTERS TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT THAT. YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AWAY, TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND LET THE VOTERS. WHY? WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? I CAN I ANSWER THAT QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT? SURE. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE VOTERS. I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE VOTERS. I'M JUST SPEAKING TO THE VOTERS. I'M NOT SPEAKING TO THE FIVE OF

[01:05:01]

SO YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR IT AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE. I HAVEN'T DECIDED WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. THANK YOU. MR. GIAN GIORDANO. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD CUT VITAL AREAS OF THE BUDGET AND LEAVE BASICALLY PARAPHRASING HERE, AREAS UNSAFE. BUT REALLY WE CAN CUT THAT NOW. WE CAN ESSENTIALLY DO THAT NOW, CAN WE NOT? THEY JUST SAID THAT WE YOU JUST SAID WE CUT $1 MILLION FROM THE AGENCY THAT I CAN'T MENTION. I'M PUBLIC. RIGHT. WE DID. OKAY. SO YEARS AGO, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WELL, IF YOU CUT EVERY BUDGET AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO OPERATE THEN AND THEY NEED MONEY TO OPERATE, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET THE MONEY, THEN THE COUNCIL, THEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS TO INCREASE THE BUDGET. AND IF HE HAS TO INCREASE THE BUDGET, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM THEN? DO THEY HAVE TO RAISE TAXES? ALL YOU'RE SAYING IS WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE MONEY BETWEEN THIS, THIS ENTITY, THAT ENTITY, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE BODY, THE BUDGET. BUT HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU MOVE? AND IS IT ENOUGH FOR THOSE OTHER ENTITIES TO OPERATE? AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, WHAT IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAVE TO DO? DOES HE HAVE TO AMEND THE BUDGET? AND IF HE AMENDS THE BUDGET AND HE HAS TO INCREASE THE BUDGET TO DO, DO THEY CHANGE AND CHARGE MORE PEOPLE TAXES? I MEAN, THAT'S YOU SAID THAT THEY CAN MOVE THE MONEY WHEREVER THEY WANT. WE CAN INCREASE THE BUDGET, WHICH IS CORRECT. BUT YOU DIDN'T SAY HOW MUCH MONEY THEY CAN MOVE. AND IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY IN ONE AREA OR ANOTHER AREA, AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAYS, HEY, I NEED 10 MILLION FOR THE AMBULANCE. AND NOW I'VE ONLY GOT 5 MILLION. SO WHERE AM I GOING TO GET THE OTHER 5 MILLION? ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THE OTHER 5 MILLION? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET IT FROM? YOU KNOW, BUT YOUR CONVERSATION WAS THAT ANSWER, THAT QUESTION. THIS THIS BILL WOULD RESULT IN THE COUNCIL CUTTING VITAL AREAS OF THE BUDGET. ARE YOU AGREEING THAT ARE YOU ARE YOU AGREEING ARE YOU AGREEING THAT IF YOU MOVE MONEY FROM THE AMBULANCE OR LAW DEPARTMENT, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR THAT ENTITY TO OPERATE? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET THE MONEY? DOES THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE THEN HAVE TO AMEND HIS BUDGET AND INCREASE HIS BUDGET? AND THEN DO THEY GO BACK AND HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES BECAUSE NOW THEY'VE INCREASED THE BUDGET? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. YOU HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BALANCING THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET. LET'S MOVE FORWARD. FINE. THANK YOU. MY, MY SECOND QUESTION IS YOU RAISED ABOUT THE ETHICS. WHAT ETHICAL DILEMMA WOULD THIS BILL POSE IN 2028 WHEN I'M NO LONGER ON THE COUNCIL? YOU WERE TOLD THAT YOU HAD TO. FIRST OF ALL, YOU DIDN'T SIGN IT AND YOU WERE TOLD THAT YOU HAD TO BRING THAT TO THE ETHICS BOARD. IF ANYTHING, NOT ONLY THIS BILL, BUT THE NEXT BILL THAT YOU HAVE WHERE IT ALLOWS FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE PEOPLE AND TEACHERS TO BE ON THE COUNCIL WHILE YOU'RE ON THE COUNCIL, YOU'RE TOLD THAT YOU HAD TO BRING THAT YOU HAD TO BRING THAT TO THEM TO GET APPROVAL, AND YOU DECIDED NOT TO SIGN THIS, NOR DID YOU APPLY WITH THE ETHICS BOARD. THAT'S NOT ME SAYING IT. THAT'S ALL THE STUFF ON THE ETHICS. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE GREAT DIALOG WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT IN THE ETHICS BOARD. THAT WAS PROBABLY PRIVILEGED INFORMATION, BUT THE ETHICS BOARD, I GOT A COPY OF IT. JUST JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE, OKAY, WE'LL SAVE THIS ONE FOR THE, FOR A LITTLE LATER ON THAT I HAVE FOR YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL. YEAH. LET ME MOVE ON. YEAH. YES. WE CAN MOVE ON. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. YES. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE FROM THIS BILL THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE BILL IS FOR WHEN THE BUDGET'S COMING OVER HERE AND WE'RE SEEING THE BIG PACKAGE PICTURE, AND WE SPEAK TO ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, ETC. AND SOME MIGHT HAVE MORE NEEDS THAN OTHERS. AND THERE ARE LINE ITEMS. AND FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD TWO BUDGET, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE LINE ITEMS TO INCREASE AND DECREASE. I'VE HAD TO DO AMENDMENTS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FISCAL YEAR. WHEN I SEE THAT ONE LINE ITEM IS GETTING LOW AND ONE IS NOT MOVING ANYWHERE AT ALL, AND SO I DON'T SEE THIS BEING ANYTHING ON THE TAXPAYERS AT ALL, BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING A BIG PACKAGE OF A BUDGET, WHETHER IT'S 1 BILLION, 2 BILLION, OR WHATEVER, WITH CERTAIN LINE ITEMS DESIGNATED TO THE ARC, TO THE HARFORD CENTER, TO WHOMEVER IT IS. AND SOME MAY SAY, WELL, WE'RE SHORT 20,000 BECAUSE WE NEED A NEW ELEVATOR. BUT WE SEE AS THE COUNCIL, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ONE LINE ITEM HAS BEEN

