Councilor Good. Council I got 702 here in the Aberdeen City Council Chamber sorry for running a little bit behind. I think we've got Pastor Rob Blesard from St. Paul's, Evangelical Lutheran Church with us to lead the opening prayer and Councilman Linda Camp is going to lead in the pledge of allegiance but first. Madam Clerk can you please call the roll? Council President Hyde. Present. Councilman Linda Camp. Mayor Councilman Montgomery. Mayor Councilwoman Richley. Present. Mayor McGrady. Here, Pastor Bazar, please come on up. Everybody please rise. Thank you for the opportunity. Not Bazar, just like Blizzard. Right, yes. Okay, thank you so much. Let us pray. O God Almighty, Creator and Sovereign of the universe. On this week of Thanksgiving, we express gratitude for all you have given us and our community. We thank you for these men and women who have been called to serve as leaders of Aberdeen. We ask that you to be with them and us as we discuss and decide matters on behalf of those they serve. Open their hearts and minds and give them wisdom, creativity, courage, strength, and good judgment. May your presence bless and guide this council meeting. May you bless the city of Aberdeen. We ask this in your holy name. Amen. Now. have a look which is standing on the nation under God and the will liberty and justice for all. Council we have some meeting minutes from the October 28th, November 4th, November 12th, November 12th, close meeting, November 18th meetings of the Aberdeen City Councilors in our motion to approve the minutes as submitted by the clerk. Make a motion to approve. Thank you, Councilman Montgomery. Is there a second on the motion? I'll second it. Thank you, Councilman originally. Any more discussion on the motion to approve the set of one, two, three, four, five meeting minutes as submitted by the clerk? Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Council President Hyde. Aye. Councilman Nacant. Aye. Councilman Montgomery. Aye. Councilwoman Bridgley. Aye. Council for your recollection and for the benefit of the public. In Maryland, whenever a municipal entity like the town of Aberdeen or city of Aberdeen or Bel Air, Hartford County or any of the state entities that exist, whole a meeting that's open to the public and they wish to conduct a meeting that is closed to the public. They must only do that under certain itemized list of 15 reasons established in the Maryland. Open meetings act legislation that was adopted in the mid 1970s. And after such time as a closed meeting is held by a local government body, such as ours, it is incumbent upon us, according to the law, to create a statement of closed meeting at a future meeting that describes what occurred in that closed meeting. This is the statement of closed meeting to be read into the record for November the 12th, 2024. On Tuesday, November the 12th, 2024, the mayor and council held a regular council meeting in the council chambers at 7 p.m. members present were mayor Patrick McGrady, council president Adam Hyab, councilman Timothy Linda Camp, councilman William Montgomery III, and councilwoman Tanger Ridgeley. All voting members of the council voted by roll call in the affirmative to close the meeting and the closed meeting was convened at approximately 8.59 pm in the council chambers. The meeting was held pursuant. This is the law I was talking about. To the Open Meetings Act, statutory authority, Maryland Code annotated, General discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of employees, appointees, or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction or any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals. The topic was a personnel matter and the reason for closure was to protect the council deliberative process. The council discussed the matter and no action was taken. The closed meeting was adjourned at 9.34 p.m. We have a presentation. Council President Hayab, would you like to introduce our guest? Is that my understanding of how you want to proceed? Sure, thank you, Mayor. Council, and for the public tonight we have a presentation from Judge Kevin Mahoney from Hartford, Kinesharka Court, problem solving courts and the drug courts. Judge Mahoney? Thank you. And thank you for the council for allowing me to proceed here tonight. Okay. all right. I am here tonight to provide information about the Hartford County Circuit Court drug court program. I know that this is not a topic from the standpoint of the legislative body having contact with the court. However, what we have found is in the last six years that I've operated the court that I have regular contact with the county administration on a number of levels through the court and through other agencies in the county. But it has occurred to us that in the course of that, that the municipalities may have been left out of the information. Let me, first of all, a suaginy concerns you have. I'm not coming before you tonight asking for any money or anything else. I'm simply asking that you be aware of the program that's available. Because one thing that we often hear is that you be aware of the program that's available because one thing that we often hear is that you, as elected officials, may very frequently receive inquiries from citizens, constituents about any problem that exists in the world. And you may often say, yes, I know that's a huge problem, but there's not a whole lot we can do about it. But sometimes you are called upon to be a resource to those constituents and provide them information. And specifically, as it pertains to the police department, when I first started my drug court, I was sent to a suburb of St. Louis to one of the model courts that has been in existence for years. And I specifically asked to be sent to a suburban jurisdiction from a major urban area, such as St. Louis. And that judge who has run his drug court for 20 years said that one of the nicest things that he's experienced over time is the buy-in from law enforcement. And particularly when you're talking about a local jurisdiction as opposed to a larger organization like the sheriff of the Maryland State Police, where they may not have as much day in day out contact with people in the community that they normally see that are suffering from the disease of addiction and that maybe are oftentimes in contact with the police department that the police agencies have an opportunity to identify and refer people that might benefit from the drug court program. So with that, do any of you know the Albert Einstein's definition of insanity? Do you want the same thing over and over with the same different results? I'm hitting the button. And that is what we have seen in the court system on a regular basis. What our drug court is intended to address is high-risk, high-need people who have had a history of contact with the criminal justice system that is driven in large part, maybe not exclusively, but in large part by their addiction. If you don't accept the concept that addiction is a disease, then you're probably not going to want to hear too much more about what I have to say. There are obviously ideal on a day- and day out basis with criminal behavior and I have to address that criminal behavior and oftentimes I have to address it in the traditional ways of dealing with criminal behavior i.e. incarceration and probation, etc. But in these situations what we are looking for is people who have been through that process that have not succeeded in that process as evidenced by the fact that they are reoffending and are continuing to use and continuing to put themselves and others at risk as a result of their use. So we're not looking for what you might call the low-hanging fruit, the first time offender, the somebody who's dabbling with marijuana or something like that. These are people with significant criminal histories and significant drug history, and they have to meet the criteria of the court on two ways. First of all, they have to legally meet the criteria. They have to be a Harvard County resident, they have to not have other cases pending, they can't be involved in cases in other jurisdictions. And they then have to also meet the criteria from a disease perspective. So they have to be evaluated to determine, do they have a condition that would be appropriate for them to be brought into the drug court program. We have a number of problem solving courts, and in fact for two days last week I was at the Maryland State Problem Solving Court Symposium, and those problem solving courts most frequently are the drug courts, but they also include mental health courts, veterans courts, and even outside of the criminal realm, business and technology courts. What we have seen and what the data has established is that these courts work. I am not suggesting that I have found the solution and that the problem solved and all you need to do is send people to drug court. That is not the case. But for the right people at the right time, it can be a very effective means of addressing this deep-seated problem. And I want to talk to you about it from two perspectives, both the disease perspective as well as the economic perspective. We have in our team, and it's a little bit hard to see from just the way that that document has created. But the team consists of a multidisciplinary approach. We have our own prosecutor, defense attorney, probation agent, representatives from the Hartford County Health Department, representatives from of the Harvard County Detention Center, treatment, private treatment programs, as well as our own staff. Seated behind me is Margaret Kaiser, who is my drug court coordinator. We also have a case manager. And so it is a broad range of individuals coming from their own professional backgrounds, but also their own personal experiences. And that team meets not only to select participants in drug court but to watch and follow them. Drug court is voluntary. Nobody is ordered into drug court. An order may be signed but it's but with their permission. People apply to drug court if there's an opening and we can take them and they meet the requirements They plead guilty to whatever charges before the court or at least the most significant or if it's a violation of probation They admit to the violation of probation They then are entered into the program where they are given a personally tailored Treatment program and most importantly they come and meet with myself and the drug court team twice a month. So I lay eyes on them for twice a month, and usually the program is approximately 18 months. We've had some participants that have completed it a little bit quicker, but generally it is about 18 months. I've talked to you about the disease, and I think, and I believe that you all understand and unfortunately have seen that if it hasn't touched you or someone you love closely that it's touched people that you know of. It's pervasive. It doesn't understand race or gender or economic status. We've had people from all walks of life in the program. So I think that I can sell it to people who buy the disease concept. But even if you were one that may not be persuaded by that, but you might view it from the perspective of economics. Where is it saving money? The reality is that in the first two years after somebody appears in court in a criminal case, there's an over 50% recidivism rate meaning that they more likely to reoffend. After five years depending on the studies you look at that recidivism rate can rise to as high as 80%. So that's a terrible batting average. At present, today we have graduated 40 participants from our drug court program, and as I speak to you today, we have a recidivism rate of 10%. So, if you want to look at it from a pure law and order perspective, that we don't want people committing crimes, This is a program which is effective in assuring that that doesn't happen. And that is because we do tailor the program very specifically to their needs. So do they need inpatient treatment? Do they need outpatient treatment? Do they need recovery housing? What other resources do they need? Many of our participants have mental health concerns that need to be addressed and much like any other disease. If you have co-occurring diseases, if you have diabetes and cancer and you only treat one of them, then you're not getting to the end result. So we often have to address those things in addition to just the addiction aspect. As I told you, the individually tailored plans where we have our funding comes completely from the state of Maryland, the Office of