Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 9 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: Board of County Commissioners Open Session February 9, 2023 Afternoon

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https://www.carrollcountymd.gov

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Okay good afternoon it is uh 1 12 and we have uh four informational briefings to go through and.

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These dedicated leaders to give us these informational briefings have.

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All committed to doing this in 15 minutes or less so I'm very proud to hear that.

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First up board of elections: ms barry! How are you hello, commissioner, I'm well? How are you guys today.

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Very good, thank you good. Thank you for allowing me to speak to you today on behalf of the board.

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Of elections, I am pleased to present an overview of our agency talk a little bit about where we are.

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Currently, where we've been and where we want to be by within the next five years or so so you should.

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All have a presentation that I put together as notes. I will not be reading it verbatim. Of course,.

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I should also introduce john woodley is the secretary of the board, and so he is here to.

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Address any other questions that I may not be able to answer today, so, as you may be aware, the board.

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Of elections plays an intricate role in state and federal elections. We have an election every.

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Two years that we facilitate for carroll county voters, we maintain a lot of different programs.

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In our office, including voter registration, mail-in ballot processes, preparing polling.

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Places early voting centers with redistricting, we were drawing redrawing all of the lines that were.

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Outlined in the new laws, we have election supply management, voting system, security management.

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Voting system, management and maintenance, securing all of the equipment and, of course, candidacy and.

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Campaign finance, we may mainly handle candidate filings for local offices and then petitions.

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Which we don't typically see because of our form of government as a commissioner form of government.

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So the organization is made up of 10 full-time state employees and we have five board members.

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That are appointed every four years by the governor, so we will be having a change in our.

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Board in june, the board has a majority party that is represented by the governor's party, so after.

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Eight years of having a majority republican board, we will be switching to a majority democratic.

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Board we are tasked with implementing all election related legislation from the general assembly and.

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Also from the federal government you will learn through the budget hearings, especially ted will.

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Say it a few times we are mandated agency. So there's not much in my budget that you have.

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The flexibility to omit so that will be an ongoing conversation that we have our goal.

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Of course, is to maintain a non-partisan election, be transparent with our voters and have as much.

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Accessibility to the ballot as we can for them so right now we have about 129 000, active voters.

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So some recent changes um over the past five years you may have noticed elections is a much more high.

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Profile, we are on the news at the federal level daily. We have some significant funding deficits.

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Lack of storage office, space, limited voter education because of funding and an increase.

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In of course, public meeting requirements for election offices, so this is kind of.

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An overview of the whole nation, and so yes, we do have those here locally, which we try to address.

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Through the budget cycle, department of homeland security plays an intricate role in our processes.

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They have departments that handle cyber and physical security for election offices. We also.

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Have a contact at the fbi and emergency management departments which I did have.

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To work with, in this past election for several instant incidences that happened at the office.

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So during the 2021-22 sessions in annapolis, we we have now gotten expanded voting hours. We have.

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Dropboxes, we are mandated to send mail-in ballot applications to all our registered voters and we.

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Have ballot styles by precinct, also in that period of time we were mandated because of the number of.

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Registered voters: we have to have three early voting centers with the option of four, so we.

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Have had a lot of adjustments so now some things about our immediate challenges. I just wanted to.

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Debrief all of you on is with regard to all of the mandates that we have and the space that we have.

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At the robert mutant center, I do want to thank the three commissioners who did come and tour my.

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Facility and ask questions had the opportunity to just get a visual on on that, but we are looking at.

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The need to have a larger and more secure training facility because of all of the mandates that are.

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Still coming as it is today, we also are expecting to have a new electronic pull book in 2024, so.

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Staff overtime will be required. More sophisticated training for election judges will be required.

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And then, of course, we also have to rely on having a secure facility so limiting access to from the.

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Public to our secure areas, we need to have the optimal amount of warehouse and office.

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Space to service our our voters and then also to secure the voting system. We currently have it's.

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Almost 500 million dollar insurance policy that the county carries for our office and.

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Warehouse because of the amount of critical infrastructure that we have in our facility.

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So, as I keep mentioning, the state has mandates that we have to follow our current facility.

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Doesn't meet all of the mandates with the state because of some of the inadequacies as it pertains.

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To security and space and the unlimited access, the other thing that has recently come to light.

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Is we have an exposed, sprinkler system that is underneath a gym floor, and that is the ceiling.

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Of the facility, where we have most of our voting equipment, so you're talking about millions of.

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Dollars that are there in that facility, um I did have a few pictures as I keep going on this, but.

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um We do plan to have a new voting system procured by the state board of elections for 2026's.

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Election, so our current voting system is leased, we have had it since 2016 and we, of course, don't.

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Know what the future is going to hold with that? We will continue to concurrently have in person and.

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By mail elections, so we have to have the space to be able to facilitate whatever the new laws that.

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You know are making a more sophisticated program and adjusting to that dual type of voting. And, as I.

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Mentioned we were deemed a critical infrastructure in 2015, and it's not just carroll county, of course,.

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This is all elections in the country, so I've provided for you um a couple of photos of our.

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Current situation with storage, you'll notice in at least two of the photos, there are toilets because.

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They are bathrooms that we are storing various things that are required by the seat to have.

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Our voting equipment is maintained quarterly and right now is undergoing post-election maintenance.

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So it needs to be fully accessible to our staff, which is why you see that that there.

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I should note that ballot marking devices, which are in two of the photos they cost about thirty.

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Five hundred dollars a piece and the scanning units cost over fifty two hundred dollars a.

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Piece so our future. What we're looking at for the over the next six months to.

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Two years, of course, we have the presidential primary election coming. Historically, we will.

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See a forty percent turnout for that. We expect to implement new poll books.

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Have election judge training that will start at the end of this year and it's.

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Going to include virtual and in-person training, some of the virtual component, we have to have.

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Because we don't have the space to allow for our election judges to come in and currently.

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We will have our three early voting, centers, 24 polling places and then multi-day mail-in.

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Ballot canvas there is legislation that would mandate that to start before, early voting begins.

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So in three to five years we could be looking at possibly moving toward more mail-in voting.

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A vote center structure like you may have seen in the 2020 election and then, as I mentioned, the.

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um New voting system in 2026 a new voter registration database, you brought him coming.

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I know it's coming in in 2028 and there's always a question to mark about a primary election date.

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Change, there's always people that talk about that, but currently are primary in 2024 set for april.

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And we are always looking at people.

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Studying elections, the security that we need, the um you know- and that goes physical and cyber.

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And um and then, of course, alterations to early voting, there are a few bills.

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About that too, so that's kind of what we're looking at in the three to five year outlook.

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So I do have a couple of notes in summary, but I I do want to make sure that you all understand.

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That the board of elections is here in partnership with the county. We try to be as flexible as we can.

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Within the mandates that we are required to have, the county is responsible for funding the board.

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Of elections right now, almost 100 percent. There are a few things that are a 50 50 cost split or.

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That the state will pick up at 100 percent. But when it comes to our facility- and um you know.

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The security around the facility- that is something that is the responsibility of the county right now,.

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um So I'm I'm hopeful that you understand the the mandates that we have and kind of.

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The risk that we are taking right now with such things as the exposed sprinkler system.

