1 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:45,120 Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome. Uh the time is now 7:00 p.m. 2 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:49,640 Before we start our scheduled meeting, um 3 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:53,120 we do have two public hearings on ordinances that were already read into 4 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:56,720 the record on the first reading, and these are now the public hearings 5 00:02:55,200 --> 00:03:01,000 for these ordinances before the second reading will take place on them. 6 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:05,760 We have ordinance 1226 and 1227, so we'll start with ordinance 1226. 7 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:10,880 Uh 1226 concerning amending ordinance number 1216 regarding the Amtrak railway 8 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:13,400 railway bridge project. It's an ordinance by the mayor and city 9 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:18,080 council of Havre de Grace, Maryland, adopted pursuant 10 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:21,200 to the authority of Article 11E of the Maryland Constitution, the local 11 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:26,440 government article, the annotated code of Maryland, 12 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:31,080 and sections 33, 34, 65, and 75 of the Havre de Grace City Charter to 13 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:34,400 amend ordinance number 1216 to approve the first amendment to the 14 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:38,840 master property acquisition agreement for the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge 15 00:03:36,239 --> 00:03:42,720 project, and to approve revised schedules of city property to be 16 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,720 conveyed to National Railroad Passenger Corporation, 17 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:52,480 known as Amtrak, in fee simple or subject to permanent or 18 00:03:48,959 --> 00:03:56,120 temporary construction easements. So, this is a public hearing on 19 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:59,520 ordinance 12-26. Is anybody audience here this evening to speak on this 20 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,920 ordinance? Yes, sir. 21 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,320 Good evening. Welcome to the public hearing. May we please have your name 22 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,400 and address for the record? >> Good evening, Mayor, council members, 23 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:12,320 and senior staff. My name is Chip Place, 301 Cigar Loop. 24 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:16,600 » Welcome. >> Thank you. I have just three quick 25 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:22,440 things on ordinance 12-26. One is I did not see any maps 26 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:27,800 included in the agenda item. And I think that I remember 27 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:32,800 the prior items, it was a sliver of land here, sliver of land there, but it would 28 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:37,960 certainly be helpful to have maps or surveys within the packet so the public 29 00:04:35,919 --> 00:04:42,320 can understand this better. And perhaps by the time this comes up on the agenda 30 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:45,000 again, that those could be provided with the 31 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:50,160 agenda. Um secondly, I don't recall any 32 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:55,440 discussion of consideration that Amtrak is paying the city for this land. Um so, 33 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:59,000 it would be good at at some point to to understand what that is. 34 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:02,200 And third, it might have I think it might have even 35 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:07,400 been discussed at the last meeting, but it would be great to have a a workshop 36 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:12,000 with Amtrak just to get a general update on the project overall. I know there 37 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:15,840 were some, you know, important issues pending like the status of the Lewis 38 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:19,560 Lane bridge, whether that had to be reconstructed or not. So, I don't know 39 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:23,800 if the city's working on setting something like that up, but again, that 40 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:27,640 would certainly be helpful. So, that's all I have tonight. Thank you. 41 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:31,120 » Thank you very much. >> Hey, Mayor. 42 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:35,600 Uh I just recently attended a meeting with the public safety and the Amtrak 43 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:41,400 personnel said that they were going to be reaching out to Dr. Richie and 44 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:45,320 setting up something to come back to not only us, but Perryville. 45 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:48,400 Uh so, anyway, I think they have that in the works. 46 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:51,840 » Okay, great. Thank you. Thank you. 47 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:57,120 » Okay, we're still in our uh public hearing for ordinance 1226. Anyone else 48 00:05:53,520 --> 00:06:00,240 in the audience here to speak on 1226? Any comments from council? 49 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:06,400 Okay, without any further comments from the public or the council members, I now 50 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:09,800 close public hearing on ordinance 1226. The time is now 7:03. 51 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:18,160 We will go on to public hearing on ordinance 1227 concerning amending 52 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:22,120 chapter 25, article 4, Board of Appeals, and article 5, Planning Commission. 53 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:25,200 An ordinance by the mayor and city council of Havre de Grace, Maryland, 54 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:28,120 adopted pursuant to the authority of article 11E of the Maryland 55 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,080 Constitution, local government article of the 56 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,560 Annotated Code of Maryland, sections 33 and 34 of the Havre de Grace City 57 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,360 Charter, to amend chapter 25, article 4, Board of 58 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:40,360 Appeals, and article 5, Planning Commission. 59 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:44,760 Is anybody here that in the audience this evening to speak on ordinance 1227? 60 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,280 Any comments from council? 61 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:54,480 Okay. Without any comments from the public or 62 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:58,560 the council members, I will now close 63 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,560 public hearing on ordinance 1227. The time is 7:04. 64 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:15,560 Okay, now we begin our council meeting. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The 65 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:19,880 date is August 17, 2026. The time is now 7:05 p.m. 66 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,720 We will now call to order 67 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:26,560 a council meeting with the mayor and city council of Havre de Grace. 68 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:29,040 Council, I will now call the roll. Council President Boyer. 69 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,440 » Here. >> Council member Glenn. 70 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:35,000 » Here. >> Council member Ellis. 71 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:37,120 » Present. >> Council member Clark. 72 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,040 » Here. >> Council member Jones. 73 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,880 » Here. >> Council member Boger. 74 00:07:39,919 --> 00:07:44,520 » Here. >> All council members are present. Uh 75 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,640 please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance and opening prayer. 76 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:57,680 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. 77 00:07:55,520 --> 00:08:02,880 And to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with 78 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:06,600 liberty and justice for all. I could ask everyone to please uh kindly 79 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:12,560 remain standing if you don't mind. Uh and it gives me great honor to call 80 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,560 forward our friend Reverend Jean Brown. 81 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:17,520 Good evening, sir. Thank you very much for being here. 82 00:08:15,919 --> 00:08:20,960 » Thank you for having me. Uh Mary was 83 00:08:18,919 --> 00:08:25,040 worried about the roads being flooded, so she sent me. 84 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,040 » We understand. 85 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,800 » Let's pray. 86 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:33,800 Lord, bless first 87 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,800 the schools, 88 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:40,880 the students, the teachers, the staff, 89 00:08:38,599 --> 00:08:46,880 the bus drivers. Give all of them wisdom and knowledge 90 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:50,720 and patience and strength and safety. Let the students' minds be 91 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:55,000 open to understanding what they're being 92 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,000 taught, 93 00:08:55,480 --> 00:09:02,200 and to have the knowledge necessary to evaluate it 94 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:07,839 completely. Now for the council, 95 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:13,080 wisdom and knowledge, strength and peace, 96 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,080 rest. 97 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:21,680 Their wisdom provides 98 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:21,680 our safety 99 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:30,400 and our peace. And we thank you for these things in the 100 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:32,800 name of your son, Jesus. Amen. 101 00:09:31,839 --> 00:09:36,360 » Amen. Reverend Brown, thank you so much for 102 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,360 your words. 103 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:57,080 » Okay, we're going to go to item five, approval of the minutes. City Council 104 00:09:55,280 --> 00:10:01,440 meeting minutes of August 3rd, 2026. Do I have a motion to 105 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:05,000 approve? >> So moved. 