Problem Solving Courts, a grant that we receive every year. And as a result of that, and I'm sure as the city is aware, when you get grant money, there's reporting requirements. And so we have to report, and Ms. Kaiser spends much of her day in addition to working with our participants, providing the data to the state, not only to justify our grant or increases our grant, but to establish that we are making progress in our program, and the progress demonstrates that we are. We operate on an incentive sanction program with a heavy emphasis on incentives, which again, people who are not familiar with the drug court model who look at court from a traditional perspective would find it unusual because we are trying very hard to encourage our participants. One of the hardest things that I deal with in bringing people into drug court is convincing them in hopefully a short order that I'm here to help, that I'm trying to find a solution for them and that I don't get extra bonus at the end of the year for sending people to jail or doing something. I got them looking to trip them up. I'm looking to find ways to help them. So we do operate on an incentive sanction model. The incentives can be things that you go first in line the next time you're in court. That you may be able to skip a hearing or skip some case management. And we have other token type incentives. One of the things that I found most amazing when I started this program is we actually have a wheel. Other courts have a jar that you pull things out of. We have a wheel, spin the wheel if you're in compliance. And you know, so you have to fill that wheel up with things. And some of those things, it's a wild card. You can pick anything you want on the wheel. So you would think skipping a court appearance would be something that was high on people's list. Quite frankly, the two things that people most often ask for that are on the wheel when they get the choice is a round of applause or shake hands with the judge. Because most of them say, the only thing I've ever had with the judge was them pointing me out the side door. And so they appreciate that. And we live in a society nowadays where everybody gets a trophy. You used to be, you got a trophy if you won the championship. Now, you get a trophy no matter. You just get a trophy if you're showing up. That's what my kids used to joke about. It's like my thanks for coming trophy. Some of these folks have never gotten any pat on the back. Any out of boy. That was a good job. So that's the incentive side of it. On the sanction side of it, jail is really our last option and we avoid it at all costs. We increase treatment. We have ordered community work service hours. We have required participants to write essays to do book reviews and you'd be surprised. I actually ordered a guy to do an essay and he said can I just go to jail for the weekend? And that's when I knew I'd hit on the right thing because it was something that was really going to be challenging for him to do. So that is the model that we operate under. As I told you we we have had 40 graduates to date. We can take as many as 20 participants at any one time. As I speak to you today, we have approximately 15. But to contrast that Cecil County, whose drug court has been operating for a little bit longer than ours, average is about 100 participants at a time. And that's not because Cecil County has a worse drug problem than we do. It's just a matter of getting people into the program that meet the requirements of the program. So the concerns that we have in addition to spreading the word, which is what I'm doing tonight, about the drug court, is that our participants have a variety of other challenges, transportation, housing, employment. And we work with them in that we work with the Susquehanna Workforce Network. There's a variety of private employers that God bless them have for one reason or another agreed to hire our participants and sometimes do it on an ongoing basis. But we are hopeful that in addition to that that we might be able to pursue some legislation with the county that for example somebody who's in drug court might help them if they're on a waiting list for public housing that employers maybe the Chamber of Commerce that employers might look at somebody and say if you're in drug court that might be a basis upon which I would take a chance on you to give you a job opportunity because when we bring them in they have to be able to comply with the requirements of the program and that means for example showing up twice a month in court and there's much more than that but as far as I go so if they don't have transportation, if they don't have a place to live, it almost sets them up for failure from the get go. So that is my summary of the drug court program. I very much appreciate you considering it. I'd be happy to answer any questions you had, but I leave you with the request that you keep it in mind if you were presented with anything from a constituent as a possible referral source. The courthouse website has contact information where they can get applications that may be some help. Judge Mahoney. Thank you for coming. One. Yes. Two. You indicated that this is not the first stop in someone's judicial experience when they've been picked up for some violation or another related to things that could be associated with their drug use. How and when does the drug court become an option for a person in the system. It can become an option at any time. So they can be referred as I suggested. They could be referred by an arresting officer, but they certainly can be referred by their attorney. They can be referred in a violation of probation proceeding by the judge that they're on probation to. They can be referred by their probation agent, and the prosecutor's office, the State's Attorney's office, identifies new cases that seem to fit the criteria. We generally don't take violent crimes, and we look at people's past in evaluating that too, so it's not just the crime they're charged with now, but what does their history speak to? But as I'm sure, the chief can address, somebody could have a second degree of salt that occurred 20 years ago. And that may not necessarily be a basis that we exclude somebody. We've also had instances where the case involved domestic violence. But the spouse, girlfriend, whomever who was the victim of the assault said, the whole problem here is the addiction and I would like. I, as the victim, would like this person to go into the drug court so as to address that. So we do look at them on a case-by-case basis, but certainly the more serious criminal offenses would not, violent offenses would not be eligible. Follow-up questions, operational. If Cecil has 100 individuals enrolled in the drug court, and you have the capacity for as many as 20? Why is that? Well, our numbers are based on our grant funding. So in order to have adequate funding to address all of the requirements of the program, so ideally, I would like, I don't know if my administrative judge would agree with me on this. I'd like to get to a point where I had numbers like that. Now that's obviously gonna take up a lot more of my time. I know that Judge Baines, who's just retired, but has been presiding over Cecil County's program, I mean, he's sitting in that court one day a week all day. So to take a judge out of the rotation for one day of the week is a big ask. And it would take a long time, no doubt, to get from 20 to 100. But I certainly am trying to keep our numbers at or above 20 consistently so that we can then go back to anapolis or other sources. There are other outside private funding sources potentially available that would get us to reach the numbers. Operationally, is it the case that your staff of, I don't know, 14 or 15 individuals in order to double in the size of the folks are representatives from particular agencies. What it would likely result in an increase of is maybe case management. We would need more case managers to deal with that number of participants. But most of the others, the designated prosecutor defense attorney probation agents. You know, again, maybe out of probation agent. Right. For the most part. Very interesting. This is the first I've ever heard of this. This is very interesting. Anybody else have any questions, Councilwoman? I do. Thank you Judge Mahoney for coming this evening. So I understand that one of the eligibility requirements is that the participant must have a criminal charge that is either directly or indirectly related to drug use. So is it fair to assume that most of the participants are either on probation or parole? They can be, but they're also can be new charges. They can be coming in on new charges. If they're violating their probation and that violation may be as a result of ongoing drug use It may be as a result of absconding from probation not reporting to their probation agent They could come in through that because they're facing the revocation of their probation and the imposition of any Suspended jail time, but they also could be coming in on new charges. Now, again, given the description I gave you of those people's history, it wouldn't surprise me that if they're coming in on new charges that they may also still be on probation at the same time, so they may be coming in on both directions. So having said that being in the program, they have to satisfy the general requirements of their parole or probation. Yes. And the program is tied to their parole or probation. Yes. So if they unsatisfactorily, if they don't complete the program in the satisfactory manner, are they sent back to the panel system? They can be, yes. And we have very sadly had people that we've had to terminate from the program. And if we do that, then if it was my case to begin with, then I make the decision as to what to do. If they were referred to me by a different judge, I always give that judge the option of, do they want this person back for disposition? And of course, we have lost people. In fact, we lost one of our drug court participants a couple of weeks ago to an overdose. We've lost three of our graduates to overdose. So again, I believe it is a very successful program worth expanding, but it's not a panacea. It doesn't solve all the problems of the world, and it's very challenging. I just have one more question, Mayor. You're doing good. You know, this is my arena. So I see that in the advisory team there's a strong judicial and law enforcement presence. Would it be appropriate to have the faith community represented? I would not be opposed to considering that at all. Certainly while I agree with you that given that it's a court, that there is a large involvement from the court system and law enforcement, but there also is a significant involvement in the treatment community, you know, as well as peer support, health department, mental health. So I believe that it is appropriate to have as much community involvement from as broad a spectrum of the community as possible. And how often is your program criteria updated or reviewed? We have to first of all submit our grant, we annually, our grant proposal, but we are regularly in meetings both on a state level, as well as a local level on updating our program plans and requirements. So we have those meetings on a very regular basis. Thank you, sir. Sure. Hey, bells, any questions? One question for God. Go ahead. Thank you. Thank you, Judge, for being here tonight. I just have one question. Um, you referenced a square word for for a network and referring out to them. Um, do you refer and work with other nonprofits, other organizations in the county, like the housing and the other services of the people need that for the wraparound services that we need. we try and as that was sort of my point at the beginning that we deal with so many of the county agencies that I felt like maybe the municipalities were being left out and that's why I've done. You're actually the last municipality I've met with but yes, we deal with those agencies on a regular basis. One thing that happened in the past year under the Cassley administration was that Ms. Kaiser and our case manager, who are there the only, all the other people on the team are employed by their respective agencies. So Ms. Kaiser and our case manager are the only ones that are the drug court staff. They were switched over from the office of drug control policy in the county to the court. So they now work for the court and our funding still comes from the state. But instead of it running through the office