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Over millions of dollars of equipment that we have so without going too far into the budget.

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Process, this is something that I've asked for for several years and we're just trying to sort out.

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um You know how much space we need and that type of thing so with that being said, I will.

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Open it up for questions, and thank you very much for letting me speak with you today.

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Absolutely thank you well, first of all, thank you, catherine for everything you do and john you know.

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Thank you, john for everything you do as well, and thanks for being welcome, I appreciate that uh you.

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Mentioned the insurance policy, how much was that again, that was 500 000 or 500 million 500 million.

C

Okay, that was when I used when I thought you said 500 000. I thought to himself that's not going to.

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Be enough- um and you mentioned the leasing of equipment- so can you just get into that, can can.

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You delve into that just for a minute or two real quick. I didn't quite understand that part sure so.

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When we get a new voting system, that is something that is put through an rfp with procurement on.

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The state side, we are a top-down state, so anything that the state procures is something we will carry.

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Into so with this last voting system, the state board leased it. It wasn't a purchase, so we have.

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To keep it in pristine condition, because we have to give it back to the vendor when the lease is.

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Expired and the is set to expire in time for the 2026 election. So that's why we're looking at you.

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The state board of elections putting out a new rfp for a new voting system, lease contract that.

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You would be able to lease again. It depends on what the agreement is. We could, of course,.

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Extend the lease on the current voting system, I am hesitant to say that will happen because there are.

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Several pieces of legislation that are looking at different ways of voting, so it's really dictated.

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By the rfp, with the state board of elections and whether it is a purchase or a lease yeah and just.

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To be clear, when you say we really referring to the state board the entity, local, because they're.

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The right they're, the ones who will make the decision as to whether it's lease, whether it's.

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Purchased what systems leased, what systems right and then we just have to make sure that we have.

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The adequate amount of space to facilitate the new coming in yeah. It's interesting. I thought things.

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Were supposed to be getting smaller, but they don't seem to be getting smaller, they seem to.

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Be getting paid, it was significantly smaller prior to 2016, but when we went back to paper that added.

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Instead of having one touch screen unit, there's basically three pieces going into the process now.

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Any other comments, questions yes, um you're building.

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You might not need more space if it were more efficient area, but the building you're in.

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Other words, if parks and rec moved- and you took over that space that doesn't solve your.

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Problem, you need a more efficient layout, safer building. Yes, yes in westminster, or does it.

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Should the preference is to be more centrally located in the county so that we are equally.

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Accessible to all of our voters, yes, but is that a preference or is that.

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A discrimination right, there's nothing that isn't mandated it's one of those just unwritten.

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Rules, I guess that we try to strive to follow as a local board of elections.

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And we try to make sure every county tries to do that to the greatest extent possible.

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Okay, I'd be so where's baltimore counties right, they are in hunt valley.

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Pretty difficult from dundalk to hunt valley but yeah, they also have public transportation. So.

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um There have some protections with that as well. I mean I I do. I understand the intent, but sometimes.

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Again, you're talking about cost estimate and risk, you know where, where does it all fit in.

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I apologize, were you still going? No, no, no, that pretty much good. um She answered. You know.

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Because I've been hearing this for a few years- and I don't disagree- I mean you're. The expert in.

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What right looks like.

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If we found a location or a facility that suits your needs, but not in the right location, does it.

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Outweigh the value of being where you are in west memphis, you know what I mean yeah, I understand so.

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That's a discussion point I would have to to go back to the state board of elections and like they.

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um They have to give final approval to all of our early voting, centers and dropbox locations.

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It would kind of be the same same type of situation, but of course, we again we strive.

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As a county agency to you know be as central as we can for fairness of our voters, because.

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We don't have the public transportation, maybe, like other counties, do and so.

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But you're really a state agency. Well, yes, but we are serving our county voters. Oh I I.

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Understand- and I I don't disagree, but it's mandates that the county has to do. I mean.

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We don't have much of a voice when it comes to funding and following uh the guidelines that are.

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Directed dictated by the state, um so uh this is one of those times where I always like making.

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A comment: nobody knows carroll county better than carroll county and that's not true in this.

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Case, nobody knows carroll county elections better than the state of maryland and that's unfortunate.

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um Now it would be nice if it was under our control. I think we can get a whole lot more.

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Done but like a few others there's just not the way it's designed right, so I can't argue.

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It because that's just not the way it's designed, um I think, um as we move forward.

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Knowing the risk associated with the infrastructure, the sprinklers and things.

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Knowing the um the value or the gain, if you were to get another facility or another x, you know.

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The impact, um I think, is important because uh you know we're we're looking at opportunities, I mean.

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uh There could be a capital project that can help move this along, um and that's really what this is.

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All about it's all capital, um and if I may, one of the other reasons that westminster is more.

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Of an ideal situation is because we are out of space at our early voting center in westminster.

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um It is impeding on our seniors, and so if we had the ability to have something in westminster, that.

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Was large enough to facilitate early voting as well? That would alleviate a lot of other concerns.

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Having your your office and storage along with being co-located with early voting, yes and there.

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Are several counties around the state that do that yeah that have a large enough space too and.

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um That's what's currently in the cip request. Do we have a location like that here in westminster.

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I I don't know um I can give you right off the top of my head in washington county. They are using an.

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Old grocery store that they have created into an early voting center and their office locations. Yes,.

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And anne arundel county uses a industrial park area for similar. It does the state care if you're.

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In a leased facility, they don't no, there are several counties that are in least facilities.

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In industrial parks, most counties actually are in industrial parks now so which would fit the design.

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You're talking about yeah, I don't know, I don't know, what's you know out there um interesting.

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uh Yeah go ahead and I know I know we're probably pressed for time. Do you do we? We have to operate.

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At least three early voting centers and the county is zeros. Okay, that is a hard number. Yes, okay,.

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um And uh yeah, I can see how having a facility with an early voting site in it would have.

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Exponential benefits in terms of training and all the other things you have to do, and logistics and.

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All that so we try to be, it would be ideal right and we try to be very cognizant of our seniors too.

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And the impact it has on on their activities. Okay, any other comments, questions appreciate the.

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The roll-up, um okay, thanks, thank you so much have a great afternoon. Thank you. Thank you very much.

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I don't know if I wish you allow ms eisenberg to come up here yet or not, but.

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You got me again and mary.

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I have this for: uh what's your name, tiffany awesome, thank you. We were so thrilled. Thank.

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You so much that was a big feather for them and their cups. He really did an outstanding.

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Job on that document, oh no! No! No! No! Okay! So! Yes! um I am back here before you good afternoon for.

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um A briefing on the carroll county department of planning.

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So I'm not going to read obviously all of these words, but um this is our mission statement from.

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Our website and what we're really responsible for in carroll county maryland, is one of the.

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Few states in the nation that actually has statewide planning and talking about how the.

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Board of elections, kind of topped out a lot of what we have to do on planning is dictated by.

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The maryland land use article, so, even though we have local autonomy for zoning planning decisions.

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A lot of it's very much outline for us on how to proceed, what the requirements are under state law.

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So, who is the department of planning so we're really a 12-member team and I will say definitely.

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Dedicated staff to the future vision of carroll, county and working with the citizens of carroll.

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County and elected officials and achieving that vision, um so I am obviously linda eisenberg. The.

