Monday, May 7, 2012
Council votes to prohibit panhandle lots in the Carney-Cub Hill-Parkville community. Bill allowing biking, hiking in Loch Raven Reservoir is withdrawn.
Updated (11:12 a.m.)—County restaurants and other businesses that don't have liquor licenses but allow customers to bring their own beer and wine may soon need a license to continue the practice. Councilman Todd Huff, a Timonium Republican, introduced a bill Monday night that would create a "BYOB License" for restaurants and some other businesses that do not already have a license to sell alcohol to patrons. "There is no law governing BYOB," said Huff. "We looked." Currently, businesses such as restaurants and cigar shops are technically allowed to offer "BYOB by right," Huff said. Many restaurants already do, the councilman said. The problem, according to Huff, is that some businesses that allow customers to consume alcohol also allow …
Former board member calls on his colleagues to resign after approving deal with Bill Madonna Golf Academy.
A controversial contract between the Baltimore County Revenue Authority and a Florida-based golf pro has been cancelled less than a year after it began. The termination of the contract less than a year after it was approved led one former board member—Les Pittler—to call for the resignation of several of his former colleagues. Donald Hutchinson, chairman of the authority's five-member board, said he negotiated a buyout of the contract. Bill Madonna will receive $25,000 and the right to teach at the authority's Greystone course for three consecutive weeks later this year in return for an early termination of the four-year agreement. "This is not a reflection of our unhappiness with the quality of the academy and the quality of the …
Friday, May 4, 2012
Work will focus on balancing budget and eliminating $500 million in "doomsday" cuts.
Gov. Martin O'Malley Friday announced he will call state legislators back into session May 14 to deal with lingering state budget issues. “There is too much at stake not to move forward,” O’Malley said in a statement Friday afternoon. “I’m confident that we can come together with the Senate President and House Speaker to complete this most important work for the people of our State.” The session will focus on balancing the state budget and eliminating more than $500 million in cuts that were part of a so-called "doomsday budget" what passed at the end of this year's 90-day legislative session. As part of that session, some legislators expect the General Assembly will be asked to approve an income tax increase for some Maryland residents. …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
County Administrative Officer Fred Homan, in an April 30 letter, writes that the firms withdrew because of disclosure of information provided at a secret meeting between county officials and Council on April 16.
Updated (4:59 p.m.)—A contract to hire an outside attorney to sue Merrill Lynch over a failed $21 million investment has been withdrawn. In an April 30 letter to the Baltimore County Council, County Administrative Officer Fred Homan said the contract with Scott, Douglass and McConnico, LLP and Themis PLLC was being withdrawn due to press reports about the potential lawsuit. Homan wrote that "due to the disclosure of confidential information about Baltimore County's claim, they are not willing to move forward on the county's behalf at this time." Patch reported two weeks ago that county officials met secretly with members of the Baltimore County Council to discuss a 2007 investment in Mainsail II LLC. That investment, which involved …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Illegal roadside signs carry a $500 per violation fine.
County Executive Kevin Kamenetz held a news conference Wednesday to highlight existing laws aimed at reducing signage illegally placed along roads. "Our Code Enforcement Bureau responds to complaints by removing signs and works with businesses posting signs illegally to advise them of the law and bring them into compliance," Kamenetz said in a statement released Wednesday. Kamenetz, in his statement, called illegally placed signs an "unfair business practice that puts law-abiding businesses at a competitive disadvantage." Repeat violations can result in a fine of $500 per violation. Residents can report signs they believe are illegally placed by calling 410-887-3351 or on the Baltimore County government website.
Council, state legislators and labor unions say the county executive is uncompromising and difficult to work with.
After a relatively quiet first year in office, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz has found himself in conflict with other state and county elected officials and labor unions. The recent conflicts over legislation in Annapolis and in Towson have prompted complaints that Kamenetz has been difficult to work with, unwilling to compromise and arrogant. Former Councilman Bryan McIntire served with Kamenetz for 16 years on the Baltimore County Council. The Timonium Republican said problems between the Democratic county executive and others have been personality-driven. "(Kamenetz) is the kind of person who has to have his own way at any cost," said McIntire. "That's his nature and he can't change his nature anymore than you or I can …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Officials ask the Baltimore County Council to hire an outside attorney for a lawsuit involving subprime mortgages.
Baltimore County pension officials are privately scrambling to meet a deadline to file a lawsuit in an attempt to recover tens of millions of dollars in county pension funds. County Budget Director Keith Dorsey and County Attorney Michael Field met with Council members Vicki Almond, Cathy Bevins, David Marks and Ken Oliver and members of the county auditor’s office late Monday prior to the council’s voting session. The subject of the meeting was the approval of a contract to hire an outside attorney to pursue a lawsuit against Merrill Lynch, multiple sources tell Patch, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the meeting publicly. Almond confirmed the meeting, but said the discussion was …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Four Baltimore County Council members accused County Executive Kevin Kamenetz of cutting off their access to department heads and of intentionally delaying projects in their districts.
Four members of the Baltimore County Council say County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is retaliating against them by delaying projects in their districts after they voted to table the administration's pension bill last month. Council Chairwoman Vicki Almond, Councilman Ken Oliver and Councilman Tom Quirk—all Democrats—and Councilman David Marks, a Republican, said their access to county department heads to address constituent concerns has been greatly diminished since the day after they voted March 19 to table the bill. All said they believe the executive is further penalizing them by withholding money for projects in each of their districts while providing funds to council districts whose members voted to pass the pension bill. Oliver said …
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
No layoffs, furloughs or increases in property or income taxes are expected when county executive releases second budget Thursday.
County residents and employees can expect some good news Thursday when Kevin Kamenetz releases his second budget as county executive. Kamenetz will deliver his budget message before the Baltimore County Council Thursday at 10 a.m. Sources familiar with the budget say it will contain no tax increases for residents and no furloughs or layoffs for county employees. The focus of the budget will remain on schools, which make up more than 50 percent of the county's total budget, and public safety. The county executive will also announce the results of a early retirement incentive program that officials hoped would save $15 million through the retirement of at least 200 employees. Sources said the county will surpass those expectations with the …
Monday, April 2, 2012
Arbitrator says county did not bargain in good faith nor prove it would save money by moving lieutenants out of the police union.
An effort to move Baltimore County Police Department lieutenants out of the union that represents active and retired police officers has been struck down by an independent arbitrator. The ruling, handed down late Friday night by arbitrator Ira Jaffe, rolls over the current contract between the county and officers represented by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4. "The ruling allows us to protect the folks we represent for an additional year," said Cole Weston, president of the union. County officials were not immediately available for comment. The county had attempted to force the union to move lieutenants from the union to the Police Executives Corps. County officials told the arbitrator the move would save the county money, according …
M. Sullivan
4:13 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
And, some more extorted money for the the County to waste as a bonus! more ›