of drug control policy, it comes directly to the office of the court and they administer the grant. But we deal with all of the county agencies in trying to identify and provide services, as well as the private sector. I mean, we have relationships with upper Chesapeake, all of the treatment programs. As long as the treatment program is willing to abide by our reporting and data requirements and things like that, unfortunately as I'm sure you're aware, many of the need, the treatment needs outstrip what is available in the county. And so we have to send people sometimes outside of Hartford County for treatment. We just had a participant who had twins and trying to find drug treatment in patient drug treatment for somebody who's pregnant is a challenge. Wow. So sometimes we have to go outside the county. Councilman Lundke, have you had something? Yeah, just a quick question. So at Aberdeen High School, we have the Roots program. Yes. It's out of Ashley Addiction Center. So I was wondering if you look at expanding this, would you expand it to minors? So maybe we could fix the problem before they get to adult court? So, in some jurisdictions, there is a juvenile drug court program. At present the only program somewhat akin to that, we have a family recovery court in juvenile court. But that really is focused on children who, for example, are sent a child of need of assistance and may have been taken away from their parents. And so it's addressing the parents' addiction in that case to try and reunite the families in that situation. I agree with you. I agree with you that and there have been other attempts at drug courts over the years that have been more focused on first-time offenders early contact with the criminal justice system. And I completely share your view that ideally we would be addressing it maybe on a multi-pronged approach from there too. But at present there is not a program in the juvenile court in that respect. Thank you. It's interesting. We've been talking a lot in Aberdeen in recent months about the plight of homelessness. And as you are probably aware, there's a lot of crossover in the mental health issue sphere with homelessness. And then coming alongside that is the drug use to ameliorate the symptoms of one or the other in the person's mind. This is very interesting from a accountability perspective. I Have to I'm gonna do more research. It's really cool. Thank you for bringing this to us I appreciate you being here counts anything else counts on Montgomery guy thing great. Thank you, Judge Thank you all. Appreciate your time. Now we have a report from our auditors next on our agenda. Please. What do you got you got cards? We got you give them the clerk Thank you Council as you're aware the audit was recently completed and the report of the audit was submitted Mr. Jack you want to do an introduction? Yes, good evening. We have Chris Leman of SBN Company. Auditors, you have to go right to fiscal year 2024 audit reports. Chris? Welcome. Thank you, Mr. Jack, and good evening, everyone. The presentation that I have is just a brief presentation to go through our either firm or industry required communications through the result of our audit procedures. So if you have any questions just feel free to jump in as I go through this. Our SCOPA services were that we were engaged to audit the June 30, 2024 financial statements for the city. In addition, we do provide some assistance with drafting the financial statements, as well as the financial statements are also put into another format term the annual comprehensive financial report or ACFIR for short. In addition, the state of Maryland also requires the uniform financial report to be submitted upon completion of the financial statement audit. Both the financial statements and the UFR have been submitted one time to meet the deadline that the state has established. In addition, we will also be completing what's termed a single audit and that's a federal compliance audit and that's a federal compliance audit and that's required whenever the city expends more than $750,000 per year federal awards which has occurred in FY2024 so we're going through that process currently. Summary of the results we've issued what's termed unmodified opinion on the financial statements That's a clean opinion and that would be the best opinion we could give under professional standards Yes, you know the drill here For folks in the audience who might not understand what we're talking about go back a page So every year the city of Aberdeen conducts and audit under state law and as a best practice of all the dollars that we spent in all of the dollars that we received in terms of tax money, water bills, sewer bills, all that stuff that's included in that. As part of the audit, Chris and his team come and they go through random selections of invoices and receipts and evaluate them for completeness and for accuracy throughout the financial records, and then they have to make this series of financial tabulations of the things that we do to verify that they're correct, and then they have to come here and give this presentation. So if it sounds dry, it is a thing that he has to do. And so when I find it appropriate to amplify, I will. Thank you, Chris. Sorry, I can't make it any more entertaining. No, it's good. I'm helping. I'm helping. But you could be an author. I mean, you put it better than I probably could. Now, our audit was not a forensic audit, but we are required to have a healthy skepticism of fraud. We did not uncover any fraud in our audit. We discovered no material weaknesses in internal controls. And I have a couple of slides that will walk through our, what we consider the key processes. We received the full cooperation from management, every record that we asked for backup for. We obtained adequate backup, every question that we asked, we got an adequate response. I do have a couple of slides coming up. Hold on, hold on, hold on. So what you're saying here is, in some circumstances, you could be called to do an audit, Mr. Laman, right? And you could come in and you could say, we want to see all these records. And imagine we could say, yeah, you can see those records, but we're not going to give you the books for the stuff that we do over here, right? Or they might not be able to find what we asked. Right. They say those aren't available for us to review, so we can't have an opinion on that. That would be a worst case scenario, yes. Very good. Thank you. Okay. Sorry. I lost my train to thought from it. So as far as just high level numbers, and I do have a couple slides coming up that probably will be way too small to read the numbers. But at a high level there is a positive change in the city's net position for the year. There is an increase of just over $15 million in net position. A large contributor of that was the capital connection charge revenue in the water and sewer enterprise funds for the year really helped with that increase year every year. So that leads to a total net position for the city at $134 million for the year. This is just a picture of you've summarized kind of the auto process greatly already, but this is just the processes that we go through in the next four slides or so. Just will be a high level results of our test of design and operation of the controls. We rely heavily on internal controls because if there's a lack of controls, that often means that there's errors or issues with getting information in the ledger and the general ledger on a timely and accurately basis, which we had no issues with the controls. But when that does happen, that also changed the scope of our test work where we would do more substantive testing, more validating, having to do a lot more test work from that perspective. Before we get into the key processes, we also, we assess the environment as well as looking at really what the environment is, is looking at the competence of management, looking at the processes that go and making sure that there's accurate information being received by finance that's flowing through from the departments to get information into the ledger, is management looking at budget to actual, is there controls in place to monitor, you to monitor the financial results on a periodic basis? And I won't go through the gory details of every aspect of the control environment, but there are five interrelated components listed here on these two slides. And we've concluded that the environment was effective for the period under audit. I can't really use any more exciting terms. So it's effective or it's not. So it was effective. It's funny because I read this in the textbook. That's all they're allowed to say. They can't say you did a good job. So it's effective or to fail. Even effective to be sometimes people doesn't even sound that appealing. What did we do wrong? No, you didn't do anything wrong. And then as far as looking at key processes from a treasury perspective, looking at bank reconciliation, investment reconciliation, what also covers the fiduciary funds, the pension and the OPEB funds. There's estimates within the financial statements largely driven by actuarial assumptions related to both pension and the OPEB was effective for the period under audit. The design is understanding the process that management goes through. And the process is management goes through and then the operation is testing the transactions to say is management getting the results that they would expect based on the processing. Any questions so far? Okay. And again, this was the slide I was referring to that might be too hard to read, but the first, this is year over year results, really of the entity-wide balance sheet, if you will. The first two columns being what's termed governmental activities. That's a combination of the city's general fund, the capital projects fund, as well as long-term assets, for example fixed assets, and then long-term liabilities are also included in these columns, which includes pension, op-hev, and debt. So it's really an all-in look from a governmental activities perspective. And then the next two columns is the business type activities, which is a combination of the water, sewer, and stadium funds. So the financial statements we've issued give you the detail of each one of those funds. This just rolls it up into a high level summary, which is also included within the financial statements. So if you look at the totals on the right, that'll just give a perspective of the total assets, liabilities, and net position for all the activity for those two years. And as I mentioned, the city's net position improved from about $118 million, up to $134 million for the fiscal year. Any questions on that? And then here, probably even a little harder to read, but this is really the P&L, if you will, or the statement of activities, which includes revenues and expenses over the last two fiscal years for again the same categories of information, the governmental activities, the business type activities, and the total. The largest fluctuation you'll see again is in the top in the middle with the capital connection charge revenue significantly increasing in fiscal year 24, which is a large increase in business type activity revenue, where that was at about $8 million in 2023 and increased up to 15.5 million in 2024. And then just if you look kind of all in at the totals, increase in net position was at 15.1 million or approximately 15.2 million when you take into consideration the governmental activities plus the city's business type funds or activities. Any questions, comments there? Okay. The last few slides, some of these I mentioned at the beginning, but if we had, this is really my opportunity, if we had difficulties getting through the audit, if we had problems that I needed to bring to your all's attention, there's really nothing of a negative nature that I need to bring to your attention. If we had, as I mentioned, if we had found fraud, I'd be required to bring that to your attention. We had no audit adjustments that we posed through the process, which is speaks to the quality of the accounting system and the ledger, and it's not like it takes a year-end audit to clean up the numbers and present them fairly. That just speaks to management's recording things properly throughout the year and as well as closing the books accurately. We had no really no difficulties getting through the audit. Like I said, we met the state deadline which was October 31st, which if you ask me, that's fairly aggressive for a government