106 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,000 » Second. 107 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,680 » Have a motion by Council President, seconded by Council member 108 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,360 Glenn? >> Glenn, give it to me. 109 00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:19,080 » Okay. Council member Glenn. Questions or comments on the minutes? 110 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:19,880 All those in favor say I. >> I. 111 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:23,320 » I. >> All opposed say nay. 112 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:26,920 City Council meeting minutes of August 3rd, 2026 are approved 6-0 in the 113 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:33,920 affirmative. Item B, City Council closed session 114 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:36,800 meeting minutes of August 3rd, 2026. Do I have a motion to adopt? 115 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,960 » So moved. >> Second. 116 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:44,280 » Have a motion by Council member Booker, seconded by the Council President. 117 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:47,839 You want to read statement to the record, Council President? 118 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:51,839 » Um Vote from closed session on August 3rd, 119 00:10:49,839 --> 00:10:56,600 2026. Topics actually discussed, the City 120 00:10:54,200 --> 00:11:00,320 Attorney, Mr. Richie. Mr. 121 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:04,040 Butch your eyes are named every time. Res- Resensky? 122 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:09,560 Adam. Summarize the status of pending 123 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:14,040 legislation matters. Motion um action taken, motion by the acting Council 124 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:18,440 President, President Booker. Seconded by Council member Jones to authorize 125 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:22,960 retention of outside counsel by the Board of Appeals in the matter involving 126 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:28,640 the Lampson property forest stand delineation if the Board feels retention 127 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:34,840 of outside counsel is needed. Motion passes 5 to 0. 128 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,840 » Thank you very much, Council President. 129 00:11:35,680 --> 00:11:40,040 All those in favor say I. >> I. 130 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:43,320 » I. All those opposed say nay. Motion to approve closed session meeting 131 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:46,840 minutes carries 6-0 in the affirmative. 132 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:53,080 Okay, we're going to go to item six, comments from citizens. Uh this is the 133 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:56,720 part of tonight's agenda that if you have a comment on something 134 00:11:55,200 --> 00:12:00,760 that is on the agenda, now is the time to do so. And if you also have anything 135 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:03,560 you'd like to say to the council that deals with any other matter of city 136 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:07,560 business, now is the time to do so as well. This is your chance to talk. So, 137 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:11,160 I don't have any pre-filled out forms, so I will call on the audience at large 138 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:14,400 if they wish to address the council. Anybody wish to address council? 139 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:21,120 Okay, any comments from council members? Okay, thank you very much. We will 140 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,120 continue. 141 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:27,520 And we go to item seven, appointments, and we do have one appointment this 142 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:32,040 evening to the Planning Commission. It's a reappointment. Council member Jones. 143 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:36,520 » Thank you, Mayor. I would like to um motion to approve reappoint Ed Guarano 144 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,080 uh to the Planning Commission. >> Second. 145 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,760 » Council, I have a motion by Council member Jones, seconded by 146 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:51,960 Council member Glenn, this is for the reappointment of Ed Guarano. 147 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,440 Questions or comments? All those in favor say I. 148 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,960 » I. >> I. 149 00:12:54,839 --> 00:13:00,320 » All those opposed say nay. Motion to reappoint Mr. Guarano to the 150 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:03,960 Planning Commission carries 6-0 in the affirmative. Thank you very much, 151 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,960 Council. 152 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:09,680 We're going to go to item eight, recognitions. 153 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:13,160 This evening we have no recognitions. Item nine, 154 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:18,120 proclamations. This evening we have no proclamations. 155 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:21,920 Item 10, presentations. We do have a presentation. 156 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:25,004 And um I'd like to call forward uh Brent Sletsky with the workers' compensation 157 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,280 presentation. >> [snorts] 158 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:31,720 » Good evening, sir. Welcome. >> Evening. Thank you. 159 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:35,000 Um it's my uh proud honor to give you once again this 160 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:39,040 year. Last year I got to do this and it's it's wonderful to get to do it 161 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:43,800 twice in a in a row. Um the city of Havre de Grace has earned uh 162 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,040 dividend from the Chesapeake employers and 163 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:50,720 as your agent at Wilson Albert, we're just uh very proud to be giving this to 164 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:57,000 your to the city. Um it really is a testament to how uh safety and 165 00:13:54,720 --> 00:14:01,040 management uh is important to the city and that your police department takes it 166 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:04,320 seriously and uh your Department of Public Works and everyone is is really 167 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:10,880 working hard to make this kind of thing happen. So, it is my honor 168 00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:14,000 uh to present a big check to everyone for $135,125. 169 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:19,840 That is >> Man, that's a big check. 170 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,840 » Very big [applause] check. 171 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:27,040 » Well, I'll tell you what, uh Council President, will you join me in 172 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:29,840 receiving this check and Dr. Richie, uh will you please join us? 173 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,440 » I'd also like to mention I have George here from Chesapeake employers and 174 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:39,360 » Thank you. Do you want to say anything? >> No, just thank you for the city of Havre 175 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:42,280 de Grace for two We noticed a lot of work up here. 176 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:46,480 Thank you for choosing us and thank you. I know the two individuals from public 177 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:49,520 works and public safety here. Tough 178 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:52,200 businesses and we appreciate all you do. >> Hey, absolutely. So far, so good. 179 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,520 » Yes. I don't want to jinx it. 180 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,720 » Yeah, we like this one. What's that? 181 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:01,720 » What's 182 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,480 » Come on, Joe. >> Come on, Joe. 183 00:15:04,565 --> 00:15:07,520 » [laughter] >> Seriously. 184 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:10,280 » You were the number >> Third highest church. 185 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,480 » Third highest. >> I think so. 186 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:17,600 » Total count. >> Total count. 187 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,600 » You don't need to show us. 188 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:21,880 » Very impressive. 189 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:28,560 » Good work, you guys. >> All right. I'm going to take a bunch. 190 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,840 Yep, we're good. 191 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,200 We recognized each other. That was a 192 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,840 Thank you very much. Thank you. 193 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:22,960 » Seriously, it's because of your leadership that we 194 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:26,400 can get checks like that. By prioritizing safety first, so thank you, 195 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:30,560 really. >> You guys can slide that right over to 196 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,560 the W line. 197 00:16:31,026 --> 00:16:33,046 » [laughter] 198 00:16:36,839 --> 00:16:40,906 » You can't use it for golfing. >> Right. [laughter] 199 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,000 » No, you too. 200 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:51,120 » No, couldn't get a live stream. 201 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,839 » Okay. >> So, I'll play it back for you. 202 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:04,120 So, anyway, that's very good news. Um you know, and again, uh 203 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,920 to Dr. Richie, director of administration, all my directors, uh 204 00:17:06,360 --> 00:17:11,600 you know, to the employees of the city, uh 205 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:15,319 it says a lot about how you run your departments. Says a lot about the 206 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:18,280 employee morale and how they uh approach their job every day. And and like I say, 207 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:22,640 we couldn't be any more proud. And and so thank you very much. It's a 208 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:25,520 It's a hefty check there. So, I'm sure we'll find a way to put it to good use 209 00:17:24,439 --> 00:17:28,120 when we all put our heads together on it. 210 00:17:26,439 --> 00:17:31,480 So, we're going to um move on to item 11. We have a charter 211 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:35,720 resolution that is 212 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:39,800 going to go through a second reading here. This is charter resolution 308. 