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Director of planning and the credentials aicp after my name means that I'm a certified planner.

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Through the american institute of planning, which really is the equivalent of passing your bar, I.

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Mean it's a very thorough vetting process, testing process you have to have so many years of service.

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To even be able to participate in the exam itself, so then, underneath of me directly, is mary lane.

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Who's, our planning manager and then price wagner who's, a comprehensive planner, laura bevetta who's.

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My administrative assistant and also clerk to the planning commission I'll get him more into that.

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Further on, we have a gis person on our staff, which is geographic information systems or computer math.

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Means to all those wonderful maps that you see that are so integral to planning kathleen, helps to.

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Prepare this for our department, our receptionist kathy joy, and then we have a wonderful intern who.

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Has been with us for several intern cycles, randolph mitchell and he comes to us from.

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Mcdaniel, which was a really great partnership, we've established with mcdaniel, I mean getting.

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A public policy administration interns to work with us throughout their school year.

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And then comprehensive planner claire stewart who actually is attending mcdaniel getting her.

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Master's degree in public policy, hannah weber, tiffany fawcett, abigail rogers and our newest.

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Planner andrew gray, who was an intern here, 2013-2014 and then graduated college got his.

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Master's degree in planning and then worked for the city of westminster and we were able.

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To steal them back and bring them on to our team, so he's an excellent addition to our team.

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um The reason I wanted to kind of go over everyone's education with you is that most.

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Of our staff is masters prepared. um You know, planning is kind of that discipline where it's.

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Multi-Disciplinary and very general in some ways, but very specific in others, and it really does.

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Take that master preparedness to be at that next level within in the planning, discipline.

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So our planners specialize in geographic areas, so this map demonstrates the geographic areas.

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Of responsibility, because again geography place matters and planning, especially so.

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Not only do our planners have a sense of place for each of the areas they represent.

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They also have a level of understanding of specific disciplines that they're in charge of.

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So, for instance, I'm hannah weber who you've seen come before you many times she processes.

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Our zoning requests, price wagner, processes, water and sewer. These are very in-depth tasks.

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That require a lot of knowledge, so I'd like to have at least one person who really understands.

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The ins and outs of those processes and how to move those through the system so to speak.

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um I tried the best I can to be able to cross-train everyone, but unfortunately,.

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Many other departments were really one deep. So if someone leaves in a particular area.

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I'll fill in um or I'll bring and I'll try to bring someone up to speed. But there's not.

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Another planner who can really jump right in to do those things, but we do do our best to try to.

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Cross train our staff and to understand what other stuff members are working on at any given time.

A

How are those geographic boundaries broken up.

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um Oh, um I can't what I think those are on our general election districts, not the commissioner district.

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um I'm not sure, but when we assign that which I'm not sure, if you're asking they're electing.

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Districts, yeah they're, not our commissioner election districts, but they are election.

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Districts, okay, so um after you all are done. I'd like you to go into my office and on my table is.

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A map from 1912., okay and it has um geographic areas along with um election districts. Okay, I'd.

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Be curious if this is the same as that. Okay, okay, I mean I'm thinking, there's a significant similarity.

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Gotcha I'll have to go check that out so yeah. So do not take my map. You can look at my map.

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I'll take a picture I'll take a picture, um I'm just curious, so no that that's an interesting.

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Question I've never been asked that so we will definitely take a look, but no, they are.

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um The general election districts that they're broken down by um we try to keep planners within.

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A certain regional area like the planner, obviously who does election district six and eight also does.

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Hampstead in manchester um and then sykes was a little bit different, because this particular.

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Planner does the city of psych, so the town of sykesville, but also is responsible for.

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The general finksburg area and then a planner that covers the mount airy region and then the.

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um Union bridge new windsor and then the tawny, town and and the area surrounding tiny town.

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hmm um So not only do we serve the county in terms of our planners and our liaison planners, but we.

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Also work with two commissions within carroll county, and I would argue that the planning and.

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Zoning commission is probably one of the more important boards and commissions within carroll.

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County all plans for development within the county come through the planning and zoning commission.

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For their approval- and they have approval authority over that- and they also work under your.

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Direction in the master planning, comprehensive planning process for your adoption of that plan.

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And that is really under maryland law. What is our guiding document that even things beyond planning.

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Have to be measured against actually such as the cip. That has to be consistent with the plan.

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Basically, the county from a budgetary standpoint shouldn't be spending money, let's just say like.

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On a new school, when a new school hasn't been called for in a planning process, there aren't.

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The demographics to support it, things like that that we're always looking for that consistency.

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So, um as the director of the department of planning, I'm also secretary to the planning.

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And zoning commission and I work with the chair of the commission to set a work plan and monthly.

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Agendas and we come up with two agendas a month, one for our work session, which is a.

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More informal discussion period, I'm a in a business meeting which is really doing.

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The business of the day approving plans and moving projects through the process.

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uh Laura bevetta, as I mentioned, is an administrative person on our team and.

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She is also the clerk to the planning commission, so that requires her working on helping after.

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The agenda is set setting it publishing it posting it mailing it out to not only.

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um Staff but applicants who have particular items on the agenda. She keeps the minutes and working a.

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Lot really closely with chris swam and his team, using our mini track system, making sure that the.

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Videos are done, etc, a memory court and all the records of the commission and sending out all.

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The mailings um so, commissioner garen you were on planning, commission and we have not changed.

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That we still have these huge paper, copies of planned site and subdivision that we mail out.

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For what's on the agenda, those mailings are huge would be amazing to have the complete electronic.

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System, I know we have some components that are electronic, but sometimes you just can't get a.

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Screen big enough when you're unfolding these plans and so really to look at the details and.

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That's what these site plans are very detailed. You need like these big packets. So that's something.

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That we mail out monthly before our meeting, so our planning commission members have enough time to.

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Review that information prior to it being vetted and reviewed at a planning commission meeting.

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um Responsibilities of the commission, as I said, is all things comprehensive, planning the.

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County plans, the comprehensive plan, water and sewer plans which you've seen come before you.

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um Working on a transportation master plan, we'll talk a little bit more about that. We.

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Don't have one in carroll county, we have a roads map from 1964 and that's kind of been that guiding.

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Document for that and you've seen that too, with our discussion on the consolidated transportation.

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Program priority letter um and then all other what we call functional plans. So a bicycle.

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Pedestrian plan parks and recreation things like that, we would consider more functional plans.

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Planning commissions responsible for zoning and subdivision code revisions so as you've seen.

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Happen here, items changing chapters, 155 and 158. The way our code is written are referred.

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From the board of county commissioners to the planning and zoning commission for the review.

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Consideration and recommendation back up to the board of county commissioners.

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Site and subdivision approvals, I mean again consistency requirement for certification.

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We do this for board of zoning appeals when a conditional use or something is appealed to from.

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The planning and zoning commission, our main role, is to look at consistency with the master plan.

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Planning's portion of reviewing site plans is to make sure that that site plan is consistent with.

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The master plan: that's a planning commission responsibility. So not only do we work with.

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Planning, commission a very robust basis. We also work with the historic preservation commission.

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The boundaries of the historic preservation commission is oversight for exterior alteration.

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Improvements and improve approvals in the uniontown historic district, so uniontown is our.

