Last night’s council meeting might be the fastest on record, clocking in at 4 minutes, 44 seconds.
From the Pledge of Allegiance to the open public forum, the whole meeting took less time than it takes to find a parking space near the Old Courthouse and navigate through the security checkpoint.
Was it the fastest ever? (more…)
Councilman Vince Gardina’s resignation from his job as a substitute teacher has ended a review by the county attorney but hasn’t stopped some from raising questions about whether it is appropriate for a council member to work as a teacher in the county.
Republican former Councilman Wayne Skinner said he believes that an agency that receives “50 cents of every dollar in the county budget” is clearly a county agency. Working for the system is clearly a problem, he said.
Skinner has some experience with such issues. He was an administrator for the state Department of Assessments and Taxation at the same time he served as a councilman — a position we now know is in conflict with holding office as a councilman in the county, according to the County Charter. (more…)
Think you know a lot about county government, the council and the County Charter?
Well, strap on your thinking caps and try this pop quiz.
The 60-question quiz comes courtesy of Debbie Patchak, the council administrator.
A couple of rules, though.
First, no asking others for the answers. Second, no looking it up on the Internet or anywhere else. Play fair.
I’ll post the answers on Friday.
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…)
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.
Fred Homan’s influence on county budget and policy is widely discussed among county employees and elected officials, who frequently refer to county operations as “The World of Fred.”
But is the former budget director and current county administrative officer so important that his absence could require the council to stop meeting?
The council was halfway through its 18-minute meeting Monday night and had just finished voting on the five bills on its agenda when Councilman Bryan McIntire asked the question. (more…)
It started as an academic exercise for Doug Riley.
The former Republican councilman from Towson, who now works for Pope and Hughes, was talking to Virginia Barnhart, a former county attorney who works with Riley, about whether a two-term county executive would be barred from running for office a third time.
The topic was driven by continued talk that former County Executive Donald Hutchinson might run in 2010 for the office he held from 1978 to 1986. Some believe the County Charter might prevent another Hutchinson run. (more…)
Summer is winding down and the talk of Don Hutchinson running for a third term for county executive not only won’t go away, they’re heating up.
Hutchinson, the two time county executive, isn’t saying he’s in.
“I’ve just let the rumors fly,” Hutchinson said, acknowledging the talk. “I”ve had a nice summer.”
In June, Hutchinson, 63, tried to play down any talk of another run. (more…)
State Del. Steve Lafferty is calling on county officials to hold public meetings to explain how speed camera legislation will be implemented in the county.
Lafferty, a Democrat and supporter of speed cameras, said “it is incumbent upon the county to use (the meetings) as an educational session.”
“I’ve not heard from any community that doesn’t feel (speed cameras) will be a valuable tool if used correctly,” said Lafferty, who represents the 42nd District including Towson, Lutherville-Timonium and part of Pikesville. (more…)