213 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:42,680 And um I'm going to hand this off to the 214 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:48,000 council president. >> Mayor, I move to introduce ordinance for 215 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:52,480 second reading a charter resolution number 308 concerning amending sections 216 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:57,040 53 and 54 pertaining to the oath of office. 217 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,040 » Second. 218 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:06,400 » Council, I have a motion by the council president seconded by a council member 219 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:09,960 Booker to introduce charter resolution 308 on second reading. 220 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:13,200 Questions or comments on the introduction? 221 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,880 All those in favor say I. >> I. 222 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:19,200 » All opposed say nay. Motion to introduce a charter resolution 223 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:23,000 on second reading carries 6-0 in the affirmative. 224 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:27,560 This is charter resolution number 308 concerning amending sections 53 and 54 225 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,920 pertaining to the oath of office. It's a resolution by the mayor and city 226 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:33,200 council of Havre de Grace, Maryland adopted pursuant 227 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:36,320 to the authority of the Maryland Constitution Article 11E, the local 228 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,360 government article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, 229 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:43,760 and the Havre de Grace City Charter section 19 amending in part sections 53 230 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,800 and 54 of the City Charter pertaining to the 231 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:49,960 oath of office. Council, do I have a motion to adopt 232 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,160 charter resolution 308? >> So moved. 233 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:56,040 » Second. >> I have a motion by the council president 234 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:59,400 seconded by a council member Clark. Questions or comments? 235 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:04,120 Council president. >> Mayor, I just wanted to um let the 236 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:09,480 public know that the purpose of this ordinance 237 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:13,040 is a resolution charter resolution is to um allow the use of a notary, 238 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,560 um, for the swearing in of certain 239 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:21,320 officials. Um, they are for members of the city 240 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:24,480 election board, police officers, department heads, 241 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:27,360 all elected officials, ethics commission, planning commission, board 242 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:30,960 of appeals, and the historic preservation, um, 243 00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:35,880 commission, and the Havre de Grace Housing Authority. Again, this allows us 244 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:40,640 to make use of a notary, and that would be, um, only when, 245 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:44,680 um, it is not possible to do it, um, publicly in a meeting. 246 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:49,240 Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Council President. 247 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,240 Any other questions or comments? 248 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:55,480 Council, this is a second reading on a charter resolution, and so I'm going to 249 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:59,960 do a roll call on this. Council member Glenn. 250 00:19:57,440 --> 00:19:59,960 » Yes. 251 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,520 » Council member Clark. >> Yes. 252 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:08,720 » Council member Elks. >> Yes. 253 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,560 » Council member Jones. >> Yes. 254 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,920 » Council member Boger. >> Yes. 255 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,440 » Council President. >> Yes. 256 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:22,800 » By roll call vote of six here in the affirmative, city council charter 257 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:27,560 resolution number 308 is adopted on second reading. 258 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:35,120 Item 12, ordinances. 259 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:38,720 Uh, there are no ordinances to be read this evening. 260 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:42,560 Item 13, old business. There's no old business this evening. Item 14, new 261 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:46,160 business. We have no new business this evening. 262 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,680 And that takes us to an item 15, which is director's reports. And we're going 263 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:52,800 to start with our director of administration, Dr. Chris Richey. 264 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:57,200 » Thank you, Mayor, Council, colleagues, citizens. 265 00:20:54,160 --> 00:21:01,880 Um, so, uh, Director Johnson is absent this evening. She did send me her, uh, 266 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:05,200 her uh, report to read, so I'm going to read 267 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:10,480 that first. The tour, the Tourism Advisory board 268 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:16,240 will meet this Wednesday, August 19th at 10:00 a.m. in the council chambers. This 269 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:21,160 meeting is open to the public. The city of Havre de Grace is featured 270 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:25,880 in Mid-Atlantic Home and Travel Magazine's Maryland Towns and Main 271 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:30,360 Streets issue. This article will be posted to our 272 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:35,000 social media platforms and shared in the local loop newsletter to be released 273 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:39,960 later this week. The fall edition of the Citizen 274 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:45,120 Connection is scheduled for release in September. 275 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:49,640 On Thursday, August 20th, the department will host the Maryland Department of 276 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:54,280 Housing and Community Development. The itinerary includes a visit to the 277 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:58,360 Harford Memorial Hospital site to discuss the recently submitted grant 278 00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:01,960 application for the hospital's demolition, 279 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:07,160 featuring a project presentation by Trademark Homes. 280 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:11,960 A stop at Saint John Street and Franklin Street to discuss the recently submitted 281 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:17,040 grant application for tree removal, sidewalk, and curb replacement. 282 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:22,360 And then lastly, a tour of several downtown retail stores followed by lunch 283 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:28,200 at a local restaurant. And that that concludes Director Johnson's report. 284 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:32,320 Uh I would like to thank the city council for approving charter resolution 285 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:37,440 308. Um I do also want to thank uh Jim 286 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:41,000 Reynolds, the city's human resources manager. 287 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:44,960 Also want to thank city leadership and all of the employees for their efforts 288 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:50,920 in making the city of Havre de Grace a safe place to work. So last year, we 289 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:54,560 received a dividend check of just under $75,000 290 00:22:52,560 --> 00:23:00,520 from our workers' compensation insurance carrier. And this year, we've received 291 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:04,880 one for just over $135,000. We could not have this kind of success 292 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:09,960 without a lot of hard work by many people. So, thank you all for keeping 293 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:14,360 our workplaces safe. I do offer my congratulations to the 294 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:18,000 Youth Commission on a successful Refuel for School event that they had this past 295 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:22,000 weekend. Uh there are many people that worked 296 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:27,200 hard for this event to happen, but I would specifically like to mention 297 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:31,480 Julian Wolfe. He's the youth chair of the commission and he took on a large 298 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:36,520 role this year uh involved in coordinating the event. So, Julian, good 299 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,520 work. 300 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:44,480 The All About Joel Billy Joel tribute is performing at the Star Centre this 301 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:49,440 Saturday at 8:00 p.m. The show will likely sell out. There's a 302 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:54,360 handful of tickets left. Uh as a reminder, the City of Havre de 303 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:59,000 Grace has changed ticketing vendors for the Star Centre and Opera House shows to 304 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:03,320 eTix. And remember that while eTix has 305 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:07,920 advanced ticket security features, the only way to know for certain that you're 306 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:13,080 purchasing a legitimate ticket is through the venue websites, which are 307 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:16,680 starcentremd.com or hdgoperahouse.org. 308 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:25,480 To enjoy a full list of all the events going on this weekend, I encourage you 309 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:29,520 to go to the explorehavredegrace.com website. 