[00:02:31]
>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 22ND, 2024, CAROLINE COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING, WHICH IS NOW IN ORDER.
THIS MORNING, WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY REVEREND DL HINES OF ETERNAL LIFE MINISTRIES OF DENTON.
REVEREND HINES. MORNING, REVEREND. THANK YOU.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, YOU COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE, SO EVERYONE WATCHING ONLINE CAN HEAR YOU AND THAT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO IF EVERYONE COMPLETE RISE?
>> GRACIOUS GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING OF LIFE THIS MORNING.
WE ASK IN JESUS NAME THAT YOU ALLOW YOUR PRESENCE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING, DEAR GOD, TO HELP US MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE.
BLESS EVERYONE HERE TODAY, DEAR GOD, AND ALLOW YOUR ORDER WHICH REIGNS FOREVER BEFORE YOUR THRONE TO BE PRESENT HERE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR TUESDAY MORNING. COME IN.
>> WE'LL OPEN UP WITH OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE IN THE PUBLIC OR IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THIS MORNING? NONE BEING SEEN. FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, I BELIEVE WE NEED A MOTION TO CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
>> THE MOTION AND SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.
>> AYES HAVE IT. ROBIN AHA, HEALTH OFFICER OF CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH A BOARD OF HEALTH UPDATE. GOOD MORNING, ROBIN.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE SOMEWHAT BRIEF WITH MY UPDATE.
I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK FOR ANY OF ANY OTHER TOPICS THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
TO START OUT, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW IN TERMS OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
OUR BOARD OF HEALTH IN CAROLINE COUNTY CONSISTS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OF COURSE, THE HEALTH OFFICER SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND SECRETARY FOR THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
THE POWERS AND DUTIES, THOSE THINGS, I'VE REFERENCED THE ACTUAL CODE HEALTH GENERAL SUBSECTION 3-202.
[00:05:07]
OUR POWERS AND DUTIES AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH, WE ADOPT AND ENFORCE RULES AND REGULATIONS ON ANY NUISANCE OR CALLS OF DISEASE IN THE COUNTY.WE MEET IN MAY AND OCTOBER OF EACH YEAR, AND AT ANY OTHER TIME THE BOARD CONSIDERS NECESSARY.
WE COORDINATE BOARD OF HEALTH ACTIVITIES WITH MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND WE REPORT TO MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON THE SANITARY CONDITIONS OF THE COUNTY WHENEVER THE BOARD OF HEALTH CONSIDERS IT IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY TO DO SO.
WE ALSO SET ANY FEES OR CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH BOARD OF HEALTH RULES AND REGULATIONS.
I THINK THE PRIMARY SETTING OF FEES AND CHARGES CAN COME INTO PLAY WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FEES.
I DON'T THINK I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THE OTHER FEES AND CHARGES THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER THAT A LITTLE BRIEFLY AND THEN WE'LL GET ON WITH THE UPDATES.
THE FIRST ITEM, I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON TWO OF THE HOT TOPICS THAT ARE RIGHT NOW IN OUR OFFICE.
NUMBER 1 IS PERTUSSIS, WHICH IS WHOOPING COUGH.
WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE ACROSS THE STATE ACROSS THE NATION, ACTUALLY, COMING BACK TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
HERE IN THE COUNTY, WE'VE HAD THREE CONFIRMED CASES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
I GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL ABOUT PERTUSSIS.
IT'S A VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASE.
IT'S HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS BACTERIAL DISEASE THAT AFFECTS THE RESPIRATORY TRACT.
THE INCREASE IN CASES NATIONWIDE, OF COURSE, REFLECT A RETURN TO PRE PANDEMIC PATTERNS.
THIS DISEASE AFFECTS ALL AGE GROUPS, BUT INFANTS UNDER THE AGE OF ONE ARE AT MOST RISK FOR SEVERE DISEASE, AND IT SPREADS THROUGH THE AIR WHEN AN INFECTED PERSON COUGHS OR SNEEZES.
OF COURSE, OUR BEST PREVENTION METHOD IS VACCINATION.
ANY ADULT, CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'VE NOW EXPANDED OUR VACCINATION EFFORTS.
WE'RE OFFERING TDA VACCINATION TO ADULTS WHO ARE IN NEED AT NO COST REGARDLESS OF YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE.
ANYONE CAN CALL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR TDAP VACCINATION.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND SCHOOLS INCLUDING MDH TO MITIGATE THE SITUATION WITH OUR CONFIRMED CASES.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, AND WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES AS TDA PERTUSSIS, AS WELL AS OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERTUSSIS SITUATION? NO. GREAT. ONE OF THE OTHER HOT TOPICS IS THE NATIONWIDE IV FLUID SHORTAGE, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE BAXTER NORTH COVE PLANT.
THIS PLANT IS LOCATED IN MARION, NORTH CAROLINE.
IT WAS IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HINE, WHICH EXPERIENCED SEVERE FLOODING.
THE BAXTER SITE IS THE LARGEST IV SOLUTIONS PLANT IN THE US.
IT PRODUCES ABOUT 1.5 MILLION BAGS OF IV SOLUTION A DAY, AND THE FACILITY SUPPLIES ABOUT 60% OF IV SOLUTIONS DOMESTICALLY.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY MOVED TO ALLOCATIONS.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO BE ON CALLS ON THE DAILY WELL, I THINK WE'RE NOW MOVING TO EVERY OTHER DAY OR ONCE A WEEK.
PHONE CALLS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE ALSO HAD MDH REQUESTED THAT THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS REACH OUT TO LOCAL PROVIDERS, WHICH INCLUDED DIALYSIS CENTERS, LONG TERM CARE, URGENT CARE CENTERS AND EMS. WE CONDUCTED THAT OUTREACH BETWEEN 1015-1018, AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS ARE AWARE THAT IF THEY HAVE ANY ISSUES, THEY'RE TO, YOU KNOW, CAN CONTACT US, AND WE CAN MOVE THAT UP THE CHAIN FOR THEM.
WE HAVE HAD NO CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.
WE'RE JUST KEEPING A REALLY CLOSE EYE ON THE SITUATION.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IV FLUID SHORTAGE? NO. I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE DETAIL IN TERMS. I TALKED ABOUT THIS MY LAST UPDATE.
THE MARYLAND STATE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS SHIP THAT WAS RELEASED IN JUNE.
THIS IS GOING TO ESTABLISH OUR PRIORITIES, OUR STRATEGIES, AND OUR TARGETS FOR IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH BASED ON THE AREAS OF GREATEST NEEDS IDENTIFIED.
OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE SOME VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION IN TERMS OF CHRONIC DISEASE, ACCESS TO CARE, WOMEN'S HEALTH,
[00:10:03]
VIOLENCE, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.THESE ARE THE FIVE PRIORITY AREAS THAT THE STATE HAS ESTABLISHED, AND WE'LL WORK LOCALLY TO CREATE OUR OWN STRATEGIC PLAN BASED OFF OF THESE FIVE PRIORITIES.
WE'RE ALREADY WORKING REALLY HARD ON ALL FIVE OF THOSE.
SOME THINGS, WE EVALUATE, WE MAY SHIFT OUR STRATEGIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THESE ARE ALREADY ON OUR PRIORITY LIST AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THEM.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL JUST BE A MECHANISM FOR US TO CONSOLIDATE IT, PUT IT ALL IN ONE SPOT, AND BE ABLE TO TRACK OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
WE WERE AWARDED A NATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA RESPITE GRANT.
THAT GRANT WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO FOUR PARTICIPANTS IN OUR PROGRAM.
ADULT MEDICAL DAYCARE IS ESSENTIALLY FEE FOR SERVICE.
WE DO RECEIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A GRANT THAT'S BEEN LEVEL FUNDED FOREVER.
WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS ANYTHING THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING, HELPS OUT WITH THAT PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALSO ANALYZED OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE FOR STAFFING WITHIN MEDICAL ADULT DAYCARE AND WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES.
WE ACTUALLY PUT THE PROGRAM UNDER OUR DIRECTOR OF NURSING.
IT'S BEEN UNDER OUR DIRECTOR OF NURSING FOR THE LAST MAYBE TWO MONTHS.
THAT'S WORKING OUT REALLY WELL.
WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED OUR CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR OUR SOCIAL WORK NEEDS.
WE HAD A VACANT SOCIAL WORKER POSITION WITH MEDICAL ADULT DAYCARE, AND WE COULD NOT FILL IT.
WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO FILL IT.
WE JUST THAT IS A VERY SPECIALTY POSITION, LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE SPECIALLY SKILLED, ALL THOSE THINGS AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A PASSION FOR DOING THAT WORK.
WHAT WE DID WAS OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE MANY SOCIAL WORKERS THERE, DIRECTOR IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING US WITH SOME ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORK SUPPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE HELP.
WE ALSO HAD AN UNANNOUNCED OFFICE OF HEALTHCARE QUALITY VISIT IN AUGUST.
I THINK YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO ONE EVERY TWO YEARS.
WE WERE COMPLETELY IN COMPLIANCE WITH NO DEFICIENCIES.
I THINK IT LIFTED EVERYONE'S MORALE, SO THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM.
OUR TOBACCO PREVENTION LEADERSHIP TRAININGS.
THIS WAS NEW FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
OUR OUTREACH ACTUALLY DID THEY TRAINED 69 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO BE ACTIVE TOBACCO PREVENTION LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S QUITE SIGNIFICANT, AND IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR.
THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, THEY WERE ABLE TO RE ESTABLISH YOUTH ENGAGEMENT.
ON OUR CAROLINE COUNTY WELLNESS COALITION.
THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO THAT FOR A WHILE.
ONE OF THE REALLY GREAT SUCCESSES FOR OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM WAS THAT WE RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE STATE FOR ABOUT $25,000 FOR FY 24.
TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT REFLECT MARYLAND'S DIABETES ACTION PLAN, WE PARTNERED WITH CHOP TANK HEALTH AND CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOOD SERVICES.
THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE FRESH PRODUCE, HEALTHY MEAL AND DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE SCREENING AND EDUCATION TO RESIDENTS IN CAROLINE COUNTY THROUGH COMMUNITY POP UP DINNERS.
THEY DID THREE DINNERS, ONE MARDO, ONE FALLASBURG, AND ONE RIDGELY BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 10TH AND SEPTEMBER 17TH.
THEY DISTRIBUTED 602 MEALS, THEY HAD 59 PARTICIPANTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN SCREENINGS FOR HEMOGLOBIN A1(C) AND BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS.
IT'S A LOT. ON OUR FEP PROGRAM, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS OF OCTOBER 23TH, THEY HAD ESTABLISHED THE CAROLINE COUNTY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COALITION.
THAT COALITION INCLUDES REPRESENTATION FROM OUR NURSING HOMES, AND THIS IS LOCAL, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, VARIOUS SECTORS, OF HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BENEDICTINE SCHOOL CHANNEL MARKER, POLICE, FIRE, AMS, AND THE DETENTION CENTER.
AND THEN OUR DIRECTOR OF NURSING UPDATES ARE SHARED WITH THAT GROUP,
[00:15:01]
AND ANY IDENTIFIED NEEDS FROM THE LOCAL GROUP CAN BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR REGIONAL GROUP, WHICH IS THE HEALTHCARE COALITION.>> BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS OUR NEXT ONE.
WE RECEIVED OUR COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION OF REHABILITATION FACILITIES, WHICH IS CARF FOR THREE YEARS.
WHEN YOU APPLY TO CARF AND YOU ARE DESIGNATED AS A CARF ACCREDITED AGENCY, THAT MEANS THAT YOU MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF QUALITY AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
IT'S A RIGOROUS AUDIT AND REVIEW.
IT INCLUDES AN ONSITE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY A TEAM OF INDUSTRY PEERS, AND OF COURSE, THE ACCREDITATION IS FOR THREE YEARS.
OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM RECEIVED THE MIDSHORE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CALIBER AWARD FOR EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMING. THAT WAS IN MAY.
WE HAVE RE-ESTABLISHED THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION TEAM, WHICH WE MEET QUARTERLY.
THOSE MEETINGS ARE HELD IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING OUR LOCAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE MEETING SCHEDULE IS PUBLISHED ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S WEB PAGE.
WE CONTINUE WITH OUR MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER IN THE DETENTION CENTER.
THE INITIAL GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FOR THAT EFFORT EXPIRED IN JUNE 30TH, 2024.
WE BUILT THOSE SERVICES INTO OUR EXISTING PROGRAMMING AND OUR EXISTING GRANT SUPPORT SO THAT IT'S NOT SEPARATE FROM ANYTHING ELSE.
WE CONTINUED THOSE SERVICES JUST AS THEY WERE BEFORE, NO TRANSITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION AND OUR MEDICALLY ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION.
ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY FULFILLED THIS YEAR WAS TO FILL THE GAP ON OUR QMB PARTICIPANTS.
WHAT WE FOUND WAS HAPPENING, SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEDICALLY ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, THERE WAS AN OCCASION WHERE THEY MOVED TO QMB, WHICH IS QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY STATUS.
WE GENERALLY DON'T KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE.
IF THEY'RE SCHEDULED ON A TUESDAY FOR A RIDE, OUR PEOPLE ARE DOING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ON MONDAY, THAT'S WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT THAT HAPPENED THAT THEY MOVED TO QMB.
MOVING TO QMB MEANS THAT THEY NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR MEDICALLY ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION. THAT'S AN ISSUE.
THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT THAT CANNOT MAKE THEIR APPOINTMENT AND THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT UNTIL LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFOREHAND.
OUR ADMINISTRATION WORK TO CREATE A LINE ITEM BUDGET WHERE ONE OF THE MAT STAFF DRIVERS CAN COME OVER, THEY GET A HEALTH DEPARTMENT VEHICLE.
THERE'S FUNDING ALLOCATED THAT SUPPORTS THAT SPECIFIC INITIATIVE.
IT'S NOT CHARGED TO THE MAT GRANT, IT'S CHARGED SPECIFICALLY IN THAT LINE ITEM SO THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL CAN GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AT THAT TIME, THEY DON'T MISS THEIR APPOINTMENT.
ONCE THE APPOINTMENT IS TAKEN CARE OF, OUR STAFF, THEY WORK TO GET THEM BACK INTO ELIGIBILITY OR FIGURE OUT ANOTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM.
TO DATE, WE'VE HAD TWO PARTICIPANTS THAT QUALIFIED FOR THIS, AND THAT'S BEEN SINCE JULY.
>> WE'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT.
MR. HOLLIS IS HERE IN PART TO UPDATE US ON SOME MAYBE CHANGES LATER ON.
IS THAT A HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE THAT IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THAT'S ACTUALLY TRANSPORTING THE PATIENT?
>> IN MANY CASES, IT'S FROM SOMEWHERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY TO EASTON OR DOVER?
>> YEAH. MOST OF THE TIME THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A STANDING APPOINTMENT.
AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE A DIALYSIS PATIENT, SO THEY HAVE A REGULAR, WEEKLY OR TWICE A WEEK APPOINTMENT THAT THEY NEED TO GO TO DIALYSIS, SO YES.
>> IT MAY BE IN THE COUNTY, IT MAY BE EASTON.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANYONE THAT THAT'S HAPPENED TO AND THEY HAD TO GO ON THE WESTERN SHORE.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT.
>> HOW MANY RIDES ARE YOU PROVIDING?
>> IN TERMS OF THIS SITUATION SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE ONLY HAD TWO SINCE JULY.
>> BUT I MEAN IN TOTAL BALLPARK.
IN TERMS OF IF THEY QUALIFY FOR MEDICALLY ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION, WE CAN BREAK THAT DOWN.
>> DON'T GIVE ME TOO MUCH INFORMATION THAT WILL CONFUSE YOU.
[00:20:02]
>> WE COULD BREAK IT DOWN BY PROGRAM BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE RIDES AS WELL FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS, LIKE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
OUR MEDICAL DAYCARE DOES SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR SO THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVIDING RIDES FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS.
THAT WAS NOT IT FOR OUR SUCCESSES.
THOSE WERE JUST THE ONES THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TODAY.
WHENEVER I DO THIS UPDATE, I ALWAYS HAVE SO MUCH THAT I WANT TO REPORT ON, IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO PUT IT ALL INTO JUST A FEW MINUTES, AND I KNOW I COULD DRONE ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT IT.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT HOPEFULLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE IS OUR MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH EFFORT.
THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CAROLINE COUNTY DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND CAROLINE COUNTY BASIC LIFE SUPPORT COMMITTEE.
IN DECEMBER, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN NOVEMBER, A GROUP OF US WE WERE HERE TO ASK FOR SOME SUPPORT TO APPLY FOR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCES COMMISSION THROUGH THEIR HEALTH EQUITY RESOURCE COMMUNITIES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
WE DID THAT. I FELT AS THOUGH WE HAD A PRETTY STRONG PROPOSAL AND SUBMITTED IT.
WE WERE NOT AWARDED THE FUNDING.
WE GOT THAT NOTIFICATION IN APRIL.
WE HAVE RECONVENED OUR LITTLE COMMITTEE, OUR PLAN FORWARD.
WE CONTINUE OUR PLANNING EFFORTS. WE'VE MET.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CREATION OF POLICY AND PROCEDURES, AND WE ARE SEEKING OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
WE HAVE SOME IDEAS AS TO HOW WE CAN DO THAT, SO WE'LL BE BACK TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
>> HOW MUCH WERE YOU TRYING TO GET, ROBIN?
>> I THINK THAT FOR THE HEALTH GRANTS, AND WE DID GO A LITTLE BIG BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A VEHICLE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TWO POSITIONS FOR DES, I THINK, PLUS SOME MEDICAL DIRECTOR TIME, AS WELL AS A COORDINATOR POSITION FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT 300,000.
NO. WHAT WAS IT? THREE MILLION? 2.8, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NOT 300,000.
WE'VE REEVALUATED SOME SITUATIONS BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SOME RESTRUCTURING WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE THINK THAT WE CAN DO THIS ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE AND PROBABLY INITIALLY START OUT WITH REFERRALS FOR TWO DAYS A WEEK.
WE JUST NEED TO GET OUR PLAN BACK TOGETHER AND REALLY COME UP WITH WHAT WE WANT TO PRESENT AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF BUDGET.
>> THE THOUGHT WAS THAT THIS WOULD SAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND MILES ON AMBULANCES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, CORRECT?
>> VERY MUCH SO. THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT WE TAKE REFERRALS FROM MOSTLY EMS WHO ARE GETTING REPEAT CALLS AND WHERE THEY SEE A NEED FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND DO SOME CASE MANAGEMENT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS SPECIFICALLY, THAT WOULD BE OUR STARTING POINT.
I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS FELL WITHIN THE 65 OR OLDER AGE BRACKET AND ALL THROUGH THE COUNTY SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT A LITTLE MORE DEEPLY TO SEE.
I DO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CORE FUNDING SITUATION.
I THINK I TALKED A LITTLE BIT MAYBE ABOUT IT DURING BUDGET TIME.
OUR TOTAL CORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE, THEIR STATE ALLOCATION.
THIS TABLE IS JUST BREAKING DOWN WHAT WE RECEIVED IN FY24 IN TERMS OF CORE FUNDING.
WHAT THE STATE IS REQUIRED AS A MATCH, AND THEN WHAT OUR COUNTY IS REQUIRED AS A MATCH, THOSE PERCENTAGES.
OUR BUDGET REQUEST TO THE COUNTY HAS EXCEEDED THAT REQUIREMENT FOR YEARS, IT'S NEVER REALLY BEEN AN ISSUE.
HOWEVER, FY25, OUR INITIAL CORE FUNDING WAS CUT BY ALMOST $226,000.
NO CHANGE, OF COURSE, TO OUR CAROLINE COUNTY TOTAL FUNDING.
OUR TOTAL CORE FUNDING REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL BUDGET,
[00:25:01]
THE REST OF THAT 80% IS ABOUT ITS GRANT FUNDED THAT WE APPLY FOR AND MANAGE.IT'S A LOT. IT'S ABOUT 80 DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
IT'S A LOT. THE IMPACT OF REDUCTION.
I FIRST REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THERE'S NO REAL IMPACT.
ESSENTIALLY THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING, THERE'S NO REAL IMPACT IN TERMS OF THAT REDUCTION.
HOWEVER, WE HAD PLANNED TO PURCHASE A NEW MEDICAL ADULT DAYCARE BUS THAT IS GREATLY NEEDED.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT THIS YEAR UNLESS WE RECEIVE SOME SUPPLEMENT OR WE FIND SOME ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING.
WE TRULY DO NEED AN ADULT DAYCARE BUS, THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.
ALSO, OUR WORK TOWARDS PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ON PHASE 3 OF THAT.
WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS THE BEST WE CAN, IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE US A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THERE.
THEN I GAVE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE CORE LOCAL HEALTH SERVICES, THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE FUNDED THROUGH CORE FUNDING SPECIFICALLY.
I SHOULD ALSO LET YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THROUGH MACO THERE IS DISCUSSION ABOUT REVIEWING THE FORMULA THAT'S USED.
THERE WAS A JOINT COMMITTEE REPORT THAT CAME OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT.
IF I DIDN'T, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE LINK TO THAT, IT JUST CAME OUT. IT'S VERY INTERESTING.
I SIT ON THAT WORK GROUP FOR THE HEALTH OFFICERS AND REVIEWING OUR CORE FUNDING AND OUR RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE FORMULA.
THAT IS RECONVENING, I THINK MY FIRST MEETING IS TOMORROW.
MORE TO COME ON THAT SITUATION.
>> MACO WAS TRYING TO GET THE FORMULA ADJUSTED DOWN, SO THERE WAS LESS BURDEN ON THE COUNTIES.
>> THE REPORT GIVES SOME VERY GOOD DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS IN TERMS OF THAT.
THE WAY THAT IT LOOKS WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS A WAY FOR THERE NOT TO BE SUCH AN IMPACT AT ONE TIME ON THE COUNTY.
>> COULD BECAUSE THERE WAS. REMEMBER IN 2023, IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, AND SOME COUNTIES REALLY HAD STRUGGLED WITH THAT.
WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT OUR LOCAL REQUIRED MATCH, THE COUNTY HAD BEEN FUNDING THAT WELL ABOVE THE REQUIREMENT SO THERE WAS REALLY NO IMPACT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU SAW, WE WENT FROM IT BEING OVERMATCHED, I THINK, MAYBE 100,000 OVER OR MORE TO IT BEING OVER FUNDED BY $5,000 BECAUSE IT WAS THAT SIGNIFICANT.
THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF THE REFORMULATION OF THAT AND HOW IT MOVES WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
DEFINITELY, WITH THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE STAFF FOR MEDICAL ADULT DAYCARE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO INCREASE OUR MEDICAL ADULT DAYCARE PARTICIPATION WITH SOME CAMPAIGNS AND SOME OUTREACH.
I MENTIONED OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. HOPEFULLY, WE'LL HAVE THAT FINISHED BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.
ESTABLISHING AN OVERDOSE FATALITY REVIEW TEAM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CHILD FATALITY REVIEW TEAM, AND ESSENTIALLY, IT'S THE SAME PLAYERS THAT WOULD TAKE PART IN THIS GROUP.
CAROLINE COUNTY IS THE ONLY JURISDICTION THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN OVERDOSE FATALITY REVIEW TEAM.
NOT THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO GET THAT STARTED, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S VALUABLE AND IT'S NEEDED.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE STATE TO OUR OPIOID OVERDOSE PREVENTION TEAM SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY ON OVERDOSE FATALITY REVIEW TEAM AND THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S COMING. EXPANDING OUR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON OUR YOUTH MOBILE TREATMENT UNIT, THAT'S COMING.
THAT'S ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, WHO WE'RE ALREADY PARTNERS WITH IN TERMS OF OUR MOBILE TREATMENT UNIT.
PHASE 3 TOWARDS OUR FAB ACCREDITATION.
[00:30:01]
I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER IN TERMS OF THE CORE FUNDING. WE WORK TOWARDS THAT.COMMERCIAL PAYER CREDENTIALING, WE'RE CONTINUING THAT EFFORT.