[01:10:06]

WHAT I THINK IS YOU HAVE TO USE GOOD JUDGMENT, DISCRETION, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CATERING TO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS AND EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I READ OUT OF THIS, IS THE INCREASE AND DECREASE. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS THEIR OWN AGENDA, BUT THAT'S HOW I READ IT. AND I THINK DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S WRITTEN, IF IT GOES TO VOTE WITH THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE YAY OR NAY, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY READ IT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. JUST LIKE COUNCILMAN PENMAN SAID, 20,000 FOR OUR 15,000 FOR THIS NONPROFIT. FOLKS, YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, THERE IS NO MONEY LIMIT ON THIS. IF I WANT TO TAKE $500,000 FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT, FROM THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, FROM ANY DEPARTMENT, IF THIS PASSES, THIS COUNCIL CAN DO THAT. SO YOUR POTHOLES, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU NEED ON DAILY SERVICES MIGHT NOT GET DONE. AND IF THEY DO GET DONE AS COUNCIL COUNCIL, TONY SAID THEY MIGHT HAVE TO RAISE TAXES. THIS IS THIS IS PROBABLY THE WORST BILL THAT HAS COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL IN FOUR YEARS. YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THIS. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR TAXES THE SAME OR LOWER. I'M AFRAID TO ASK ANYBODY ELSE. MISS DIXON, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? WE DO, MR. PRESIDENT. WE HAVE TWO THIS EVENING, BRIANNA COLEMAN, FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY WILSON.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ZIP. HELLO. GOOD EVENING, BRIANNA COLEMAN 21047. I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY WE NEED TO DECIDE IN 2026 WHAT WHAT VOTERS COULD BE ASKED ON THE BALLOT IN 2028. THE ELECTION IS LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY, AND A NEW COUNCIL WILL BE SEATED IN DECEMBER. WHY CAN'T THIS ISSUE BE FULLY EXPLAINED, DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED BY THAT INCOMING COUNCIL? THE RESIDENTS I'VE SPOKEN WITH HAVE BEEN LEFT WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ALL MAY BE TOO. AND UNFORTUNATELY, COUNCILMAN PENMAN HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE TO ANSWER MANY OF THESE QUESTIONS. IT'S FRUSTRATING TO SEE A PRESS RELEASE FROM MY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ASK, AND I ASKED A REASONABLE QUESTION ABOUT IT AND I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. IT'S ALSO FRUSTRATING THAT HE HAS NOT ATTENDED THE RECENT COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS IN HIS OWN DISTRICT, WHERE RESIDENTS COULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, PARTICULARLY WHEN HE HAS INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT COULD RESULT IN BALLOT QUESTIONS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. THEY DESERVE TIME, TRANSPARENCY, PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND ANSWERS. I AM OPPOSED TO THIS BILL BECAUSE THIS PROCESS FEELS UNNECESSARILY RUSHED. THERE IS NO REASON I CAN SEE WHY A QUESTION INTENDED FOR THE 2028 BALLOT NEEDS TO BE PUSHED THROUGH BY THE CURRENT COUNCIL IN 2026, AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MEMBERS OF THE INCOMING COUNCIL ARE READY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, ENGAGE WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS, ANSWER QUESTIONS AND GIVE AN ANSWER LIKE THIS THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION IT DESERVES. IF THIS IS A GOOD IDEA FOR HARFORD COUNTY, IT WILL STILL BE A GOOD IDEA AFTER THE NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED IN DECEMBER. GIVE THEM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, GIVE THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AND DEBATE IT.

LASTLY, AS YOU JUST HEARD ME SAY, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE OPO WORKGROUP. I WAS A MEMBER OF THE IMPACT FEE WORKGROUP. I WAS A MEMBER OF THE APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT WORKGROUP, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THAT. WHY WOULDN'T THE COUNCIL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS FOR A CHARTER AMENDMENT? FOR THOSE REASONS, I AM ASKING EACH OF YOU TO VOTE NO TO THIS BILL. AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. MAY I HAVE YOUR NAME AND ZIP CODE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M JEFFREY DIRK WILSON 21154.

AND I OPPOSE THIS BILL. COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. IN JANUARY 1990, THE COUNTY

[01:15:02]

I SERVED WITH TWO DIFFERENT COUNTY EXECUTIVES, BOTH DEMOCRATS. I'M A REPUBLICAN AND PRESIDED OVER TWO DIFFERENT COUNCILS, THE FIRST 5 TO 2 DEMOCRATS AND THE SECOND 5 TO 2 REPUBLICANS, FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE YEARS OF BUDGET DELIBERATIONS EACH YEAR. THERE WAS A BATTLE BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND DEBATES AMONGST COUNCIL MEMBERS. OF COURSE, THERE WERE FRUSTRATIONS, BUT NEVER DID I THINK THE COUNCIL NEEDED MORE TOOLS FOR BUDGET DELIBERATION THAN THOSE ALREADY PROVIDED FOR IN THE CHARTER.