310 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:35,360 I did mention at the last City Council meeting uh that the city is the 311 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:40,080 recipient of a donation from the Harford County Humane Society of a pet microchip 312 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:46,480 reader. DPW has installed that reader uh outside 313 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:51,480 of the police department. So, people who find a stray animal, they 314 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:57,480 can uh scan the animal and if there is a chip, there's instructions on how to 315 00:24:53,320 --> 00:25:01,160 relocate the pet to with their owner. And then last Tuesday I had attended the 316 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:06,240 Harmar Township public meeting at the Opera House. And I do genuinely offer my 317 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:10,160 thanks to the Harmar Township leadership and their board for their thoughtful 318 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:15,360 presentation, the work they've put into the project, and the information that 319 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:19,160 they provided us regarding the murals. And this concludes my comments for this 320 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,960 evening. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Dr. Richie. 321 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:24,480 Appreciate the update. And we're going to go to comments from our director of 322 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,720 planning, Mr. Jeff Townes. 323 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:30,560 » Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Good evening, Mayor, members of council. 324 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:35,240 So, we have added long-term rental registration to the MGO online portal. 325 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:40,120 So, now folks can register their long-term rentals on that 326 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:44,360 portal by going to the city's website under planning, under permits. Go on 327 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:47,280 there, upload all the documents. So, currently we're taking those as paper 328 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:50,880 documents, and so obviously we're having to maintain those records. So, we're 329 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:54,920 hoping to do that digitally now. So, anyone who's looking to register 330 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:57,720 property can go online and get that done pretty efficiently. 331 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:02,720 Again, there's no cost for that. It's just a registration with the city. 332 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:06,720 And then in terms of our meetings, we have a no planning commission meeting 333 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:10,600 this month, and the Board of Appeals will probably not meet next month. 334 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:13,360 That concludes my report. >> Thank you very much, sir. Appreciate the 335 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:16,000 update. Thank you. Good evening, Mr. Conway, our director 336 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:19,120 of DPW. >> Mr. Mayor, council, colleagues, and 337 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:23,720 guest. Quick update on the Somerset Manor 338 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:29,040 sidewalk replacement project. All proposals are due on August 31st. 339 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:34,720 Date of award is expected on September 2nd, and contract completion November 340 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:38,760 30th of 2026. So, long overdue. I'm looking forward to 341 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:44,200 that. It's a very nice project. We're currently receiving a uptick in um 342 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:47,800 you know, calls from trash and recycle being missed. And I think it's a 343 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:53,720 combination of things. I think sometimes we get used to the trash guy coming by, 344 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:58,640 you know, 8:00 in the morning, and then 2 weeks later it comes by 4:30. So, so 345 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:03,920 what we're asking from DPW is if you could put your trash and recyclables out 346 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:07,800 after 6:00 p.m. on the evening before your scheduled pickup day, I think this 347 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:11,800 will solve a lot of problems. And that concludes my report. 348 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:15,400 » Yes, sir. Thank you very much, uh, Mr. Conway. Appreciate the update. 349 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:19,840 And we're going to go to comments from Chief Crest. Good evening. 350 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:21,560 » Good evening, Mayor, Council, citizens. Um 351 00:27:20,793 --> 00:27:25,880 » [clears throat] >> school will start before our next 352 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:29,963 Council meeting. So, I want to remind everybody, um, sorry to be a downer. 353 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:32,680 » Sorry about that, man. >> [laughter] 354 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:35,859 » Thanks. Rest of us are like, "Yeah, they're 355 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:40,600 going to be in the back of my kids." >> [laughter] 356 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:46,640 » Uh, so, uh, 8:00 uh, or August 31st, first day of school. So, um, it is Every 357 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:52,920 time they present out, uh, the Sheriff's office presents out on the number of 358 00:27:49,600 --> 00:28:00,000 violations for the school bus, uh, the stop arm cameras, it is crazy. Like, 359 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:07,320 it's hundreds per month. And, uh you know, uh, a few thousand per year. 360 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:09,520 It's a $250 citation. So, um 361 00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:15,080 and, uh I I've had people they they send you the 362 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:22,040 letter and, uh, the cameras have great quality. It is still photos and a video. 363 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:25,920 And, uh actually somebody at my church was asking me about it and and they and 364 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:29,840 we brought it up on my phone and I was like, "Yep, that's you." And you're 365 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:32,400 going by that, you know, and I was like, "You know, what do we do?" And I was 366 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:37,240 like, "Well, it looks like you're going to be writing a check for $250." So, um, 367 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:40,400 anyway, um, 368 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:45,600 so, just as a reminder, first day of school, August 31st. Thank you, Mayor. 369 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:49,320 » Thank you very much, Chief. Appreciate the reminder. 370 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:52,800 So, we're going to go to um comments now from uh our council members and we'll 371 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:56,360 start with Council member Brogan. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh directors, uh those 372 00:28:55,280 --> 00:29:01,080 of you here in the audience today, citizens, I don't have any uh actual 373 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:04,520 council council business tonight. Um I just want to go ahead and uh 374 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:07,600 looking forward to the Amtrak uh presentation whenever they do come out 375 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:11,400 here. I think a lot of folks are looking forward to the Amtrak presentation. I do 376 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:15,200 appreciate the citizens' remarks and comments tonight, so thank you for that. 377 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:19,360 Uh and then in closing, I want to thank the Susquehanna Hose Company, the 378 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:23,600 police, our police department, and our first responders. Thank you. 379 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,960 » Thank you very much. We're going to go to comments from 380 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:30,040 Council member Ellis. >> Good evening, Mayor, council, directors, 381 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:34,320 citizens here and at home. Um I wanted to touch on the Refuel for School event 382 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:39,320 as well. It was great. We've been doing that for several years now and it went 383 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:43,440 pretty flawless. Um I want to give a special shout-out to the to all the 384 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:47,920 volunteers and the police department for sending their recruits as well. They 385 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:53,240 were extremely helpful. They worked super hard. They were there from morning 386 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:57,560 till sundown pretty much and I just appreciated all that all that help and 387 00:29:55,320 --> 00:30:00,840 the use of the van as well. That was very helpful, saved us a bunch of money 388 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:05,400 and uh and time. 389 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:10,480 Uh additionally, I want to thank the the Orioles for sending the Oriole bird to 390 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:15,280 town today. They visited the luckiest light while the kids were 391 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:18,880 drawing the uh the Oriole logo and it was super cool just to have 392 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:22,520 have them come to Havre de Grace, so I appreciate them taking the time out of 393 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:25,560 their day for that as well. And that's all I have. Thank you. 394 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:28,440 » Thank you very much, Council member Ellis. 395 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:31,680 And we're going to go to comments from Council member James. 