[00:01:25]
SO AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE RISE.
FATHER IN YOUR WORD, YOU TOLD US THAT THOSE THAT RULE OVER MEN MUST BE JUST. AND NEITHER OF THESE MEN CONSIDER THEMSELVES RULING OVER OTHERS, BUT THEY ARE THE ONES TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS.
THEY ARE THE ONES TO DIRECT THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN OUR COUNTY IN A PROPER WAY.
[Call to Order: Invocation – Rev. Buddy Dunn, Faith Fellowship Church of Preston; Pledge of Allegiance; Agenda Review.]
AND WE PRAY FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING FOR EACH ONE OF THEM, AND THAT THEIR DECISIONS WILL BE BROUGHT FROM YOU, THAT THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THEIR HEARTS WILL BE ONLY FOR THAT WHICH [INAUDIBLE].AND FATHER, I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS ON US DAILY.
THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF THAT IS HERE, THE ONES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN THE WISDOM TO DO, THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE FOR SO MUCH MORE INVOLVED IN THIS THAN JUST THESE THREE MEN BEFORE US.
[INAUDIBLE] TO DO THEIR JOBS TO THE UTMOST OF QUALITY.
WE PRAISE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, AND IT'S FOR US AND FOR US.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ON TO OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[Public Comment]
OKAY, NONE BEING SEEN.[Proclamation-September as Suicide Prevention Month]
IS KATIE AND CARLY HERE? GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD? SET THE TABLE. SO, KATIE, YOU ARE THE VP OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS. AND KARLA, YOU'RE THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR ALL SEASONS.SO WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU MATTER SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH, SEPTEMBER 2024.
WHEREAS IN THE UNITED STATES, ONE PERSON DIES BY SUICIDE EVERY 11 MINUTES.
EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THESE DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE.
AND WHEREAS 49,476 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING 608 PEOPLE IN MARYLAND, DIED BY SUICIDE IN 2022, AS REPORTED BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL.
[00:05:07]
FOR AGES 15 THROUGH 34.AND WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE 2021 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY CONDUCTED BY LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS WITH THE CDC, IN THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE 2021 SURVEY, 21.2% OF CAROLINE COUNTY TEENS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. AND WHEREAS MORE MARYLANDERS DIE BY SUICIDE THAN BY HOMICIDE EVERY YEAR.
AND WHEREAS SUICIDE AFFECTS US ALL, WITH EACH DEATH BY SUICIDE AFFECTING AN AVERAGE OF 115 PEOPLE.
AND WHEREAS THE ECONOMIC TOLL OF SUICIDE ON SOCIETY IS IMMENSE, SUICIDES AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS COST THE NATION ALMOST $70 BILLION PER YEAR IN LIFETIME MEDICAL AND WORK LOSS COSTS ALONE.
AND WHEREAS MANY INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS, OR WHO DIE BY SUICIDE NEVER RECEIVE EFFECTIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR MANY REASONS, INCLUDING THE DIFFICULTY OF ACCESSING THE SERVICES OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TO REDUCE SUICIDE RISK AND THE STIGMA OF SEEKING TREATMENT.
WE URGE ALL CAROLINE COUNTY CITIZENS TO ONE SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACCESSIBLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ALL CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SUICIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, AND TWO TO RECOGNIZE SUICIDE AS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH RISK AND DECLARE SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT A PRIORITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE CAROLINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, DO HEREBY DECLARE THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AS NO MATTER WHAT YOU MATTER SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO ACTIVELY WORK TOWARD THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE AND TO REACH OUT TO ONE ANOTHER AND ASK, ARE YOU OKAY.
LARRY C, PORTER VICE PRESIDENT AND FRANKLIN BARTZ COMMISSIONER.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE OUTREACH THAT YOU'RE DOING AND AND HELPING CAROLINE COUNTY BE A SAFER AND MORE OPEN COMMUNITY SO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE KNOW, I KNOW, WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
AND WE HAVE AN OFFICE RIGHT HERE IN DENTON.
WE HAVE SEVEN OFFICES ACROSS THE MID SHORE, BUT ONE RIGHT HERE ON MARKET STREET.
AND WE HAVE OPEN ACCESS, WHICH MEANS THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK IN FOR SERVICES.
SO IF THEY'RE IN CRISIS OR IF THEY JUST NEED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT.
AND IF YOU NEED HELP, YOU CAN'T WAIT THREE MONTHS.
SO WE HOPE PEOPLE WILL REACH OUT.
THEY CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT FOR ALL SEASONS.ORG.
AND I THINK IN GENERAL, WE REALLY, AS YOU ALL STATED, WANT PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO ONE ANOTHER TO PAY ATTENTION, TO LISTEN WITHOUT JUDGMENT, AND TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SHARING THE RESOURCES THAT ARE HERE FOR THEM.
BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS A REALLY SERIOUS ISSUE, AND WE CAN ONLY STOP IT IF WE ALL PLAY A PART IN CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER, REACHING OUT FOR HELP OURSELVES IF WE NEED IT, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE RESOURCES ARE HERE FOR THEM.
CARLY, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? I JUST THINK JUST LISTENING TO THE STATISTICS, YOU CAN, YOU SEE THAT IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY, IT REALLY DOES IN THE END.
ABSOLUTELY. WELL, THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT A PICTURE?
[00:10:23]
MIC] AND IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE ONE OF THESE BROCHURES JUST OUTSIDE ABOUT THE SUICIDE PREVENTION WORK.[Welcome and Introduction of Carl Anderton,]
MR. ANDERSON.I FIND HIM RESPONSIBLE AS WELL.
ME TOO. I WENT WITH MILTON INSTEAD OF GREENSBORO SCRAPPLE.
THAT'S WHERE I MESSED UP. THERE YOU GO.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
I'M BOB SOBOROFF, DIRECTOR OF CAROLINE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM HERE WITH CARL ANDERSON, JR., DIRECTOR OF RURAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MR. ANDERSON FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.
I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BRING HIM BEFORE YOU HERE TODAY.
HE ASKED FOR THIS INTRODUCTION, SO HE GETS IT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY HIS SECOND VISIT HERE TO CAROLINE COUNTY IN HIS NEW ROLE, WHICH STARTED IN JULY.
HE IS ON A MISSION TO VISIT EVERY ONE OF HIS RURAL COUNTIES THAT HE COVERS.
SO THIS IS HIS SECOND VISIT HERE.
WE TOOK HIM ON A LITTLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOUR, INTRODUCED HIM TO MISS FREEMAN.
TOOK HIM TO ORIGINALLY TECH PARK.
TOOK HIM TO CCTC AND TOOK HIM TO DOUBLE HILLS ROAD.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN TO CHOPTANK MARINA AND CHOPTANK HEALTH FEDERALSBURG AND PRESTON.
BUT HE'S MEETING WITH ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ALL OF OUR COUNTIES.
AND TODAY'S THE DAY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
YOU PULLED OFF SOMETHING WHEN YOU HIRED HIM.
HE'S NOT BAD. THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED.
THAT'S REALLY GOOD ON MY ON MY SCALE.
MY SCALE MIRRORS THE COMMISSIONER'S SCALE OVER HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY BRUTAL AND HONEST, BUT FUN.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN READ BETWEEN THE LINES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD BEING BACK HERE IN CAROLINE.
I SPENT A LOT OF SUMMERS UP HERE.
MY FAMILY FOR FIVE GENERATIONS HAD A COTTAGE OVER HERE AT THE WESLEYAN CAMP.
MY GREAT GRANDFATHER PREACHED THERE.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AT WASHINGTON HIGH, WE PLAYED NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL.
BUT, YOU KNOW SO, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE GOT TO KNOW MOST OF YOU, ALL OF YOU, YOU KNOW, THROUGH MACO EVENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND, AND SO WHY AM I HERE? THE GOVERNOR, AS HE WAS A CANDIDATE, YOU KNOW, ASKED ME, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE MAYOR OF DELMAR, PRESIDENT OF MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR A DECADE.
IS IT TRUE? I SAID, I'M NOT SURE HOW TRUE IT IS, BUT I KNOW WE ALL FEEL THAT WAY.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I'VE HEARD MY ENTIRE LIFE.
WE ALWAYS SEE THINGS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE AND WONDERING WHY NOT US? AND SO HE SAID HE WANTED TO FIX THAT.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, HIS MANTRA IS, YOU KNOW, LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND, NO ONE LEFT BEHIND.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST YEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO DO TO ENCOURAGE AND TO MAKE THE RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE FEEL AS VALUED AS THE OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, HE APPROACHED ME WITH THIS IDEA OF CREATING THIS POSITION OUT OF AN EXISTING POSITION AND GIVING ME 16 COUNTIES TO VISIT ON HIS BEHALF IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO BE HIS EYES AND EARS AND TO TAKE WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU AND FROM BOB, FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND TAKE IT RIGHT TO HIS DESK, NOT TO, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE IN A DEPARTMENT WHERE IT GETS LOST.
EVERYTHING THAT I PUT TOGETHER GOES TO HIS DESK.
AND SO HE ASKED ME IF I'D BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
AND I SAID, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT ME? YOU KNOW? AND HE WAS LIKE, NO, ABSOLUTELY, I WANT YOU.
AND HE SAID, I WANT YOU, YOU KNOW, TO BE YOU AND DO WHAT YOU DO.
[00:15:02]
AND LET'S YOU KNOW, LET'S BREAK THIS, THIS MISNOMER, THIS, THIS, THIS FEELING THAT WE ALL HAVE.IF NOT MORE YOU KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE ALSO HAVE WESTERN MARYLAND AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND YOU KNOW, SO IT'S WE'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE FROM WORCESTER TO GARRETT AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.
AND SO WE'RE NOW WE'RE STARTING OUR SECOND LAP AROUND THE STATE.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT TO DO THE BEST WE CAN FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
YOU KNOW AS A AS A MAYOR AND AS A LEGISLATOR, I WOKE UP EVERY DAY SAYING, HOW CAN I MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR ONE PERSON? IF I CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR ONE PERSON TODAY, THEN MY TIME HERE ON EARTH HAS BEEN A BLESSING.
AND SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THAT.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH ANY STATE AGENCIES WHEN IT COMES TO ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE WANT TO KNOW IT SO WE CAN BE THAT CONDUIT TO TRY TO GET THINGS SETTLED.
YOU KNOW, BOB'S GIVING ME SOME ISSUES THAT HE'S BEEN NOTICING IN THE PAST VISIT AND YOUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WHO'S REALLY COOL, BY THE WAY, AND IS A SAN JOSE SHARKS FAN WHICH IS VERY RANDOM, BY THE WAY.
YEAH AND I SAID I NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED.
SO IT'S VERY RANDOM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD.
EVERYBODY NEEDS SOME ATTENTION.
SO MY GOAL IS TO TAKE BACK IDEAS FROM YOU.
YOU KNOW, IDEAS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FROM BUSINESS OWNERS TO CHAMBER ANYONE AND EVERYONE THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF FOLKS IN CAROLINE COUNTY, WHAT THE STATE IS DOING WELL, WHAT THE STATE CAN DO BETTER.
AND TAKE THOSE TO THE GOVERNOR AND SEE WHAT WE CAN ADDRESS.
SO I'M HERE, I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO HUSTLE JUST AS HARD FOR CAROLINE AS I DID FOR WICOMICO IN THE LEGISLATURE AND SO IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.
WE'LL GO RIGHT TO THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY AND TRY TO GET THEM FIXED.
ALL RIGHT. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MAN.
COME ON NOW. I KNOW WE YEAH, I JUST THINK THAT IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF THE GOVERNOR IS REALLY, REALLY INTERESTED, I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY CAN DO IS STOP PUSHING LEGISLATION OVER HERE ON THE RURAL COUNTIES THAT DON'T APPLY TO US.
THEY CAN STOP MANDATING THINGS LIKE THE THING WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LATER ON THE SOLAR ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, THREATENING TO PREEMPT US WHEN WE ADOPT LEGISLATION WHICH WE THINK IS THE BEST, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR COUNTY.
OVER THE YEARS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I CONTINUALLY HAVE BROUGHT UP IS WHEN THERE ARE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE FORMED, I ALWAYS ASK WHO'S ON THERE FROM THE EASTERN SHORE? WHO'S ON THERE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY? THE ANSWER USUALLY IS, OH, YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
OH YEAH. WE NEED WE NEED TO BE AND LOOK, I GOT KIND OF THAT THROWN BACK AT ME WHEN I GOT PUT ON THE CRITICAL AREAS COMMISSION, WHICH TAKES UP A GOOD DEAL OF TIME, BUT.
DOESN'T IT? YEAH, BUT I THINK THAT'S MY CONCERN.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T I DON'T DOUBT THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS ALL THE GOOD INTENTIONS IN THE WORLD.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE DONE TALKING, NOTHING EVER HAPPENS.
RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, MARYLAND IS NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
AND I AM BEGINNING TO FEEL MORE AND MORE ALL THE TIME AFTER 14 YEARS OF SETTING UP HERE, THAT WE'RE WE JUST GET DRESSED UP AND COME UP HERE ON TUESDAYS AND ALL THE POLICIES AND ALL THE, ALL THE REGULATIONS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WORK HARD TO PASS BECOME MEANINGLESS WHEN THEY GET OVERRIDDEN, YOU KNOW, BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND THE LEGISLATURE.
IT'S AWFUL. THE BLUEPRINT IS GOING TO BANKRUPT COUNTIES.
I'VE SAID THAT EVERYWHERE AND IT JUST KEEPS GOING ON.
IT'S LIKE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF FEELS, I THINK IN DEEP DOWN INSIDE FEEL THE SAME WAY.
THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY'VE KIND OF THEY'VE KIND OF MADE THIS BED.
NOW THEY HAVE TO LAY IN IT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
WE BELIEVE ME, YOU'LL HEAR FROM ME.
BUT, I MEAN, THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS.
I MEAN, WE'RE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY TO MAKE DECISIONS RIGHT OR WRONG.
AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY AGREE WITH US.
BUT WE SHOULD BE MAKING DECISIONS LOCALLY HERE.
[00:20:04]
WE SHOULD NOT BE BOUND BY THINGS THAT PEOPLE PASS, THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY DIDN'T VOTE FOR.THAT'S MY THING. I COMPLETELY AGREE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M A LOCAL GOVERNMENT GUY ANYWAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, NOBODY KNOWS MORE ABOUT YOU THAN YOUR NEIGHBOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN YOUR FAMILY, YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT'S WHO SHOULD BE HELPING YOU ACHIEVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE YOU DESIRE BECAUSE YOU'RE IN IT TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WITH A LOT OF THESE LEGISLATIVE IDEAS AND THINGS THAT COME DOWN.
I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT COMING FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE, AND SO HE CAN EITHER VETO IT, WHICH WILL BE OVERRIDDEN, YOU KNOW, OR WE JUST TRY TO LIVE WITH IT AND FIND WAYS TO TWEAK IT AFTERWARDS, LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE WITH KERWIN.
I EXPECT THERE TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
THE GOVERNOR'S CALLED FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW THE GOAL I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S GOAL, AND I THINK ALL OF OUR GOALS, IS TO HAVE THE ECONOMY ABSORB THE COST OF KERWIN ORGANICALLY BY GROWING OUR ECONOMIC BASE AND LETTING IT HAPPEN NATURALLY, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO RAISE REVENUES CONSTANTLY TO PAY FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THE FEELING OF WHOA AND WANT YOU GET ABOUT THE STATE BUDGET AND ALL THESE THINGS YOU HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM GOVERNOR HOGAN AND THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT, PERCEPTION OR THAT, THAT IT'S AN ACTUAL DEFICIT THAT'S COMING IS TIED SOLELY TO KIRWAN AND NOT ANYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE KIRWAN, THE STATE WOULD BE IN A1 PHYSICAL SHAPE.
IT'S THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE $4 BILLION OF REVENUE AT THE END OF THE DECADE.
THAT KIRWAN IS SOMETHING THAT'S PASSED, THAT THE BILL HAS TO BE PAID ON THE BACKS OF THE COUNTIES.
RIGHT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PAID ON THE BACKS OF THE PEOPLE WHO PASS IT.
AND HIS ANSWER ALWAYS HIS ANSWER IS I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR BUDGET.
THAT'S YOUR JOB, RIGHT? THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
AND SO I DON'T WANT TO DWELL ON THAT, BUT I MEAN, I KEEP SAYING TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR COUNTY? YEAH. WELL, THEN WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT IT? YOU KNOW. AND YOU KNOW.
I THINK YOU'RE HEARING THAT NOW, IF YOU.
AND I MEAN, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.
I MEAN, APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S WE WILL WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT.
I EXPECT, LIKE I SAID, I'M EXPECTING SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
I MEAN, THE GOVERNOR REALIZES THIS, AND AS YOU HEARD AT MACO, I MEAN, HE WAS POINT BLANK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, AND ALL I HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, THE BIG EXECUTIVES FROM ACROSS THE BRIDGE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MAKING NOISE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.
AND WE'LL FIND OUT HOW WELL IT DOES WORK.
BUT I THINK I, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT SOMETHING HAS TO, HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTED.
I MEAN, IT'S YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE BEST INTENTIONS DON'T ALWAYS WORK THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
I MEAN, WE'LL GET THERE. IN MARYLAND, THE ONE THING THAT I KNOW ABOUT US, MAN, IS WE'RE RESILIENT.
WE ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GRATEFUL THE GOVERNOR IS GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE A GOVERNOR THAT ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT EVERY JURISDICTION.
YOU KNOW, FROM GARRETT, LIKE I SAID TO WORCHESTER, I GOT THEY GOT ME TALKING LIKE THEM NOW.
WORCESTER. YOU KNOW, LET ME GET BACK TO MY ROOTS.
BRING THE CRISFIELD OUT IN ME NOW.
BUT ANYWAY, I JUST THANKS FOR LETTING ME COME BY.
AND I EXPECT TO BE SPENDING MORE TIME WITH Y'ALL AND ESPECIALLY WITH BOB AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND YOUR CHAMBER FOLKS AND BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE LIFE A LITTLE BETTER.
WE'RE NOT DONE YET CARL, I GOT A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
SURE. YEAH. OH, I APPRECIATE YOUR SINCERITY AND YOUR CANDOR.
AND I DO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A HINT OF SARCASM, WHICH I APPRECIATE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE SARCASTIC.
I'M A MAN OF SARCASM. I'M TRYING TO.
I'M TRYING TO LEARN. BUT THE EASTERN SHORE THING.
YEAH, EXACTLY. JUST SO YOU CAN PASS THIS ALONG.
SURE. HAS ANYBODY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE IMPACT OF OUR AG COMMUNITY, OUR AG SERVICES WITH THE SOLAR MANDATES? I MEAN, WE'RE PRETTY WELL ALL AGRICULTURE HERE.
YEAH. SO WITH THE MANDATES COMING IN, I MEAN, IF YOU TAKE THE CHUNK OF GROUND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IN, I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'S A FIGURE THERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE POULTRY INDUSTRY SAYS, FOR EVERY JOB THEY CREATE, THERE'S SEVEN OTHER JOBS.
SO FOR EVERY ACRE OF LAND THAT YOU TAKE OUT IN SOLAR, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT SO MANY JOBS AS WELL.
[00:25:08]
BUT YET THEY GO TO ANOTHER COUNTY AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO UPDATE YOUR RAILS TO TRAILS.BECAUSE THAT'S BETTER FOR GREEN ECONOMY.
SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S I MEAN WE HAVE ROADS HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY THAT ARE I'M NOT I'M JUST.
SURE. I MEAN YOU KNOW IT'S SOME OF THE ROADS WE HAVE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.
RIGHT. ANOTHER FIVE YEARS OR STATE ROADS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE GOT ONE RIGHT NOW THAT WON'T MAKE IT ANOTHER YEAR.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A LIST OF THOSE? 16. ROUTE 16. 16.