to be able to close their books. At that point in time, many governments cannot, but that deadline was met and we had no disagreements with management or really anything negative. Like I said, that I need to bring to your attention What do they do When their obligations to have it audited by August 31 submitted and they fail to submit it by them so Not us of course. No, not you but the everyone else now You can request an extension from the state and they generally will grant them. They give you a quarter. What do they give you? Typically, you can ask how long you need and most people ask for a month and then if they can't make it the next month, they'll ask for another month. I, not going what I haven't seen the state ever deny a request, so I think it's more of just the formality of saying, hey, we're not making the 31st, just expect it at a later date. And that could be based on turnover in the accounting department. A lot of times, as is the call, is for lateness. It could be a system implementation for a new general ledger that didn't go as well as planned. Those are probably the two most common reasons I would see an entity not be able to make the deadline or if they just have never had a history of being able to do it on time and just have never been able to get a more efficient closed process in place to be able to meet the deadline. Cool. It would be another reason why the deadline's all sometimes not met. Good answer. Thank you. Okay. Council, any questions for Mr. Laman? I'm sort of at two process questions, Mayor. Yes, sir. Who selects the auditor? The auditor is selected by the staff and then the contract is included in the budget and then the council awards the bid when the audit is submitted to the city or when the proposal is submitted the council awards it. So the staff selects the auditor. I think that's correct. And how many times is this auditor actually evaluated us? This is the third year. I think this is the third year. Hold on, Chris, Chris, I'll have a record of this. I think it's our fifth year. Is it your fifth? Is it fifth? Yeah, four to five. So we'll check on the records of that because we switched in the last handful of years. So five years in a row. Yeah, this is our first contract we've had. Okay, and then last question will the public be able to have a copy of The slideshow that you present that I did not see it as a hyperlink on agenda form. Is that allowed? Yes, we will certainly all this is public information and additionally the CAFR the Certified the financial the financial statement Caffer aq for now. It changed, it changed. That one will be published as well, which is the complete package of audited financial statements. But yes, this will certainly be able to be published, Madam Clerk. We have the slides on our computer anyway. And that'll be reflected in the minutes, yes. Thank you. Thank you, Bill. Thanks. Thank you. Mr. Jack, thank you for making it through the audit. Good work on another unqualified audit, which sounds bad, but is good. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lehman. Yeah, the next audit starts in 120 days. Yes, sir. Now, so everybody knows the audit process is a short window, but the internal controls and the record keeping and the tabulations are a constant component of the accounting side of the finance office. And so whenever checks are going out, making sure the records match the invoices that are written to the, all of that stuff is done so that the audit goes as smoothly as Mr. Jack's team makes it go. And so there's, we're done so that the audit goes as smoothly as Mr. Jack's team makes it go and so There's never done with the audit. It just it just rolls to the next year good this week Council we have a public hearing this evening on ordinance 24 0 23 entitled development code Table of Use Regulations. This ordinance was introduced on November 12, 2024, sponsored by Council President Adam Hybe and Councilwoman Tandra Ridgley. Specifically, this ordinance is the city's ordinance that will adopt the package of amended and reviewed table of uses of the city of Aberdeen. Is there anything anybody wants to add before I open the public hearing? Mayor? Yes. Thank you. And for the public's sake, this ordinance started its life, I guess, with the Council and the Planning Commission, both simultaneously reviewing recommendations from the department as well as suggestions from the City Council. And then the Planning Commission made a recommendation late summer, I believe on these and the council did further review on them during multiple work sessions in the fall. And then tonight's product that was introduced at our last meeting is that I know it will be forthcoming amendments both for public review introduction later tonight and then for consideration at the next meeting. Anything else before I open the public hearing? Okay, so this is the public hearing for ordinance number 24-023. If anybody would like to speak to the council about this ordinance, they can come to the microphone in the front of the room when you do, please state your name and address for the record. Now is the opportunity. Karen Havie, 6.4 West Bellar F. This couple of little things on, and I'm going to go, the page is not numbered, but the top of the page says page 3 of 11. Under the key to the table where it mentions second floor, I found a little bit confusing because it goes on to say permitted on second floor and above. And then it talks about T5 and TODC. So my thought process is maybe that's a separate comment and that just a separate key and it needs to be on a separate line. I don't know. It's very confusing the way it is printed out there. And if that's the case, there's also one of the other pages there is under dwelling, stacked townhouse. That says T6 under the TOD. And I assume that means it's only allowed in that T6 is equivalent to TODD. So if you're going to mention one exception, then maybe you should put the second one in there. I don't know. I found it confusing. Maybe someone can explain that a little bit more. Okay. And that's just, I think it's probably just a little housekeeping thing. I would like to comment though on the homeless shelter information and that says page 10 of 11 To May pages Take your time time. Okay. In the homeless shelter is a new addition to the table of uses. I think it was newly defined in the previous ordinance on definitions. I have a couple of concerns. According to what's proposed, it's only allowed in M1 zoning. I looked at the zoning map to see where is M1 in the city, how much of it is there? How much is available? Well, the zoning map doesn't really tell you how much is available. So I went to the Economic Commission website and they actually have a really nice map that shows what lands available, what buildings are available and whatnot. So available M1 properties, mostly on the outside of the city but there are a few small pockets within the city. There's one right here on West Belleller F. So these little pockets are surrounded by residential or commercial or TOD where homeless shelters aren't allowed. So in my opinion, to put one in a very small, maybe it's a miszoned area, maybe it needs to be re-zoned something different. But is that really where you would like to see a homeless shelter and little pockets adjacent to schools, to residences, to museums, and stuff like that. So that being said, I think the city should consider number one, are we ready for a homeless shelter in the city? Do we have, as you mentioned, someone mentioned earlier, homelessness sometimes is associated with other problems. So the city does allow halfway houses, but they're allowed, it's by special exception. And there's a new thing called the residential re Reentry Center that's not allowed at all in the city. So I think this particular issue needs some further thought. You know where we would put it. At the very least it should, in my opinion, should be by special exception only so that, you know, all the, there are different circumstances where these M1 properties are located. So, anyway, it should be something other than P. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Hevy. Anybody else for ordinance 24 or 23 table of use regulations? I'm going to call the public hearing on ordinance 24 0 23 development code table of use regulations to a close and we'll move on in the agenda to the public comment. This is where any member of the public may address the city council at the microphone in the front of the room. I feel like we've shifted like 36 inches towards festival park with the microphone. I feel like it used to be in the middle. Maybe we shifted a chair over. It's okay. Anybody from public comment may approach the microphone to the further room now. I'm going to call the public comment to a close. Moving along with the agenda council, we have an ordinance entitled 24-019, which was was introduced on October 28th, 2024, sponsored by Council President Hyab and Councilman Montgomery. The public hearing was held on November 12th, 2024. This is the ordinance that permits the city to, what's the word, technically. Sir plus, the property at 22 Howard Street so that the option associated with the five year lease is able to be exercised within the five year window permitted in the lease. Is there any more discussion on this? Anybody have any questions before I entertain a motion to adopt ordinance 24-019? Is there a motion to adopt 24-019? Some moved. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank. Aye. Councilman Linda Camp. Councilman Montgomery. Aye. Councilwoman Rijali. Aye. Four votes in the affirmative. That is adopted. The next item on our agenda council are two amendments. Proposed amendments number one and number two to ordinance number 24020. Now, generally, the way one would take up an ordinance, so what I think we should do is we should combine J3 and J2, hear me out, hear me out, and we should take up the matter of 24-0-20, and before we entertain a motion on that one, we deal with these two amendments. So I see the amendments that I see on my paper here referring to an amendment one and amendment two, are these both under the purview of Council President Hype? Yes. Okay, would you like to make a motion to introduce your, so adopt your two amendments. So to be clear, so everybody's on the same page. If either of your two amendments, you have amendment number one, number number two, are adopted. What that means is they will be incorporated into the draft of the ordinance 24-020. And then later when that's acted on, they will be incorporated. If they are not approved by a majority of the council, then they will not be incorporated into that ordinance. Thank you. Would you like to take them up separately or together? I think you should take them up separately. Okay. Councilor and for the public amendment one, based off of public comment feedback or public hearing at our last council meeting, the planning commission reviewed and made a recommendation on a definition for funeral home establishment and so the definition is provided within the amendment and that would be included within the ordinance as an establishment with facilities for the preparation of the dead, for burial, for cremation, for the viewing of the body or for funerals. I believe Ms. Gros came from the county's definition as well. Yes. I change my mind. Council, is there objection to combining these two amendments one and two as one motions? We don't have to go through the proverbial motions twice. Okay, your second one does what? Thank you, and second amendment again, also from public hearing at our last meeting. Utility scale solar farm is a solar farm, a solar farm is a large collection of photovolatic to take, solar panels that absorb energy from the sun converted into electricity for the power grid for distribution and consumption by consumers. So what you're proposing is an amendment that adds these two definitions to ordinance number 24-020. That is correct. Is that emotion? Is there a second on the motion to add these two definitions as are written here? A second on the motion. Thank you, Councilman Montgomery. Any discussion on the two definitions that would be added to the primary ordinance 24-020 if approved? Madam Clerk, can you call the role to adopt and incorporate amendment number one and amendment number two into the ordinance. Council President Hyde. Aye. Councilman Lundy Camp. Aye. Councilman Montgomery. Aye. Councilwoman Rijali. Aye. Four votes in the affirmative. The two amendments are incorporated