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Only historic district within under the county's jurisdiction and because of his historic district.

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It has to be run by a preservation commission that preservation commission reviews all of the.

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Exterior alterations that are being proposed, they don't meet very regularly. They only meet.

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Typically, when there's an application, that's come before them and that they need to approve.

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Those applications in accordance with how the code is written and what their responsibilities.

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Are we also set agendas working with them for upcoming meetings and so hannah weber, who you've.

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Met before she is our staff to the hpc as we refer to them and that's codified within our zoning code.

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So um planning quickly in a snapshot, um so other boards that we participate in is the baltimore.

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Regional transportation board and the various subcommittees that are tied to that. So I am the.

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County's, empowered representative, so I represent you, the legislative body of the board of county.

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Commissioners on this transportation board the duties and responsibilities of this transportation.

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Board are to fulfill federal requirements and federal funding, distribution of transportation.

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Dollars for the baltimore metropolitan region- and that is a mouthful, but that's exactly what.

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We do mdot is the check holder so to speak and they write the checks and we're kind of asking.

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For how the money and how to distribute it amongst the baltimore region, as you can see by the graphic.

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uh The blue, the map with the blue and gray, the blue, are all of the counties that are part of.

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The baltimore metropolitan council, which is our local mpo, our metropolitan planning organization,.

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That was established under federal law when you meet certain population requirements that.

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You must belong to an mpo and then that's how the funds are passed through and distributed to local.

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Jurisdictions for some transportation projects and other federal transportation programs that.

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Are moving through the system so from my staff, mary lane sits on the technical group kathleen.

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Comer sits on cooperative forecasting I'll explain a little bit more about that chris. Let notchin and.

F

Someone from the sheriff's department are on a safety subcommittee and they are responsible for.

F

On the most recently adopted highway safety transportation, master plan that was required.

F

For every local jurisdiction to do to kind of reach that zero death on roads, mile milestone.

F

We have a bicycle pedestrian group, which claire stewart is a part of, and then the reservoir.

F

Technical group- and that is a technical group that governs the baltimore metropolitan area's.

F

Reservoirs and drinking supply, so liberty, loch raven, pretty boy that whole water system.

F

Has this oversight group and it's we have an operating agreement with the other jurisdictions.

F

um On with regards to land use issues and zoning issues and development issues within the reservoir.

F

Itself, this was not established. I don't believe because I don't think it goes back dates back.

F

That far with the establishment of the reservoirs themselves- but this came much later and we've had.

F

Agreements with the other jurisdictions who draw their water from the baltimore metropolitan system.

F

Dating back to the 80s, um we also re prepare required reports. um So again, a lot of things.

F

Come from the state of maryland, we are required annually to prepare an annual planning report.

F

um And actually I really like this report because it is a snapshot from that year of the.

F

Whole planning and development pipeline and we'll bring this before you all for your um review. Wait.

F

Certified by our planning commission, as well as we prepare this for all of our municipalities, our.

F

Municipalities, some have more or less technical experience than others and staff to be able to.

F

Provide this, so we do it on their behalf and we work with them in their planning commissions to.

F

Get information of what their activities were for the year? This is anything from zoning code changes.

F

To rezoning map amendments to annexation, requests um to how many use and occupancy permits were.

F

Issued for that particular calendar under year and it's a calendar year so january, 1 to december 31st,.

F

We also do the county, comprehensive plan, the water and sewer amendments which we try to do twice a.

F

Year, as well as the required triennial update, which is every three years reset set baseline.

F

For water and sewer within the county, we also do that on behalf of the municipalities as well and.

F

That set out under the coma the code of maryland regulations and then, as you saw earlier today, we.

F

Came forward with the mdot consolidated transportation program's priority letter.

F

Some other things that we do. We do some processes, so obviously you've seen us process. Zoning code.

F

Amendments map amendments also referred to as piecemeal rezonings and annexation requests.

F

Our job in annexation requests is just to process and and to vet the information we.

F

The county have no formal role in annexations. You can approve an annexation. You can't deny an.

F

Annexation, the power that the board of county commissioners does have, though, is if a zoning.

F

Waiver is required by the municipality. A zoning waiver is typically required when the annexation.

F

Request the new zoning for the town, because now they're going into the municipality, is.

F

Fifty percent more intense than what it is in the county, so, for instance, if something is owned.

F

Agricultural, let's say in the county: it's being annexed into the municipality and it's going to.

F

Be zoned commercial of some sort. They then have to request a zoning waiver, and that is.

F

The job of the board of county commissioners to either approve or deny that zoning waiver.

F

If a waiver is denied by the board of county commissioners by state law, the municipality.

F

Cannot rezone that land for a minimum of five years? So then it just kind of stays in like.

F

This limbo, so it really behooves the towns to work with us and to understand the process and.

F

To make sure that we get it right when this annexation occurs, when we don't have issues.

F

With that, we get this pretty frequently when zonium waivers are requested, because the towns.

F

Have the ability to to definitely develop at much higher densities than a lot of the land.

F

Surrounding on the town, because of infrastructure that they provide that the county does not.

F

We'd also administered several programs, the energy saver loan program, the finksburg, sustainable.

F

Community program and thank you, commissioner, kyler for your letter of support and outreach to the.

F

Community trying to get the finksburg community really invested, especially in facade improvements.

F

And so we have a facade improvement program, which is a fifty thousand dollar grant program that we.

F

Have for the finksburg improvement corridor we've loaned six thousand today and we're still trying.

F

To spend that fifty thousand um to have businesses within that corridor of 140 participate to improve.

F

The exterior of their business uh safe routes to school program, which is a sidewalk program, we.

F

Have two safe routes to school, sidewalk programs in carroll, county one's on johnsville, road and.

F

The things and the freedom area, the other one, is in westminster in front of westminster, high.

F

School, which is finishing up design and should hopefully go to construction soon,.

F

um And then we also administer funding through the unified planning work program, which is.

F

Federal funding that comes from our role in the baltimore metropolitan council and then finally,.

F

We are liaisons to the municipalities, we attend each municipal planning, commission meeting and as.

F

Much as possible assist towns and planning efforts. My understanding prior to me being here for the.

F

Last 10 years that before that planning was a much bigger department, much bigger than the 12.

F

Of us- and we did a lot more work with the towns, we did a lot of work um really on the ground planning.

F

With them, we don't really have that ability and there's pros and cons of why we can and.

F

Can't or shouldn't should not do that because it is the town's plans, but we understand that.

F

They don't have a lot of staff or abilities, so we try to work with them as best as we can. But it's.

F

Hard to balance out with all of the duties that we have as well and the amount of staff that we have.

F

um And uh we also work with community groups in the non-incorporated areas of the county.

F

By attending their meetings and working on planning projects and processes with them.

F

um The finksburg community group is what and we've had great success with.

F

Them as well as the freedom district, community, association group or fdca.

F

So here's just some examples of the work. We do our comprehensive plans. We.

F

Have three main plans in the county: the county master plan, the freedom plan and.

F

The finksburg plan they're required to be updated in some fashion every 10 years by.

F

The state, basically the stick with that is, if we don't have an up-to-date master plan, they.

F

Could challenge rezoning request that that the county moves forward with, and there are.

