Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 20 Jul 2023

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From YouTube: Board of Carroll County Commissioners Open Session July 20, 2023

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And in particular, the term fascist has been used to describe those who have made.

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The decision- and you know this point in our political debates with each other- it's you.

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Know the term fascist has become this real. It's a boring and vacuous insult that you.

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Hurl at people with whom you disagree, when you have no real argument to offer yourself.

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um You know in an actual fascist nation, you know a fascism institution such as a school is part of.

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An apparatus of the state and that's designed to instill a politically based subservience to.

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The state and the state is the encompassing whole and so, in the actual present circumstance you find.

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That the board of education in the school system are taking into account individual concerns of.

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Parents as something that no fascist entity would ever permit, uh so you know, let's be very serious.

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About this, what they're doing is not fascism, it's common sense. It's it's human decency.

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You know it is the truth that you know children are the primary, loving responsibility of their.

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Parents and- and so yes- their parents, definitely do matter and count when they're determining.

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What their children are exposed to when they're out of their uh direct care? uh You know the the.

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Board of education into the public school system should take into account the the concerns of.

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Parents does not make them fascists, it makes them responsible. It means that they're doing their jobs.

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You know and and I'll sum up with this you know a graphic depiction of sexual activity is a far cry.

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From atticus finch pleading for truth and justice in a court case, and so certainly those who are.

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Charged with overseeing education in our county, schools are well within reason uh to review titles.

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With concerns to the parents of the children who attend those schools, you know we as commissioners.

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Provide funding and support to our schools into our board of education, and so we are also.

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Ultimately, accountable to those same parents and to our own consciences as well, and so I just want.

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To clearly state on the record here that I totally support the decision of dr mccabe and the board of.

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Education to review these titles of concern, and, uh commissioner, that's it for me this morning. Thank.

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You, okay thanks, commissioner kyler. Thank you and thanks for those comments about the uh the schools.

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I I really appreciated having been on the board of ed during the pandemic times. It was interesting.

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It was sad who calls names versus having facts and, and it's a lot of them out there and uh I'm.

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I'm a fascist, a racist, a homophobe. I forget what else, but uh you know if that's all they can. If.

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They can't find a legitimate complaint and want to name call it. It just takes away their argument.

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So I thank you. um I want to start out with a couple things I didn't make it to in the.

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In the past week and the tractor pull at the ag center that that's a great event, I wish.

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I'd had time, and I just didn't and then raising cane the uh soft opening and the and the ribbon.

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Cutting and and it's interesting, which I guess is good- um we beat on social media, occasionally.

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But it just amazes me with uh people waiting in line to go there and people praising it and.

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And then people condemning it, which, if you don't want to go, don't get in line, don't go, but why are.

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You condemning it and I thought it was such an appropriate comment and I guess they're based.

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In louisiana, I'm not sure it said if you made a comment like this in louisiana, you wouldn't.

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Be around anymore, so uh maybe maybe we're pretty forgiving in maryland. um What did go to veterans.

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Advisory council, as always a great group, and uh it seems like the numbers in there- are picking up.

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And uh it's just a great group and and we've said it and said it and said it but veterans. If.

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If you need something please reach out, um we mentioned last week and I'll mention again all.

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The carnivals uh I walked in manchester's parade I've gone to every carnival, we've had town time.

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To go to and try to support them and eat, and it's some great food, adam and uh um we've been blessed.

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With pretty good weather, it's uh the weather isn't helping the farmers, but it's helping the carnivals.

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I did get the ride in reese's parade last night rhonda and I both got the got to ride in the fire.

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Truck and uh I got to do the siren and the horn a little bit and it's just it's interesting and.

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I understand these parades are hard, of course, reese. uh The last parade they had was 25 years.

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Ago, but um this is their 75th year, so they did one it's hard in today's world to orchestrate a.

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Parade with traffic with state roads, county roads, etc, etc. But it's it's crazy to look.

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At the kids and a lot of the adults and up to it, including my age, adults, they love it.

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They're sitting there waving and and they love it, and so I applaud our volunteer fire companies.

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That that do the parades- it's it's good for the community and the carnivals are good for.

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The community and good for the volunteer fire companies and they're not easy to uh to put.

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Out either- and I know manchester I think was hurt a little bit, not so much by weather as.

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Threatening weather- and it just seems like that- keeps the crowd away when they threaten weather.

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And uh and before I get criticized before I talk about the last subject, I do love.

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Carroll county and uh the the fire companies and the people out there. It's just awesome.

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um Now I want to talk about my next love um wrestling uh amateur wrestling. This week's fargo.

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In uh in the dakotas- and it is uh an awesome tournament, if you, if you're.

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Interested in watching any of it, it's freestyling greco, not high school style,.

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A little different and uh it's everybody from the whole country and and it's just.

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A great event you can get on flow wrestling, you can watch matches, you can see results.

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um Many of you that that pay any attention to wrestling recognize uh helen mccarless.

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And kevin snyder were our country's two gold medalists in the olympics one year and they.

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Both were from maryland and uh it is interesting, the girls and boys both in maryland. They have some.

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Some competitors right now that are, are going to be as good as these guys were and and it's fun.

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To watch them there's an under 16 group and then there's a high school age group and.

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The the other thing about it that I feel strongly is lacking in so many things today.

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um A everybody doesn't get a trophy um you're in your trophy um and b.

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I applaud every wrestler that goes, you can go and be oh and two typically in in this.

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Wrestling two losses: you're done, you can be owing two. I don't think any of the marylanders were. Oh.

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um A couple one and two, some five and two and you don't place, but it takes a lot of guts.

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To enter something like this, knowing you're going to compete with the best of the country.

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And sometimes get it handed to you and it's so easy to be a big fish in a little pond and.

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Never step out of the pond and find out what the world's like and these kids are.

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Doing it, and I I give them a lot of credit, and uh you know we always want to say kids.

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Aren't the same today there we, we got some great kids today and uh we just need to.

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um Mentor them and guide them in the right directions. Thank you guys. Okay,.

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Thanks, commissioner, gordon thank you. On friday, I attended bastille day event at.

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Genie bird baking company in westminster is a very nice event. uh Wide array of french.

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Food from escargot to french wines- and it's a very nice evening and of course.

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You know hosted by genie, byrd, baking companies own bernie vogel, which is a mainstay in westminster.

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It's always great to see our local business owners and small business owners having various events.

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And supporting them, so it was a great event bernie had had. Actually, I think if I remember.

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Correctly three different events that week with the friday night dinner being the last and I know.

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He had a very very busy week for for him and his staff. Also this week the wait is over, as we know.

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You know, raising cane's is open in westminster and I heard everything from 20-minute lines to in the.

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Drive through to a wide array of commentary on the food and a lot of excitement always good to see.

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Another business different kind of business, but that's what it's all about is you know a variety.

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Of businesses and entities in our community I was unable to attend that this week I was hoping to.

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But uh between planning zoning meetings, our vac meeting yesterday and then a few other meetings, I.

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Wasn't able to unable to attend that, but I do want to get out and meet the the individuals running.

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That over there I know, they've already met with a couple non-profits and they're looking to support.

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Our community and I think, that's fantastic to have them so welcome to westminster and carroll county.

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Also coming up, we have an event I wanted to mention just to the public.

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We have a functional training exercise plan for cranberry station elementary, the carroll county.

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Public school system and the sheriff's department and the department of public safety and the.

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Department of fire emergency medical services will be conducting a functional training exercise on.

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Tuesday july 25th from 7 a.m to 2 p.m. At cranberry station elementary and also winters mill high.

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School be utilized during the exercise. Purpose of the exercise is a test each of the participating.

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Agencies, emergency protocols for school critical incidents exercise will be conducted in the area.

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Of gorgeous road and center street in westminster, all the roadways will continue to be open. However,.

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Motorists should observe emergency vehicles during this time and cranberry station elementary school.

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Will be closed to the public for business that day or due to the exercise and anyone needing.

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Any additional information should reach out to the director of elementary schools just wanted.

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To put that out there, because sometimes you see interesting things in the community and you're.

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Not sure if it's something serious or it may be, a training exercise so just be aware also.

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We have august 1st tuesday august 1st will be a national night out. There are multiple locations.

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Here in westminster, but obviously all of us have it throughout all the various parts of the uh the.

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County and I will be moving around westminster that evening, trying to attend as many locations.

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As I can always a good event and august 5th, we have the babylon vault company event for uh we're.

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Having a vietnam veteran welcome home, pinning uh that event will run from noon, I believe till about.

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uh Seven o'clock in the evening there'll be live music there's going to be uh john price a 99 year.

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Old world war ii, navy submariner will be there. uh We'll also have a number of other events included.

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Within that, so, if anyone's in the community and wants to make it out, that would be something to.

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Attend that'll be held over in new windsor and then last but not least, the same day. I also have.

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In westminster, the uh citizens fire academy with the westminster fire department, so that will be.

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Open to residents or business owners over the age of 18., more information can be found on the.

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Westminster fire department's facebook, page or their website to pre-register, which is required.

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And one last thing I will mention, and I know there was a press release this morning- spotted lantern.

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Flies are being seen in carroll county again this year, we've already seen some in the westminster.

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Area and my only thoughts on that is, if you see it squash, it kill it and report it. So we can get this.

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In as to where they are turning up because our incredibly invasive- and we do not want them in our.

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Community, so thank you, okay. Thank you, commissioner. Karen uh good morning, carroll county. I want to.

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Start off by this this morning, I, by wishing uh my my beautiful wife, a happy anniversary, we met happy.

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Anniversary, thank you. Thank you. We met uh 36 years ago in a hallway at south carroll, high school and.

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27 years later, we're celebrating an anniversary, a couple moves, a lot of triumphs tragedies.

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um Three teenagers: it has not been boring at all so uh happy anniversary. Chris.

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Also, I want to mention: we've got a couple things going on down in mount airy. The next couple weeks.

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Of course, we've got the mount airy fire company carnival, which is a big deal right at right. There.

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At the very large carnival grounds at the uh in mount airy from the 31st of july to the 5th of.

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August so get out and support your local fire departments in the mount airy mile, which is a.

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Really cool event is taking place on august 12th and it says nine o'clock on main street.

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So, if you're interested in participating in the mount airy mile, I would encourage you to go to the.

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Website you can just type that into the internet, it'll come up and you can register uh it's for a.

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Good cause, so you know I. uh I appreciate some of my colleagues comments regarding the school board.

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You know um I I'm always reminding others and myself that that we are elected officials with.

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Legislative and executive powers, uh we are not administrators, uh we we pay people to do that. So.

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uh When we have uh concern- or we want to voice our opinions on something, I think it's important to do.

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So uh you know I've been in I've been in. I guess you could say I hate to use the term politics, but.

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I've been involved in politics in the county for about 20 years, when I first ran for that house.

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Of delegates back in 20., 02 and there's always been a vacuum of sorts in terms of of news, so.

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um I'm excited that, in addition to the carroll county times and and the great local reporter.

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They have there's some additional news outlets that have cropped up. There's a maryland muckraker.

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There's a carroll county observer and then there's the informed carol and- and they recently did a.

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Story on this issue regarding the school board and these books, I think it's important to mention that.

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Of course, parents should be concerned. uh Moms are leading the fight on a lot of these things.

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But if you pay taxes in carroll county, you ought to be concerned too, because you're you're, paying.

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For that, whether you have kids in the high school system or not maybe they're gone, maybe you've got.

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Grandkids your own and they live somewhere else, you're all paying into that particular system.

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So it is important to pay attention and it is perfectly reasonable to be concerned about what's.

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In the libraries because you're paying for it, the materials in question I do have to say, did shock.