into the ordinance 24-020. Now we'll take up that total package of ordinance entitled development code definitions, which was introduced on the 28th of October sponsored by Council President Hayab and Councilman Ridgely. Public hearing was held on November the 12th, 2024. Is there a motion to adopt 24-020 as just amended? Some moves. Thank you, Council President Hayab. Are there any questions or is there a second to adopt the amended ordinance? I'll second it. Thank you, Councilman Ridgeley. Any more discussion on the amended ordinance? Madam Clerk, can you call the roll for adoption of 24 O20 as amended? Council President Hyde. Aye. Council Member Indicamp. Aye. Council Member Montgomery. Aye. Councilwoman Richley. Aye. Four votes in the affirmative. That ordinance is adopted. Council the next item on our regularly scheduled program is the 24-021 entitled road closure of Centennial Lane introduced on October 28, 2024, sponsored by Council President Hyab and Councilman Montgomery. A public hearing was held on this ordinance on November 12, 2024. The purpose of this ordinance with the attached exhibit that shows the area in reference is to close to public use for driving on the area of Centennial Lane, which is the road that connects between Howard Street and Cyprus Alley, so that the park can be expanded and a piece of that can be leased to watch Tower Brewing in the future. Is there any more discussion on the motion before us? I'm sorry. Did somebody make a motion? Okay. Is there a motion to adopt ordinance 24-021? Make a motion to adopt. Thank you, Councilman Montgomery. I'm sorry for getting ahead of myself. Is there a second on the motion? Second. Second for Councilman Linda Camp. Is there any more discussion on the motion entitled road closure of Centennial Lane for adoption? Mayor, I think last session Can we have a picture? I have a picture. Oh, okay. I scroll down a little bit. See if it's attached It isn't one of the packets. That's all in one of the last session. You said no problem. Yes No, it was attached to my packet. Okay, and so I don't know what got lost in translation Yeah, it's in the digital bed here on a second a different attachment Different. Yeah, yeah, good take your time. Please review it So what you'll see on the right side of the picture is Howard Street and then the hashed part on the lower part of the screen that's not in red is the building at 22 Howard Street and the lot there and then the whole pink section is the part of Centennial Lane that we're proposing to close. And then the drawings that are in there where the proposed water lines and sewer lines are going to go in the red on the screen. Any more discussion on this before we move to adoption? We've got a motion from Councilman Montgomery and a second. I think from Councilman Linda Camp for adoption. Madam Clerk, can you call the roll for adoption of ordinance number 24-021? Council President Hype. Councilman Linda Camp. Councilman Montgomery. Councilwoman originally. Aye. Four votes in the affirmative. That's adopted. We have two more amendments, so we're going to take up now. That was not right yet. So these, what we have before us, are a total of one, two, three amendments, two amendments to ordinance number 24-023, which is the ordinance that we looked at for the public hearing this evening. is the ordinance that we looked at for the public hearing this evening, entitled Development Code Table of Use Regulations 2 from Council President Hybe and 1 from Councilwoman Ridgely. You want to start with yours, Council President Hybe, because they're in that order, not because I like you better. So, Mary, and I think unless anyone would reject you tonight, we would just be introducing or making them public and adopting them at the next meeting. Which do you want to do? Do you want to introduce it or do you want to make it public? We can just present on it. I guess we can introduce it so that it's invisibly available. Thank you. Thank you. Introducing. Yeah. Okay. So, Amendment 1 is in Amendment 2 both follow up from the previous amendments on the previous ordinance. So amendment one changes the term on the table for a funeral home to if you know establishment to match the updated definition that we just adopted. And then amendment two includes the utility scale solar farm as a new item on the table. I believe it's at the end of page 11. And then it places it in the M1 zoning as a permitted use in the table. So those are both follow-ups in the previous amendment. And so what you intend to do is include these as part of the 24-023 in order to deal with the recently corrected definitions. Right. Good. So with that, with those two, we will take those at our next regularly scheduled meeting which is to be held on December 8th We will Act on ordinances number one and number two if they are approved by an affirmative vote They'll be incorporated into the final package of legislation and titled 24 0 23 and they can be acted on good Councilman rigidly would you like to present your amendment number three? Yes, thank you, Mayor. So the proposed measure changes the designation and the zoning districts from P, which signifies a permitted use to SE, which signifies that the use is subject to a special exception from the Board of Appeals. Now this is in response to the housing legislation that Governor Muraw proposed earlier this year and his push for ADUs and communities as his partial solution for the housing crisis. Now the issue will be addressed further in the next legislative session in January. However, this proposal is the one that is at issue tonight. Good. So the same with that one. What I'm inclined to do is to take your motion, excuse me, your amendment and then add our next regularly scheduled meeting on December 8th, act on one and two and three and any other amendments that come up at that time or before that time from the rest of the council or from the same council members and then act on them at that time and if they are passed by two or three votes of the council then they'd be incorporated into the ordinance before it's acted on. Good? Sir, I didn't write it up but I have at least one amendment and something else I think we need to discuss. You want't write it up, but I have at least one amendment and something else I think we need to discuss. You want to write it down? I can write it down right now. Write it down. And then it can be incorporated as part of the agenda for the next meeting. And it can be acted on. It doesn't need to be fancy, right? We just need to know what the change is. Do you want to talk about it? Sure. Please, what you got? I think we should eliminate SC across the board. You think that everywhere the special exemption should be eliminated across the board. Eliminate a reasoning and replace with what? Nothing. Okay, so it should be easy. Dashes or it should be. Be a dash. Okay. My reasoning is, is we have parameters what we're supposed to build in the city. It says you can build this. This is what you're how you're supposed to build in the city. It says you can build this, this is what your house is supposed to build it. So to me, this is just another variance, which has bid us in the past. So that's my one. Okay, was there a second one? The other one, I just went to planning commission or us. I sent out this literature last meeting, zoning for misuse, mixed use development. So I'm looking at IBD. We really don't have any parameters with IBD. It says, you know, open space, commercial residential. I think there should be some parameters in there that says, how much has to be open space, how much has to be commercial? If you have much idea of what that would look like, Mrs. Grover and I can work on that and then presented to you. Do you have, okay. Okay. You want an extra copy? If you have an extra, we'll give it to Mrs. Grover and we'll talk about it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor. Yes. I may. The consensus is that we need more teeth in these designations. It was brought to my attention tonight with the proposed measure that I have with this amendment, is that in the, and I don't want to get too far into the weeds. It's good. But with this proposed measure, we don't want to have it so that there will be a way around it and an open door where people will be able to have this. We want the measures put in place where this is not an easy process because of the the ADUs in my opinion if it's freely given and if it's freely granted it could change character in neighborhoods. It could turn into something that we don't want which is why I am proposing the SE, but we need more teeth in these designations. Got it. Because there's really no use in having these measures and these amendments, if at the end of the day, people will be able to basically be able to do what we're trying to prevent or trying to, make it harder or... Wouldn't that have to go through the board of appeals, Mr. Mayor? Yeah, so the way special exceptions work is if there is a use that's proposed, somebody wants to add, and in the case of Councilwoman Ridgley's amendment to the development code. If the special exception tag was added to every accessory dwelling unit as proposed, if somebody wanted to create an accessory dwelling unit on their property, which could mean allowing granny to live in the basement or building a new structure that complies with all the existing setbacks. Any of these things that adds a second dwelling to an existing use, then they would have to go through the board of appeals. They'd have to pay a couple hundred bucks is the fee that's established in the book. They would have to pay for the cost of mailing, a certified piece of mail to all for the cost of mailing, a certified piece of mail to all of the adjacent parcels announcing that there's gonna be a public hearing at the board of appeals on that specific use. They'll say, you know, one, two, three oak street is requesting permission to a special exception for the purposes of constructing an accessory dwelling unit on their premises at 1 2 3 Oak Street and the public hearing is going to be on January 1st, 2025 at City Hall at City Hall with the Board of Appeals. Here's where you can go for more information about it all this stuff. So we got to print that in the newspaper. It goes out by mail. What other things happen in advance of that hearing Mrs. Grover. Have to follow the criteria in the development code for special exceptions. Which means that the use has to be similar to other uses in that zoning district. Right. Patibility. And so they have to make the case for that at the board of appeals. That's how the special exception works. And so then the neighbors could come and say this is not in line with what we're trying to do in our neighborhood as part of that, which is not available if it's a P. Okay, so anything that's permitted, then it would come up as part of the approval. When would the council see it? If it's a P, the council wouldn't see it. Because it's a smaller than whatever trigger causes the preliminary site plan to go through. Not saying it's good or bad. I'm saying that normally if something is permitted, and if we have a threshold in the code, it would be smaller than 5,000 square feet or 5 dwelling units, that gets handled administratively through the city rather than going to the planning commission when it's more than 5 dwelling units or a certain number of square footage. And then that is the public process. But we should talk more about it. We should talk more about what the special exception means. If you got something written up on that, we can circulate that for everybody's review to see what that process looks like, so that everybody's comfortable or not comfortable with that looks like so we can make a educated decision at the next council meeting. Thank you, Mrs. Grover. Good? I have a comment. so we can make an educated decision at the next council meeting. Thank you, Mrs. Grover. Good. I have a comment. Yes. I just want to piggyback off of Councilman's Rizli's comments. If I recall in January, when we looked at Rutgers, I thought there was a discussion. The variance is being granted and showing undue hardship. And I remember us talking about that at length. So my concern is, are the undue hardship factors unique enough and specific enough, in this case, as well as others, so that we give the teeth that are needed for the board of appeals to go ahead and make that assessment? And I believe in January, they were broad. So that hardship really wasn't specific enough. So that's my big