Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Republican Todd Huff went to the 2011 game in Dallas with a shopping center and apartment complex owner.
Todd Huff says he's not a big football fan, but in 2011 he attended at least four games, including taking a trip to Dallas to see the Super Bowl with a local shopping center and apartment complex owner. The games highlight a hole that the State Ethics Commission says exists in legislation passed by the County Council earlier this year. The legislation was meant to bring county law substantially into sync with the state ethics law. Huff, a Timonium Republican, attended at least four games in 2011, including the Super Bowl. He wrote about the games, which include three Baltimore Ravens games, on his official council Facebook page. Tickets to one of the games were provided by Merritt Properties, as first reported by the Baltimore Sun. None of…
Friday, May 11, 2012
The county executive spoke about a number of Essex-Middle River issues with the Chesapeake Gateway Chamber of Commerce.
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is optimistic that the long-dormant Middle River Depot will one-day be part of a vibrant economic engine for the Middle River-White Marsh corridor. Kamenetz provided insight into the future of the property while speaking to members of the Chesapeake Gateway Chamber of Commerce Tuesday at Crab Quarters in Middle River. Kamenetz said he recently met with the owners of the property, who paid $37.5 million in an online government auction in 2006, about their plans for the 55-acre site. He believes they will be able to develop new retail opportunities while maintaining its historical integrity and respecting the facilities aviation legacy. The owners have applied to get the property rezoned for mixed-…
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
New interview process aims to make the Baltimore County police more responsible, accountable for selecting its leaders.
Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson threw out a more than three-decades old promotions policy just days before a class of sergeants was to take standardized oral interviews to become lieutenants. The change comes amid a looming U.S. Department of Justice inquiry into the county's hiring and promotions practices within the police and fire departments. The change involves who interviews prospective candidates for promotion. Until now, interviews had been conducted by outside law enforcement personnel. Now, those interviews will be conducted by officials who work for Baltimore County. "I have not determined the motivation of the administration as to why this change was instituted," said Cole Weston, president of the Fraternal Order of …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The new designation allows more women, pregnant women and seniors to visit Baltimore County's two dental clinics, which now include digital X-ray equipment.
More people in need in Baltimore County will now be able to receive dental care. Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz announced Tuesday at the Eastern Family Resource Center in Rosedale that the county’s dental program—which serves children, pregnant women and senior citizens over 60—recently became a Medicaid provider. This, Kamenetz said, allows the program to provide dental care to these groups and bill Medicaid for the services. “While there is a focus of providing health care for those in need, especially children, we tend to overlook dental care,” Kamenetz said. “Providing that care can have a huge impact on the health of those who need our help the most.” Before the announcement, those who were eligible for medical care from …
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 …
Friday, April 13, 2012
County Executive Kevin Kamenetz included funding in his proposed budget for air conditioning at the Essex school.
With temperatures expected to be around 82 degrees on Monday, Alan Southworth is preparing his 8-year-old daughter for the expected excessive heat in her classroom in Middleborough Elementary School. “There were times in her classroom last year when the temperature reached 94 degrees by 7:30 in the morning,” Southworth said. “Who can work under conditions like that? But, if County Executive Kevin Kamenetz gets his way, Southworth’s daughters and other Middleborough Elementary School students may soon be able to finally cool off in their classroom. The Essex school was one of 10 designated by Kamenetz to receive funding for air conditioning as part of his proposed budget unveiled Thursday. Follow Essex-Middle River Patch on Facebook and …
Ron Burgundy
8:50 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
And we're certain you have proof! Moe, as they said in Billy Madison, "...we were all just made dumber by (reading) your statement". Try and put some coherent thoughts together rather than sound like you work for WCBM. more ›