The Party's Over
Photos
Baltimore County officials will make their annual migration to Ocean City next month for the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference but they won't be holding their traditional party.
For the first time since Dutch Ruppersberger was county executive, the county will not hold it's usual reception at Horizons, a bar at the Clarion Resorts Fountainebleau Hotel.
Three of the seven members of the council—Vicki Almond, David Marks and Tom Quirk—told Patch they decided this year to not chip in for the event.
"I felt uncomfortable about last year's event," Marks, a Perry Hall Republican, said. "I have ordinary people who give me $30 or $40 and I don't think they want their money subsidizing a party."
Almond, a Reisterstown Democrat, said she opted not to pay a share of the party because the council has been barred from raising money for nearly a year while it handles zoning requests in the county's quadrennial Comprehensive Rezoning Map Process.
"I quite honestly didn't want to take money out of my campaign funds for a Coke and a crab cake," Almond said.
Quirk, a Catonsville Democrat, is traveling in Norway and was not immediately available for an interview.
In an email, Quirk said simply that he was "not participating in the MACo reception."
Last year, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and all seven council members contributed $1,000 toward the party. The money came from their campaign accounts.
Another $15,000 came from various interests including lobbyists and attorneys.
A Reporter was kept in the lobby outside the event while about 250 people including leaders of other jurisdictions, state legislators, lobbyists and others interested in influencing county decision-makers enjoyed drinks at the open bar and dined on various meats on a stick.
Don Mohler, a spokesman for Kamenetz, told the Baltimore Sun Friday, that Kamenetz had decided to not hold the party this year citing "the economic climate."
Almond said she plans on attending the conference as she did last year. She and Marks were seen frequently at the convention center, taking advantage of the three days of seminars for county leaders.
"I like going to the classes," Almond said, adding that she didn't feel that if she didn't go to the party that she would be neglecting the development attorneys who normally attend. "I have a pretty nice relationship with them but I've worked with them a lot already this year."
Steve
11:45 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
LOL Let's watch Beeler try and turn into the latest conspiracy theory.
JD1
9:10 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Seems like a responsible decision.
Arbutus Town Crier
10:34 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
The Autocracy has the magnifying glasses on them plus election year is coming up. A little late to think responsible, so it maybe the same old tactic prior to elections! If I was a gambler I would bet on it, always bet on a sure thing.
Evets
10:10 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
I am not sure what you meant to say, but please know that an autocracy is a country, city, or other area ruled by one person who has total control.
Arbutus Town Crier
11:09 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
(Autocracy)One person or group same as Authoritarianism emphasizes arbitrary law rather than the rule of law, it often includes election rigging, political decisions being made by a select group of officials behind closed doors, a bureaucracy that sometimes operates independently of rules,[dubious – discuss] which does not properly supervise elected officials, and fails to serve the concerns of the constituencies they purportedly serve. Authoritarianism also tends to embrace the informal and unregulated exercise of political power, a leadership that is "self-appointed and even if elected cannot be displaced by citizens' free choice among competitors," the arbitrary deprivation of civil liberties, and little tolerance for meaningful opposition
Evets
9:25 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
You did a fine job copying that definition of autocracy, but I am still at a loss as to how that fits in with your post. Whom do you refer to by "The Autocracy?" and who do they have the magnifying glass on?
Arbutus Town Crier
6:46 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
@ Evets, you must have skipped over the word....One person or "group” political decisions being made by a select group of officials behind closed doors, National; ObomaCare The above comment
“barred from barred from raising money for nearly a year while it handles zoning requests in the county's quadrennial Comprehensive Rezoning Map”>>>>>>Because, The Baltimore County Ethics Commission states Under Article 7 ; Public confidence and trust. It is evident that public confidence and trust is eroded when the conduct of county business is subject to improper influence or when there is the appearance of improper influence.
Sean Tully
11:01 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
I think it is silly myself. Politicians are lead by the nose. This is all because of the GSA "scandal". You know, just because you throw a work related party doesn't mean it is a waste of money. But they can't keep their criminal lobbyists buddies away, so it is probably best they not have the party. But I can see where a room full of honest people might actually have meaningful discussion about policy and often time you have to pay for the room you use.
Tim
10:49 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Exactly, Sean.
We're talking about campaign coffers covering maybe 7% of the total cost of this? I'm surprised none of these Councilmen decided to use the platform to point out what's actually wrong with this picture.
Momofmany
9:24 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
While I applaud this responsible decision let's see how many invites they receive from vendors, lobbyists etc. for their various events??? How many they actually attend is the "real" barometer of their ethical values? What about all of those "goodie" bags?
Evets
10:13 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Funny how few of these sorts of conferences/meetings are held in Catonsville, Essex, timonium, Frederick, Hagerstown, or Dundalk in the middle of February.
Tim
10:49 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Who the hell wants to go there in the summer, much less in the winter?
Evets
9:19 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Maybe that is the point. Get in there, have your conferences/meeting, head home.
LalainMaryland
11:35 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
How would local communities house the multitude of people that attend the conference? And why can't there be a conference for Maryland? Other industries have them?
M. Sullivan
5:35 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
I agree, Evets. Just why in heck does this convention need to be held in a resort town at the most expensive time of the year? Who is paying for the hotel rooms and conference facilities ? I guarantee its not coming out of the legislators' pockets!
LalainMaryland
11:34 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Actually it is paid for personally.
Bryan P. Sears
12:32 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Baltimore County pays for a contingent of employees to attend each year and that includes the conference fee, hotel room, food and mileage. The County Council pays for its member separately. There are some exceptions but in general, Baltimore County pays for people to attend.
Buck Harmon
12:08 pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Until campaign finance reform has benn fully accomplished our State and Country will continue to get screwed by the money of big corporate interests.... this decision is good and could be a reflection of the need for reform..
Tim
1:46 pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Nah, its just a reflection of their greater desire to cover their collective a's because they are actually local politicians (not state or federal) and have to worry much more about the perception/views of their local constitutents then other, higher level politicians.
If we could at least keep our own local county 'clean' that would be a nice start, though.
adminnikePrinz
12:34 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
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