CURRENTLY, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE BILL FOR VERY SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT ARE ALLOWABLE, BUT MAINLY OUR PAYERS ARE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.
WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT A LITTLE BIT FOR WHEN WE HAVE INSTANCES OF MASS VACCINATION EFFORTS SO THAT WE CAN BILL FOR THOSE SERVICES.
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH CREDENTIALING WITH CAREFIRST SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY BILL FOR SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO CAREFIRST PARTICIPANTS.
THEN, OF COURSE, WE'RE CONTINUING OUR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SURVEY PROCESS.
WE'VE HAD VERY FEW PARTICIPANTS, BUT THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GAINED FROM THOSE SURVEYS IS VERY VALUABLE, I CAN SAY.
WE'RE CONTINUING THE SURVEYS, HOPING THAT MAYBE BEFORE MAY, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF INFORMATION.
CRYSTAL AND I WERE HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH THE REQUEST TO ADD A MODULE IN THERE FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING AT 10 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING ABOUT THE MDE DELEGATION AGREEMENT SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM ME ON THAT ONE, TOO.
>> THERE IS ANOTHER ONE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MACO AND JACK WILSON IN QUEEN COUNTY AND VARIOUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVES TO TRY TO STANDARDIZE FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY HOW THINGS ARE DONE BETWEEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
>> I THINK THAT'S THE GOAL OF EVERYONE INVOLVED IS THE STANDARDIZATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE CLEAR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND EXPECTATIONS SPELLED OUT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON BOTH ENDS.
>> I COULD TALK TO YOU FOR A HALF HOUR ABOUT THAT, BUT I WAS DIRECTED TO KEEP THIS MOVING SO WE MAY NEED YOU BACK. YEAH.
>> LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT CALLING A BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING SPECIFICALLY IN REFERENCE TO THAT SITUATION IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA, THAT WAY WE CAN JUST TALK ABOUT THAT SUBJECT AND HOW WE'RE MOVING ALONG WITH THAT.
LIKE I SAID, I SHOULD HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION AFTER TODAY'S MEETING AND I'LL TOUCH ON.
>> WE WERE WAITING FOR THE AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THEIR LIST OF COMMENTS TOGETHER OF ISSUES WITH THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING SPECIFIC? IT'S A LOT. I ALWAYS FEEL I BRING WAY TOO MUCH TO THE TABLE WHEN I DO THESE UPDATES, SO.
>> WELL, I'D LIKE TO GET YOU BACK IN TO DRILL DOWN ON THE DELEGATION AGREEMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STUFF, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY A CONVERSATION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND HOW THAT FITS IN WITH DES, WHAT DCT IS DOING, WHAT WE NEED TO ASK DCT TO DO, THE VOIDS THAT NEED TO BE FILLED, WHAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT MILES ON OUR AMBULANCES AND KEEP THEM IN COUNTY SO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE GOOD RESPONSE TIMES AND WHAT SERVICES YOU SEE THAT THE SENIORS OR DISADVANTAGED IN THE COUNTY NEED.
>> WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DEVELOPED THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. YOU WANT TO STICK AROUND AND SEE WHAT ANDY HAS TO SAY, IF YOU GOT TIME? WHAT TIME IS YOUR MEETING? TEN?
>> I'M SORRY. I JUST DIDN'T GET IT.
>> TO HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
>> SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS DANIEL FOX, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND ANDY HOLLIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DELMARVA COMMUNITY SERVICES WITH A DISCUSSION OF DELMARVA COMMUNITY SERVICES CURRENT OPERATIONS. MORNING, ANDY?
>> MR. FOX, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO.
>> YEAH. WE CAN TRY TO SET THE TABLE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE THIS MORNING AND WHAT WE'RE SEEKING.
>> LET ME SAY ONE THING BEFORE WE DO.
I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LONG TIME ON THIS.
I'D SAY THIS PUBLICLY IN CAROLINE COUNTY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WITH DELMARVA COMMUNITY SERVICES AND DELMARVA COMMUNITY TRANSIT PREVIOUSLY,
[00:35:01]
BUT NOW I'M HEADING IT UP.WE ARE HERE TODAY AND WE HAVE SPENT TIME WITH DANNY IN PARTICULAR TRYING TO WORK THINGS OUT AND I'VE TOLD YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I WANT IT ON THE RECORD.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH CAROLINE COUNTY.
I KNOW FIRST HAND THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN NEARLY AS PRODUCTIVE OR AS OPEN AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
I THINK AT TIMES YOU ALL FELT THAT TRANSPARENCY WAS LACKING, THAT NOBODY WAS LISTENING ON OUR SIDE OF THE TABLE.
I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR IT, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU AND I THINK YOU KNOW, BASED ON HOPEFULLY MY REPUTATION, I AM TRULY COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THAT SITUATION.
NOT JUST FOR THE THREE OF YOU, BUT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION QUICKLY THIS MORNING, BUT I THINK IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY AND AT LEAST A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY SERVICES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR WE CAN GO, BUT HAPPY TO BE AT THE TABLE AND HAVE THOSE TALKS. I'M SORRY.
BUT BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING, I THINK I'LL GO BACK ALL THE WAY TO SEPTEMBER 18TH, MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER BRADY MET WITH ANDY, HENRY, CAROLINE COUNTY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, AS WELL AS MANY OF THE STATE FIGHTERS TO REALLY START THIS CONVERSATION AND OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
>> TRAVIS JOHNSTON WAS THERE, WHO WILL ACTUALLY BE HERE LATER ON. SO YEAH.
>> OUT OF THAT MEETING, I THINK EVERYBODY TOOK A COUPLE OF PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO EXPAND ON AND DIVE DEEPER INTO, AND ONE OF THOSE BEING OUR GREENSBORO ROUTE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS AND REALLY THE DISCUSSION OF EXPANDING THAT ALMOST TO A MOD STYLE PROGRAM.
AFTER THAT MEETING, BACK ON OCTOBER 10TH, ANDY AND HENRY ACTUALLY CAME IN AND SAT DOWN WITH MYSELF TO REALLY TALK THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO BRING THIS TO THE BOARD ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY EXCHANGED IN CONVERSATION AND EMAIL AND REALLY SIT DOWN TODAY AND TRY TO HASH OUT WHERE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO GO IN DCT WITH THE GREENSBORO ROUTE, AND HOW WE CAN REALLY LEAN INTO FREEING THAT UP TO A MOD PROGRAM IN COUNTY.
IF YOU GUYS WANTED TO EXPAND ON THAT.
>> GREENSBORO AND PRIOR TO MY TIME IN OUR LAST PLEDGE REQUEST, I THINK WE HAD INDICATED GREENSBORO WAS IN QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WE COULD AFFORD TO CONTINUE IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S ALSO OUR LEAST USED ROUTE IN TERMS OF HEADCOUNT.
BUT NOW THAT I'VE STEPPED IN, HAVING COME FROM TAPA COUNTY WHERE THE DCT HAS STARTED A MOD MOBILITY ON DEMAND PROGRAM, I'M REALLY INTERESTED, I THINK WE ALL ARE IN SEEING WHETHER GREENSBORO CAN BE THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE COUNTY TO SEE IF THAT CAN WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY.
WE HAVE A RELATED INTEREST AND WE WANT TO GET A HEAD COUNT OUT BECAUSE THE STATE IS MOVING MORE TOWARDS HEAD COUNTS IN TERMS OF HOW FUNDING IS RELATED TO TRANSIT. MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
HENRY, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT METS IS VERY FOCUSED ON IT AS WELL.
WE'RE PREPARED TO MOVE FROM A FIXED ROUTE IN GREENSBORO, WHICH IS ROUTE 7, AND IT'S NOT HIGHLY USED TO A MOBILITY ON DEMAND OR DEMAND RESPONSE.
WE ALREADY HAVE THAT SERVICE AT A LOW LEVEL IN THE COUNTY, AND WE CAN FOCUS ON GREENSBORO TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO, ESPECIALLY TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO NOT BE USING THAT ROUTE ANYMORE, THE FIXED ROUTE, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE MOB.
IT'LL BE A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY FOR THE CITIZENS IN GREENSBORO IN THE AREA TO GET AROUND.
I BELIEVE MOD AND I'M NOT A TRANSIT GUY, BUT I BELIEVE MOD IS REALLY THE FUTURE FOR WORLD TRANSIT.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN ALL THE COUNTIES WE SERVE OVER TIME, AND I'D LOVE TO START GETTING A PROTOTYPE UP HERE IN CAROLINE.
SEPARATELY, WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DO FOR THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW THE PARAMETERS, BUT I'D BE VERY HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE ABOUT THAT.
BUT HENRY PROBABLY LIVES IN FEAR THAT I'M GOING TO GIVE AWAY THE BARN.
ARE WE GOOD IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE?
>> IF YOU ALL ARE ACCEPTING, WE'RE PREPARED TO MAKE SURE WE GET PUBLIC NOTICES OUT ABOUT THE CHANGE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO TRANSIT ON THE GREENSBORO ROUTE, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF IT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE JANUARY 1ST START, OR FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE ON BOARD.
THIS IS DIRECT CONTROL WENT AHEAD AND GO FROM THERE.
THAT'S PART OF THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
>> WHERE DID THE FIXED ROUTE GO? WHAT WAS THE ROUTE FOR THE FIXED ROUTE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> IT LEAVES FROM DENTON FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
THEN IT GOES TO GREENSBORO, COMES BACK TO DENTON TO RIDGELY TO EASTON WALMART.
THAT'S WHERE IT ENDS. IT ENDS AT 7:15 IN THE MORNING, EASTON WALMART.
>> RIDERSHIP DROPPED A LOT WHEN THE RECOVERY HOUSE IN GREENSBORO CHANGED OWNERSHIP.
THE RIDERSHIP IS ALMOST [OVERLAPPING].
[00:40:02]
>> OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE IS WITHOUT THE SERVICE, BUT ACTUALLY TO GROW IT SO MORE PEOPLE START TO USE IT BECAUSE IT BECOMES MORE CONVENIENT.
I DON'T WANT TO OVERPLAY IT, BUT MOD TO ME IS MORE OF A UBER TYPE SITUATION WHERE YOU BOOK AN APPOINTMENT IN ADVANCE.
THEN YOU HAVE THAT TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY RIGHT THERE FOR YOURSELF INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIND THE BUS ROUTE AND MAKE IT TO THE BUS ON TIME.
>> YEAH. I KNOW THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT I WAS IN OFFICE WAS FLOATED TO US MULTIPLE TIMES BY DCT, WAS THE BUS STOPS, ENCLOSURES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THOSE THROUGHOUT.
WE HAVE A FEW IN THE COUNTY, BUT NOT MANY.
WE NEVER REALLY MADE THOSE INVESTMENTS TO REALLY TRY TO PROMOTE THE MASS TRANSIT MODEL.
IT FITS AND IT SAVES FROM HAVING A MOBILITY ON DEMAND PROGRAM, SAVES FROM HAVING TO DO THOSE TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS, CORRECT? YOU DON'T NEED TO BUS STOPS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
>> CURRENTLY, WHERE WOULD THE BUS PICK THE PEOPLE UP?
>> IN GREENSBORO? IT'S TOWN PARKING LOT.
POLICE STATION. THEN WE HAD ONE DOWN ON SCHOOL STREET.
>> IF THEY WERE GOING TO BE WAITING, THEY'D JUST BE WAITING OUTSIDE?
>> YES. NOW, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, WE GOT TO BE HONEST WITH THIS, THE MOD PROGRAM OR DEMAND PROGRAM, WHATEVER IS JUST WITHIN THE COUNTY.
JUST LET YOU KNOW. THAT BUS NOW THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON ROUTE 7 DOES GO TO EASTON.
>> YOU WOULD HAVE TO TRANSPORT TO DENTON AND THEN THEY WOULD GET ON A BUS TO EASTON FROM DENTON IF THEY WANT TO GET.
>> IT'S SIMILAR TO HOW IT OPERATES ONLY WITHIN THE COUNTY AS WELL.
>> WALK ME THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ON, SO YOU GUYS HAVE AN APP OR YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE COMPUTER OR? SAY I WANT A RIDE.
WALK ME THROUGH HOW I WOULD SET THIS UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, IN GREENSBORO TERMS.
>> YOU WOULD CALL OUR OFFICE AND WE PUT ALL THIS IN A FLOWER AND POST IT.
IT'S ON THE BACK OF OUR BOOKS AND ALL THIS LITERATURE THAT WE HAVE.
YOU WOULD CALL OUR OFFICE PRIOR DAY BEFORE 24 HOUR NOTICE.
WE GET YOUR ADDRESS AND WE JUST COME PICK YOU UP AND TAKE YOU.
>> YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO GET ON A COMPUTER?
>> YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT?
>> WE'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING THERE.
>> YEAH. WE WANT TO GET THERE.
>> I'M NOT SURE A LOT OF YOUR RIDERS ARE THERE.
>> I THINK THIS INFORMATION WE HAD TALKED ABOUT PARTNERING WITH OUR PIO AND TRYING TO LEVERAGE THE COUNTY'S SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE TO EXPAND ON GETTING THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION OUT.
>> WE'LL ALSO REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF THE CHANGE.
TO START WITH COMMISSIONER WART'S PREMISE HERE, I WOULD CALL, YOU WOULD PICK ME UP AT THE HOUSE.
>> FROM GREENSBORO, I WOULD THEN BE TRANSPORTED TO DENTON?
>> YES. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO EASTON.
>> YES. YOU WOULD GET A TRANSFER TO, SO YOU'RE I PAYING ONE TIME.
>> THEN COMING HOME, I WOULD COME BACK TO DENTON?
>> BE TRANSPORTED BACK TO GREENSBORO.
>> AS LONG AS YOU'VE MADE THE APPOINTMENT.
>> TO ADD, SO WITHIN COUNTY COMMISSION PORTER, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DUNKIN DONUTS FOR A CUP OF COFFEE.
WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP YOUR HOUSE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU TO DENTON, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR HOUSE A GAIN AS WELL.
THERE'S NO TRANSFER. THERE'S NO BUS INVOLVED. IT WOULD BE MINIVAN?
>> WHAT WOULD THE COST OF THIS BE?
>> WHICH IS THE SAME AS IT IS.
>> WHICH IS THE SAME AS IT IS NOW.
>> THAT'S PAYABLE WHEN YOU GET ON THE BUS OR PAY?
>> WELL, I THINK WE COULD TALK TO YOU GENTLEMEN FOR A HALF HOUR AS WELL.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ALONG.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK, WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH DES.
I'D LIKE TO RECONVENE THE GROUP THAT WE HAD TOGETHER.
[00:45:01]
WHAT'S IT THEN? TIME FLIES. A YEAR AGO.A YEAR AND A HALF, AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T MADE MUCH HEADWAY, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME THAT BEFORE WE GET INTO NEXT BUDGET SEASON TO TRY TO GET A PLAN, IDENTIFY WHERE THE HOLES ARE, WHERE YOUR AVAILABILITIES ARE, AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
>> I AGREE. WE WANT TO GET IN LINE BEFORE BUDGET AS WELL BECAUSE WE NEED TO DELIVER TO THE TABLE IN ORDER TO ASK FOR THE FUNDING WE NEED TO KEEP IT GOING.
>> I THINK THIS IS REALLY THE MODEL THAT WE'VE BEEN SHOOTING FOR FOR A WHILE, TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO PEOPLE AS THEY NEED IT INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM FIT THE ROUTE.
>> ALSO, WE'RE WILLING TO IF, THIS WORKS, WHICH WE KNOW IT WILL WORK, IF WE GET TO WORK RIGHT WAY, WE CAN EXPAND IT TO THE OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY ALSO.
>> WHAT HOURS WOULD YOU BE TALKING ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY FOR THIS ROUTE?
I DO KNOW WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT COME TO WORK NOW IN DENTON THAT GET ON THAT ROUTE.
WE'LL HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT FLEXIBLE ABOUT THAT.
I'M GOING TO SAY I THINK THEY PROBABLY GET ON BY SIX O'CLOCK.
>> THE START TIME IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY THE CURRENT USERS SO WE DON'T PRECLUDE ANYBODY FROM GETTING TO WORK.
>> YES. BUT THE END TIME WILL PROBABLY BE FOUR O'CLOCK.
>> YOU'RE BASICALLY PAYING $4.
YOUR COST TO RIDE TO COME TO WORK, IS IT $4 ONE WAY OR?
>> AS BEING PICKED UP AT YOUR HOUSE.
>> THANK YOU MR. T FOR COMING IN. THANK YOU.
>> ANDY, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> MOTION GOING IN A LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
>> MOTION SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY ATTORNEY, SIR BERYL, FOR OUR BILL READINGS.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BRADY, THIS IS A SECOND READING AND A PUBLIC HEARING ON LEGISLATIVE BILL 2024-006, WHICH DEALS WITH CHAPTER 18 OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY CODE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
THE BACKGROUND TO THIS, VERY BRIEFLY, IS THAT THE CURRENT COUNTY LAW PROVIDES THAT THE COMMISSIONERS MAY CONVENE A LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON THE SECOND AND THIRD TUESDAYS OF EACH MONTH, AND ON ANY ADDITIONAL DAYS THE COMMISSIONERS DETERMINE, WE'RE SIMPLY ADDING A THIRD TUESDAY, THAT IS THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH TO BE LEGISLATIVE DAYS SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THE PASSAGE OF NEW BILLS.
WE WILL BE HAVING QUITE A LINE OF THEM, I BELIEVE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
THIS WAS INTRODUCED LAST MEETING ON OCTOBER 15TH.
THE NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED IN THE STAR DEMOCRAT ON THE 19TH.
I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY MISS RILBY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DO NOT KNOW IF ANYONE IS HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS BILL.
>> IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY COMMENT ON THIS LEGISLATIVE BILL? NONE SEEN.
>> THIS WILL BE AN EMERGENCY BILL IF IT IS PASSED AT THE THIRD READING, WHICH WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 12.
IT WOULD HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF THAT DAY, THE 12TH SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ADDITIONAL DAY IMMEDIATELY.
>> CAN WE DO A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AT THE END OR DO WE NEED TO CLOSE EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY?
>> DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON LEGISLATIVE BILL 2024-006?
>> MOTION AND SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> NEXT BILL IS 2024-007, WHICH DEALS WITH CHAPTER 175, SECTION 161, ARTICLE 18 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THIS WAS INTRODUCED ON OCTOBER THE 15TH.
THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED ON THE 19TH.
WE'RE HERE FOR THE SECOND READING AND THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS IS AN ACT TO REPEAL AND RE-ENACT WITH AN AMENDMENT SUBSECTION B OF SECTION 175-161, AND SUBSECTIONS B4 AND B6 OF SECTION 175-162 OF ARTICLE 18,
[00:50:01]
ZONING OF THE CODE OF PUBLIC LOCAL LAWS OF CAROLINE COUNTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING THAT A PERSON MAY NOT APPEAL TO THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, THE ISSUANCE OF A CITATION, WHICH IS BASED UPON A PRIOR DECISION, ORDER, REQUIREMENT, OR DETERMINATION OF THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH WAS NOT APPEALED.REDUCING THE PERIOD FOR SUCH AN APPEAL TO BE FILED FROM 90 DAYS TO 30 DAYS AND PROVIDING THAT THE FILING OF AN APPEAL DOES NOT STAY ANY PROCEEDINGS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE DECISION OR ACTION APPEALED FROM, AND MAKING THIS ACT AN EMERGENCY BILL.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE HAS BEEN NO PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED ON THIS.
I GUESS WE'D LIKE TO HEAR IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE HAS ANY COMMENT ON THIS PROPOSED BILL.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND TESTIFY ON THIS LEGISLATIVE BILL? NONE SEEN.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON LEGISLATIVE BILL 2024-007?
>> MOTION SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> AYES HAVE IT. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION?
>> MOTION SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> THE AYES HAVE IT. ONTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAVE A AMENDMENT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE ARE GOING TO REMOVE THE MIDSHORE REGIONAL RECYCLING PROGRAM CONTRACT AND POSTPONE THAT.
THAT WILL BE AN AGENDA DISCUSSION ITEM, I BELIEVE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
WE'LL REMOVE THAT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON ANYTHING ELSE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COMMISSION PORTER?
>> DAN, CAN YOU GIVE ME A ONE MINUTE GREENSBORO VERSION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE RETIREE HEALTHCARE?
>> YES, SIR. THE PENSION BOARD MET AND DISCUSSED ISSUE WE HAD THAT OCCURRED WITH THE EMPLOYEE THAT WAS LOOKING TO RETIRE.
THERE ARE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCREPANCY NOW.
NOW WE HONOR MILITARY YEARS OF SERVICE FOR ACQUIRING YOUR 20 YEARS TO RECEIVE THE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SUBSIDY.
IT'S REALLY A CLEANUP TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INCLUDING THE MILITARY YEARS OF SERVICE AFTER THREE YEARS.
>> FOR PERTH COUNTY, THE PENSION IS THREE YEARS, THE STATE IS FIVE.
>> FIVE. IF YOU STAY IN THE COUNTY FOR A YEAR.
>> THE LANGUAGE ITSELF DOES NOT SAY YES OR NO.
WE WOULD LIKE IT TO INCLUDE THAT.
>> THANK YOU. JAMIE, THE PLAYGROUND GAME TIME PLAY CORE.
>> WHAT WOULD BE THE TIME FRAME HERE FOR INSTALLATION ON THIS?
>> SPRING OF NEXT YEAR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. BROOK.
>> IS THIS THE EXAMPLE WHAT YOU'RE GETTING OR NO?
>> THERE'S AN INSERT PICTURE OF THE PARK FORCE AS WELL.
>> THE PLAYGROUND PASS PLAY STRUCTURE [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE GETTING $100,000 WORTH OF PLAY EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE].
>> I WOULD MOVE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE REVISION OF THE MIDSHORE REGIONAL RECYCLING PROGRAM.
>> THE AYES HAVE IT. DO WE WANT TO HOLD OFF ON THESE OTHER ITEMS UNTIL AFTER?
>> I HAVE A FAIRLY FAST ADMINISTRATORS REPORT IF YOU WANT TO QUICKLY.
>> GOOD. COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS REPORT.
>> MY REQUEST IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON OCTOBER 29.
I HAVE A LIST OF THINGS FOR DISCUSSION THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO TODAY.
I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT YOU SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING ON OCTOBER 29, GIVEN THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS NOT UNTIL NOVEMBER 12.
>> DO I HEAR A MOTION TO SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING AT 9:00 A.M. AT THE COURTHOUSE ON OCTOBER 29?
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
CREATING MORE WORK FOR OURSELVES.
[00:55:10]
DO YOU JUST WANT TO TAKE A RECESS NOW AND GO AHEAD AND WE'LL DO OUR OPEN DISCUSSION PERIOD AT THE END?>> CALL A RECESS FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES.
[01:03:13]
OKAY, EVERYONE. I WILL GO AND CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.I WANT TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE SENATOR MOUNTS WILL JOIN US SHORTLY.
WE ARE JOINED BY DELEGATES ARNS, GRACE AND HUTCHINSON.
AND WE ALSO HAVE MAYOR MCNICH OF THE TOWN OF DENTON HERE, TOWN MANAGER, SCOTT GETCHELL AND THE CAROLINE COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY SLOAN FRANKLIN IS ALSO HERE WITH US TODAY.
I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING, THANK YOU, SECRETARY WIDOFELD, FOR VISITING CAROLINE COUNTY TODAY WITH YOUR ENTIRE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN MDOT INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN CAROLINE COUNTY, INCLUDING THE NEW OIL CITY TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHICH HAS HAD ITS, WHAT SHOULD I SAY? DETRACTORS, I GUESS.
BUT WITH ANY CHANGE, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR, FROM BOTH SIDES.
BUT THE RECENT BRIDGE REPLACEMENT ON ROUTE 16 HARMONY ROAD AT WILLISTON LAKE.
WE APPRECIATE BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS SEEING THROUGH TO THEIR COMPLETION.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE FUNDING FOR THE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT RIVER ROAD AND ROUTE 404, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT PROJECT IS ABOUT TO START ANY DAY NOW, START CONSTRUCTION.
I SHOULD SAY. I WANT TO THANK ADMINISTRATOR PINES FOR YOUR OFFICE'S ASSISTANCE IN SECURING 100% FUNDING ON TWO BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECTS THAT THE COUNTY'S GETTING READY TO UNDERTAKE.
I THINK WE GOT THAT NOTIFICATION LAST WEEK OR EARLIER THIS WEEK.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR OFFICE'S SUPPORT IN SECURING THAT 100% FUNDING.
[01:05:01]
I WANT TO THANK ADMINISTRATOR NIZER AS WELL.I RECENTLY RENEWED MY CDL DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND NORMALLY, I DREAD THAT EVERY TIME.
I HAVE TO TAKE THE TRIP DOWN TO MVA AND SUBJECT MYSELF TO ALL THAT.
BUT ACTUALLY DID IT COMPLETELY ONLINE IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
I REALLY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT I HAD DONE IT CORRECTLY UNTIL I GOT MY LICENSE IN THE MAIL.
I WANT TO APPRECIATE THOSE CUSTOMER SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS MADE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR JOHNSTON FOR TAKING TIME TO MEET WITH MYSELF AND OUR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION TEAM LAST MONTH TO DISCUSS MORE SUITABLE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS FOR CAROLINE COUNTY.
I'LL START OFF BY SAYING, I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE TOUGH FISCAL CONDITION THAT YOU ALL FIND YOURSELVES IN AND ADMINISTERING, YOUR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT MDOT CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE.
SPECIFICALLY, THE RESURFACING OF VARIOUS STATE HIGHWAYS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THAT'S THAT'S A MAJOR AREA OF CONCERN THAT I BELIEVE ALL OF US SEE SPECIFICALLY, ROUTE 331/16 THROUGH THE TOWN OF PRESTON.
I NOTICED THAT THAT SECTION OF ROAD IS GETTING PRETTY ROUGH.
ROUTE 313 FELLSBOG HIGHWAY, ROUTE 16, HARMONY ROAD, ROUTE 44, AND I'M SURE THERE'S VARIOUS OTHER HIGHWAYS AROUND THE COUNTY THAT I'M PROBABLY OVERLOOKING.
BUT OUTSIDE OF PROTECTING AND MAINTAINING THAT EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR CONCERN OF OURS.
WE ARE PROBABLY THE ONLY COUNTY WITHOUT A HOSPITAL.
IF NOT ONE OF VERY FEW IN THE STATE.
>> QUEEN ANNE HAS A SURGICAL CENTER, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A HOSPITAL.
>> SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALWAYS IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS.
PRIMARILY THE DUALIZATION OF 404, WHICH I KNOW IS A HEAVY LIFT IN THIS FISCAL ENVIRONMENT, ALL THE WAY TO THE DELAWARE LINE, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT COMPLETED.
IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION YESTERDAY THAT THERE MAY BE SOME SIGNALING IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE COULD DO AT VARIOUS LIGHTS AROUND THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE LEFT TURN.
I THINK A LOT OF INTERSECTIONS THAT THE COUNTY ARE SEEING INCREASED TRAFFIC, AND WHAT WE HAVE IS VEHICLES TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF AN INTERSECTION.
I THINK STAGGERING, THE REQUEST WAS TO STAGGER SOME OF THOSE LIGHTS TO GIVE LEFT TURN TRAFFIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND EXIT THE INTERSECTION BEFORE ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS TURNED LOOSE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
>> BUT WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE ONE LITTLE SNAG GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH OUR NORTH COUNTY PARK PROJECT, AND IT'S A BUREAUCRATIC HICCUP BETWEEN DNR WHO'S PROVIDING THE FUNDING DNR PROGRAM OPEN SPACE.
WE'RE USING PROGRAM OPEN SPACE FUNDING TO DO SOME STATE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
WE WANT TO BUILD A NEW PARK UP AT THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY IN GREENSBORO, AND WE WANT TO USE SOME PROGRAM OPEN SPACE FUNDING TO CONSTRUCT AN ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION LANE WITHIN THE STATE HIGHWAY RIGHT AWAY.
THEY ARE ASKING US FOR AN MOU WITH M DOT TO BASICALLY GUARANTEE THAT ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DO WITH THE PROGRAM OPEN SPACE FUNDING WILL NOT BE DISTURBED FOR 20 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW IT SEEMS SOMETHING SIMPLE THAT WE CAN MAYBE WORK THROUGH BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE WAITING ON THAT AGREEMENT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO COME OVER TO CAROLINE COUNTY THIS MORNING.
LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> I JUST WANT TO MENTION VERY QUICKLY.
WE HAVE OUR SUPERSTAR KENNY VENDOR SITTING BACK THERE AND THE OIL CITY LATE I NEVER KNEW WE HAD SO MANY TRAFFIC OBSERVERS IN THIS COUNTY, BUT WE DO, BUT AS WITH CHANGE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.
BUT I THINK BETWEEN THAT LIGHT AND THE TURN SIGNAL AT RIVER ROAD IN 404 WE'VE CERTAINLY MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN
[01:10:01]
THE COUNTY AND WHEN THE RIVER ROAD IS IMPLEMENTED, WITH THE IMPROVEMENT THERE WITH THE CULVERTS, THAT ROAD WILL BE SAFER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN FOR STUDENTS TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KENNY.THANK YOU, KENNY, HE ALWAYS MY PHONE WHEN I SEE HIS NAME, I ALWAYS KNOW SOMETHING'S HAPPENING.
THE SIGNS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT STAY ON 404, FOR THE BEACH TRAFFIC THAT WERE CUTTING THROUGH MITCHELL ROAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE.
I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, IT'LL IT'LL PROVE TO BE MUCH SAFER FOR EVERYONE.
ONCE THE ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE OF THE GOING FROM A BLINKER TO A RED LIGHT, BUT THAT'S THAT'S A BIG IMPROVEMENT. THANK YOU.
>> NOW, I WANT TO EXPRESS THE OIL CITY LIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS MORE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE.
YOU HAVE PLENTY OF SIGNAGE OUT THERE.
THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR SOMEBODY NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY IT'S NOT THERE AND THE REASON BEHIND IT.
ULTIMATELY, I THINK EVERYBODY JUST LOVES IT.
I'VE HEARD ABOUT IT ALL WEEKEND ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS.
ONE THING I JUST WANT TO STRESS ON AND JUST ASK IS THE RECENT AND THIS IS IN NO NEGATIVE LIGHT, BUT IN THE RECENT EXPRESSION AND TO EXPAND MORE IN THE RAILS OF TRAILS THAN TO ACTUALLY FIXING SOME RODS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED.
THE STATE INVESTMENT THE RAILS AND TRAILS VERSUS TAKING THAT MONEY AND PUTTING IT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO FIX.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT WHAT THE REASON BEHIND THIS IS?
ONE IS, THERE ARE SOME SEPARATE FEDERAL OR DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY THAT GO AFTER THAT THAT YOU COULDN'T USE FOR OTHER PURPOSES, SO WE MAXIMIZE THAT.
THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF INTEREST IN SOME OF THOSE.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THAT.
BUT AS MR. PINES IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO WE WILL TAKE CARE OF ANY SAFETY ISSUE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISINVEST IN THE SYSTEM.
>> THE LARGER POINT IS, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
CAN WE PUSH SOME THINGS OFF A LITTLE BIT AS WE'RE DEALING WITH THE FINANCIAL ISSUES? YES. WE CAN'T START SLIDING BACKWARDS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE BEING VERY CAREFUL WHAT WE DO TO THOSE DOLLARS.
>> IT CAN'T BE AT THE EXPENSE OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> NO, JUST SO JUST SEEING THE RECENT UP TICK IN DOING RAILS OF TRAILS.
WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF GRANTS COME THROUGH HERE AND AND OTHER COUNTIES HAVE UPDATED THE RAILS OF TRAILS, AND WE WERE JUST QUESTIONING THAT.
THAT'S ALL. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED HIGHWAY USER REVENUE FUND CONTINUATION AS WELL.
THAT WAS A BIG HELP TO THE COUNTIES.
BUT WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TO YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN, JUST THANK ALL THE SECTOR TRANSPORTATION FOR THE RECORD, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US DOWN TO GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
IT COVERS FISCAL YEAR 25-30 TO FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY BE WATCHING AND IT'S CALLED THE CONSOLIDATED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, AND CALLED CTP GO THAT WAY.
I DID WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH SET MCO.
AGAIN, I THINK THERE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING FOR US BASICALLY TO SHARE SOME OF THE LATEST INFORMATION, BUT ALSO JUST UNDERSTAND SEVERE PRIORITIES.
YOU DID ASK US AT THE MEETING THE IMPACTS OF THE NON NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM BRIDGE PROJECT AS A RESULT OF THE FUNDING ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND WE DID GET BACK TO YOU THAT BASICALLY THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY.
I KNOW THAT WAS A CONCERN FOR YOU IN AUGUST.
I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS FAIRLY BRIEF.
I DID WANT TO FOCUS ON THE FINANCES BASICALLY BECAUSE THEY IMPACT EVERYTHING WE DO HERE AS WELL AS ACROSS THE STATE, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR DIFFERENT OF SPECIALISTS IN OUR FIELD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE COUNTY HERE.
OF COURSE, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT THE END IF THAT'S OKAY.
REGARDING THE FINANCES, AS YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR, WE HAD ROUGHLY $3.3 BILLION HOLE IN THE PROGRAM.
LOTS OF ISSUES THERE FROM INFLATION TO LACK OF COVID DOCTORS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
LAST YEAR THAT WAS DEALT TO WITH A DEGREE TO A CERTAIN LEVEL.
THERE WAS SOME RAINY DAY FUNDS THAT WERE USED FOR ONE YEAR TO DEAL WITH SOME IMMEDIATE OPERATION ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE EXCUSE ME.
THEN THE JOURNALS THAT DID PASS ROUGHLY ABOUT $1.8 BILLION IN NEW REVENUES.
AGAIN, SPREAD OUT IN THE WHOLE SIX YEARS.
CUTS TO DO WITH OBVIOUSLY SOLVE THE CORE ISSUE.
PART OF THAT WAS WE WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK THE HIGHWAY USER REVENUE FOR LOCALS AND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTIES, AND ALSO THE LOTS PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THAT.
[01:15:03]
THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM FACES SIMILAR ISSUES, HEADWINDS, A, THE ECONOMY IS JUST NOT GROWING THE STATE AS PEOPLE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.CLEARLY INFLATION COST OF PRODUCTS AND LABOR CONTINUES TO RISE.
THE BIGGER ISSUE FOR US IS SOME OF THE PROJECTED REVENUES HAVE NOT HIT WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD DO.
AGAIN, WE'RE PROJECTING OUT THIS FIVE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE, BUT IT'S DONE IN A VERY METHODICAL WAY.
AND OUR MOTOR FUEL TAX IS THE ONE THAT IS THE MOST CONCERNED.
WE'RE BASICALLY MISSING THE MARKET HERE BY ROUGHLY $350 MILLION.
FROM TRAVEL BEHAVIORS AND THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITH THE INDUSTRY ON MILES PER GALLON.
THEN OUR OPERATING COSTS CONTINUED, AGAIN, TO KEEP UP WITH SOME OF INFLATION ISSUES AND CONTRACTUAL ISSUES, AND THAT'S INCREASING BY ABOUT 300 MILLION.
THE END RESULT OF ALL THAT IS THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM IS ABOUT $1.3 BILLION SHORT OF WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
THE OVERALL PROGRAM HAS TO BE BALANCED, SO THAT'S WHAT WHAT WE'VE DONE.
IT'S 18.9 BILLION OVER THE ENTIRE PERIOD, BUT AGAIN, SHORT 1.3 BILLION COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS AGAIN ON SOME OF THE CORE ISSUES ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE SAFETY AND REINVESTING, MAINTAINING THE SYSTEM THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
OF COURSE, THE SAFETY WOULD BE THE NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID DO OVER THE SUMMER WAS SIGN WHAT'S CALLED A COMPLETE STREET POLICY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IN TOWNS LIKE THAT IN FOR INSTANCE.
AND THAT BASICALLY HELPS US GET TO THE VISION ZERO THAT WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO BY 2030 TO TRY TO REDUCE THE DESK ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION BASICALLY HAS ALREADY STARTED MOVING THAT AREA.
WE'VE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH THE PARTNER WITH SMART GROWTH AMERICA, HOST OF COMPLETE STREETS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, AND THAT'S BASICALLY LOOKING AT LOW COST, COST EFFECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS TO GET SOME OF THESE SAFETY ISSUES.
WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT ALL ECONOMY IN THE STATE.
FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE WORKING WITH CSX ON THE HOWARD STREET TUNNEL UP IN BALTIMORE.
MAY NOT RESONATE IMMEDIATELY, BUT BASED THAT'S WHERE ALL THE DOUBLE STOCKING CAN THEN FEED THE PORT OF BALTIMORE, WHICH THEN AS YOU'VE SEEN WITH FRANCIS COTT HEBRIDGE, HAS RAMIFICATIONS ALL ACROSS THE STATE REALLY ACROSS THE NATION TO SOME DEGREE.
THAT'S A VERY LARGE PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH.
AT BWI AIRPORT, THERE'S A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION OF AV CONCOURSES CONNECTION BETWEEN THOSE.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE GROWTH OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON THEIR FIRST MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN THE NORTHEAST, WHICH AGAIN, IS SORT OF CEMENTS THEM TO THEIR COMMIT TO OUR REGION.
THAT'S A VERY BIG PROJECT THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE.
FREDERICK DOUGLAS TUNNEL PROJECT, THAT'S NORTHEAST CARTER OF THE RAIL LINE, THAT'S AMTRAK, AS WELL SOME CARGO.
THAT'S WHERE WE RUN ALL THE MACO SERVICE.
THAT WAS A VERY LARGE FEDERAL INVESTMENT, BUT WE DO HAVE A PART OF THAT.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO KEEP THAT GOING, AND THEN WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPETITION THAT WE WON WITH REGINA, AND DC TWO DEGREE.
THE FBI HEADQUARTERS IN GREENBELT.
THERE ARE SOME INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DO THERE.
AGAIN, BIG ECONOMIC INDICATION FOR THE ENTIRE STATE FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
YOU WILL SEE THOSE IN THE PROGRAM.
THAT CONCLUDES THE OPENING MARKS ON THE FINANCES NOW HAVE THE VOTES GET INTO THE DETAILS AND START WITH BOTH LINES FROM THE STATE HIGHWAY. ADMINISTRATION.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SECRETARY. GOOD MORNING.
AS I MENTIONED, I'M WILL PINE, STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATOR, AND I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE, WHICH DOESN'T NEED INTRODUCTION, BUT I'LL MENTION KENNY VENDOR WHO DOES A GREAT JOB HELPING TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS AND PROVIDE CONSTITUENT SERVICES.
AS THE SECRETARY MENTIONED, IT WAS A PLEASURE MEETING WITH YOU AT MACO THIS SUMMER, AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THE SHA TEAM WAS ABLE TO HELP RESOLVE THE LPA BRIDGE PROGRAM NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS ON HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT THE COUNTY.
AT SHA, WE UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL CHALLENGES MARYLAND IS FACING.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU OF TWO THINGS.
FIRST, SHA WILL CONTINUE TO DO BIG THINGS, MOVING FORWARD MULTI MODAL PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY CAPABILITY, AND EQUITY, AND SECOND, SAFETY WILL ALWAYS BE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
THIS MEANS BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, MOTORISTS, AND ALL USERS, INCLUDING OUR HIGHWAY WORKERS.
LAST YEAR, I ALSO TALKED ABOUT MY GOAL TO IMPROVE AND MODERNIZE THE EFFICIENCY OF STATE HIGHWAY.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE BEGAN REFRESHING OUR ACCESS PERMITTING PROCESS TO STREAMLINE AND IMPROVE OUR REVIEW TIMELINES.
THIS IS TO HELP SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT MARYLAND, AND IT INCLUDES CLOSELY TRACKING OUR PERMITS FROM THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY THROUGH PLAN REVIEW ALL THE WAY TO THAT FINAL PERMIT.
WE'VE UPDATED OUR PROCEDURES AND TIMELINES TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC FACING AND TRANSPARENT.
SHA HAS BOTH IMPROVED OUR REVIEW AND ISSUANCE TIMELINES
[01:20:05]
WHILE IN THE FACE OF ACTUALLY RECEIVING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERMIT REQUESTS THAT WE RECEIVED.GREAT NEWS, WE'VE BEEN DOING MORE WITH LESS TIME.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WAYS WE CAN WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY TO BEST SUPPORT OUR LOCAL AND DEVELOPER PARTNERS.
NOW I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE LOCAL SHA PROJECTS AND THANK THE COUNTY FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP, SOME OF WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR REMARKS, BUT I'LL JUST ECHO FOR BREATH.
IN SEPTEMBER, THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BRIDGE ON MARYLAND 16 OVER MILL CREEK WAS REOPENED TO TRAFFIC.
WE THANK THE COUNTY FOR ITS HELP WITH THE DETOUR ROUTES DURING THE TAMPA CLOSURE AND APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC'S PATIENCE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, SHA ALSO HOSTED THE SECOND PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE MARYLAND 404 PEL OR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES STUDY.
THE MEETING WAS WELL ATTENDED AND WE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT FEEDBACK IN PERSON AND ONLINE.
WE ANTICIPATE THE STUDY TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
ONCE FINISHED, SHA WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BREAKOUT PROJECTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR PENDING AVAILABLE FUNDING.
THIS FALL, WE'RE ALSO TACKLING TWO OF THE COUNTY PRIORITIES.
CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON THE PAVEMENT AND WIDENING AND SIGNALIZATION UPGRADES TO PROVIDE A DEDICATED LEFT TURN LANE FROM MARYLAND 328 TO MARYLAND 404.
THIS 2.1 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED NEAR THE END OF 2025.
JUST LAST WEEK, WE CONVERTED THE FLASHING SIGNALS AT MARYLAND 313 AND MARYLAND 317 TO FULL COLOR SIGNALS.
THIS IMPROVEMENT WILL FACILITATE SAFER TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION.
WE HAVE ALSO STARTED A PIPE REPLACEMENT PROJECT ON MARYLAND 328 NEAR LOWS SEAFOOD, SALISBURY ROAD.
CRUZ WILL WORK DAYTIME HOURS THIS WEEK FOR SITE PREPARATION, THEN SWITCH TO OVERNIGHT HOURS TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS TO TRAFFIC.
FINALLY, I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE ATKINS ARBORETUM, EXCUSE ME.
AWARDED NEARLY $180,000 IN RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE BRIDGE DECK REPLACEMENT, CREATION OF A NEW TRAIL, AND NECESSARY ACCESSIBILITY AND MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENTS FOR ITS OVER THE CREEKS AND THROUGH THE WOODS PROJECT.
WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT SOME OF OUR TRAILS PROJECTS.
WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT TAP PROGRAM.
KIM LANFER, OR TRAILS AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE LOCAL FUNDING THAT HELPS THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
THEY JUST STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY.
ANY OF THEM SPECIFICALLY, YOU NEED DETAILS.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
AGAIN, WHILE WE'VE GOT TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET, WE'RE STILL WORKING TO DO BIG THINGS TO ADVANCE IMPORTANT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, AND NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, MELISSA WILLIAMS WITH THE MDTA.
>> AS WILL SAID, MELISSA WILLIAMS. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AT THE MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY CROSSING STUDY, TIER 2 NIPA STUDY.
WE EXPECT TO HOLD IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS IN EARLY DECEMBER.
AT THOSE MEETINGS, WE WILL BE SHARING THE ALTERNATIVES RETAINED FOR DETAILED STUDY.
YOU'LL BE SEEING LINES ON PAPER AND IDEAS OF WHAT TYPICAL SECTIONS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
THE STUDY TEAM CONTINUES ITS TOUR OF COMMUNITY EVENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE STUDY.
WE ANTICIPATE COMPLETING THE TIER 2 STUDY IN THE WINTER OF 2026.
MAJOR CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN APRIL ON $140 MILLION BAY BRIDGE EASTBOUND DECK REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
TO MINIMIZE TRAFFIC IMPACTS, WE'RE USING OFF PEAK LANE ENCLOSURES OVERNIGHT WITH TWO WAY TRAFFIC ON THE WESTBOUND SPAN.
FOR EACH DECK PANEL, CREWS ARE REMOVING ONE SECTION OF THE BRIDGE DECK AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW PRE CAST SECTION.
AS OF LAST WEEK, 53 OF THE 156 PANELS WERE INSTALLED.
THE ANTICIPATED DATE OF COMPLETION FOR THE FIRST PACKAGE IS THE SPRING OF 2025, AND THE SECOND PACKAGE IS EXPECTED TO WRAP UP IN THE FALL OF 26.
LASTLY, WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE.
IN AN EFFORT TO MINIMIZE FURTHER BURDENS ON TAXPAYERS, MARYLAND HAS FILED SUIT TO REQUEST THE VESSEL INTERESTS AND THEIR INSURERS TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES THEY CAUSED, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ENSURE FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR ALL THAT WE'RE DOING.
THE MDTA HAS SUFFICIENT CASH FLOW AND CAPITAL RESERVES THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE KEYBRIDGE REBUILD.
HOWEVER, MDTA WILL BE UPDATING OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR TO FURTHER EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE BRIDGE AND ANTICIPATED FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, AND I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO TRAVIS FROM MTA.>> THANK YOU, MELISSA. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I'M TRAVIS JOHNSTON, LOCAL TRANSIT SUPPORT DIRECTOR AT THE MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
I'D LIKE TO START BY REALLY COMMENDING COMMISSIONER BREEN AND COUNTY STAFF, AS WELL AS ANDY AND HIS TEAM AT DCT FOR THE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND COORDINATION.
I THINK IT'S VERY REFRESHING, AND WE CERTAINLY CAN HELP AS NEEDED, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> AS YOU KNOW, LOCALLY OPERATED TRANSIT SYSTEMS ARE CRITICAL PARTNERS IN PROVIDING TRANSIT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
OVERALL, WE INVEST IN TRANSIT IN CAROLINE COUNTY BY PROVIDING NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN OPERATING AND CAPITAL GRANTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL TRANSIT OPERATIONS PROVIDED BY DELMARVA COMMUNITY TRANSIT IN CONJUNCTION WITH KENT AND TALBOT COUNTIES.
THIS YEAR, THESE GRANTS PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CONTINUED PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS ONE NEW SMALL BUS.
WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING, AND I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ADMINISTRATOR NIZER WITH MVA.
>> THANK YOU, TRAVIS AND THIS PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN THIS MORNING.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO AT MVA, BUT LOVE HEARING COMMISSIONER'S EXPERIENCE, AND I THINK IT'S REFLECTED.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD OVER 99% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING, WHICH IS PRETTY REMARKABLE.
IN FACT, BY PRIORITIZING EFFICIENCY, WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE 6.7% MORE TRANSACTIONS IN THE PRIOR YEAR AND MAINTAIN A FIVE-MINUTE WAIT TIME.
THAT IS A RECORD FOR THE AGENCY SO EVEN IF YOU HAD TO COME TO THE BRANCH OFFICE, YOU STILL WOULD HAVE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
BUT WE DO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE OUR CUSTOMERS TO SIGN UP FOR A MY MVA ACCOUNT, WHICH YOU DID, BECAUSE THAT UNLOCKS 60 DIFFERENT TRANSACTION TYPES THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD ACCESS TO BEFORE AND DISINFORMATION AS WELL.
YOUR CDL RECORD OR OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK UP.
WE ARE ALSO CONTINUING TO EXPAND OUR WHAT WE CALL ONE-STOP-SHOP APPROACH, WHICH BASICALLY JUST MEANS THAT AT OUR BRANCH OFFICES, WE KNOW THAT CUSTOMERS JUST WANT TO ACCESS GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY CARE WHETHER IT'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR STATE GOVERNMENT, THEY JUST WANT TO ACCESS SERVICES.
EASTERN BRANCH OFFICE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
FEW YEARS AGO, WE BROUGHT DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SERVICES THERE, AND I KNOW THAT WAS A VERY POPULAR SERVICE, BUT WE JUST ADDED WITH OUR COLLEAGUES FROM MBTA AND NEW E‑ZPASS CENTER THERE, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
WE ALREADY HELPED 80 CUSTOMERS.
I TALKED TO THE FOLKS THERE AND THEY HAD CUSTOMERS SHOWING UP BEFORE IT WAS EVEN ADVERTISED, I THINK.
AGAIN, ANOTHER GOOD WAY TO OFFER SERVICE WITHOUT PEOPLE HAVING TO TRAVEL TOO FAR OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING AT REACHING OUT TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, OUR OUTREACH TEAMS WHO HAVE WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS HIS HOPE MINISTRIES AND THE CAROLINE HOMELESS BOARD TO ENSURE THAT THE UNDER-SERVED RESIDENTS RECEIVE THE CRITICAL SERVICE THEY NEED, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT GETTING ID CARDS WHICH HELP THEM ON THEIR WAY.
MBA AND ITS PARTNERS CERTAINLY REMAIN COMMITTED AS YOU'VE HEARD THE SECRETARY AND MANY OF THE MINISTERS SAY, OUR VISION ZERO GOAL, THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE GOAL.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, GOVERNOR MOORE DID ANNOUNCE SOME ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING THAT COMES RIGHT HERE TO THE COUNTY.
THAT INCLUDES FOR CAROLINE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE DENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP ADDRESS SPEED, IMPAIRMENT, AND AGGRESSIVE DRIVING.
IN CLOSING, I JUST ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT ALL THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS CAN ONLY HAPPEN BECAUSE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, AND SO PROUD OF ALL THE EFFORTS THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY TO DELIVER THAT PREMIER CUSTOMER SERVICE VISION.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ASHIS TO TALK ABOUT MARYLAND AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
>> THANK YOU, CHRISSY. COMMISSIONERS, GREAT MORNING TOO.
GREAT TO BE BACK WITH YOU TODAY.
IN THE PAST, I'VE TALKED ABOUT AVIATION SAFETY AND HOW OUR AVIATION SYSTEM IS IMPROVING SAFETY GOALS.
I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS MORNING OUR ECONOMIC IMPACTS.
WE RECENTLY COMPLETED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY OF OUR AVIATION SYSTEM.
INCLUDES OUR 33 PUBLIC USE AIRPORTS ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND INCLUDES ALSO HERE LOCALLY, GOODEN AIRPORT IN NORTH OF RIDGELY, ACTUALLY.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, WE HAVE OVER 1.4 BILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
THIS INCLUDES INDIRECT ACTIVITIES BOTH LOCALLY AND TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
IT ALSO INCLUDES OVER 10,000 JOBS.
AGAIN, LOCALLY, CONTRIBUTING TO THE BUSINESS ASPECTS OF AVIATION.
NOW, IN SUPPORT OF THIS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, WE'RE PLEASED WITH THE SECRETARY'S SUPPORT TO PROVIDE 3.5 MILLION IN STATE AVIATION GRANT PROGRAM.
THIS ONE GOES BACK TO OUR SAFETY COMPONENT WHERE WE SUPPORT RUNWAY IMPROVEMENT, TAXI WAY IMPROVEMENT, AND THE LIKE.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BRIEF YOU THIS MORNING ON THE UPDATES ON AVIATION, AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO TURN IT BACK LATER TO SECRETARY.
>> THANK YOU, ASHIS. I JUST WANT TO TALK VERY BRIEF FOR CLOSING ABOUT THE OTHER ECONOMIC ENGINE OF BALTIMORE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE LOST SEVERAL WEEKS THERE OF TRAFFIC.
[01:30:02]
CRUISE SHIPS ARE BACK TO NORMAL.BUT THE CARGO IS A LITTLE BIT LAGGING STILL BECAUSE OF THE WORLD NETWORK THAT THAT'S IN.
WE ARE VERY AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER THE 100% FUNDING FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR DELEGATION ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT HOPEFULLY SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER.
THEN WE HAVE JOINED THE LAWSUIT BOTH AGAINST THE DOLLY AND ALSO THE OPERATORS OF THE DOLLY.
WE'RE JOINING TO GET ALL THE STATE DOLLARS THAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING FOR ALL THE IMPACTS THAT HAS HAD ON US.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE IN GOING FOR THE REBUILD OF THE BRIDGE UP IN BALTIMORE, THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE BRIDGE.
BASICALLY, WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR ON THE BOARD AND IN FOUR YEARS WHICH WILL BE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE GIVEN THE SCALE OF THAT PROJECT, BUT IT HAS TREMENDOUS IMPACTS THAT REALLY RIPPLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, PARTICULARLY WITH GOODS MOVEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO GET FIXED AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
WITH THAT, BE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE.
>> WE SOLD THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS OF ROUTE 16 CLOSURE FOR 10 WEEKS, SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IMPACT THAT'S HAVING ON THE CITY OF BALTIMORE RIGHT NOW.
>> MR. SECRETARY, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION HERE ABOUT HIGHWAY USER FUNDS.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
IS THERE A GENERAL PLAN ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE THAT AND ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK THAT QUESTION?
>> THE RIGHT PERSON, I CAN SHARE YOU WHAT'S GOING TO.
IT'S AN INDUSTRY WIDE ISSUE TO BE HEARD.
BECAUSE REMEMBER, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKES THEIR 11 [INAUDIBLE] WE GET FROM THE FEDS COMES FROM MOORFIELD TAX COLLECTIVE.
IT'S ALSO A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE FOR A STATE LIKE US THAT'S RATHER VERY CLOSE TO THE OTHER STATES.
HOW DO WE RECAPTURE SOME OF THOSE AND EFFECT USER FEES? IT'S NOT ONLY PURE ELECTRIFICATION, BUT EVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW WITH MILES PER GALLON, WHERE YOU FEEL MUCH FURTHER.
IN SOME CASE, EVEN JUST A PURE HYBRID, EVEN A PLUG IN.
YOU'RE BASICALLY DOING SHORTER TRIPS, AND THESE TRIPS YOU MAY NEVER NEED TO BUY OR REDUCE YOUR PURCHASES.
WE'RE WORKING WITH A CONSORTIUM UP DOWN THE NORTHEAST OF THE US TO THINK THROUGH WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO TRY TO CAPTURE THAT SO THAT NO ONE'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ANOTHER STATE, THAT SOMEBODY CAN GO TO DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA, WHEREVER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT NOW.
I'M NOT PROPOSING IT, BUT ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN ON VEHICLE MILES TRAVEL, LITERALLY, HOW MUCH DO YOU TRAVEL? WHICH IS WHAT THE MOTOR FIELD TAX DOES WHERE YOU TRAVEL.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, WITH TECHNOLOGY, PARTICULAR WITH YOUR CARS, THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN IT.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF STATES. WE WERE PART OF IT THAT I ACTUALLY JOINED AS WELL, WHERE BASICALLY IT CAN SHOW YOU HOW MUCH YOU TRAVEL BY DAY, BY MONTH, AND IN EFFECT, IT'S JUST LIKE THE ELECTRICITY BILL.
YOU COULD DO IT THAT WAY. WHETHER OR NOT THAT WILL STAND THE LATE DAY IN TERMS OF JUST THE OTHER DYNAMICS AROUND THAT.
BUT THAT IS ONE THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, NATIONALLY, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, ASSUMING THAT WILL CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH.
>> I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER STATES BECAUSE WE SHARE WHAT, 35 MILE BORDER WITH DELAWARE.
WE LOSE A LOT OF COMPETITION TO THE STATE OF DELAWARE.
>> THEY'RE AFRAID OF US TOO. [LAUGHTER]
>> ADMINISTRATOR NIZER, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE, BUT YOU'RE LOSING ONE OF CAROLINE COUNTY'S CITIZENS TO LARRY STAFFORD.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE HIM SOME RECOGNITION.
[OVERLAPPING] I JUST WANT TO GIVE HIM SOME RECOGNITION FOR HIS SERVICE TO MBA FOR ALL OF THEM YEARS.
I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO REPLACE HIM.
>> ON YOUR MOUTH I JUST SAW HIS FACE PROVIDE OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE.
JUST, EVERYWHERE HE GOES, AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR LARRY AND TRAVIS AND EVERYBODY, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE FOR HIM TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU JUST GO TO IF YOU HAD A PROBLEM.
>> I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I RELAY YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S A ANYONE FROM THE DELEGATIONS QUESTIONS WE'RE AT THESE GUYS.
OUR PRIORITY. THE BIGGEST CONCERN A SYSTEM PRESERVATION.
THIS TWO HAS FIVE COUNTIES ALL.
[01:35:03]
WE HAVE TWO LANE MILES AND EVERY LANE MILE NEEDS TO BE RESURFACED FOR TEN YEARS SO WE HAVE TO IN THE BUDGET SITUATION, I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED AND ALL THESE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO.I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED THAT THE AMOUNT OF ROADS THAT WERE RESURFACING, ESPECIALLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS GO TO GO DOWN. THESE GUYS TOTALLY GET IT.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN FIND A GOOD SOLUTION, THINK THAT THE BUDGET THAT THE STATE PASSES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND HOW PROSPECTIVE, HOW RESPONSIBLE WE'RE GOING TO BE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE CUTS TAX INCREASES, THAT THING, I THINK THAT THE DECISIONS THAT LEADERSHIP.
ANNAPOLIS THAT'S THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
ALSO JUST REMIND YOU GUYS IN REGARDS TO THE D BRIDGE.
WE WE DON'T HAVE THE SUNDAY BACKUPS LIKE THEY HAVE THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF COMMUTERS.
WE GO ACROSS THAT BRIDGE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE EXPRESSED IN PLANS.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK I CAN RECALL WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CUTS AND NOW DOWN TO DESIGN.
ONE PROJECT THAT IS STILL BEING FUNDED IS THE RED LINE.
I CONTINUE TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT SAFE FOR ONE PRIORITY AND THE UTILIZATION OF 404 CONTINUES TO FALL.
I TALKED TO VOLUNTEER FIREMEN IN CAROLINE COUNTY, PERFECT STORIES OF PULLING BODIES OUT OF CARS OFF 404.
I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT HAS MORE ABOUT SAFETY.
I DON'T SEE THE RED LINE AS A SAFETY ISSUE.
WE NEED TO WORK ON GETTING 44.
>> JUST TO PIGGY BACK OFF THE CORRECTION SAYING, THIS IS OUR FOUR LEADING JOB.
I KNOW YOU CAN COMPETE WITH THOSE DOLLARS WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATION BETWEEN YOU AND HIM ABOUT SAYING WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE [INAUDIBLE] A LOT A LOT LESS FUNDING FOR CAP HAVE YOU HAD ANY MORE DISCUSSION?
>> WE HAVE. WE LIVE IN A GREAT STATE.
OKAY. SO WHEN I'M OUT IN BUSTER MARYLAND, SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SOUTHERN MARYLAND, THE GOVERNMENT IS WELL AWARE OF THAT WE HAVE SOME MAJOR STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE TRUST FUND.
WE SQUARE MAJOR TRANS SYSTEMS. THIS ONE SOURCE LIKE ANY OTHER STERIC A MAJOR SYSTEMS. HE'S WELL AWARE OF THAT.
NOW HE'S STARTING TO WORK THROUGH THAT. DOES THAT MEAN? ALL THAT AND THE NEEDS IN EASTERN SHORE, SOUTHERN MARANDA WESTERN BARD ARE JUST IMPORTANT AND THEY'RE UNIQUE ON THE WAYS.
THE NATURE IN THIS COUNTY WITH ALL THE DIRT ROADS AND YOU HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES ACROSS THE STATE.
WE SEE WESTERN MOORE WITH SOME OTHER WEATHER ISSUES, THE RESILIENCY ISSUES HERE IN EAST SHORE.
ALL THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALLY THE TRUST FUND RIGHT NOW, CANNOT HANDLE THAT.
STRUCTURALLY, WE'VE GOT TO RETHINK THIS THIS PROCESS OF SERVICE, WELL IT'S 71.
BUT IT'S TIME FOR US TO THINK THAT.
ALSO THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE DECADES IN THE SYSTEM THE ASIA.
AGAIN, LIKE WE START CAN SLIDE BACKWARD.
I THINK IN THIS STATE AND HIGHWAY AND DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATORS HAVE RUN THAT BOOK DOING THE SAME THING.
WE HAVE A CERTAIN STANDARD IN [INAUDIBLE] AND YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN YOU GO TO OTHER STATES.
BUT THAT'S FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, FROM A LONG TERM INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVE. YOU CAN'T LET THAT SLIDE.
I CAN VOCALIZE THAT QUITE A BIT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO AND THE GOVERNMENT AGAIN, VERY AWARE OF IT.
NOW OBVIOUSLY, WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND [INAUDIBLE].
>> THE OTHER THING I'LL TOUCH ON MENTION THIS.
WE TALKED ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] BRING IT UP THE EVS AND WHAT HAVE YOUR SOLUTION THAT WE QUOTE COME UP WITH COURS HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.
NONE OF THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, AND I THINK WE'VE BROUGHT UP CECIL JACOBS DRUG IT UP ABOUT HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY BILLING FOR REGISTRATION, WHICH TO ME, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT, AND EV IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BUY RIGHT AWAY.
THE FORCE STILL DRIVE GAS. THEY DO THAT.
YET, THE LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO SIT BACK AND SAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU BECAUSE YOU OWN AN EV, AND TYPICALLY THAT PERSON MAKES A LOT MORE MONEY.
HAVE YOU CONVEYED ANY OF THAT BACK TO SAY THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
[01:40:02]
IT JUST CAN'T POSSIBLY MAKE SENSE TO ANY STILL SEEING A DOWNGRADED AS FAR AS TRANSMISSION ENERGY OF THAT.HAS THERE BEEN ANY MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT?
>> THERE IS. AGAIN, I THINK IT'S THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR THE PHOTOELECTRIC IS BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE ISSUES.
AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE TRYING TO START A MOVE IN EFFECT INDUSTRY THAT MOVED, AND THAT'S PART OF THE PART OF THE HURTLE WE GETTING GOING.
I OBJECT SUPPORT IT. YOU NEED TO MARKETS TO BUY IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, SO YOU'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE THAT.
AT THE SAME THE REVENUE FOR PEOPLE THAT USE THE SYSTEM.
BUT IN THE PATH THAT THE NATION IS OVER, HOW DO WE START TO CAPTURE SOME OF THOSE USER FEES FOR THIS, PARTICULARLY AT THE EACH STAGE AND THINKING OF WHEN IT'S MATURE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WITH THE LARGER SEERS COMING FROM THE MOTOR FILTER [INAUDIBLE].
>> I COULD JUST ADD IN WHEN WE DO IMPLEMENT THE EV ALONG WITH THAT INSTALLMENT PLAN, EVERYBODY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO IT, NOT JUST EV.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT POINT.
ANY REGISTER MAY HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
>> LAST THING I GET TO DO IS THE BALL, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP TO MR. PINES A WHILE BACK, OUR TRAILS AND E-BIKES.
I GET A LOT OF CALLS BECAUSE SOME OF OUR STATE TRAILS ARE FORBIDDING YOU TO GO ON THERE WITH A E-BIKE. THERE'S ADDITION TO THAT.
ALONG WITH A LOT OF ONE OF THESE HARLEY BIKES OUT THERE, AND YOU CAN DO 100 MILE HOUR. WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO LEGISLATIVELY TO PUT SOME LIMITS ON WORK WITH YOU ABOUT THE SPEED LIMIT AND THE CRITERIA SO THAT BIKES ON THOSE ROADS, TAKE THIS PRECAUTION?
>> TWO COUPLE OF POINTS THERE.
ONE IS THAT THE TSO TEAM IS WORKING ON A BROADER POLICY ABOUT E-BIKES, WHERE TO LEAVE THINGS, HOW THE WHOLE PROGRAM SHOULD WORK, STATEWIDE, WHERE TO PROMOTE IT.
THERE'S DIFFERENT STRATEGIES FOR WHERE TO PUT THEM FOR RENTALS.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT AND THEY'RE WORKING ON SOME BROADER STATEWIDE POLICY FOR CONTROLLING THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I DID ALSO MEET WITH THE WASHINGTON AREA BIKE ASSOCIATION TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ROADS SAFE PRIORITIES BOTH MARILYN.
ULTIMATELY, CURRENTLY, THE BIKE ADVOCACY GROUPS GENERALLY VIEW E-BIKES AS A COMPARABLE TO A NON-MOTORIZED BICYCLE.
A LOT OF THE LEGISLATION THAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO PUT FORWARD APPEARS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DIFFERENTIATE FOR SPEEDS AT ALL.
I THINK IT'S A BROADER LEGISLATIVE DISCUSSION.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SPEED DIFFERENTIAL WITH E-BIKES.
IF IT'S POSSIBLE, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT AS THE POLICY IS BEING DEVELOPED WITH THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE, THAT THIS CONCERN IS PART OF THE CONSIDERATION.
CERTAINLY A LEGISLATIVE ACTION AND THAT WOULD HELP CLARIFY ANY PARTICULAR CONCERNS ON TRAILS, BUT THAT DOESN'T EXIST TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THE POLICY SIDE, BUT THERE IS A BALANCE WHERE, WE WANT TO SEE SOME THOSE SHIFT AND MORE WRITTEN ON E-BIKE MYSELF.
I LOVE IT. IT'S A FUN EXPERIENCE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO USE THEM, SO WE'VE GOT A BALANCE, NOT LIMITING PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO USE THEM WITH A DESIRE FOR SAFETY.
IF YOU COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS FOR LEGISLATION ON BEHALF.
>> I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP QUICKLY AND THANK DELEGATE HUTCHESON FOR BRINGING UP 404.
AS AN OLD VOLUNTEER FIREMAN, I CAN TELL YOU, PEOPLE ARE GOING FASTER AND WANTING TO GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING QUICKER ALL THE TIME.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME HORRIFIC ACCIDENTS OUT THERE OVER THE YEARS.
WHEN YOU COME TO THAT MERGING PLACE BOY, IT'S LIKE YOU'RE TAKING YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS BECAUSE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING IN YOUR MIRROR TO SEE WHO'S TRYING TO BEAT YOU WITH CARS COMING THIS WAY.
I WON'T GO INTO WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE RED LINE, BUT I JUST THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CRUCIAL TO THIS AREA, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE THERE TO DUAL WHAT HAS BEEN DUAL.
EVERY TIME I COME THROUGH THERE, I THINK ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL THERE ALL THE TIME FOR THESE TRAGIC ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED.
I SEE MR. AND MRS. FREEMAN BACK THERE WHO RELIGIOUSLY ATTEND THESE MEETINGS,
[01:45:03]
AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO.THEIR STORY IS WELL KNOWN, BUT I THINK IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I WON'T STOP MENTIONING THIS AND TALKING ABOUT THIS.
THANK YOU DELEGATE HUTCHESON FOR RAISING THAT POINT.
>> IF I COULD, I COULD ADD TO ON THE PROJECT.
WE'RE WRAPPING UP THE PELL STUDY.
IN THE WORLD OF FEDERAL FUNDING, THERE'S WHAT'S CALLED THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO RECEIVE A LARGER FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS SPOT IMPROVEMENTS FOR SAFETY.
IT THE FUNDING IS LARGER EXPANSION PROJECTS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A DOZE A HIGHWAY.
IT WON'T ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT, BUT IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO TARGET IMPROVEMENTS FOR CERTAIN SAFETY FEATURES IF THERE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE PARTICULAR SITE DISTANCE ISSUES OR THE TURNING MOVEMENTS ARE DANGEROUS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
IN MY REMARKS, WHEN I TALKED ABOUT COMING BACK, ONCE A STUDY IS COMPLETE, WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE DO WANT TO WORK WITH YOU TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THOSE TYPES OF STUDY IMPROVEMENTS.
THE LARGER DUALIZATION, THAT'S HARD, THERE'S PLANNING STUDY.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO FUND AND MOVE THAT FORWARD.
BUT I THINK IN THE MORE NEAR TERM, THERE'S A LOT OF COLLABORATION WE CAN DO FOR SAFETY.
>> HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT REVISITING MIXED DESIGNS FOR THE ASPHALT MIXED DESIGNS FOR LONGEVITY? I HEAR 10 YEARS IS ABOUT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A RESURFACE ROAD NOW.
IS THAT A MIXED DESIGN NOW WITH LIQUID ASPHALT MAYBE BEING CHEAPER BECAUSE DEMAND DOWN.
IS THAT SOMETHING THE STATE COULD LOOK AT REVISITING, MAYBE ADDITIONAL BINDER IN THE MIXED DESIGNS TO TRY TO EXTEND THE LONGEVITY OF THE ASPHALT?
>> SURE. AS PART OF OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT PROCESS AT OUR OFFICE OF MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY, THEY LOOK AT LIFE CYCLE OF THE ENTIRE PAVEMENT.
THAT GETS INTO WHEN YOU APPLY CEILING, WHEN YOU DO CRACK REPAIRS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT TREATMENTS THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE.
MIXED DESIGN UP FRONT IS ONE OF THE FACTORS.
WE ALSO ARE CURRENTLY WORKING SEEKING FEDERAL GRANT MONEY TO PURSUE IT WOULD ALLOW US TO TRY NEW MIXED DESIGNS THAT ARE MORE CLIMATE FRIENDLY.
WITH THAT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO APPLY THEM TO SOME ROADS GETTING MORE FEDERAL MONEY FOR THE PROJECT.
IT BOTH HELPS US MEET A CLIMATE GOAL AND BRINGS A LOWER COST SOLUTION BY HAVING THE FEDERAL MONEY TO OFFSET.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF AVENUES, KNOWING THAT WE'RE IN A FUNDING CHALLENGED ENVIRONMENT, WE'RE PURSUING ALL OF OUR AVENUES TO TRY TO GET IT DONE.
BUT I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT ROADS THAT ARE NOT ON THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM THAT DON'T QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
THAT'S OUR HARDEST PAIN POINT.
THAT'S WHERE WE JUST YOU DON'T HAVE THE FEDERAL MONEY.
WE REALLY HAVE TO BE MANAGING THOSE CAREFULLY FROM AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE.
I ACTUALLY WENT VISITED HIS TEAM AND DID A WORKSHOP AND ASKED, IF YOU WERE ADMINISTRATOR FOR A DAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? THEY SAID, PUT MORE MONEY IN PAYMENT. I GET IT.
BUT I THINK DELEGATE YOU GOOD.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THE TRIP DOWN, ENJOY THE REST OF THE DAY ON THE EASTERN SHORE AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.
>> MAYBE AT WINTER MACO SOMEWHERE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
[01:55:52]
>> WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL A MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
[01:55:55]
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS DELEGATION CONVERSATION.WHERE ARE WE AT HERE, ANNUAL MEETING WITH DISTRICT 36 AND 37 STATE LEGISLATORS.
WE HAVE DELEGATE HUTCHESON, SENATOR MOUNTS, DELEGATE ARTS, DELEGATE GRACE, DELEGATE ADAMS. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
I THINK DELEGATE HUTCHESON WAS GOING TO CUT OUT HERE, SO AND A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO THE LEGISLATIVE DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A LIST OF OUR LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS HERE, BUT I WANTED TO JUST MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
I THINK RECENTLY, YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED IN YOUR EMAIL THREE BOND BILL REQUESTS.
ONE OF THEM WAS FOR A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR RIDGELY.
ANOTHER ONE WAS FOR RENOVATION OF THE MANNY SCOTT POST 193 RENOVATION AND THE OTHER WAS FOR A YOUTH CENTER.
IN RIDGELY, WE RECEIVED THOSE THE OTHER DAY.
THOSE WERE SENT TO YOU, I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN.
I WANTED TO JUST BRING UP QUICKLY THE I'M THE MECO LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, AND WE HAD A PRETTY ROBUST MEETING THE OTHER DAY ABOUT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES FOR MECO AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT GENERATED THE MOST CONVERSATION WAS THE IT'S WORDED AS THE ADVANCED SOLAR SIGHTING WITH A BALANCED APPROACH.
IT TOOK A LOT OF WORD SMITHING, I THINK, TO GET TO THAT INITIATIVE.
I WANTED TO JUST BRING US UP FRONT, BECAUSE, THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT DRAFT LEGISLATION, A DRAFT BILL THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY MECO THAT IS TALKING ABOUT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ITEMS SUCH AS ESTABLISHING A TWO MILE RADIUS OF TRANSMISSION WITHIN TRANSMISSION LINES, FOR A PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IN 2017, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT SOLAR, WE DIDN'T JUST ARBITRARILY, SAY, WE DON'T WANT SOLAR IN THIS COUNTY, WE WILL NEVER HAVE IT.
THAT'S NOT THE POSITION THAT WE TOOK.
WE ACTUALLY HELD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE INVITED THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
I HAVE A COPY OF PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE AT THE TIME BY A GENTLEMAN NAMED CYRUS TAKASHURI, WHO WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO CAME INTO THE COUNTY AND REPRESENTED AN ORGANIZATION OR A COMPANY CALLED OPEN ROADS, LLC.
HE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ORIGINALLY CONTACTED FARMERS ABOUT EASEMENTS AND LEASING LAND, AND SO ON.
IN HIS PRESENTATION, HE MENTIONS THAT IF ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION LINES WERE UTILIZED AND IF ALL THE TRANSMISSION ABILITY WE UTILIZED IN THE COUNTY, THEY FELT THAT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ACRES THAT COULD BE USED FOR SOLAR WOULD BE ABOUT 2% OF TILLABLE ACRES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 95,000 ACRES OF TILLABLE LAND IN THIS COUNTY, AND 2% OF THAT IS ABOUT 1,900 ACRES.
[02:00:03]
OUR ORDINANCE CALLS FOR A 2,000 ACRE CAP.AT THE TIME, THERE WAS ALSO A PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED BY LESS NAP FROM MECO WHO I THINK WAS THEIR POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, AND IT BASICALLY CONCURRED WITH THAT INFORMATION.
I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT MY POSITION ON THIS.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TELLING FARMERS WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR LAND OR WHETHER THEY CAN SELL THEIR LAND OR LEASE THEIR LAND.
MY CONCERN IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS SET VERY OPTIMISTIC GOALS ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR AS FAR AS AS RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND I FRANKLY DON'T THINK THEY CAN MEET THOSE GOALS.
I THINK I'M NOT A TIN FOIL HAT CONSPIRACY GUY, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON FOR ESTABLISHING THESE CORRIDORS AND THESE RADIUSES AND ALL THAT STUFF IS TO EVENTUALLY COME ALONG AND TAKE PEOPLE'S LAND.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK AS WE GET CLOSER TO THOSE GOALS, AND THEY SAY, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, AND I KNOW THESE GOALS HAVE ALL DATES ON THEM 2031 AND 2035, I'M AFRAID AND I'LL BE GONE, I WON'T BE HERE BY THEN, BUT I HOPE I'M HERE LIVING, BUT I KNOW I WON'T BE SITTING HERE.
BUT I THINK THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO THOSE DATES, AND I THINK AS THESE GOALS BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPERATIVE THAT THEY REACH THESE GOALS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THESE CORRIDORS AND THINGS ARE BEING ESTABLISHED TO SET UP PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENTS, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO COME ALONG AND SAY TO A FARMER, WE DON'T REALLY CARE WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO THIS OR NOT, WE'RE GOING TO USE YOUR LAND.
WE MAY PAY YOU WHAT WE THINK IT'S WORTH.
I'VE DONE NOTHING BUT TALK TO FARMERS ABOUT THIS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE UPSET WITH ME ABOUT THIS, SAYING, I GOT THE RIGHT TO DO WITH MY FARM. YOU DO.
HONESTLY. THEY ALL SAY, NOBODY WILL EVER COME, TAKE MY LAND.
I'M LIKE, WELL, LET ME BACK UP HERE FOR A SECOND, AND YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT, IS IT THE PIEDMONT PROJECT ON THE WESTERN SHORE, WHERE THERE IS SOME, YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT BETTER THAN ME, BUT THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, WE TRIED VERY HARD TO USE COMMON SENSE.
WE TRIED VERY HARD TO INCLUDE GROUPS AND USE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US BACK IN 2017.
THE REASON FOR BRINGING THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION PEOPLE IN WAS, I DID NOT WANT TO SEE US ADOPT SOMETHING THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY GOING TO BE OVERRIDDEN OR PREEMPTED.
I BROUGHT THAT UP AT THE TIME AND I ASKED FOR INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, AND WHAT WE WERE TOLD WAS, NO, YOU GUYS GO AHEAD AND ADOPT WHAT YOU WANT AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT LATER ON.
WHAT THAT LATER ON MEANT TO ME, THEY'RE GOING TO COME ALONG AND PREEMPT US.
THE PREEMPTION LAW HAS BEEN DECIDED IN THE COURT.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE MECO INITIATIVES MEETING, WE'RE AT THE POINT RIGHT NOW WHERE THAT 2,000 ACRES IS BEGINNING TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
IF YOU DRIVE FROM GREENSBORO TO GOLDSBORO, YOU'LL SEE STAKES IN THE GROUND.
I HAVE PEOPLE ASKING ME, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS STAKING OUT IN THE SOLAR PANELS? WHEN THOSE SOLAR PANELS GO INTO GROUND, I GUARANTEE YOU, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SHOW UP AND SAY, WHY DID YOU GUYS LET THIS HAPPEN? WHY ARE YOU LETTING THIS COUNTY BE COVERED UP WITH SOLAR PANELS? WHY ARE YOU LETTING VALUABLE, PRODUCTIVE, FERTILE FARMLAND BE USED FOR SOLAR PANELS? WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. YOU KNOW THAT.
YOU'RE ALL IN THIS BUSINESS, SO YOU KNOW THAT.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT DOWN THE ROAD, FUTURE BOARDS MAY GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT CAP AS TRANSMISSION BECOMES MORE AVAILABLE.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS BILL, AND I HAVE EXPRESSED THIS AS CLEAR AS I CAN,
[02:05:02]
AND I WILL WORK THROUGH MECO AND WE WILL WORK THROUGH EVERYWHERE WE HAVE TO DO IT.BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A COMMITMENT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THERE BE SOMETHING IN THIS BILL THAT WILL SAY THAT THE STATE HAS NO INTENTION IN THE FUTURE TO COME AND TAKE PEOPLE'S LAND WITHOUT THEIR AGREEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COULD EVER BE DONE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE, AND I'M NOT TRYING NOT TO SPEAK FOR THESE GENTLEMEN HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY.
WHEN WE REACH THAT 2,000 ACRE CAP, AND I THINK WE'RE ABOUT 400 ACRES FROM THAT CAP RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE GET THAT APPLICATION, THAT'S GOING TO PUT US OVER THAT CAP, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROCESS IT.
WE'RE GOING TO GET SUED, AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE.
BUT FOR ME, I WILL BE ABLE TO WALK OUT OF MY HOUSE OR WALK OUT OF THIS BUILDING AND LOOK PEOPLE IN THE FACE AND SAY, WE DID EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY COULD.
BUT IF A JUDGE RULES THAT WE'RE WRONG, I'VE DONE THE BEST I CAN AS A COMMISSIONER.
I THINK THAT ON THAT CALL, I KNOW AT LEAST WORCESTER COUNTY FELT THE SAME WAY.
I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT FROM OTHER COUNTIES, BUT I'VE TALKED TO COMMISSIONER WILSON IN QUEEN ANNE COUNTY.
IF THERE COULD BE A JOINT EFFORT MADE HERE, IF THERE COULD BE SOME TYPE OF CONSORTIUM THAT COULD BE ENTERED INTO AND WE COULD SPREAD THE COST OF LEGAL BATTLES, I'M ALL FOR THAT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
WE DID NOT ARBITRARILY JUST PULL SOMETHING OUT OF THE AIR.
IT WAS BASED ON INFORMATION WE WERE GIVEN AT THE TIME.
OUR GOAL AT THE TIME WAS TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING WE FELT WAS REASONABLE.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO TAKE HEAT FOR IT.
2000 ACRES IS A LOT OF ACRES IN THIS COUNTY, BUT WE FELT THAT THAT WAS A REASONABLE PLACE TO GO.
I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
IT'S THE ISSUE OF THE HOUR RIGHT NOW, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
CAN THE STATE OF MARYLAND MEET THESE GOALS THEY'VE SET? I DON'T THINK SO.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THEY'RE GOING TO PREEMPT US, OUR 2,000 ACRE CAP.
THEY'RE GOING TO PREEMPT TALBY COUNTY'S POINT SYSTEM.
THEY'RE GOING TO PREEMPT QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY PERCENTAGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY SET A PERCENTAGE GAP.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY'S GETTING PREEMPTED.
THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US 50 FOOT SETBACK IS THE MAXIMUM YOU CAN IMPOSE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS LEGISLATION DOES.
THEY HAVE A CONTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITHIN THE TWO MILE CORRIDOR FOR AG-LAND PRESERVATION.
THAT'S IT. IF YOU'RE WITHIN THE TWO MILE CORRIDOR, YOU PAY LESS.
IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE THE TWO MILE CORRIDOR, YOU HAVE TO PAY MORE.
THIS IS THE BROKEN LINE THAT THEY KEEP REFERRING TO.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THIS IS PLAN CRASHING PLANE THAT WE'RE TRYING [OVERLAPPING] I WOULD JUST SAY ONE THING FINALLY, YEARS AGO, BACK WHEN I WAS A TOWN COMMISSIONER, ARTICLE 66B IS THE DOCUMENT THAT GIVES LOCAL LAND AUTHORITY TO COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES.
IF THE STATE OF MARYLAND IS GOING TO COME ALONG AND OVERRIDE THAT AND TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT FOR COUNTIES TO REGULATE ZONING AND LAND USE.
WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL, I COULD GO PLAY GOLF TODAY.
[OVERLAPPING] I WOULD BE LOVE TO BE PLAYING GOLF TODAY, BUT I'M DRESSED UP, SETTING UP HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, IF THAT GOES AWAY, AND IF WE ARE PREEMPTED FROM ZONING AND LAND USE AUTHORITY, WE MIGHT AS WELL CLOSE UP SHOP AND GO HOME.
JUST REPEAT WHERE IT CAME FROM YOUR [INAUDIBLE].
ARTICLE 66B WAS THE LEGISLATION THAT GAVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAND AUTHORITY AND ZONING AUTHORITY.
I MEAN, IF THEY WANT TO OCCUPY, IF THE LEGISLATURE WANTS TO OCCUPY THIS TERRITORY, IT'S MY OPINION, THEY NEED TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, THE VISUAL IMPACTS, ALL OF THE IMPACTS THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST DRIVING OFF A CLIFF.
WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE POULTRY INDUSTRY? WHAT DOES IT DO TO GRAIN PRODUCERS, SUPPORT SERVICES, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SELL TRACTORS, WORK ON TRACTORS, SEED SALESMEN, FERTILIZER SALESMEN.
I MEAN, OUR ECONOMY, AT LARGE, YOU'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT LAND FROM ALL THE JOBS THAT IT CREATES AND PUT IT IN SOME DEVELOPER'S HAND WHO'S IN CASHING A CHECK IN CHICAGO OR CALIFORNIA.
IT LEAVES THIS COUNTY AND IT LEAVES OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
LET ME JUST SAY. IT IS THE GOVERNOR.
IT IS THE STATE OF MARYLAND'S ABSOLUTE INTENTION TO GO TO READING TO DO SO.
[02:10:02]
WE, CHRIS AND I WERE AT A MEETING UP AT PGM A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND I ASKED PGM HEAD OF PGM.I SAID, WITH MARYLAND'S AGGRESSIVE GOALS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH BASE ENERGY? THEY SAID, WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT THAT. WE'RE PURSUING THAT.
WHEN YOU START TALKING TO HIM ABOUT THIS BASE ENERGY, AND YOU START LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN MARYLAND, THEY HAVE 30 SITES ALREADY APPROVED FOR CLEAN ENERGY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
20 OF THOSE 30 ARE ON NEW EASTERN SHORE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE REALLY NOT CONCERNED ABOUT YOU AND I AND OUR POPULATION ARE CONCERNED WITH HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET CLEAN ENERGY.
THEY HAVE NO VEHICLE TO DO THAT.
MARYLAND'S LOOKING AT BRAND AND SHORES ARE GOING AWAY, LOOKING AT REALLY NOT EVEN CONSIDERING NATURAL GAS OR PROPANE AS FAR AS ENERGY SOURCE.
WHEN YOU ASKED PJM, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS? THEY SAY, WELL, WE'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING NATURAL GAS PLANS. BUT THEY'RE DECOMMISSIONING.
THEY HAVE 25 OF THEM ON A RECORD TO DECOMMISSION.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT NOW, WE'RE FINDING A WAY THEY'RE GETTING ALL THROUGH THIS STUFF AND YOU'RE ASKING, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WIND CAN'T DO IT.
CERTAINLY OFFSHORE WIND IS NOT THE ANSWER.
THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEFUNCT IN AND DEFUNCT, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT THEY KEEP PUSHING THIS NARRATIVE WITH PUSHING THIS NARRATIVE.
THEY HAVE NO VEHICLE RIGHT NOW, AND THEY DON'T SEE AN EASY VEHICLE WITH BLACKOUTS.
THE BIG THING THAT CAME UP UP THERE WAS GOOGLE'S, NOW I THINK IT'S GOOGLES LOOKING AT THREE MILE ISLAND TO START THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY START A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT JUST TO FEED A DATASET.
I MEAN, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS.
IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE FOUGHT AS A COMMITTEE AND OUR COMMITTEE ABOUT NUCLEAR, AND WHY CAN'T WE MOVE FORWARD WITH NUCLEAR? FIRST, THERE'S TWO REASONS.
ONE, PEOPLE ARE STILL AFRAID OF IT.
THE OTHER IS IT'S JUST NOT READY FOR IT.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT AVAILABILITY, BUT THEY KEEP PUSHING THAT FURTHER OUT.
THAT'S PROBABLY OUR ONLY GOOD SOLUTION.
I CAN GO ON FOR DAYS. I THINK HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS, THEY SIT BACK AND THEY SAY, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ANSWER.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN THE LAST 12 YEARS THAT THE STATES PREEMPTED COUNTIES.
EVERY SINGLE TIME GOING BACK TO MECO THEY PUNTED ON THIS, AND THEY JUST GAVE UP.
HONESTLY, I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION.
THERE'S REGARDS AND HONESTLY AT THIS POINT, I WOULDN'T EVEN PARTNER WITH MECO MOVING FORWARD.
THE FIRST TIME WAS TEAR MAPPING AND PLAN MARIAN. YOU GUYS REMEMBER THAT.
THEY BASICALLY TOOK AWAY YOUR ZONING CONTROL, AND BASICALLY SAID, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT YOU TO ZONE IN CAROLINE COUNTY AND THE STATE TOLD YOU TO DO THAT.
SECOND TIME WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH THE CANNABIS LEGISLATION.
WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE SETBACKS, AND YOU GUYS HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT.
THAT'S THE SECOND TIME. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME.
IT WILL BE THE THIRD TIME IN THE LAST 12 YEARS THAT THE STATES BASICALLY TOLD YOU GUYS WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR OWN ZONING CONTROL.
BUT AS A DELEGATION, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, AND WE DO HAVE A PLAN MOVING FORWARD AND SO I'LL LET CHRIS TALK ABOUT AS THE CHAIR OF OUR EASTERN SHORE DELEGATION, I'LL LET HIM TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MOVING.
COMMISSIONER REPORTED THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS FIRST ARTICULATES WHAT'S HAPPENING UP AND DOWN THE SHORE FROM CECIL COUNTY DOWN TO SOMERSET, WHICH IS WE'RE FEARFUL.
WE HAVE FLAT TILLED LAND IT'S EASY TO CONVERT TO SOLAR.
MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGE'S TO STEVE AARONSON'S POINT ARE PERFECTLY HAPPY MEETING ALL THEIR GOALS BY USING OUR LAND TO DO THAT.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD PAUL PINSKY PRESENT TO US.
HE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MARYLAND ENERGY ADMINISTRATION.
LET ME JUST GIVE YOU THE NUMBER HE GAVE OUR COMMITTEE.
THE STATE OF MARYLAND NEEDS 30,000 ACRES OF SOLAR TO MEET THEIR GOALS.
NOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT ALL IN ONE COUNTY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THEY LOOK AT THE EASTERN SHORE AS LOW HANGING FRUIT IN THIS REGARD, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU AND YOUR COMMISSION AND ME AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, GET VOTED IN TO DEFEND WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT.
THIS IS NOT A FIGHT AGAINST YOU, COMMISSIONER PORTER, IT'S A FIGHT AGAINST EVERY CITIZEN WHO LIVES ON THE EASTERN SHORE AND WHAT THEY EXPECT OUT OF GOVERNMENT AND LAND USE.
THE THING THAT I AM FEARFUL OF.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HOW YOU'VE ARTICULATED.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT STEVE AARONSON AND I HAVE BEEN IN COMMITTEE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND WE'VE WATCHED THIS HAPPEN.
>> THE FIRST THING IS, THEY'RE GOING TO SUBSIDIZE IT, SO A LAND OWNER LIKE A FARMER IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT, HEY, I'D LIKE TO GET INTO SOLAR, IT'S THAT THEIR CURRENT LAND USE AND THE MONEY THEY CAN MAKE TILLING CORN OR TILLING SOYBEAN IS X, WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS.
BASICALLY, MARYLAND ENERGY ADMINISTRATION IS SAYING, HEY, LOOK, WE'RE THE GRANT ADMINISTRATOR, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY YOU X*5 OR X*2, WHATEVER IT IS, THEY'LL FIND THAT SUBSIDY AMOUNT TO CAUSE A LAND OWNER TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M DONE TILLING EARTH, I WANT TO MAKE THE MONEY I'M GOING TO MAKE.
THAT'S THE FIRST PROBLEM. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS NOT EXACTLY PREEMPTION, IN MY OPINION, ALTHOUGH I'LL HAVE TO SEE.
THAT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME IF WE'LL SEE A BILL LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THE WAY THEY'RE DOING PREEMPTION IS THROUGH THE CPCM PROCESS.
BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING AND THEY HAVE DONE THIS
[02:15:03]
IN SOME LEGISLATION, THEY DID IT LAST YEAR, FOR COMMUNITY SOLAR IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GIVING PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION THE ABILITY TO SAY NO TO A PROJECT.THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT MARYLAND LEGISLATURE ON CERTAIN PROJECTS YOU, AS A COMMISSION CAN'T SAY NO.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT THERE'S PLANNING AND ZONING, AND THAT EACH COUNTY HAS A RIGHT TO SAY WE HAVE AGRICULTURAL LAND.
WE HAVE INDUSTRIAL LAND, WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL LAND.
THIS IS HOW WE WANT TO USE IT AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO RESPECT PLANNING AND ZONING WHEN THEY MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
THE MARYLAND LEGISLATURE HAS SPOKEN AND HAS SAID THAT IN CERTAIN COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PREEMPT YOU THROUGH THE CPCN PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A STRAIGHT PROJECT LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PIEDMONT, AND THAT'S EMINENT DOMAIN.
THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE THE HARDEST CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THEY EXPECT TO RUN THAT PROJECT THROUGH PARTS OF OUR STATE THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REAL FIGHTS.
THAT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT FIGHT.
>> IN A CPCN PROCESS, I HAVE READ IT A LITTLE BIT, THEY DO THE LEGISLATION.
THE LAW DOES SAY THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE CPCN JUDGE IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTION, THE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION.
BUT THAT'S IT. IT'S TOTALLY UP TO THEM TO INTERPRET HOW MUCH OF IT GETS ENFORCED IN THE PROJECT.
>> THEY HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT.
ONE OF THOSE IS IT'S A ACCUMULATION OF DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
BUT THE COMMISSIONER PORTER, THE WHAMMY IS THEY'RE PAYING SUBSIDIES, AND THEY ARE TAKING AWAY THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S ABILITY TO SAY, NO, THAT IS TONE AMOUNT TO THIS PREEMPTION.
IT'S NOT PREEMPTION IN A FORMAL WAY YET, BUT IT IS PREEMPTION IN SO MUCH AS WE'RE GOING TO SAY YES, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING AND OUR CITIZENS ARE SHOWING UP AND SAYING, NO.
THE OTHER LAST THING I WILL SAY, AND THEN JEFF HAS AN IDEA, WHICH I BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT THAT WE AS AN EASTERN SHORE DELEGATION TAKE ON, IS THAT MOST OF THE PROBLEMS WITH SOLAR IS THAT THEY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME INTERCONNECTING.
WHERE DO THEY WANT TO INTERCONNECT, WHERE THERE'S EXISTING CONNECTIONS, WHERE ARE THOSE NEAR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
BY DEFINITION, SOLAR IS GETTING LOCATED NEAR WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING, IT'S GOING TO CREATE REAL CLASHES.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU AND I, AGAIN, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO PEOPLE WHO VOTE US IN AND EXPECT US TO FIGHT FOR LOCAL LAND USE AND DECISION-MAKING THAT YOU AS A GOVERNMENT BODY HAVE.
JEFF WHO SHOT TO ME ABOUT A WEEK AGO, AND HE CAN TALK WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
>> THE AMAZING THING TO ME IS THAT THE ISSUE THAT WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BATTERY STORAGE, IS NOT EVEN ADDRESSED IN THIS, AND WE ARE STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT BECAUSE IF YOU ALL RECALL, WE WANTED TO PUT A BILL IN TO ADDRESS BATTERY STORAGE, WE WANTED FUNDS TO TRAIN OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
THAT WENT TO A COMMITTEE WHERE I TESTIFIED, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE WAS MR. BARVE, WHO IS NOW ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
IMAGINE THAT, AND HE WOULDN'T EVEN LET THAT BILL OUT OF HIS COMMITTEE.
WE STILL HAVEN'T EVEN ADDRESSED THE INITIAL PROBLEM THAT WE BROUGHT UP.
WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A REVISION OF THE NFP 855 FIRE CODE THROUGH THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
YOU REMEMBER THAT? YOU REMEMBER ALL THIS GENERAL HOSPITAL DRAMA THAT WE WENT THROUGH ABOUT PUTTING THIS BILL IN? WITHDREW THE BILL, AND THEN WE HAD SOMEONE SIT IN HERE FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND SAY, NO, WE'VE CHANGED OUR MIND, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE, THE NEW ADMINS DIRECTOR FOR THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE WOULDN'T DO IT.
WE STILL HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE BATTERY STORAGE PROBLEM THAT'S GOING TO BE PUSHED ON THIS THING. I'M SORRY.
>> MARYLAND CAN'T EVEN PROVIDE ENOUGH ELECTRICITY AS FAR AS CLEAN ENERGY.
PJM SAID THEY CAN'T PROVIDE IT FOR MARYLAND.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? HE SAID WE CAN'T DO IT.
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN'T DO IT JUST FOR WHAT MARYLAND NEEDS, LOOK AT THE OTHER STATES AROUND US AND LOOK AT THE PENALTY WE'RE PAYING FOR OUR RATES BY HAVING TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS AND CLEAN ENERGY REQUIREMENTS.
THEY'RE ACCELERATING. THEY'RE GOING UP FASTER AND FASTER.
ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IS THERE IS NO REAL INFRASTRUCTURE AS FAR AS POWER LINES.
WE DON'T HAVE A MAIN TRUNK LINE ON THE EASTERN SHORE THAT DELE ADAMS WOULD MENTIONED, AS FAR AS WHERE YOU CAN PUT THESE FARMS OR WHERE YOU CAN ADDRESS THESE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT. IT'S NOT ANYWHERE IN THE PLANS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE AN IDEA HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PRODUCE ANYTHING, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT.
[02:20:02]
>> IS THAT THE SOLAR COMPANIES ARE THE ONES MAKING THAT DETERMINATION?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, AND YOU LOOK AT THE SOLAR FARMS, WE GOT NEW INCENTIVES LAST YEAR, WE WERE HIT WITH A BILL ABOUT NEW INCENTIVES. I STARTED TALKING.
I SAID, YOU KEEP COMING BACK AND COMING BACK AND COMING BACK, AND YOU ASK A ROOMFUL OF PEOPLE, I DON'T WANT TO TURN AROUND, BUT I'D ASK YOU IN THIS ROOM, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SOLAR AT THEIR HOMES? IT'S VERY FEW.
THE NUMBERS ARE NOT UP THERE AND YOU SAY, YOU'RE A FAILED BUSINESS MODEL BASED ON THAT.
THE ONLY RESPONSE I GET IS, WELL, LOOK HOW MUCH MONEY WE ALLOW FOR OIL AND GAS, AND YOU SAY, WELL, THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.
YOU HAVE TO GET REALISTIC AND WE'RE FINDING OUT AS A STATE, WE'RE RIGHT ON THIS SIDE OF THE FENCE. WE'RE RIGHT. WE CAN'T DO IT.
WHY DO WE KEEP PENALIZING OUR PEOPLE AND KEEP LOOKING AT THESE TYPES OF ENERGY SOURCES? GRANTED, EVERYBODY WANTS CLEAN ENERGY, EVERYBODY WANTS CLEAN ENVIRONMENT. YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE BEING BACKED UP BY FOSSIL FUELS, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO OVERCOME THAT RIGHT NOW.
BUT YET WE'RE FORCING THOSE ISSUES.
LOOK AT OUR BUS PROJECT WHERE WE INSISTED SCHOOL BUSES TO BE ELECTRIC BUSES.
THAT'S CORRECT. THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE PUSHES.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PRODUCE IT.
THERE'S NO MONEY IN IT, AND YOU AND I ARE GOING TO SUBSIDIZE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG ISSUE THAT WE AS A BODY HAVE TO CONVEY, AND WE DO CONVEY IT, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT, BUT WE HAVE TO GET REALISTIC AS A STATE, AND THAT STARTS WITH THE GOVERNOR.
>> I THINK THAT JEFF BARS AND I WERE ON PHOTO TWO WEEKS AGO, HE HAS A THOUGHT AND A PLAN TO BRING DIFFERENT AGENCIES TOGETHER.
WE'LL CALL IT AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION.
JEFF'S CONCERN IS, AS A CAROLINE REPRESENTATIVE AND A RESIDENT, THAT WE'RE NOT BEING HEARD, AND WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE.
>> YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS A DELEGATION WHEN WE REPRESENT PEOPLE, WHAT IS IT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? UP TIL NOW, IT'S NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT.
I MEAN, IT HAS NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT.
THE FOLKS THAT ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS ARE NOT FROM THIS AREA.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS AREA OR YOU.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS SURE DELEGATION, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTY THAT'S TALKING THE STORY.
CONCERNED WITH THESE ISSUES AND JEFF.
>> THE BIGGEST QUESTION FOR THEM, ONE, WHERE ARE THEIR GOALS, HOW THEY GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS? THEN THIRDLY, I'M GOING TO GET THEM ON RECORD TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING ACCOMPLISH THIS IS THE REVENUE DOMAIN BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO LANDOWNERS NOT JUST IN CAROLINE.
OUR BIGGEST LANDOWNERS IN CAROLINE COUNTY AREN'T INTERESTED.
I'VE TALKED TO TWO OF THE BIGGEST LAND OWNERS IN TALBY COUNTY, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT INTERESTED IN SOLAR.
UP IN KENT COUNTY, HILL FUND THEY'RE NOT.
THE PROBLEM IS THESE PEOPLE THESE LANDOWNERS ARE GETTING CALLS EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT TRYING TO GET THESE LEASES SIGNED.
THESE GUYS ARE GETTING ANNOYED RIGHT NOW WITH THE AMOUNT OF CALLS THEY'RE GETTING FROM THESE SOLAR COMPANIES THAT ARE TRYING TO GET THESE GUYS TO SIGN THESE LEASES. THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO DO IT.
WHAT'S GOING TO END UP HAPPENING IS THESE SOLAR COMPANIES AND THE STATE IS GOING TO START GETTING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MEET THESE WRECKS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
FOR US, HONESTLY, WE'RE PAST THE POINT OF LEGISLATION.
WE'RE PAST THE POINT OF FIGHTING LEGISLATION.
THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, AND MECO IS YOUR LEGISLATIVE ARM.
THEY ARE YOUR LOBBYIST. AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NO MORE THAT THEY CAN EVEN DO.
AT THIS POINT, THE ONLY OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IS THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
YOU MENTIONED IT. YOU'RE GOING TO GET SUED AND YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTY THAT ALREADY HAS ESTABLISHED REGULATIONS.
YOU ALREADY HAVE ESTABLISHED ZONING LAWS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
MY RECOMMENDATION MOVING FORWARD, AND I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A DELEGATIONS RECOMMENDATION MOVING FORWARD IS THAT EACH OF THE NINE COUNTIES ON EASTERN SHORE CONTINUE TO ENFORCE YOUR LOCAL LAWS.
AGAIN IS PREEMPTED, IT'S AGAINST STATE LAW TO DO THAT BUT THE STATE HONESTLY IGNORED ARTICLE 66 B OF THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION.
WHEN THEY PASSED THESE LAWS THAT PREEMPTED ARTICLE 66 B.
ARTICLE 66 B IS ENSHRINED IN THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION.
WE CAN'T CONVENE NEXT SESSION AND PREEMPT ANYTHING THAT'S ENSHRINED IN THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION UNLESS WE PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT THAT BASICALLY ASKED EVERY SINGLE MARYLANDER TO CHANGE THAT LAW.
THEY DIDN'T DO THAT. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT.
THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING PEOPLE'S LAND, THAT QUESTION WILL PROBABLY NEVER PASS.
OUR BATTLE WITH NOW IS IN THE COURTS.
I WOULD NOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME.
I WOULD NOT WASTE ANY MORE RESOURCES IN FIGHTING THE LAW.
I WOULD NOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME OR ANY MORE RESOURCES FIGHTING THE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE THEIR HEAD IS DOWN, AND THEY'RE FULL STEAM AHEAD.
BY WHATEVER THOSE ARBITRARY DATES THAT YOU SAID BY THE ARBITRARY AMOUNT, THE REPS OF THE ARBITRARY AMOUNT MEGAWATTS, WHATEVER THOSE NUMBERS ARE, THEY'RE ALL ARBITRARY NUMBERS, THEY ARE GOING TO MEET THOSE GOALS AT ANY COST.
THE COST IS GOING TO BE AT OUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THOSE GUYS WHO ARE MAKING THESE POLICIES DON'T LIVE HERE. THIS IS OUR PLAN.
[02:25:02]
FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT CHRIS WAS SAYING.WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE REGULATORS EXACTLY WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US, THAT WHATEVER INFORMATION THAT WE'RE CONVEYING TO THE PUBLIC IS ACCURATE AND FACTUAL.
LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS SEND WRONG INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, THEN I THINK THAT THE NEXT STEP IS WE DO NEED TO HAVE BASICALLY A CLEAN CLICK CUST COALITION ON STEROIDS FOR THE EASTERN SHORE.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST SOLAR ISSUE.
THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO PREEMPT EVERYTHING.
[INAUDIBLE] JACOBS ISN'T HERE, BUT HE SAID SO ON THE ALR COMMISSION.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THESE GUYS BEING THE BUREAUCRATS AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT, THE STATE DEPARTMENTS ARE BASICALLY CREATING THEIR OWN LAWS.
THEY ARE NOT JUST REGULATIONS, THEY'RE CREATING LAWS THAT GO THROUGH THE AL COMMITTEE.
THEY MEET ONCE A MONTH, AND THEY'RE PASSING ALL THESE RULES THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR RESIDENTS, SO THIS GROUP THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FORM ON THE EASTERN SHORE, THEY NEED TO LOOK AT EVERY ONE OF THOSE REGULATIONS THAT GO THROUGH AR COMMITTEE THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S SOLAR OR ANYTHING ELSE.
WE HAVE TO START CHALLENGING THESE THINGS.
WE ALSO HAVE TO START MESSAGING TOO BECAUSE MOST OF THE PUBLIC HAS NO IDEA OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE JUST HAD FOR THE LAST HOUR ABOUT SOLAR AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE PROBLEM IS IT TAKES MONEY, IT TAKES TIME, IT TAKES AN EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
WE NEED AN ORGANIZATION, A NONPROFIT, OR SOME SORT OF ORGANIZATION ON THE EASTERN SHORE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE CLEARINGHOUSE OF THIS INFORMATION.
THE BOARD MEMBERS, I'M HOPING IT WILL BE PART OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, PRIVATE.
THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO DECIDE WHICH BATTLES THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO FIGHT.
SOME OF THESE BATTLES ARE GOING TO BE IN COURT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THESE FARMERS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE WILLING, AND SOME OF THESE LANDOWNERS ARE GOING TO BE WILLING ONCE, IF THEY DO EMINENT DOMAIN TO PAR PART THESE COMBINES OUT ON THESE FIELDS AND FORCE THEM TO MOVE THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY START CONSTRUCTION.
IF THAT'S CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE DEFENDED IN COURT.
HONESTLY, AT THAT POINT, I THINK THAT WE'RE ALMOST THERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
WE'RE GETTING TIRED OF BEING TOLD BY PEOPLE IN TACOMA PARK, SILVER SPRING, BALTIMORE CITY, BOE WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND WHAT WE SHOULDN'T DO IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THAT WE'RE PAST THAT AT THIS POINT. WE REALLY ARE.
RIGHT NOW TO RELY ON MECO TO RELY ON MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE TO RELY ON, THE FARM BUREAU EVEN.
>> MECO COULD STILL BE A TOOL.
BUT, COMMISSIONER PORTER, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN ALL COUNTIES.
YOU GUYS SHOULD GO BACK AND TALK TO YOUR COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES AND OTHER COUNTIES, I KNOW JACK WILSON'S ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BUT SOME COUNTIES ON THE SHORE, DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON THESE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REVIEW, DO THEY? COMMISSIONER PORTER.
>> THERE'S A COUPLE THERE, BUT I'M ALWAYS AS USUAL, I'M ALWAYS THERE.
>> WHEN WE FORMED THE ROYAL COUNTY COALITION OF MECO, WE DID THAT, I THINK, MY SECOND TERM, YOUR FIRST TERM.
OUR FRUSTRATION WAS THAT THE ROYAL COUNTIES WEREN'T BEING HEARD IN MECO.
MY FRUSTRATION IS EACH COUNTY HAS ONE VOTE.
HONESTLY, OUR CARY COUNTY VOTES MORE POWERFUL THAN MONTGOMERY COUNTY VOTE IS BECAUSE THEY SPLIT PEOPLE.
>> WELL, THEY'RE SPLIT TOO BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNCIL.[OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU WON'T PRESENT A LEGISLATIVE FOR THAT MATTER.
>> I WILL MENTION THAT WHEN WE HAD THE INITIATIVE DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER BERTINO, I THINK WORCESTER COUNTY WAS EVEN MORE STRIDENT, I GUESS THAN I WAS, BUT HE WAS AS WELL.
BUT I'VE TALKED TO COMMISSIONER WILSON TO JACK.
OF COURSE, MECO IS A TOOL, I UNDERSTAND THEIR POSITION.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME ORGANIZATION, SOME GROUP THAT IS GOING TO REPRESENT US.
CHEST PEAK ON STEROIDS IS A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF THAT.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN.
WELL, WE NEED TO EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY.
>> JUST TO CLOSE THE CONVERSATION.
THAT'S THE LAST ONE TO BRING IT UP IS THE US SURE DELEGATION, AS YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, OVER THE MULTIPLE YEARS WHEN STEVE [INAUDIBLE] WAS CHAIRMAN, CHARLES FOR THAT.
WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES OF MAGNITUDE, YOU CAN EXPECT THE DELEGATION TO CONVENE AND BRING THESE ISSUES FOR.
IT'S THE BEST WAY, FRANKLY, THE ONLY WAY THAT THE DELEGATION CAN SPEAK AS ONE UNIFIED VOICE WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES OF MAGNITUDE.
THIS ONE WITH JEFF'S THOUGHTS AND LEADERSHIP,
[02:30:01]
RISE TO THAT OCCASION, WE ARE HOPING TO DO THIS BEFORE SESSION STARTS.OF COURSE, GETTING DEPARTMENTS TO SHOW UP AND THEY SHOULD.
THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TELL US WHAT THEY'RE DOING, HOW THEY'RE DOING IT, SO WE GET TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS AND GET CLARIFICATION, WHICH IS IN SOME RESPECTS THE GOAL HERE.
THAT'S WHERE WE, AS FAR AS THE TAKEAWAY FROM YOUR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER PORTER, AND TO THE CAROLINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WHERE THE DELEGATION STANDS, AND WE STAND ALONGSIDE YOU WITH THE SIMILAR, IF NOT THE SAME EXACT FRUSTRATIONS AND HOPE TO GET INFORMATION AT WORST, BUT AT BEST, MAYBE THEY HAVE A SECOND LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING.
>> NOTHING ELSE. MECO IS GETTING US THIS INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME.
I SHARED IT WITH DELEGATE [INAUDIBLE] I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SHARED IT WITH THE OTHER.
IT'S JUST A DRAFT BILL THAT THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH AT THIS POINT.
THEY DO GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CONVERSATION IS.
>> I CONCEDED THAT. MECO PREEMPTION AND DRAFT LEGISLATION, YES. ONE MORE THING TOO.
>> JIM WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING.
>> I JUST WANT TO SPEAK FOR DELEGATE JAKOB'S BRIEFS.
BECAUSE AT 10:00 THIS MORNING, THE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WAS CONVENING TO SEE HOW THEY CAN IMPLEMENT THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS OF GOVERNOR MOORE ON TIME AND CONTROL.
ONE THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE MEETING TO SEE HOW WHAT BILLS THEY'RE GOING TO DRAFT COMING UP IN JANUARY.
BECAUSE GOVERNOR MOORE'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS SHORTEN THE TIME PERIOD THAT WAS ALREADY AGREED TO BY THE LEGISLATION.
RIGHT NOW AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING, YOU'RE TALKING AN E&T, WHAT BILLS THEY'RE GOING TO DRAFT TO MEET THAT GOAL?
>> IT'S REALLY SAD. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO FIGHT IN JANUARY.
LEGISLATORS. THIS IS WHAT JAS WAS LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE HE'S A MEMBER OF THE E&T FIGHTING FOR THE BILLS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE I WOULD BE REALLY VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HE HEARS COMING OUT OF THIS MEETING HE'S BEEN.
>> THANK YOU, JULIAN. I'M GLAD HE'S LISTENING TO THAT.
>> THERE'S A DRAFT BILL THAT'S BEEN SHARED?
WELL, IT'S NOT A BILL FORM, BUT IT'S BASICALLY A NARRATIVE OF WHAT IT IS THAT THEY HAVE CONCEDED.
THEY WANT TO PUT IN LEGISLATIVE, SO IT'S BASICALLY WHAT THE LEGISLATION LOOK LIKE.
>> YES. I AGREE 100% ABOUT THE ENTIRE SURE, PUTTING TOGETHER AN ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING.
ALR COMMITTE THOUGH, I THINK THOSE MAY NOT BE YOUR BEST RESOURCES.
THE ALR COMMITTEE THEY JUST VOTE ON THE BILLS EMERGENCY REGULATIONS SO 99.9% OF THE REGULATIONS TO GO TO THAT COMMITTEE, THERE'S NO HEARING, THERE'S NO VOTE, IT'S JUST PART OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
>> BUT THEY DO TRY TO THROUGH REGULATIONS, THEY DO PASS SOME REGULATIONS THAT SHOULD HAVE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
>> IF THEY JUST BROKE UP OR DOWN ON THE EMERGENCY ONES, SO I WOULDN'T GET TOO ENERGIZED ABOUT IT AT ALL.
I HAD AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH WORCESTER COUNTY WHERE THEY BROKE DOWN THE ACREAGE OF STATE LAND, THE ACREAGE OF FEDERAL LAND, AND THE ACREAGE OF UNUSABLE LAND BECAUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION, AND THEN I GUESS IF I HAD HEARD, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN DRAFT THAT'S BEEN CIRCULATED, I GUESS IT WAS A PERCENTAGE THAT WAS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO EACH COUNTY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BEAR A CERTAIN BURDEN.
>> THERE WAS TALK OF THAT, BUT I THINK THAT GOT THROWN OUT THE WINDOW.
>> OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE FOR OUR LAND OWNERS.
MY SUGGESTION I GUESS THE SECOND PIECE OF WHAT I THINK OUR DELEGATION SHOULD DO IS HAVE A DELEGATION BILL THAT BASICALLY SAYS THAT THEY CAN'T USE EMINENT DOMAIN AS A MEANS OF ACQUIRING LAND FOR SOLD.
THEY WILL PASS IT HEARING BUT AT LEAST WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT THEIR POSITION IS ON THAT ISSUE.
>> A BASEMENT IS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE THE ABILITY TO GET ON THE LAND, NOT TO TOTALLY TAKE OVER THE LAND.
IF YOU PUT SOLAR PANEL, THE ABILITY TO GET ON THE LAND TO FIX UP A TELEPHONE POLE IS ONE THING, BUT TO PUT UP 5,000 SOLAR PANELS, THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONCEPT.
THAT'S NOT AN EASEMENT, THAT'S A TAKING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T USE THE LAND.
>> WHEN WE HAD OUR CONVERSATION WITH MACO ABOUT THIS, I ASKED THE QUESTION, THEY KEPT TALKING ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS DRAFT.
AND I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, WAS THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE A STAKEHOLDER?
[02:35:06]
YES. WAS THE FARM BUREAU? YES. SO, LOOK, I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COULDN'T BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR [OVERLAPPING]
>> IS WES MOORE THE ADMINISTRATION?
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I GUESS I'M JUST THINKING TO MYSELF.
[BACKGROUND] I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND LOOK, SECRETARY ADDO I THINK IS A GOOD GUY, AND HE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
>> BUT HE'S NOT FOR US IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
BUT TO ME, AND I'VE TALKED TO OUR LOCAL FARM BUREAU, AND THEY ARE RIGHTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR LAND USES.
THE FARMER IS SITTING THERE, MY WIFE'S FAMILY FARM, WE OWN A FARM, THE FARMERS SITTING THERE SAYING, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TELLING ME WHETHER I CAN SELL MY FARM OR WHETHER I CAN LEASE MY LAND.
MY PURPOSE IS TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD TO SEE BECAUSE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEY'LL COME AND SAY, WHY DIDN'T YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THAT? IT WOULD BE PLENTY MUCH MORE SURGICAL AND METHODICAL AND CRITICAL OF THE IMPACTS ON OUR COUNTIES THAN THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS.
IT SHOULD STAY UNDER OUR CONTROL, AND IT'S JUST A BLATANT THING, BUT, BRUCE, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING?
>> I HAVE A MEETING WITH KEVIN CANALE AND HAD A TRUE CONVERSATION.
I GOT A COPY OF THE DRAFT. I READ IT.
WHY IS MACO STARTING ROLLING THIS DOWN? WHY IS MACO DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING? WHY ARE THEY PARTICIPATING IN A DRAFT? IT CREATES MOMENTUM.
IT IS AN APPEARANCE THAT MACO IS OKAY WITH THIS.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE MACO IS KILLING THEMSELVES.
WELL, HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE COUNTIES, AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THIS TO APPEASE EVERYBODY, THE WHOLE COUNTIES AS MUCH [INAUDIBLE] ANYTHING, YOU HAVE ONE VOTE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS DRAFT CAME TO BE, THE COUNTY'S ON IT'S OWN.
>> BRUCE, I THINK I CAN MAYBE AND I AM NOT CERTAINLY ABSOLUTELY NOT SITTING HERE SPEAKING FOR MACO, BUT I WAS DRIVING DOWN TO NORTH CAROLINE THURSDAY AND HAD ABOUT A THREE HOUR CONVERSATION WITH KEVIN.
HE IS A VERY SMART GUY, AND I THINK HE'S A VERY SUPPORTIVE.
I THINK MACO'S POSITION IS THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED IN COURT.
BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS A COURT CASE AND SAYING, YEAH, YOU CAN GO IN AND FIGHT THIS FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
I THINK THE GROUNDWORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE HERE BY THE STATE IS VERY SMART AND VERY ORGANIZED.
I WISH WE WERE AS ORGANIZED AS THEY ARE, BUT THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED THIS PROCESS AT THE TOP.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE COURTS HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THAT THE STATE HAS THE RIGHT TO PREEMPT THE COUNTIES IN THIS CASE.
THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THAT RULING.
I THINK WHEN YOU TALK TO KEVIN, THEIR POSITION IS GOING TO BE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADVISE YOU TO FIGHT A FIGHT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING.
I THINK THAT'S NOT SPEAKING FROM MACO AND I'M SURE I'LL GET A PHONE CALL FROM MIKE SANDERSON SOMEWHERE, BUT I'M NOT SPEAKING, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
THEY DON'T WANT TO LEAD YOU DOWN THE PATH AND SAY, WELL, YOU CAN FIGHT THIS IN COURT BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME BACK AND SAY, OUR ATTORNEYS SITTING HERE, THE CASE SOMEBODY V. SOMEBODY HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED IN COURT, BAM, YOU LOSE.
PAY YOUR LAWYER, AND YOU GET OUT OF HERE.
THAT'S I THINK THE POSITION THAT MACO IS SAYING.
THAT'S WHERE THIS PLANE CRASHING AND WE ONLY GET OUT WITH A FEW BROKEN BONES ARGUMENTS COMING FROM.
THEY'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND SAY, WHAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO? NOW, WHY THEY'RE INVOLVED AT THIS POINT, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO ARGUE ON THAT, WITH YOU THE COURT CASE AND THE ATTORNEY KNOWS THIS, BUT THEY STRUCK OUT WASHINGTON COUNTY'S LOCAL LAW AND THAT WAS IT, SAYING THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE PREEMPTED THAT AREA.
BUT WHAT THIS BILL DOES, IT PUTS FLESH ON THE BONES.
TO ME, I PRACTICE LAW FOR 30 YEARS, BUT I'M NOT THE SMARTEST LAWYER IN THE WORLD, THAT CASE WAS A PREEMPTION CASE AND IT KNOCKED DOWN WHAT WASHINGTON COUNTY DID, AND IT STOPPED RIGHT THERE.
[02:40:01]
IT PUTS FLESH ON THE BONES AND IMPLEMENT SOMETHING, THAT IF THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T PASS IT, YOU HAVE COURT CASE AND EVERYTHING STAYS THE WAY IT IS.YOUR LOCAL STUFF STAYS THE WAY IT IS.
I LOOK AT THAT CASE VERY DIFFERENTLY, MORE NARROWLY BECAUSE IT DEALT WITH ONE LOCAL LEGISLATION PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW.
BUT THIS WOULD BE A WHOLE NEW STATE LAW THEY'LL BE WORKING ON, AND YOU'RE ALREADY [INAUDIBLE] I'M TRYING TO SEE IT, THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN.
>> THERE WERE SOME WEIRD CIRCUMSTANCES IN THAT CASE AS WELL.
I THINK THEY HAD ALREADY ISSUED A SPECIAL USE EXCEPTION TO CROSS PROPERTY LINES TO DO AWAY.
THERE WERE SOME CONCESSIONS THAT WASHINGTON COUNTY MADE EARLY ON AND THEN THEY REVERSED THEIR POSITION.
THAT WASN'T THE STRONGEST GROUND TO BE ARGUING FROM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY STAND.
>> THAT IS MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT.
I THINK THEY'RE FOOLISH BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVING MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANCE TO THAT CASE.
>> YES. I THINK YOUR CONVERSATION WITH KEVIN WILL BE VALUABLE.
I RESPECT KEVIN'S OPINION, I DO, AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING I THINK THE BEST THEY CAN.
BUT I THINK THAT IT WILL EXPLAIN BECAUSE I HELD HIM CAPTIVE FOR 3 HOURS, SO HE PROBABLY NEVER WANTS TO SEE ME AGAIN.
BUT HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> WHEN YOU'RE SITTING ON MACO, I SAT ON MACO ONCE AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I WAS AMAZED AT HOW MANY GOOD PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WERE BEING SUGGESTED THAT CAN BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS THAT THEY REQUIRED TO ACTUALLY PUSH LEGISLATION THROUGH.
IF YOU EVER LOOK AT THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE GOOD LEGISLATION THAT YOU AND I WOULD LIKE, NECESSARILY, I'LL SAY YOU AND I BECAUSE MY SIDE OF THE WORLD, THAT STUFF TYPICALLY WON'T GO THROUGH AND MACO DOES NOT COME OUT AND SUPPORT OR DENY IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE BECAUSE YOU GUYS YOU ARE MACO, YOU REPRESENT THE MAJORITY, BUT THE MINORITY, IN THAT CASE, HAS THE ABILITY TO PULL TWO E OVER AND IT'S OVER.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOOK AT BECAUSE PUSHING IT TO GO FORWARD, I ALWAYS ASK, WHY ARE YOU COMING IN ON THE SIDE OF THIS? I CAN'T BELIEVE THE COUNTIES DO.
WELL, WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO HAVE INITIATIVES, AND THOSE INITIATIVES GET DRIVEN BY THE BIGGER COUNTIES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
NOT ENCOURAGING YOU TO CHANGE THAT STANCE SOMEHOW BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE THE NUMBERS TO DO THAT.
>> I JUST LIKE JEFF'S IDEA. I'M ON BOARD WITH THAT.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING OUT A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE COMING WEEKS, TRYING TO EDUCATE FARMERS ON I USED THIS ANALOGY A WHILE BACK IS WHERE I FEEL THAT SOLAR PEOPLE ARE PRETTY RELEVANT TO REVERSE MORTGAGE PEOPLE AND JUST STRESS TO THE FARMERS THAT I'M GLAD YOU LAUGHED AT THAT.
DOM DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FUNNY, BUT I THOUGHT LARRY DID TOO [LAUGHTER].
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH EDUCATING THESE FARMERS, LIKE, HEY, THIS ISN'T TEMPORARY.
I'M JUST SHEDDING LIGHT BECAUSE THEY'VE COVERED EVERYTHING.
THIS ISN'T TEMPORARY, ONCE IT'S DONE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIX WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY HAD 30 YEARS FROM NOW.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH EDUCATION, PUBLIC SERVICE NOW, GET EVERYBODY, AT LEAST IN OUR COUNTY ON BOARD ON WHERE WE STAND.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT SOLAR AND NOW WE DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, BUT I THINK THE STRESS ON COMMISSIONER PORTER, ONCE FROM GREENSBURG TO GOLDSBORO GOES UP, I THINK THEN IT'S PEOPLE GOING TO WAKE UP AND LIKE, WHOAH WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? IT'S TOO LATE. GOVERNMENT IS TOO LATE.
ONCE YOU SEE SOMETHING IN GOVERNMENT, IT'S TOO LATE, IT'S ALREADY DONE, DONE DEAL.
I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.
IF YOU COULD STEER US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I GUESS YOU'VE STARTED THE LEGWORK ON THAT.
>> YEAH. JUST TO ADD TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I THINK THIS IS THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE AMONGST OUR FRIENDS OVER THE OTHER WHO OFFERED TO COME A PARK IN SILVER SPRING OVER A GLASS OF WINE IS THAT THEY'LL RECOGNIZE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THEY'LL SAY, HEY, WE BIT OFF MORE THAN WE CAN CHEW, CAR.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO [OVERLAPPING].
THE PROBLEM WITH EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH SOLAR IS THAT THEY CAN'T COME BACK 5, 06, 7, 8 YEARS FROM NOW AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE BIT OFF MORE THAN WE CAN CHEW.
WE GOT TO UNDO SOME OF WHAT WAS DONE HERE.
THEY CAN DO THAT WITH CAR, THAT'S EASY, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WITH SOLAR.
>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD SEGUE INTO THE LAST POINT THAT I'LL BRING UP ABOUT SOLAR THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT YET, WHICH IS DECOMMISSIONING.
SAY THERE IS A TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH IN THE NEXT 15 YEARS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIFESPAN OF THESE THINGS, AND WE NO LONGER NEED SOLAR ENERGY.
SAY WE DO PIVOT TO NUCLEAR. [OVERLAPPING]
>> NUCLEAR IS COMING, AT LEAST NOT TODAY BUT IT'S COMING.
THERE'S SOME OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH
[02:45:01]
AND IT MAKES THESE THINGS OBSOLETE OVERNIGHT.IS THE MONEY GOING TO BE THERE TO CLEAN THEM UP AT THE END, AND THAT'S A POSITION THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THAT IT'S 100% DECOMMISSIONING BOND.
NOW WE'RE TRUSTING THE SOLAR DEVELOPER TO GIVE US AN ACCURATE NUMBER TO DECOMMISSION.
BUT THEN THEY COME IN AFTER THEY PRODUCE THAT NUMBER AND THEY SAY, WE WANT SALVAGE VALUE FOR THE PANELS DEDUCTED.
THOSE PANELS TO TAKE THEM OUT, IT'S GOING TO COST $10 MILLION, BUT WE CAN SELL THEM FOR FIVE, SO ONLY MAKE US HOLD A BOND FOR $5 MILLION.
IN THAT DRAFT BILL THAT HAS BEEN CIRCULATED, IT SAYS THAT SALVAGE VALUE CAN BE OR MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN ESTABLISHING THE DECOMMISSIONING BOND.
WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, WHO'S GOING TO GET THE FIRST BITE AT THE SALVAGE VALUE OF THOSE PANELS? IT'S GOING TO BE THE CREDITORS, NUMBER ONE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONES IN THE ROOM SAYING, NO, COUNTY, YOU DON'T GET TO USE THAT TO DECOMMISSION TO RIP THEM OUT OF THE GROUND, WE GOT TO PAY THEY OWE US DEBT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO TO CALIFORNIA OR CHICAGO OR FLORIDA AND GET THAT MONEY BACK FROM THE OWNERS? OUT OF STATE, CAROLINE COUNTY IS GOING TO SUE A COMPANY IN CHICAGO FOR THE VALUE OF THE PANELS.
THAT'S THE OTHER ISSUE WITH THIS WHOLE THING.
>> WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS EVERY TIME THIS COME UP.
>> [OVERLAPPING]. WE ASKED THESE QUESTIONS AND BELIEVE ME THEY'RE PROTECTING THEM.
THERE'S NO EASY WAY OUT. IF YOU LOOK AT PREVIOUS COUNTY HAD AN INSTANCE WHERE THEY COULDN'T FIND THEM, THE SOLAR PEOPLE, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYBODY.
>> YOU SIT THERE AND SAY, WAY, THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT'S BY DESIGN BECAUSE WE ARE PUSHING SO HARD FOR SOMETHING TO BUILD AN INDUSTRY AT ALL COSTS.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FAILING THE CITIZENS, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SITTING BACK THERE.
WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT ROLLING BLACKOUTS, WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, MAYBE SOME DAY 10, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH NUCLEAR, BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN A YEAR.
AGAIN, PEOPLE SPHERES, PLUS THE ABSOLUTELY FINDING THE EQUIPMENT TO DO THAT.
BUT WE'RE MOVING THAT WE HAVE TO GET THAT METHOD CHANGED.
MARYLAND'S NOT GOING TO TO DO THAT AFTER GOVERNOR MOORE'S GOALS COMPLETELY FAIL.
WE'RE GOING TO START POINTING FINGERS THAT YOU DIDN'T DO ENOUGH.
>> THESE CONCERN WITH SOLAR THAT YOU HAVE, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE VEHICLE, ONE BILL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PASS.
THAT BILL WILL BE HEAVILY AMENDED, I'M SURE, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY INTERESTS THAT ARE GOING TO GO INTO THIS AND TAKE ON THEY THINK.
THESE IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE, YOU JUST GIVE US A LIST OF THESE THINGS, CAN BE CHRIS AND STEVE ON THE HOUSE SIDE AND HERSHEY AND JOHNNY ON THE SENATE SIDE, WE'LL TRY TO GET THESE AMENDMENTS.
>> WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS, AND I HOPE I'M NOT SPEAKING OUT OF TERM, BUT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COMING UP WITH A CHECKLIST THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE OUT TO FARMERS IN THIS COUNTY, NOT TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR LAND, BUT SAYING, HAVE YOU ASKED THESE QUESTIONS? HOW MANY TIMES HAS THE SOLAR COMPANY THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT ENGAGING WITH, HOW MANY TIMES HAS IT BEEN SOLD SINCE IT'S BEEN FORMED.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES? IF YOU'RE GOING TO LEASE YOUR FARM AND IT TURNS INTO A SOLAR FARM, AND YOU GET THAT TAX BILL, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE SHOWING UP IN THE COURTHOUSE SAYING, WELL, WHY DID THESE TYPE? I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY ALL. DECOMMISSIONING.
>> WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE FARMER WHO HAS COME IN AND SAID, THEY TOLD ME THAT WHEN THESE PANELS CAME OFF, I'D BE ABLE TO JUST GO BACK AND START TELLING MY FARM, THEY'RE OUT THERE STRIPPING TOP SOIL, STOCK PILING MY TOP SOIL.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO, AND HERE'S YOUR CHECKLIST THAT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY BE ASKING.
THEY DON'T COME IN AND BRING THEM IN AND SAY, HEY, WHAT DOES MR. BERYL? WHAT'S YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY THINK ABOUT THIS? THESE ARE BEING NEGOTIATED PRIVATELY.
THESE DEALS ARE BEING DONE BETWEEN THE SOLAR COMPANY AND THE FARMER.
FARMERS ARE GOOD BUSINESS PEOPLE.
IF THEY WEREN'T, THEY WOULDN'T BE IN BUSINESS, BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
BECAUSE GUESS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW UP HOW COME YOU GUYS DIDN'T GET INTO? HOW COME YOU'RE LETTING THEM DO THIS TO US? WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT BY BEING, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD PREEMPTIVE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BE AHEAD OF THE GAME BY ALERTING PEOPLE TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN COMING DOWN THE ROAD HERE.
>> THAT'S THE VALUE OF THIS GROUP THAT WE FORM.
I WAS TALKING TO THE LARGEST LAND OWNER IN [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY YESTERDAY ACTUALLY. HE WAS AT.
AND HE'S A SMART GUY. HE'S LIKE, I'LL LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE OFFER THEY GIVE ME.
HE HASN'T FOUND A SINGLE OFFER NOW BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES, THESE LEASES.
HE HASN'T HE SAID HE HASN'T SEEN AN OFFER YET THAT EVEN COMES CLOSE TO BEING.
AND HONESTLY, WE WILL PROBABLY WANT HIS INPUT ON THIS GROUP
[02:50:01]
SO THAT HE CAN EDUCATE OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY HE UNDERSTANDS FINANCES.HE UNDERSTAND HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.
HE UNDERSTANDS ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS CLEARING HOUSE OF INFORMATION, I THINK SO THAT HE CAN SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.
STILL WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] ONE THING, AND THEN JUST ONE THING.
>> JUST ONE THING, LESLIE GRUND AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLANNING CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT EVERY LEGISLATIVE BILL HAS TO HAVE A FISCAL NOTE.
AND THAT IF WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMICS OF TAKING PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND OUT OF PRODUCTION, THINK ABOUT IT THREE CROPS A YEAR? NOT JUST THAT 100 ACRES, IT'S REALLY 300 ACRES.
WHAT IS THE RAMIFICATION LONG TERM OF A MASSIVE PRODUCTION IN PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND IN THE COUNTY, AS FAR AS THE SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT DEPEND UPON A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ACREAGE THAT JUSTIFIES THE EQUIPMENT, INVESTITURE, INVESTMENT, AND ALSO THE MAINTENANCE OF THE EQUIPMENT, ALL THOSE SORT OF THINGS, IF THE FARM BUREAU AND ECONOMIST THAT WE CAN PUT THIS TOGETHER AND SHOVE IT OVER TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS PART OF A FISCAL NOTE.
>> IT'S NOT A FISCAL NOTES A JOKE.
WELL, THEY DO HAVE A FISCAL NOTE ALREADY.
THEY HAVE A FISCAL NOTE ALREADY.
WHAT THEY TRIED TO TELL YOU IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO, YOU'RE GOING TO A WE CAN DO A STAFF ALREADY IN PLACE, BUT YET THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.
THEY'RE SUPPOSEDLY NON PARTISAN, BUT THEY KNOW WHO BUTTERS THEIR BREAD.
SO THEY WILL CHOOSE WHICH SORT OF INFORMATION GOES TO THOSE FISCAL NOTES?
>> WELL, SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT THE TOWN OF OCEAN CITY, AND THIS IS RUN THE TOWN OF OCEAN CITY HAS SPENT SURELY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO ARTICULATE THE ECONOMIC DAMAGE THAT OFFSHORE WINDS IS GOING TO HAVE ON THAT COMMUNITY.
AND/OR ALL YOU'RE DOING IS ASKING THE FISCAL NOOR TO TAKE TWO OR 3 HOURS AND CALL CAROLINE COUNTY AND SAY, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF 20% OF YOUR FARM LAND WAS CONVERTED INTO AND SOLAR, WHAT WOULD THAT IMPACT BE? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT A FISCAL OR SHOULD BE DOING WHEN THEY DRAW THAT THEY SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES.
NOW, WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH HER LEADERSHIP AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT IS WE COULD PASS OR TRY TO PASS A STUDY BILL, SOME TYPE OF TASK FORCE OR SOME TYPE OF AND I THINK IT COULD BE TAGGED ON TO SOME LEGISLATION AS WELL AND TO SAY, LOOK, OKAY, FINE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOLAR, BUT WE AS A STATE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.
THAT CAN BE THAT CAN BE CREATED IS BUT NOT PUTTING THE THIS FOR SHORE AND CERTAINLY CAROLINE COUNTY IN THIS CASE.
OUT OF BUSINESS OF BUSINESS AT ONE POINT WOULD [INAUDIBLE] AND NOW THEIR SAY, WE'RE GOING TO NORTH CAROLINE.
I'VE HEARD THAT MORE THAN A COUPLE OF TIMES.
>> AN ATLANTIC TRACTOR AND THE SEED COMPANIES. I MEAN, YEAH.
>> MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT WE IMPORT CORN. OF COURSE.
MOST PEOPLE HAVE IDEA IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.
YOU'RE RIGHT. AT SOME POINT, YOU TAKE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRES OUT.
YOU EQUITY TO THE NUMBER [INAUDIBLE] ARE BEING GROWN THAT WON'T BE GROWN ON THE SHORE.
WELL, THEY HAVE TO BRING THAT IN THE RAILS SOYBEANS, WHICH WE EXPORT.
WE EXPORT PURE SOYBEANS NOW TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT.
BUT WITH WE TAKE THAT OUT THE CORN OUT OF PRODUCTION, HAVE E RAIL CARS THAT WE GOT TO BRING IN, AND YOU'RE RIGHT AT SOME POINT, THERE'S A BREAK NEED FOR THESE INTEGRATORS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE OVER THEIR OPERATING.
>> WELL, CONTINUE TO STAY IN CONTACT AND TRY TO KEEP YOU ABREAST OF WHAT WE HEAR AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SESSION ROLLS AROUND, RIGHT?
>> WE'LL TRY VERY HARD TO SET THIS MEETING [INAUDIBLE].
THESE DELEGATION, I LOOK LIKE A ZOOM MEETING.
TRY TO GET THESE DEPARTMENTS IN, IT SHOULD BE INFORMATION GATHERING.
>> SO I'LL MOVE RUN THROUGH THESE OTHER LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS REAL QUICK.
SO WE'VE GOT A REQUEST FOR EVENT VENUE LICENSE, CHANGE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
I THINK IT'S FOR SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE COW BARN EVENTS AND SOME OF THOSE EVENT VENUES TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBLE LIQUOR LICENSES.
WE ALSO HAVE A REQUEST FOR STORAGE SO THAT THOSE MULTIPLE EVENT LICENSE HOLDERS WOULD BE ABLE TO STORE THAT ALCOHOL ON SITE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO EITHER DUMP IT OUT OR RETURN IT TO THE DISTRIBUTOR, WHEREVER THEY GOT IT FROM.
WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER BOND BILLS.
I THINK COMMISSIONER PORTER, YOU STATED THREE EARLIER?
>> YEAH. THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR RIDGELY MANNY SCOTT POST 193 RENOVATION AND YOUTH CENTER IN RIDGELY,
[02:55:03]
I WOULD ASK YOU TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THOSE AS WELL.>> AND THEN WE HAVE THE TOWN OF DEN WATE WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR UPGRADE, [OVERLAPPING] IT'S NOT ON THE LIST, BUT THE E MAIL WAS SENT TO YOUR OFFICES, I THINK THIS WEEK.
>> I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE A TOUR.
THESE WILL BE DELEGATION BILLS.
BUT STEVE IS ON THE ALCOHOL SUBCOMMITTEE.
I'LL MAKE SURE THAT BILL MOVES THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE.
I'LL MAKE SURE THAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> MISS PIERCE WHO SUBMITTED THOSE BOND REQUESTS RIGHT BEHIND YOU.
>> I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE A TOUR.
>> I WENT OUT YESTERDAY AND LOOKED AT THE BUILDING SO.
>> AND THEN WE HAVE SHARP ROVE PARK EXPANSION, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON CONVEYING PART OF THAT PARK FROM THE TOWN TO THE COUNTY AND WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BACK PARK.
THE TOWN IS REQUESTING A BOND BILL TO DO PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT THE FRONT PART OF THE PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE RETAINING.
SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY.
THEN ON TO A FEW DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT WE HAD, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER AGREEMENT.
WE'RE DEALING NEGOTIATING WITH QUEEN ANNE IN KING COUNTY AS TO HOW MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IS GOING TO LOOK TO RUN THE DETAILS.
SO WE'RE IN THE DETAILS RIGHT NOW.
>> ON THIS ONE. WE HAVE SECRETARY OUR DELEGATION THAT WITH SECRETARY GRADY BACK IN AUGUST.
THIS WAS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR HER.
AND I THINK WHAT REALLY GOT HER ATTENTION WAS THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE CLOSING THREE [OVERLAPPING] AND THE REASON WHY CNA POPULATION IS ALMOST IN HALF OF WHAT IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO.
REASON FOR THAT WAS THE CRIMINAL REFORM ACT THAT PASSED.
AND SO THAT GOT HER ATTENTION, BASICALLY, THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRATS LEADERSHIP.
THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT THEY WILL HELP US WITH.
WE USE THE FACT THAT THIS IS STREAMLINING THE WHOLE PROCESS, WE'RE CLOSING DETENTION CENTERS, NOT OPENING BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATION THAT THEY PASSED.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW HOW [INAUDIBLE].
IT NEEDED TO BE MOVE WHEN YOU WERE A COMMISSION.
>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT. WHAT YOU DO HEAR ABOUT IS GETTING A PAT ON THE BACK FOR LEGISLATION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
WE'RE CLOSING DETENTION CENTERS.
>> WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO ON THIS.
WE'RE WORKING OUT THE CONTROL DETAILS.
SO I MEAN, LOOK, IT'S THREE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
A LOT OF YOU GUYS SERVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE DON'T LIKE TO GIVE UP CONTROL OR AUTONOMY TO DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO ME, THE COST BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, WE SAVED SO MUCH MONEY FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF ALL THREE COUNTIES THAT AND WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES, HOPEFULLY REDUCE RECIDIVISM BECAUSE WE ALL COMPETE FOR THE SAME RECOVERY SPECIALISTS, SAME TREATMENT PROVIDERS.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO A MUCH BETTER JOB WITH RECIDIVISM, PROVIDING SERVICES, AND THEN ALSO CUT COSTS FOR THE COUNTY.
>> [INAUDIBLE] IT'S VERY STRONG [INAUDIBLE].
>> BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT TO GET THROUGH THE STRUCTURE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE NEGOTIATING WHAT THE BOARD LOOKS LIKE.
HOW MANY REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH COUNTY? WHAT ARE THE EXIT CLAUSES? THE DETAILS. WE GOT TO GET THERE.
>> SO YOU WON'T NEED MONEY IN [OVERLAPPING]?
>> NO, WE NEED IT. KATHLEEN. YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE MULTI COUNTY MEETINGS ARE.
>> WE ARE ACTIVELY MEETING WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS, KENT COUNTY AND QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY.
AND JUST TO COMMISSIONER BREEDING'S POINT, WE'RE REALLY GRAPPLING WITH HOW THIS IS RUN.
IS IT AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE THREE COUNTIES AND QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY TAKES THE LEAD OR AN AUTHORITY, WHICH I BELIEVE REQUIRES A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE.
BUT AS FAR AS THE MONEY AND THE FUNDING GOES, I THINK ASSUMING WE CAN WORK OUT ON PREMISE AND AGREE HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED, WE WILL BE COLLECTIVELY PURSUING FUNDING STARTING NEXT YEAR.
>> THE TIMING IS I MEAN, THERE'S A TRACTION THE BUDGET AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW TO GO.
>> YES. AND OUR PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO STUDIES ARE ALREADY DRAFTED AND READY TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE.
>> YOU CAN'T SUBMIT UNTIL APRIL, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> IT'S LIKE A HARD SUBMISSION DEADLINE IN APRIL.
SO WE MISSED LAST APRIL, SO WE'VE GOT TO WAIT ALL THE WAY UNTIL NEXT MARCH OR APRIL.
>> WHEN WE GUYS TO DO ANYTHING. I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION.
>> NO, WE'VE GOT TO WORK IT OUT.
RIGHT NOW, WE GOT TO WORK IT OUT.
I MEAN, I WOULD KEEP TALKING IT UP AND TRYING TO SECURE FUNDING FOR IT.
HOPEFULLY, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT THE DEVIL'S INTO DETAILS, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU GOT THREE COUNTIES THAT'S GOT TO AGREE ON HOW THIS THING GETS MANAGED.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DISCONNECT.
I'M NOT REALLY HUNG UP ON THE AUTHORITY.
I THINK I BELIEVE WE BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE AN AUTHORITY.
SEPARATE AUTHORITY WITH QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PROVIDING HR AND PROCUREMENT, THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.
I THINK QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY WANTS IT TO BE QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY TOTALLY, WHICH IS ODD.
SO WHAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH IS YOU SET UP A BOARD TO HIRE THE WARDEN, MANAGE THE FACILITY, BUT THEY'RE ALL QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
[03:00:04]
SO HOW IS THAT FAIR TO HAVE THIS BOARD TELLING QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY COMMISSIONERS EMPLOYEES WHAT TO DO? SO IT'S JUST IT'S CLEANER IF IT'S AN AUTHORITY TO ME, BUT.>> YOU'RE JUST GIVE ME SOME NOTES IF YOU WANT TO [INAUDIBLE].
>> YOU GOT ANY INFLUENCE OVER THERE OR WHAT [LAUGHTER].
BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT.
I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT HUNG UP ON IT, IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK, BUT BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS AS FAR AS THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT.
SO BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THAT ONE.
CONSTRUCTION THE NEW CAROLINE COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES BUILDING.
>> HONESTLY, I'M ON THE UNFORTUNATELY, ON THE BOARD FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICES.
I DON'T HAVE A REAL ANSWER ON WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS FUNDING ON THAT, BUT APPARENTLY, THEY DO HAVE A DEVELOPER, LOCAL DEVELOPER WHO WANTS TO DO THE BUILDING AND IS WORKING ON THE LEASE RATES AND SO ON.
WHAT'S BEING DONE INTERNALLY WITH THAT GROUP.
>> STATE HIGHWAY REQUEST TO BUILD GAY STREET SHORE HIGHWAY INTERSECTION WITH COORDINATED TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHICH WE DIDN'T BRING THAT UP WITH HIM TODAY, BUT THAT'S THE COMMERCE DRIVE ROAD FROM WALMART OUT [OVERLAPPING].
WHAT DID YOU CALL SCOTT? YOU ASKED PERMISSION.
>> SO AS WE DECLARED [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD WITH STRIVE AND I NOTED SOME OF YOU KNOW THIS.
THE FIRST OPTION WILL BE THAT THE DEVELOPERS THE PROPERTY OWNER PARTNERS TAKE THIS ON AS THEY ORIGINALLY WERE SUPPOSED TO AND BUILD THIS A COORDINATED STATE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[INAUDIBLE] OF STATE HIGHWAY AS WELL AS THE TOWN STANDARDS AND COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.
BASICALLY THEY COMPLETED THEMSELVES AND TURN IT OVER TO THE TOWN OWNERSHIP IS COMPLETE.
THAT'S THE FIRST OPTION AND THAT'S BEEN THE OPTION FOR TEN YEARS.
WELL LATELY, THE COUNCIL HAS DECLARED THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OPTION TWO, WHICH IS THE TOWN TAKES THIS PROJECT OVER USING THE DEVELOPERS MONEY AND POTENTIALLY PUBLIC RESOURCES AS WELL, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS UP HERE TO GET THIS ROAD COMPLETE.
AND WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON A PARTNERSHIP TYPE OF AGREEMENT.
AND IT'S NOT FINISHED YET, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT TO PRESENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AND SHOULD THEY SIGN OFF ON THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
[INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO TAKE THIS PROJECT AND RUN IT.
WE'RE OVER $3,000,000 ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE COULD USE SOME HELP FROM WHERE WE GET BASICALLY GET IT DONE.
THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE DEVELOPERS WILL TAKE THIS AND FINISH IT, BUT WE DON'T THINK SO.
WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE MANAGING THIS PROJECT TO GET IT DONE.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY THAT'S EVEN HAVE ONE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT APPRECIATES THE VALUE OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF DESCRIPT.
A LITTLE BIT OF BACKSTORY IS THE ROAD WOULD CONNECT WALMART TO THE FRANKLIN GAY STREET INTERSECTION OUT HERE ON FOUR OR FOUR, WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE TRAFFIC ISSUES AT THE END OF LEGION ROAD BECAUSE OF THE WALMART.
IT IS A BIG ATTRACTOR TO THE TOWN OF DENTON AND THEN CAROLINE COUNTY.
THERE'S PEOPLE FROM QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, TALBY COUNTY, ALL AROUND DELAWARE, PEOPLE FROM DELAWARE, TAX FREE SHOPPING COME AND SHOP AT THIS WALMART BECAUSE IT IS A NICER WALMART, LARGER, MORE SELECTION, CLEAN, VERY WELL RAN.
SO IT IS A BIG ATTRACTOR TO THE TOWN OF DENTON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ISSUES WITH LEGION ROAD, BECAUSE OF THAT, THIS WOULD ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THOSE TRAFFIC ISSUES AND OPEN UP A LOT MORE LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT.
THE HANG UP IS THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS ROAD SAY THAT IT'S TOO HEAVY OF A LIFT FOR THEM.
THEY CAN'T JUSTIFY IT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THERE ARE I HAVE LOOKED AT THE PLANS AND WITH MY BACKGROUND, THERE ARE CONSIDERABLE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ROUTE FOUR OH FOUR IMPROVEMENTS, LONG ACCELERATION LANES, DECELERATION LANES GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO THE OVERPASS OVER MARKET STREET, PLUS THE COST OF A TRAFFIC LIGHT.
THAT'S BEFORE YOU EVEN GET ON SITE.
YOU HAVE TO DO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LIGHT IN FRONT OF WALMART AND THEN ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT THE ROAD FROM WALMART TO THE STATE HIGHWAY, SEWER AND WATER, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHAT SCOTT'S TALKING ABOUT, THE COST ABOUT 3 MILLION BUCKS.
[03:05:02]
THEY CAN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT.I THINK THERE'S THREE OR FOUR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE KIND OF STRUGGLING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, HOW MUCH EACH ONE'S GOING TO CONTRIBUTE.
SO THAT'S WHY IT KEEPS GETTING HUNG UP.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN AND WE CAN FACILITATE THAT THROUGH GRANT APPLICATION, SOME TYPE OF SUBSIDIES FROM STATE OR FEDERAL CAROLINE.
>> WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. IT'LL BE A BIG REVENUE GENERATOR FOR US, 404 DUALIZE NOW, QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY'S BEEN SLOWING THEIR GROWTH DOWN.
TALBY COUNTY'S SLOWED THEIR GROWTH DOWN.
LIKE I SAID, WITH THE DUALIZATION OF 404, WE'RE POISED FOR SOME GROWTH HERE COULD REALLY BE A GOOD ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE TOWN OF DENTON AND CAROLINE COUNTY.
ABBY, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING?
>> JUST TO ADD THIS ONE TODAY, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF [INAUDIBLE] AND CELEBRATE THE TURN.
>> THAT CUTS ABOUT $1,000,000 OFF OF I THINK THE COST OF THE LIGHT WAS ABOUT A MILLION BUCKS, SO THAT GETS IT DOWN.
>> THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS A RIGHT TURN AND RIGHT TURN OUT.
>> YEAH. ONCE THEY START SELLING SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES OF THAT'LL GET THEM SOME CASH FLOW AND MAYBE DO THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE PROJECT.
>> SCOTT, CAN WE GO BACK REAL QUICK TO THIS? HAVE YOU BEEN CONTACTED AT ALL ABOUT THE SOCIAL SERVICES BUILDING BY A DEVELOPER BECAUSE MY ADVICE TO THEM FROM THE BOARD STANDPOINT THERE WAS TO CONTACT A TOWN TO FIND OUT CONNECTION FEES AND SO ON, SO THAT BUT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM?
>> THAT WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO THEY REACHED OUT WE HAD A MEETING BUT I HAVEN'T [INAUDIBLE].
>> THEN THE LAST TWO ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON HERE IS PROGRAM OPEN SPACE FUNDING.
IT'S IRONIC, IN PURSUING THIS I HAVE FOUND OUT SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
WORCESTER COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE LARGE VOLUME OF LAND THAT THEY HAVE OWNED BY STATE AND FEDERAL ENTITIES, ARE ALREADY ABLE TO DO WHAT I'M ASKING TO DO.
I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER COUNTY OUT IN WESTERN MARYLAND THAT HAS THIS ABILITY AS WELL.
BUT BASICALLY PROGRAM OPEN SPACE FUNDING HAS TWO POTS OF MONEY.
ONE POT IS FOR PROPERTY ACQUISITION, AND ONE IS FOR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.
WE DON'T WANT TO BUY ANY MORE PROPERTY.
CAROLINE COUNTY OWNS ENOUGH PROPERTY.
WE WANT TO USE THE $350,000-400,000 THAT WE HAVE IN ACQUISITION MONEY ON DEVELOPMENT.
WE WANT TO BUILD OUT WHAT WE ALREADY OWN.
WE'VE GOT A TON OF LAND, AND IT'S JUST SITTING THERE FOLLOW.
WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND IMPROVE IT.
OUR LEGISLATIVE REQUEST IS TO ALLOW US TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WORCESTER COUNTY DOES, USE THAT MONEY FOR DEVELOPMENT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE WRITTEN INTO THE DNR BILL.
WHAT I'M TOLD IS THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
JUST IF IT DOESN'T MAKE IT IN FOR SOME REASON, WE MAY ASK YOU GUYS.
KEEP US UP TO DATE ON WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS SO WE CAN MAKE SHORTS IN THERE GOOD.
>> [INAUDIBLE] DNR, HE'S DOING THE LARGER BILLS CHAIRMAN INDICATED AND SHORTS IS GOING TO BE FED IN THERE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT COMMISSIONER INDICATED [INAUDIBLE].
>> LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES FROM MACO WAS THE LOCAL FLEXIBILITY IN REVENUE, AND THE OPEN SPACE MONEY BILLS OR LANGUAGE IS GOING TO BE IN THAT INITIATIVE AS WELL.
>> IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT. GOOD. THANKS, BRUCE.
THE LAST THING WE HAVE ON THE LIST IS RENEWAL OF THE HIGHWAY USER REVENUE.
YOU GUYS KNOW THE STORY ON THAT ONE. I'M GOING TO ADD ONE HERE.
I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY, THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ANYMORE.
LATELY, WHEN WAS THE LAST RAISE, COMMISSIONER PORTER?
>> I THINK IT WAS 2006, WAS IT 2008? SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> MY SALARY IS 16,000 AND COMMISSION BARR'S COMMISSIONER PORTER 15,000.
IT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE COMMISSIONER PORTER HAS BEEN IN OFFICE.
I WOULD ASK THAT MAYBE YOU GUYS TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE TO ASK YOU FOR A RAISE.
>> GIVE THE SHERIFF FOR RAISE A COUPLE OF YEARS.
>> BECAUSE YOU'RE THE CHAIRMAN?
>> I WAS A CHAIRMAN FOR THREE YEARS I WORKED FOR SAME.
>> I DIDN'T. IT WAS THIS WAY WHEN I GOT HERE.
>> I DON'T WANT TO BREAK IT DOWN TO AN HOURLY RATE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU.
>> [INAUDIBLE] LESS MONEY. [LAUGHTER]
[03:10:01]
>> RIGHT. BUT THROW THAT ONE OUT THERE AS WELL.
>> [INAUDIBLE] WHAT YOU GUYS WANT TO DO WITH THAT.
>> I'M MOVING ON A FIXED INCOME.
>> DID ANYONE ELSE, OH, SCOTT. YEAH.
>> SORRY. THANK YOU. WHEN YOU GOT TO THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. BOTH OF YOUR PROJECTS.
>> WELL, THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT FOR [INAUDIBLE] PLUS MANAGEMENT IS AN ISSUE FOR AT LEAST THREE OTHER TREATMENT PLANS IN THIS COUNTY AND COUNTLESS PLANS ON THE [INAUDIBLE] AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THE BRF PROGRAM CAME TO PLAY IT OUT AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I MEAN, IT'S THE MONEY THAT WE ALL PAY TOWARDS TREATMENT PLAN TRADES.
WHEN IT ORIGINATED, IT WAS THE UPGRADE TREATMENT PLANS.
THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY WAS FOR SINCE BEEN UTILIZED DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND IT'S A POLICY MATTER, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT'S NOT GIVEN THE PRIORITY THAT IT SHOULD BE GIVEN WHEN IT COMES TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT UPGRADES.
THE [INAUDIBLE] ENVIRONMENT PUTS MORE EMPHASIS ON THE TREATMENT SIDE OF THE TREATMENT PLAN BECAUSE OF THE NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS PRODUCTION THAT IS SEEN FROM [INAUDIBLE].
THEY GET THESE CREDITS, WHERE YOU DON'T GET THE CREDIT FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] BUT YOU CAN'T BE EFFECTIVE IN A TREATMENT PLAN WITHOUT DEALING WITH THE BYPRODUCT, WHICH IS THE SLOW.
THE CONTROLLERS OFFICE IS HELP AND JUMPED IN AND FACILITATE MEETING BETWEEN THE TOWN AND MBE AND IN THAT MEETING, MBE STATED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO START LOOKING AT THE POLICY CHANGE.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING SINCE. THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU GUYS IS BECAUSE FOR YEAR NUMBER 3, WE'RE GOING TO APPLY AGAIN FOR MONEY TO UPGRADE OUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE EVERYONE IN YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT.
IT'S WHAT THE MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR. I WANT TO SAY THAT [INAUDIBLE].
GOOD. [INAUDIBLE] DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> SORRY. WE DO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD RIGHT NOW WITHOUT A WORK.
>> [INAUDIBLE] I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER [INAUDIBLE].
A MILITARY RAT WHO AROUND A LOT, CAME BACK HOME IN 2021, SAW THAT WHERE I LIVED IS STILL THE SAME BUT NOWADAYS IS STILL THE SAME, IT GOTTEN WORSE.
MY AREA IS LOCATED IN TRINITY [INAUDIBLE].
IT IS ZONED OUT OF THE TOWN OF RIDGELY.
WE ARE HAVING WATER WASTE PUMP TREATMENT ISSUES BACK THERE.
THE TOWN HAS BEEN TOLD FROM CONSTITUENTS, I GUESS ABOVE YOU THAT WILL RUN YOU GUYS THAT THEY NEED TO FIX THAT AND ANNEX THE AREA IN PLUS A BECOME A PRIORITY FUNDED AREA.
MY PARENTS LIVE ON THAT SIDE AND IT FLOODS LIKE THAT IT CAN RAIN FOR FIVE MINUTES, AND WE CAN PROBABLY HAVE SIX TO 12 " OF WATER JUST SITTING THERE.
IF WE HAVE TWO OR THREE DAYS, IT'S FOUR FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS ON THAT SIDE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THE SENSOR IS SHUTTING OFF.
WE HAVE A WHOLE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DISABLED VETERANS [INAUDIBLE] OVER THERE.
WE ARE A MIXED DEMOGRAPHIC POPULATION THAT HITS THAT ALL THE WAY TO HENRY STREET.
THIS WATER IS A HUGE ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE FAILING SEPTIC SYSTEMS BETWEEN LYMAN AND LINCOLN STREET.
WHEN IT FLOODS UP THERE, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING FROM THE SEPTIC SYSTEM.
NOT ONLY THAT, THE WATERWAY TREATMENT PUMP [INAUDIBLE] OFF A [INAUDIBLE] SMELL, AND IT HAS BEEN BUILT UP SOMETIME [INAUDIBLE] TO THE POINT WHERE ROAD [INAUDIBLE].
NOW, THE TOWN IS STILL CONNECTED TO THOSE PIPES.
THERE'S THREE SUBDIVISIONS THAT [INAUDIBLE].
I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD ON MY FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE BACK THERE.
THIS HAS BEEN A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SINCE 2010.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT OR ORIGINALLY HASN'T TAKEN ACTION.
I KNEW ITS COMPLEX BECAUSE IT'S [INAUDIBLE] INTO THE COUNTY, WHICH REQUIRES THEM TO WORK TOGETHER.
I'M AWARE THAT MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL WILLS.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, ESPECIALLY FOR A [INAUDIBLE], HOW MUCH SUPPORT CAN YOU [INAUDIBLE]?
>> WELL, THE VOTE NO THAT HOPE YOU KNEW THE SITUATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW FITS RIGHT INTO THE PROGRAMS THAT MBE CURRENTLY FUNDS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
WHY THOSE GRANTS HAVEN'T BEEN APPLIED FOR? WHY SOME AIN'T DONE ANYTHING? I CAN'T EXPLAIN THAT, BUT THE VOTE ON SOME OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS, I CAN GO THROUGH THOSE ONE AFTER THE OTHER EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY THAT WAS A BAD PROPOSAL FOR THE EASTERN SHORE [INAUDIBLE] BRING BENEFITS THEY CLAIM.
I MEAN, TO LOOK AT THE VOTE, I MEAN, THAT'S AFTER THE WARNING.
FOR THE SITUATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW,
[03:15:02]
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT.I MEAN, THAT'S NOT IN OUR DISTRICT, BUT I MEAN, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IT SQUARELY FITS IN THE PRIORITY FUNDING.
>> I DON'T KNOW. IT MIGHT BE IN YOUR DISTRICT. IT'S ON THE LINE.
>> I HAVE TO TALK TO [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT THIS.
>> [INAUDIBLE] WELL, THAT'S NOT WHO MAKES THAT DETERMINATION. MBE DOES.
MBE IS THE ONE THAT DECIDES WHETHER YOU MEET THE CRITERIA TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THERE'S NO REASON THAT MBE IS NOT INVOLVED. WE'RE SITUATED HERE.
>> WE'RE WORKING ON THE DRAINAGE ISSUES.
I THINK LESLIE'S WORKING ON RESOLVING THE DRAINAGE ISSUES OUT THERE THROUGH VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES.
HOPEFULLY THAT ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONCERN ON THOSE OTHER SEPTICS.
>> WHEN YOU SEE THAT PROPAGANDA [INAUDIBLE], AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, [INAUDIBLE] IN TROUBLE WITH THIS.
THEY CONSIDER PRIORITY TO THAT GROUP.
I THINK [INAUDIBLE] BROUGHT TO ME, THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM AND THEY DIDN'T COUNT THE OTHER 30 I VOTED FOR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT PLEASE TAKE THAT AT FACE VALUE.
THERE ARE SOME DECENT THINGS IN THESE BILLS, THERE ARE REASONS WHY WE DON'T VOTE FOR THOSE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR OVERALL RATING ON ENVIRONMENTAL BILLS AND YOU COULD LOOK THAT UP [INAUDIBLE], IF YOU WANT TO DIG THAT DEEP YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
I MEAN, WE WORK EVERY TIME, CENTER THOUGH, EVERY OTHER TIME WE HAVE SEWER PROBLEMS WITH [INAUDIBLE] WE JUST WORKED WITH THEM TO GET THEM UPGRADED AND FOR GIVENS AND DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T BEING TROUBLED [INAUDIBLE].
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL ADVOCATES FOR CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S JUST THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE IN [INAUDIBLE] WORLD EGREGIOUS.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THOSE [INAUDIBLE] AGAIN, IT'S A SELECT GROUP THAT THEY PICK, AND IT'S A GROUP THAT'S VERY [OVERLAPPING].
>> COMMENT TOO IF YOU DON'T MIND.
>> NO, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
>> BECAUSE I HAVE READ SOME OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS AND THEY'RE ALL JUST KEYBOARD WARRIORS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, HONESTLY, I'VE BEFRIENDED FROM THOSE KEYBOARD WARRIORS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE GUT TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION.
BUT THESE BILLS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I PROUDLY VOTED THE WAY I DID BECAUSE OUR ENERGY COSTS RIGHT NOW LIKE UTILITY BILLS, PEOPLE ARE DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THEIR UTILITY BILLS, OR PAY FOR FOOD, OR PAY FOR DAYCARE.
FAMILIES ARE MAKING VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS, AND ENERGY PRICES ARE THE WAY THEY ARE BECAUSE OF THE BILLS. I'M LOOKING SQUARE NOW.
I'M TELLING YOU, BECAUSE OF THOSE BILLS, WE'RE PAYING SO MUCH MORE ELECTRICITY BILL.
WE VOTE THAT'S WHY I VOTED AGAINST [INAUDIBLE] I CARE ABOUT FARMERS.
I CARE ABOUT POOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS.
I DON'T THEM WANT TO PAY MORE. THAT'S WHY I VOTED THE WAY THAT I DID.
HONESTLY, THE SMALL STATE OF MARYLAND IS GOING TO CHANGE [INAUDIBLE].
PEOPLE TO SAY THAT [INAUDIBLE] BILL.
GOING TO CARE ABOUT CITIZEN [INAUDIBLE] IT'S ACTUALLY A LIE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO OUT PUBLICLY AND SAY THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA I'M NOT CERTAINLY A LAWYER.
BUT I WILL HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN.
I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE DID THE WAY WE DID BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE BILLS THAT THEY HAVE.
>> WELL, I THINK BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE TIMELINE IS OFF, WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT THE FILL UP OF THE PUMPS BACK THERE.
I'VE BEEN COMING BACK BEFORE FROM HOME IN 2015, IT'S LANDED HERE PROBABLY 2021.
I NOTICED THAT THE RUNOFF FROM BRIDGE IS REALLY JUST TEARING UP OUR AREA, AND NOBODY IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO BUY MY DAD'S PROPERTY IN THE FUTURE.
IF THIS CONTINUES AND IT DOESN'T GET FIXED BY 2030, NOT AFTER 2030.
THERE'S PEOPLE WHO MISS SANDER HITS HER HOUSE SHE'S HAVE TO TAKE OUT LOANS TO FIX HER FOR.
THE FLOODING IS BAD THERE EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT SEE IN THEIR HOUSE THAT GOES UNDERNEATH IT RUNS ALL THE WAY THERE.
THE TOWN STUFF RUNS ALL THE WAY STILL TO THAT PACK LOT.
THEY DID PUT THAT OUT LAST WEEK, AND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND MONEY TO REWROTE THE POPS TO SHUT THAT ONE DOWN, WHICH I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
MY CONCERN IS, AND THIS MUST BE GET DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER, I VISION A LOT OF PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] THIS PLACE.
>> I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE [INAUDIBLE].
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ISN'T JUST THE ORIGINAL ISSUE.
>> WHAT THEY SHOULD DO WITH THE BAY RESTORATION FUND IS FUND PROJECTS LIKE THIS IN THE TOWN OF DENTON, NOT SUBSIDIZE [INAUDIBLE] GRASS AND OTHER THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH IT.
THEY SHOULD ADDRESS WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO DO IS FIX SEWER AND WATER ISSUES.
THE FIGHT IS WITH MDE AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND HOW THEY PRIORITIZE THIS MONEY,
[03:20:05]
BECAUSE ALL WE DO IS APPLY AND SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR THEM TO SAY YES OR NO.>> IN STORM WATER TAKES A LOT.
>> THEY HIRED 3,000 PEOPLE IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY NEED TO FILL.
OUR STATE GOVERNMENT HAS I MEAN, THE QUALITY SERVICE HAVEN'T GONE UP BECAUSE THEY HIRED 3,000 PEOPLE.
THEIR PRIORITY IS BECAUSE THE LABOR UNIONS WANT THESE GUYS TO FILL THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE STATE EMPLOYEE PAYS UNION DUES. THAT'S THEIR PRIORITY.
THE PRIORITY IS WHAT THE SPECIAL INTEREST ARE TELLING THEM TO DO.
[INAUDIBLE] COMES DOWN TO PRIORITIES.
>> ALL RIGHT. [OVERLAPPING] THANKS.
>> I JUST FEEL [INAUDIBLE] COME DOWN SPEAK TO THE ORIGINAL COMMISSIONER.
YOU SEE ALL THE [INAUDIBLE] CONDITION WE HAD IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHY [INAUDIBLE] WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BUILD THERE WITH ALL THESE FUNDING THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THAT'S COMING TO THE STATE.
I REALLY THINK YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THEM BECAUSE THEY THINK THIS A JOKE I'VE [INAUDIBLE] ACCOUNT.
I'VE HAD MY EMAILS PUT ON THEIR PAGE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM DO THAT TO ANY OTHER CITIZEN.
I'M NOT GOING TO SIT DOWN MY [INAUDIBLE] FOR LONG ENOUGH.
BUT I'M REALLY ASKING YOU GUYS.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE [INAUDIBLE] ISSUE.
THIS IS A BRIDGE A ISSUE [INAUDIBLE].
>> BUT ALSO TO TOUCH ON SCOTT'S POINT REAL QUICK.
MOST OF THE SLUDGE, I KNOW, OUT OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS IN CAROLINE COUNTY, GET HAULED TO THE MITCHELL REGIONAL LAMP FILL.
WOULD THE SLUDGE STILL GO THERE AFTER THIS UPGRADE SCOTT? THIS IS JUST THE WAY TO DRY IT FASTER.
DEAL WITH IT FASTER AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING IT IN THE REED BEDS AND WORRYING ABOUT ALL THAT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVE.
>> YOU GUYS WANT TO OPEN DISCUSSION? OH, MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
>> I WOULD MOVE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, AND I THINK WE'LL GO UPSTAIRS.
>> UNDER AUTHORITY 2014, MARYLAND CODES, STATE GOVERNMENT 3-35B7.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ROLL CALL VOTE. I'M SORRY FOR MR. PORTER.
>> MR. BART.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.