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Me and we've all seen some wild things out there, but I do have to say what was in the libraries.

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Really kind of threw me for a loop um people want those books removed, and I appreciate the board.

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Of education, responding and listening to those requests, we're not talking about banning anything.

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We're just talking about removing it from the school system, the taxpayer funded school system.

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So it seems perfectly reasonable to me in terms of the name calling that took place. uh You know.

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I talked about this a little bit a few weeks back. I I, I posted a video on this subject. I'm.

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On my phone on my facebook page and I talked a little bit about how these discussions and.

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These sort of issues get started and they do always start out the same way. They start with.

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The name calling the labels- you know: you're labeled, a phobic, you're labeled, an extremist.

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You might even be labeled a terrorist. um That is the tactic that is meant to try to silence you.

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And then, ironically, I mean, commissioner of that, you said it eloquently about the term fascism.

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Could? Because the next step that people use when they're trying to push an agenda is to involve.

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The government have the government, do the work for them and force that will upon people, and that is.

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The actual definition of facts, fascism and marxism, and all these isms we're always talking about so.

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The irony is not lost on any of us, it's not lost on me. Certainly I want people in the county to be.

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Aware of what's going on and the importance of of paying attention because you are paying for it and.

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It's something that again, I appreciate the fact that there are some outlets out there. Now people.

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Reporting on these things, it's important the more coverage, the better the more people talking about.

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Issues the better the more people watching these open sessions, the better. So I commend the people.

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The county who are are trying to cover what's going on the county, and I would encourage people.

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To pay even more attention than you are now, it is very important to do so because, again, it's.

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Your taxpayer money, it's your family, it's your son! It's your daughter! It's your granddaughter!.

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You are the future of of where the discussions go and what happens so. I would encourage you.

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To stay on that, and I I truly appreciate people for for highlighting what's going.

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On in the county, it's it's important. Thank you. Okay, a couple things: uh baltimore metropolitan.

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Council has a meeting tomorrow. It allows the baltimore region to discuss issues.

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Mostly about economic growth and development, where I'm a board member I'll be participating.

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And then um cafe what a day is a new establishment down in eldersburg on 26 in cleves mill and.

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They have a grand opening on saturday. The proceeds are going to uh the firehouses sykesville and.

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Winfield- and I think there may be one other- maybe camber, but I'm not sure but um kalpesh.

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Patel is one of the partners. She is a a super young man always giving back to the community.

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So get the opportunity to be there for the grand opening, that's awesome. They are open now um and I.

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Just share with you: it's, like commissioner, gordon said another opportunity for small business and.

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Small business growth here in the community, with diversity and really good food, so.

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Okay, why don't we walk right into uh the e-bikes ordinance uh lisa? Did you want to come up um and.

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I think we had a couple weeks ago. It was open for public comment and public comment has since closed.

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And now it's an opportunity for us to uh to make a decision.

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Mr burke, is there anything more to it than that? At this point, no, we received the public comment.

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At the public hearing and now it's up to to decide whether or not to proceed or not. Okay,.

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um So with that said, are there any uh questions, um concerns actions that want.

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To be taken, you know, uh I appreciate the briefing paper saying no change allowed allow only certain.

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Classes of e-bikes in all areas allow certain classes of e-bikes only in designated areas.

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um And yeah we'll leave it at that. So it's it's open for discussion. Any comments.

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I can start okay, so um so I certainly took points made by you know both the equestrians and by the.

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I guess the proper term would be cyclists for for them. um You know, I, you know, having ridden horses.

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And and having you know, whenever I go visit, my mom, I'm always hopping on a horse and and it's.

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Interesting because you know like my stepdad will come by on a tractor and they don't even.

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Care but then like something, you know blows at their feet and it's it's at the end of the world.

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um So I certainly understand the concerns of equestrians about you know. They're coming.

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Around the corner on a horse and then all of a sudden there's somebody racing by on a bike.

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um I also you know totally get the perspective of the cyclists themselves, because you know.

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These trails are not exclusive to any one type of use, and, and you know whether it happens to.

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Be because you just are a little bit older or uh you know you have some kind of medical issue or.

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You're some kind of health issue you're trying to overcome, or just because you like, the electro.

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Bikes the e-bikes right, um so I totally understand that so my thought would be and again taking into.

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Consideration the the concerns and the the the you know, desires of both the equestrians and the.

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Cyclists, I mean I would recommend that um you know. Maybe we do some kind of experimental trial on.

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One of these trails for a certain period of time, where both horses and e-bikes use that trail and.

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After a certain amount of time, we'll see what does and what doesn't work. What I would say, though, is.

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That there are certain trails uh that I would at least not. I would be a little more concerned about.

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Opening up to uh the uh e-bikes, all together and based on what I can tell from the equestrians who.

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Were here during the public hearing, it seems like union mills and joshua seem to be the trails that.

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They mentioned the most, it seems to be like those are the ones they tended to to gravitate toward.

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The most so if I, if we do decide to proceed in that direction, that we're going to allow limited.

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Use for a certain amount of time on a certain trail, I would suggest uh not going with union.

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Mills or hashua again, given the the amount of use that the equestrians put into those trails.

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um And I guess I kind of that kind and then of course, the other one. I have a question about.

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um I'm sorry to see uh they give us false trails. It says that they're, the.

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Carroll county equestrian center is right there right. It's in that area, correct.

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And and so in my mind, we may not want to uh open that up to an e-bike experiment.

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Because that is, I guess, the the heart of the equestrian center, so my thought would be then.

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I guess the last place would be to allow some kind of trial at tiny run, because that was the one that.

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I, unless I mistaken and somebody you know please do correct me. That was the trail that seemed to.

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Be mentioned the least. Actually I don't remember if it was, I I don't remember if it was mentioned.

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At all the developed side of pioneeron park, so I I right so my thought would be if we want to proceed.

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With some kind of trial to see how it works right, that piney run would be the place to do it.

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Okay, any other comments. Yes um and uh my thoughts are.

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Probably very different.

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E-Bikes, I I don't quite understand the concern of e-bikes um they're, relatively quiet.

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Young people can go faster on them like mountain bike than.

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uh E-Bike's gonna have you go now? They can also pedal and go faster on those.

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um I grew up with horses, thoroughbreds riding horses and no offense to the equestrian people.

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um If you can't control your horse, you're, probably able to keep it at home, I don't understand.

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I wouldn't want to see bikers say I don't want horses on my trail. I don't want equestrian to.

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Say I don't want e-bikes on my trail, I I'd love and, and the other thing is.

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You guys are constantly in a state of change. Some trails get improved. Some trails get more dormant.

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um I I'd love to see us say: yeah e-bikes are fine and let the department decide where they want them.

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When they want them and and the the the other thing that I think this is a giant step forward,.

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um And we talk about this with other subjects: carroll county is essentially and most counties.

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Complaint driven, you don't have people out there policing the trails every day. It's.

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Complaint driven um there could have been motorbikes on the trails there could have.

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Been a lot of things on the trails moving forward by we're clarifying, what's allowed.

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On the trails- and I think that's a good step forward, so I I just think this is something.

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Ought to happen, we've we got to see e-bikes and- and I look at it- um I don't. I don't see.

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A teenager buying uh four thousand dollar class, one e-bike to terrorize the trails. It's just.

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You know it's, it's more gonna, be people that that want to continue riding and uh and need a little.

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Bit of help, so I I just feel like we ought to say yeah e-bikes e-bikes should be allowing the.

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Trails of discretion, of the department of wrecking parks, and let you guys go with it.

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Okay, any other comments. Oh well, please, a question: um do you guys have a problem with that.

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With allowing e-bikes yeah, um I I don't think we have a problem with it. We because they're already.

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Out there exactly exactly: okay, thanks any other comments. Well, I think I think you made some good.

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Points I agree with some of them. um Obviously, you've got multiple users of these. These trails.

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um Not against any of the users on any side. uh I do think, though, the one question.

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Looking at the list of goals in regards to this, you know we're complaint driven.

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So being that we're complaint driven, um I guess the question I do have for you. This.

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Morning, though, is that one of the goals is listed is educate the public on proper trail.

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Etiquette and I know obviously there's signage at various trails and so forth and so on, but are.

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We looking to do anything more proactively than just have signage up regarding trail etiquette,.

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What's what is the process and the plan in that regard? So currently, the um after a decision.

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Addition, we have a trail etiquette pamphlet that we are devised to to send out as well. For that.

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Public education: we could also move that into a more proactive direction and have um community.

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Involvement in terms of educating having open sessions or open houses that sort of thing.

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I I think all those would be ideal. I think the other thing maybe to consider would be since you.

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Have active social media even if it would just be something some limited video talking about.

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This, because you know I hate to say- and it's not a a reflection on anyone or any group, but people.

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We all see signs all the time doesn't mean we read them and take them into consideration and.

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That's not knocking on on your staff for anybody just the reality that, just because.

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Something there doesn't mean someone's going to read it, um and I want to ask you real quickly.

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So maryland, what's the status of the state of maryland right now, with e-bikes on on trails.

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Do you know they allow class one e-bikes um and I do a lot of traveling and go to many different.

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Parks and many different states, and it seems like class one- is what is the accepted e-bike.

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On all the trails uh national park service has also allowed e-bikes per superintendent approval.

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Per the park and their ordinances that they have there e-bikes will never be allowed within the.

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National preserved areas national park preserved areas, but you know neither are horses allowed.

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There so you know we have that precedence set in many different places. I do a lot up in the.

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Pennsylvania grand canyon area class, one e-bikes- has been allowed there on those trails for the.

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Past six years have been posted that way, but I'd like to jump back to your previous question.

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If I may, for a moment, we currently are doing some trail etiquette education through some volunteers.

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From moore that come to hashva, and they do weekly rides with individuals and with those rides, the.

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Etiquette is pushed upon or brought to the attention of the attendees of those programs.

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They're very well attended. These people are also invested in doing a lot of trail work with myself.

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And our department so that we're improving the trails so that some of the issues like.

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A mountain bike or an e-bike because both can do it, come around a blind corner and spook a horse.

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And rider we're trying to eliminate those kind of things we have been working on that kind of stuff.

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For years uh you know I I've been with the county 21 years now, but I have been involved with hashua.

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For 30 over 30 years and the trails out there, so I'm very familiar with union mills spiegel.

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Hill, the hospital property- I know that inside out and backwards- and you know these are some issues.

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That have been addressed in my time, working with the county so and we're going to continue to work.

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With them, I appreciate that I mean. Obviously the big thing is safety for everybody, yes, and.

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Of course, sometimes things just happen: we all know that, whether it's happenstance or just you.

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Know: timing when people come around a corner, but obviously the more we can do to be proactive and.

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Keep everybody in the community safe. I greatly appreciate you working on that and that's what.

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I'm trying talking about with the blind turns we're trying to eliminate those by making turns.

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More uh larger, eliminating some of the blind spots so that there's a longer site of a line of sight.

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So that both riders horses and pedestrians can see what would be coming at them or from behind.

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Them I appreciate that is just out of curiosity. Besides the state with this within the state of.

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Maryland say: baltimore frederick county as well as the state of maryland. Are there? Are there.

C

Any trails that they've exclusively prohibited e-bikes on at this point.

H

To my knowledge, if a mountain bike is allowed on a trail, the e-bikes are also allowed.

H

But with the stipulation that it has to be a class one and under 750 watt, uh e-bike, and that has been.

H

What I've seen throughout, not just the state of maryland, but other states and jurisdictions.

H

As well and they're not correcting if I'm wrong, they're not allowed on the western maryland rail.

C

Trail correct that I don't know, I've seen them on the ncr. Yes, so I'm not sure about that trail. Okay,.