YEAH. YOU KNOW AND I THINK EVERYBODY HERE CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
I MEAN, THEY PAVED PART OF IT.
THEY DID IT IN SECTIONS, BUT THERE'S STILL A BIG SECTION THERE.
AND COMMISSIONER BREEDING, HE CAN ALLUDE TO THE NUMBERS BECAUSE HE'S GOT THEM MEMORIZED.
RIGHT? BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THEM MEMORIZED.
IS THAT WHY HE SITS IN THE MIDDLE? YEAH, YEAH. BUT NO.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING HERE.
I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU.
AND I'M GLAD THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT SOMEBODY TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, TO GO AROUND.
I MEAN, LOOK, FROM MY CALCULATION, YOU COVER THREE QUARTERS OF THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A BIG TASK.
SO YOU KNOW, AND I'M SURE YOU GET MORE COMPLAINTS THAN YOU DO COMPLIMENTS.
THAT'S OKAY. I MEAN THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
I MEAN THE WHOLE POINT IS YOU GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE.
YOU GOT A LOT ON YOUR SHOULDERS. RIGHT.
BUT HE'S GETTING THREE QUARTERS OF THE STATE.
BUT I MEAN, YOU GOT A POSITIVE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND TALKING TO BOB AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO.
SO I'LL WRITE OUT 16 AND ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE THAT SECTION IS.
AND I WILL WRITE IT UP AND GIVE IT TO THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NO HARM IN BRINGING IT AGAIN.
WHAT, I WAS TOLD AT AN EVENT SATURDAY BY ONE OF THE DELEGATES, WAS THAT FOR THIS DISTRICT, CECIL KENT, QUEEN ANNE, CAROLINE AND TALBOT, FIVE COUNTIES.
IT TAKES ABOUT $80 MILLION TO MAINTAIN OUR STATE ROADS.
GUARDRAIL MAINTENANCE. GENERAL MAINTENANCE ON THE ROADS TAKES ABOUT 80 MILLION.
AND I THINK THIS YEAR'S BUDGET HAS IT AT ABOUT 12 MILLION.
I THINK LAST YEAR'S WAS 23-24.
AND THE PROJECTION FOR NEXT YEAR IS FOR IT TO DROP TO SIX.
SO THE TREND IS VERY ALARMING FOR US.
SO AND THAT'S WHAT COMMISSIONER BARTZ IS TALKING ABOUT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY FEEL LIKE CAROLINE COUNTY IS POISED FOR SMART GROWTH AND SMART DEVELOPMENT IN CERTAIN AREAS, ESPECIALLY WITH QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY KIND OF SLOWING DOWN, DEVELOPING OUT THERE, KIND OF TAKING MORE OF A SLOWER GROWTH APPROACH AT THIS POINT.
I DO KNOW EASTON JUST DID AN INDUSTRIAL PARK EXPANSION, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WITH OUR PROXIMITY TO THE BAY BRIDGE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE YOU VISITED RIDGELY TECH PARK.
WE WOULD LOVE TO MOVE RIDGELY TECH PARK AND GET SOMETHING GOING THERE.
YEAH. GREAT SPOT. I MEAN, NOW WITH THE DUALIZATION OF 404 FROM DENTON TO THE BRIDGE.
YEAH, I MEAN, THAT NOW PUTS YOU ON THE SAME PATH AS EVERYBODY ELSE WITH INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COMMUTE TO, YOU KNOW, THE DC METRO, BALTIMORE METRO YEAH, YEAH. SO IF WE CAN BRING SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL TYPE DEVELOPMENT HERE THROUGH RIDGELY, THROUGH THE PROJECT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF DENTON HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE STATE INVOLVEMENT IN THAT AND HELP US GET THROUGH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS COMMISSIONER PORTER WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU JUST CUTTING THROUGH THE RED TAPE AND HAVING THAT STATE SUPPORT TO ACTUALLY MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE KEEP BUMPING INTO THE STATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER REASON NOT TO DO SOMETHING.
IT'S HARD TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM MOVING AND ACTUALLY GET SOME OF THESE THINGS DONE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOMETHING, SOMETHING GOING OUT THERE AT RIDGELY TECH PARK HERE.
AND CERTAINLY INVITE YOU TO STICK AROUND FOR THE NEXT CONVERSATION WITH DOM FROM MACO YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE SOLAR LEGISLATION COMING UP TO KIND OF GET OUR PERSPECTIVE AND HEAR OUR CONCERNS SO YOU CAN CARRY THAT BACK? SURE. SURE, IT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, BUT I'M SURE THE GOVERNOR COULD HELP US INFLUENCE, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE TO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, TAKE INTO
[00:30:07]
CONSIDERATION THE CONCERNS OF CAROLINE COUNTY AND RURAL JURISDICTIONS.YEAH. WE'RE HERE. WE'RE HEARING THAT FROM EVERY COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THE SOLAR ISSUE.
RIGHT. YOU KNOW, ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER THAT.
YEAH. AND TRY TO PUSH THROUGH THAT SO THAT BUMP NO LONGER IS THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.
BUT BEHIND THE SCENES THERE'S REGULATIONS, ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT ARE BEING PUT INTO PLACE THAT THAT HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT OF THE RHETORIC.
YOU KNOW, THE RHETORIC IS WE'VE GOT TO GET THE COST OF HOUSING DOWN.
BUT DOING THINGS TO BUT WE PASSED MANDATED SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. WE PASSED ENERGY EFFICIENCY CODES.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS WHILE MAYBE NOBLE VENTURES DRIVE THE COST OF HOUSING UP.
WE JUST CAN'T LIVE IN THIS UTOPIA WHERE EVERYBODY HAS FIRE PROTECTION, SAFETY.
EVERYBODY'S GOT A SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT HOUSE, AND IT.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND YOU KNOW THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
SO WE'VE GOT TO FIND THAT BALANCE.
AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE AREAS ALSO THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS ON SITE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A GROWING CONVERSATION.
I THINK MDE HAS PUT OUT THEY ARE DELEGATION AGREEMENTS TO OUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
SO THIS IS KIND OF SPURRING THIS CONVERSATION ON AS WELL.
BUT JUST TO GET IT ON YOUR RADAR EACH COUNTY HAS DIFFERENT GPRS THAT ARE MANAGED.
MD IS NOT PROVIDING REAL, CLEAR GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGULATIONS.
DELEGATED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO ENFORCE.
AND WE'RE JUST SEEING DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF THOSE REGULATIONS.
DIFFERENT COUNTIES DO IT DIFFERENTLY.
IN SOME CASES LIKE IN TALBOT WHERE THEY HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GPRS, THEY'RE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT RULES FOR THREE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE.
BUT STILL IT'S CONFUSING AND IT'S A MAJOR HINDRANCE TO YOU KNOW, TO HOUSING.
I MEAN, IN SOME CASES, PEOPLE CAN'T GET NEW SEPTICS IN EXISTING HOUSING.
RIGHT. HOUSES. SEEING THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
RIGHT. YEAH. SO I KNOW WHY COMINCO JUST BROUGHT SOMEBODY ON BOARD TO HANDLE THAT.
YEAH. I THINK THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING TRYING TO TAKE THAT OVER.
AND THAT MAY BE THE PATH FORWARD FOR EVERYONE.
RIGHT. IS TO TAKE IT INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.
SO THAT'S JUST TO HAVE THAT ON YOUR RADAR.
SO WE'VE GOT WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND YOU KNOW.
YEAH. I THINK JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, THE SPRINKLER THING WAS A PERFECT, PERFECT EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, I'M A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN.
SO FOR ME TO SAY THAT I FELT THAT, I MEAN, WE FOUGHT THAT FIGHT, AND MY PROBLEM WAS THAT THERE WAS A BILL OF GOODS BEING SOLD TO PEOPLE TO SELL THIS PROGRAM.
I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE TOLD IF YOU PUT A SPRINKLER SYSTEM IN YOUR INSURANCE WILL GO DOWN.
NO IT WON'T. IT'S GOING TO GO UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO I MEAN, YOU GOT TO PAY FLOOD INSURANCE.
DOLLAR QUARTER SQUARE FOOT, RIGHT? I TALKED TO CONTRACTORS.
CAN'T PUT IT HERE. SO BUT IT WAS A LOSING BATTLE BECAUSE IT WAS PREDETERMINED THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE AND IT WAS GOING TO BE MANDATORY FOR THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK, THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, HEARTBURN THAT WENT ON OVER THAT.
ARE YOU TELLING ME I'M LIKE, YES, I AM.
[00:35:03]
BUT YEAH, SO WE'RE THE GUYS WITH THE FEET ON THE GROUND WE'RE THE GUYS THAT PEOPLE RUN INTO IN THE GROCERY STORE AND THAT'S FINE.THAT'S WHAT YOU SIGN UP FOR? SURE, BUT I DON'T I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO DEFEND POSITIONS THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN, BUT ARE MANDATED AND THEN HAVE PEOPLE AND THEN SAY, YOU GOTTA FIGURE IT OUT AND THEN HAVE PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING? RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE QUESTION, RIGHT? SO THANK YOU.
AND I AGREE WITH THAT. MY SISTER'S BUILDING THE HOUSE, LIKE I SAID, DOWN NEAR CRISFIELD.
YEAH. IT'S JUST SO CUMBERSOME.
AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BATTERIES.
BATTERIES OR ENERGY CHARGING STATIONS.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HEARING THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE MANDATED IN NEW HOUSING.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE JUST DRIVING THE COST OF BUILDING A NEW HOUSE UP SPRINKLER IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANT ONE, BY ALL MEANS, IF YOU FEEL THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT. BY ALL MEANS DO IT.
BUT YOU SHOULD NOT BE MANDATED TO DO IT.
AND THAT'S OUR THAT'S MY OUR POINT.
YEAH. AND I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
I MEAN I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE LEGISLATION SO I KNOW YEAH I KNOW YEAH.
BUT REGULATORY, WE DEFINITELY CAN HAVE SOME INPUT ON THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL DO THAT.
WELL, HOPEFULLY THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE CAN SET UP WITH MDE AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE THAT ARE IN PLACE AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO STANDARDIZE THINGS ACROSS COUNTIES AND MAKE IT EASIER TO INTERPRET.
AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT AREAS WHERE WE'VE OVERREGULATED, WHERE WE'VE WHERE WE'VE OCCUPIED TERRITORY THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN BACK THINGS DOWN. SO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT DEVELOPS.
I APPRECIATE YOU STICK AROUND FOR THE NEXT ONE.
[Discussion of Solar Regulations]
DOM, THANKS FOR DRIVING OVER THIS MORNING.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INVITATION.
SO, MICHAEL, HE LEFT YOU HERE ALONE? HE DIDN'T. WE ONLY HAVE THE B TEAM TODAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE NOT THE B TEAM, BUT HE'S.
YOU KNOW. THANK YOU FOR COMING OVER TONIGHT.
YEAH. NO, NO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
SO TWO THINGS I WANT TO COVER REALLY QUICK.
FIRST, THERE'S A PROPOSED SOLAR REGULATION THAT YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDERING.
I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT VERY BRIEFLY.
BUT THEN SECOND, YESTERDAY, MACO PUT OUT TO ALL 24 MEMBERS A DRAFT OF A COMPROMISE SOLAR BILL.
THAT'S ABOUT 80 TO 90% COMPLETE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING STUFF IN THERE, SO I'LL SPEND THE BULK OF MY TIME ON THAT.
BUT FIRST, ON THE DRAFT REGULATION YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDERING.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S LIMITING UTILITY SCALE PROJECTS TO ABOUT 2000 ACRES AND NO MORE.
WE ALREADY HAVE THAT IN PLACE.
SO THAT WAS PASSED WHEN THAT WAS PASSED AT LEAST A FEW YEARS AGO.
YEAH. AND WE ARE ABOUT AT 1600 OF THAT 2000 ACRES NOW WITH APPROVED PROJECTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MACO'S BREAD AND BUTTER IS LOCAL AUTONOMY.
SO WE'RE IN NO WAY ADVISING YOU.
AND SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE AS A THAT'S THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY.
SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT BRIEF COMMENT.
IF I CAN TRANSITION TO THE COMPROMISED SOLAR DEAL, I THINK WE WERE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, A LOT OF STUFF CAME UP WITH THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SMALL STATE, BIG GOALS, A LOT OF STUFF THAT IS COMPETING TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS ALREADY.
UNFORTUNATELY, NOTHING CAME OF THAT EFFORT.
AND SO MACO HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, THE MARYLAND ENERGY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DNR, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND SOLAR DEVELOPERS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS ON A COMPROMISE.
AND SO THAT DRAFT HAS BEEN SENT.
LIKE I SAID YESTERDAY, I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT IT.
BUT THERE'S TWO BIG THINGS THAT I KIND OF WANT TO PUT BEFORE YOU.
AND SECOND, HOW DO WE PRESERVE AGRICULTURE?
[00:40:01]
BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS SOLAR IS GOING ONTO AGRICULTURAL LAND FIRST ON THE LOOK, SMELL AND FEEL.SO WITH PREEMPTION, 90 TO 95% OF LOCAL AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM THE STATE.
AND SO THEY ERODED THAT THAT REMAINING 5 TO 10% IS A GRAY AREA.
THAT'S NEBULOUS. AND MOST OF THAT IS THE LOOK, SMELL AND FEEL COMPONENTS.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE DRAFT SOLIDIFYING THAT AUTHORITY.
IT IS GOING TO HAVE MORE GUARDRAILS THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
WE'RE TALKING WATERING REQUIREMENTS.
SO RIGHT NOW UNDER PREEMPTION, A PROJECT CAN GO SOMEWHERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO SOMEWHERE.
THERE IS NO APPETITE ON THE STATE TO ROLL ANY OF THAT BACK.
THE SECOND THING IS HOW DO WE PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LAND? SO WE ARE A BIG STATE, LIKE I SAID, OR WE'RE A SMALL STATE WITH BIG GOALS.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND MEET THIS BENCHMARK.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO THAT FOR Y.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO THAT FOR Z.
SO FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE NOW HAVE A MECHANISM THAT TRIES TO BRING A LITTLE BIT MORE SYNERGY BETWEEN HOW DO WE GET TO OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS AS WELL AS OUR AGRICULTURAL GOALS. HOW DO WE DO THAT? THE BEST WAY TO PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LAND IS THROUGH AN EASEMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE A MECHANISM WHERE A COUNTY WOULD GET 3500 BETWEEN 3500 TO $5000 PER ACRE.
THAT WOULD BE A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE SOLAR DEVELOPER THAT WOULD GO TO A COUNTY.
AND THEN A COUNTY CAN USE THOSE FUNDS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. AND SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF SCENARIOS WE CAN GO THROUGH.
BUT YOU'D BE GETTING THAT PER ACRE.
SO IT'S IN YOUR PRIORITY PRESERVATION AREA, YOU HAVE A LOCAL PRESERVATION PROGRAM, ETC.
IF A PROJECT IS GOING TO GO ON THAT LAND, THAT IS HOW YOU WOULD GET THAT CONTRIBUTION.
IMPORTANTLY, THAT IS THE STATUS QUO TODAY.
SOLAR PROJECTS CAN GO INTO THOSE AREAS.
TODAY. WE ARE NOT ROLLING BACK PREEMPTION.
THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT EASEMENTS AND WHAT THIS DOES FOR EASEMENTS.
THIS DOES NOT TOUCH EASEMENTS LEGALLY FINANCIALLY AND CONSTITUTIONALLY.
WE CANNOT TOUCH AN EXISTING EASEMENT.
SO I WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS A LOT. SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS OR GO INTO MORE DETAIL, THOUGH YOU DON'T MIND THE PROBLEM WITH THE EASEMENTS IS IT'S A TRADE.
SO AT BEST YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, 50 OVER 50 TRADE OFF FOR EVERY ACRE THAT'S DEVELOPED IN SOLAR, WE CAN PRESERVE AN ACRE OR TWO, LET'S SAY MAYBE WE CAN DOUBLE IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN WITH THAT MOVING FORWARD IS WE COULD SEE HALF OF OUR PRIME FARMLAND GONE, COVERED IN SOLAR PANELS, POTENTIALLY IN TRADE FOR THE REVENUE TO SAVE THE REST.
SO I YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES, YOU KNOW WITH THE EASEMENT TRADE OFF.
CAROLINE COUNTY HAS ABOUT 200,000 ACRES OF TOTAL LAND, ABOUT 91,000 ACRES.
IT. USDA SAYS PRIME FARMLAND IS A MAJOR IMPORTANCE IN MEETING THE NATION'S SHORT AND LONG TERM RANGE GOALS FOR FOOD AND FIBER. SO BECAUSE THE SUPPLY OF HIGH QUALITY FARMLAND IS LIMITED, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RECOGNIZES THAT RESPONSIBLE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE WISE USE OF OUR NATION'S PRIME FARMLAND.
[00:45:03]
SO THAT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.APPROXIMATELY 25% OF CAROLINE COUNTY, WHICH IS ABOUT 50,000 ACRES, IS CLASSIFIED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND AS FARMLAND OF STATEWIDE IMPORTANCE.
WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE FARMLAND OF STATEWIDE IMPORTANCE FOR PRODUCTION OF FOOD, FEED, FIBER, FORAGE, AND OILSEED CROPS SOME AREAS MAY PRODUCE AS HIGH YIELD AS PRIME FARMLAND IF AS HIGH A YIELD AS PRIME FARMLAND IF CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE.
SO THESE ARE STATE AGENCIES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT ARE CLASSIFYING LARGE PORTIONS OF CAROLINE COUNTY AS IMPORTANT TO THE NATION'S AGRICULTURAL NEEDS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENDANGERING THAT.
WE'RE ENDANGERING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY BY TAKING THIS FARMLAND OUT OF PRODUCTION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUPPORT SERVICES, THE PEOPLE THAT SELL SEED, FERTILIZER, SELL TRACTORS, WORK ON TRACTORS, ALL OF THE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT GO INTO AGRICULTURE. IF YOU TAKE THAT FARM OUT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PUT IT IN SOLAR PANELS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF JOBS FOR GUYS TO GO OUT AND CHANGE MOTORS WHEN THE PANELS DON'T SPIN OR MOW AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE PANELS ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND THE VIABILITY OF FARMING IN THE FUTURE. IF WE TAKE TOO MUCH OF THIS ACREAGE OUT OF PRODUCTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE EASEMENT IDEA, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO PRESERVE ENOUGH FARMLAND FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP AGRICULTURE VIABLE HERE AND ALSO PROTECT THOSE ALL THOSE SUPPORT INDUSTRIES.
YOU KNOW, SURE, WE CAN HAVE THE LAND, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LAND TO JUSTIFY THE SUPPORT SERVICES AND THE FARMERS, THEN IT MAY IT ENDANGERS THE VIABILITY OF AGRICULTURE.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
DO YOU MIND IF I COMMENT ON THAT? YEAH. NO. GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO PULL THIS APART A LITTLE BIT.
RIGHT NOW, THE STATUS QUO IS A PROJECT CAN GO.
IF IT CAN FIND THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY, A PROJECT CAN GO PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE.
AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IS LIKELY TO APPROVE IT.
THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO REMAIN BASED ON THE TONE AND TENOR FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN ANNAPOLIS.
I THINK WE HAVE TO SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, THIS COMPROMISE THAT WE HAVE VERSUS THE STATUS QUO.
WE'RE MAKING THE BEST OF A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE NOT DEALT A STRONG SET OF CARDS.
SO I JUST I WANT TO UNDERLINE THAT REALITY.
I THINK EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS TRUE AND HAS VALUE.
BUT ANNAPOLIS, YOU KNOW, ANNAPOLIS.
YEAH. THE OTHER THING ABOUT EASEMENTS AND WHAT THIS MEANS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT DATA IS A LITTLE LEANING ON THE LOW SIDE, SO 2200 IS PROBABLY NOT WHAT THE AVERAGE ACTUALLY IS.