concern, I think, on all variances in general, that to set up our Board of Appeals for success by us talking about what is an undo hardship, what are the unique characteristics that are associated with that? Then it's very clear, if we agree on that, then the Board of Appeals must use that, as I understand it. And I think right now that might be a gray area that is not only making the SC, not really have the teeth, but I think just very insistent general. Good. After that came up in discussions back in January over a series of meetings, I worked with Mrs. Grover to ensure that each of the boards and commissions had rules and regulations that they adopted the planning commission adopted set of rules. The board of appeals adopted a set of rules, the economic development commission to be adopted rules of EDC, architectural review board, maybe has not adopted them but they're back in the forth on the deliberation of those. And Mrs. Grover would be pleased to email to me the copy of the rules for the board of appeals so I can circulate them to the- And they're on the websites. And they're on the website for that. So what I would encourage everybody to do is to look at this because we tried to go through the rigorous process that you're describing of understanding how the Board of Appeals would be best equipped with the tools to make a good decision given the definition of undue hardship and some of the other criteria that a variance and a special exception require. And then they adopted those after discussion amongst the body as their rules. And since the council has raised this as an issue, you may recall that the townhouse variances that were, I want to say there were 119 of them that were going to happen, did not happen and they came to this body where we proactively worked with the developer to change the development code to permit the different configuration of the ground floor basement, garages, etc. And so it's good feedback. Please look at the rules of the board of appeals and let's talk about them as part of the ongoing discussion with the board of appeals and special exceptions and variances so that we can get to a good result in that. With that, we're going to take up at our next meeting, those one, two, three amendments, plus councilman Linda-Camps amendment to eliminate the special exception across the city and any other amendments that anybody else comes with, comes up with in advance of that meeting, anything else before we move on? Mrs. Grover, your carers, start with updates from staff. Sure, I'll make it quick. And Mayor Olson, there's rules and regulations for all the boards tomorrow morning. Great, thank you. A lot of new businesses coming into Aberdeen of several of their construction. Buffalo Wild Wings to go is at Aberdeen Marketplace. I'll be opening shortly. K-POT will be moving in there as well at Aberdeen Marketplace. Five below retail is under construction next to Home Depot. It beards old shopping plaza. We have several new small businesses coming to Park Street and downtown and Puppies is under construction as well. WashX will be submitting plans, construction drawings shortly to our Department of Public Works for review as well. Good, thank you. Working on development code amendments. Good. Deputy Chief Swayne, you got anything from the police? Nothing from the police department tonight, sir. Are you sure? Yes, sir. Mr. Jack, anything besides cheering and acclimation regarding the audit? Nothing. Okay, good. Mrs. Hornne you want to come up, please? Would you believe that I purchased 60 60 Rain deer noses and I left them at home I Was going to put them on as you were coming up. This This was gonna be my stick, but now I can't do it. So will you have them like for Friday or Saturday? Oh yes, oh yes. You're gonna hand them out on the parade route or have it? Because the theme of this year's Christmas Street festivities. Rudolph. Rudolph the Red Doze right here. Can you pull your microphone up to your chin please? Thank you. So good evening. So one week away, we start off with our festival trees on Friday. I wish everybody could see this tree at home, but they can't unless we stand up there and turn the camera. But beautiful tree by Aberdeen's Economic Development Commission. That's just one of 17 that's going to be available to bid on or buy outright. On Friday we actually actually made up a brochure to anybody coming in, whether they're a sponsor or donor or anybody afterwards. You can actually view the trees. It's going to tell you who actually donated the tree, who sponsored the trees, how much the trees value is, and all the funds that we do raise are going to the University of Maryland, Lappertchess Peak Health Foundation. How can I get that pamphlet? When you go to the Festival of Trees either Friday or Saturday. I can only get it there. Well, it's not going to do any good, because anywhere else, because you guys see the trees. It works with the trees. We are not charging people to come in to view the trees. We are asking for a donation to the hospital. So I mean, those funds that are brought in that day will go to the hospital. I think when they did the festival trees at the Armory, you pay $10 a person to get in. We want to get people to average. And we want them to see what we've got to offer. So that's how we're handling the 6 to 8 on Friday and the 9 to 3 on Saturday. Also have this in our lobby. It's also on our website. It talks about the events going on for the festival of trees, the hours and locations, and we're finding information. Christmas Street, full of Christmas Street, believe it or not this year, we have two Santa clauses. Wow. There's not two Santa clauses. I know. Well, you know, he gets so busy. He needs a little help. So from 12 to two on Saturday, we are going to have a Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus over the activity center. We're gonna have some kids crafts. So if they want to go over there after they visit everywhere else in town, more than welcome to go there before the parade starts, head on down to West Bell Claus, write your letters for your finals, what you want, and then we'll close up shop after that. But parades due to start after the, or lighting of the tree is due to start after parade, five o'clock is what we're putting down. Please stay if I'm a little shorter than that. But I want to layer by no two. It is the first Saturday, as always, however that Saturday does mean a little something. So I hope we take some time that day being December 7th and show some respect as to what that is. I'm sure the mayor will cover that before we do the tree lighting. As you can see, our tree is going up. I think they're going to hit some rain tomorrow, but they did get two rows of panels on the tree. So it does look beautiful. The other thing is I'll close that up. When we're done, we have our new calendar of events for 2025. So we are full blown with I think 14 items we're doing for next year. Our biggest thing is going to be August is our our main month. We've actually added two extra events that month. So we're really looking forward to making mermaid for Aberdeen. We got comments. People at the 10-year-old Bel Air bash came down here for the first time they started mermaid and they wanted to know why it wasn't held somewhere else like in Bel Air because you can only get an Aberdeen. So we were really pleased to hear that you know people elsewhere and want to know why can't go there because it's here and it's going to stay here so really excited about having a mermaid gala and a little tea for the the children afterwards on Sunday so Sunday. So great thanks for next year as well. Do you have anything else for me? I'll bring you a reindeer nose tomorrow. Because I want to wear it or because I rather just paint my own. They're nice. It's like a big clown nose. I know, but I mean Rudolph's going when they had that. It's the theme. It is the theme. Thank you, Vicki. Thank you. Okay, next is the second opportunity for public comment anybody who would like to address the city council can come to his microphone in the front of the room When you do please stay your name and address for the record Bob Hartman 226 Paradise Road on Centennial Lane. One of the proposals for the TOD that I've seen that's been out in the round, that road was supposed to come all the way through from round 40. We were going to buy up property and bring that all the way through. Are we changing the TOD? We're not doing that. Okay, I mean, are we going to make changes to where you're going to set the monies that was going to be for that to doing something else? I mean, I'm just asking because I says, when I see the proposal, how many years we've had it out here and everything else. And now we're doing changes. But the people aren't getting informed of, okay now we're doing changes. But the people aren't getting informed of, okay, we're not doing that money there. Where are we doing the money for something else? You know, and if I'm the state or the federal government, I'm gonna ask the same questions. Well, you're not opening this road up, you're closing it. What are we doing? So that's, you know's good things that way. Okay, on these leases and everything else, I says I don't know, you know, I want people to come and all, but I don't think we should give everything away. Have we renegotiated the hotel up at the stadium? Because we weren't getting jacked for that property, you know, and it's been 20 years, okay? We should have a new contract, and I haven't seen anything in front of you guys. You haven't come out and said, okay, where are we doing the contract for that property up there? You know, it's just the idea is, wait a minute. It's our property, Aberdeen, okay? We lease it to them for an ungodly amount. I think Mr. Jack told me it was like $1,200 a month. That's stupid. You know, with this day and age, you know, prices are for the property and everything else have gone up. And we're not getting our money's worth, you know. We can use this money for the kids of the community, for the parks or whatever. But we've got to get smart about this. And I just don't see it happening here. I'm just going to open your eyes up and everything else. You guys need to start looking at things like that. It's not fair to the residents or the state and everything else. But what are we doing? Well, like Texas Roadhouse, well, we can't come to Aberdeen because you guys property are too much. But yet, they're going over to Perryville and building a stake house over there. They went to Boston because Aberdeen was too expensive. We've got to think about things like that. The stake house we got here in Aberdeen, it's a hidden mess. You go up there for a meal. You might get a good one you might not. But what I'm saying is we've got to get businesses here that we can count on. And I just don't see anything happening here at Aberdeen. Thank you. I'm going to go to the next slide. On a cherry note, happy Thanksgiving everybody. Enjoy your families this week. A couple of quick things based upon the legislative session. I appreciate council women's comments regarding the special exception on accessory dwelling units. When the Planning Commission discussed this, we wanted to have it so people knew what to do. With a special exception, you have to either propose a use that's compatible with the principal permitted uses, and it does not adversely affect public health safety or welfare of neighboring properties. Only a variance requires a undue harborship. Special exceptions do not. So- Did you say your name for the record, ma'am? Well, I'm sorry, Beth Boyson. 