F

Required elements, so this is an example of the elements that were required to have in.

F

Those plans so community facilities, development regulations, goals and objectives, housing, land.

F

Use sensitive areas, transportation and water resources and that's a big element and that's.

F

Something that atlanta resource management is working on now with the water resources element.

F

um Comprehensive rezoning you've heard seen a lot about this. We just finished a major undertaking.

F

um It was the first comprehensive revision of the county code and its maps really in county.

F

In the county history, since we've adopted zoning, we've done bits and pieces, but never.

F

An entire look at the entire county in the unincorporated areas, because again that's.

F

Where we have our jurisdiction, the towns do their own. um This was a four-year process.

F

And it was just completed this past december right before you all came on board. It follows.

F

An adopted land use plan and so depending on which of the three plans geographically.

F

The areas based or to follow that plan, and really this is where the rubber meets the.

F

Road- and this really is the major implementing tool that we have for our master plan process.

F

Water and sewer planning again we not only do this for the county, we do it for the.

F

Municipalities as well, we work with them on where their planned areas are what they can.

F

And can't serve where their lines are. It's very high level. We look to them to tell us.

F

What they can and can't do it's not the other way around, but we help process all of that for them.

F

And we also do not only a triennial update which is required by this date. But if an amendment.

F

Needs to come forward from a municipality or us where we're either putting someone in or.

F

Taking someone out which happens both ways we organize and run that process and bring it to.

F

You well because, each time it's amended, it's a new adoption of the plan, and then that goes.

F

To maryland, department of the environment for their final stamp of approval- and this is just.

F

An example of the areas within the county that have some type of water and sewer infrastructure.

F

So basically, all of our corporate areas and our growth area, except for the finksburg area and.

F

Which you can see is this little small area finksburg originally to the along 140 to the.

F

Southeast was planned for over 3 000 acres of another one of our growth areas and at the time.

F

When it was thought of and contemplated, was when there was still a consideration of water.

F

And sewer infrastructure for the things area, but that never came to fruition so.

F

um In the late like 2010 or so 2011, when they were revamping, the finksburg area decided to contract.

F

The growth area from that over 3000 acres to now 640 acres, which is really the commercial.

F

Corridor of the finksburg area- and there are no long-range plans for water and sewer for this.

F

Area so we're just concentrating concentrating on redevelopment of that commercial corridor.

F

um We're also we do a lot of. I talked about demographics. um I talked about.

F

Our cooperative forecasting, we can't know where we are or wherever we're going. If we don't know.

F

Who we're serving and how many people we have to serve? um So we are constantly updating numbers of.

F

um What we call population estimates, the only true gauge of population, is the census, and we do that.

F

Every 10 years our agency is the lead coordinator for the decennial census in 2020 carroll county.

F

Was number one in the state for self-reporting so meaning that we got the word out well enough.

F

To our constituents that they went and actively participated in taking the census, we think that's.

F

A simple thing to do, and it should be our citizen duty to to count where we are where and where.

F

We're there but a lot of people there's a lot of um uh you know, concern with giving out your.

F

Information and working with the census, but that's how we distribute money in this country from the.

F

Federal government and local government and target where money needs to go, so we were number one in.

F

The state for the self-reporting and number 20 in the nation out of 3 200 counties in the.

F

Country, so we really did a great job working with our partners and working within carroll county.

F

um With our census board and and the group of people that stopped that board- and I could not.

F

Be more thrilled with the turnout and of all the good work that was done with that.

F

um So again, it's our role in the region. We belong to a cooperative forecasting group and this is.

F

Really great because I'm not a demographer demography is a very specialized discipline.

F

We don't really have a demographer on staff, um but our gis person, kathleen comer, does a.

F

Great job attending these meetings and helping to participate and working on our projections.

F

And bmc does have demographers and so does the state. So we work with the state data center and.

F

The baltimore metropolitan council on helping us hone in what those numbers are for our population.

F

In the future, so this is just an example of the data that they help us produce, so we do.

F

Our population projections whoops as well as employment, too, is another big indicator, so we.

F

Also, have employment information that we work on um with this group as well.

F

Some upcoming projects, um we're always moving forward, always have a lot to do um some things.

F

That we're working on currently um we're finishing up our carroll county transportation, master plan.

F

Again, I said: we've never done one like a really comprehensive, thorough plan. We've done bits and.

F

Pieces of things, um but we only have a 1964 roads plan, so mary um has been leading that effort along.

F

With claire stewart in our office to come up with a transportation master plan for the county,.

F

um And, as you all know, we're working and you mentor consultants, a carroll.

F

County economic development and land use study, we have our first workshop.

F

um Scheduled for next thursday 5 to 7 pm and exploration commons, so I'm hoping uh someone.

F

You you'll be able to attend if possible, and that really brings in members of the.

F

Community we've been doing outreach, we've talked to a lot of the towns are interested in coming.

F

um And so hopefully we have a nice turnout for that. We have an evening of activities planned to.

F

Really hone in on what some of the interests are within carroll county we're also working.

F

On a parking requirement study to see where our parking requirements sit, if we are over.

F

Parked under parked what is kind of that sweet spot? What's new modern parking code, look like.

F

um There's been a lot of changes if nothing else that the pandemic has taught us that now there's a.

F

Lot of curbside pickup for all sorts of different things, and you got to make space for grub hub and.

F

All the food delivery services too, so making sure that we are staying up with the times on that.

F

Working on a housing study, housing is going to be a big component of our next master plan. It's.

F

Something that is being required very robustly by our state land use authority, local authority.

F

And then that will all kind of build up to the next carroll county master plan, which we are.

F

Looking to kick off in 2025 that'll be a little more than 10 years. Since our last plan um adoption.

F

um And then this is just our contact information, and so that is all I have for you today.

F

Was it 15 minutes, 14, minutes and 45 seconds? Yes,.

F

That can kick back plus another 30 minutes. Oh stop! It wasn't that bad bad. Any comments, questions a.

A

Lot of information, I have a question that's really from this morning, but I'm slow and maybe it's.

E

Not you guys, I'm curious. um I've been I've been curious over the years. Why you don't see a lot of.

E

Plan unit developments in carroll county and where they fit in the planning and the zoning I'll be.

E

Sure to see that they've been very successful in frederick county yep, so we do have a pud component.

F

um We really only have one pud in the county, and I say it that way is because the municipalities.

F

Have yeah yeah right so in the county, under our jurisdiction, we have one in the freedom area.

F

um The reason I don't, I can't answer for the municipalities, why you don't see more there within.

F

The county, I would say, if you're going to see it anywhere, you have to see it in the freedom area.

F

Because you need infrastructure, you need water and you need sewer and that's the only area in the.

F

County in which we have them, um it's a development um choice under our zoning code. It's not required.

F

And we don't have a pud um zone specifically we give that flexibility. So if a developer were to.

F

Come in and the property meets the criteria, then they are certainly welcome to put a pud.

F

In but we don't do anything to incentivize or disincentivize puds, depending on like like for.

E

Instance, well, freedom. You said that's where it almost has to be in most areas there could it be.

E

um Single house apartments, uh some commercial or not, that much of a mix.

F

You can have some of that mix absolutely. I think it's really depend on the property itself and.

F

What type of site plan they they came into us with, but yes and we've had developers. I think.

E

Over the years give us a school site, some of them were very costly, but not as part of a pud.

E

Where you see in other counties well, we did one in spring ridge where there was a school site in the.

E

Plan mix and, of course, colombia I was associated with the pud. There was a school site associated.

A

With the community yeah, I mean on large-scale developments when you're talking several hundred.

F

To almost a thousand units, yeah you're gonna get that sort of thing. We have not had that type of.

F

Large-Scale development come in in carroll county. So that's why we have not seen things like that. We.

E

Probably don't have room hardly anyplace, I would say currently under our current infrastructure.

F

I I'd say we'd be very hard-pressed to find that type of land available to do that type of.

F

Development yeah now that you're over time. Thank you very much. No. I appreciate the conversation.

F

Any other comments we know how to find you. I just had a quick ask: if I can you.

C

Know unrelated, when able, if I could get a electronic version of that ctp letter.

C

From last march, email it to me when you get a chance, yep, absolutely we'll send that up to you.

C

Thank you very much. Thank you. Take care have a great day. Thank you. Yeah yeah, that map.

A

A

Target community services- I think, oh I apologize maryland department of ag was actually so. I.

A

I'm sorry um yes, department of ag sorry about that. How best to distributes sure how are you.

A

Doing this afternoon, I'm doing fine thanks. How are you, gentlemen, doing every day? Okay,.

G

Everybody got copy there. Okay, I was asked to come in and talk a little bit about the forest pest.

G

Management activity my group uh does in carroll county I'm the regional entomologist through the.

G

Maryland department of agriculture, forest pest management, section carroll county- is one of four.

G

And a half counties that I'm responsible for um we've been doing activities related to forest.

G

Pest management since the late 1970s, our primary insect of concern is the spongy moth, formerly.

G

Known as gypsy moth, um and there have been several outbreaks through the years, resulting in some.

G

Defoliation and damage to the forests in carroll county, the last outbreak in central maryland, was.

G

In 2006, through 2009 and during that period we did do aerial spraying in carroll, county.

G

And we follow up with uh defoliation surveys and additional uh population surveys, the pot, the gyps.

G

Spongy moth populations have been low for the last since 2009, primarily due to some diseases.

G

That affect the caterpillars, so we've been very lucky knock on a wood. We do currently have an.

G

Outbreak going on down on the lower eastern shore last year, we sprayed 7 000 acres this year, we're.

G

Proposing about 6 000 acres, so uh just a couple other highlights of the spongy moth program.

G

Annually we conduct egg mass surveys in qualifying wooded areas on a priority basis.

G

We ask that the county do a 50 percent cost share on the cost of these surveys. The finish.

G

The season that we just finished up, we conducted 414 of these egg mass surveys in carroll, county.

G

Of those, only one positive site was found. That was one one egg mass. So that's very good. uh The.

G

Wooded areas we did about 30 percent of the wooded areas if we were to find an active uh spongy, moth.

G

Population that reaches above a threshold where we suspect that defoliation will occur. We propose.

G

And implement an aerial suppression project if we do have one of those projects, we request that.

G

The county's cost share 25 to 50 percent of the cost on the suppression project. We do get federal.

G

Funds for that normally they're up to 50 percent of the cost, the state and the county would share.

G

The additional money that the federal government didn't cover and if we do have the suppression.

G

Project we do follow up with monitoring, caterpillar survival and mapping defoliation.

G

Other projects that we do, that we don't directly build the counties to that are funded through.

G

Federal grants, hemlock woolly, indelgid suppression. Fortunately, there there's not a lot of hemlock in.

G

Carroll county there's only one small stand in patapsco valley state park. We set out.

G

Various insect traps for pests like the cyrex wood wasp, which has not been found in maryland,.

G

The walnut twig beetle, which is a vector of a thousand canker disease, and that is starting.

G

To be found in other areas of of maryland this year we found some in western baltimore county.

G

So it's closing in on the carroll county border, a new condition, that's come up, is beach leaf.

G

Disease, which is caused by a nematode, so we do visual inspections of beech trees in the.

G

County for that oak decline, monitoring this is a pretty active thing throughout much of.

G

The mid-atlantic we are seeing oak trees dying for really an unknown reason. We are involved in doing.

G

Some sample collections- what's the university of maryland- is helping analyze for that. So when we.

G

Get homeowners that call and tell us that their trees are are dying. We will come out and take a.

G

Look and take samples, if appropriate, we assist other mda and dnr programs in various forced.

G

Pest issues and we respond to citizens, inquiries or requests on unknown forest health issues.

G

uh The map that I have you is the results of our egg mass surveys for this past season. There's only.

G

One area that again, I said we had one positive site uh where taylorsville area is there's one.

G

One wood lot in there, that's green, the yellow ones are the ones we surveyed and didn't find.

G

Any evidence and the other gray ones or areas that we have selected that meet our criteria.

A

Changing it from gypsy moth to spongy mouth. Is that trying to be politically.

A

Correct, yes, it was determined that gypsy was culturally offensive to the romanian people.

G

So it's been quite a uh endeavor for government agencies to go through and.

G

Rebrand all their literature- and I personally had to deal with our department web page and.

G

Go through and change how change all that um yeah! I got my own feelings about that one. uh You said.

A

The county would be responsible for recommended 25 to 50 percent, the cost for suppression. Yes, what is.

A

That, actually in dollar figures well, the last year our applicator cost was about 32 dollars, an acre.

G

But when we figure in all of our other resources last year down on the eastern shore, it was about.

G

Forty dollars an acre okay, so that would be rough. It you know, and every every year we have a project.

G

We have to contract a an aerial applicator right, so we we never know what that price is.

G

Going to be- but I think, last year, our higher our highest bidder was 45 dollars, an acre so.

A

Okay, any questions, comments thousand canker disease sounds uh not fun. No, it's not for.

G

The walnut trees, the the the interesting part about that is this is a disease primarily of a.

G

Shrub tree in the west called the arizona walnut, but people who moved out west from the east coast.

G

Decided that our eastern walnut would make a good ornamental tree, and so they took eastern walnuts.

G

And planted them out west outside their normal range. The trees were stressed. These beetles attack.

G

Trees in great number and they carry a fungus with them and they put the fungus into the wood.

G

Into their egg hole, they lay bore holes in the tree to lay their eggs and the fungus gets in.

G

And kills the wood around the hole? So when you peel the bark off it literally, is a thousand.

G

Cankers, underneath the bark killing the trees now they've been finding the disease and the beetles.

G

In maryland, but it's not killing the trees here like it does out in the west, and that's typical.

G

Here on the east coast, with the native range of the trees being healthier than they were out, west.

E

The oak decline makes me wonder it seems like so many locust trees.

E

Fall over well before they should, but is that just an indication of their poor root pattern.

E

Yeah, locust trees have a very shallow yeah. So that's why not a disease not a decline? It's just.

E

That's how locusts are yeah this. This oak decline is really a mystery to every a lot of people. We.

G

Have the university of maryland plant pathologists, the u.s forest service, plant, pathologists, trees,.

G

Leaf out in the spring, look very healthy and then sometime mid june through the rest of the summer.

G

In a matter of three or four days, they'll go from being green to brown, to dead and.

G

um It's it's so you know we're fine, we we take these samples and they find the typical native.

G

Funguses, that would be around attacking trees, the the most recent stuff that the university.

G

Of maryland came up with is the extreme weather conditions really wet conditions.

G

That they think that the trees, actually the some of the root structures, may be drowning from the.

G

Excessive moisture that we had particularly 2018 and 2019, um but there were we're still.

G

In the process of looking at you know surface but funguses soil funguses things like that. So.

G

It's an ongoing it's an ongoing process for trying to figure out what's causing this oak oak decline.

A

Okay, any other uh questions good discussion. Thank you, sir sure. Thank you very much.

A

Okay, now I apologize matthew uh target community and educational services.

H

Good afternoon, good afternoon, I've been teaching this week. I can't look at another powerpoint.

H

Presentation, let alone read one to you, so I'm just going to talk first is an introduction to myself.

H

I'm new to carroll, county and new to maryland. I moved for this position moved in late june, started.

H

The work on july 1st I've spent about the last 20 years, just north of kansas city at a place called.

H

Benedictine college, where I was a professor, an administrator and I grew up in a county.

H

Very similar to carroll county in in south central kansas on a large hereford ranch, um so I've I've.

H

Had a very welcome and comfortable reception, and I appreciate that I got to spend some time with.

H

You didn't know I was there, but I appreciated your time on the carroll leadership, county government.

H

Day it was great to hear your thoughts and and get to know all of you in talking about target.

H

The first thing I like to do in a presentation is to ask: if you all have any questions I I.

H

Would hate to leave the room today with without answering any questions or concerns that you have.

H

Okay, so a brief history of target we're celebrating our 40th year this year target.

H

Was conceived of an idea in the early 1980s? Not knowing your connection to disabilities in the.

H

Early 1980s, we were in a time of social change related to society's treatment of individuals.

H

With disabilities before 1960-1970, if you were born in this country with a disability,.

H

It's very likely that you were put into a long stay institution really a human warehouse people.

H

That did remain in the community were very hidden from the community. When I was in college, I learned.

H

That I had a great uncle who was not born with a disability but contracted scarlet fever at a very.

H

Young age, my great grandpa who's, scotch and irish and stubborn was told by a doctor to to send him.

H

To an institution, I'm sure my great-grandfather's response included where to put that advice in a.

H

Place that the sun doesn't shine, and so my uncle paul was taken back to the farm and only on a full.

H

Moon when great grandpa would hitch the horses to the wagon, would he leave the farm for a wagon.

H

Ride so for for most of our history, we've cut people with disabilities hidden from society.

H

Through de-institutionalization in the 1960s and 70s, we stopped sending people out of the community.

H

To those institutions and then really released people back into the community and thus a need.

H

For an increase in community services serving these individuals in the place that they lived.

H

The first backlash was residential communities that were a lot like the institutions only.

H

Smaller, I grew up working in group homes for 10 or 12 people lived or were housed. I don't.

H

Think that's a very natural expression of how we organize our lives. I tell my.

H

College students that, unless they moved to new york city right after graduation with no.

H

Money, they're, probably not going to be in a situation with 10 or 11 other roommates.

H

The target homes that exist within the county and and the community of westminster we.

H

Have seven are home to three individuals with disabilities? This is a more natural expression.

H

um Of the homes one is out on houck road in the county. The other six are here within the community.

H

How, because uh that we call it, the houck house was a house that we purchased and and have renovated.

H

For our needs, the other six homes here within the city limits have been customly. Custom built.

H

For our needs, unique things about our residential program is our partnership with mcdaniel college.

H

So my job is not only as the ceo of target, but I also have an endowed professorship at mcdaniel.

H

Where I direct a master's program in human service management, the students in the program are target.

H

Employees who live in the group, homes and pairs, so we call them community living managers, they're.

H

Working within those homes managing all of the operations of the home, while receiving.

H

And studying for studying for and receiving the master's degree, so, in addition to the people we.

H

Serve residentially we're also recruiting eight people a year to come to westminster, to to enhance.

H

Their education and many of them stick around. We try a target to hire the very best of our students.

H

The other agencies in town that serve those with disabilities work to hire our folks as well. In.

H

Fact I'm sure you'll hear from my three colleagues the three other agencies that serve people with.

H

Disabilities, the ark flying colors in penmar. Those three ceos are graduates of this program and so.

H

Beyond the people that we serve, I think we have a high impact on the community in terms of job.

H

Development, this is a vision of mine. Like I said, I come from a rural area, a county whose makeup is is.

H

Very much like carroll county, I'm a lifelong 4-h, and I believe that that it is my job to to serve.

H

The commitment to the community, in addition to our residential homes, we operate our services in.

H

Two other spaces really three personal support, so these are individuals who are younger right. Many.

H

Of the people in our group, home are of an age that they may have been institutionalized. Many.

H

Of them were in the early part of their life, but in 1975 people with disabilities gain the.

H

Civil rights to public education through the what we now call ida special ed law.

H

And so students who are my age and younger, have gone to school, have been able to develop.

H

Themselves, personally, economically and and so engage in an environment today, where they.

H

Need much less support, they're able to live more independently work within the community, sometimes.

H

They do need help accessing the community, the recreation, their church life, the other.

H

Aspects of community life, and so through personal supports, we help them. We currently serve about.

H

34 individuals, through personal, supports, we also operate in the vocational space. These individuals.

H

Need a different level of support within their vocational life. We currently serve 57 individual.

H

Through vocational services, not all of them are working within the community about 75 percent of.

H

Them have paid jobs within the community. We have a new challenge from the state of maryland. That.

H

Demands that individuals in our vocational services are out working or volunteering.

H

um And that's all of them. The challenge becomes when you, when you are someone with a disability.

H

um The the way that you age might be very different than how all of us will age, and so, while.

H

I probably will work into my late 60s or early 70s. We we serve people who are in their 50s who really.

H

No longer have the capacity to work, and so, even though the state believes that they all should be.

H

Working some just don't have the capacity to do so. So some of those folks come to our offices during.

H

The day and engage in an employment programs, but not really with the goal of independent employment.

H

The fourth area that we serve is through the carroll county. Public schools target operates.

H

The autism waiver, and so we're serving many students a year in the summertime in workforce.

H

Development programs who are on the spectrum, as I mentioned, the value that I bring to target, is.

H

Community development and so of the individuals that we serve directly, we are developing their.

H

Lives within the community so that they can have a contribution to the community so that they can.

H

Have jobs so that they can pay taxes, so they can fully exist within our democracy. The secondary.

H

Level that, I think is just as important is, is workforce development, we're a human service.

H

Agency, we not only serve our participants in our residents. We also serve the folks on our team. The.

H

Folks that work with us we're beginning to develop a partnership with carroll community college. We've.

H

We've have we've set aside some policies since I've been here, we've written policy to support.

H

Our employees going through their certified nurses aid program. Those are skills that are directly.

H

Beneficial in our residential residential homes, but also a tithe that rises all ships related to.

H

The workforce within the county we'll be unveiling other means of developing our workforce in the.

H

Future um we've just finished the process of developing our new goals and benchmarks to.

H

Report to you on a bi-annual basis. My background is an assessment at the at the college level. I.