THAT BEING SAID, THIS WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF 3500, POTENTIALLY TO 5000.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TRUE IN EVERY COUNTY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE AT 1 TO 1.
BUT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY, IT'S LOOKING LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE MORE THAN 1 TO 1.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE WILL BE A 5 OR 5% INCREASE ON THOSE FIGURES EVERY YEAR.
SO EVERY YEAR IT'S A ONE TIME CONTRIBUTION.
BUT THAT FIGURE WILL BE GOING UP.
SO IT'LL MEET KIND OF THE MARKET AS THE MARKET FLUCTUATES AS WELL.
SO EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS TRUE.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF A BROADER PICTURE.
RIGHT. DOM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU THE SOME YEARS AGO WE WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THIS 2000 ACRE NUMBER.
IT WASN'T JUST AN ARBITRARY NUMBER.
WE CAME UP, WE ELIMINATED THE AG PRESERVATION LAND.
WE ELIMINATED THE, YOU KNOW, THE SMALLER ARRAYS.
IF YOU HAD A SOLAR FACILITY THAT WAS JUST SERVING YOUR CHICKEN HOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHEN WE SOME OF THE HARDEST MEETINGS I HAD WERE WHEN WE HAD THIS ROOM FILLED WITH PEOPLE ON THIS SIDE WHO WERE FARMERS, WHO SAID, IT'S MY DAMN LAND.
I CAN SELL IT IF I WANT TO, AND IF I CAN GET A BETTER DEAL, I'M GOING TO DO IT.
[00:50:02]
AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE SITTING OVER HERE WHO WERE IN THE BUSINESS OF TILLING LAND, WHO SAID, EVERY TIME YOU SELL, YOU ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH A WITH A SOLAR COMPANY. YOU'RE TAKING AWAY MY LIVELIHOOD FROM TILLING LAND.WHEN WE DEVELOPED THAT ORDINANCE, WE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY INVITED AND HAD A HEARING.
WHERE THE IS IT? CPCN, IS THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION? WE INVITED THEM TO COME AND THEY DID.
AND YOU RECALL WE HAD THE MEETING AT THE HOUSE.
IT WAS ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT WE HAD TO MOVE THE MEETING, AND OUR GOAL WAS TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO PASS AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS GOING TO BE A WASTE OF TIME FOR EVERYONE AND JUST SIMPLY HAVE THEM COME BACK AND SAY, WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU PASSED, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THEY WOULD NOT COMMENT ON OUR ORDINANCE.
THEY JUST SAID, YOU PASS WHATEVER YOU WANT.
AND. I DON'T KNOW A GOOD WAY TO SO SO SO HERE'S MY CONCERN WITH THIS CORRIDOR. MY CONCERN IS THAT DOWN THE ROAD WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS NOT JUST BE A QUARTER.
IF YOU SAY, I DON'T TRUST IT, I DON'T, HONESTLY, BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE SEEN COME DOWN THE ROAD WHERE IT STARTS OFF LIKE THIS. AND THEN AS TIME GOES BY, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU COME INTO AN EMINENT DOMAIN TYPE OF SITUATION WHERE IF YOU DON'T WANT, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A FARMER WHO SAYS, I DON'T WANT MY FARM TO BE COVERED WITH SOLAR PANELS.
MY OTHER CONCERN IS WE ARE NOW HAVING FARMERS WHO HAVE ENTERED INTO THESE AGREEMENTS, AND I WILL SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THERE ARE SOLAR COMPANIES THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THEY'VE BEEN SOLD.
THEY HAVE BEEN SOLD MORE TIMES.
THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THEM REGISTERING OR TRANSFERRING THEM OVER HERE IN THE LAND OFFICE.
THEY'RE OUT THERE STRIPPING MY TOPSOIL.
AND THEN YOU GOT TO BE THE GUY THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT THERE.
SO ALL OF THE I DON'T, I JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY MORE FARMLAND.
AND I ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THE GUY AND I HATE TO BE.
I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS COUNTY COVERED IN SOLAR PANELS.
AND I WILL FIGHT EVERYWHERE I GO AS LONG AS I'M HERE TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE. CRYSTAL, YOU'RE DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE? IF WE DO THIS CORRIDOR, HOW MANY ACRES THIS WILL OPEN UP? 43,000. AND KEEP IN MIND OUR LIMITS.
OH, NO. NO, NO. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU DO, YOU KNOW.
SO WHEN WE DID THE MAPPING EXERCISE TO LOCATE THE CORRIDOR, WHICH IS TWO MILES ON EACH SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION LINES, WE HAVE ONE THAT RUNS NORTH TO SOUTH COMPLETELY IN CAROLINE COUNTY. WE HAVE ONE THAT RUNS EAST TO WEST AND THEN A SMALL LEG DOWN BY PRESTON.
AND IN THAT TWO MILE CORRIDOR ON EACH SIDE OF THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES, ONCE WE REMOVED ALL OF THE CRITICAL AREA WETLANDS, FORESTED AREAS, OVER 70% PARCELS, LESS THAN 20 ACRES, EASEMENT AREAS TDR RECEIVING AREAS.
IT WAS LEFT WITH APPROXIMATELY 44,000 ACRES IN THE CORRIDOR.
SURE. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
DO YOU MIND IF I EXPLAIN THE CORRIDOR CONCEPT? JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO DOESN'T? SURE. SO IN OUR DRAFT, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR.
AND SO THIS EXTENDS TWO MILES ON EITHER SIDE OF A MAJOR TRANSMISSION LINE.
[00:55:03]
SO FOUR MILES TOTAL.AND SO THE IDEA IS, IS THAT THAT'S WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS.
THAT WAS THE THEORY BEHIND IT.
AND SO IN THE CORRIDOR, YOU WOULD HAVE THE 3500 RATE PER ACRE.
OUTSIDE OF THE CORRIDOR, YOU WOULD HAVE THE $5,000 RATE.
RIGHT NOW, IF THERE IS LAND IN CAROLINE COUNTY THAT A SOLAR PROJECT CAN GO ON TO, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IS PROBABLY GOING TO APPROVE IT INSIDE THE CORRIDOR, OUTSIDE, WHETHER IT EXCEEDS OUR GOALS OR NOT.
CORRECT, CORRECT. SO INSIDE THE CORRIDOR, OUTSIDE THE CORRIDOR 5050, THE CORRIDOR IS REALLY JUST A WAY ON HOW DO WE KIND OF COME UP WITH A METRIC TO DETERMINE CONSERVATION FUNDING? BUT REGARDLESS, THE PROJECT'S PROBABLY GOING TO GO THERE.
YOU BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE INDUSTRIES COMING IN.
WATER. WATER RUNOFF IS BROUGHT UP IN THAT.
SO THESE NEGATIVE SITUATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN, WE NOW ARE GOING TO START PUSHING BACK AGAINST THOSE.
SO I THINK AND THEN YOU BROUGHT UP EMINENT DOMAIN.
WORKING FOR MACO, IF EMINENT DOMAIN EVER COMES UP, WE WILL KILL THAT.
EMINENT DOMAIN IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN SEE OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE EVER SUPPORTING.
WELL, BUT YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE DECISION.
THE DECISION IS BEING MADE BY THE LEGISLATURE.
YOU'RE CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY BIG DECISION.
AREN'T YOU PICKING? I MEAN, MY I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION IS, AREN'T YOU PICKING AND CHOOSING HERE? I MEAN, YOU'RE SELECTING PROPERTY THAT I MEAN, YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN USE THIS LAND, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO USE THIS LAND.
I MEAN, ARE WE PICKING AND CHOOSING WHAT PROPERTIES ARE VALUABLE? I MEAN, WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
YOU HAVE A FARM, AND THE FARM FALLS WITHIN THIS QUARTER.
AND IT, THE APPLICANT WOULD PAY THE COUNTY $3,500 PER ACRE.
SO THE FARMER WOULD HAVE TO SIGN OFF.
AND SO THE FARMER WOULD HAVE TO SAY, I'M INTERESTED IN HAVING SOLAR.
BUT IF HE SAYS I DON'T WANT TO.
THEN THE PROJECT DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD.
THIS DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH LIKE THE FREE MARKET AND INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IF YOU'RE A FARMER AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO X, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO X.
AND THE $3,500 PER ACRE IS GOING TO COME TO THE COUNTY.
CORRECT. AND THEN THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BASICALLY SUPPLANT THE AG PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
NOW, SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU PLACE A WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DO AN APPLICATION TO PUT YOUR FARM INTO AG PRESERVATION, THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS, THERE'S A RANKING PROCESS.
THERE ARE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS ALLOCATED RIGHT TO MAKE OFFERS OR TO, TO FARMS. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FARM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT I MEAN IT'S THAT THAT DECISION MAKING WOULD THEN BE PUT ON THE COUNTY.
AND SO THE WAY IT'S DRAFTED IN THE IN THE LEGISLATION WOULD BE YOU WOULD HAVE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, CONSERVATION PROGRAM OR RELATED PROGRAMING. SO WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT IS YOU CAN EITHER GO OUT AND PRESERVE THOSE THREE CATEGORIES, OR IF YOU WANTED TO DO A GRANT PROGRAM FOR YOUR FARMERS SO THAT THEY'RE DOING A BETTER QUALITY OF FARMING, OR SO THAT THEY CAN DO UPGRADES, YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT AS WELL.
THE FARM BUREAU IS A PART OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS, AND THEY WERE REALLY ENERGIZED BY THAT CONCEPT THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY DO PRESERVATION, BUT THEN WE CAN PROBABLY ALSO MAKE THE FARMS THAT WE HAVE BETTER.
WELL, WE ALLOCATE IN OUR BUDGET.
WE ALLOCATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY EACH YEAR THAT IS THAT SUPPLEMENTS THE AG PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
BUT YOU'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE STATE CONTROL OF THAT MONEY WOULD GO AWAY.
[01:00:06]
THIS WOULD BE A SEPARATE POT OF MONEY THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER.SO IT SOUNDS LIKE. OR WE COULD ROLL IT IN.
WE COULD ROLL IT IN TO OUR AG LAND PRESERVATION.
IT IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT VERY LOOSE.
WHERE DOES THIS I MEAN, I READ THIS LAST NIGHT AND COULDN'T SLEEP, SO I READ BECAUSE YOU READ IT OR BECAUSE SO WHERE DOES THIS STAND? I MEAN, IT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN HERE.
I MEAN, CONTROL, FOR EXAMPLE, BATTERY STORAGE COMPONENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE ON ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT, BUT WE DON'T GET INTO FIRE SUPPRESSION.
WE DON'T GET INTO, LIKE, WE DON'T GET INTO A LOT OF THOSE DETAILS.
BATTERY STORAGE IN AND OF ITSELF, REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S ATTACHED TO A.
YOU KNOW, ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM OR A SOLAR SYSTEM IS A BIG ISSUE ON ITS OWN.
I CAN TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY ON BATTERIES.
SO THIS PAST SESSION, WE DID PASS A COMMISSION TO LOOK AT FIRE SUPPRESSION.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ADVISING THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S OWN EFFORTS ON THAT.
AND SO I'M GOING TO GET THE DETAILS WRONG.
SO YOU SHOULD BE SEEING A LOT OF MOVEMENT ON THAT, YOU KNOW, ON ITS OWN.
BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY IN THIS.
WE WERE TOLD TO NOT PURSUE IT, THAT THE NFPA REGULATIONS WERE GOING TO BE REVISED.
AND WE THEN WE WERE WE FOUND OUT THAT THE STATE POLICE WOULD NOT AGREE TO HAVE THEM REVISED.
SO OUR LEGISLATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN BACK AND FORTH ON THIS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MORATORIUM ON BATTERY STORAGE, AND THAT AIN'T COMING OFF AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, UNTIL WE ARE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT THE RISK TO THE SAFETY OF OUR OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
SO AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR, BUT I'M JUST THIS IS EXACTLY CARL, WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND IT WAS A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
I MEAN, IT WAS A LONG PROCESS.
I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS SOME OF THE MORE CONTENTIOUS MEETINGS THAT WE'VE EVER HAD IN HERE.
AND WE CONSISTENTLY TRIED TO INCLUDE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT OUR PLAN IS.
WILL YOU REVIEW THIS? WILL YOU LOOK AT THIS AND WILL YOU TELL US IF YOU THINK THIS IS VIABLE? THEY WOULD NOT DO IT.
THEY REFUSED TO DO IT AND NOW THEY ARE.
AND THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT OUR CONCERN WAS, THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS PROCESS OF OF PASSING LEGISLATION AND, YOU KNOW, ARGUING ABOUT THIS AND COMING UP WITH THIS.
WELL, 2000 ACRES IS ABOUT 10% OF THE TILLABLE LAND MINUS THIS.
AND NOW WE'RE RIGHT WHERE I WAS AFRAID WE WOULD END UP.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT I THINK MIGHT HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD, FORGIVE ME IF I AM A LITTLE BIT PESSIMISTIC, BUT, I MEAN I DON'T I'M WELL, I DID WANT TO.
I MEAN, I MADE THE POINT ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON AGRICULTURE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW DETRIMENTAL THIS IS GOING TO BE.
I MEAN, IS IT IS IT GOING TO MAKE AGRICULTURE NOT VIABLE? AT WHAT? AT WHAT POINT? HOW MANY ACRES START TO IMPEDE THE VIABILITY OF STANDARD FARMING PRACTICES.
YOU KNOW, IS IT GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUY THE SEED? IS IT GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A TRACTOR WORKED ON, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S UNIQUE TO CAROLINE COUNTY.
JUST LIKE I TALKED ABOUT PROXIMITY TO THE BAY BRIDGE WITH MR. ANDERSON, THE SAND IS A NATURAL RESOURCE THAT IS IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
SAND IS USED IN ASPHALT CONCRETE.
IT'S USED IN YOU KNOW, ON SITE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS, SEPTIC SYSTEMS. IT HAS MANY USES IN CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY TO THE BAY BRIDGE AND THE SAND THAT WE HAVE HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
WE ARE A TARGET FOR VARIOUS SUPPLIERS TO MINE AND USE THOSE NATURAL RESOURCES IN THOSE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS. IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, D.C., BALTIMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.
[01:05:01]
AND WE'RE LOSING FARMLAND TO THAT AS WELL.SO WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF FARMLAND IN THE COUNTY.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER APPLICATION.
SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO COVER ABOUT 900 ACRES IN SOLAR PANELS.
HOW DO YOU REMEMBER HOW BIG IT WAS? LEASED 100 ACRES TO ANOTHER TO ANOTHER SURFACE MINING OPERATION.
SO? SO WE HAVE OTHER PRESSURES ON AGRICULTURE IN THE COUNTY OUTSIDE OF JUST SOLAR.
AND THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY MORE SAND.
I MEAN, YOU CAN COVER ADDITIONAL ACREAGE WITH PANELS, BUT SAND IS A FINITE NATURAL RESOURCE.
LIKE I SAID, IT GOES TO PENNSYLVANIA NORTHERN VIRGINIA, DELAWARE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S CAROLINE COUNTY BECAUSE OF HOW CLOSE WE ARE AND QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, IN SOME CASES, I DON'T THINK QUEEN ANNE HAS AS MUCH THE EASTERN PART OF QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, YOU WILL NOTICE SOME SURFACE, SOME MINERAL EXTRACTION FACILITIES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF CAROLINE COUNTY AREAS OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
YOU KNOW, THOSE PRESSURES BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING AG LAND TO THAT AS WELL.
AND IF YOU COVER, YOU KNOW, THIS SAND.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION THAT THAT SHOULD BE USED.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO, DOMINIC I PRETTY MUCH HAVE A SAYING I COMPARE SOLAR COMPANIES TO THE REVERSE MORTGAGE COMPANIES. OKAY I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ANALOGY FOR ME, YOU KNOW.
WHAT'S THAT. THAT'S A GREAT ANALOGY.
YEAH. SO THAT THAT'S WHERE I'M ON THAT.
BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN AGRICULTURE WAS I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT.
AGRICULTURE IS ON ATTACK YEARS AGO.
AND THEN THEY SAID, WELL YOU HAVE TO CONVERT TO AGRITOURISM.
SO THEY TRY TO PUSH AGRITOURISM DOWN THE EASTERN SHORES THROAT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL, SOME PEOPLE WASN'T.
YOU KNOW SOLAR IS A BETTER ASPECT.
SO WHICH I'M NOT I'M I AGREE WITH BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN ON SHOULDER, I THINK 2000, YOU KNOW.
BUT IT'S THEIR FEET DUG IN THE SAND.
YES, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING HERE.
JUST A COUPLE TO ADD TO COMMISSIONER BREEDING.
CAROLINE COUNTY, FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS IN THE TOP 25% UNITED STATES FOR GRAIN PRODUCTION AND THEN TOP 6% FOR TRUCK. TRUCK PRODUCTS HAVE WATERMELONS, PRODUCE AND THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.
SO TWO THINGS I WANT TO TOUCH ON IS, IS THERE A WAY LIKE TO PUT LIKE A CAP.
SO IF YOU HAVE 100 ACRES, THAT'S NOT DOABLE.
YOU GOT TO KEEP IT WITHIN 50 ACRES.
THAT'S NOT. I MEAN, WOULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY? IT SO I COULD WE PUT A COULD WE PUT A CAP ON THE SIZE OF THE ARRAY? IN OTHER WORDS, SAYING.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT COULD STILL BE WITHIN YOUR LITTLE CORRIDOR, WHICH I'M TRYING TO KEEP THAT OUT OF MY MIND, BUT STILL, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T USE 100 ACRE FARM, BUT YOU CAN USE 50 ACRES. BUT IT'S GOT TO MEET THIS PROTOCOL, LIKE WITH CERTAIN SOILS YOU KNOW, IS THERE, YOU KNOW, SAYING LIKE COMMISSIONER BREEDING IS TALKING ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO AS FAR AS KIND OF LIMITING THE SIZE OF THE ARRAY VIA LEGISLATION, I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR THAT RIGHT NOW IN ANNAPOLIS. RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST LIKE IT'S THE CHOICE OF THE FARMER IF THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, USE THEIR LAND FOR SOLAR.
GOTCHA. SO WHAT IS SECRETARY ADDICKS, WHAT IS HIS COMMENT OR HIS THOUGHTS ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
SO I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT THEY I MEAN, SHOULDN'T HE BE IN ON THE CONVERSATION? SO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS IN THE CONVERSATIONS WITH US.
[01:10:03]
THEY'RE PART OF THE HALF OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT THAT I BROUGHT UP.THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK AND FORTH AND HAVING A DIALOG.
SO FAR, IT'S BEEN VERY POSITIVE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO YEAH. YEAH, I MEAN, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT HE SAYS.
I MEAN, THAT'S I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF THIS WEIGHS ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD SAY.
IS HE GOING TO CAVE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND GO THAT WAY, OR IS HE GOING TO STAND ON HIS OWN AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, I'M TAKING UP FOR MY BUSINESS HERE? YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE, THAT'S WHAT HE'S THERE FOR, YOU KNOW? YEAH. I THINK I JUST WANT TO KIND OF UNDERLINE THE CONVERSATION REALLY QUICK, JUST ONE MORE TIME.
WE'RE OPERATING KIND OF IN A GAME BOARD THAT'S BEEN PRESET.
IT HASN'T BEEN SET BY MACO, IT'S BEEN SET BY THE LEADERS IN ANNAPOLIS.
SO I JUST WANT TO UNDERLINE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
YEAH. YEAH. NO, THIS IS I MEAN, WE KNOW YOU'RE THE VOICE OF REASON HERE.
YEAH. WELL, WE'RE LOOKING TO SAND.
I THINK CRYSTAL AND MEGAN AND LESLIE ARE LOOKING AT WHERE.