631 Westwood Drive-Out. Thank you. Maryland. My concern with the special exception for all the categories notices would go out and you would have some neighbors who would come to the board of appeals meeting and some who wouldn't so someone get granted others would not based upon neighbors liking each other or maybe not liking each other so I think it would open up a Pandora's Box where we would, I don't think it would accomplish what they're looking to accomplish by making a special exception across the board. I think it either should be permitted in each of the units or not permitted and that's an easier way to regulate it as opposed to going through the special exception procedures because I stress redwelling is compatible with the primary dwellings permitted use. So I don't know how they would say now unless there was a lot of public comment from neighbors which would make it very arbitrary at the end of the day. So those are my comments and I wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. Thank you. Hi. My name is Tina Cody. I live at 439 Woodcrust Drive Aberdeen. I just have a few general comments that I want to make. If you noticed I've been here the last three or so session meetings, just to kind of observe. Because I recently retired and I wanted to kind of maybe get more involved in the community. But I think everyone's a great place to live, but with many challenges. And I feel very proud to hear that you guys are now looking at the homeless, the drug use, how to address the community to keep it safe and how to bring more people here. But I do want to say that I was very appalled at the last meeting that we had, that there was a lack of mutual respect among the council members. And I don't think we can afford to do that. We elect you guys to challenge and to, I say, address all the challenges that we have in Aberdeen and there's no need for mutual disrespect and not addressing each other professionally. So that's all I want to say because we need to have more citizens come out and support you. I mean, it's empty. We should have more citizens here with diverse opinions and diverse solutions to our complex problems that we have. I mean, a lot of people would say to me, why do you live in Abbey? Why don't you live in Falsten? Because my kids went to Aberdeen. It was a great place to be. There are some challenges. And thank you, you know, the police chief. They addressed them in my neighborhood, but they're all neighborhoods. And they're our homeless. neighborhoods and there are homeless, I saw homeless guy the other day and so we have an issue here we need to address but what we can have is the elected officials that we elect not addressing each other professionally and with courtesy and respect even if we have differences of opinions so that's all I want to say. Thank you. I believe in all. Valentine and not here. 24, 28 notes are, Philadelphia Boulevard. I was here some time ago and I did make a request. The audience could, like for example, do one today, 24 or 23. I didn't understand it so much. I didn't know if it involves or relates to where I am consigned. I have spoken with Miss This, spoken with the mayor, with regards to homelessness in Aberdeen. I did get a property where I did request for approval, but I was told the code does not exist here in Aberdeen. So I don't know what is happening. I don't know if that could is not existing because I'm stepping for that particular place. It's almost like seven months I've been paying for it. So I wanted to see if I can get help because it's part of the process of helping Aberdeen resolve the issue of homelessness among the mentally challenged individuals. So that's my question today. Hold on. For south Roger Street and the use that you wanted to do, what do we call this use? What did you want to do there? Well, it's a program that was going to help individuals who, you know, that are homeless for a temporary stay while we look for a place for them to live. Do we call that a shelter? It's not a shelter. Do we call it transitional housing? Yes. Our group home. Group home. But the issue we had misfili said the definition did not meet what was required here. So I got the state to give us a definition which they sent. And now I don't know maybe if the if the code does allow for it now maybe I don't know they have been several codes. allow for it now, maybe I don't know, they have been several courts. I'll talk to Mrs. Griver about it tomorrow, and we'll give a report to the council on it. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Anybody else for public comment to a close. We move to business of the mayor and council council council. Council member you care again Thank you mayor Since last council meeting of how to chance to kind of get around a little bit and visit on the 13th of November I had a chance to go to the Aberdeen police department chief staff meeting always a good update on what's going on in the city When it comes to measuring metrics when it comes to incidences and good ideas shared amongst officers that afternoon had the pleasure to be at the BNO train station with many folks that were here for a flag raising where we actually had major general Tranetti who is the Aberdeen senior commander. I had this I'm going to be doing a lot of work to do with the community. I'm going to be doing a lot of work to do with the community. I'm going to be doing a lot of work to do with the community. I'm going to be doing a lot of work to do with the community. I'm going to be doing a lot of work to do with the community. I'm going to be doing a lot of work to do with the community. I went from 5 to 830, had a chance to kind of see shift change and get an opportunity to meet some more officers that I had not met before. Always a good opportunity to kind of see Aberdeen up close when you're in a patrol car and certainly great conversations with many of our officers. I did meet a recruit that I think was from Florida. So it's amazing how far folks are moving. To Aberdeen to actually be a part of our police force. On the 19th of November, I went to the monthly Aberdeen Chamber of Luncheon. How do you recommend that if you've not been to a chamber luncheon go? Not only is it a great way to socialize with folks that are in the community, but you also get a chance to hear some good speakers. We heard from Mary Hasler, the CEO for the Public Library, and I did not realize that you could actually get free fishing rods from the Public Library along with a lot of other free stuff that they had. On the 20th of November, I was at the HCC Workforce Training Development Grant opening. If you've not heard about that, it's part of HCC's strategic plan to get more connected with the community. And they opened right there at Water's Edge and that Workforce Training Center will be able to offer certifications and classes for many trades that are needed not only in our city, but in the root 40 corridor. And on the 21st I went to the Army Alliance, Hartford County Chamber of Commerce, eggs and issues, legislative breakfast. It was a good opportunity to kind of meet local legislators, community leaders and municipal organizations. Over 150 folks were there and it was a great opportunity. And I think the last two things I'd share with you, as I mentioned this Thursday is Thanksgiving. It's kind of an important place for me because many times in my career in the army, I was not home for Thanksgiving. And I think for me not being home and Thanksgiving made me reflect on things besides Turkey, cranberry, and family which are all great stuff. So my hope for you this week is you get a chance to probably reflect on what are you really thankful for. And if it's like me it's probably the simple things like just being at home with a family and not away from that home. And to that end, next, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, the 3rd of December is giving Tuesday. It is a great opportunity to give back to not only our local nonprofits in our city, but volunteer on that day to kind of help out. That's all I have, Mayor. Thank you, Councilwoman Rijli. Thank you, Mayor. Just a couple of items. Excuse me, on November the 14th, I attended a community meeting that was held at the TB3 event center at which Mayor McGrady facilitated the meeting and a variety of topics were discussed through previously submitted questions and some of the topics had to do with the activity center. DeBri won our Dino Steppney Road leading to the Eagles West community, the potential overcrowding of Aberdeen schools, pedestrian traffic, at the corners of West Belair and Middleton, as well as Beards Hill Road Crosswalk. And lastly, we were informed that the State Highway Administration will conduct a safe streets for all form on December the 6th at Aberdeen High School. So please be sure to put that in your calendar. On the liaison side, I attended the EDC Economic Development Commission monthly meeting last Wednesday, Mr. Terrell Booth, who owns several properties here in Aberdeen was appointed to be the EDC liaison to new businesses in Aberdeen. And in that role, he will identify new businesses or potential businesses and assist them by providing information and resources as to how they can become successful in their business endeavors, such as encouraging them to contact the planning and development department here beforehand to prevent any wasting of money or time. Along with that, it was suggested that the EDC create an informational marketing campaign with potential new businesses as the target audience, a checklist of sorts, would be promoted to assist these businesses. I met with Chief Trabert on last Thursday to discuss the deferred retirement option program otherwise known as the drop program. Drop provides eligible plan members with an alternate retirement option for those in law enforcement. This was primarily an informational session for me. I didn't know anything about this program. I had no previous knowledge of it, but I think Chief Traybert for his time, and it's something to just contemplate in the future. Also in that meeting with Chief Traybert, we discussed the homeless in a situation here in Annabelle Dean. Lieutenant Tom Rinson was not scheduled to be a part of that meeting, but he did drop in and his presence and his involvement in addressing the situation spurred a conversation in which I brought up that I feel there needs to be more centralized services, not only for treatment to help this population to be lifted out of that condition, but I feel that there needs to be more centralized services or more centralized streamlined plan in terms of the food pantry and the food giveaways. So in the future, very will, very near future, I will be contacting local churches and community stakeholders to propose an idea that would lead the demographic of the homeless population away from festival park. Festival park initially is intended to be a space where children can come and have a safe place to play. A space where we have community wide events and festivals and fairs. When we have situations, although they're intended, they're well-intended, good intentions, to serve that homeless demographic, it can change the character or the initial intention of what festival park was intended to be. Now we want to make sure that demographic gets the services and the resources that they need hence the centralized plan. So I will be making periodic reports and recommendations to Mayor McGrady. I will be working with Lieutenant Tomlinson on this effort. More information will come in the new year. Thank you and I want to say happy Thanksgiving to everyone. If you believe in the power of prayer during your Thanksgiving dinner, please remember our nation. Remember our county, remember our city. I ask personally if you would please pray for me. I always solicit those that believe in the power of prayer to pray for me so that I continue to be a diligent elected official. And please don't forget to pray for our city council and our government. Thank you so much and happy Thanksgiving. Thank you councilwoman. Councilman Linda Campbell. Ladies and gentlemen, we pour it Park and Rec Park and Rec basketball up and run and I think they're using our school, the middle school and Swan Creek school, the old all ed school so they're pretty packed. The community meeting also attended at the TB3 event center. There was some good information but it always comes back to that, the speeding. We need speed bumps in our neighborhood or speed. So our suggestion is maybe for the next one, we put out what the objective is, maybe we want to talk about. Zoning, maybe we want to talk about annexation, so then we can get some more community input on those things, instead of the normal things we usually get, just a suggestion. It is a challenge because we made the opportunity for people to submit questions in advance and I didn't have an agenda established. So we could say we're going to have a community meeting to talk about parking, you know, or zoning or but then that even that of it, it's hard. I understand. So I'm not sure how to do it. It's just because like everyone would go to, we always come up with speed bumps. Really, it's a blessing because the problems that we hear about are minor inconveniences or concerns about things that could happen as opposed to real, like we've got real problems with crime or whatever things. And so to that end, it's a blessing that we hear the same things over and over again. But yes, we'll work on that. Let's say, if we got something big coming in, yes, we want to share that at that community meeting. So they are aware that it's coming. You know, you've been to my meetings in the past where I've done this in which I just broadcast for an hour. Right? for an hour, right? It's just these are all the cool things that we're doing and then people say, well, I wanted to have an opportunity to talk. And so anybody who wasn't at this meeting, it was cool because people submitted questions advance and I got to answer those. And then the 48 or 50 people who were there got to weigh and say, I don't understand that or what does that mean or why are we doing it that way or have you thought about this, which is cool. Good feedback. Thank you Council President Hyab was it we were you done. Yeah, I'm just gonna say I'm sorry Thank you I wanted to start with the planning commission at the last planning commission meeting council You saw and the public saw some of their work with the amendments that were approved and introduced or tonight relating to the feedback from the last public hearing. Additionally, the planning commission reviewed an approved diploma rate site plan at the Aberdeen Exchange at 715 and old Philadelphia road and between that and root 40. So that plan will be coming in before us in some time in the near future. Additionally, the plan commission is working on text amendments and they have their homework to review for the next chapter. We've kind of done the book ends of what is in that chapter, but more is coming from that recommendations on text amendments. I encourage you if you have suggestions, ideas, and one, the in the weeds of a lot of that and the discussion on that to attend the next planning commission meeting on the second Wednesday in December. Additionally, the planning commission put in their new chair, vice chair, so the new chair is Beth Boyson and the new vice chair is Darren. We're both in the audience tonight. So thank you both for stepping up to fulfill those roles. The Abri Room will have their open house as always during Christmas tree from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have treats, carolers, and other live entertainment during their time there. Additionally, we are coming up on the general assembly session. I know Mary you've shared some emails and communication about some of the things that city needs that we can put together. Just a one-pager or so of what, indeed, of what we want or what we can try to pursue. Given the budgetary constraints this year, I would appreciate that. Additionally, we have, I want to respond to some of the questions about the homeless shelter and just to write a little more clarity on the direction there before we go into next meeting. So right now, welcome one homeless shelter is the only true homeless shelter in the county designated and it's currently in an industrial park in Bel Camp, also of Mercedes Drive and it does not meet the need of the county. There is no plan initially for a homeless shelter in Aberdeen. Can you extrapolate on what does not meet the need means? So shortly, certainly. So there's about 40 beds at the shelter. 32 are for men, eight are for women. There are other six are for women. eight or for women. There are other six are for women. Six are for women. And they are always at capacity pretty much. And so there is a need in the county to potentially have more space either at the welcome one shelter, which is what the county executive would prefer to do on the second floor, whether that meets all the need, whether it meets the requirements for a shelter. I'm not the one to answer that but that is the initial suggestion by the county executive so by placing it in M1 we are monitoring what is already permitted through the county and putting it in places where other services are sometimes also traditionally located nearby to the point about where M1 zoning is I totally agree that M1 shouldn't be in the downtown part of Aberdeen. During our whole conversation, I was very vocal about changing that zoning of that property and it may still eventually happen to the property adjacent to the B&O station because I think a different use is better both for the residents and for the gateway to the downtown and for the historical element of our downtown. So hopefully that will be coming forward. And I totally agree that M1 in the downtown is not appropriate zoning use. Just a couple of questions on a few items. Mayor, I'd like to get on the agenda potentially for the next meeting, this we're in and of our heritage trust members in that same vein of historical preservation. And we approved their nominations several months ago. So I'd like to get that started so they can build their foundation of a plan. Say it again. So we nominated, we nominated and we approved members to reestablish our heritage trust. And they've not been sworn in yet to start conducting business and I'd like to get that on the next agenda if possible so that they can get working in the new year okay to get a game plan. I don't think it's right for they get started until they're to their sworn in. Additionally, I know you had a couple of emails come back and forth about the flooding at the end of the mystery. I know we're waiting on the Army Corps of Engineers That's still where we're we're standing on that on the area on the south end of Administrative Hillsdale hold on Mrs. Grover We've got communication with the state of Maryland's maybe it's Department of the Environment Representative Maryland Department, Maryland's Department of the Environment.. Maryland Department, Maryland Department of the Environment, yes sir. Not the core. Do we expect any kind of response from them? I do. I mean I've included you in all the emails I'm waiting for response from them. Good, thank you. Great, thank you. Additionally you just speculating Council Member Montgomery Councilwoman, originally and and Councilman Linda Camp on the community meeting I think it was good dialogue, good conversation. I appreciate that we are trying to do these in the new year locally about, probably about a quarter basis. And I think getting the information ahead of time was very helpful because I think it's good to just give information that we have that people aren't aware of but also having that feedback. So thank you for generally a well managed meeting and the B&O flagraisers of other successful event. I think that was well attended. I believe this the state provided a flag also from the representatives and just a small step in the progress on that on that site going forward. So with that I just want to also wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and hope that you enjoy your time with family and friends in this coming week I'm to be thankful for what you have and hope to see all of you at the Christmas Street festivities on the sixth and seventh of December and I know we're holding you up from the Ravens Games. So go Ravens Thank you counsel for your information I today accepted the resignation of director of public works torster we have a vacancy in that position then in the director of public works role the job posting has been on the city's website since November the fifth and will be closed to new applicants on December the 6th, 2024. So we're looking actively if anybody knows anybody, you might be qualified to serve as the Director of Public Works for the City of Aberdeen. In addition, we have the series of announcements in the agenda packet including City Hall being closed this Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday and Friday for the day after Thanksgiving, which is a thing now, apparently. But City Hall will be closed. So if you try to come pay your water bill on Thursday or Friday, we will not be here. The public information workshop by State Highway Councilman Ridgley. In your remarks, use stated that it's December the 6th, because that's what I stated in the public meeting. It's not on December the 6th. It's what I stated in the public meeting. It's not on December 6th. It's on December 2nd at Aberdeen High School. December 2nd, we're going to circulate that Maryland State Highway Administration is hosting a public informational meeting about the pedestrian improvements that they intend to take on from on Route 40 from 715 to 22. So what that looks like is from the entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground all the way to up from Walmart all the way through downtown Aberdeen all the way up to the Roger Street ramp at the Wawa. That whole area there they want to make improvements to the ability for people to get around on foot on bikes and make it safer for people to navigate that roadway. As part of the Safe Streets for all project that Aberdeen and Havardegreys and Bellair partnered with the traffic consultants that we brought in that worked on the results, that worked on some of the areas that the staff identified of interest. At least three of those areas were in this area that we're talking about here at James and Route 40, at West Bel Air Avenue and Route 40, and that I never remember the other one. Carol and Route 40. Both of those, Carol and James at Route 40, are treacherous locations for pedestrians. There's no sidewalk on the Route 40 side. There's a concrete median in the middle, and it's around a blind curve. It's really a dangerous thing and two of the recommendations that they made were to signalize with a traffic light at both of those. I don't know what they're going to present on from State Highway on December the second at Aberdeen High School, but if anybody's interested it would be, it might be a good opportunity to see what they're hoping and planning to do with those improvements. And that's slated for 530 to 730 PM December 2nd. The festival trees, Vicki Horn represented the different trees totaling 14 at this point, 17, some number of trees, 17 trees. It's hard to believe that any will be as beautiful as this one is before us here, but I imagine they will all exceed the beauty of this tree. And everyone is invited to participate in the festival trees. That is to come and donate money to support the University Maryland Upper Chesapeake Foundation by buying a tree. The trees are donated. Is that correct? By the different groups that are participating. And then at the end they are to be auctioned or sold outright. And then the proceeds are going to go to the University of Maryland, I'll purchase a big foundation. And so even if you don't want the tree, come and buy the tree and then find somebody who wants it. We're working on this as a separate project. It's good. Christmas tree, of course, is my favorite time of the year. Starting early with breakfast with Santa, Grace Methodist Church, concluding with the tree lighting at Festival Park. We'll see you there. Remember the theme is Rudolph the Red Knows Rain Deer. There is still time to find yourself some reindeer antlers. And I have 60 reindeer noses. If you find me, I will give you one. The next regular meeting, the Aberdeen City Council is scheduled for Monday, December the 9th. Now, normally it's been our practice of the Aberdeen City Council that that meeting would not be a business meeting, but it would be cookies meeting. But we've got so much to do, we're going to do business at that meeting on December the 9th. Are we going to do cookies? Is that the plan? Are we still doing cookies? I'm asking. Is that the plan, Madam Clerk? Yes. There will be also cookies, so we will try to accelerate through the business. Come for the cookies. On December 9th at 7 p.m. here in the Aberdeen City Council chambers. That following Wednesday December 11th, we have a planning commission meeting. The next council work session is scheduled for Monday December 16th for anybody who has not been to one of our work sessions. Sometimes they're in the second floor administrative conference room so we can sit around and look at each other. Sometimes they're in this space. That one's scheduled for the second floor of conference room. If you are not able to come up the steps, the elevator is unlocked when we have work sessions. And so if you come to the elevator, push the button, the elevator will come down and pick you up. The Economic Development Commission will meet on Wednesday, December the 18th here in the Aberdeen City Council chambers. And of course, City Hall will be closed on Wednesday, December the 25th for Christmas. Anything else before we return? Great, good meeting. We're adjourned.