BOTH EXECUTIVES SERVED AS GUARDIANS FOR THE GOOD MAINTENANCE OF HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, SMOOTH FUNCTIONING. BOTH EXECUTIVES AND BOTH COUNCILS WORK TO PROVIDE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE COUNTY'S YOUTH. WITH VARYING EMPHASES. WE TWO WRANGLED OVER OTHER PARTS OF THE BUDGET, BUT THE CHECKS AND BALANCES ESTABLISHED BY THOSE WHO DRAFTED THE CHARTER WORKED WELL, AND IN MY JUDGMENT, THEY WORK WELL. TODAY. NOT ONLY IS THE COUNCIL A CHECK ON THE EXECUTIVE'S POWER, BUT THE EXECUTIVE IS A CHECK ON THE COUNCIL'S POWER AND AGAINST THE TEMPTATION TO TURN THE BUDGET PROCESS INTO POLITICAL HORSE TRADING. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL TO UNSETTLE THOSE LONG ESTABLISHED CHECKS AND BALANCES ENDANGERS THE COUNTY'S FISCAL, HEALTH AND MAINTENANCE OF SOLID GOVERNMENT PRACTICES. AND WHILE THIS COUNTY COUNCIL HAS THE LEGAL RIGHT TO CONSIDER THIS BILL, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE MORAL AUTHORITY TO PASS IT INTO LAW. ON JUNE 23RD, FIVE MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT COUNCIL WERE ON THE BALLOT FOR VARIOUS OFFICES. FOUR OF THEM WERE REJECTED BY THE VOTERS. THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY HAVE REPUDIATED AND REBUKED THIS COUNCIL. IT HAS LOST ITS MORAL LEGITIMACY, AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER SUCH MOMENTOUS LEGISLATION EVIDENCES POLITICAL ARROGANCE AND A CONTEMPT FOR THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY. CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES SHOULD NOT BE UNDERTAKEN LIGHTLY, BUT RATHER ONLY IN THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY AND IN RELATION TO SOME OBVIOUS CRISIS, TO ALTER A FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL, AS THIS BILL PROPOSES TO DO, IS TO TEMPT THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. YOU PERSONALLY AND YOUR ADVOCACY GROUP MAY NOT LIKE THE OUTCOMES IN THE BUDGETS OF THE PAST FOUR YEARS, BUT THAT IS ONLY A VERY BAD REASON TO TRY TO RIG THE SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I'VE KEPT MY COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. I HAVE ALSO GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TWO PAGES OF TALKING POINTS. I HOPE THAT THEY MIGHT BE SET BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU DELIBERATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. NO ONE ELSE. THERE'S NO ONE ELSE, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 26014. I'M SURE WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME. HEALTHY CONVERSATION OVER THIS AND WILL BE TAKEN UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING, I BELIEVE.

THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE'LL TAKE A SHORT RECESS

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

I'D ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN US IN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCIL MEMBER PENMAN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING, WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE IN THE WORK BEFORE US. GIVE US CLEAR MINDS, OPEN HEARTS, AND SOUND JUDGMENT AS WE CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTY. HELP US FIND COMMON GROUND, TREAT ONE ANOTHER WITH RESPECT, AND REMAIN MINDFUL OF THOSE WE SERVE. MAY OUR DECISIONS REFLECT FAIRNESS, CARE, AND SINCERE DESIRE TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY. AMEN. AMEN. AGENDA NUMBER FOUR

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

[01:20:01]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MR. BENNETT. MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE NOMINATION OF KRISTIN KLEIN AS CHAIR OF THE HARFORD CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. CHANDRA. DANA. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. BRENNAN? MR. BRENNAN, MR. PRESIDENT, NOT TALKING TO MYSELF. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE IT, I GET IT, I GET IT. I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE SECOND MOTION. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MISS DIXON. WHO DID THE SECOND? I'M SORRY, MR. GINGER.

MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MR. PENMAN I. MR. MR. RILEY I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE ABSENT. THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED. MR. BENNETT.

MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF PATRICK SPICER AND SUE RATMAN TO THE HARFORD CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THANK YOU. HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO THE REAPPOINTMENTS. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARFORD CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE HARFORD CENTER AS A WHOLE. I HAD NO CONNECTION TO THE HARFORD CENTER BEFORE BECOMING A COUNCILMAN FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT BEING ON THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAS BEEN A REAL HIGHLIGHT OF MY TIME ON THE COUNCIL. THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP EVERYONE ACCESS A MEANINGFUL LIFE EACH AND EVERY DAY, WITH DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE, TO HELP PEOPLE EACH MORNING COME OUT AND EACH EVENING GET HOME IS SOMETHING THAT'S TRULY INCREDIBLE. THE WAY THEY'RE CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE WAY THEY DO OUTREACH, THE WAY THEY SUPPORT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO DON'T EVEN USE THEIR SERVICES, IS REALLY SOMETHING INCREDIBLE TO WITNESS. SHERRY NOLTE, WHO'S OPERATES THE HARFORD CENTER EACH AND EVERY DAY, IS ONE OF THE KINDEST, MOST GIVING PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE. I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM AND SUPPORT THEM THESE FOUR YEARS, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THESE EXCELLENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED WITH ME ON THE HARFORD CENTER BOARD FOR ALL THEY DO, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SUPPORT THE FACILITY. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. ANYONE ELSE, MISS DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. ROBERT, MR. PENMAN, MR. GIORDANO, MR. RILEY, MR. BENNETT, I MEAN SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE ABSENT.

THE REAPPOINTMENTS ARE ALSO HEREBY APPROVED. SIX SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE NONE.