BECAUSE I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH YOU YESTERDAY ABOUT WHERE ARE THOSE SAND PITS AT? AND ARE THEY INSIDE OF THIS TRANSMISSION, THIS CORRIDOR THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF? SO ARE THOSE TWO AREAS GOING TO CONFLICT POTENTIALLY? YOU KNOW, WE'RE FORCING IT INTO AN AREA WHERE THERE IS A NATURAL RESOURCE THAT IS NEEDED BY THE STATE.
SO AND I THINK AND THIS IS FOR CARL.
THE LEGISLATORS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET YOU DO NOT REPRESENT PLACES WHERE THERE ARE GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF SOLAR PANELS.
AND THE IDEA IS, LET'S PUT THEM OVER HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM.
THEY GOT ALL THAT LAND OVER THERE.
LET'S JUST STICK THEM OVER THERE AND WE MIGHT SEE THEM ON THE WAY TO THE BEACH.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM EVERY DAY.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT FEELING THAT WE DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN OVER AND TESTIFIED BEFORE, AND I KNOW THE GREEN ENERGY AND CLIMATE CONTROL IS A BIG THING. IT'S GETTING SHOVED OVER HERE IS WHAT IT IS.
AND I'M, I BELIEVE SOLAR GENERATION COULD BE DONE ON PARKING AREAS.
I BELIEVE IT COULD BE DONE IN AREAS THAT IS NOT AGRICULTURE.
THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE BEING LOOKED AT.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO THIS.
WE DON'T CARE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO NOT DO IT.
WE'RE GOING TO PASS A LAW OVER THERE THAT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO PREEMPT YOU.
DOES A COUPLE GO AHEAD? OKAY. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
AND THAT IS ONE IS RELATED TO WHAT COMMISSIONER PORTER JUST SAID.
AND I HEARD SOMEBODY AT MACO AND ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS BRING THIS UP.
BUT IS THERE ANY THOUGHT INTO DOING A GOAL PER COUNTY OR A, YOU KNOW, EITHER AN ACRE GOAL OR A MEGAWATT BY COUNTY, SO THAT THAT KIND OF SCENARIO WHERE THE EASTERN SHORE TAKES THE BULK OF THE PANELS DOESN'T HAPPEN.
ONE QUESTION. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME ON CAN WE COME UP WITH A PER MEGAWATT OR A PER ACRE GOAL PER COUNTY, AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO SPECIFICALLY CHAIR CT WILSON BROUGHT UP DOING IT BY POPULATION.
DOING THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHALLENGES.
[01:15:10]
SPECIFICALLY ALSO INTERCONNECTION TRANSMISSION, THE PJM AND KIND OF WHERE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE DO WE HAVE THE SPACE TO PUT THIS STUFF? THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION AND VIABILITY OF THAT, I WOULD SAY IS IS TRICKY AT BEST.AND THE CHALLENGE MAY BE THAT IT WOULD GO PLACES THESE GUYS DON'T WANT IT TO GO IN THEIR COUNTIES, RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK THIS THIS GETS TO SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GRAPPLED WITH AS LONG AS WELL, FOREVER AND CERTAINLY AS LONG AS I'VE WORKED HERE.
AND SO WE ARE NOW THE LOGICAL PLACE FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEING PENALIZED FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING ALL ALONG.
THE OTHER ISSUE I WANTED TO BRING UP, ALSO BASED ON SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENED HERE, OR MAYBE THIS IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION OR A SUGGESTION, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO ALSO LOOK AT BASING IN THIS IF THIS PROPOSAL GOES FORWARD, BASING THE FUNDING MECHANISM ON INCLUDING THE PARAMETERS OF PRIME VERSUS NON PRIME FARMLAND.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER BREEDING HAD BROUGHT IT UP THE MINING SAND AND GRAVEL LAYER.
I MEAN, IS IT POSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, PARTICULARLY THE PRIME AND FARMLAND.
SO ON THE QUESTION OF LIKE PRIME SOILS AND FARMLAND.
WE HAVE BEEN BEATING THAT DRUM RATHER SIGNIFICANTLY.
THAT BEING SAID, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO DROP IT AND CAN'T KEEP ADVOCATING FOR IT.
I WOULD NOT SAY IT HAS A HIGH VIABILITY OF ACTUALLY BEING INCLUDED IN A FINAL PACKAGE, THOUGH.
YEAH. EVEN IF IT WERE, YOU KNOW, THE $5,000 FOR THE PRIME LAND VERSUS.
OKAY, YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF HEAT AND CONVERSATION AROUND THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
THE MONEY IS NOT THE ISSUE FOR THESE APPLICANTS.
I MEAN, MONEY. WELL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SOILS.
YEAH, I KNOW, BUT I MEAN, THE PER ACRE FIGURE DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
I MEAN, THE SOLAR COMPANIES ARE RECEIVING SO MUCH MONEY IN GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES AND STATE SUBSIDIES.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY.
SO I THINK THE PERCEPTION THAT STEWART HAS KIND OF GIVEN ME IS THAT OUR INFLUENCE OVER THIS PROCESS IS REALLY THROUGH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HEARINGS.
AND DOES THIS BILL CHANGE THAT PROCESS AT ALL, OR IS IT DOES IT PRETTY MUCH STAY THE SAME? THE PUBLIC SERVICE? PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HEARING, THE JUDGE, YOU KNOW, TO ISSUE THE CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC NEED AND CONVENIENCE OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO YEAH, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S CURRENT PROCESS, THE CPCN.
SO ALL OF THAT WOULD STILL EXIST.
YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING.
SO SPECIFICALLY FOR THE UNDER FIVE MEGAWATTS, IT WOULD BE AN ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WHERE THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, YOU EITHER CHECK THE BOX OR YOU DON'T CHECK THE BOX. BUT THE EVERYTHING ELSE THROUGH THE CPCN PROCESS WOULD MORE OR LESS REMAIN THE SAME, RIGHT? OKAY. BECAUSE THE WAY I READ THE WASHINGTON COUNTY CASE RIGHT NOW IS THAT CURRENT STATUTE PUTS A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S INFLUENCE OVER THESE PROJECTS LOCALLY THAT THE JUDGE, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION JUDGE, SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE DELIBERATIONS AND THE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON A SOLAR ARRAY BY A PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO IT DOES CHANGE THAT INFLUENCE THE INFLUENCE, THAT INFLUENCE ON THE JUDGE.
IT TAKES IT OUT OF THE CONTROL OF A PLANNING COMMISSION TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IT JUST GIVES A SIMPLE CHECKLIST.
THIS IS WHAT YOU GOT TO MEET. SO YOU COULD STILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT IS SO SETBACKS FOR EXAMPLE.
SO LET'S SAY YOU DO A 200 FOOT SETBACK OR SOMETHING RANDOM.
AND THEN IT GOES TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
THEY CAN SAY ACTUALLY IT SHOULD BE 50FT OR AGAIN INSERT RANDOM NUMBER.
THIS SAYS THAT A LOCAL JURISDICTION CAN ENACT SETBACKS IN TWO DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
ONE IS UP TO I THINK IT'S 100FT AND 150FT.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TEXT, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S THOSE TWO NUMBERS.
SO THOSE WOULD ACTUALLY YOU WOULD HAVE MORE PREDICTABILITY ON BOTH ENDS.
THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT. BUT THEN ALSO THE SOLAR APPLICANT KNOWS THAT SO THAT THEY CAN START LOOKING AT PROJECTS AND SAYING, ALL RIGHT, WE CAN PROBABLY GET AWAY WITH THIS HERE, NOT THERE. IT GIVES MORE PREDICTABILITY TO EVERYBODY.
[01:20:06]
THERE'S THE SAND, FOR EXAMPLE.AND THIS SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.
ALL OF THOSE AVENUES WOULD STILL REMAIN OPEN TO YOU.
RIGHT? WE RECENTLY IMPOSED WE CHANGED OUR ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE A 200 FOOT SETBACK.
AND THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT WAS WILDLIFE IMPACTS AND SCREENING.
YOU KNOW, SETBACK. WE WERE WE WERE.
OUR JUSTIFICATION WAS YOU COULD CONTINUE TO FARM THE PERIMETER 150FT.
SO THE ESTHETICS, THE LOOK OF THE COUNTY REALLY DIDN'T CHANGE.
AND IT WAS IT WAS FOR ESTHETIC REASONS, BUT IT WAS ALSO FOR WILDLIFE.
SO YOU TAKE THE ARRAY THAT'S GETTING READY TO BE INSTALLED AT THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FENCING 50FT OFF BOTH SHOULDERS OF THE ROAD IN A RURAL COUNTY WITH SPORADIC FORESTED AREAS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE DEER AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND YOU'RE GOING TO FUNNEL THEM INTO A 100 FOOT WIDE CORRIDOR WITH CARS AND POTENTIALLY HAVE THEM TRAPPED IN THERE AND CREATE A SITUATION WHERE YOU COULD HAVE ACCIDENTS OR, YOU KNOW INJURY TO NOT ONLY WILDLIFE, BUT PEOPLE POTENTIALLY DRIVING.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INJURED BY RUNNING INTO DEER OR TRYING TO AVOID DEER.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT JUST IT GOES BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER PORTER SAID EARLIER ABOUT THIS ONE SIZE FITS ALL IN THEIR INFINITE WISDOM, PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER SET FOOT IN A FIELD ARE GOING TO DICTATE TO US WHAT OUR SETBACKS CAN AND CAN'T BE.
AND I THINK HOW WE ARTICULATE THAT TO THEM AND GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THESE CONSIDERATIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE HEADING.
DOES THE LEGISLATION ADDRESS TAXATION AT ALL, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH BUSINESS, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX? I'M SORRY I DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO READ IT.
YEAH IN THE SO THE LAST YEAR YOU REMEMBER IN THE BRIGHTER TOMORROW THERE WAS THE PILOT AND KIND OF WHAT SHOULD THAT PILOT BE? TENTATIVELY, THAT IS THE EXACT SAME LANGUAGE FROM BRIGHTER TOMORROW, EXCEPT WE'RE AT $8,000 A MEGAWATT.
AND SO FAR THE INDUSTRY SEEMS TO BE OKAY WITH THAT.
RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, THIS IS A MORE OPEN COMMENT PERIOD THAN WE HAD WHEN WE WERE INITIALLY DRAFTING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS FOR MACO IT'S UP OR DOWN.
IT'S YES OR NO. WE'RE EITHER AT 8000 OR WE'RE GOING TO STRIP IT COMPLETELY.
OKAY. HOW ABOUT ANY CHANGE IN HOW THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS ASSESSES THE PROPERTY? IS IT GOING TO COME OUT STILL? ARE THEY STILL GOING TO ASSESS IT AS COMMERCIAL USE AS OPPOSED TO AG.
DO YOU KNOW. SO I'M NOT SURE ON THAT ONE.
I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH KEVIN ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE.
I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME.
ALL RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT IS A THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.
WHEN LEASES GET ENTERED INTO, YOU KNOW, WITH FARMERS ABOUT THE TAXES.
WHO'S GOING TO PAY THEM? AND SO DOM DO WHO IS THERE A ARE WE FAR ENOUGH ALONG ON THIS THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL SPONSORS FOR THIS YET? SO NEXT WEEK I AM MEETING WITH LEADERSHIP FROM ECM AND E3, AND SO I WANT TO SIT DOWN KIND OF WITH THEM FIRST AND GET THEIR READ. I IMAGINE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'LL PROBABLY BE TALKING SPONSORS.
BUT THE FIRST LOGICAL STEP SEEMS TO BE, YOU KNOW, START WITH THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS.
SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF WE CAN LIMIT UTILITY SCALE PROJECTS IN FAVOR OF COMMUNITY SCALE PROJECTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, ONE THAT WOULD GO TO, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT WESTERN SHORE, NEW YORK VERSUS LOCAL.
YEAH I DON'T, SO UNDER THIS, NO THERE'S NOTHING THAT TOUCHES THAT.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
BUT SPECIFICALLY TO THIS DRAFT, NO, THAT'S NOT MENTIONED.
SO TO SUMMARIZE ON THIS THING FOR ME, THERE IS NOT ANY APPETITE TO IDENTIFY PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND AND TRY TO THERE'S NOT ANY APPETITE FOR THAT.
WHY IS THAT? SO WHAT WHY FOR THE WHICH ONE?
[01:25:02]
THE PRIME LAND.THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PUSHBACK FROM THE INDUSTRY.
THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
IT'S THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME THAT HILL WITH THE AMOUNT OF STAKEHOLDERS.
WE NEED TO SEE THIS TO THE OTHER SIDE.
I DON'T I DON'T SEE AN EQUATION WHERE THAT WORKS.
SO I GUESS THAT ON THE COUNTY APPROACH WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO BE HANDLE THIS IS THROUGH EDUCATION, THROUGH OUR FARMING COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, REALLY GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM. PROS, CONS, YOU KNOW, HEY, ONCE IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE.
STEWART HAS SPOKEN ON THAT SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, PATHWAY ON AIR WAY, YOU KNOW, IS TO REALLY REACH OUT TO EVERYBODY ON THIS, AND THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO ALTHOUGH TODAY, YOU KNOW, THOSE SOILS MIGHT BE TAKEN, WHETHER THIS PASSES OR NOT, YOU'LL AT LEAST HAVE SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN START TO PUT GUARDRAILS AROUND THOSE REALLY SENSITIVE AREAS.
AND THERE IS SOME ADDRESS ADDRESSING IN HERE I THINK ON DECOMMISSIONING.
YES. AND THAT IS IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING DECOMMISSIONING AS PART OF THE CPCN PROCESS.
SO LET ME JUST DO A LITTLE BIT OF HYPOTHETICAL HERE.
BUT SO JUST SAY YOU HAVE THE 40000 ACRES, WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT NUMBER.
SO THIS ALL WOULDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD, IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, GO.
WOULD THAT YOU THINK SLOW THE PROCESS UP A LITTLE BIT OR DO YOU.
SO YEAH I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS TO PARSE THERE.
SO I THINK THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE ACRES CAN AND WILL BE DEVELOPED.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE SPORADIC.
AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES A NEW ADMINISTRATION COME IN? I MEAN, SO THIS WOULD BE IN LEGISLATION.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY APPLICATIONS DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR HOW MANY ACRES? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A 42 ACRE ONE THAT IS JUST STARTING THE PROCESS.
AND THEN ANOTHER, I BELIEVE, 20 ACRES.
ON THE SUBJECT OF MAKING A FARM BETTER.
I'M MAKING A FARM BETTER, LIKE HOW COULD YOU MAKE A FARM BETTER? BECAUSE WITH MDE, WITH, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE I WAS TALKING TO MR. BREEDING OVER THE WEEKEND. THERE'S A FARM OUTSIDE OF DENTON, A GUY, HE LOGGED IT PUT, PUT, YOU KNOW, IRRIGATION SYSTEM UP, BUT HE COULDN'T GET IN WALLS FROM MDE BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T APPROVE IT. SO.
SO REALLY, YOU'RE STILL LIMITED ON MAKING A FARM BETTER, YOU KNOW, ON CERTAIN FARMS. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST I DON'T SEE THAT THINKING THERE.
SO IT'S INTENTIONALLY LEFT VERY VAGUE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIKE I SAID, IF YOU WANTED TO AWARD GRANTS OR, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISH SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM FOR, YOU KNOW, WE CALL IT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMING, MAYBE THAT IS IRRIGATION, MAYBE IT COULD BE A UNIVERSE OF OTHER THINGS.
YES. WHAT HOW DOES IT ADDRESS A DECOMMISSIONING PROCESS? IS IT FOR 100%? CAN A COUNTY STILL SAY WE WANT 100% DECOMMISSIONING? BOND POSTED, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE THAT PART GETS INCREDIBLY PARTICULAR.
I BELIEVE IT DOES, BUT THERE'S ALSO OH, IT DOESN'T KNOW.
OKAY. SO IT DOESN'T SAY SOMETHING THOUGH ABOUT THE SALVAGE VALUE? YEAH. YEAH.
DEDUCTS. SO WE COULD I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS 80 TO 90% DONE.
AND WE COULD WE CAN TWEAK WITH THE LANGUAGE THERE.
DOM, I JUST SENT AN EMAIL TO MICHAEL AND TO SARAH OF AN EXCHANGE I HAD WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ABOUT DEDUCTING SALVAGE VALUE FROM THE ESTIMATED COST OF DECOMMISSIONING, AND WENT INTO GREAT DETAIL AS TO WHY IT IS SMOKE AND
[01:30:01]
MIRRORS TO DEDUCT THE SALVAGE, THE ESTIMATED SALVAGE VALUE OF THIS EQUIPMENT 25 TO 30 YEARS IN ADVANCE.AND THE OTHER ISSUE, IF YOU'RE TAKING NOTES TO TAKE BACK TO YOUR COMMITTEE.
ONE IS GET RID OF THIS DEDUCTION OF SALVAGE VALUE.
AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
AND THOSE REASONS ARE IN THE EMAIL I JUST SENT TO MICHAEL.
THE OTHER THING THAT THIS STATUTE DOES NOT ADDRESS IS TO WHOM IS THE DECOMMISSIONING BOND IN FAVOR OF? THAT'S LEFT WIDE OPEN, THE COUNTY.
SO THE LANDOWNERS, LIKE I SAID, 80 TO 90%.
SO ANY NOTES WE CAN WORK ON THAT.
ANYTHING RECEIVED LATER THAN THAT.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS.
IF WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH AND THE PANELS BECOME DEVALUED BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER THEY'RE OBSOLETE OR WHATEVER, EITHER WITH MORE EFFICIENT PANELS OR SOME OTHER WAY OF POWER GENERATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, CREDITORS ARE GOING TO GET FIRST BITE AT THAT SALVAGE VALUE, NOT THE COUNTY.
SO THE LIKELIHOOD THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT BACK TO THE COUNTY AND BE ABLE TO BE USED FOR ACTUALLY CLEANING UP THE PANEL OR, YOU KNOW, REMOVING THE SOLAR WOULD BE VERY UNLIKELY IN OUR OPINION. BUT THOSE WERE THE MAJOR CONCERNS WITH THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I ASSUME MACO HAS THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW THAT BASICALLY OUT OF STATE DEVELOPERS LOOKING FOR A FAST BUCK COME INTO AN AREA LIKE US AND VERY QUIETLY SIGN FOLKS UP SELLING, TELLING THEM WHAT THE PROJECT IS REALLY GOING TO IS SUPPOSEDLY GOING TO BE.
AND THEN SUDDENLY THE COUNTY'S FIRST NOTICE OF IT IS, WHAMMO, WE GET AN APPLICATION.
OH, BY THE WAY, WE'RE GOING TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, AND YOU HAVE TO GO ALONG ON OUR PROCESS AND THE COUNTY IS RELEGATED TO INSTEAD OF SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, THAT'S NOT ZONED FOR IT THERE, IT'S ZONED FOR IT OVER HERE.
THE PRIVATE DEVELOPER TAKES OVER THE WHOLE PLANNING OF THE USE OF THE LAND IN OUR COUNTY.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WITH THE WASHINGTON COUNTY CASE SAYS, IS THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IS THE FINAL DECIDER, NOT THE COUNTY AND TECHNICALLY NOT THE DEVELOPER, BUT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HAS ONLY DISAPPROVED ONE SINGLE CERTIFICATE IN HISTORY IN KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND.
I ALSO WONDER ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF THE SOLAR INDUSTRY ON THE JUDGES.
ARE THEY BEING EDUCATED IN SEMINARS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT BY THE INDUSTRY INSTEAD OF BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT? AND WE KNOW FROM ONE ONE CASE THAT WE HAD WHERE WE WENT TO THE MEETING BEFORE THE JUDGE, WE BROUGHT UP THE BATTERY STORAGE CONCERNS, AND THE JUDGE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THE CONCERNS.
HE SAID, I GUESS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I LOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, FAR BE IT FROM ME TO QUESTION JUDGES.
