Strange Bedfellows

Del. Todd Schuler announced Saturday that he will run for the County Council rather than seek a second term in the House of Delegates.

The announcement, made over the weekend at a campaign fundraising event, was not entirely unexpected. Schuler talked to me about running for the seat back in February 2008.

Schuler, a Democrat from Overlea, now represents the 8th District in the House of Delegates. He said he will run in 2010 for the 6th District council seat currently held by four-term Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder, who is running for county executive in 2010. (more…)

People who can, do — and those who can’t, teach. Or so goes the old adage. But what happens to those who give up teaching?

Apparently, they become farmers.

Or so goes the story as told by Don Mohler, who briefly spoke Thursday about Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder’s brief tenure as a teacher.

Bartenfelder taught from 1979 to 1981. The last year was spent as a long-term substitute at Chesapeake High School, in Essex, where he taught drafting and business (he was also involved in the family farm at the time). (more…)

Sen. Jim Brochin’s call for night-time County Council work sessions met with little argument from current council Chairman Joseph Bartenfelder.

Bartenfelder, who will complete his one-year term leading the council at the end of the year, said he agrees with his felllow Democrat that night meetings would make it easier for the public to attend and participate.

“The thing of it is, it sounds strange coming from a legislator whose meetings are all during the day,” said Bartenfelder, who served three terms in the House of Delegates from 1983 to 1994.

“It’s a double standard with what they do in Annapolis,” said Bartenfelder.

Clearly, Bartenfelder never served on the House Judiciary Committee under chairman Del. Joseph Vallario. The eight-term Democrat, who represents Calvert and Prince George’s counties, is known for his marathon meetings that frequently begin after lunch, but sometimes run into the late evening hours.

Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder today restated his support of moving work sessions to a time later in the afternoon — or possibly in the evening.

The issue came up earlier this summer when some community activists said they’d like to see the change in order to make it easier for the public to attend.

Bartenfelder, who is chairman of the council for another four months, said that while he has not had formal conversations with the other six councilmen, he has had some preliminary discussions with folks in the county executive’s office. (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…)

County Executive Jim Smith’s recent announcement raised questions pertaining to his future and what might happen to the more than $1 million he has raised since being re-elected in 2006.

Smith’s statement (you can read it here) is all we have to go on officially. The county executive declined to be interviewed on the subject before leaving town to visit a daughter (who was expecting to give birth this week).

But sources within the Smith campaign were willing to shed some light on the subject. (more…)

Opposition to a bill that would exempt some rural properties from the county’s Rental Registration program caused Republican Councilman Bryan McIntire to wax a little nostalgic at today’s council meeting.

McIntire, who represents most of the rural land in the county, sponsored a bill that would exempt homes on the National Register of Historic Places and the county’s inventory of historic places from rental registration, as well as homes on the preliminary or final landmarks list and any home not connected to public water or sewer. (more…)

Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder is on the board with what may — or may not — be the first ad of the 2010 election season.

Bartenfelder has announced his intention to run for county executive in 2010, though he has not officially filed. Councilman Kevin Kamenetz is also on the list of likely candidates. Both have been raising the kind of money one needs to mount such a campaign. (more…)

The 18 months or so before an election, especially one that promises to be particularly exciting or filled with change, generates a lot of chatter.

Last week, several e-mails popped up in my in box containing messages claiming that Councilman John Olszewski Sr. had endorsed fellow Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder’s bid for county executive. Olszewski, the e-mails said, did this at an eastside Democratic club meeting last week. The endorsement would essentially mean Olszewski had removed himself from the race. (more…)

A 9.8-acre parcel of county-owned land in Dundalk isn’t going to pass into private hands until March, but that’s not stopping developer John Vontran from seeking County Council approval for a proposed Planned Unit Development plan for the property.

Councilman John Olszewski Sr. will introduce a resolution seeking preliminary approval for the plan at tonight’s council meeting. The resolution is a necessary step before such a plan could be considered by the county Planning Board. (more…)