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[8. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS]

RESOLUTION 032-26, A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND, URGING THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD TO MANDATE THAT THE VERTICAL CLEARANCE OF THE PROPOSED AMTRAK BRIDGE OVER THE GUNPOWDER RIVER, DETAILED IN PRELIMINARY PUBLIC NOTICE.

D05PN-03-2026. BE A MINIMUM OF 25FT, OR BE A DESIGN THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE HIGHEST REASONABLE CLEARANCE ABOVE THE MEAN HIGH WATER AND MANDATE THAT THE VERTICAL CLEARANCE IN THE CLOSED POSITION FOR THE BUSH RIVER BRIDGE, AS REFERENCED IN PRELIMINARY PUBLIC NOTICE.

D05PN-02-2026. BE A MINIMUM OF 30FT ABOVE MEAN HIGH WATER, WITH CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO DESIGNING THE BUSH RIVER BRIDGE WITH THE CAPACITY TO OPEN. THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU. SO FIRST TO BEGIN BEFORE MISS KESNER BEGINS. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS SINCE LAST YEAR, IN 2025, WHEN WE KNEW THAT THE AMTRAK WAS COMING IN TO REDESIGN THE BRIDGES. IT'S BEEN APPROXIMATELY 100 YEARS SINCE THESE BRIDGES WERE LAST ADDRESSED. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS RIGHT. WHEN THE COAST GUARD SURVEYORS SURVEYED OUR COMMUNITY IN JUNE OF 2025, I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS THAT THE PROPOSED CLEARANCES WERE NOT ADEQUATE. MANY RESIDENTS ALONG THE BUSH AND GUNPOWDER RIVERS, AS WELL AS RECREATIONAL BOATERS AND FISHERMEN, ALSO RESPONDED TO THE COAST GUARD INQUIRY. THE

[01:25:01]

TONIGHT, I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL AT ITS VOICE TO THEIRS, WHILE WE STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SARAH KESTNER, WHO IS HERE IN FRONT OF US, IS WITH THE GUNPOWDER BUSH WATERWAYS ADVOCACY GROUP, AND SHE HAS LED THE CHARGE AND HAS PRESENTED ALREADY TO OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS AND OTHERS. AND I'VE ASKED HER TO COME HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO SHOW YOU VISUALLY WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN ROBERT, FOR INVITING ME. I'M VERY EXCITED TO SPEAK WITH ALL OF YOU. EVEN THOUGH I AM FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY. THIS IS A MULTIPLE COUNTY ISSUE OR TOPIC.

WE CREATED THIS GROUP. WE'RE A COMBINATION OF CONCERNED CITIZENS. TODAY, I'LL GO OVER SOME TOP LEVEL ISSUES. I CAN SPEAK ONE AN HOUR, BUT I'LL JUST KEEP IT TO, WHAT, FIVE MINUTES? WE'LL GO OVER THE CURRENT AMTRAK BRIDGE PROPOSALS, THE CURRENT CLIMATE AND THE LANDSCAPE OF BOTH THE GUNPOWDER AND BUSH RIVER AND THE EXISTING RESOLUTION THAT HARFORD COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS. OKAY, HERE'S A VISUAL OF THE GUNPOWDER RIVER WITH THE BRIDGE GOING ACROSS IT, THE SMALL MAGENTA BUBBLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN. THAT'S THE GUNPOWDER SUBSTATION. AND THEN TO THE RIGHT OF THAT IS OLIVER BEACH AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. ACROSS THE TRACKS TO THE LEFT IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS WEST TWIN RIVER. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT MY HOUSE IS THE OTHER SUBSTATION BECAUSE I LIKE TO MAKE CHEESESTEAKS, BUT THAT WAS JUST A JOKE. WHY THIS IS SO CONCERNING IS BECAUSE I'M ASKING HARFORD COUNTY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY MUTUAL INVOLVEMENT. THE PINK HIGHLIGHTED CIRCLES UP HERE. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON ISSUES THAT IMPACT BOTH OF OUR COUNTIES CURRENTLY. SO WE HAVE DAYS, COVE RUBBLE, LANDFILL, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION SITE AT RIDGELY'S RESERVE, WHICH WE KNOW IMPACTS BOTH COUNTIES DUE TO THE RIVER PROXIMITY. I I'M THE CHAIR OF OUR GROUP. I'M ALSO A NEW BOARD MEMBER FOR GUNPOWDER RIVERKEEPER, WHICH IS ALSO EXPANDING THE MONITORING HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE BUSH. AND I'M ALSO JUST A GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD HELPER. YOUR COUNTY INCLUDES THE TWO BRIDGES, BOTH GUNPOWDER AND BUSH RIVER. AS HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE. OKAY, HERE I'VE JUST INCLUDED QR CODES IN CASE ANYONE'S CURIOUS IN THE FUTURE. THESE ARE. THE AMTRAK PROVIDED FACT SHEETS FOR BOTH RELATED BRIDGES. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO POINT OUT A DIFFERENCE THAT I'VE NOTICED FROM PREPARING TODAY'S PRESENTATION. WITH THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD IN AUGUST, AMTRAK DID UPDATE THEIR QUICK SHEETS. A MINOR UPDATE WAS JUST

[01:30:03]

SMALL ROADBLOCKS THAT WE'VE RAN INTO IS OBTAINING A NAVIGATION IMPACT REPORT. SO I'VE SUBMITTED A FOIA REQUEST FOR THIS DOCUMENT, AS THIS DICTATES THE CLEARANCE THAT THEY PROPOSE.

SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY CONCERNS. WE HAVE BRIDGE CLEARANCE. WE HAVE THE TIMELINE OF THOSE PROJECTS. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY ARE OVER 100 YEARS OLD, AND WE DON'T WANT TO ADD TO THE DELAY, BUT WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THE TIMELINESS OF THESE PROJECTS. INSIDE THE GUNPOWDER, THERE IS A LITTLE UNSETTLED FEAR FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE CRAFTS ACCESSING UNDER THE BRIDGE. THERE'S BEEN FEEDBACK WITH EXISTING PILING DESIGNS ALREADY POSING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. THERE'S LIMITS ON DREDGE CAPABILITIES AND WATERFRONT MAINTENANCE, LACK OF UPSTREAM BUSINESS. AS I'VE SUMMARIZED EARLIER, WE ALSO WANT TO ASSURE WILDLIFE PROTECTION FOR ATLANTIC STURGEON. WE HAVE MULTIPLE ACTIVE NESTS ALONG THE LINES AND THE TREE LINES FOR THE TRACKS. THE. THE COMMUNITY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE STRUCTURES POTENTIALLY PRESERVED IF POSSIBLE, AS COMMUNITY FISHING PIERS. AND THEN WE HAVE HISTORICAL MARKERS ON THE LINE THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE IN THE WAY FOR THE NEW BUILD, SUCH AS THE JOHN SMITH HISTORICAL MARKER. AND THAT'S WHEN THE PERRYMAN SIDE OF THE BUSH RIVER. POSITIVE EFFORTS. I JUST WANT TO CHAMPION AGAIN HARFORD COUNTY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY. TOGETHER THEY'VE BEEN TACKLING SOME RIVER AND WATERSHED THREATS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY LET'S KEEP IT GOING. LET'S KEEP WORKING AS PARTNERS HERE. PEOPLE ARE BECOMING MORE ENGAGED. THERE'S AN OUTPOURING OF INTEREST FOR RIVER RESTORATION, AND THERE'S A CALL FOR EXPANDING WATER QUALITY MONITORING FOR BOTH GUNPOWDER AND BUSH RIVERS. GENERALIZED CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL WITNESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL

[01:35:01]

I'M NOT TOO SURE HOW MUCH FEEDBACK YOU GUYS ARE GETTING. FOR THOSE WHO WOULD BE TYPICALLY PASSING, REQUIRING A 30FT OR HIGHER, BUT ANYONE BEYOND THE 30FT WILL NO LONGER HAVE THAT ABILITY TO PASS THROUGH THIS WATERWAY, AND THAT MIGHT IMPACT YOUR MARINAS UP THERE. AND HERE'S JUST A VISUAL OF WHAT CLEARANCE MEANS. BOTTOM OF THE MEAN HIGH TIDE AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BRIDGE. WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL WITH THE VERBIAGE IN OUR RESOLUTION.

IT'S OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT REFREEZING WHEREVER HEIGHT IS REFERRING TO AS AN HINDRANCE.

WE WANT TO USE CLEARANCE. CLEARANCE IS THE MEANS VERTICAL DISTANCE FROM MEAN HIGH WATER.

AND THIS IS THE NAUTICAL DEFINITION FOR. OKAY. AS YOU'VE STATED EARLIER, WE'RE URGING COUNCIL TO REVIEW FOR REVISED RESOLUTION FOR 25FT CLEARANCE OR A DESIGN WHICH WOULD SUPPORT A HIGHER THE HIGHEST REASONABLE CLEARANCE. AND THEN FOR BOTH BRIDGES, WE ALSO WANT TO URGE TO PROMOTE A BRIDGE DESIGN WHICH SUPPORTS THE HIGHEST REASONABLE CLEARANCE, WITH PROMISE OF NO DETRIMENTS TO THE ADJACENT TRACK RESIDENTS. AGAIN, I'VE JUST INCLUDED A REMINDER OF OUR GOALS HERE PEOPLE, NATURE AND OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MISS KESTNER COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO DUE TO THE TIMING OF THIS RESOLUTION AND IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING, WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THIS THIS EVENING. SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION. COUNCIL PRESIDENT MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RESOLUTION NUMBER 032-26. WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. GIORDANO. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MR. PENMAN I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MR. BENNETT I FOR BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSENT

[10. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS]

[14. NEW BUSINESS]

[01:40:05]

OKAY. THANKS, CATHY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO. SPEAK TONIGHT. SO WE HAD FIRST REQUESTED FOR THE ROOFTOP REPLACEMENTS AT NORTH HARFORD HIGH A YEAR EARLIER. WE GOT STATE PLANNING APPROVAL, BUT NOT CONSTRUCTION. BUT WE GOT HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT APPROVAL FOR THOSE UNITS. BUT WE DID NOT GET THE STATE CONSTRUCTION MONEY FOR THOSE UNITS. WE CONTINUED TO ASK AND DIDN'T GET. WE APPLIED FOR AN MTA GRANT FOR $2.3 MILLION THROUGH MTA AND RECEIVED THAT GRANT LITERALLY A DAY BEFORE WE RECEIVED BIDS. AND WE BUNDLED THE ROOF AND THE UNITS AS ONE PRODUCT BECAUSE THE SOUTH HARFORD HIGH, THERE'S 18 ROOFTOP UNITS, THE ROOFTOP UNITS WAS BID AS AN ALTERNATE TO KEEP IT CLEAN. YOU KNOW, WITH THE AWARD. SO THE ROOFTOP IS ONE CONTRACT WITH WITH THE UNITS. BUT THE UNITS ARE CLEARLY THIS IS THE COST FOR THE UNITS. THIS IS THE COST FOR THE ROOF. THE ROOF CAME IN UNDER BUDGET AND THE ROOFTOP UNITS CAME IN OVER BUDGET. SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS TO SHIFT THE MILLION FROM ONE LINE ITEM TO THE OTHER TO COVER THE TOTAL COST OF THE OVERALL PROJECT.

