Strange Bedfellows

“That doesn’t sound like their role. I’m not sure their role is to inject politics into this process.”

~ Republican former Councilman Wayne Skinner, on county Personnel and Salary Advisory Board considering pensions and other benefits when making recommendations on a 2 percent raise for the County Council that will take office in December 2010. Those benefits and perks were not part of a recommendation to give the incoming county executive an 8 percent raise.

Things are cooking in my kitchen and on WBAL 1090 AM for my weekly chat with Maryland Morning News anchor Bill Vanko.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Nearly 90 percent of Americans believe the government should restrict teens younger than 18 from using tanning beds and prosecute businesses that allow them to do so, according to a New Jersey-based public opinion research group.

HCD Research conducted a study of 332 viewers who watched a news clip about tanning laws in Europe.  The study required participants to register their immediate opinions on the subject by moving a mouse back and forth on a scale while watching the video.

The video and the results can be seen here.

Two weeks ago, the Baltimore County Council defeated a bill sponsored by Councilman Vince Gardina that would have prohibited minors from using tanning beds. Teens and the tanning salons could have been subject to criminal penalties, including a fine and jail time.

Howard County approved new health regulations that impose similar restrictions as well as fees for newly required tanning salon licenses. That law will not be enforced until next year.

Bruce Bereano, a lobbyist representing the state Indoor Tanning Association, said his group plans a legal challenge of the new regulations. He predicted the suit would be filed by Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter and called it a “holiday gift to the (county) council.”

If one needed further evidence that last week’s vote by the Personnel and Salary Advisory board was unusual, you didn’t have to look beyond the actions taken by the board just four years ago.

County Charter and state law require the quadrennial review to be done by fourth year of the term.

Last Wednesday, the board fulfilled its duties during a hearing on raises for both the county executive and council that lasted a little more than seven minutes (give or take). (more…)

“She told me I’d have to pick an extra bag of corn.”

— Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder, on the teasing he received from his wife after he said he would oppose raises for the county executive and County Council that were recommended by the county Personnel Advisory and Salary Board. Bartenfelder is a farmer, four-term councilman and an announced candidate for county executive.

Proposed raises and a salary board’s open meetings violations were the topic of conversation on WBAL 1090 AM Saturday morning.

Here’s the audio of Steve Bailey, co-chair of the Baltimore County Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, on Bruce Elliott’s show this morning. Audio courtesy of WBAL.

You don’t have to be 5 years old to have an imaginary friend.

County Executive Jim Smith has one and wants you to meet her.

Meet Merrie Holiday, Baltimore County’s resident holiday shopping maven.

Fronda Cohen, a spokeswoman for the county Department of Economic Development, was coy about exactly who or what Merrie Holiday is other than to say it’s part of a new marketing effort to encourage residents to shop in some of the 3,000 shops in the county’s 13 traditional retail districts — Arbutus, Catonsville-Paradise, Dundalk, Essex, Lansdowne, Liberty Road, Loch Raven, Overlea-Fullerton, Parkville, Pikesville, Reisterstown, Towson and Woodlawn Village.

The campaign, which is part of the county’s ReDiscover Your Neighborhood Downtown promotion, was designed by Barb Clapp Advertising and Marketing.   The character will be featured in radio and print ads and some short videos of Smith running around the county trying to find the elusive personality. (more…)

I’m getting reports from readers saying there’s trouble listening to the audio of the Personnel and Salary Advisory Board that I posted yesterday. The common link seems to be the use of Internet Explorer.

I hear Firefox works pretty good. There is a load time though so be patient.

Here’s a direct link if you want to try Youtube.

Here’s the audio of Wednesday’s meeting of the Baltimore County Personnel and Salary Advisory Board. During the meeting, the board unanimously approved recommending salary increases for the county executive and the County Council of 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively. If approved by the council, the increases would take effect in December 2010.

Audio was recorded by the board and released upon my request.

This portion of the meeting covers just the discussion and vote on the two salary proposals and was edited by me, as was the video.

Here’s the link to my weekly political chat with WBAL 1090 AM Maryland Morning News anchor Bill Vanko. On today’s docket: Pay raises for the county executive and county council and early “retirement” of long-time county police spokesman Bill Toohey.