Monday, March 25, 2013
Since 2000, the leadership of Baltimore County has rightly recognized the importance of libraries through a series of important investments.
I had the opportunity to tour the new Owings Mills Library Branch last week, in my role as a member of the Baltimore County Board of Library Trustees. This 54,000 square foot facility—which can house upwards of nearly 150,000 items—will be the 19th branch of the Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL). The library opened to the public last Thursday, and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled to take place this week. The Owings Mills branch, at over 54,000 square feet, will be the largest and most most technologically advanced location in the system. The branch is situated within the larger "County Campus at Metro Center," a shared use facility with the Community College of Baltimore County. Even more unique is the branch's close …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A decision released Tuesday said the opponents of zoning issues in two council districts had enough signatures but ruled the petitions were legally deficient.
UPDATED (9:23 p.m.)—The Baltimore County Board of Elections ruled that petitions to referendum zoning decisions in two council districts will not be placed on the 2014 ballot. Baltimore County Elections Director Katie Brown wrote in a decision issued Tuesday afternoon that while opponents had collected the required number of signatures, the petitions were legally deficient. Andrew Bailey, an attorney for the county Board of Elections, reviewed five challenges to the petition filed by attorneys representing Greenberg Gibbons, the developer of the proposed Foundry Row project on the grounds of the old Solo Cup factory. "I believe that the form of the petition, as circulated to potential signers, was insufficient to alert them to what exactly…
Friday, October 5, 2012
Community leaders claim referendum on zoning decisions would "render the work of communities and the council vote meaningless."
A loosely formed group of community associations said Friday that it has formed a coalition to fight developers attempting to force two county zoning bills to referendum. The Don't Sign It! Coalition plans to begin a public education campaign to oppose a group calling itself the Coalition for Zoning Integrity, which is backed by David S. Brown Enterprises and The Cordish Companies. Cheryl Aaron, zoning chair for the Greater Greenspring Association and an organizer of the Don't Sign It! Coalition, said the attempt to overturn zoning decisions made by the County Council in August is bad for communities. "Communities don't have the resources to file referendums and hire lawyers and organizers to go out and collect signatures," Aaron said. "It…
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Councilman Ken Oliver chastises Chairwoman Vicki Almond for late introduction of amendments to his bill affecting the Metro Centre at Owings Mills.
A disagreement Monday night over amendments to a bill impacting an Owings Mills development led Baltimore County Councilman Ken Oliver to publicly accuse two of his colleagues of working for attorneys of a rival development. A clearly irritated Oliver questioned the motives of Council Chairwoman Vicki Almond and Councilwoman Cathy Bevins after several amendments were introduced immediately prior to the vote. Bevins, an Oliver Beach Democrat who represents Essex, Middle River and Parkville, co-sponsored three sets of amendments that affect the Owings Mills area, split by Oliver and Almond. "How are you going to put an amendment on my bill at the last minute without asking me," Oliver said to Almond. "Is this how were going to legislate in …
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Bill highlights access development lawyers have and community activists say they wish they had.
A law firm that raised thousands of dollars for two freshman Baltimore County council members wrote "significant portions" of a bill that could benefit a client seeking to develop a contested Bowleys Quarters marina. The proposed legislation was introduced last month by Councilman David Marks and had a hearing before the full council on Tuesday. One of its provisions allows for developments to be built in rural areas of the county if any portion of the property has water and sewer service. The proposed 36-unit condominium project on Galloway Creek in Bowleys Quarters is such a project. Its developers are represented by the Towson law firm of Smith, Gildea and Schmidt. In an interview, Marks said the politically-connected firm wrote “…
Monday, September 12, 2011
Proponents vow to undo the vote. The task force will not produce report by the Oct. 1 deadline.
A task force reviewing how Baltimore County school board members are selected will not recommend a move to an elected or partially elected board. Six commission members approved a series of deft motions offered by former County Executive Jim Smith. The first motion eliminated any form of elected school board from discussion. A second, offered immediately after the first was approved, refocused the task force's attention on modifying the current system, which requires the governor to appoint members. The governor currently gets recommendations on county school board appointments from the county executive. "We haven't had the input that justifies [an elected school board]," Smith said, adding that momentum was needed for the group to meet an…
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Portrait hung in Old Courthouse joins those of 10 previous county executives and an uncle who was a circuit court judge.
For eight years Jim Smith served as county executive in an office on the mezzanine of the Old Courthouse in Towson. Now his portrait will hang in the hallway outside that office along with those of the 10 previous executives from the man known as "Iron Mike" Birmingham, the county's first executive, to Dutch Ruppersberger, Smith's predecessor and current congressman. Current County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and former County Executives Ted Venetoulis, Donald Hutchinson, Dennis Rasmussen, Roger Hayden and Ruppersberger lunched with Smith before a ceremonial unveiling of the photograph. The tradition of hanging the portraits was started 20 years ago by Hayden, one of two Republicans to hold the office. The photo of Smith was taken six months …
Monday, January 10, 2011
New county executive takes announcement show on the road for the first time in at least two decades.
County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is expected to announce his legislative priorities for what will be the first General Assembly session of his new administration during a morning news conference Tuesday in Annapolis. That's right—Annapolis. This is the first time in 16 years, and possibly longer, that a Baltimore County executive has announced his agenda outside of the county. Previously, under County Executives Jim Smith and Dutch Ruppersberger, such announcements were affairs held in Towson at the Old Courthouse—a serving of legislative meat and potatoes along with sausage, eggs and coffee for the county's state lawmakers in attendance. The meetings were as much a social gathering as they were the county executive's attempt to get …
Born to be Free
4:27 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
As much as I like the libraries, I use them all the time, but what about more schools. Our county is not serious about overcrowding. Are the children of Baltimore County prioritized? Someone in the county please build more schools! more ›