AND OUR ANSWER. ANY QUESTIONS THAT. EARLY. IS THAT CORRECT. SO COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS, MR. GIORDANO WHAT'S THE INCREASE? IS THAT THE IS THERE A TARIFFS ON THAT EQUIPMENT OR IS IT JUST THE COST OF THE EQUIPMENT HAS GONE UP SINCE THE. BE HONEST WITH YOU. JUST CURIOUS. YEAH, I DON'T IT COULD BE THAT WE WERE OFF ON THE BUDGET WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE BUDGET. AND BY THE TIME WE BID IT AS AN ALTERNATE, I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY THE ROOFING WAS SO MUCH LOWER.

YOU CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT MULTIPLE BIDS AND WE GOT REALLY GOOD PRICING. AND AT THE END, WHAT KIND OF ROOF? SO WE MOVED BACK WHEN AFTER COVID THERE WAS A LOT OF ROOF PROJECTS. SO WE HAVE GONE TO A 90 MIL EPDM SYSTEM WITH A 30 YEAR, NO DOLLAR LIMIT ON OUR ROOFS, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN LINE WITH WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE COMPARED TO DOING FOUR PLY, BUILT UP ROOFS. WE ALSO THINK WE GET BETTER INSTALLS WITH THE NEWER ROOF SYSTEMS, AND IT'S BEEN GOING WELL. SO THAT'S THE ROOF. THE PROJECT RIGHT NOW IS 35% COMPLETE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO IT WHILE STUDENTS ARE IN THE BUILDING. IT'S AN OCCUPIED NORTH HARFORD HIGH. SO THIS SUMMER 35% WAS COMPLETED. THE BALANCE WILL BE COMPLETED IN BETWEEN CHRISTMAS, THE EASTER BREAK OR SPRING BREAK AND NEXT SUMMER. I HOPE YOU HAVE GOOD WEATHER TO GET IT DONE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. BENNETT? AND YOU KNOW, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS TRANSFER IS NOT A REFLECTION OF ANY CHANGE IN THE SCOPE OR INTENTION OF THE BUDGET LINE ITEMS, JUST THE ACTUAL AMOUNT COST. CORRECT. MR. BENNETT, THANK YOU. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE BEFORE. SO. NO OTHER QUESTIONS. SO COUNCIL, I THINK DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS REQUEST, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ACT ON THIS THIS EVENING AS WELL. SO I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BALANCE TO TRANSFER. THANK YOU.

MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE TRANSFER. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MISS DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT, I MRS. ROBERT I MR. PENMAN I MR. GIORDANO I MR. RILEY I MR. BENNETT I THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSENT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BALANCE, THE TRANSFER IS HEREBY APPROVED.

[15. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS]

YEAH. I SHOULD HAVE JUST STOOD HERE LIKE CHRIS. NAME AND ZIP, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. ONE LAST TIME. BRIANNA COLEMAN 21047. I WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE ANOTHER MEETING BEFORE THE NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED. DON'T LOOK SO DISAPPOINTED. SO FORGIVE ME FOR TAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY

[01:45:05]

THEY TALK ABOUT GOVERNMENT MANDATES. HOT BUTTON ISSUE. BUT I WANTED TO ASK SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER. I FIND IT INTERESTING. PEOPLE WHO TRY TO ARGUE FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S POTENTIAL AUTHORITY WHEN IT COMES TO BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IS THE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT KIND OF HAPPEN DOWN IN WASHINGTON. EVEN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THERE, WHEN THEY PROPOSE THE GOVERNMENT, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH IS THE POWER OF THE PURSE. WE DON'T JUST CONCENTRATE THAT POWER AUTHORITY TO THE EXECUTIVE. YET HERE IN THE COUNTY, WE'RE TOLD THAT ALLOWING THE COUNCIL THE GREATER AUTHORITY OVER POTENTIAL TAXPAYER MONIES AFFECT SOMEHOW IS DANGEROUS.

WHILE IN THE BUDGETS FOR 2022, 2023, 2024 AND 2025 ADDED UP LEAD TO ABOUT $96 MILLION OF UNUSED FUNDS, MONEY THAT COULD HAVE GONE TO HELPING ANY OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT COULD BE UNDERSTAFFED. AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID, NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO SPEND EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR.