C

I guess my challenge and I'll just be very specific about this- is.

C

We serve everybody in the community. I think the concern, though, is with a bike an e-bike.

C

And I'm not being sarcastic when I say this, I can ride it anywhere. I can write it down.

C

Main street of westminster, I can't ride my horse down main street. Now I realize some's.

C

Argument would be well, you should have the correct property if you're gonna own a horse, but there's a lot of people that ride horses that don't have the property, whether they go.

C

To someone else's property and ride, you know maintain their horse there and so forth. So.

C

To me, I I kind of follow a little bit on both commissioner kyler and commissioner vigliotti's.

C

But I kind of would like to see at least some allowance for the horse community at this point.

C

Within some of our trails, I know obviously we're looking at additional property. We've got.

C

The property up towards littlestown, which I think would be a viable location in the future. I realize.

C

That's the word future there, but um I just I'm not certain. I really want to go 100 yet now I do like.

C

The idea you mentioned of widening those turns which makes it better. I think that's significant.

C

um But, like you know, like we've said it doesn't matter if it's animals, it's people, things do.

C

Happen at times, but for me I kind of would like to have a little bit of a balance to it.

C

Thank you anything else. uh Yes, thank you I'll just did you did you have any no go ahead, all right.

D

So I think it's unfortunate that this entire issue or debate everyone phrase it has been.

D

Now focused on the horseback riding trails, as commissioner gordon mentioned, you can ride an.

D

Ebay, now, right now, virtually anywhere that same thing cannot be said for the equestrian community.

D

Equestrian community in this county has existed. I think, it's probably fair to say.

D

Existed since 1837, when the county was officially established, I mean that was.

D

The only way to get around so maybe that's a technical point, but it is it's the truth.

D

E-Bikes, however, have been around for kind of a minute really in relation to that time frame.

D

So why we would want to make any changes to that right now is something I have a hard time.

D

Understanding, I'm also concerned that whatever does come out of this particular ordinance. If it's.

D

Voted on is the is the fact that we we're talking about a lot of heavy lifting for the department of.

D

Parks and recreation things that you cannot control, even though you can try to.

D

Because, unfortunately, I mean we are in a society today, where you know you've got groups of people.

D

That kind of build things up and invest their time and effort and then you've got groups of.

D

People that just simply don't care about that they're there they're living in the.

D

Moment they could care less now. What I'd like to see is that we make no change to this ordinance.

D

But then immediately have a discussion about creating a working group of e-bike people in.

D

The county, in addition to some of the leaders of the equestrian community and try to figure.

D

Out something that looks a little bit, maybe what you discussed, commissioner vigliotti, or something.

D

That we can come up with a little bit more concrete plan if you will not one that involves.

D

Pr or the hope that people are going to adhere to whatever roles are designed, because we don't.

D

Really have a way to enforce it. We just don't so I'd like to see us make no change to this.

D

Ordinance and then find a way to make this happen, and I think that's the right way to.

D

Go forward and that protects everybody, and I think that it gives the e-bike community.

D

In this county, an opportunity to let us know, what's going to work for them, because you know.

D

They were here a couple weeks ago and they seem like a pretty responsible group of people that.

D

Wanted to do the right thing, so, let's give them an opportunity to tell us what that looks like.

D

And who knows if we decide at some point, we want to set aside infrastructure or trails whatever you.

D

Have it within our park system for this particular use, where people by the way have to pay to get.

D

In to do it, then that's fine too, so I would like to see us vote no on any change and then.

D

Immediately for the purpose of doing exactly the right thing or the best thing we can do.

D

Create a working group, I know that is a word that a lot of us we hear working group and we think.

D

A working group a lot of times they just don't work, but I I think, if we're very.

D

If we're very focused on literally trying to figure out what within the e-bike community would.

D

Work for them in the short term, it might be a good step in the right direction. So I'm certainly a no.

D

On this- and I would just I would just- I would just ask that- maybe we consider that option, because we.

D

Can still get to the right answer without making a decision right now, because I kind of feel like.

D

This whole discussion, it just didn't start out real right for me. I didn't feel like I had a lot.

D

Of information, I feel like it's inherent upon the uh a staff. This is not direct. This is not pointing.

D

Out the parks and rec, but you know, if you come to us with these type of things you you should.

D

You can't decide the solution for us, that's our job! That's that's! Why we're sitting up here, but.

D

We we've got to come with a little bit more background information and a little bit more.

D

Of the facts, so we can try to make a better decision and I think any decision we make today.

D

Is just premature so, commissioner, your idea of say a work group. Do you have something in mind.

A

Similar to the solar work group, where it would meet over so many months or do you think that.

A

Maybe one gathering or like a like a single workshop meeting between bikers and between.

A

Excuse me between cyclists and equestrians would be sufficient. So the solar working group there.

D

Was a lot of county oversight on that group and I don't think that would be necessarily the case.

D

For this I I would literally like to hear from representatives in the ebike community what works.

D

For them and what they're willing to compromise on- and maybe that's a good starting point- I don't.

D

Have all the answers I haven't thought about it too much, but it seems like a good step forward and.

D

If that doesn't work out- and we actually, we kind of saw that with the solar working group, we didn't.

D

Really come to a a conclusion that I thought we all found would work. Then maybe we revisit this.

D

And and we move forward with the change, so I don't have all the answers of the structure.

D

But it seems perfectly reasonable to me just to ask that community. Well, what would work for you.

D

um And again, on the backdrop being we're not banning e-bikes in the county, you can still.

D

Ride them just about anywhere, but commissioner gordon's point, you can't do that with a horse.

E

So, are you done yes, sir? A couple of things um you mentioned: mountain bikes are allowed.

E

On the trails where the horses are correct, I didn't know what an e-bike was to be honest,.

E

um Until today this morning, when I got on one- and I also started talking to people.

E

You know the comments that were made a couple weeks ago about people on e-bikes wearing.

E

um Ear pods and things like that and being uh you know, inappropriate riding I'm like well yeah.

E

Mountain bikers that are, you know in their teens and 20s that feel like they bend and don't break.

E

um Can do that and I used to be that type where I would ride hard. um I don't ride hard anymore. I'm.

E

I'm I'm broken, you know uh I I you know, I can't run I gotta figure out. What's going on with my.

E

Hip I mentioned I got on that e-bike and I was like boy. This feels great. You know it's just it's.

E

Smooth and then um they said that the motor was working. I'm like I didn't hear anything you know.

E

um And it would allow me to if, if mountain bikes are already allowed, you know on these trails.

E

There's no difference with this e-bike. It can't go above 20 miles per hour with the motor. You know if.

E

The motor would shut off so if somebody is going on a trail, downhill above 20, there's no motor and.

E

It would be kicking up, rocks and it'd be louder anyway. um These e-bikes are expensive. uh The.

E

General community overall, it sounds like, are those with disposable money that are typically your.

E

You know 30s, 40s and up. You know community a lot of them being much more senior because.

E

It allows them to get out and do the things they want to do that they couldn't do before.

E

And that is going onto the trails um runners I'm I imagine, are also allowed on trails and.

E

Like I said, I used to run and you know coming up against horses. You know when you're running.

E

You're kicking things up and you can startle the horses just as fast, if not faster, by running.

E

um You know I rode my daughter's horse on about a month ago on a trail and kind of like what.

E

Commissioner college said I mean you got to be in control and there it wasn't just me on the trail.

E

There was others um I felt very comfortable, maybe because he's an old horse. I don't know.

E

um But I'm like to me an e-bike is no different than a mountain bike and is no different than a.

E

Runner and other uses on a trail we already have in here. If we approve this designate trails so.

E

That would be on you. I do not want to dictate this trail, or that trail I mean that that's.

E

Why we, you know, like we were saying we pay you to do things you know to to staff appropriately and.

E

Do what's necessary, uh so I'm not I'm not sure why this is really an issue. I don't even know.

E

I mean an e-bike to me is no different than a mountain bike and I don't know unless somebody.

E

Can tell me it is you know um that class three one or whatever it's called that's different? You.

E

Know that's an 80 pound bike that has a throttle, and you know, but this is it's a mountain bike.

E

It looks like a mountain bike. It felt like a mountain bike. I read this morning. I was like.

E

It was a mountain bike and it just allowed. You know, while I was pedaling the motor to engage.

E

Which was ultra quiet and it had brakes it had. You know um a gear shift, just like a mountain bike.

E

um So I I just, I don't even know why it's an issue uh to be honest um and I I don't think we need to.

E

Over study this um you know, uh I I think we should do it and yes, if we make a mistake, then we should.

E

Revisit it but mount if mountain bikes are allowed, then you should be allowed. If we over study this.

E

Then I would say, take mountain bikes off, take runners off, take everything off, except for horses.

E

Because anything that can startle a horse, you know, should not be allowed. If we're not allowing this.

E

um Again, this thought of I I don't know at first the way these uh equestrian writers.

E

The horseback riders came in, which were a lot from pennsylvania because they come down to use the.

E

Trails, which is great it's it's great- that we get community outside of maryland, coming in outside.

E

Carroll county, but the way they were describing it was like these reckless. You know um mountain.

E

Bikers you know using recklessly these e-bikes and it sounds like these e-bikes are used by.

E

People like me, who is you, know, 60 this year and those that want to be enabled to do things.

E

Sure I could write it on a street, but if I want to go into a park on a trailhead you know I should.

E

Be able to do that and if I can't do it with a mountain bike, which I would have a tough time.

E

Right now, um if I could afford a new bike, you know because it sounds like they were expensive. um I.

E

Had I had no idea uh so- and you know, commissioner, to your point and it's interesting- you say that.

A

Because I you know, I've also tried riding one of the e-bikes this morning during the demonstration.

A

And you know having ridden, you know like a regular bike in the past. If I'm, you know, even if I'm like.

A

In a neighborhood somewhere and I'm making a turn, I'm not gonna. You know speed around that turn. So.

A

I couldn't imagine doing something like that on a very on a narrower trail than like a wide open.

A

Street- um and so I certainly you know, respect that and appreciate that that you know point of view.

A

On it- and you know they really are effortless, I didn't hear any sound um and- and so I guess maybe.

A

My other thought would be, then you know if we are maybe heading more in the direction of letting.

A

um You know staff determine where on these trails would be appropriate. Maybe then the.

A

Only thing that I would request or or suggest is that the one trail in gillis falls or that maybe.

A

That system, we just you, know, leave off as it is, because that's where the equestrian center is.

A

Located and if the equestrians are truly concerned about e-bikes on the trails they'll at least have.

A

One, where they're not going to encounter the e-bikes and that'll be the trail. That's that.

A

Goes around the equestrian center, but I would make it not available for mountain bikes either. Then.

E

Any bike's, no different than a mountain bike is my understanding any bike class one is no different.

E

Than a mountain bike and technically no and the original reason why this was brought before you.

H

uh Was because- and you said it- um there is a motor on this- the original ordinance says no.

H

Motorized vehicles and what we were seeing was we had these motorized vehicles coming out there.

H

Right and people were disobeying the ordinance so to clarify things uh jeff, and I decided that.

H

We needed to come here to get clarity within our ordinance so that we weren't forcing people to.

H

Break that ordinance right, because it was already happening and we needed to get to a point where we.

H

Could say the class one is okay, but we don't want to see the class two and three because there you.

H

Have the throttle and you have the motor doing the work for the individual, not assisting the.

H

Individual- and this is a it's a battery- I didn't even know that I mean you know, so it's not even.

E

Like really a motor, it's a battery in the in the sleeve of the bike in the frame of the bike.

E

um So, like I said, if I would have if I would heard something if I would have felt something.