H

Think the goals that we've given you over the last few years were goals for the sake of goals.

H

I can't lead an organization that doesn't make database decisions, so we're going to do some more.

H

Detailed reporting, I'm sorry if the information is more than you want to read, but I'm not going to.

H

Give you numbers just to give you numbers, and so that's who I am that's where target is right now.

E

Nothing else I'm curious. Yes, how did you find out about target and what what were.

E

The deciding factors that got you to target and carroll county yeah, so I can.

H

Tell you the short version of the long version. I don't know where I am on time.

H

um So the I found out about it because of a headhunter email um when you, when your name is.

H

At a certain level on a college website, you get these, I very very rarely read them. Benedictine.

H

College is my alma mater and so when you've reached tenure in full professorship at your alma.

H

Mater you don't leave. My youngest is a freshman at st louis university and graduated from high.

H

School in the spring, so this was the first chance that I had to look around for something different.

H

Something else about me because I'm a farm kid I don't work at home, I I'll stay 16 hours a day.

H

In the office, if I need to, I don't do a minute of work at home, but the email came in december.

H

When I'm grading final season right and if you've ever graded anything, you will take any excuse not.

H

To grade- and so I was at home with my laptop, this email popped up from a search institute, I read it.

H

And I I knew pretty clearly after reading the email that this is what I needed to do next.

H

um My dad, I my college students, teach me the word is voluntold. I was as a 13 year old was.

H

Volunteled to go work at a summer camp for people with disabilities that was new and in my church.

H

Community, I did not want to do that. I had no experience with people with disabilities, but my we.

H

Were bailing hay that week and so if you know that job you're looking for excuses to get out of it,.

H

And so I knew after that week that this is how I wanted to organize my life. I've been in special.

H

Ed as a teacher and then preparing special ed teachers, but the I've you know, I've worked in the.

H

Ivory tower for a long time and the the call to come back to the field and to be able to split my.

H

Time with the was still teaching at mcdaniel, but every morning I sit in the lobby of our building.

H

I've been a school principal and so you know stand outside when the kids get there and I sit in the.

H

Lobby as our individuals come in to participate in programs, and I didn't get that on a college campus.

H

I didn't get that daily interaction. Carroll county, specifically I've been in kansas, it's february in.

H

Kansas right now there is some green here, and so my overall mental state is much better I've. I've.

H

Been a lifelong kansan maryland seemed like a great place to come. I lived equal distance.

H

From I-70 in kansas, as I do here in maryland, it's nice to be on the east coast, it's nice to be in a.

H

County that seems very familiar economically politically, as the counties I've come from.

H

So um yeah I graduated also with a special ed degree, so 94 142 was embedded in my head.

A

That's right um and it's the public law that um ensures children of special needs.

A

Are education is available to them between ages, 3 and 21.? That's right, and uh that was you know.

A

Very important to all of us when that law was passed in the early 70s and I'm sure.

A

That's what you were referring to 1975 november, the 10th and um autism. uh There's a facility.

A

Relatively new down in eldersburg, the southern part, are you familiar with its early childhood.

A

I am okay yep. I believe that mrs collier is the director of that program. She's a graduate of our.

H

Master's program yep- and uh you know I introduced them- also to the school system ccps- and this was.

A

Must have been in uh the summer um uh so anything we can continue to do.

A

um I believe teamwork uh to work with children on the spectrum. You know one person doesn't have.

A

At all, like you said, the rising water, all ships, that kind of stuff there's a lot to go around and.

A

um That's a a good organization uh that I'm, you know believe, can go a long ways in partnership.

A

With ccps and you, um along with uh organizations like the ark, you know uh you know, um don rau is a.

A

Great guy- and hopefully you uh have made you know some of those relationships. Yeah we have breakfast.

H

Once a month, don's been a great mentor to help me come to understand fantastic, although he's a.

A

Winner winner's mill wrestling fan that will won't hold that against him. If you've had his sausage.

H

You might ever look that what's that he makes great sausage at christmas time. You got to get.

H

On his list, oh okay, I need to know that so uh he lives in a nice rural area yeah, but um no. This is.

A

Great you're, you said all the right things. um You know it's, it's all about community. It's all about.

A

Bringing the team together so uh appreciate you coming in um any comments or thoughts.

C

There's a new facility or service down on main street in mount airy that I'm not personally.

C

Familiar with, but you might be, I'm just trying to gather a little situational awareness on what.

C

That is exactly I don't know, you know what I'll I'll um it's fairly new they just opened. I think.

C

They're providing service to people in that area. I will reach out to you and okay. You can.

C

Try to figure out what it is together, because I kind of feel like I need to know what it is.

H

That'd be great: that's my area down yeah, okay, yeah I've been through mount airy a few times.

H

And I finally stopped at a thai restaurant right off the highway that now I don't drive by without.

C

Stopping yeah we're on the outer we're outer rim over there. So not everybody gets down in mount.

C

Airy but yeah I'll reach out to you sounds great your time too yeah, no fantastic anything else.

A

Okay. Thank you, sir. So much, gentlemen. Thank you for your service, we'll see you very much.

E

Yeah without our early questions, you kind of hit every topic. Well, thank you. You did yeah.

A

um Thank you so much yep. Thank you for uh the good of us um a couple things before we close.

A

um Just want to share and then also open up for any open admin. Additional uh linda eisenberg did.

A

Check out that map, oh yeah and she says it's identical, no kidding wow, so the 1912 electoral.

A

Map, that's brilliant. Is the map they're using she goes. It's identical. Isn't that fascinating isn't.

A

That incredible, so you wonder what or when that started. But we know it's at least 1912. um and.

A

It's just like saying that that 1912 map I have in my office is identical to what linda showed he.

D

Looked and she said that really cool, that's cool yeah and it's like the last sense census. I think.

E

um Your your close personal friend, commissioner weaver, he was so sure his area grown. It actually.

D

Had shrinkled a little bit and and yeah they, they moved the maps around, but the.

E

Population, you know it's, we carroll county stays pretty consistent it does. It really didn't agree.

A

um The second thing I want to share: I got a call from jessica cook. uh Sarah according's office.

A

Senator corden wants to come out here uh physically, come out here and focus on veterans.

A

um And uh look at the veteran programs because we continue to highlight it and the importance of it.

A

And we invited him out to see the veterans uh site. That's going to be, you know, built.

A

And that's a large reason why he wants to come out because of appropriations.

A

um I have a few dates uh in march early march. um None of them are on a tuesday, so.

A

The veterans council doesn't fit, but getting them over to the veteran support offices. Talking with.

A

um You know uh celine and and uh gina and bobby all part of the veterans program talk about the.

A

Veteran celebration show him the site, I think, there's enough to fill. You know a few hours.

A

But uh I'll get more information as this kind of gets packaged, but I just want to.

A

Give you a heads up: um it's always cool when somebody's reaching out to us at a.

A

Level that high that has money and can touch purse strings wanting to know about programs.

A

That we're running so I'm that's a good thing that was adam. That was awesome. Yeah.

A

um And uh okay is there anything else I know is a long one uh for the good of the group.

A

Seen here none, I need a motion to adjourn.

A

So moved second, any discussion seen here: none all in favor, aye.