I'M SAYING THAT WE DON'T NEED TO EVEN RUN DEFICITS. KEEPING A BALANCED BUDGET IS KIND OF THE JOB OF LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. I TRUST THE COUNCIL, BE IT THE CURRENT AND FUTURE, TO BE ABLE TO DO SUCH TASKS. THE COUNCIL IS PART OF THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE FOR THIS BUDGET. THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME EQUAL SHARE OF THAT POWER AS TRUE CHECKS AND BALANCES. BUT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT MAINLY TODAY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT GOVERNMENT MANDATES FROM THE STATE OR SOLAR AND ALL THE ENERGY CRISIS, I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAKE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO FARMLAND, AG LAND AND HOW THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR RIGHTS ARE BEING INFRINGED. BUT HERE'S THE THING. THERE IS A TRUE PROBLEM HERE. AND WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER OR NOT A FIVE MEGAWATT FARM WOULD BE EFFICIENT OR NOT, WHAT'S YOUR ALTERNATIVE? WHAT I HEAR A LOT IS PEOPLE SAYING, I DON'T WANT THIS, NOT THAT. BUT WHERE IS A TRUE SOLUTION? ALL I HEAR IS NEHEMIAH NOT IN MY BACKYARD. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE GOVERNMENT MANDATES OF TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY USING 5% OF AG LAND, I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK HISTORY LESSON OF THINGS THAT REQUIRED GOVERNMENT MANDATE. CIVIL RIGHTS. IT WAS THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY THAT EVEN THROUGH INDIVIDUALS AT THE STATE LEVEL, LOCAL LEVEL, IT TOOK GOVERNMENT MANDATES TO ENSURE THIS WORKERS RIGHTS. THERE WERE UNIONS, THERE WERE RALLIES, THERE WAS ORGANIZATIONS, THERE WAS GRASSROOTS EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. BUT WHAT TOOK GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION TO MAKE IT A LAW WHEN IT COMES TO SAME LABOR LAWS? AGAIN, PEOPLE CAN RALLY, PEOPLE CAN ORGANIZE. THERE COULD BE ALL THE GRASSROOTS WE WANT. BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO STEP IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS WERE PRACTICED HOLISTICALLY, NOT ONLY ACROSS THE STATE, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND THAT'S MY POINT I'M MAKING WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY. I'M NOT SAYING EVERY SINGLE SOLAR PROBLEM BELONGS ON FARMLAND. NO ONE MAKE THAT CLAIM. I'M NOT SAYING EVERY GOVERNMENT MANDATE IS ACTUALLY GOOD. WHAT I AM SAYING, THOUGH, IS THE STATE HAS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF AUTHORITY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT BENEFITS BENEFITS. THAT GOES TO HELP EVERYONE IN THE STATE. THE COUNTY LEVEL DOES HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE COUNTY, BUT THE STATE HAS FOCUSED ON THE STATE, THE NATURE OF GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE MAKE POLITICAL ARGUMENTS INSTEAD OF ACTUAL PROBLEM SOLVING. SURE, MARYLAND'S A BLUE STATE.

THEREFORE, YOU COULD TRY TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT IT'S JUST POLITICAL OPPRESSION. BUT THAT'S JUST A TALKING POINT. DOESN'T GENERATE ONE MEGAWATT OF ELECTRICITY, DOESN'T LOWER ANY ENERGY COSTS, DOESN'T CHANGE OUR BILLS. CAN WE PLEASE BRAINSTORM SOLUTIONS? NOT TALKING POINTS. THANK YOU SIR. THERE IS NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISS

[16. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS]

[01:50:06]

GO TO GO TO SHOPRITE. THEY MAKE IT FRESH EVERY DAY. HERITAGE ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH THIS YEAR AS WELL. AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE SOLUTION. THE SOLUTION IS BUILD POWER GENERATION PLANTS THAT ARE NATURAL GAS. YOU GOT RID OF ALL THE COAL FIRED PLANTS AND YOU DIDN'T REPLACE THEM WITH NATURAL GAS, WHICH IS CLEAN ENERGY LIKE THEY DID UP IN CECIL COUNTY. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL THAT POWER THAT THEY DID IN CECIL COUNTY GOES DOWN TO VIRGINIA, EXCEPT ONE GOES INTO TO DELAWARE. SO YOU USE NATURAL GAS AND YOU USE STEAM TURBINES, AND THAT'LL GENERATE 1,000,000MW OF POWER. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS STATE DOES WANTS TO TRY EVERYTHING WITH CLEAN ENERGY. AND WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO IMPORT ALMOST ALL OF OUR POWER FROM PENNSYLVANIA. NOW THEY ARE GOING TO INCREASE CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR FACILITY DOWN THERE. THAT'S ONE WAY. BUT CERTAINLY YOU KNOCKED A COUPLE YOU KNOCKED A POWER PLANT DOWN IN BALTIMORE COUNTY. YOU COULD HAVE REBUILT THAT AND PUT POWER GENERATION AND THEN DON'T REQUIRE LIKE THE GOVERNOR MOORE DID, THAT EVERY HOME IN A COUPLE OF YEARS CAN HAVE A GAS FURNACE, HAS TO HAVE A HEAT PUMP, CAN HAVE A GAS FIRED STOVE, AND YOU CAN HAVE A GAS WATER HEATER. SO EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE ELECTRIC. AND IF IT'S ALL GOING TO BE ELECTRIC, THAT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, COST A LOT OF MONEY. WE KNOW WHERE THE COST FOR ELECTRICITY IS GOING UP. SO YOU KNOW WHAT? BUILD GAS FIRED POWER PLANTS, NATURAL GAS. IT'S CLEAN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY. WELL, YES, JUST ONE THING. I WANT TO ACTUALLY TWO THINGS I WANT TO MENTION. FOUR H IS CELEBRATING ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO GO IN THERE LAST NIGHT. MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T.

DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE 22 CLUBS HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY WITH 400 YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND OVER 160 ADULT VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN OUR FOUR H TWO ORGANIZATIONS. I TOLD THEM LAST NIGHT THAT I AM REALLY PROUD OF BEING A PART OF HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND ONE OF THEM IS THE BOY AND GIRL SCOUTS, AND THEN ALSO IS THE FOUR H CLUB. AND THEN I WILL ECHO WHAT TONY SAID. A TRUE SOLUTION IS GOVERNOR MOORE CLOSED DOWN THE BRANDON SHORES. HE SHOULDN'T HAVE CLOSED IT DOWN. HE'S HIM AND HIS PARTY HAS DECIDED THAT GREEN ENERGY IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. SO THE SOLUTION IS DON'T CLOSE DOWN BRANDON SHORES. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. HELLO.

GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE THIS EVENING. FIRST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PAST WEEKEND I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY PRIDE FESTIVAL ON THE WATER IN HAVRE DE GRACE. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE EVENTS EACH YEAR. I REMEMBER BEFORE BEING ELECTED TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL, RECOGNIZING WHEN MY WIFE AND I ATTENDED THE EVENT TOGETHER, THAT WHILE THERE WAS MEMBERS OF THE DE GRACE CITY GOVERNMENT WHO WOULD COME AND RECOGNIZE THE EVENT, NO ONE FROM HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT WAS THERE, AND IT BECAME A GOAL OF MINE.

IF I WAS ELECTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY FROM HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAME AND WAS WITH THAT EVENT OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, I MET PEOPLE FROM AS FAR SOUTH AS WICOMICO COUNTY WHO DROVE ALL THE WAY UP TO BE AT THE EVENT. AND WHILE THIS IS THE LAST FESTIVAL THAT I'LL BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR, I HOPE THAT SOMEBODY ON THE NEXT COUNCIL IS WILLING TO BE WITH THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE AND CELEBRATE THE DAY WITH THEM. I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE NEXT WEEK THERE ARE SEVERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND SPECIFICALLY, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY, ONE OF THOSE IS RELATED TO MY SOLAR BILL TO REQUIRE ROOFTOP SOLAR ON INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS OVER A CERTAIN SIZE. AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE ABINGDON CAB MEETING IS COMING UP THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE ABINGDON FIRE COMPANY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT. MISS ROBERT.

YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE THINGS I. WE HAD ON SEPTEMBER 17TH AT THE EDGEWOOD EPPI CENTER, A COMMUNITY MEETING. THERE IS A BIG PLOT OF GREEN SPACE. AND WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO MAKE THAT A COMMUNITY SPOT WHERE WE HAD INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH IT. DO WE WANT TO HAVE STAGE? DO WE HAVE MUSIC, FOOD? IT WILL BE A GATHERING SPOT. THEY ALL WANTED TO LOOK JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, LIKE A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE AVENUE OF WHITE MARSH IN SOME SENSE, WHERE YOU CAN JUST LAY BACK ON A DECK CHAIR, READ A BOOK, AND HAVE YOUR KIDS RUN AROUND. SO THEY WANT TO KIND OF MAKE IT FENCED IN FOR THOSE PURPOSES, BUT THEN ADD MUSIC AND OTHER FEATURES TO THAT TOO. SO THE CONVERSATIONS ARE STILL GOING AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT I ATTENDED THE FOUNDER'S

[01:55:05]

YES THERE IS. AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THERE IS. THAT IS LISTED IN MY NEWSLETTER, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH. WE HAVE MUSIC AT THE POINT AT MARINER POINT PARK. FROM 12 TO 5. THERE WILL BE FOOD, MUSIC AND FUN AND THAT IS SPONSORED BY SEVEN, FIVE, FIVE ALLIANCE. AND THE NEXT DAY ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, WE HAVE EDGEWOOD AMERICAN LEGION MUSIC ON THE LEGION LAWN FROM 2 TO 6 P.M. AGAIN FOOD, MUSIC, GAMES AND MORE. SO A LOT GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERT. MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST ONE TOPIC TO DISCUSS. AND THAT'S TO USE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS. I KNOW WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION A FEW YEARS BACK ON THIS TOPIC. AND THEN THE STATE TASK FORCE TOOK THIS OVER. AND THEY HAVE PASSED LEGISLATION TO ALLOW ADUS ATTACHED AND DETACHED. MR. OVERBAY, I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER. HAS THERE BEEN ANY MOVEMENT ON THE COUNTY TO ADDRESS THAT ON THE CODE AND SEND THE CORRECTIVE LANGUAGE TO THE COUNCIL OR THE NEXT COUNCIL TO REFLECT THE NEW LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED IN ANNAPOLIS? CERTAINLY I CAN SHARE THAT. YES. PLANNING AND ZONING HAS BEEN STUDYING THIS ALONG WITH LEGAL DEPARTMENT, CURRENT CURRENT STANCE, I BELIEVE, IS THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT IS THAT THE LAW THAT STATED HAS SOME LANGUAGE THAT USES THE WORD OR INSTEAD OF. AND AS IT RELATES TO ATTACHED OR DETACHED. SO LOOKING INTO WHAT THAT LANGUAGE MEANS AND LOOK, SEEKING SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE STATE AS TO WHAT THAT LANGUAGE MEANS. IF READING IT AS THE WORD THANK YOU, READING IT AS THE WORD OR CURRENTLY WE DO ALLOW ATTACHED ADUS HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY.

AND THAT HAS BEEN THE STANCE OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. I HATE TO THROW YOU ON THE SPOT, MR. OVERBAY, I WOULD THINK OR IS ATTACHED OR DETACHED. YOU CAN HAVE EITHER ONE OF THEM IS THE.

IS IT JUST TO CONFIRM? IS IT THE COUNTY'S POSITION TO ALLOW DETACHED IN HARFORD COUNTY? THAT IS THE CLARIFICATION WE ARE SEEKING FROM THE STATE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ALLOWING ATTACHED. AND THEN AGAIN, THE LANGUAGE STATED, ATTACHED OR DETACHED COULD MEAN BOTH COULD MEAN ONE OR THE OTHER. WE CERTAINLY DO ALLOW ATTACHED ADUS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE

[02:00:03]

THERE'S SOME BACK AND FORTH HAPPENING NOW BETWEEN LEGAL PLANNING AND THE STATE. THE BEST I HAVE FOR TODAY. THANK YOU SIR, OF COURSE. THANK YOU. 17 BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT.

[17. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT]