Strange Bedfellows

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…)

When the County Council meets tonight, the first order of business will be to select a new chairman.

Democratic Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder served his fourth, and by his account final, year as chairman in December. Three Democrats, including Vince Gardina, Ken Oliver and John Olszewski Sr., have expressed an interest in the job that pays $60,000 annually — about $6,000 more than the salary for a councilman who is not chairman.

Odds are that the councilman who is sometimes known as Johnny O will be elected to serve for the third time in as many terms, according to council observers.

Four councilmen have controlled the position since 1996 — Bartenfelder, Olszewski, Kevin Kamenetz and Sam Moxley.

“It’s worked out ahead of time,” said Republican former Councilman Wayne Skinner, who served on the council from 1998 to 2002. “Those four decided.”

Those who have served previously as chairman have denied there is a deal in place or that Olszewski is a lock for the position.

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.”

Growing up in Baltimore, you learn that when people ask you where you went to school they’re not asking you about where you went to college. In Small-timore, it’s all about your high school.

Even on the County Council, where five of the seven members graduated from local private schools, members occasionally participate in some playful inter-school rivalry banter. (more…)

Prior to the Tuesday evening vote on speed camera legislation, a few councilmen took the time to explain why they were about to vote the way they were about to vote.

Councilman Vince Gardina, a Democrat who represents the 5th District, said his vote was based, at least in part, on what he explained as a month-long “unscientific experiment.”

“Over the last month or so I’ve been trying to drive the speed limit all the time,” said Gardina, who represents Perry Hall, Carney and Towson. (more…)

Del. J.B. Jennings will give up the District 7 House of Delegates seat he has held since 2002 and will instead run for that district’s state Senate seat in 2010.

Jennings, a Republican, confirmed his intentions in an interview. He made a more formal announcement at his fundraiser Friday night, an annual event that includes a polo match.

Sen. Andy Harris, who currrently represents the district, announced earlier this year he will give up his Senate seat for a rematch against Rep. Frank Kratovil, a first-term Democrat.

Jennings is the only officially-announced candidate for the Senate district that stretches from Cockeysville and parts of Perry Hall and Middle River to part of western Harford County.

Two others, Democratic Councilman Vince Gardina and Republican former delegate and state Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer, are also said to be considering campaigning for the seat.

The 50 future recipients of grants for projects that will make homes more energy efficient could find themselves part of a voluntary BGE program if Councilman Vince Gardina has his way.

The County Council on Monday unanimously approved acceptance of $400,000 in state grant money from the Maryland Energy Administration’s EmPower Clean Energy Communities Program.

Three-quarters of the money will be used for residential projects that demonstrate at least a 20 percent reduction in energy use. The Office of Community Conservation estimates that up to 45 low- to moderate-income families will be helped.

The remaining $100,000 is expected to be spent on three to five projects that reduce energy consumption between 50 and 90 percent.

Gardina, arguably the “greenest” member of the council, has successfully lobbied for tax credits for new construction that meets higher energy efficiency standards. He is the only councilman who drives a hybrid county vehicle. Earlier this year he called for mandatory residential recycling and the creation of “recycling police” to ensure compliance.

Gardina, a five-term Democrat who represents Perry Hall and Towson, said he thinks the county should require grant recipients to participate in BGE PeakRewards, a voluntary program that allows the power company to cycle off air conditioners during peak hours in return for credits on the customer’s energy bill.

“We’re talking about $400,000 in expenditures to improve the energy efficiency of these homes,” Gardina said prior to the vote. “Is there any way we can request or mandate that they abide by this new BGE program that requires the installation of these monitoring thermostats?”

“You’re talking about putting in insulation, you’re talking about putting in Energy Star windows and so forth, at the very least we could also include that. That helps reduce the energy consumption as well.”

“I think it’s something that should probably be required if we going to spend this kind of money,” Gardina said.

What do you think: Should the county require grant recipients to participate in the BGE program? Are there other energy efficient programs the county should require county residents to participate in? Does mandatory participation go to far?

I’ve received some questions about Councilman Vince Gardina’s off-the-cuff comment to a community activist about getting shot in Perry Hall.

Was the councilman speaking in jest? Was it sarcasm? Was he being serious? What was the context of the remark?

Here’s an audio clip of the comment recorded during yesterday’s County Council meeting. Gardina makes his comments at the end of the 20-second clip.

Does Perry Hall have an unreported violence problem? Are its residents armed to the teeth?

Apparently Councilman Vince Gardina thinks so or he would not have warned a Kingsville resident to be careful about removing advertisements from the windows of cars.

Mike Pierce, a community activist from Kingsville, testified today in favor of a bill that would create a do-not-deliver list for companies that place fliers at county residences. The bill, sponsored by Councilman John Olszewski Sr., would also prohibit leaving fliers on car windows. (more…)

While five-term councilman Vince Gardina ponders his future, the first of what could be a handful of candidates interested in the 5th District Baltimore County Council seat is having a campaign event tonight.

Mike Ertel, a West Towson resident and former president of the Greater Towson Committee, is holding a $75 per person campaign event tonight at the Towson University Alumni Club. He will run as a Democrat in the primary election next September. (more…)