AND I, I THIS WOULD BE A TOUGH ONE TO GET.
BUT DO YOU THINK WE COULD SQUEEZE IN SOMETHING THAT THAT TO, TO AT LEAST PACE THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY LIKE CAP IT AT SO MANY ACRES PER YEAR.
THEY'RE ALL GOING, CAN WE THROTTLE IT? DO YOU THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE? THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. I CAN BRING THAT IDEA BACK TO THIS GROUP.
I GENUINELY DON'T KNOW HOW RECEPTIVE THEY WOULD BE TO IT, BUT THERE'S NO REASON WE COULDN'T ASK.
[01:35:04]
YEAH. DEATH BY A THOUSAND SOLAR PANELS.MAYBE WE'VE COME UP WITH ANOTHER WAY.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, MY FEAR IS THAT THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH, AND WE DON'T NEED THIS TYPE OF POWER GENERATION ANYMORE.
AM I TALKING ABOUT THAT DUMB NUCLEAR POWER? THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF MORE ZEROS AT THE END OF THOSE PROJECTS THAN THE SOLAR ONES, SO.
BUT THE JUICE IS WORTH THE SQUEEZE THERE.
I MEAN, IT'S THE THERE'S SO MUCH BENEFICIAL.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT AMAZES ME THAT OTHER COUNTRIES, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT OFF THE SUBJECT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT, LIKE, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, CHINA AND ALL THEM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DEVELOPING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ALL THE TIME, AND THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOLAR.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO THE UNITED STATES IS THE ONLY ONE TALKING ABOUT SOLAR AND GREEN ENERGY.
IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT HAVING SOMETHING IN THE BILL THAT SAYS THAT THE LAND ON WHICH THE DEVELOPER INTENDS TO PUT A SOLAR ARRAY HAS TO BE LAND THAT IS FIT WITHOUT HAVING ANY TOPSOIL DISTURBED.
NARROWS IT DOWN. THEY CAN'T TAKE EVERY PLACE.
BUT AS FAR AS LIMITING TO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY PUT A PROJECT ON CERTAIN SLOPES THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE OPERATING IN THE STATE HAS SET CERTAIN BOUNDARIES AND WE'RE PLAYING WITHIN THOSE THAT THAT ON FIRST READ SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT IS STARTING TO VENTURE OUTSIDE OF THOSE BOUNDARIES.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE VIABLE.
BUT PART OF MY JOB IS TO BE HONEST.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING OVER.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
MAKING OUR DAY. I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THIS.
YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WHAT THE ROLE HERE IS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST PASSED WITH.
NO, WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR IT.
WELL, AND YOU GUYS GAVE GREAT FEEDBACK AND, YOU KNOW, PLEASE REACH OUT AT ANY TIME AND SOME OF THE STUFF ON DECOMMISSIONING, PLEASE SEND ME SOME NOTES AND WE'LL WORK TO ADDRESS EVERYTHING WE CAN.
ALL RIGHT. YEAH. WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
YEP. OKAY, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.
[01:40:15]
REMEMBER WHEN.CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
WE'RE GOING TO NEXT UP, WE HAVE CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE WORKFORCE PROGRAMS PRESENTATION.
SO, DOCTOR COPPERSMITH, DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM? I SURELY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT A COUPLE OF POINTS OF THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR SUPPORTING OUR QUEEN ANNE'S TECH PROJECT.
[Chesapeake College Workforce Programs Presentation]
I ALSO WISH TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERVICE OF NASH MCMAHON, WHO'S JUST COMING OFF BOARD SERVICE FOR THE COUNTY.HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED, BUT I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. FOULKES, WHO'S GOING TO BE A FANTASTIC ADDITION.
[01:45:04]
AND IF ANYBODY COULD REPLACE NASH, IT WOULD BE BRANT.YOU HAVE THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST HERE WITH YOU TODAY FROM OUR COLLEGE.
DAVID HARPER, WHO'S OUR ACADEMIC VP.
WE HAVE FRANK WILLIAMS, OUR PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, A NEW PROGRAM FOR US.
DEANNA TOBIN IS THE DIRECTOR OF NONCREDIT HEALTH PROFESSIONS, AND NICOLE BARTH, WHO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO START WITH WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO GO IN ORDER OF THE LIST OF THE NAMES ON THE AGENDA TODAY, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THE PRESENTATION.
SO ALL RIGHT. VERY APPROPRIATE.
YEAH. I ENJOYED ALL MORNING SO FAR.
YEAH I BET. AND ARE YOU IS IT OKAY IF I STAND? SURE. OKAY. I HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY.
ALL RIGHT. SO. SO THANKS FOR HAVING US TODAY.
MY NAME IS NICOLE BARTH, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN AT CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE.
I'M IN MY 14TH YEAR, SEVENTH YEAR IN MY POSITION IN CHARGE OF THE AG ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE PROGRAM.
AND WHEN I'M NOT TEACHING AT CHESAPEAKE, I ACTUALLY DO THE AGRITOURISM THING IN TALBOT COUNTY.
I HELP RUN FAMILY AFFAIR FARM.
SO WE DO YOU PICK BERRIES, CORN, MAIZE, PUMPKINS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YEAH, I LOVE THE AG AND I'VE ENJOYED OUR CONVERSATION THIS MORNING.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR POSITION AND LOOKING OUT FOR IT.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER AT CHESAPEAKE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY PEOPLE MIGHT BE HESITANT GETTING INTO FARMING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SEE ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT FARMERS CAN FACE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I ASK IS, WHAT IF YOU'RE THINKING? SO I HAVE STUDENTS COME IN AND THEY SAY, I SAY, IF YOU'RE PICTURING SOMEBODY WHO WORKS IN AGRICULTURE, WHAT WOULD YOU PICTURE? WHO WOULD YOU PICTURE? SO PLEASE DRAW IT.
THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE TO DO.
ANY GUESSES ON WHAT I ALWAYS GET LIBERALS? THAT'S CORRECT.
RIGHT. THERE IS THE TYPICAL PICTURE OF WHAT I GET, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE LAST TIME THAT I WORE A YEAH, COVERALLS OR A STRAW HAT, AND I NEVER HAVE WHEAT HANGING OUT IN MY MOUTH, AND I MIGHT WEAR A BASEBALL HAT.
AND I TRY TO AVOID THE WORK WITH THE PITCHFORK.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE SO MANY TIMES THIS IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK.
IF YOU'RE GETTING INTO AGRICULTURE, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND AS YOU ALL ARE VERY AWARE, AGRICULTURE IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST SITTING BEHIND A TRACTOR.
AND SO WE OFFER A COUPLE DIFFERENT DEGREES AT CHESAPEAKE.
WE OFFER BOTH AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN AG, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LIBERAL ARTS, WHERE THEY TAKE A LOT OF GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES AND THEN FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE WITH THE HOPES OF TRANSFERRING INTO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SMALL, WE'RE PRETTY MIGHTY.
I FEEL THIS IS A WHOLE LIST OF CLASSES THAT WE DO OFFER.
I TEACH A LOT OF THEM MYSELF, AND SO WE DO A LOT OF FIELD TRIPS, GUEST SPEAKERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS.
IT'S HARD TO BE YOU KNOW, KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ALL OF THEM.
AND THEN THEY CAN FOCUS WHETHER THEY WANT TO GO INTO MARKETING AND BUSINESS.
THEN THEY CAN TAKE THOSE KINDS OF CLASSES IN THEIR ELECTIVES.
THANK YOU. IS I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE AND VERY INTO HANDS ON LEARNING.
SO I WANT MY STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE TRYING AGRICULTURE CLASSES.
THEY NEED TO BE GETTING DIRTY, WHETHER THAT BE IN THE KITCHEN THIS WEEK.
WE'LL BE PICKING APPLES ACTUALLY THIS EVENING AND MAKING APPLESAUCE AND LEARNING ABOUT FOOD PRESERVATION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, OR IF IT'S OUT IN THE FIELD, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, I WANT THEM TO HAVE HANDS ON EXPERIENCES.
SO OVER TIME, WE HAVE BEEN BUILT BUILDING A HANDS ON AG CENTER.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE PICTURES THERE.
WE HAVE A HIGH TUNNEL, A GREENHOUSE.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET INTO HYDROPONICS.
WE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED A GARDEN TOWER, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BEEN INTERESTING AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A SMALL VINEYARD, A TRACTOR.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING INTO COMPOSTING, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
MY GOAL IS TO GET STUDENTS TO SEE THAT THEY CAN MAKE A LIVING ON A SMALL BIT OF LAND.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO TEACH THEM IS TO DIVERSIFY AND, YOU KNOW, GET INTO A NICHE MARKET.
[01:50:04]
AND WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE HAS CHALLENGES.THIS YEAR IT'S BEEN THE WEATHER.
IT COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS.
HOWEVER, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR BIGGEST STRENGTHS ARE WHAT MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.
SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
BASICALLY, IF I CALL AN AG BUSINESS AND SAY, CAN I BRING STUDENTS? THEY ALL SAY, YES.
I'VE NEVER HAD ANYBODY TURN ME DOWN.
AND NORMALLY THEY MAKE THE KIDS FEEL SUPER IMPORTANT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE LOTS OF HARD WORKING STUDENTS, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
THEY HAVE BUILT THE WHOLE FACILITY BASICALLY.
I HAD STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, BUILD THE HIGH TUNNEL AND DO ALL THAT, PUT THE VINEYARD IN AND ALL THAT.
AND THEN WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAN SEE THOSE KIDS GRADUATE AND WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M AS SUCCESSFUL AS WHEN I PICK A STRAWBERRY, OR WHEN I SEE KIDS PICKING PUMPKINS AND ARE EXCITED TO BE AT THE PATCH.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF WHAT I DO, AND I JUST WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SAYINGS. THE FARMER HAS TO BE AN OPTIMIST OR HE WOULDN'T STILL BE A FARMER.
SO I KIND OF TAKE THAT YOU KNOW, AND LEAVE THAT WITH YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU GUYS DO AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. MY NAME IS FRANK WILLIAMS. THANKS FOR HAVING US. AND YOUR SUPPORT.
BUT AS YOU SAID, FRANK WILLIAMS, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT THE COLLEGE.
SO I STARTED AT THE COLLEGE 18 MONTHS AGO.
BEFORE THAT, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, WENT TO CHESAPEAKE AND WORKED AT DIXON VALVE IN KENT COUNTY AS A CNC MACHINIST DOING MAINTENANCE AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THERE. BUT AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, AT A NATIONAL, STATE, LOCAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A NEED FOR MANUFACTURING, FOR MACHINISTS, FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE THINGS. BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT SOME FUNDING.
SO TO DO THAT, OBVIOUSLY, PRIMARILY WE LOOK TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.
SO EVEN THOUGH I STARTED AT 18 MONTHS, WE JUST STARTED ROLLING OUT COURSES.
WE'RE GETTING BIGGER AS WE GO.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT DO EVERYTHING FROM METALWORKING TO FOOD TO TECHNOLOGY TO ASSEMBLY.
BUT WE STARTED BY GOING TO THE BUSINESS AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, HEY, WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE YOU NOT SEEING? AND PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE HEARD WAS TWO THINGS.
THE FIRST THING WAS PEOPLE THAT JUST CAN COME IN WITH A GENERAL SKILL SET, SOME BASIC, SOME BASIC SKILLS WITH MEASUREMENT, A GOOD IDEA OF HOW TO WORK, AND THEY CAN TEACH THE REST. AND WE ALSO HEARD A NEED FOR MAINTENANCE.
SO WE KIND OF WENT WITH THAT GUIDING PRINCIPLE TO START.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CLASSES, YOU KNOW, THAT WE OFFER SO FAR.
SO AGAIN, SPEAKING THAT DIVERSITY, WHICH YOU NOTICE IS RIGHT NOW OUR CLASSES ARE NONCREDIT.
BUT THEY ALL HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF A HYBRID MODEL WHERE WE TRY TO GET YOU INTO A CLASS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS, GET YOU IN AND OUT OF THERE WITH SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION THAT THEN YOU CAN TAKE TO AN EMPLOYER AND SHOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR SKILLS.
SO ONE THING IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SO MUCH LIKE HVAC OR ELECTRICAL WHERE THERE'S A VERY DEFINED PATH FOR HOW YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY OR A VERY DEFINED CREDENTIAL.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO WORK WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR BUSINESSES TO BUILD THAT.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHERE THE CPT COMES IN.
SO THOSE FOUR CLASSES ARE RUNNING.
AND YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE GO FROM THERE.
WE HAVE SOME DEDICATED TRAINING COMING.
HYDRAULICS TRAINING, FANUC ROBOTICS TRAINING CNC ELECTROMECHANICAL THAT TIES INTO THAT MAINTENANCE.
AND SOLIDWORKS, WHICH IS A COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S A COUPLE PICTURES OF OUR LABS SIMILAR TO NICOLE.
WE TRY TO DO A LOT OF HANDS ON.
AND WHEN WE SAY ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, YOU KNOW.
YOU SEE OUR LAPTOP OR OUR COMPUTER LAB THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ADVANCED PART.
BESIDES ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, THEY'RE KIND OF LISTED THERE.
[01:55:04]
AND IN THE SKILLED TRADES, WE REALLY DO THAT.WE ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COORDINATORS WE TRY TO SHARE, BOUNCE PEOPLE AROUND TO TURN OUT WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN THEN GO GET, YOU KNOW, HIGH QUALITY JOBS AND HIGH PAYING JOBS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO WELL-ROUNDED.
FRANK, CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY. HERE WE HAD THE APPRENTICE PROGRAM, AND I KNOW TANGLEWOOD CONSERVATORIES WAS.
I CAN'T. I SHOULD REMEMBER HIS NAME.
YES. WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN IN DOING THAT.
DO WE STILL HAVE? I MEAN, ARE WE DOING APPRENTICE RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES? WE ARE TO VARIOUS DEGREES, AND I'VE WORKED I'VE MET WITH ALAN AT TANGLEWOOD.
YEAH. BASICALLY DIFFERENT BUSINESSES HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON IT.
SO SOME BUSINESSES THAT I GO TO ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT APPRENTICESHIP.
AND WE 100% SUPPORT THAT AND TRY TO GO TO THAT MODEL.
AND WE TRY TO BE THE TEACHING AGENCY.
OTHER BUSINESSES ARE A LITTLE HESITANT TO DO IT.
IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE PERSONAL NEEDS OF THE BUSINESS.
THANKS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
MORNING. MORNING. FOR HAVING US.
SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PARTICULARLY THE NONCREDIT HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN CERTIFICATIONS THAT YOU CAN GET UNDER OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE THE DENTAL ASSISTANT PROGRAM.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE IN A DENTAL OFFICE.
IT'S GOT THE XRAY, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS THAT THEY'LL GET.
THE NURSING ASSISTANT, CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT LAB.
IT LOOKS LIKE AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY.
SO I THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY POPULAR.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NURSING ASSISTANTS MIGHT GO ON AND GET THEIR MEDICINE AIDE CERTIFICATION THROUGH THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND THAT WOULD OFFER AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREERS.
AND THAT IS ALL DONE IN THE HVAC BUILDING? IT IS.
YES. SO IT'S WE'RE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT SHARING THE SPACES.
JUSTIN COULD HAVE DESCRIBED SOME OF HIS AREAS AS WELL, WHICH ARE PRETTY AMAZING WITH THE SIMULATION AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT WE SHARE PRETTY WELL THERE IF ANYBODY EVER NEEDS TO GO IN. DO YOU ALSO SO DO THE EMT AND PARAMEDIC TRAINING.
AND THAT ONE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT IS FULL EVERY TIME WE RUN IT.
SO WE ARE FULL THIS FALL AND WE'LL START.
WE HAVE A WAITLIST FOR THE JANUARY SESSION.
SO YEAH, WE WALKED INTO I JUST DID A TOUR OF THE HVAC BUILDING WITH DOCTOR COPPERSMITH AND DOCTOR HARPER, AND WE WALKED INTO ONE OF THE ROOMS AND I THINK DOCTOR SIMMONS WAS TALKING AND MILTON SAID, SHH, BE QUIET.
THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THAT BED THERE.
AND HE GOT, HE GOT HE GOT TUCKER SIMMONS.
OH, I KNOW THAT'S A PRETTY COMMON MISTAKE.
YEAH, I'M SURE HE WASN'T THE FIRST ONE.
THE FIRST VICTIM OF THAT TRICK.
MR. PRESIDENT, I LEFT ONE PERSON OFF OUR LIST.
JASON MULLINS IS WITH US TODAY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT BOTH DAVID HARPER AND JASON ARE RESIDENTS OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN'T ANSWER, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE VERY SMART PEOPLE BEHIND ME THAT CAN.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET AGRICULTURE? SO I THINK THAT WAS PART OF YOUR.
IT WAS ACTUALLY PREEXISTING, BUT WE'VE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO IT.
AS THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
WE'RE USING OPERATIONAL FUNDING.
AND I THINK WE REALLY HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I WANT TO JUST POSITIVE NOTE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SKILLED TRADES IN THESE PROFESSIONAL AREAS ARE GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM STUDENTS.
WE SEE A REAL FINAL MOVEMENT TOWARDS THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'D CALL TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC PURSUITS, BECAUSE STUDENTS SEE THE VALUE OF THE SKILLED TRADES INCREASINGLY ARE ATTRACTIVE TO WOMEN.
[02:00:01]
AND I REALLY DO THINK, FINALLY, AFTER ALL THE PREACHING AND PROSELYTIZING I'VE BEEN DOING PERSONALLY AND OTHERS LIKE ME THAT ARE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK, WE'RE SEEING SOME PROGRESS THERE IN GETTING PEOPLE INTO THESE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL AREAS THAT ARE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CIVILIZATION.AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, AIR CONDITIONING AND VENTILATION OR PLUMBING OR MASONRY OR CONSTRUCTION OR CDL TRUCK DRIVING OR NURSING, THE DEMAND IS ENORMOUS. THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE REALLY THERE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A VERY LIFE SUSTAINING AND FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGE AND COMPENSATION.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO ME SAY FOR YEARS AND THEY GET TIRED OF IT.
WELL, WE'RE STILL IN THAT BUSINESS, TOO.
WE PRODUCE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING ON TO LAW, MEDICINE, TEACHING, EDUCATION IS HUGE.
YOU KNOW, ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO HAS SOME CONNECTION TO WORKFORCE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
THANK YOU. YEAH, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB.
THANKS. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
THANK YOU. SORRY. SORRY FOR THE WAIT.
THAT'S OKAY. WE HAD A GREAT EDUCATION TODAY.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU GUYS.
CAN I JUST MAKE A STATEMENT? SURE. THE NORTH CAROLINA HAS THE TRAINING UP THEIR HANDS ON.
YEP. AND MY GRANDSON TOOK THAT AUTOMOTIVE COURSE UP THERE, AND HE WAS HIRED BY PRESTON FORD BEFORE HE EVER GOT OUT OF SCHOOL.
YEP. AND HE'S DOING A REALLY LIKED IT.
THEY HAVE REALLY PRETTY GOOD WORKS.
YEAH. HE'S GOT ALL THESE CERTIFICATIONS LIKE THEY.
HE'S GOT ALL THAT. DIFFERENT ONES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.
THEY HAVE LIKE THEY HAVE A GOOD.
MY SON IS ENROLLED IN THAT RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE PROGRAM THERE.
SO NEXT UP WE GOT BILL MANGILL, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS.
[Dr. Derek Simmons, Superintendent & Bill Mengel, Director of Operations,]
OH. I'M SORRY. I'LL JUMP BACK TO SHERRY.I'LL GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. BILL, WE CAN GO OVER THIS REAL QUICK.
YEAH, YOU CAN GET BACK TO WORK.
YOU GOT SENT OVER HERE BY YOURSELF, TOO? YEAH. SO, YEAH, I'M THE B TEAM, I GUESS SO DOCTOR SIMMONS CAN'T MAKE IT.
THIS MORNING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WENT LONGER THAN EXPECTED OR WHAT, BUT I DON'T.
EXPECT TO SEE HIM AT THIS POINT.
PRESIDENT BREEDING AND COMMISSIONERS PORTER AND BARTZ.
I COME TO YOU THIS MORNING TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL AND A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR FY 26 FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR LAST YEAR'S PROJECTS WITH NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOLS, PHASE TWO AND FINAL PHASE OF THAT ROOF PROJECT, AS WELL AS PRESTON ELEMENTARY'S PARTIAL PROJECT.
BOTH THOSE PROJECTS ARE ABOUT 99.5% DONE.
JUST A FEW LITTLE TWEAKS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HAMMER OUT NOW IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
BUT THEY BOTH CAME OUT REALLY GREAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.
SO WHY AM I HERE? THE CIP IS A REQUIRED DOCUMENT BY THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FROM THE STATE.
SO THIS WAS APPROVED BACK IN SEPTEMBER 3RD BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND THAT'S MY REASON FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
THE DOCUMENT THAT I SUBMITTED TO YOU, I BELIEVE, WAS FOUR PAGES LONG.
THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF THE DOCUMENT IS ON FORM 1 OR 2.4, AND IT'S KIND OF THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET LOOKING DOCUMENT LABELED SUMMARY OF CURRENT PLANNING AND FUNDING REQUESTS.
BEFORE I GET TO THAT, THOUGH, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT A PROJECT WE HAVE ALREADY PLANNED AND APPROVED FOR NEXT YEAR, AND IT'S THE COMPLETE ROOF REPLACEMENT OF COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE REASON WHY YOU WILL NOT SEE THAT PROJECT ON THE CIP IS BECAUSE IT COMES OUT OF A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE.
THE IOC COMES IN HEALTHY SCHOOL FACILITIES FUND.
THE IAC IS EVOLVING WITH THEIR FUNDING SOURCES TO KIND OF GET AWAY FROM THE CIP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE FRANKLY, NOT EVERYTHING GETS APPROVED OR THINGS DON'T GET APPROVED AT 100%.
THEY ARE PUTTING MORE FUNDING INTO PROGRAMS LIKE AGING SCHOOLS BUILT TO LEARN.
AS WELL AS HEALTHY SCHOOL FACILITIES FUNDS.
[02:05:05]
WE'RE GOOD TO GO. THAT'S STILL GOING TO BE UNDER THE SAME FUNDING SPLIT.SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO WITH THAT.
BUT YOU WILL NOT SEE THAT ON THE CIP BECAUSE IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT A CIP FUNDED PROJECT.
OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THAT BEFORE I GET STARTED ON THAT? NO. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. SO FOR THE SUMMARY SHEET I OUTLINED FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS.
KIND OF WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND IF YOU NOTICE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO MORE ROOFS THAT ARE ON THERE.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE ROOFING BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS.
WITH COLONEL MILLS ROOF NEXT YEAR BEING COMPLETED.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET INTO THE REALM OF A NEW SCHOOL BUILD.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER PROJECTS THAT I WILL BRIEFLY MENTION AS WELL.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR FY 26 IS AS LONG AS THE ROUTE FOR KERNEL.
ROOF PROJECT IS DENTON ELEMENTARY'S HVA SYSTEM.
THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE TALENTED.
WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CHANGE THAT CHILLER OUT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ESTIMATED COST OF THAT BEING $400,000.
THAT WOULD STILL BE A 94 SPLIT FUNDING FOR 24,000 COMING FROM THE ASK FOR LOCAL.
THE OTHER ONE IS WE'RE LOOKING TO OBVIOUSLY GET INTO A NEW BUILD HERE DOWN THE ROAD.
AND BEFORE YOU CAN DO THAT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF STUDIES THAT HAVE TO BE DONE.
ONE IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY, ANOTHER ONE IS AN EDUCATION OR KNOWN AS ED SPECS STUDY.
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD START NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
AND TALKING WITH OTHER FACILITY PLANNERS LIKE MYSELF.
IN THE, IN THE REGION WITH SOME OF THEIR BILLS THAT THEY HAVE.
THEY SAID THEIRS CAME OUT TO LIKE 70 TO $80,000.
BUT OF COURSE, THAT WAS 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST REALLY IS AT THIS POINT, WE HAVEN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO PUTTING THE RFP OUT FOR WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I'M BUDGETING $100,000 FOR THAT.
THERE'S A LITTLE AMBIGUITY IN THIS, IN THIS SUMMARY.
THE ED SPEC STUDY COMES PRETTY MUCH AT THE HEELS OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
IT COULD BE AS SHORT AS ONE WEEK FOLLOWING THE RESULTS OF THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT TAKES 4 TO 6 MONTHS.
EITHER WAY, IT'S AROUND $6,000 FOR EACH OF THOSE STUDIES.
AFTER THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER HVAC ISSUE DOWN AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING RIGHT NOW WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO BE A FULL RENOVATION WITH HVAC, OR CAN WE GET AWAY WITH JUST DOING SPLITS IN THE CLASSROOMS? RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS MORE OF THE SPLITS.
PROBABLY. PROBABLY 20 TO 25 SPLITS WOULD BE NEEDED.
SO WE'D HAVE TO GO OUT AND PAY FOR A COMPANY TO COME IN AND DO THAT INSTALL.
THE NEXT ONE IS KIND OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
AND REALLY, IT'S REALLY A PLACEHOLDER AT THIS POINT.
AS YOU KNOW, GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY IS THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH GOING UP IN NORTH COUNTY.
OUR SCHOOL IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING 100% OCCUPANCY UP THERE.
THERE'S A COUPLE QUESTIONS THERE.
IS THAT WHERE WE PUT THEM? IT'S JUST A PLACEHOLDER RIGHT NOW.
BUT I FEEL IF I DON'T PUT IT ON THERE I DON'T WANT TO DROP A BOMB ON SOMEBODY HERE DOWN THE ROAD SAYING, HEY, WE NEED TO GET 3 OR 4 TRAILERS AND IT'S GOING TO COST US MUCH MONEY, AND SOMEONE'S GOING TO QUESTION ME.
WELL, WHY WEREN'T WE NOTIFIED? SO IT'S LIKE I SAY, IT'S A IT'S A PLACEHOLDER SLIDE THAT HAPPENED FY 27.
THERE'S A CHANCE IT MAY NOT HAPPEN.
WE MAY JUST STAY RIGHT AROUND THAT, THAT LEVEL WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
BUT I DO WANT TO PUT IT ON THERE JUST IN CASE.
THEN WE START GETTING INTO THE REALM OF A NEW BUILD.
THE GOAL, THE TARGET GOAL IS TO HAVE SHOVELS IN THE GROUND SOMETIME FOR FY 28.
[02:10:08]
BUILT UNDER. NO GUARANTEE WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT SPLIT BY THEN.IT COULD BE IT COULD BE AS LOW AS 70 OVER 30.
AT WHICH POINT I THINK WE ALL HAVE DECISIONS WE GOT TO MAKE.
AND WE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FULLY UNDERSTANDS THAT.
BUT WE'RE KIND OF HOPING IT'S LIKE 8812 MINIMUM.
IT'D BE GREAT IF IT WAS IN THE 90, 90, TEN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SEE WHERE EVERYTHING LIES WITH THAT.
LOOKING AT A TWO AND A HALF YEAR BUILD WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT FY 3531, WE'RE STARTING TO IDENTIFY WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME NEEDS COME UP WITH OUR WASTEWATER PLANTS AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS.
I CALL IT UPGRADED WASTEWATER PLANT.
IN ALL HONESTY, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A FULL REPLACEMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DOWN THE ROAD, WE HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
BUT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED DOWN THE ROAD.
THAT'S JUST ONE ASSET I DON'T WANT TO PLAY AROUND WITH IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.
THE TOTAL PROJECT ESTIMATED COST FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS IS $78 MILLION.
A LARGE, LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE STATE.
I DON'T I CAN'T GUARANTEE WHAT SPLITS ARE GOING TO BE BETWEEN AFTER NEXT YEAR IN FY 27.
I'M HOPING THEY STAY CONSISTENT TO WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING.
BILL, DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY GENERATE THE SPLIT? THE FUNDING SPLIT? I DON'T I GET A LETTER FROM ISC SOMETIME LATE FALL.
IT'S JUST A LETTER. I DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY DO THAT.
HOW THEY COME UP WITH IT. NO IDEA.
I, I DO BELIEVE GOING FORWARD, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME POVERTY PERCENTAGES PUT INTO THAT.
RIGHT. YOU KNOW, SO THAT COULD HELP US.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM I AGREE.
THAT'S WHAT WE BUILT THE SCHOOL TO GET AWAY FROM.
CORRECT. OH, IS THAT ALL YOU GOT, LARRY? OKAY. SO THAT'S THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE IS WITH THE DETACHMENTS ON THAT ON THE RELOCATABLE TRAILERS.
DON'T MEAN THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
THE REASON YOU NEED TO THE I MEAN, THERE'S NO TAX BASE THAT CAN PAY FOR THAT UP THERE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD ON TO THE SCHOOL TO DO THIS.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME AT ALL.
I MEAN, I THINK IF IT WAS ME, I THINK WE NEED TO CROSS THIS OFF RIGHT NOW.
JUST CROSS THE LINE RIGHT THROUGH IT.
I JUST I ASKED YOU WE WANTED TO PUT A.
YOU WANT TO BUILD A RELOCATABLE, RIGHT? BUT WHEN WE GO TO A SPORTING EVENT, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN USE A PROPER RESTROOM.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR TO PUT THAT ON THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
I DON'T SEE THAT ON HERE FOR BOTH FACILITIES, COLONEL AND NORTH CAROLINA.
OKAY. I WAS I MUST HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTOOD.
I WAS ON THE IMPRESSION THAT COUNTY WAS GOING TO TAKE.
I MEAN, BUT IT NEEDS TO GO SOMEWHERE ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
OKAY. I CAN DEFINITELY ADD THAT.
CAN WE GET FUNDING SPLIT FOR THAT THOUGH? THAT I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S THE THAT'S THE APPROVAL PROCESS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
RIGHT. THE CIP, IT TAKES THE FULL TEN MONTHS.
YOU DON'T KNOW 100% FUNDING UNTIL EARLY MAY.
I'M SORRY BILL. I APOLOGIZE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? LIKE, YOU THOUGHT THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT? I'M SORRY THAT THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT COUNTY WAS.
YEAH, BUT I THOUGHT IT HAD TO GO THROUGH THE CIP ANYWAY.
LIKE TO PUT THAT ON AS A CAPITAL PROJECT.
IN OTHER WORDS, LIKE, I DON'T I MEAN, I'M FINE WITH THE COUNTY PAYING FOR IT.
I JUST NEED TO SEE SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN START THE PROCESS OF IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I UNDERSTAND.
YEAH. I'M FINE WITH THE COUNTY PAYING FOR IT.
IT'S JUST I NEED TO, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE LIVE WITH THAT? CERTAINLY. I CAN GET THAT IN THERE.
YEAH, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. NO.
THAT'S FINE. OKAY, SO I WILL PROBABLY PUT THAT UNDER FY 26.
[02:15:04]
IS THAT THE THINKING WE'RE STILL AT? WELL, WE HAD MONEY. WHAT DO WE HAVE MONEY IN FOR RIGHT NOW, DANNY? YEAH, WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT.YEAH. YEAH. SO WE HAD SET ASIDE AND I APOLOGIZE ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET IN FRONT OF ME.
IT WAS EITHER $50,000, I BELIEVE.
I THINK LOOK AT THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING OF THE FACILITIES.
AND I THINK WE ALL MET OUT AND LOOKED AT THE, THE UNIT THAT'S OUT ON SHARPE ROAD AND ARE KIND OF WAITING FOR I THINK THAT TO DEVELOP A LITTLE MORE WITH THE IDEA OF WE WOULD HAVE A HARDER NUMBER AFTER THAT TYPE OF.
I FELL INTO THAT MODEL FOR NEXT YEAR'S CAPITAL BUDGET PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AND OUR FY 26 BUDGET PROCESS.
I WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN FOR A MINIMUM OF $100,000 IN ORDER TO GET APPROVED FOR CIP, RIGHT? YEAH. SO I'M FINE WITH THAT.
ALL RIGHT. 100,000 FOR EACH FACILITY OR TOTAL.
SO I CAN WRITE IT UP AS EACH FACILITY.
OR I COULD DO A COMBINATION BATHROOM, YOU KNOW, BATHROOMS AT TWO HIGH SCHOOL LOCATIONS.
RIGHT. I'D PROBABLY DO ONE AT EACH SCHOOL.
I'M GOING TO PUT THIS IN PRETTY MUCH TERMS HERE.
I MEAN, I'M GOING TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN HERE A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK IT'S HARD FOR A TAXPAYER TO SEE A BRAND NEW SCHOOL.
OKAY. BUT YET WE GO TO A SPORTING EVENT AND WE CAN'T EVEN HAVE PROPER FACILITIES TO DO THAT.
SO YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I CAN MAKE SOME PEOPLE MAD HERE THAT THAT'S FINE.
I'M NOT I USUALLY DON'T MAKE PEOPLE MAD, BUT IT'S JUST IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT HERE WITH, WITH THESE STUFF LIKE THIS, IT'S STARTING TO I HEAR FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I'M JUST SPEAKING WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS ARE SAYING HERE IS, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU JUST BUILT MR. PORTER. COMMISSIONER PORTER AND HIS PREVIOUS BOARD BUILT THIS BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL.
RIGHT. AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THESE LITTLE RELOCATED SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, AROUND IT, AND IT'S LIKE, WHY? WHY? AND WE ALL KNOW WHY.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND AND I THINK PART OF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE SCHOOL.
WERE BASED ON NUMBERS THAT WE KNEW.
IT'S THE NUMBERS WE DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING A SCHOOL THAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE EDUCATION.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
IS THERE A WAY TO ADD ON TO THE SCHOOL BILL? I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY TO ADD OR.
YOU KNOW, I'M NEVER GONNA SAY IT'S NEVER.
I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXPENSE THAT WOULD BE AT.
YEAH, THERE'S A WAY WE COULD, I'M SURE.
LIKE. YEAH, BUT IS IT A TEMPORARY SPIKE? YOU KNOW, IS IT TEMPORARY? IS IT PERMANENT? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IN THE GREENSBORO AREA TO CAUSE, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL HOUSING, ADDITIONAL NEED.
SO, BUT SO, SO THE OPTION ON THE BATHROOM, DO WE JUST CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD? WHEN DO YOU HAVE TO TURN THIS IN? THIS IS DUE IN TWO WEEKS.
OKAY. BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK IN FRONT.
IF YOU AMEND IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK IN FRONT OF THE BOARD OF ED.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
DANNY, CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION HERE? YES. GO AHEAD. ABOUT THE WHAT AM I THINKING ABOUT? THE IMPACT FEE ACCOUNT? YES, SIR. WE HAVE.
THE LAST TIME, WE WERE ABOUT A MILLION.
WE'RE AT $1,371,000 AND CHANGE SET ASIDE AND A MIX OF EXCISE AND IMPACT FEE THAT TO WHAT YOU'RE ALLUDING TO, HAS TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.
SO COULD THAT I'M JUST COULD THAT BE USED FOR BATHROOM FACILITIES?
[02:20:01]
YES, I WOULD ARGUE YES.EVERYTHING THAT IS ON THE LIST THAT MR. MANGILL HAS PRESENTED HERE, AS WELL AS THE BATHROOMS, WOULD FALL UNDER THAT TYPE OF CAVEAT.
AGAIN, THE CODE IS SELF-IMPOSED TO WHAT WE RESTRICT IT THOSE FEES TO GO TO.
AND IT SPEAKS VERY GENERAL TO PUBLIC SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.
IT DOESN'T SAY ONLY OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES SUPPORT IT.
AND IN OUR 2026 PRESENTATION THAT THEY WOULD GET THE REQUEST FROM OUR OFFICE IN JANUARY THAT WOULD BE INCORPORATED IN BASED OFF OF THE PRICING THAT YOU GUYS HAD FIGURED OUT THROUGH THE ENGINEERING PROCESS AND STUDY.
SO WE COULD VERY EASILY TAKE THAT PROJECT, THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO FALL IN FY 26 AND DESIGNATE THEM UNDER THAT IMPACT, HOW WOULD THAT, HOW WOULD THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE FACILITIES IMPACT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT? I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE THE BULK OF THE COST IS GOING TO BE, IS ESPECIALLY DOWN AT COLONEL.
WE HAVE WELLS THAT ARE DOWN THERE, THERMAL WELLS.
THE ENGINEERS WILL HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
NORTH CAROLINE, I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH A STRAIGHT SHOT.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE TOO MUCH THERE IMPACTING THE PIPE THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
I DIDN'T WANT IT TO GO OFF YOUR RADAR.
I APPRECIATE THAT. I SAY, SO DO WE MISUNDERSTOOD YOU? I'M SORRY. SO DO WE WANT TO? DO YOU WANT TO APPROVE THIS? DO YOU WANT BILL TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND SEE IF HE CAN ADD IN THE BATHROOMS TO THE CIP? OR I GUESS WE HAD THE QUESTION ABOUT THE RELOCATABLE.
WHAT IS THAT? JUST A THAT'S JUST AN IF OR DO WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT OFF OR.
WELL IF HE NEEDS THEM HE NEEDS THEM.
THEY HAVE THE KIDS HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO SCHOOL.
YEAH. I MEAN, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS WITH THE REVISION OF THE RESTROOM THAT WAY? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THIS.
RIGHT? JUST WANT TO STATE THAT.
OKAY. WELL, I'D LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE 94 SIX SPLIT WE GOT.
YEAH. CAN I ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION? SURE. ON THIS AND THIS IS JUST WITH OUR EXPERIENCE THROUGH GES WHEN WE CONSTRUCTED THAT.
SO I KNOW IN THE END THROUGH GREENSBORO, THE FUNDING SPLIT STARTED TO LEAN MORE TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF, I'M GOING TO SAY, FURNITURE AND FIXTURES WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE CIP PROCESS.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THAT COST.
I THINK IT ENDED UP BEING CLOSER TO LIKE 70/30 WITH WHAT WE ENDED UP HAVING TO BOND.
YES. SO IS THIS GOING TO END UP BEING THE SAME CASE OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN START INQUIRING AND ASKING BECAUSE I KNOW THE LIKE, SAY, THE 7.8 MILLION THAT'S KIND OF EARMARKED HERE MAY END UP GROWING TO A LARGER NUMBER CLOSER TO WHAT WE SAW.
GREENSBORO. IF THE SPLITS TREND MORE TO THAT 70/30.
SO HOW MANY RELOCATED TABLES ARE WE TALKING HERE?
[02:25:03]
I'M THINKING THREE, MAYBE FOUR, IF THAT.SO THERE ARE MORE THAN $100,000 A PIECE.
YES. BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THERE'S NO VALUE.
NO. KNOW, ACTUALLY IT COST YOU MONEY BECAUSE YOU GOT TO MOVE THEM.
YOU GOT TO MOVE THEM. YOU GOT TO MOVE THEM AND THROW THEM AWAY IN THE TRASH.
I'M. IF YOU NEED THEM, YOU NEED THEM.
BILL'S JUST GOT THEM IN THERE IN CASE IT'S A PLACEHOLDER AT THIS POINT.
OKAY. OKAY. DO YOU STILL WANT ME TO GO BACK AND PUT THE BATHROOMS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THERE? AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? DANNY? IF WE CAN GET THE SPLITS, I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE VENTURE TO ASK.
I WOULDN'T LOSE ANY SLEEP IF THEY COME BACK AND GO.
HEY, YOU GUYS NEED TO TAKE THAT OFF.
RIGHT. SO. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SEAN. YEAH.
LIKE I SAY, GOT A GOOD EDUCATION OUT OF IT.
JUMPED EVERYBODY AHEAD OF YOU HERE.
[• Tuition Assistance Policy]
SO SHERRY HAS SHERRY BRATTON, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES, AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE POLICY CHANGES.[• Harassment Policy]
GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN.SO I WAS TASKED THE COUNTY MINISTER FREEMAN MET WITH THE EMPLOYEE ADVISORY BOARD EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND DURING THAT PROCESS, THE EMPLOYEE ADVISORY BOARD AND MYSELF, THE CHAIR.
TODD LORD, I BELIEVE TODD WAS STILL HERE.
YES. TODD LORD IS THEIR CHAIR OF OUR EMPLOYEE ADVISORY BOARD.
HIM AND I WERE TASKED WITH WORKING ON THESE TWO POLICIES TO REWRITE THEM.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
I DID DO SOME FIRST WHEN WE WERE GOING TO GO OVER WAS THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY THE CURRENT PLAN STATES TUITION REIMBURSEMENT.
AND WE DID CHANGE THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO BE AN ASSISTANCE ON THE FRONT END OF THE PLAN.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE BASICALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFIED THAT IN THERE.
AND ALSO WE CREATED THE OPTION TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES.
CURRENTLY IT SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE OFF OF PROBATION.
SEVERAL OF THEIR POSITIONS DO REQUIRE VARIOUS LEVELS OF PROBATION.
SO WE TOOK THAT OUT THAT THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED TO BE OFF OF PROBATION IF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE HR DIRECTOR DETERMINED THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THOSE EMPLOYEES BASED ON THE CAREER PATH THAT THEY HAD COME INTO.
IF WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THEM THAT ASSISTANCE ON THE FRONT END.
WE COULD HAVE THAT OPTION TO APPROVE THAT THERE AS WELL.
SO THERE WOULD BE A CONTRACT CREATED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WENT INTO A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
MOST OF OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS ARE FOR AIR PARAMEDICS.
AND WE ALSO RECENTLY HAD FOR AIR CDL PROGRAM.
SO WE WOULD HAVE A SPECIFIC CONTRACT SET UP FOR THOSE TWO PROGRAMS. EMPLOYEE WOULD SIGN UP FOR THAT, AND THEN THOSE TIMELINES TO THE REQUIREMENT TO REPAY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE THE TIME FRAME WOULD BE CHANGED AND ADJUSTED BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TOOK FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE CREDIT, THE CERTIFICATION, AND ACTUALLY COMPLETE AND PASS THE PROGRAM.
THEN ALSO WE FOUND THAT COLLEGE TUITION.
WE DID LEAVE IN ALSO ABOUT THE GRADE STIPULATION.
[02:30:02]
SO THOSE WERE THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS THAT I FOUND.DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THAT POLICY? ANYONE. IN PART G, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT, IT'S 25% FOR A GRADE C, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE PERCENTAGES GO EIGHT FOR A GRADES ABOVE THAT WOULD BE THE FULL TUITION THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK.
YES, SIR. SO CURRENTLY IF WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT RECEIVES A GRADE C, THEN I WOULD THEY WOULD SUBMIT THEIR GRADES TO MYSELF AND I WOULD SEND THEM A BILL FOR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN IN MOST CASES WE END UP DOING PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS TO RECEIVE THAT PAYMENT BACK.
YES. BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE YOUR CDL PROGRAMS TAKE ABOUT 12 WEEKS, IT WOULD STILL BE A YEAR, BUT YOUR PARAMEDIC PROGRAMS TAKE, YOU KNOW, 18 MONTHS.
IT COULD BE TWO YEARS, BUT IT WOULD BE TWO YEARS.
IT WOULD BE 18 MONTHS AFTER THAT, 24 FOURS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CLASS.
DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS HAS BEEN? I MEAN, PARAMEDICS AND EMTS OR HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE ON OUR IN OUR DDS STAFF NOW WHO HAVE USED THIS? HOW MANY ARE THERE NOW? DO WE KNOW THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
OFFHAND. I CAN SAY WE'VE PROBABLY WE'VE ONLY HAD TWO THAT I CAN RECALL THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PASS THE CLASS, OR ACTUALLY THREE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PASS THE CLASS AFTER WE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE.
OTHER THAN LEAVING WITHIN A YEAR OF PASSING THE CLASS, I DON'T RECALL THAT WE'VE EVER HAD TO HAVE A PARAMEDIC, BECAUSE CURRENTLY IT SAYS A YEAR AFTER TAKING THE CLASSES, WE'VE I DON'T RECALL EVER HAVING TO REQUIRE SOMEONE TO PAY THAT BACK.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE RECRUITMENT.
IS IT IS IT IS IT DRAWING PEOPLE? IS IT IS IT SUCCESSFUL IN DRAWING PEOPLE TO BE EMPLOYEES BY OFFERING THIS ASSISTANCE? I MEAN, DO WE HAVE DATA FOR THAT? WE DO HAVE SEVERAL NEW HIRE EMPLOYEES THAT COME IN THAT TAKE THIS.
YOU CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT.
I MEAN, I NEVER SIT IN THE HOT SEAT.
IT'S COOL. THE PROBLEM TO, COMMISSIONER WAS IN THE PAST PLAN? PLAN. IT DID REQUIRE THAT THEY BE OFF OF PROBATION.
SO THEY COULDN'T COME IN AND START THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAM RIGHT AWAY.
AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE THOSE CERTAIN GUIDELINES WITH THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY DO.
PARAMEDIC STARTED IN AUGUST, LATE AUGUST.
HE WAS UNABLE TO START THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THE COUNTY PICKED UP THE SECOND BECAUSE HE DID MEET IT.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT WAS HE WOULD HAVE TO AWAIT IT.
SO TIME IS GOING TO TELL ON THIS.
IT DID BRING THEM IN AND KEEPS THEM HERE.
AND WE KIND OF HOME GROW THEM FROM THAT POINT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE PHILOSOPHY IS BEHIND THAT IS TO TRY TO GET THEM IN HERE TO HOME, GROW THEM.
AND BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO YOU SAID WE'RE IN A BIDDING WAR.
WE REALLY ARE IN A BIDDING WAR WITH VARIOUS COUNTIES.
AND IF THEY CAN'T GET IT HERE, THEY'LL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND GET IT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE OFFERED IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL.
BUT IT DOES BENEFIT OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL AS BENEFITS.
PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE CBLS, IT GETS THEM IN OUR WORKFORCE IS YOUNGER, AS WE'VE ALLUDED TO IN OUR SURVEY, THAT WE'RE FINDING IF WE CAN GET THEM IN YOUNGER AND KIND OF BRING THEM THROUGH.
I WAS A PRODUCT OF THIS ACTUALLY.
SO IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS AGO AND TUITION ASSISTANCE, I WAS A PRODUCT OF THAT AS WELL.
[02:35:07]
OKAY. OKAY.YEAH. THE ONLY CONCERN I WOULD HAVE WOULD BE THE RETENTION PERIOD.
AFTER YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S LONG ENOUGH AFTER COMPLETION.
WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, LIKE, ONE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PARAMEDICS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PENSION, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PAY, NOT AD NAUSEAM AT TIMES.
AND SO YOU'RE ALWAYS IN THAT COMPETITIVE WAR IN SOME AGENCIES.
YOU'RE NOT IN THAT COMPETITIVE WARD.
RIGHT. WITH KEEPING RETAINING PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THE BAR SET FOR HOW LONG DO WE MAKE THEM STAY? VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WE SET THEM FREE IS UP TO YOU GUYS.
BUT I THINK WE'RE KEEPING THEM.
COULD BE 18 MONTHS. IT COULD BE.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THROUGH A PARAMEDIC.
SO THE COURSE IS ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
SO THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 3 TO 6 MONTHS, 3 TO 5 MONTHS SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA.
HOW MUCH HOW MUCH DOES THE COURSE COST THE COUNTY? IT'S ABOUT 2000 A SEMESTER.
YEAH, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 2000.
SO I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE OVER 6000 FOR THE FULL 18 MONTHS TO GET SOMEONE CERTIFIED.
AND THAT WAS THAT WAS THE REASON WHY WE FELT LIKE WE WOULD ADD IT IN THE CONTRACT.
IT WOULD BE 18 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME THAT THEY ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE CERTIFICATION AND GET THOSE CONTRACTS ATTESTED, DEVELOPED BY HR PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATOR AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
LEGAL HAS CREATED A TEMPLATE FOR US TO USE TO ADJUST THOSE YEARS AND THE AMOUNTS.
OTHER QUESTION IS, I KNOW IN THE PAST IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LEGALLY, HOW LONG COULD WE BIND SOMEBODY? YEAH. SO YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD YEAH.
ALL RIGHT. I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS AIR HARASSMENT POLICY.
AGAIN, TODD, ALONG WITH THE EAD AND THE DIRECTORS WORKED ON THIS POLICY.
AND I HIGHLIGHTED JUST A FEW AREAS THAT I FELT THAT WE HAD CHANGED.
WE HAD IT BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT ONE OF SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD A HARASSMENT AND A SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY, SO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS NECESSARY TO COMBINE THEM UNDER ONE POLICY AND CREATE A GUIDELINE THAT FOR AIR INVESTIGATIONS, THAT WOULD BE DONE FOR ALL TYPES OF HARASSMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY WOULD DO.
IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THAT THERE WOULD BE ANNUAL TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, AND THAT HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS CAN BE REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, THE EMPLOYEE SUPERVISOR, AND ALSO OR THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
THE TIMELINE FOR REQUIRING FOR AN EMPLOYEE TO REPORT IN OUR CURRENT PLAN WAS 90 DAYS, AND LOOKING TO WHAT WE'VE FOUND FROM DOING TRAININGS AT THE EOC AND OTHER AREAS, THAT WE REALLY SHOULD REMOVE THAT BASED ON LEGAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
REMOVE THAT TIMELINE REQUIREMENT.
AND BECAUSE WE WANT TO INVESTIGATE ALL COMPLAINTS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED THAT AN EMPLOYEE HAS DEALT WITH AND MAY NOT HAVE BROUGHT IMMEDIATELY TO OUR ATTENTION, WE STILL WANT TO DEAL WITH IT.
SO WE FELT LIKE TAKING THAT TIMELINE OUT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY.
ALSO AGAIN, THE PROCESS WAS THE SAME.
WE DID TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS WOULD BE INITIATED.
ALL COMPLAINTS WOULD BE REVIEWED BY THE HR DIRECTOR, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND WITHIN RECEIVING THAT COMPLAINT WITHIN 48 HOURS, WE WOULD ACTUALLY DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF PROCESS WE WERE GOING TO DO FOR THAT INVESTIGATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD PROCESSES THAT THAT HAVE BEEN DONE INTERNALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE'VE HAD PROCESSES THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SENT OUT TO OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS.
SO WE WOULD MEET AND DISCUSS THAT AND DETERMINE WHAT THAT PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE WITHIN 48 HOURS.
SO WE WOULD KEEP THAT PROCESS MOVING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND ALSO WE PUT IN THERE WE CURRENTLY WE HAVE IN THE PAST HAD EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ALLEGED HARASSERS PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AND THAT WAS NOT PUT IN OUR CURRENT POLICY.
SO WE FELT THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO ADD THAT IN THAT WE WOULD DETERMINE IN THAT AS WELL, WHETHER THAT ALLEGED HARASSER SHOULD BE PUT ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE OR MOVE TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
[02:40:05]
MEET WITH THE COMPLAINANT AND ALSO THE ALLEGED HARASSER TO INFORM THAT THE MATTER WAS RESOLVED.SO WE FELT THAT WE SHOULD ALSO DO THAT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS.
DID ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS CONCERNS? NO. WHY WOULD A DEPARTMENT HEAD BE ON THE REVIEW TO REVIEW BULLYING, SIR.
REVIEW ANYTHING? THE DEPARTMENT HEAD AND BULLYING.
IT WAS ONLY DONE IN THE BULLYING SECTION THAT THEY WOULD REVIEW THE.
FOR THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATIONS.
SO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WOULD BE CONSULTED ALONG WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN THAT RESPECT AND THE HR TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT INVESTIGATIVE AND INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR BULLYING.
BULLYING IS SOMETHING IF IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A HARASSMENT OR SEXUAL HARASSMENT, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FALL UNDER THE LAW THAT IT'S ILLEGAL, BUT IT'S STILL VERY INAPPROPRIATE.
AND WE IT'S DISCIPLINARY IN THE COUNTY'S POLICY TO BE.
OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO. YEAH. I'M GOOD.
NO. OKAY. AND BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.
AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT INSURANCE TRUST.
THANK YOU. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU.
OKAY. DO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THEN DO OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION? YOU GUYS ALRIGHT WITH THAT? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S JUMP.
LET'S JUMP TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
SO BOTH RESOLUTIONS WE HAVE A REVIEW BOARD APPOINTMENT.SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD APPOINTMENT.
I BELIEVE KAT IS HERE FOR THE FEDERALSBURG BETTER TOGETHER PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.
IF ANYONE HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE OPIOID OPERATIONAL COMMAND CENTER, ORF TARGETED ABATEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
LOCAL ABATEMENT PLAN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO. THE OPIOID OPERATIONAL COMMAND CENTER.
IS THAT RESOLVED? I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REFERRED TO MYSELF OR STACY.
THAT WAS SHARED WITH JUDGE PRICE, SHARED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND NOBODY HAS COMMENTED BACK ANYTHING NEGATIVE OR ASKED FOR ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT I HAVE SEEN AS OF THIS MORNING.
SO, OKAY, IF THERE'S ROBIN KEGEL FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY EMAILED AND SAID THAT THEY WERE GOOD WITH THE CHANGES AND SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD AS PRESENTED.
MY QUESTIONS WERE WHY DID THIS ONLY APPLY TO ONE TOWN? AND WE GOT SOME CENSUS DATA.
SO AT THIS POINT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT FEDERALSBURG.
CORRECT. I'M SORRY, THAT WAS A QUESTION.
YEAH. YES. WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
[02:45:07]
OKAY. OKAY.AND IT IS THE, KAT, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD.
SO IT'S THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION TO SELECT THAT HIS OFFICE, SET THE PARAMETERS OF THE CENSUS TRACKS THAT QUALIFIED, AS WELL AS THE 80% CONCENTRATED POVERTY AMONGST THE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THERE.
I THINK IT'S IN THE IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE LEGISLATION.
OKAY. THE POVERTY PERCENTAGES ARE IN THE LEGISLATURE.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF CAME UP ABOUT JUST WHAT DOES CAROLINE BETTER TOGETHER DO? AND SO I DID TAKE SOME TIME AND WRITE UP WHAT SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES WOULD BE.
CERTAINLY. BUT IT'S ALSO DONE SOME REAL DIRECT SERVICE WORK.
I THINK, FRANK, THAT YOU HAD COMMISSIONER BARTZ, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
THAT WAS VERY MUCH DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY DESIRE FOR THAT.
AND WE'VE HAD 38 PEOPLE GRADUATE FROM THAT 44 START, 38 GRADUATE WITH IT.
WE'VE HOSTED PRESENTATIONS AND INFORMATION SESSIONS THAT AROUND THE ISSUES OF CHILD CARE AND ALSO HAD THE MARYLAND SERVICE AND CIVIC INNOVATION DEPARTMENT COME TO TOWN TO DO PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE THE MARYLAND CORE PROGRAM, BOTH THE CHILD CARE THROUGH CONNECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO SUPPORTERS AROUND GETTING LICENSED AND PROVIDING FAMILY PROVIDER AND CENTER BASED PROVIDING SERVICES.
WE HAVE A COUPLE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE LOOKING AT HOW CAN THEY GET OPEN.
SO THAT'S BEEN A DIRECT RESULT OUT OF CAROLINE BETTER TOGETHER AND THE MARYLAND CORE PROGRAM.
WE HAD FOUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SIGN UP TO BE MARYLAND CORE HOSTS, AND WE HAVE FIVE INDIVIDUALS FROM CAROLINE COUNTY WHO ARE NOW SERVING IN THE MARYLAND CORE, WHICH IS A STIPENDED SERVICE PROGRAM THAT ALSO GIVES THEM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND SKILLS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE WORK.
IT'S NOT IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT PLANNING AND STRATEGIC KIND OF PUTTING THINGS ON PAPER.
IT IS ALSO ABOUT DIRECT SERVICES.
OKAY. SO WE DO HAVE SOME YOU DO HAVE SOME COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT ARE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING DAYCARE PROVIDERS. OKAY.
HAVE YOU DONE ANY WORK? AT ALL. ON THE FOR IN ANY CAPACITY FOR THE CANNABIS FUND, THE GROUP THAT'S IN THE GROUP IN FEDERALSBURG THAT HAS THAT'S WORKING ON THE CRAFT BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
THEY ACTUALLY PUT IN ENOUGH APPLICATION IN SEPARATE FROM OUR APPLICATION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE STATE TO DO IS THAT ANYBODY ELSE THAT PUT A LETTER OF INTENT TO APPLY IN WAS TO BRING THEM INTO OUR OVERALL PARTNERSHIP.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE HAD INVOLVEMENT WITH.
I GUESS I'M WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY FROM THE TAXES ON THE SALE.
[02:50:01]
ALL RIGHT. SO ENTERTAIN.THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? I WANTED TO, ACTUALLY.
I GOT SO NERVOUS, I FORGOT I MADE HER SIT HERE.
PARTICULARLY TO GETTING AHEAD IN A JUST GETTING BY WORLD.
SHE'S THE FACILITATOR FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO SHE'S GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE FIRSTHAND JUST WHAT.
SOME OF THE WORK THAT THAT WE'RE ALL DOING TOGETHER AS RESULTING IN FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SHE SPREADS THE WORD ABOUT CAROLINE BETTER TOGETHER.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
[Legislative Session: Third Reading & Potential Enactment]
SO. MOVED SECOND, THAT MOTION.SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[• Legislation Bill #2024-05 Food Processing Residual]
BARROLL. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BREEDING.WE ARE HERE FOR THE THIRD READING, DELIBERATION AND POTENTIAL AMENDMENT AND OR ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE BILL 2020 4-005, WHICH WILL CREATE A NEW CHAPTER 128 ENTITLED FOR FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS, STORAGE PERMIT AS PART OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY CODE.
A SUMMARY OF THIS BILL IS THAT THIS IS AN ACT FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS STORAGE PERMIT, PROHIBITING A PERSON FROM STORING FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS IN CAROLINE COUNTY UNLESS THE PERSON OBTAINS A PERMIT.
ESTABLISHING THE FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS ADMINISTRATION FUND AS A SPECIAL NON LAPSING FUND.
STORAGE PERMITS REQUIRING AN APPLICANT TO AUTHORIZE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER AND INSPECT ANY SITE WHERE FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS ARE STORED, PROVIDING FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS CHAPTER, GENERALLY RELATING TO FOOD PROCESSING, RESIDUALS, STORAGE PERMITS, AND MAKING THIS ACT AN EMERGENCY BILL BY ADDING TO THE CODE OF PUBLIC LOCAL LAWS OF CAROLINE COUNTY NEW CHAPTER 128 ENTITLED FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS, STORAGE PERMIT.
A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD.
IN THIS CASE, WE'VE HAD THE INTRODUCTION IN FIRST READING.
THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE BILL, WHICH HAS BEEN ON THE WEBSITE, HAS A COUPLE OF CHANGES IN IT, WHICH I'LL BE HAPPY TO RUN THROUGH IF FOLKS HAVE ACTUALLY A COPY OF IT.
ON PAGE FOUR, WE'VE ADDED TO THE DEFINITION SECTION AND THIS IS 1208-1.