396 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:35,840 » Thank you, Mayor. Um council, citizens in the audience, citizens at home, and 397 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:41,200 directors. Um just a couple things for me. One, um a few weeks ago I attended 398 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:46,120 the Golden Apple Award sponsored by Freedom Federal Credit Union. Uh this is 399 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:49,240 a competition that is open to educators every year and we had a winner from 400 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:54,840 Havre de Grace. So I want to congratulate teacher Ashley Allguard who 401 00:30:52,080 --> 00:31:00,200 won $1,000 and with that money she will establish the Grace Lab. Um and that lab 402 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:04,360 is to help students with cognitive disabilities build independent living, 403 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:08,000 employment readiness, and community skills. So congratulations, Mrs. 404 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:12,880 Allguard. I uh with my colleague um Council Member 405 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:17,280 Ellis was at Refuel for School. Was a great event, very hot. 406 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:20,880 Um but it was so great to see all the volunteers who came out to do the 407 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:26,480 backpacking as well as to organize backpacks um in the uh by the 408 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:31,320 lighthouse. And I want to give a special thanks um 409 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:37,360 to the commission, Tracy Robertson, who did so much, Robin, uh Alicia, Julian, 410 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:40,920 Jennifer, and Donna, and everyone else who was instrumental in making this 411 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:45,560 happen. And Dr. Richie, you mentioned Julian. Or I think that was through um 412 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:50,080 Ms. Johnson's comments. I thought he was an adult when I first 413 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:54,720 communicated with him via email. I had And then I met him and I just was like, 414 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:59,840 "What is this child doing here?" But he is just the level of um just 415 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:04,720 professionalism and I mean he he just took it up a notch. So great job, 416 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:10,520 Julian. You did a fantastic job. Um and then I would also like to mention 417 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:15,080 um the Lucky Luckiest Light is having an event this um 418 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:19,000 on the 22nd and it is an artist, advocate, and community panel 419 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:22,040 discussion. They're doing some fantastic things. So if you can, make sure that 420 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,520 you attend that this weekend. Thank you, Mayor. 421 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:26,920 » Thank you very much, Council Member Jones. 422 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:31,840 We're going to go to comments from Council Member Clark. 423 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:36,520 » Good evening, Mayor and Council uh fellow Council Members and directors and 424 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:40,080 citizens here and at home. Um I too, as well as some of my colleagues, 425 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:45,400 attended the Refuel for School. It was an amazing event. Um it is great to see 426 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:49,160 um so many people coming together to give back to the community in such a 427 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:54,160 memorable way. Um also with that, the Havre de Grace 428 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:58,640 High School is doing a no-cost back-to-school shop on this Wednesday, 429 00:32:56,560 --> 00:33:02,440 August 19th, from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. 430 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:06,080 Um it's gently used clothes varying in sizing that will help with all your 431 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:10,280 back-to-school needs. You can come by and pick up whatever you need for your 432 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:14,360 student. Um all items in the shop are free. If you missed the Refuel for 433 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:18,040 School, there will be some backpacks that will be there that they dedicate to 434 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:21,920 the school for that. So, there will be backpacks with resources in them as 435 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:24,320 well. Um that you can get from the guidance 436 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:28,360 office during that time. Um also, kind of piggybacking on Chief, 437 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:31,600 that school is getting ready to start. So, if you see some of the kids around, 438 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:35,520 encourage them to do positive things this year with school. 439 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:38,760 Um find an activity, be positive with that. If you see a teacher or an 440 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:42,560 administrator, maybe give them a hug cuz it's probably going to be a little 441 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:45,320 chaotic starting off. So, um for those of you working in the school, you're 442 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:49,880 greatly appreciated from a mom ready to send my kids back. So, that is all I 443 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:52,640 have. Back to you. >> Very good. Thank you very much, 444 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:55,240 Councilwoman Clark. And we're going to go to comments from 445 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:59,240 Councilman Glenn. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor, fellow council 446 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:01,640 members, and residents at home. I'll try to keep it short and sweet 447 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:06,800 tonight. Um I received some good news um this 448 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:10,960 weekend from Harford County Councilman Jacob Bennett. Um as you've been 449 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:14,960 When I first got elected, I really started trying to improve the gateway 450 00:34:12,919 --> 00:34:19,000 out by Stansbury Field. There's a dilapidated trailer at 1353 Old Post 451 00:34:17,879 --> 00:34:23,840 Road. Um I said it needed to come down, and 452 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:28,560 Jacob called me, and um the demolition permit has been issued. 453 00:34:26,720 --> 00:34:32,840 So, it's going to come down, and it'll improve the gateway coming into Havre de 454 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:35,919 Grace. And and I want to thank Jacob for all of his concerted efforts in the 455 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:40,600 making it happen. Um again, we have a tourism advisory 456 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:45,960 board scheduled for this Wednesday. I'll continue to work with Bridget Johnson um 457 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:49,760 to update ordinance 1031 to include replacing Visit Harford 458 00:34:48,159 --> 00:34:53,760 Incorporated, which is no longer in operation, with Harford County's 459 00:34:51,760 --> 00:35:00,080 official designation marketing organization as the ex special member of 460 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:04,280 the tourism advisory board. So, um um we're getting close to getting that 461 00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:09,440 done. So, um that was some good news. And I want to thank uh Joe Conway. He 462 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:14,280 took time out today to update me on the um efforts ongoing in front of uh 463 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:19,120 Zommick's Funeral Home. Um I knew that we had just replaced the sidewalk not 464 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:24,120 long ago, and I came home from vacation, and the sidewalk's all torn up. So, uh 465 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:28,640 apparently, um there was some flooding going on, and they and they determined 466 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:33,760 that some issues um well below the ground, and and was happy to find out 467 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:36,880 that it's a state issue. So, it's not going to be any cost to the City of 468 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:40,360 Havre de Grace. It's a state-funded issue. It's going to happen, but um 469 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:43,160 hopefully, they get that taken care of pretty soon cuz it's it is a safety 470 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,640 issue. And that's all I have, and back to you, 471 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:49,280 Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you very much. 472 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:51,400 Council member Glenn, appreciate the update. 473 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:54,800 And we're going to go to comments from Council President Boyer. 474 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:59,560 » Thank you, Mayor. Colleagues, city staff, residents joining us here and at 475 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:03,760 home, good evening. Um my husband, James, and I are back from our annual 476 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:08,200 camping trip at Assateague. And I'm happy to report that we survived the 477 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:14,040 jellyfish invasion um with no significant stings. We um did see a lot 478 00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:19,640 of horses and shooting stars and the SpaceX launch. Um but best of all, we um 479 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:23,440 completely unplugged off grid and relaxed, and we're happy to be back 480 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:26,920 home. Focusing our life here in Havre de Grace, I want to remind everyone that 481 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:31,440 the Havre de Grace well, Havre de Grace will Green Team 482 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:37,240 will host the next film in their environmental series at the Opera House 483 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:41,240 on Wednesday, September 2nd at 7:00 p.m. The topic, ironically, 484 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:46,400 is about some creatures that have gotten some bad press lately. The film, The 485 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:51,880 Beaver Believers, is an award-winning documentary that shares a relevant yet 486 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:55,400 whimsical story of an unlikely group of activists working to restore the 487 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:58,680 northern North American beaver population. 488 00:36:56,760 --> 00:37:04,920 In addition, the Green Team is planning a guided walk through an area of beaver 489 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:09,520 habitat at Swan Harbor Farm on September 23rd at 6:30 p.m. 490 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:13,400 Both opportunities offer a great chance to learn more about an interesting 491 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:17,760 member of our wildlife community and how it shapes our environment. 492 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:21,760 I'm also pleased to inform council that the Thanksgiving Dinner Committee has 493 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:26,200 started organizing for this year's dinner. We plan to deliver at least 494 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:29,560 1,300 meals this year. This cherished endeavor is a great 495 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:33,760 example of how wide Havre de Grace's heart truly is, and I'm grateful to 496 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:37,880 everyone who has played a role in it, including several members of the our 497 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:41,560 entire staff here. Thank you very much. Anyone interested in volunteering or 498 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:46,680 donating this year, please reach out to either myself, Katie Arnold, or 499 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:50,680 Community Projects of Havre de Grace. And looking ahead, please do not forget 500 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:55,240 about the Children's Art Festival on September 12th from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. 501 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:59,400 This event at Tydings Park is a great afternoon activity with the kids or 502 00:37:56,720 --> 00:38:03,920 grandchildren, and I hope to see lots of folks there. And finally, the Arts 503 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:08,600 Commission will host a fall concert series on Thursday nights in Concord 504 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:12,920 Park by the lighthouse, starting on September 17th and continuing through 505 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:17,560 October 8th. The first performers will be 10 Karat Gold, and concerts are from 506 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:21,960 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. And finally, as I've said before, I am 507 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:25,560 grateful for the trust and hard work of everyone on this council. 508 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:31,440 Together, we remain committed to working with a transparency and reflect and 509 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:36,120 respect and um to the simple truth that guides our work that together we serve. 510 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:39,080 Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Council President. 511 00:38:38,071 --> 00:38:43,120 » [clears throat] >> And we're going to go to item 17, 512 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:46,000 business from the mayor. Have a few things to go over real quick. 513 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:50,880 And the first thing I want to start off with is thanking the Council President 514 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:56,160 for um running the August 3rd meeting in my absence. Uh I appreciate all you did 515 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:58,360 to keep everything going smoothly. Good job. 516 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:03,280 Um and thank you to all 517 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,520 Thank you to my directors and my staff for the good job you guys did while I 518 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:09,200 was gone. Uh I was out of the country for 2 weeks 519 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:12,920 with my son. We went to uh my son Will and I went to Peru and we hiked the Inca 520 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:15,760 Trail to Machu Picchu, which is kind of a little bucket list 521 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:18,760 thing we we wanted to do for a long time. And um 522 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,840 even though I was in contact with my staff, you know, through my phone and 523 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:26,880 emails and text messages, I couldn't physically be here on August 3rd, but 524 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:31,360 but um again, so I'm happy to be alive. Happy to survive the trip. And I and I 525 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:34,360 finally caught up on all the uh 675 emails and text messages 526 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:39,120 that accumulate when you're on a SIM card sometimes. But anyway, 527 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:43,200 so a couple things that really been weighing heavy on me and my departure 528 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:46,760 from Havre de Grace happened the day that John Carroll passed away. 529 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:48,960 And I 530 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:52,200 I know a lot of people in Havre de Grace knew John Carroll. And so a few people 531 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:55,280 in this building worked with John Carroll. 532 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:59,280 He um he's a Maryland Municipal League Hall of Fame recipient. Uh he was 533 00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:01,840 elected official for over 20 years for the city of Havre de Grace. He was 534 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:06,640 twice mayor of Havre de Grace uh in the late 1970s. 535 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:11,480 He stepped in when um after for Mayor Montgomery. 536 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:15,120 And then he came in in 2005 when David Craig became the County 537 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:19,597 Executive um and he was the Council President. So, 538 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:21,680 I had the pleasure of serving with him >> [snorts] 539 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:25,400 » when I was on council. Um 540 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:30,520 probably for about 4 years, I think. And I learned a lot from him. He was 541 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:34,200 definitely what is uh best about the city Havre de Grace. He 542 00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:37,120 was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He taught me a lot. 543 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:39,600 You know, you you know, 544 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:44,120 I like to think I learned from him. I mean, he taught me about patience, 545 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:47,280 you know, working together, uh listening to people. He was just 546 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:49,480 He was an old statesman. And they don't make people like him 547 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:53,160 anymore. He served Havre de Grace because he 548 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:57,560 loved Havre de Grace. And he was again the finest gentleman 549 00:40:56,040 --> 00:41:00,520 I've ever known. And I I'll never forget the night 550 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:04,840 uh I was already on council, and I think what it was was Mayor 551 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:09,520 Mayor Dougherty appointed him to fill Councilwoman 552 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:12,880 Brenda Gooden's off seat, who unfortunately passed away in 2009 553 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:16,880 from breast cancer. So, he was kind of like, you know, an 554 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:19,840 experienced old pro at being on council and and uh 555 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:22,880 and he served well, but I felt like I was like on council with Babe Ruth. It's 556 00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:25,840 like, you know, guys you see on TV all the time, you know what I mean? But it's 557 00:41:23,720 --> 00:41:29,400 like So, again, to his lovely wife Linda, 558 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:34,120 living up there on Mount Currey, the Babe you know, Babe Babe View Drive, um 559 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:37,120 you know, our heart goes out to you. So, we're I'm going to really miss John 560 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:40,880 Currey. He was also the chair of the Ethics Commission for the city Havre de 561 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:44,400 Grace. And he was an excellent uh person to have on there. So, 562 00:41:42,240 --> 00:41:47,880 John Currey, Havre de Grace legend, MML legend, 563 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:50,320 uh just with him goes an era, you know what I 564 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:54,080 mean? They don't make them like him anymore, you know? And so, I hopefully 565 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:57,840 uh people will step up and they'll they'll um walk in the walk in his 566 00:41:56,120 --> 00:42:01,280 shadow one day and try to be like him. We miss him. 567 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:03,880 And of course, Ezra. Um you know, I don't I know a lot was 568 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:07,240 said about Ezra the last council meeting, but Ezra was a very special 569 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:10,960 person to the city of Havre de Grace, Ezra Berger. 570 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:13,560 Um he would come and go, come and go with the city. 571 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:16,360 Normally, when people come and go, come and go, we don't let you come anymore. 572 00:42:15,534 --> 00:42:18,760 » [laughter] >> You know, normally when you when you 573 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:21,560 when you quit working, like, all right, you know, you keep work, but every time 574 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:24,800 you came back, we would just take him back cuz we told Ezra, it's like, we 575 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:27,800 know Ezra had a lot going on his life. And so, every time he would come back to 576 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:31,880 Havre de Grace, he always had a job waiting for him at DPW. And um 577 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:35,360 he was special like that. And uh so, we had a great relationship with Ezra. 578 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:38,520 But, I I don't know if a lot of people know at home notice or not. Some people 579 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:42,280 do. But, I'm going to bring this up only for posterity's sake because it'll be in 580 00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:46,240 the minutes of the meeting. But, when COVID happened and the whole 581 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:49,840 world was going hysterical and everybody shutting things down and City Hall was 582 00:42:47,720 --> 00:42:54,640 shut down for a couple months, um I brought Ezra in 583 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:57,760 and we went over um uh me and uh Steve Gamatoria, 584 00:42:57,040 --> 00:43:00,840 um we went over some some history books of 585 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:04,040 Havre de Grace. A lot of pictures in it, things like that. 586 00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:08,000 And we asked him, I said, you know, these just these used to just be white 587 00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:11,520 panels with nothing on them. And again, many of you may know this, 588 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:14,400 but some of you at home watching don't. These panels were painted by Ezra 589 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:18,640 Berger. And he got enough in his head and in his 590 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:22,000 mind to think, okay, I can I can see a Havre de Grace scape cuz I wanted these 591 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:24,360 panels to you know, just kind of like capture 592 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:29,160 Havre de Grace history of the last hundred and some years. 593 00:43:25,720 --> 00:43:32,400 And he went with the flow on it. Um and I think he did a wonderful job. And 594 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:36,000 one of the panels, it says his name and and and the date and, you know, says it 595 00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:39,520 was painted during the COVID pandemic. But, he painted, I believe, around April 596 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:43,240 of 2020. And so, um 597 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:46,760 Well, so now we obviously can't tear down City Hall. I mean, this is like, 598 00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:50,080 you know, but the funny thing is I do have pictures. Uh 599 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:54,040 I have to dig them out on my phone, but he set up a scaffolding. And you can't 600 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:57,680 tell by sitting there, but if you look at it, this was just a white ceiling and 601 00:43:56,360 --> 00:44:00,520 he kind of painted it to make it look like clouds. And I swear he looked like 602 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:04,520 Michelangelo up there on his back painting the Sistine Chapel. It was so 603 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:09,560 great to see him up there. So, um if anyone sitting at home is a fan of 604 00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:11,880 Ezra's work and you haven't been here um you know, just come to city hall one day 605 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:15,160 and just say, "Hey, I'd like to see the city council chambers." And Ezra's work 606 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:17,800 doesn't have to be a council meeting. You're welcome to come and take a look. 607 00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:21,440 This is a public building. And uh it's Ezra's public art. 608 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:24,280 And so uh I think he did a really good job and I just wanted to put I just 609 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:26,840 wanted to say that so it goes on record so it'll his work will never be lost in 610 00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:31,160 this chamber. So, we all miss Ezra and uh 611 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:35,760 deeply and it and and it hurts, you know, so um 612 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:39,200 but we're lucky that his artwork is everywhere in Havre de Grace. I mean, 613 00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:43,560 even when you come down 155 and first thing you see is that bridge and 614 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:46,160 and uh so we have a lot to be thankful for. 615 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:49,800 And finally, um 616 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:52,280 well, I finally one more thing. Uh I do want to thank the members of the Youth 617 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:57,040 Commission for pulling off another fantastic uh Refuel for School event 618 00:44:54,880 --> 00:45:00,560 down at Concord Point Park. I dropped by for a little bit on on Saturday and uh 619 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:02,920 the volunteers were all working very hard and the volunteers' friends were 620 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:05,280 there, too. So, it's not just volunteers, it's 621 00:45:03,960 --> 00:45:08,360 volunteers' friends. And so, thank you very much because 622 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:12,240 it means a lot to the kids and the backpacks that they were giving away, 623 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:14,720 I had a chance to open them up and look at them. 624 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:17,880 It's actually all the stuff they need. You know, they need that, you know, box 625 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:20,440 of tissue paper to give to teachers. You know, and give, you know, all the 626 00:45:19,240 --> 00:45:23,240 hand sanitizers and things like that. So, that's we collect that stuff all 627 00:45:21,720 --> 00:45:26,840 throughout the year. You have no idea how many boxes of tissue paper we go 628 00:45:24,560 --> 00:45:30,880 through in classrooms. So, all the things they were giving kids, the the 629 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:33,920 notebooks, the uh the pencils, the pencil bag carriers are all things that 630 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:37,720 kids really need. So, thank you to the uh Appleby Foundation 631 00:45:35,720 --> 00:45:41,720 for helping us out this year with a very generous donation and all the volunteers 632 00:45:40,040 --> 00:45:44,280 for the um Youth Commission. So, that was that was a huge undertaking. Thank 633 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:48,800 you. And finally, I need to end tonight's 634 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:52,480 my comments with a Civil War story. 635 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:55,440 Please bear with me for about 2 minutes because the Civil War story has a Havre 636 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:59,040 de Grace connection uh which is very important to the point 637 00:45:57,240 --> 00:46:02,166 I'm getting at. So, 638 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:04,720 I'm going to try to truncate >> [laughter] 639 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:09,240 » a big battle into like a 2-minute segment here, but 640 00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:13,520 in July of 1864, the Union Army was south of Richmond, 641 00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:16,640 southeast of Richmond, and history calls it the Siege of 642 00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:20,760 Petersburg. General Grant was bogged down in 643 00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:23,720 Petersburg for almost 10 months. How he got there 644 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:29,760 was just a mess. Petersburg was a town where four 645 00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:33,120 southern railroads had a junction, and it was the main supply for the 646 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:37,080 Confederate Army, and General Lee needed to hold it at all costs. 647 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:42,520 And General Grant's army was going to try to take it at all costs. 648 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:46,720 But Lee, General Lee found a a type of warfare tactic that I wouldn't say was 649 00:46:44,680 --> 00:46:50,320 brand new, but it was new for the time period, 650 00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:53,200 and it became known as trench warfare. And 651 00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:55,880 60-some years later, the world the whole world will know what trench warfare is 652 00:46:54,480 --> 00:46:59,800 in World War I. But Grant learned a valuable lesson in 653 00:46:57,920 --> 00:47:02,840 Cold Harbor not to do a head-on attack against the Confederate forces in 654 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:06,200 trenches. He lost 7,000 men in 20 minutes in that 655 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:09,600 attack. And so, um, 656 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:13,040 when they got to Petersburg, it was a stalemate. 657 00:47:11,120 --> 00:47:16,720 Of course, the Union Army under General Grant had many more soldiers 658 00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:20,400 than the Confederate Army, but the Confederate positions were 659 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:24,200 pretty entrenched and very well defensible. 660 00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:28,480 Well, a colonel in the in a Pennsylvania regiment who had coal 661 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:33,720 mining experience, and so did his men, came up with an idea to dig a mine 662 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:38,560 underneath the Union lines into the Confederate lines. 663 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:41,360 And when he dug his 531-ft mine, they're going to put 4 tons of gunpowder under 664 00:47:40,320 --> 00:47:44,240 it, and they're going to blast the Confederate position, 665 00:47:43,280 --> 00:47:48,160 and then they're going to charge and break the lines, and hopefully that'll 666 00:47:45,720 --> 00:47:50,680 release the Siege of Petersburg, and you know, the Confederates will scatter, 667 00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:53,480 and then they march on to Richmond, and and the war will be over. 668 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:58,880 I can tell you that General Grant and General Meade, his the guy right under 669 00:47:57,480 --> 00:48:01,040 General Grant, were kind of skeptical about it, but they thought, "Well, it 670 00:47:59,960 --> 00:48:04,240 gives the guy something to do for a while. Let him dig a mine." 671 00:48:03,040 --> 00:48:07,280 All these boys from Pennsylvania, they dug a mine. 672 00:48:05,880 --> 00:48:10,280 And it went all the way under the Union lines into the Confederate lines. The 673 00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:15,000 Confederates had no idea that this mine was about 50 ft 674 00:48:12,840 --> 00:48:19,360 under their lines, and the Union Army kept putting gunpowder. They put 8,000 675 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:22,480 lb of gunpowder right underneath the Confederate 676 00:48:20,480 --> 00:48:27,200 fortifications. And at 4:44 in the morning on July 30th, 677 00:48:25,600 --> 00:48:30,840 1864, they lit it 678 00:48:28,600 --> 00:48:34,720 and created a huge crater, about 170 ft wide, 679 00:48:32,840 --> 00:48:37,360 about 35 ft deep. It came known as the Battle of the 680 00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:39,800 Crater. Now, 681 00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:42,000 this is where the local connection comes in. 682 00:48:43,240 --> 00:48:47,840 The Ninth Corps, the Federal Ninth Corps, had many, many divisions under 683 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:51,720 the command, but one division, there was only one division there 684 00:48:49,880 --> 00:48:55,400 that was a United States Colored Troop regiment. 685 00:48:53,480 --> 00:48:59,400 General Burnside, Ambrose Burnside, picked that regiment to lead the charge 686 00:48:57,200 --> 00:49:03,000 once the dynamite went off. It was quite an honor 687 00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:05,840 to lead a charge. So, the crater would blow up, and the United States Colored 688 00:49:04,520 --> 00:49:10,640 Troop regiment division, the entire division, would take that crater. 689 00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:14,120 And they were training for 2 weeks. And in 2 weeks training, 690 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:17,320 the Colored regiment knew to go around the crater 691 00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:20,240 and to attack the positions and then break through the lines and even take 692 00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:24,760 Petersburg if they could. They They trained specifically for this event. 693 00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:27,720 And then the day before the the day before the event, 694 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:31,760 General Meade went to General Grant and said, "I'd rather have a white division 695 00:49:29,600 --> 00:49:35,120 lead the charge." I know it sounds like discrimination on 696 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:39,200 the surface, but the way these two generals were thinking was, "We only 697 00:49:36,720 --> 00:49:42,120 have one Colored Troop regiment out of all these divisions. If we send them 698 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:45,200 into a suicide mission, people are going to think we did it intentionally." 699 00:49:43,960 --> 00:49:48,200 It wasn't because they didn't think they could do the job, they just 700 00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:50,680 they didn't want all the radical Republicans in DC saying, "You 701 00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:55,240 slaughtered all these men intentionally." That wasn't the point. 702 00:49:53,640 --> 00:49:57,280 It blew the crater and it's and 703 00:49:56,680 --> 00:50:01,680 the the regiments that came in first, they 704 00:49:58,760 --> 00:50:04,840 didn't train. They went into the crater instead of around it and they got 705 00:50:02,920 --> 00:50:07,840 massacred. The explosion itself killed 350 706 00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:10,720 Confederates, but almost 4,000 Union soldiers were 707 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:14,760 killed in that crater. It was a disaster. It was one of the biggest 708 00:50:11,920 --> 00:50:17,400 disasters of the Civil War. Finally, 709 00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:21,600 Burnside did have permission to send in the color troop division that was 710 00:50:18,760 --> 00:50:21,600 training for it. 711 00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:27,440 But because of the enfilade coming from the Confederates, 712 00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:32,120 they had to go into the trench to get to it and so long story short, it 713 00:50:29,720 --> 00:50:34,520 was just it was a disaster. But unlike 714 00:50:33,240 --> 00:50:38,120 the soldiers in the white regiments, the color troop regiments, 715 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:42,080 they knew when they went engaged into combat 716 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:47,600 that the Confederate Army had a policy that any color soldier taken captured in 717 00:50:45,600 --> 00:50:51,480 a federal uniform with a gun would be summarily put to death. 718 00:50:49,440 --> 00:50:54,120 And many of them were. And so, 719 00:50:52,640 --> 00:50:56,440 the men who fought in the United States color troop 720 00:50:55,080 --> 00:51:02,360 regiment knew when they went into that crater when Burnside gave the order that 721 00:50:59,560 --> 00:51:05,400 the odds of coming back were very slim. So, the Battle of the Crater was one of 722 00:51:03,760 --> 00:51:09,880 the worst poorly executed 723 00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:13,920 battles of the Civil War and Petersburg siege lasted another eight months. All 724 00:51:11,760 --> 00:51:17,200 that work to dig that mine and it failed and many good men were 725 00:51:15,640 --> 00:51:22,080 killed. But one man survived. Well, not one, but 726 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:25,560 several survived. His name was Lewis Hill. 727 00:51:23,920 --> 00:51:28,520 He survived. He was a from the United States color troop regiment. He's from 728 00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:30,920 Havre de Grace. He lived to fight in the Battle of the 729 00:51:29,720 --> 00:51:33,720 Crater and he actually lived to fight his way out of it. 730 00:51:33,960 --> 00:51:41,640 Lewis Hill reached the rank of corporal in the Union Army, which is pretty good. 731 00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:45,040 He survived the Civil War, came back to Havre de Grace and worked his farm and 732 00:51:43,080 --> 00:51:48,720 died in the year 1904. 733 00:51:49,040 --> 00:51:55,360 And he's buried in the cemetery just 734 00:51:53,520 --> 00:51:57,760 very close to where Blenheim Farm Road and Chapel Road meet, the second 735 00:51:56,680 --> 00:52:02,040 entrance, what we call the second entrance of Bulle Rock. There's a little 736 00:52:00,120 --> 00:52:06,120 wooded area around that area and it's known as the Johnson Hill Cemetery. 737 00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:09,440 Old-timers in Havre de Grace, that grew up around here a long time ago, often 738 00:52:07,600 --> 00:52:15,000 referred to it as the old graveyard or the burying ground near Evan's Corner. 739 00:52:12,800 --> 00:52:18,960 It's on the Harford County land map as a cemetery, but 740 00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:21,760 if you went there today to look at it, you'd you'd have a hard time figuring 741 00:52:20,240 --> 00:52:27,040 out it's a cemetery because it's overgrown with weeds and trees and and 742 00:52:24,240 --> 00:52:30,080 thickets and there you can tell it's a cemetery cuz 743 00:52:28,600 --> 00:52:33,360 some areas of collapsed ground where there used to be a grave probably. 744 00:52:31,120 --> 00:52:37,120 Here's some pictures of it up here. Um we believe there's over 20 burial 745 00:52:35,960 --> 00:52:41,480 sites there. But one grave in particular that got the 746 00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:46,320 attention of the Alfred B. Hilton Foundation 747 00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:50,800 is the grave of Mr. Louis Hill. And luckily, the grave of Louis Hill is 748 00:52:49,000 --> 00:52:54,560 one of the few that is very well preserved um 749 00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:59,320 and it does denote that he served in the United States Colored Troops Regiment. 750 00:52:57,760 --> 00:53:04,320 So it's there we believe there could be more 751 00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:08,600 veterans Civil War veterans up there. And the cemetery is dilapidated and it 752 00:53:06,680 --> 00:53:12,320 and the Alfred B. Hilton volunteers, they just really want to get up there 753 00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:16,880 and take a good survey of the cemetery and and and mark all the graves and find 754 00:53:14,560 --> 00:53:21,080 out who's buried where and you know 755 00:53:17,880 --> 00:53:24,280 try to make sense of everything. Problem is is like I said, there's a lot 756 00:53:22,320 --> 00:53:27,240 of brush, fallen trees and stuff like that. So 757 00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:30,720 what we want to do and and it's not the only one either. There's another one on 758 00:53:28,720 --> 00:53:33,200 the end of Chapel Terrace. Uh used to be an old church that's no 759 00:53:32,280 --> 00:53:37,520 longer there and there was an old cemetery out in the woods uh that needs 760 00:53:35,120 --> 00:53:40,200 to be kind of like looked at again. And there's one on the end of Elizabeth 761 00:53:38,520 --> 00:53:42,920 Street called Cedar Hill. And we believe that in all these 762 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:46,440 cemeteries there could be veterans buried there, especially veterans of the 763 00:53:44,440 --> 00:53:51,360 United States Colored Troop Regiment. So, I went out with some of my with Dr. 764 00:53:49,120 --> 00:53:55,240 Richie and Adam Rutschinski and and Sue Nappi, who is a volunteer in the Alfred 765 00:53:53,200 --> 00:54:00,880 B. Hilton Foundation the other week. And the reason I tell the story is 766 00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:05,400 I feel and I hope I I I I think everyone feels this way that, you know, anyone 767 00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:07,920 who wore the union of the uniform of the Union 768 00:54:06,600 --> 00:54:11,960 and fought to preserve our country, you know, their their grave shouldn't be 769 00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:15,120 dilapidated and and in mud and and overgrown trees. Their their grave 770 00:54:13,160 --> 00:54:20,000 should be clean and well-preserved and documented. So, 771 00:54:16,640 --> 00:54:21,640 I am issuing an executive order. I'm not going to read the whole 772 00:54:20,600 --> 00:54:25,360 executive order to you, but basically the executive order 773 00:54:23,360 --> 00:54:29,280 is allowing the city to partner with the Alfred B. Hilton Foundation and we're 774 00:54:27,160 --> 00:54:33,440 going to use some of our DPW resources like dump trucks and chainsaws and stuff 775 00:54:31,560 --> 00:54:38,120 and help clear some of the logs and trees out of the way of these cemeteries 776 00:54:35,760 --> 00:54:41,760 so the people can get in there like the volunteers and the members of the Alfred 777 00:54:39,800 --> 00:54:44,360 B. Hilton Foundation can get in there and properly document these graves and 778 00:54:43,400 --> 00:54:46,960 see what they can find if there's any other veterans 779 00:54:45,600 --> 00:54:50,400 that are buried in in any graves that are marked unmarked or falling apart or 780 00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:52,920 in disrepair. So, again, don't have to read the whole 781 00:54:51,680 --> 00:54:58,880 executive order to you, but it will be executive order 2026-02. 782 00:54:56,280 --> 00:55:01,920 And so, it will allow the city to work with the Alfred B. 783 00:55:00,240 --> 00:55:05,360 Hilton Foundation and try to clean these cemeteries up. So, 784 00:55:03,600 --> 00:55:08,400 I say it's important. The city of Havre de Grace is a Havre is a city that 785 00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:11,760 embraces our veterans. And these men are veterans, too, of a 786 00:55:10,720 --> 00:55:15,160 great war. So, I'm sorry for being long-winded, but 787 00:55:14,240 --> 00:55:18,400 um I just wanted everybody to to be aware 788 00:55:17,240 --> 00:55:21,480 of of what's going to be happening in the next couple of weeks and 789 00:55:19,920 --> 00:55:23,960 and hopefully, you know, 6 months from now, 8 months from now, when it's all 790 00:55:22,560 --> 00:55:26,920 cleaned up and we make sense of things, maybe we can do a follow-up report and 791 00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:30,520 let everybody know what we find up there and and um 792 00:55:28,440 --> 00:55:34,080 and the condition of things. So, it's just the beginning. 793 00:55:32,200 --> 00:55:37,480 So, with that said, again, I thank the Council President for running the 794 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:40,800 previous meeting on August 3rd and and my staff for taking care of the home 795 00:55:39,040 --> 00:55:44,880 front. And with that said, can I get a motion to adjourn? 796 00:55:42,600 --> 00:55:44,880 » Second. 797 00:55:45,120 --> 00:55:50,600 » A motion by Council member Glenn, second by Council President. 798 00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:53,880 All those in favor say I. All opposed say nay. 799 00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:57,280 Motion to adjourn carries 6-0 in affirmative. The time is now 7:53. Thank 800 00:55:56,080 --> 00:56:00,160 you very much everybody and we'll see you 801 00:55:58,520 --> 00:56:03,200 a couple weeks after Labor Day. Thank you. Good night.