E

uh Other than being on a mountain bike, it'd be one thing, but if we don't allow these on.

E

These trails, then we should not allow mountain bikes on trails, and I don't agree with that.

E

um So, and I would even go further because I've seen people startle horses just by running.

E

um Like somebody said, kicking up dirt and uh you know, common courtesy on trails goes.

E

A long ways and, like you said, educate, I think videos are great ideas um to to.

E

To do um and we should be proud of them, but yeah I if we don't allow ebooks, I I don't see.

E

Why we allow other things? So that's a that's a fair point and that's a fair point and I'd.

B

Like to make one more comment and semi-esque a question because you almost answered it already.

B

The more the two of you have talked um the more I see why you came and asked for this.

B

And- and that shows me you're you're willing to regulate it and when you talked about the other.

B

Areas of the country, the other, is either state. um I think it's already been evaluated how these are.

B

And secondly, um I semi trust you that if there's an issue at xyz trail you're going to change the.

B

Rules: you're gonna, you know you can go to mountain bikes now and say: I'm sorry. If we have one more.

B

Problem we're going to close this trail to bikes, or you know, you're going to enforce some stuff.

B

And then, lastly, for us, we've all mentioned, uh you know we're complaint driven if we get a complaint.

B

About any trail and something going on with a horse or a bike or a runner, we're going to bug.

B

You guys to address the complaint and I think that's our hammer moving forward to make sure.

B

This all works now. My question was, and you kind of answered it, um the existing rules. So if I go out.

B

With an e-bike, I'm breaking a roll correct if I go out with a dirt bike, I'm breaking the rule now.

B

Education, wise clarification, wise, you want to say an e-bike's okay, the dirt bike isn't correct and.

B

And I assume that's why you ask this? In other words, I guess my question is: does this give.

B

You more teeth to enforce stuff on the trails than you had before, and is that what you're looking for.

G

I don't think it's gonna make it easier for us to enforce they're already there they're, not.

G

Going away- and I think this is a way to address that- I don't know if you guys remember the the.

G

One gentleman speaking who said you know he he lost all that weight um and it's because he was.

G

Able to get out on the trails and use his bike. He approached me in the hallway he's like what.

G

Do I do I don't want to break the ordinance? I don't want to be breaking the rules. The laws.

G

um So we have people like that. That won't obey the ordinance and we have those that don't and.

G

You know the ordinance really is not going to stop the ones who are breaking the rules. We have dirt.

G

Bikes out at the gillis falls area going across our equestrian center and we can't stop them. We.

G

Don't have the ability to to catch them, stop them or enforce those roles. So as um it would, you know.

G

Jeff had once mentioned it's it's self-regulated, you know we're relying on the community to follow.

G

The ordinance because we don't have park rangers out there, we don't have people on the trail staff.

G

On the trails to be able to enforce that, and that's and that's why I said I semi-trust you.

B

For doing this, because you don't have the people out there to enforce it on every trail, all the.

B

Time, you know, I think you have the intention and I don't think we'd ever be able to be out there all.

G

The time to enforce it- and I do think morgan run morgan run is state state, it's and, and they have.

H

Rangers that do go out there periodically um but like with any state park, and I came from a state.

H

Park system, where we had rangers, they can't be everywhere at any given point of time, so things.

H

Still happen within a park that is regulated by a ranger system, so the big issue we have is, we have.

H

All of those things happening in our parks, we try and address them as best that we can.

H

We involve law enforcement when needed, but you know it only goes that far so and we have you.

H

Know it's not the totally the same. You can't be everywhere, but it's just like dogs off the.

H

Leash we have the same issue within our parks so and that's a good point, because I thought about.

B

That talking about controlling horses, you know what percentage don't control their dogs correct.

G

And people look at some of these ordinance and they're like it doesn't apply to me. My dog isn't: isn't vicious it's not going to attack anybody.

A

So it seems to me that e-bikes are already in common usage on the trails. All the trails.

A

Including uh and beyond e-bikes, there are certain uh recreational implements, we'll call them that.

A

Are also in use, but they're not allowed, and I certainly take commissioner rothstein's.

A

Argument, I think it's a good argument that if you allow the one you certainly cannot deny the other.

A

um How do you feel I guess, maybe that would negate the argument itself of a trial period, because.

A

Having the one would necessitate the other yeah I just. I think that that e-bike.

E

Class, one or level one is any different than a um a trail bike, a bicycle. You know a.

E

Whatever you call them, how much does how much does a regular like a standard bike cost these days.

A

Like a regular bicycle, you you go to dicks and get one for 200 or you could buy one for ten thousand.

H

Dollars or more so if I'm cruising around and I guess maybe that's something else, that's you know.

A

Weighing or not weighing on me but but you know certainly around my mind if I have a four or five.

A

Thousand dollar e-bike- I'm gonna go out of my way, not to wreck it right to do something reckless.

E

Exactly it sounds like they're, more safe focus safety focused on trails than if there was a.

E

You know a regular bike, I mean again a regular bike is.

E

A younger generation that is going to be more aggressive on trails, I mean at least that's the.

E

Way, I was um e-bikes are an older generation like mr burke, that would be not as reckless on trails.

E

um So I mean that's kind of the way I see it. I mean it's and there's no difference between the.

E

Bicycle and the e-bike, except for the rider that you know um the demographics of the riders, so I'd.

E

Be more concerned with the craziness on the trails than I would be of the e-bikes and, like I said,.

E

I've been around horses when I'm running and and dogs off leash when you're on a horse that ain't.

E

You know, that's not a good match, you know um it happens. So I mean I I don't want belaborism. We are.

E

um I I think we should move forward and I think we should focus on educating the public and the trail.

E

Etiquette focus, I think you should have that responsibility regarding designated the trails.

E

You know, because you know them best um and I, like the widening of certain areas, for line of sight.

E

um You know a lot, you know, but I also know that that's expensive and resource.

E

You know takes a lot of resources to do, but I do apologize. We had to let brad take vacation.

G

So he wasn't able to be here when we were in front of you on the 26th. So a lot of these.

G

Questions probably could have been canceled again, it's all good so, and I tell you and.

B

Like I said your your discussions, it made me more comfortable than I was when we started.

B

And and commissioner understand your thoughts of a trial basis or limiting trails, my humble opinion.

B

You've been doing that for you've had a trial period for whatever 25 30 years.

B

um We're just giving you a little bit more of a better tool to enforce us, and- and I I.

B

You know I think they've been doing their stuff most of the uh complaints examples. We were told.

B

um At the at the last public comment had nothing whatsoever to do with bikes. You know you know and.

B

Stuff happens: you know where if you're riding a horse stuff happens, and uh so I again I I agree. I.

B

I think we ought to move forward with this and uh and like anything else, if we get too many.

B

Complaints and we're going to be bugging you and if we don't, but you know, go for it, make it work.

A

Well, I'd like to offer a motion then that we amend the carroll county code of ordinances.

A

Chapter 94 section 94.033 to allow usage of class one e-bikes and designated trails and.

A

County parks and to expand efforts to educate trail users about trail.

A

Etiquette second, okay: I have a motion in a second. Is there any more discussion on this.

E

Seen here, none all in favor, aye, aye.

E

Against no before you tell no, no okay, three two. Thank you. Thank you for your.

G

Time thanks. Thank you very much. Okay. Let's talk about the 2022 planning annual report.

E

A

Good morning to you both good morning, tiffany, you still um uh tied into the fdca.

G

Yes, okay, do you monitor their social media? I do not.

E

Okay, I know we don't want to get engaged with the social media, but um but we don't really have a way.

I

To monitor it, because we don't have a facebook, page and planning um for a number of reasons, we.

I

Could talk about later, but um or maybe just engage it through uh the carroll county government page.

E

Because there's you could talk to chris about it yeah there's some really good points that were.

E

Made- and I know we're going to get into this, but one point that was made and they reached out to me.

E

Was um they didn't know that linda had left and linda did a lot of work in the freedom area? Now.

E

It was very interesting because they were praising her on such commitment into the community and it.

E

Would have been nice to have known, we don't do press releases uh when people leave or.

E

We don't do press release when people retire, but she had a a pivotal role: an important role.

E

um That had a lot to do with the freedom district, um so it may be something to look at for press.

E

Releases or announcements when key players are leaving, because we have had some significant.

E

Director turnover overall, but I'm just excuse me, commissioner, yes, we did, we did do a post.

J

Thanking her for her years of service for us with pictures, we we did a post on the social media.

J

Yes, we did yeah, no, no thanks. I I was asked if there was a press release and there wasn't, but.

E

Thanks um but that's also good to know- and I can point people in that direction- I'm.

E

Just thinking of ideas of how to continue the strong communications, you know with them.

E

So, okay, we can talk more about that. That's not the purpose of this, but I did want to bring that.

E

Up, we can talk more about it, yeah, okay, thanks, um but what we're here today for is to present.

I

To you, the planning annual report for 2022., this report is required by the land use article.

I

um Each year, planning staff works with other county staff, as well as the towns to prepare this.

I

Report, which is basically a summary of development and planning activity for the previous calendar.

I

Year and it is certified, I guess, is the proper word by the planning commission and sent on to the.

I

State by july 1st, so we're here today to present to you what happened in planning and development.

I

In carroll county in 2022., okay- and that was most of my first time totally fine. Thank you.

K

Okay, so um following the certification letter by the planning commission, the.

K

Table of contents and the acknowledgments and introductions we start with an at a glance, look.

K

On page two for development in the county for 2022, and that does include municipalities as.

K

Well, and that is basically a snapshot of the report, uh the detailed report that follows.

K

And then to start the report, we start um with the new plans and plan amendments on.

K

Pages 3 through 13.. There were no new plans in 2022, but there were several amendments to.

K

The carroll county, water and sewer master plan that became effective in 2022 those are listed.

K

On pages three and four of the report and those are shown in maps one through nine in the report.

K

Next pages, 14 through 18, shows site plans and subdivisions approved.

K

There were 30 lots, 158 units and 202.7 acres of approved residential development in the county.

K

And that does include municipalities as well as 215.18 acres of non-residential development.

K

In the county and those are listed on tables one through four and shown on map 10., okay, I apologize.

K

Because you're directing us to using yes, this, yes, okay, which we all were you know, asked to bring and.

E

So we are using this yes for the community um as you're telling us to look at this. This plan.

E

Report is available or will be available. Well, it's online. Okay. We, we haven't been printing as much.

I

Anymore, just in general, we get fewer requests, but we probably will print a small amount. If somebody.

I

Really wanted them and then tiffany also sends a copy to each of the towns. Okay. So it's online.

E

Probably a good place to uh print a copy or two is in the library for reference. You know. So if.

E

People would know hey. This is what they don't go online. How do they request a copy? They can.

K

We can collect our department and we can get them copy yeah. It's just you're, showing us.

E

Slides which everybody can see you know but you're referencing, this that nobody's seen, except for.

E

Us which I appreciate, but I want to make sure the community has this as well, so I apologize.

E

um It was a little longer, um commissioner, gordon probably aware, at the plane commission meeting.

K

But we did go a little uh more into the summer, summarizing it and tightening it up for this. So.

K

It was a little less than so. It was a little yes. I understand that I apologize for that. Thank you.

K

I'm just gonna find my place again, so not included in the report is the 10-year trend.

K

That we include into the presentation here that shows in this particular slide the residential.

K

Development by number of lots over the last 10 years since um 2013, it does not include.

K

The municipalities and it shows that in 2022 we had 27 number of lots approved and if you want to.

I

Go a little slower on that. If anybody has any questions about these summary graphs or anything.

K

Next, we have the non-residential development 10-year trend shown by acres in this case and.

K

There were 182 approved for the county in 2022 and it shows the general um pretty uh pretty.

K

Steady trend over the last several years getting a lot of comments from the community. How we are.

E

Growing and continuing to grow, these are showing us with these trends that we're not growing.

E

Is that correct? I mean the residential lots and.

E

At 27 um we're not at the lowest point, but we're not very large. I mean that's county-wide and those.

K

Are approved, that's not developed right! Yes, so it's it's modest growth, not rapid growth,.

A

Is what we're looking at? I'm called steady growth yeah rather than even modest growth.

I

But there's some indicators coming up that tiffany will present that'll show a little different.

I

Aspect of it, okay, great thanks with the uh the the number for 2014, is substantially larger. What was.

D

The oh one more ago, you can go forward, one more. um We had looked at that previously um and it just.

K

Looked like it was an anomaly for a couple years. Sometimes when um there's development approved, it.

K

Doesn't get into like maybe the beginning of the next year, and it looks a lot higher than the next.

L

Item, oh I'm, sorry yeah for that 14 on that side. What was that one? I don't remember that one. I.

K

From last year I looked that up, um it was just an anomaly anomaly. It definitely sticks out. It does.

K

Not to pay too much attention, if it's a one-year blip like that, because it.

I

Could be something strange like that? Thank you.

K

Next are on pages 19 through 21, we report the zoning map amendments.

K

And let me get there, those include tables five and six that show that there was. There were five.

K

Annexations and four rezonings in the county in 2022 and those are shown on map 11 on page 21.

K

Next, we'll go through pages 22 through 30 and start with the zoning text. Amendments on pages.

K

22 through 24, with county revisions made in seven local ordinances affecting future development.

K

Included um chapter 158 zoning chapter and chapter 155, development and subdivision of.

K

Land, as you can see, there were several there and those are included on 22 and 23. and then.

K

Zoning next will be the zoning text, amendments for the municipalities, as well as amendments to pfa.

K

Boundaries or priority funding area boundaries, new schools, transportation, adequate public facility.

K

Ordinances and park facilities, um so here you see the seven ordinances for the zoning text. Amendment.

K

Revised local ordinances affecting future development, seven for the county and several for.

K

Other municipalities there there were no changes to priority funding area boundaries and the school.

K

Changes included the 800, asr 89, 690 square foot, carroll, county career and tech center. That was.

K

Constructed and opened last year, the roads are listed in table seven on 26 to 27 and that mostly.

K

Shows that those were system, maintenance and local in nature. There were no changes to the to anyone's.

K

Adequate public facility facility ordinances and there were several changes that were made.

K

To parks within the county, those are listed on 27 and 28 and shown on 28th, 29 and 30. In the report.

K

Next, we'll skip ahead to pages 38 through 39 that show the building permits issued in the.

K

County in 2022 and those um in on those it shows on table 16 that there was a total of.

K

418 building permits issued in the county- and this graph here shows that mostly those were.

K

Residential in nature and inside the growth area and they're shown on map 13 on page 39,.

K

Next is the new use and occupancy certificates issued or the unos on table 17 they're listed.

K

By election district and municipality and includes all use and occupancy certificates.

K

Issued including improvement instruction and then and table 18, it shows the new construction and.

K

That there were a total of 578 unos issued last year and most of those were residential in nature.

K

And inside the growth area, map 14 shows all 578 dots and representing those unos by residential.

K

And non-residential, and just have this on this particular slide, showing that, even though it might.

K

Not look like 578 dots, there are there they're, just often they're right on top of each other.

K

Again, not included in the report, but just in the presentation here. The 10-year trend.

K

For residential use and occupancy certificates, county-wide- and that is.

K

Just the residential, so that's the 528, it's 523.

K

And the trend over the years- and it has gone up a little bit.

K

And then this is the non-residential trend over the last 10 years, with a spike that.

K

We can't yet determine what that was about. We looked into it. We couldn't really figure it out.

K

We have some speculation that possibly 2021 was so low that it kind of made up for that.

K

We'll see how it turns out in the next couple years.

K

Next, on pages 44 through 48 report, the development capacity analysis, or also known as the buildable.

K

Land inventory or bli that shows the existing and potential development in the county.

K

Tables 20, 21 and 22 showed the existing and potential development for residential.

K

Inside the growth area, it shows that there's 8 320 potential developable residential lots.

K

And potential for ten thousand six hundred twelve residential lots outside of the growth area.

I

And remember this is municipalities as well. This isn't we're not talking about.

I

The freedom growth area we're talking about all growth areas. Thank you, mary.

K

And those are shown on map 15 on page 46, for the residential.

K

Following that, we have tables 23 and 24 that show that are included in the existing and potential.

K

Non-Residential development for the county, including the municipalities and those tables, show.

K

That there are 2856, develop potential developable acres inside the growth area for non-residential.

K

Development and 680 non-residential development acres, potentially outside the growth area.

K

And those are mapped on pages on map 16 on page 48.

K

Next pages, 49 through 50, show the agricultural land preservation.

K

Total of 892 acres and 14 farms were put into ag preservation in 2022, and that was.

K

For 7 million sixty seven thousand one hundred twelve dollars for fy 22.

K

59 percent of those were county funds and that brought us to 77.5 percent of the 100.

K

000 acre goal for the county and those are shown in map 17 on page 50.

K

And then again for um just some trends that are not in the report, but just here in the.

K

Presentation, this is the ag land preservation trend over the last five years by acres.

K

And one more that we've included here, that is not in the report, and this is just showing the.

K

um From 2018 to 2022 acres that were by agpres putting dag prez is.

K

The dark blue approved residential development by acres is the light.

K

Teal here and approved non-residential development is in the darker teal here.

K

So all eight municipalities have certified their information before sending it to the county. That's.

K

Included in the appendix of the report, counting planning commission did certify the report on.

K

July 20th and the report was emailed. The final report was emailed to the maryland department.

K

Of planning and all the municipalities on june 23rd and it has been posted on planning's website.

K

Next, we'll be distributing hard copies to other municipalities and I guess to.

K

The to the live to libraries as well, I think it's a good idea. This is a.

E

Great report, as always, thank you any uh questions, comments.

D

Thank you by the way. The only question I have is when you go back to the use and occupancy trend.

D

On slide 14 for residential, I guess I just I'm trying to make sense of those numbers. That's.

D

Almost 500 use and occupancy certificates, which to me is you know here, are the keys. You know.

D

Congratulations you're moving in, but all the other trends are in the hundreds and 200s so.

D

I'm trying to make sense of those numbers it looks like we haven't, had nearly that much.

D

Residential development, but then we're looking at these numbers for use in occupancy. I might.

D

Not be understanding, no, you probably do there were several. um I believe tawny town had a huge.

K

Development over the last couple years, tawny town did have a huge development over the last couple.

K

Years that, and we have somebody in the department who has been looking at the trend this year, just.

K

Kind of keeping us up on it and she has said that it is significantly lower this year and.

K

Probably because it was built out in in tiny town, I am only assuming we'll know more next.

K

Year, that makes sense. I think your reasoning for a couple of these trends makes sense if it's low.

D

Then people, you know you bounce back, you make up words all market related, so so some of it's.

D

Related to when the year ends, so, if like for the legislation, for instance, it looks like there was.

I

A lot of legislation in 2022, because some of the company zoning legislation became effective like.

I

On january 6th of that year, and then some of it became effective december of that year, so.

I

It looked like it all happened that year, but it's all when the cutoff is to counting things. So some.

I

Of it's that okay, thank you. So I noticed that with the powerpoint presentation, there were certain.

A

Pieces of information that were in the powerpoint that did not seem to be in the report itself.

A

uh Will the powerpoint be available for the public as well as the you could post that sure, because.

A

I noticed that you know some of the slides I was trying to to match up what was on the screen with.

A

What was in the report- and there wasn't the same so so uh I don't know whether or not in the future.

A

Maybe just the amending the powerpoint at the end of the report when that goes out to the public.

A

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you for the info appreciate it appreciate it.

M

Thank you. Thank you and okay. Let's talk about electronic monitoring system, sheriff's office.

A

Good morning, everybody.

N

The office of procurement, in cooperation with the carroll county sheriff's office,.

N

And the detention center request your approval to award the electronic monitoring system for.

N

The detention center's home detention work, release program to bi, incorporated.

N

In the annual amount of 263 150 dollars, bi incorporated was awarded an omnia partners.

N

Contract with this, which the city of mesa arizona, competitively bid.

N

This contract is effective through may 3rd 2027, with renewables available to extend until may 3rd.

N

2029., this amount was approved in the fiscal year 24 budget and no other funds should be necessary.

O

Commissioners warning so just a little more information for you on this. um This is a current.

O

Contract we currently use this vendor so we're renewing the contract. um It's at that point in.

O

Time the the purpose of this contract- you see the electronic monitoring, so it is for the pre-trial.

O

The offender diversion unit so currently those devices are typically court ordered and that's the.

O

Unit that monitors and manages all of those people and those devices so we're just doing the renewal.

O

Okay, any questions motion to approve the electronic monitoring system to bi incorporated.

A

In the amount of 263 thousand one hundred fifty dollars a second kind of motion, second, any.

E

Discussion senior none all in favor. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much, a general, a general.

B

Question that that didn't make a difference in my vote, the monitors you guys monitor home.

B

Somebody gets sent to a health department facility if they're under your jurisdiction. You.

B

You monitor a lot of locations right so well. This is particularly addressing people so whether it's.

B

Yeah, that's what up yeah um and it's court order, depending where they're assigned so to speak. Yes,.

B

If they could be just if I were, if I were in your detention center and I got moved to a sykesville.

B

Facility, I would have a monitor when I left your center, if I'm still under your control, if you're.

H

Not maybe this is court ordered when you're, not okay, gotcha. This is the alternative program.

O

That the pre-trial services monitors okay, okay, thank you thanks. Thank you very much. Thank you.

E

Okay: let's talk about payroll hr management system uh change, order, request.

E

How much I love change orders.

B

So you guys all work together. We try they're all very they're, a very summery and festive.

A

Looking today, I tell you we're off here in navy blue. I want you to miss us. At least I didn't.

M

Morning, commissioner, good morning, the carroll county comptroller's office entered a contract.

M

With pds professional services to provide consulting services for our human resources,.

M

Payroll system, known as vista board, concurred in august of 2015 to award this contract in the.

M

Amount of 380 thousand dollars since that time change orders have been issued in the amount.

M

Of fifty four thousand nine hundred and sixty dollars and the newest change order has been.

M

Issued for an additional nineteen thousand five hundred dollars, which exceeds the ten.

M

Percent of the original contract and per resolution delegation of authority requires.

M

The board approval to spend these additional funds and these funds were approved in the fy.

M

23 budget, so I'll let jenny and christy take over. If you have any questions about the system itself,.

P

So I'll just give you a little background um in 2015, the payroll systems was started.

P

There's two pieces to it: one is vti, which is our time and attendance piece where employees.

P

Can punch in punch out tracks the time and then there's a second piece that we are working on.

P

um Are all three of our departments are working together to get? Is the vista piece which is.

P

Encompasses the hr part and brings all of that in so that we can eventually roll out a platform that.

P

Employees will be able to use and get their direct deposit advices online instead of us having to.

P

Give you paper uh time cards. In addition, there's other things of and I'm coming down the road of.

P

Employee deductions and being able to go in and self-service portals and things like.

P

That, in the meantime, we've been working through this process and there's parts of.

P

Vista that have gone live already with the fire and ems and the recruiting side. So we.

P

Do have that vti is all already implemented in live. These requests today are to approve.

P

The spending of additional funds in pds, which is the company that is headquartered in blue bell, pa.

P

um To allow staff to implement additional changes and these additional changes were.

P

um Made with the adoption of chapter 36 and 37, which are the 37s, the fire and ems and.

P

The amount is within the project budget, no additional funds will be needed and.

P

The possibility does exist that additional purchases will need to be made to support.

P

This project, however, there is sufficient funding in the budget to cover those costs.

A

So it's not that we are so so it's not that there is a change in the scope of services, but.

A

The amount of services that are required because of the inclusion of the department of fire and ems.

P

Correct there's been a lot um because of including that back in 2015 we didn't have that and with the.

P

Change of I will there's a couple things between grants, addition of grants and us having to.

P

Maintain time and effort and allocations and then addition to fire and ems that wasn't anticipated.

P

In 2015, so these are more customizing the system to work for us gotcha. Okay, any other questions.

A

Motion to approve the spending of an additional 19 500 to pds professional.

A

Services for the continued consulting services for the vista system. Second, yeah motion. Second,.

E

In discussions in here, none all in favor, aye aye. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

E

Okay: let's talk about contract renewal, on-call solid waste engineering services for fy23.

E

And then for fy24.

M

She needs to bring before you and the first we're. Bringing up is the fy 23.

M

The northeast maryland waste disposal authority solicited proposals for the contractors in the.

M

Field of solid waste and the environmental field, which includes to provide on-call, solid waste.

M

Engineering services on an as needed or indefinite delivery basis, the bureau of solid waste engaged.

M

Stearns, conrad and schmidt consulting engineers, incorporated through the above mentioned, contract.

M

To perform task at the northern landfill hoods mill landfill and the john owens landfill during.

M

The fiscal year of 2023 at a cost of 137 000. These funds were approved in the fy 23 budget.

M

And I'll turn it over to cliff and eric to answer any questions you might have about.

M

The northeast maryland waste disposal authority approval good morning commissioners morning.

Q

This will cover both of the 23 and the 24. just for some background for a period of about five.

Q

Years the county held our own on-call engineering contracts. We went that route, basically as a kind.

Q

Of a cost comparison to contracts that were held before we did use, we did go through the authority.

Q

Years ago, that was one of my predecessors put that in place as that five-year contract came.

Q

To an end, we had five on-call engineers as that came to an end. The northeast authority redid their.

Q

On-Call engineering contract and they brought on 12 engineering firms, including the ones and this.

Q

This is just one case, including one that we were using for our landfill gas at our three facilities.

Q

So, in order to not duplicate effort, pricing was identical. We said we're going to roll this over.

Q

Our contract, because ours came to an end into the authority's contract. The reason it's fiscal 23 is.

Q

Because logistically it happened, I think it was after mike left and maureen has corrected me and.

Q

The procedures going forward- thank you. So this is a little bit of a mia culpa, one for fiscal 23.,.

Q

Fiscal 24, which we'll discuss next, is going forward. These funds are approved through the.

Q

Fiscal 23 and the fiscal 24 budget. It covers all the work that's required today by the state for us.

Q

To monitor and maintain the landfill gas systems at hoods mill, john owings and at northern landfill.

L

E

So we need to take them one at a time. The first is fy 23 and then second.

E

Just run right into fy24, yes, correct, please, dollar amounts are very similar.

E

For each I mean, why is there a difference? I mean in the dollar amount, yeah uh cost of cost.

Q

Of living, but a increase in cpi one year to the next there's a little bit of difference in the.

Q

In the scope of work, but not much, that was just to address some some minor changes by the state: okay,.

A

Okay motion to approve the bureau of solid waste to continue to use the services of scs.

A

To complete the tasks begun in fy 23 for on-call solid waste engineering services related to.

A

Landfill gas system, operations, maintenance and monitoring at northern hoods mill and.

A

John owens landfills, second got a motion, got a second discussion seen here. None all in favor.

E

We'll just go right into fy24 and it's it's basically all the same information other than.

M

um We are looking at fiscal year, 2024 at a cost of 142, 976 dollars and 22 cents and again these.

M

Funds were approved in the fy24 budget, so we just need your approval for that. Okay,.

A

Motion to approve the bureau of solid waste to utilize the services of scs to complete the.

A

Tasks in fiscal year, 24 for on-call on-call, solid waste engineering services related to.

A

Landfill gas system, operations, maintenance and monitoring in northern hoods mill and.

A

John owens landfills, second motion. Second discussion: do you know none all in favor.

E

Aye aye. Okay, thank you very much. Thank you, commissioners. Okay, let's talk about the.

E

On-Call user support and housing hosting services for the city works asset management, solutions.

L

hmm Okay enlighten us good morning good morning, good morning,.

R

Commissioners, we're here today to request your approval to award an extension of the.

R

Current agreement to ea engineering for the city works, one-call, user support and hosting services.

R

Software and the end award the approval of the current request for the fy 24 services in an.

R

Amount not to exceed forty four thousand three hundred dollars. The reason this is an amount to.

R

Exceed is, this is comprised of three different fees, which two of them are actual hard costs.

R

One is the city works, hosting services for seventy two hundred dollars, the gis hosting services, which.

R

Is twelve thousand two hundred dollars and the on-call user support services will be an amount.

R

um Not to exceed up to twenty four thousand nine hundred dollars that will be um build on.

R

An as needed basis, the other award that we're asking for is to extend um for an additional.

R

Year and to allow for additional four or one year, renewal options to the existing agreement.

S

Gentleman, the the bureau currently uses the city works asset management system in two primary ways.

S

First, all of the bureau assets are placed in in a database so that the city works. So city works.

S

Software may function as a com as a complete database asset management system and mapping.

S

System, secondly, the asset data allows city works to operate as our work order system and as kerry.

S

Said we have three major tasks that ea presently does for us one is they they host the city works.

S

Platform in our asset and user history data on their network, they also host the gis database.

S

And then provide data updates on a weekly basis, which primarily allows third-party access for.

S

For missed utility locate mapping services, so we we use a third-party vendor for for miss utility.

S

Locates for the water and sewer system, and then uh thirdly, we they, I do provide on-caller.

S

Support services and training on an as needed basis, primarily if we need forms updated or.

S

New features added to city works and occasional staff training purposes. Where do they come out.

E

Of ea engineering they are based uh in northern baltimore county okay sparks, I believe, sparks okay.

E

Okay, any questions motion to award the extension of the contract for the on-call user support and.

A

Hosting services for city works, asset management, solutions to ea engineering for the fiscal year, 24.

A

Services and the amount not to exceed forty four thousand three hundred dollars. Second, that motion.

E

Got second discussion: did you hear none all in favor aye great? Thank you. Okay. Let's talk a little.

E

Bit about tech services, approval to purchase server storage, backup infrastructure replacement.

T

Gentleman morning.

N

Good morning again, um the office of procurement, in cooperation with the department of technology.

N

Services request your approval for the service, storage and backup infrastructure replacement.

N

Purchase from e-plus technology incorporated in the amount of one million four hundred ninety.

N

Seven thousand two hundred and eighty three dollars and ninety two cents, this purchase is.

N

Off of maryland, state contract maryland hardware 2012 master contract, which was competitively bid.

N

This amount is approved in the fiscal year 24 budget. No additional fund should be required.

E

It was morning, commissioners, I apologize. I said it was competitively bit. Yes, how many uh were.

E

You know part of that competitive bid, um I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I can get you.

N

That information, um it was a maryland bid that went out. Okay, okay, am I correct six. Then we.

T

Looked at three different so in in addition to that, you know coming off of that maryland.

U

Contract we did outside of that contract also get two additional quotes as well. So we have.

U

Had three total quotes for this great on our own? I apologize go ahead. That's okay!.

T

I'm going to let mr sixth and kendall tell you a little bit about the equipment that we're getting.

U

So good morning, commissioners uh morning this morning, this request is for the replacement of.

U

Our server network, storage and backup systems uh located both in our primary and secondary.

U

Data centers, these systems comprise you know just under 100 servers along with all of our.

U

Network storage and all of our backup systems that serves every agency throughout the county.

U

The current systems, both the backup system and the storage server system, have reached the end.

U

Of their life and into support in the next few months, so um so we're asking for this project.

U

To uh to incorporate both those at the same time, because they were so intertwined with each other.

U

um So and then the new system, uh one of the features of the new system, is there- are options.

U

For cloud storage as well, that come with this system, which will give us more options, as we plan.

U

Out disaster recovery scenarios, so it gives us more flexibility than we have today to help grow.

E

What do you do with the systems being replaced, so those systems are no longer supported or sold.

U

By the vendor, so I mean we can we can try to auction them off but at the same time, from a.

U

Cyber standpoint, there is a yes, whether it's the best practice to sell something to somebody.

U

Else that knowingly can't be supported and could potentially put them at risk. You put sand in and.

E

Make them into a paperweight or something could do yes. You know, I wonder if maybe the career in.

A

Tech center might have a use or something like that. A system may be out of date, but.

A

In a sandbox kind of not connected to any outside network, yeah yeah yeah, something.

U

We could check into right see if they'd be interested, rather than just throwing it out.

E

Are you familiar with sandbox when he said it's it's taking systems and you ensure that.

E

They're not connected to anything, so you don't open up any vulnerabilities and it allows for.

E

The students to work on the systems- um it's just yeah- that may be a really cool idea. Yes,.

U

Yeah yeah we'll we'll look into that as we move. You know, that's really smart and commissioners.

T

I would like to take a second to commend my staff on this. Originally with this project, it is planned.

T

For this year, but in our original approach we were actually going to look at doing it at the.

T

End of one fiscal period in the beginning of another uh because of the good work that they.

T

Did in everything because we're coming before you now we are saving 280 000 on the cost of.

T

The system, if we had taken and done it, the other way that we were going to do so working with the.

T

Vendor we saved a significant amount of money with this project. Awesome okay motion to approve the.

A

Storage and backup infrastructure replacement, purchase from e-plus technology incorporated.

A

The amount of one million four hundred ninety seven thousand two hundred eighty three dollars.

A

And ninety two cents, a second uh motion second and discussion: senior, none all in favor, aye, aye,.

E

Okay, now, let's talk about genotech advantage, support renewal, all right, uh the office of.

N

Purchasing in cooperation with the department of technology services is requesting your approval.

N

For the renewal of genotech advantage support to marathon technology solutions incorporated.

N

The cost is based on a number of devices connected to our genotech system and the cost for the fiscal.

N

Year, 24 is 30, 875 and 48 cents. Marathon is an existing term contractor with carroll county.

N

And this amount is approved in the fiscal year 24 budget and no additional fund should be required.

U

So um for this request, this is our annual support renewal with genotech that we've.

U

Been been renewing for several years now, this uh again is, as was already mentioned,.

U

Is based on the number of devices connected, so so that's how that amount changes from year to year.

U

um And this support contract is what gives us access to all the system updates, as well as tech.

U

Support from genatech as well as engineering, we get eight hours of engineering time with them. Each.

U

Year to help us work through bigger projects, the term contract with marathon is at competitively.

E

Bid, it is everything um it was, I think it's every three years, yeah yeah and um we will be coming up.

U

On that next year, okay, just another good local, small business in carroll county, so um okay, cool.

A

Motion to approve the renewal of genotech advantage support to marathon technology services.

A

Incorporated in the amount of thirty thousand eight hundred fifty seven dollars and forty eight.

A

Cents a second, I got a motion. I got a second in discussion on this one seen here. None all in favor.

E

All right, okay! Thank you! Thank you, commissioners. Well, I had a quick commission. No that's! Okay!.

D

um Just had a quick ask of you, mr ripper, so uh I guess just to lay the background. I mean we get a.

D

Lot of emails as commissioners right we get a lot of emails and sure love what we do. People don't.

D

Like what we do, a lot of them have to do with roads and fixing roads, but the issue of broadband.

D

In the county is probably in the top five, so with the consent of my fellow commissioners, I know you.

D

Provide a technology services update, I think, every month or maybe a recorder to us. That's it's! It's.

T

Now the first one was this: is this month I don't know if you've received it yet or not, but there.

T

Is an update in there on broadband, and you will get that on a monthly basis. And I appreciate that.

D

um And I had I had had a discussion with miss windham about that. So that's very helpful, but.

D

What I wanted to ask you to do again with the consent of my fellow commissioners, is.

D

Just if you could provide us, this is an important issue in the county and people who are moving to.

D

The county don't really understand what their options are. If you could take that services.

D

Report and just create a one-page document. uh You know the different programs that are currently in.

D

Function for broadband, maybe the past couple years. The success is what's currently ongoing.

D

A lot of the things you're already addressing in that report, but I think a one-page document given.

D

To us every month and again, if it could be broken down by district, the reason I say district is it's.

D

Because it's the geographic feature that people will understand the most, if it's possible to do.

D

That all I'm asking is that you take that into a the first. One will be the most difficult right and.

D

Then you're just updating numbers, I don't think there'd be room in there for a map or anything. I.

D

Don't think we need that, but if you could provide us just directly with a one-page document, each.

D

Month to let us know how things are going, how these programs, or what they're accomplishing in.

D

The county, it would be greatly appreciated because it is a big issue and I know you've got people.

D

Working on it and you're doing good work, and I think it's just all the better that we know what.

D

You're doing and we can share that with people within the county. I agree. I'm sorry go ahead. I.

A

Just I I wrote that completely, I think you guys are doing phenomenal work and it would be nice.

A

To have that information, when we do get questions about it, so we are doing that. We're also going to.

T

Be working with the um county, administrator and deputy county administrator to come before you.

T

In the next couple of months, and actually doing a presentation on where we are having the maps here,.

T

So that the public will be able to see exactly what's happening and um we are at the end of a.

T

Process where we're actually working on a rack card, that's going to go out to the public and.

T

We can talk more about that as well. That's going to allow them to give us allow them to give us.

T

Feedback on where they think high-speed broadband is for them and how it works and, and that type of.

T

Thing we have recently updated all of the web pages both on economic development and on the.

T

County website, with the information on how to obtain that, how to go out and check who do you.

T

See you have for service and that so we'll bring that back before you and I I will definitely get.

T

You that report on a monthly basis that would be very helpful. um You know sort of dashboard.

D

If you will, because we again, I know the county gets information through the website and other.

D

Things but we we talk to a lot of people too, and it's probably we're in a really good position to.

D

Be sharing that information as well, and also if you, if you do, I offer to you, we offered it to.

T

The previous board, as commissioner rothstein knows, if you have particular issues where the public is.

T

Having a problem with something, please forward that information to myself, it will go to jubal.

T

Who is the broadband project manager, but we also send that stuff over to carol shelver? Who is the.

T

Cable contract coordinator and she will look at the addresses and those types of things and and.

T

See if there's a possibility, if there's some way to get those people serviced so we're very.

T

Proactive in doing that, if we have the people, you know working with the public and helping.

T

Them get what they need excellent. Thank you very much. Thank you, commissioner. Thank you. Thank you.

E

Okay, mr bokey bring us home with a county-wide energy management program.

V

Morning, commissioners morning, uh we just wanted to take a couple minutes and share with you and.

V

The tons of people watching at home, well, public works, has been doing behind the.

V

Scenes in regards to an energy management program- I'm here today with scott graf, a.

V

Project specialist in public works and our goal is to give you a brief history. What we're doing.

V

Today and some of our plans for the future, so with that said I'll hand it over to scott.

W

Good morning, commissioners, good morning, I just wanted to start off with uh talking about our.

W

Energy conservation efforts so far, primarily talking about solar panels and hybrid electric.

W

Vehicles, the county purchased this first hybrid vehicle in 2007. It was a honda, civic.

W

And then a 2009 toyota prius followed shortly there. We currently have a total of 22 hybrid.

W

Vehicles in our fleet, most of which I believe, are being utilized by the sheriff's department.

W

September of 2015, the county entered into a solar power and service agreement with sun.

W

Edison origination, one llc and this agreement resulted in three solar sites around the county.

W

One being at carroll community college: the second was the hampstead wastewater treatment plant and.

W

Then we also had one at the hoods mill, landfill and all the numbers I'm getting ready to give.

W

You are calendar year, 2022 numbers. The community college facility produced one gigawatt of power.

W

In 2022, the hampstead wastewater treatment plant produced two gigawatts and then the hoods mill.

W

Landfill which actually came online later than the other two in 2018, that produced in 2020 to.

W

A 3.6 gigawatts of energy, so these three sites, together in 2022 6.8 gigawatts of production,.

W

And we have a regional energy advisory service provider known as enlx, and they estimated that.

W

Our cost savings in 2022 by having these three facilities online was 366 846 dollars.

W

And before I get into another current more current solar project, I wanted to turn it over to brian to.

W

Talk about johnson controls and other efforts yeah, I uh set an update uh probably earlier this year.

V

About our contract with johnson controls, that's out of our facilities group, they basically have.

V

Five major objectives identify energy savings opportunities, reduce future repair costs, extend.

V

Asset life ensure productive environments and promote healthy and safe workplaces. We've been.

V

Working with them for the past 20 years and our contract currently runs through fy 32.

V

Great working relationship with them all again doing lighting retrofits building envelopes, water.

V

Conservation, smart energy controls throughout our 26 buildings they're also in the carroll.

V

County community college library, senior centers courts, detention, centers and some of the parks.

W

November of 2018, the county entered into a master power purchase agreement with.

W

Standard solar, a site was eventually located northeast of cleves mill, road in ronsdale.

W

Site plan for this is expected this summer, hopefully by the end of august.

W

And it's expected, according to standard solar, to produce four to four and a half gigawatts annually.

W

um The fy 2024 county budget projects, electric usage by the county to be roughly 20 gigawatts.

W

So if the county were to offset or attempt to offset all 20 gigawatts the cost savings.

W

Would be estimated to be about a million dollars annually. You said a million dollars annual. Yes,.

A

And how close are we now to that with the three sites we currently have online? uh Produces a 367.

W

Thousand dollars in savings so we're probably about 40 percent there, maybe a little less.

V

Yeah, I kind of look at this as like the ag pres program. You know we we have this big.

V

Goal and we're kind of chipping away at it as we go through and as we progress so sorry.

V

That's it what's that so yeah um with all that being said, I believe public works department.

V

Can take the lead in the county-wide energy management program, we're uniquely positioned.

V

To take the lead due to many of our existing roles and responsibilities throughout the viewers.

V

Whether it be building construction with new projects and building renovations,.

V

Are equipment and fleet management group land acquisition and survey.

V

Support and our solid waste bureau with recycling and sustainability.

V

In my short time here, I've seen a few missed opportunities for funding for smart energy.

V

Initiatives- and I want that to change with your support, we'll continue making progress towards.

V

Making carroll county net zero. Thank you for your time and we'll be happy to answer any questions.

B

First, on the uh on the solar fields, um I know on community solar there, a bunch of restrictions on.

B

Properties and such on these commercial fields like, for instance, carroll community college.

B

um Suppose they wanted to do another one, the same size on their property. Are they allowed.

B

To are there restrictions what you can do on the same piece of property, or is it pretty much open.

W

I believe they could expand if they wanted to yes, okay, yeah. Somebody in the community told me they.

B

They can't do anymore because you're not allowed to do a second one, but which is maybe true with.

B

Community, but not commercial, I don't think all these sites are what we would call aggregate net.

W

Metering, so none of the power is actually being used on site, it's being put into the grid. Yes, yes,.

E

One thing um I don't believe you really got into depth is the resources it would take to do the.

E

Work that you're saying you want to own up to yes, eventually gone so you're gonna have to break down.

E

That do the analysis on that provide it, because I mean, are we talking additional bodies, additional.

E

Time uh you know contractual work, sure yeah. We have a couple plans on our uh upper sleeves, uh not.

V

Really prepared to talk about today in in public, but um yes, we do have some plans and uh you know.

V

Hopefully, in the future, if there is an appetite for this, um which seems like there is, we can.

V

Definitely continue to dig into this and present some further proposals for this work and to your.

A

Point about you know, missed opportunities, you know if those do come up, please do not hesitate to let.

A

Us know, because, if there's a way that we can save taxpayer money by going after something, I want to.

A

Do that yes, I'll just give you one example, um there was one grant. We were looking into to do.

V

Some hvac work, but they were looking for the county's official energy management plan and.

V

Although we're we have all these great initiatives out there, we don't have an official energy.

V

Management plan to share with outside agencies- so that's something you know one of the first kind of.

V

Objectives of this group would be to create a plan for for the county moving forward, so.

V

Again, you know all these little pieces will need to be in play to get these opportunities. But yes,.

V

Certainly, keep keep you all in the loop, and so how long would it take to come up with some kind of.

A

Energy uh direction, energy plan- I guess what would you call it a um I open for a discussion, but.

V

A county energy management program, county energy management program, so there's all the buzzwords.

V

You know greens, sustainability, infrastructure, net zero. I just kind of we're focused on energy.

V

You know, I don't see it being green solutions. You know I'll say that for chris hein and stormwater.

V

Management and green roofs, um us it's more. The the boilers and hvacs and potential solar on roof.

V

Things like that, so I I appreciate you going down that road because I noticed you know: net zero was.

D

Mentioned in here I don't think the county has a official goal or board voted goal to be net zero.

D

If I'm not mistaken, you are correct, yep! That's why we're kind of here getting the ball rolling.

D

On the conversation, your approach to it, which is you know, how does it benefit the bottom line,.

D

It benefits the environment in the process, that's great, so yeah. I appreciate this and and that.

D

That approach to it great thank you. Net zero is very expensive and I'll. Just echo elusive sorry.

C

I'll just echo your points on that. um I hope we also kind of look into the construction side.

C

Too, absolutely for uh both cost savings, as well as just the environment as a whole. um The solar.

C

Site map there's what is there, I think, there's what roughly 40 commercial sites we're looking at.

C

Here I think I kind of roughly counted. I think it was 40.. I lean back and look at don't worry about.

W

It I'm just guessing off what I counted. um I know there's a couple that had overlapped um do we know.

C

What what level of energy that's producing out of those 40 sites? Just out of curiosity,.

C

Or is that completely nothing? We have anything I mean. Most of them are private, private, okay,.

W

Just curious, we could probably make a guess if we would, you know, to measure the solar panels, but.

W

Then it also depends on the timing of when they were installed as well, because you know here, five.

W

Years later, from our first installation they're a lot more efficient nowadays, no I understand I.

C

Was just I was just curious because I know you were giving us the numbers where we are. I was just kind of curious where that hypothetically might put us in total between the two groups.

C

Okay, all right! Thank you for your time. Thank you, one more! Oh yeah, one more sorry, I was waiting my.

B

Term um on buildings, um looking back, I was on the building committee for career in tech and.

B

East meadow- and it seems like during those time periods, almost every project somebody evaluated.

B

Geothermal, but they didn't seem to evaluate solar something. I've mentioned since last december. It's.

B

What what was done on we're ready to to do state's attorney's building and the sheriffs um was solar.

B

Looked at there and uh and can it still be- maybe it just looks to me like, uh and I know that's.

B

Probably the most expensive solar is rooftop, but still um and- and I saw uh the senator west talk.

B

To us- and I don't know, I don't think it got any legs, he was trying to do a bill that every school.

B

In the state you had to evaluate solar on the roof. Well, I look at an existing building. You've.

B

Got a rooftop that has an age of pick something 20 years. You've got hvac that has an age of 15 years,.

B

All you all you need to do is 14 years in stick solar up there and really screw up the process of.

B

Replacements, so it's tough on existing buildings, but on new buildings, it's a different subject have.

B

We looked at that and can we moving forward and yeah? I think, as we move forward and we're talking.

V

About an energy management plan I was, I was reading through fredericks and they have a mandate.

V

To include some sort of solar infrastructure on every single project moving forward, I I believe.

V

The state's attorney we looked at it, given the footprint and the equipment up on the roof, wasn't.

V

Wasn't worth it, you know, by the time everything gets installed, we're only looking at a handful of.

V

Panels, I know the uh the sheriff's headquarters. It's certainly something we want to look look.

V

Into because it has a much bigger footprint right on that campus over there and then also you know.

V

The potential of this parking garage we've we've spoke about before that may be a good opportunity.

V

um To put that on the roof and and the sheriffs which is off the subject here, but kind of.

B

um That's probably going to be a or maybe already is a pm type bid, and so is that one of the things.

B

That the pm will be tasked with to evaluate solar, yes to make sure the roof can handle. All that. You.

V

Know I have solar at home and I was told um you know, the weight of solar on a roof is about a bag.

V

Of sugar, you know five pound bag of sugar. It's not a huge load when you're looking at the areas.

V

It's just more getting the right angle, getting the right space. You know we had a chimney and a couple.

V

Vents so it looks like a tetris board up there. If you look at it, but you know it still is worth it.

V

For us, but I think that's something that we always have to take into consideration and and then you.

B

uh Also, you mentioned vehicles and then great answers on that thanks um vehicles. I would hope.

B

I don't want to sound too negative, but some of this electrical vehicle stuff is total pipe dream.

B

um And not practical and would cost us more money than it would gain us.

B

Now hybrid vehicles and maybe electric moving forward um can be, but anything you do with a.

B

With a plan for the county will evaluate, what's cost effective, not just what's touchy, feeling.

B

100 yeah we've had a lot of discussions about our transit system moving to ev buses and you know, as.

V

As hard as we want it to happen, at technology is not there we're not there. The buses are.

V

Three four times the cost, so you know we have no intention anytime soon pushing that on on anybody.

V

um You know scott did some research on average they're getting about an 80 to 90 mile range and.

V

That won't even handle our shortest routes in in westminster. It's great in theory,.

V

Monday monday, okay, thanks you're welcome. Okay. Thank you thanks, commissioners. Thank you.

E

Okay, uh mr swim, do we have any callers public comments.

J

Yes, sir, I believe we have one caller caller one. Could you please use star.

J

Six to unmute at that point, you'll have three minutes. Please identify yourself.

J

Foreign er star six to unmute.

J

Bueller, yes, hello good morning, commissioners.

X

This is catherine, adelaide carroll, county republican, central committee.

X

um I apologize catherine catherine, do you have uh an address for our records.

E

I'm sorry, do you have an address for our records.

X

P.O box, 127: okay, thank you, minister marilyn. Okay, thank you.

X

Thank you two one, one, five, eight yes good evening uh good afternoon, I'm sorry, thank you for uh your.

X

Service, um I don't know how you keep your schedule. I really have to squeeze it in just to get this.

X

Public comment in or once a week I will be gone next week. Maybe that'll make some happy, but anyway.

X

I really do appreciate the opportunity to be able to use the system, I'm not the most tech.

X

Savvy person in the world, so um I really encourage as a central committee member, we want to include.

X

More people in all of our proceedings- and I know you do as well so I do want to thank you for the.

X

Technology that makes this possible, because mostly I just don't have the time to come down in person.

X

um Today, I did want to just inform you: the defend life face the truth, tour we'll be.

X

Coming through westminster, I don't know if you're familiar with it. This is a pro-life uh tour of.

X

15 cities in maryland, this will be wednesday july 26th from 4 30 to 6 at route 140 and 31.

X

um The tour actually begins on the 23rd and runs through the I believe, the 28th. I.

X

Counted as my summer vacation, even though it's quite a grueling tour, we're staying out on the.

X

Roadways exercising our first amendment rights for life. Most of you are aware of.

X

The horrific constitutional amendment that is coming uh has been you know.

X

um Will be coming for a vote as a referendum, so we're trying to really. We do show victim images.

X

At these tours of first second and third trimester abortions, and every year we get usually at least.

X

One or two women or couples who see these images and understand and change their mind. So these.

X

These victim images are difficult, but they do save lives and uh we just can't end abortion until we.

X

Tell the truth about abortion, so I hope some of you could stop by and just honk. If you drive by.

X

And say hello to us, or you know, feel free to pull up on the media and hold a sign for a few minutes.

X

um My second uh notice is, we have the the central committee. Has we've been doing the carnivals this.

X

Summer start registering voters and getting yard signs. um Our next one will be at the 4-h for the.

X

4-H at the ag center from july 29th through august 4th, so we hope that you will take the time to come.

X

By the trailer and say hello and check us out, uh finally, I would recommend uh the movie the.

X

Sound of freedom- you may have heard about it. It's making quite an uproar in conservative circles,.

X

um This is something about a child sex trafficking, it's extremely powerful. I do encourage each of you.

X

To view this film, I have been working with the manager at the westminster, cinemas and.

X

They have extended this until next thursday, so I hope you get out there. It is something.

X

You can do maryland is 22nd in sex trafficking because of our location. So.

X

um I would encourage you to get out and see that film. I will be on the tour next week, so.

X

I won't be able to drop in and say hello. Thank you again for all of your work and we'll be in.

X

Touch, thank you very much. Thank you, catherine rich. Did you want to make comment not this time.

E

Okay, um chris, are there any other comments or any other questions? I have thanks. Okay,.

E

um I need uh review of the closed minutes from july 13th for land.

E

Acquisition motion to approve second, okay, that was entirely too fast. We were reading ahead.

E

Okay, I got a motion. I got a second aid discussion on this.

E

It's in here none all in favor, aye, aye, okay, thank you uh wanda. When you come on up.

E

Does anybody have anything for open admin? I think you do don't you. I've got a couple quick things.

C

um First wanda, when you're ready there want to add briefings if we could for the farm, alcohol.

C

Producers, as well as the restaurants and ag agricultural district that was down in planning.

C

And zoning this week and that's now been moved out of that so we'd like to add that to the schedule.

C

And then also if we could next week, let me see.

C

um If it'd be possible to say bump item four item three to item four, if everybody would.

C

Be okay with that I'd like, since we discussed this earlier, I'd like to put the uh boys and.

C

Girls club of carroll county at number three, if we could put them in they're, going to come in.

C

um With department of citizen services anyway, but I'd like to add them, they're going to.

C

Give us an update on uh what they're, what they're doing in carroll county works for me,.

C

Thank you. What's up doers, um didn't we talk about planning? Yes, that's yeah, we're adding that as well.

C

Oh okay, yep, okay, good, okay got it anything else: um open admin; okay, let's look at the agendas.

E

July 24th 25th 26 nothing scheduled july. 27Th thursday. We go into open.

E

At 9, 15., okay um and we're gonna talk about uh not in carroll funding.

E

Committed for opioid issues for fiscal year, 2024.

E

Approval to submit the fy25 jurisdictional family services grant, but you want to put.

E

Something I wanted to, I thought we could maybe won't maybe put them right after.

C

That, okay, so just move budget down to four okay. So we'll do that with the boys and girls club.

E

And then we'll go into approval of resolution fiscal year, 23 year-end adjustments, mr zaleski,.

E

uh Talk about the uh excuse, me, school impact fees uh and prepare ourselves to.

E

Make a decision, mr zaleski, will navigate us through that exercise: option to purchase the.

E

Kyle trevor franklin and mark warren franklin properties through the critical farms program.

E

We will purchase of life pack cr2 defibrillators.

E

um From uh for ems purchase a chevy tahoe for our sheriff's department,.

E

Demolition of 207 and 209 greenwood ave um are those the building numbers are those buildings 207.

E

And 209 address: that's okay! It's address thanks, so demolition discussion of the demolition of.

E

The address is 207 and 209 greenwood ave, which are our state's attorneys um office right. Okay,.

E

um Contract award fiscal year, sampling, laboratory testing and reporting services.

E

For various water and wastewater treatment facilities.

E

And then contract award installation of an insertion valve.

E

On the oakland road 24 inch diameter water main from dpw, nothing scheduled on friday saturday.

E

And commission kern has the podcast for that week. Following week july, 20 excuse me july 31st.

E

um We have a breakfast at the carroll county, 4-h, ffa and ffa fair at eight in the morning. Currently.

E

Commissioner kyler and I are scheduled to attend, although others will be I'll check. My I think I.

A

Should be able to do that um good opportunity with the kids and then they take us around and show us.

E

The the layouts of uh the fair, um well, that I mean is you think that'll probably be over like 12.

A

Oh yeah yeah, okay, then yeah. Then please do put me down for that. Okay, yeah um tuesday august 1st.

E

Thank you wanda. We will get some ice cream over at simmons ice cream 100th year proclamation.

E

And then the national night out, what we have here is just the sykesville freedom uh firehouse. I will.

E

Be attending, but I do know commissioner gordon's going to be attending a bunch in westminster and.

E

I would expect the others will as well right. So if we can um just get with the schedulers.

E

On the other commissioners and where they'll be attending, because community county wide.

E

On wednesday august 2nd commissioner kyler and I and I don't know if others I expect- would attend.

E

The cake auction at the 4-h, fair wanda you can put me down for that. I will be attending that that's.

C

Always a great event, I think they raised 80 000 or it was like 80 000. Last year, crazy um thursday.

E

August 3rd, let's see changes to chapter 170 on the construction codes. Mr bokey will well his team.

E

Will walk us through that and then that afternoon we have, for. I have the greater baltimore committee.

E

Meteor briefing up in baltimore on friday august 4th is the livestock auction um again at the fair.

E

Commissioner kyler and I and I would expect others also to be attending it's going to be a good time.

E

um Saturday august 5th, the westminster fire department, citizens fire academy, commissioner.

E

Gordon will be attending and then the reits across america mobile education, exhibit over.

E

Babylon fault, commissioner, vigliotti and didn't you say you were awesome, you can put.

C

Me down for that, I'm going to be kind of doing double duty that morning, but I'll be up both.

C

That, but that babylon vault goes all the way through to seven yes, that evening,.

E

um And then I'll be doing a podcast that afternoon I thought we were doing.

E

um A budget next week aren't we did. I miss something about impact fees. You tell them.

A

Impact fees right impact fees, that's what you mean! No, no! No! No! um I thought we were doing a budget.

E

Work session on tuesday- yes, that is correct, correct so on tuesday, the 25th that I think.

F

It's closed yeah yeah, but it's just saying: uh oh okay. Do we not announce that sorry, okay? Well,.

E

We'll still have a work session amongst us thanks um at one one point of uh the the uh the citizen.

D

Fire academy, my understanding is that you can go to their website and rsvp website. You have.

C

To rsvp it's either website or you can go through social media and get there. But yes, okay, important.

D

To know what people are listening absolutely being encouraged to attend, I'm I'm a tentative, but it's.

E

um 18 and above you said 18 and up yes, yep 18 and above okay, um okay, wanda how'd. I do okay.

E

What I need now is a motion to.

E

Adjourned recess includes closed for land acquisition motion going.

E

To close for land acquisition followed by adjournment recess yeah, all of that.

E

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