WE'VE ADDED A NEW G DEFINING LIQUID FPRS AND WE'RE FOLLOWING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S DIVISION, IF YOU WILL, OF FRS WITH A MOISTURE CONTENT OF MORE THAN 25%, THOSE ARE NOW CONSIDERED LIQUID FRS AND ARE DEALT WITH IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MANNER IN THE ORDINANCE.
THE OTHER DEFINITION WE ADDED IS SUBSECTION L, SEMISOLID FPRS, WHICH ARE FPRS WITH A 25% OR LESS MOISTURE CONTENT AS CERTIFIED BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
THE NEXT CHANGE HAS BEEN ON PAGE EIGHT, WHICH IS SECTION 120 8-9 CONTAINERS.
WE HAVE INDICATED THAT AN INDIVIDUAL CONTAINER OR BULK CONTAINER USED FOR THE STORAGE OF FOODS WITH A MOISTURE CONTENT GREATER THAN 25% SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS.
AND WE DEFINE WHAT THE CONTAINER MUST DO.
IT MUST BE EASILY HANDLED FOR COLLECTION.
IN ADDITION, ON PAGE NINE WE HAVE ADDED A NEW SECTION, SUBSECTION B, WHICH IS FOR DEALS WITH
[02:55:01]
THE STORAGE OF FOODS WITH A 25% OR LESS MOISTURE CONTENT.SOME PEOPLE HAVE REFERRED TO THAT SORT OF GENERALLY OR LOOSELY AS BIOSOLID OR CAKE.
BUT WE HAVE DEALT WITH IT HERE, AND THE STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
IT MUST BE FULLY ENCLOSED IN WEATHER TIGHT TO CONTAIN ODORS, DUST, AND RUNOFF.
AND THE FOUNDATION DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MUST BE BASED ON SOUND ENGINEERING PRACTICES.
NEXT EDITION WE HAVE MADE IS FOUND ON PAGE 14.
AND THIS IS SECTION 128 DASH 11, SUBSECTION A FOUR.
WE HAVE CHANGED THE AMOUNT OF THE SETBACK.
WE HAVE REDUCED THAT TO 1250FT.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE THERE.
AND THAT WAS DONE MAINLY BECAUSE OF SOME STUDIES THAT WERE PERFORMED BY OUR GIS FOLKS.
SO WE HAVE MODIFIED THAT DOWN A BIT.
IN ADDITION, IN A9 WE HAVE ADDED A SECTION WHICH PROHIBITS FPRS BEING STORED WITHIN 2500FT OF THE BOUNDARY OF AN UNINCORPORATED I'M SORRY, OF AN INCORPORATED MUNICIPALITY OR PRIORITY FUNDING AREA.
AND THOSE ARE ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE PREEXISTING ORDINANCE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
FRANK. HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE DISTANCES? YEAH. I THINK 1250 IS A WEIRD NUMBER.
I JUST, I'VE BEEN BACK AND FORTH WITH THIS THE HORIZONTAL, YOU KNOW, WITH THE NUMBER.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, WHAT'S A GOOD NUMBER? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? RIGHT.
I JUST THINK 1250 IS A OD FOR ONE.
THAT'S JUST ME. BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW.
WELL, I MEAN, TWO, 2000 CRYSTAL RAN SOME NUMBERS AND 2000FT.
SETBACKS WOULD STILL LEAVE ABOUT 942 POTENTIAL ACRES.
SO THERE MAY BE MORE ACREAGE OUT THERE IF THE LANDOWNER APPLYING FOR THE FPRS STORAGE ISSUED THEMSELVES A WAIVER.
YES. SO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY TO REALLY ADD THOSE IN THERE WITHOUT KNOWING WHETHER THEY WOULD BE, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BARTZ.
OKAY. SO FRANK FLOATED A NUMBER, COMMISSIONER BARTZ FLOATED A NUMBER 2000FT.
YOU GIVE HIM A 2000? I AM, YES.
OKAY. SO LET'S DO THIS INDIVIDUALLY HERE, ONE BY ONE.
SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJUST THE I GUESS THIS WOULD BE SECTION 11. A NUMBER FOR.
WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? I'M ON PAGE 14.
11 A PARAGRAPH FOR WITHIN TO WITHIN 2000FT.
MEASURED HORIZONTALLY FROM AN OCCUPIED DWELLING.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY.
MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
THE EYES HAVE THAT CHANGED UNANIMOUSLY.
IS THERE ANOTHER PLACE IN THE BILL WHERE WE NEED TO ADJUST THAT? THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THE ONLY PLACE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT 2000.
[03:00:03]
DID YOU DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? THAT WAS THE ONLY REALLY THING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME.OKAY. I THINK IT WAS JUST COVERED.
AND SO A COUPLE THINGS THAT I HAD WAS SO THE 500 FOOT SETBACK FROM ALL WATER SOURCES EXCEPT IRRIGATION WELLS.
DO WE HAVE A MINIMUM SETBACK FOR AN IRRIGATION WELL IN THE LEGISLATION ANYWHERE? THIS WOULD BE. NOT THAT I KNOW OF.
WELL, WE SAID NUMBER SEVEN WITHIN 500FT OF A WATER SOURCE OTHER THAN AN IRRIGATION.
YES. SO. SO DO WE HAVE A MINIMUM? MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE A MINIMUM FROM AN IRRIGATION WELL? I DON'T THINK SO. NO.
AND THAT WAS SORT OF A POINT OF DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE ONE BECAUSE IRRIGATION WELL, IS SOME SORT OF A SPECIAL FORM OF A WATER SOURCE BECAUSE IT'S CREATED BY THE FARMER TO ASSIST IN OBVIOUSLY, THE GROWING OF THE CROPS.
AND THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ADDRESS.
THEY STILL THEY STILL HAVE AN AQUIFER, YOU KNOW.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IRRIGATION WELLS STILL HOPE TO SOMEBODY ELSE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY, THOUGH, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER SOURCE, IS IT SOLELY PRIVATE WELLS, IRRIGATION WELLS AND COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT OTHER WATER SOURCES LIKE PDAS, DRAINAGE DITCHES? AND THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS WE ONLY HAVE DATA.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA TO BE ABLE TO ACCURATELY DEPICT HOW THAT IMPACTS.
WHAT WE DO HAVE IS DRAINAGE DATA.
AND IF WE WERE TO APPLY ALL OF OUR SETBACK BOUNDARIES USING ALL OF OUR DRAINAGE AREAS, IT PRETTY MUCH EXCLUDES ALL THE ACREAGES BECAUSE THERE'S DRAINAGE DITCHES, YOU KNOW THAT EITHER TRAVERSE A PROPERTY OR ARE ADJACENT TO A PROPERTY.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFIED WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF WATER SOURCES, WHETHER WE WERE INCLUDING DITCHES, PDAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST THOSE OTHER WATER SOURCES THAT ARE NOT SHOWN.
YEAH, I MEAN WATER SOURCE TO ME, WE'RE WE'RE SAYING ANYTHING THAT THE ANY POINT WHERE THE WATER WHERE WATER IS BEING USED FOR SOME SOMETHING WE'RE PUMPING WATER FROM.
OR IT COULD BE AN IRRIGATION WELL, OR IT COULD BE WHERE YOU'RE PUMPING FROM A RIVER FOR IRRIGATION.
RIGHT. SOME SURFACE MINES, LIKE SAND SAND WASHING PLANTS USE WATER IN THE WASH PROCESS. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF POTENTIAL WATER SOURCE SOURCES OTHER THAN WELLS.
YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND WE ARE COVERED.
SO THOSE ARE ALREADY PROTECTED.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF WE INCLUDE TAX DITCHES, WE WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH ELIMINATING ANYWHERE THAT YOU COULD HAVE, NOT JUST TAX DITCHES, BUT ANY DRAINAGE DITCH THAT MAY NOT BE A PDA.
WE DO HAVE THAT LAYER FOR PDAS THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND WE DO HAVE THE DRAINAGE LAYER, BUT WITH BOTH OF THOSE IT WOULD EXCLUDE PRETTY MUCH ALL PROPERTY.
[03:05:08]
BUT I THINK THE KEY LANGUAGE IN THE EPA DEFINITION IS A BODY OF WATER THAT SUPPLIES WATER TO PRIVATE WELLS AND PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESERVOIRS OR.NO, WE HAVE THE AQUIFERS, OF COURSE.
RIGHT. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR ON HOW WE WERE DEFINING WATER SOURCE SO THAT WE WERE GIVING YOU AN ACCURATE DEPICTION.
THOUGHTS ON THE WELLS? I'M FINE WITH THIS WORDING.
THE WAY YOU GOT IT. 500 OF THE IRRIGATION WELL.
OTHER THAN. YOU COULD GO RIGHT UP TO AN IRRIGATION WELL WITH THIS.
RIGHT. THE WAY THIS. THEORETICALLY, YES.
OKAY. I'M SORRY, I'M JUST READING THE PURPOSE.
THE PURPOSE OF HAVING ANY OF THESE SETBACKS IS IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS A LEAK.
AND YOU WOULD NOT WANT THAT LEAK TO GET INTO THE AQUIFER, THE WATER SOURCE, WHATEVER THAT IS.
RIGHT. AND WHAT CRYSTAL'S POINT IS THAT IF WE LEAVE, LEAVE IT AS IS, WE'RE PROBABLY RISKING BEING ACCUSED OF A TOTAL BAN DISGUISED AS A SETBACK REQUIREMENT.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT SO PERVASIVE, SO RESTRICTIVE THAT IT BASICALLY MEANS YOU CAN'T STORE FPRS AT ALL IN THIS COUNTY.
SO YOU SAY 500FT OF A WATER SOURCE, INCLUDING AN IRRIGATION WELL? WELL, I'M THINKING ABOUT STRIKING WATER SOURCE ALTOGETHER.
THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A DEFINITION.
SO SEVEN WOULD JUST READ WITHIN 500FT OF A IRRIGATION WELL.
OR WE COULD CONSIDER REDUCING THAT.
BUT I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD PUT AN FPR TANK RIGHT NEXT TO AN IRRIGATION WELL.
THE ONLY I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF SETBACK THERE.
DOES IT NEED TO BE 500? SO A WELL ON ANY PROPERTY IS GOING TO ALREADY BE COVERED BY THE 500 FOOT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
RIGHT. BUT POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION OF ONE WELL COULD CONTAMINATE MULTIPLE WELLS.
YEAH. SO WITH MY THOUGHT IS, IS WE TAKE NUMBER SEVEN AND WE SAY WITHIN 500FT OF A WELL. COOL.
AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE WE WOULDN'T HAVE DATA ON THAT WHERE THOSE WELLS ARE LOCATED.
THEY COULD MOVE IF THEY WANTED TO PUT FPRS, AND THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE THEY COULD PUT A NEW WELL IN.
SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE PROPERTY TO GET 500FT AWAY FROM IT.
I MEAN, THEY'D HAVE TO PULL THE FILES.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE IT READILY AVAILABLE, BUT WE COULD OBTAIN IT IF WE GOT AN APPLICATION.
CAN I ASK A PROCESS QUESTION HERE? YEP. SO, AT 1230 THERE IS APPARENTLY A LISTENING SESSION OR SOMETHING ABOUT.
I FORGOT ABOUT THAT. YES, YES.
STEWART, IS IT? I MEAN, IS IT YOUR SUGGESTION THAT WE HOLD OFF ON ADOPTION ON THIS? I'M JUST ASKING GENERALLY HERE.
YES, UNTIL THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS FINALIZED THEIR LANGUAGE.
BECAUSE I KNOW I TALKED TO DELEGATE JACOBS.
AND THE AELR COMMITTEE IS STILL RECEIVING REVISIONS FROM THE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
IF WE ADOPT THIS BEFORE THEY HAD THEY HAD FINALIZED THEIR LANGUAGE.
I MEAN, DO WE RUN THE RISK OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS? DO YOU THINK THERE IS CERTAINLY A RISK THAT SOMETHING IN OUR ORDINANCE COULD BE FOUND TO BE A CONFLICT WITH THE FINAL VERSION OF REGULATIONS? AND THAT WAS WHY THAT WAS MY INITIAL REACTION TO POSSIBLY HOLDING BACK ON THIS.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THAT RISK IS PROBABLY NOT HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT.
[03:10:01]
IT'S THERE. THERE'S NO QUESTION IT'S THERE.THE OTHER QUESTION IS, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ENACT IT WITH THE IDEA THAT WE'RE MONITORING CAREFULLY WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FINAL VERSION OF THE REGS? AND IMMEDIATELY, IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF A CONFLICT THAT WE PERCEIVE ANYWAY, THAT WE PUT IN A BILL TO AMEND THAT PORTION OF IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, ARE YOU LETTING $0.10 HOLD UP $10? HE KIND OF INDICATED TO ME THAT.
I THINK WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM HIM THAT IT WAS BASICALLY A PROCEDURAL, YOU KNOW, SOME PROCEDURAL THINGS THAT MDA HAD BROUGHT UP WAS, YOU KNOW, WAS THE REASON THEY DIDN'T VOTE IN THAT COMMITTEE ON IT, THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT CAME IN AT THE LAST MINUTE THAT THEY DIDN'T MEET THAT GOT THE TIME OF WHEN THOSE AMENDMENTS WERE ADOPTED, AND IT WASN'T.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR JAY, BUT YEAH.
I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE A MORATORIUM UNTIL NOVEMBER.
WE'RE GETTING CLOSE. I MEAN, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, BUT I MEAN, I, I WONDER WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT WAITING AND LETTING THEM LETTING MDA GET THEIR REGULATIONS IN PLACE BEFORE WE GO WITH THIS? I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, HONESTLY, I MEAN.
WELL, IN PART, I MEAN, WHAT MY THOUGHT WAS IS THAT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CAN DO.
THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE STATUTE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
SO THEREFORE, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN WITH GOING AHEAD AND PASSING THIS BECAUSE WE'RE WELL WITHIN THE GUIDELINES THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR GAVE US WHEN THEY PASSED AND ENACTED THE LEGISLATION.
I GUESS THERE MAY BE SOME OUTLYING THING INSIDE THE REG.
A DEFINITION OF THE SOLIDS MAY CHANGE SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
IT WOULD BE SMALL, RIGHT? YES. SO WE COULD ENACT THIS WITH THESE REVISIONS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT OR AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES AND MONITOR, MONITOR THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY ENACT.
THIS HAS BEEN LIKE A NEVER ENDING STORY.
WE WOULDN'T BE AT THIS FINAL STAGE TO MAKE THAT AMENDMENT CORRECT.
CORRECT. DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA? AND I DID NOT ASK HIM ABOUT WHEN THEY MEET AGAIN TO DO THIS, I WOULD ASSUME THEY MEET MONTHLY OR.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW EITHER.
BUT I THINK IT WAS AN ADVERTISING REQUIREMENT.
I THINK THE CHANGES I THINK THE ALER COMMITTEES COUNCIL ADVISED THEM TO POSTPONE THE VOTE TO THE PROPER WAITING PERIOD AFTER THE LAST AMENDMENT.
I THINK THAT'S WHY IT GOT PUSHED BACK.
YEAH. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
WELL LET'S WELL LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT THEN.
SO ON PAGE 14, THIS SECTION 11 110 28-11A, SENTENCE NUMBER SEVEN WILL STRIKE WATER SOURCE OTHER THAN CHANGE A OR AND TO A WELL.
CORRECT. YOU'D BE ALSO DELETING THE WORD IRRIGATION.
YES. SO THE SENTENCE THE AMENDED SENTENCE WOULD READ WITHIN 500FT OF A WELL.
WELL TOTALLY DELETE AND BECAUSE I'VE GOT A THERE SO WITHIN 500FT OF A WELL.
SO MOTION TO MAKE THAT AMENDMENT I'LL MOVE.
OKAY. MAKE THAT AMENDMENT SECOND.
OKAY. MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO WE HAVE TWO AMENDMENTS AND DO WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN A VOTE TO ENACT? WITH THE WITH THOSE TWO AMENDMENTS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
WE ENACT LEGISLATIVE BILL 2024, DASH ZERO FIVE, FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUAL.
[03:15:04]
OKAY. I'LL SECOND.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
HE'S HAD A BIRTHDAY AND AN ANNIVERSARY COMING UP.
OKAY. MOTION TO CLOSE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
MOTION. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYE. AYE. OUT OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
[County Administrator’s Report]
THE ONLY THING I HAVE NEVER GOOD WHEN IT STARTS WITH A LAUGH.NO, NO, THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO BRING UP OR MENTION IS THAT ROBIN CAHILL, YOUR HEALTH OFFICER WANTED ME TO EXTEND HER THANKS TO ALL THREE OF YOU FOR GOING TO THE GOING PURPLE EVENT.
SHE SAID IT WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THAT YOU SHOWED UP TO THAT.
TELL US WHEN YOU'LL BE HERE. I'LL BE HERE NEXT WEEK.
BUT AT THIS TIME, I WILL BE ACCESSIBLE.
SO IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, FEEL FREE TO TEXT ME OR EMAIL ME OR CALL ME.
SO. AND I BELIEVE, DANNY, YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
ONE THING CAME UP, AND I THINK.
TOMORROW WE HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH GARRETT COUNTY AND DCT.
SO COMMISSIONER BREEDING AND MYSELF WILL BE TAKING THE TRIP TO KENT ISLAND TOMORROW.
THEY JUST CONFIRMED THE LOCATION AND THE SUITE THAT THEY'RE HOSTING THERE.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER, URBAN DISCUSSION PERIOD.
[County Commissioners Open Discussion Period]
COMMISSIONER BARTZ. NOT TOO MUCH.JUST SOME. I SEE THAT THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON CUTTING THE ROADS.
I SEE A LOT OF LOOKS LIKE WHERE THEY'RE USING THE FLAIL CHOPPERS.
TALK TO ROBIN ABOUT TREE TRIMMING.
I THINK HE'S ON BOARD WITH THAT.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GET ASPLIN SOON TOO.
THAT'S ALL I GOT. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
I DON'T REALLY WE ALL ATTENDED THE SERVICE YESTERDAY FOR JUDGE WISE.
I THINK IT WAS, DID A VERY GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU. I THINK IT WAS A GOOD, A VERY, YOU KNOW, WELL PLANNED SERVICE AND CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY WAS FITTING FOR HIM FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE COUNTY.
AND THANK YOU, JEN, FOR GETTING THAT CITATION TOGETHER OVER THE WEEKEND.
SO, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR GREAT JOB IN DOING THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE LONG DRIVE TO PICK ONE FURTHER AWAY.
I'LL BE BACK IN CAROLINE NEXT YEAR.
THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT EXTENSION OF THE MITCHELL REGIONAL COUNCIL FUNDS.
I THINK THEY'VE PUT AN APPLICATION IN OR.
I'M SORRY, THE RURAL MARYLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS.
THEY PUT AN APPLICATION IN TO EXTEND THAT THROUGH THE END OF NEXT YEAR, I BELIEVE.
AND I THINK WHATEVER THE LONGEST PROJECT, WHICH WAS A YEAR FROM.
YEAH. AND MR. WARNER WAS VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT THAT WAS GOING TO, GOING TO COME THROUGH.
SO HE WAS GOING TO LET US KNOW AS SOON AS THAT DID HAPPEN.
SO BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAD.
SO IS THERE ANY CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME, REVEREND? I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR CREW FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
SO ALL OF THE STUFF THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING DILIGENTLY AND TRYING TO WEED OUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
WE'VE RAN EVERYBODY ELSE OUT OF THE ROOM.
YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR HANGING ON.
[03:20:01]
SO NOW I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE, LEGAL ADVICE AND PENDING LITIGATION UNDER AUTHORITY, 2014 MARYLAND CODE, STATE GOVERNMENT, 3-305B SECTIONS SEVEN AND EIGHT. SO MOVED.[Closed Session: To Consult with Counsel to Obtain Legal Advice & Pending Litigation]
BREEDING. AYE. COMMISSIONER BARTZ.AYE. AYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.