“Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack:” Kevin Dayhoff – “Soundtrack Division of Old Silent Movies” - https://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ combined with “Dayhoff Westminster” – The mindless ramblings of a writer, artist, fire and police chaplain. For art, writing and travel see https://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
The oldest and greatest rock band in the world - meet The Zimmers and their amazing cover of The Who's "My Generation".
Lead singer Alf is 90 - it's quite something when he sings "I hope I die before I get old". And he's not the oldest - there are 99 and 100-year-olds in the band!
The Zimmers will feature in a BBC TV documentary being aired in May 2007. Documentary-maker Tim Samuels has been all over Britain recruiting isolated and lonely old people - those who can't leave their flats or who are stuck in rubbish care homes.
The finale of the show is this group of lonely old people coming together to stick it back to the society that's cast them aside - by forming a rock troupe and trying to storm into the pop charts.
Some massive names from the pop world have thrown their weight behind The Zimmers... The song is produced by Mike Hedges (U2, Dido, Cure), the video shot by Geoff Wonfor (Band Aid, Beatles Anthology), and it was recorded in the legendary Beatles studio 2 at Abbey Road.
Look out for the single being released from May 21 - with proceeds going to a good cause.
Apparently it was only a magical coincidence that Jamie Kelly and Katie Couric were "photographed" together recently at a Broadway outing to see “The Year of Magical Thinking.”
When the buzz surfaced that Katie Couric had a new hunky love interest in her life, many in CarrollCounty were curious if it was our own Jamie Kelly of the Carroll County Times.
If there was anything to that rumor – it was never proven.As it has also been recently revealed that Mr. Kelly is NOT the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s child…
Nevertheless, phone calls to Jamie Kelly and his publicist requesting a comment on suggestions in the community that link him with Katie Couric - were not returned.
Now comes the New York Post with another theory as to the boy-toy in Katie, the cougar’s life in an article by Mark Bulliet and Jennifer Fermino on April 12th, 2007, “Katie Cougar: New Love Is 17 Yrs. Her Junior.”
Who cares about ratings when you've got your very own hunky triathlete on the mark and ready to go?
Katie Couric's dishy new boy toy is a good-looking, physically fit, almost 33-year-old from Manhattan's East Side with a posh pedigree.
Brooks Perlin — son of financier Sanford Perlin of Darien, Conn. — has been running around with the perky anchorwoman-turned-cougar for several months, according to a source.
"These are two private people and I respect that," said Sanford Perlin Wednesday when reached at his office at Kleos Capital Management.
His mother, Anne Perlin, 68, didn't want to comment on her son's new 50-year-old girlfriend.
"I don't believe in any meddling in people's personal lives," she said.
When pressed, she added, "It's a lovely story and I hope we don't ruin it."
[…]
Last July, Perlin competed in the Greenwich Cup triathlon - where he swam, ran, and cycled - and finished in an impressive one hour, 19 minutes and 16 seconds.
Cindy Sheehan headbutts MoveOn.org - and her own party
April 13th, 2007
If you think the next two weeks in Washington are going to be interesting, it won’t compare to what the rest of the next two years’ll be like – if the left wing of the Democrats, as exemplified by Cindy Sheehan have their way..
Before it is all over, the biggest challenge for the Democrat Party will not be the opposition Republicans of President George W. Bush – it will be keeping the liberal netroots wing of the party from dragging responsible Democrats into alienating the American public with their hyperbole and theatrics.
As an avid follower of all things political, I have long understood that neither the conservatives nor the liberals speak with one voice.That within each camp of political ideology there are many opinions and at any given time – many disagreements.
Within the Republican Party there is a world of differences between moderate Republicans and conservative Republicans.Just as there is a world of differences between conservative Democrats and liberal Democrats.
I, on the other hand, am uncomfortable when there is little in the way of discussion and dialogue, and various approaches put forth about any given challenge.
Andrew Sullivan said it best in a post on August 17th, 2005, “This red-blue thing isn't real: it's a grid put down on the landscape by lazy pundits in order to foster a conflict that isn't there so the people who profit from conflict can work their way with us.”(“20061128 Rashomon, My Dinner with Andre and Picking out the perfect tree”)
All that said I was doing some research the other night for a piece that has slowing been getting articulated on to my keyboard in which I greatly disagreed with my colleague Andrew Kujan’s post, “Bartlett Ignores Constituent Concerns over Iraq War.”
I have worked with Congressman Roscoe Bartlett for a number of years.And I think I know the 6th Congressional District fairly well and - - well, I guess I just thought that Mr. Kujan’s post was not as thoughtful and deliberative as I find much of his writing.Several things he said are inconsistent with what it is that I believe to be the Congressman Bartlett I have come to know over the years – and the 6th District.
I’ll get back to Mr. Kujan’s post at a later time – in another post.
In my research I came across “Congress and MoveOn” ...by Cindy Sheehan - - “The democratic congress has betrayed American voters, progressive supporters, and the troops in Iraq.”Seems that Ms. Sheehan has some issues with MoveOn and instead of opting to find some common ground for a cohesive and coherent loyal opposition approach to the policies of President George W. Bush’s administration, she has chosen to pee in her own Wheaties.
Now, as anyone knows who has followed by columns and blog posts for the last number of years, Cindy Sheehan has never impressed me as the most cogent contributor to any discussion about American foreign policy or the war in Iraq.
(August 24, 2005, “Cindy Sheehan’s Texas Quagmire:”“Just when you thought that Dr. Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was one fry short of a happy meal, in walks – stage left, way-left – Cindy Sheehan to super-size the totally bizarre state of political discourse in our great country.”)
When the Democrats won a majority in Congress in the last election, I predicted two things; the liberal Democrats will over-play their hand and leave conservative Democrats and Republicans behind shaking their heads.
And that the liberal wing of the Democrat Party would hijack the opportunity to lead and govern by acting out on the many real and perceived slights at the hands of Republican majority for so many years and would deteriorate into investigation after investigation and reprisal after reprisal.
But ultimately, the Democrats would deteriorate into so much infighting as to deny themselves an opportunity to lead the country in any different direction.
In order for the liberal Democrats to prevail in charting a different course they must find a course that brings along as many conservative Democrats and Republicans as possible.They must remain as cohesive – and coherent as possible.
“In order to procure a winning, albeit razor thin, margin in the voting on the supplemental budget, both the House and the Senate bills were "so loaded with pork, congressmen could die of trichinosis," quipped political commentator Don Surber.
“And the numbers are staggering. President Bush's initial request was for $103 billion and yet the Senate tacked on $18.5 billion in earmarked pet pork projects, spending totally unrelated to the war effort and the House hung $20 billion onto the funding request.”
Then I read this piece by Cindy Sheehan posted on Michael Moore’s web site and I said a prayer for all my colleagues who fervent believe that our great nation must pursue a different approach in Iraq: “Congress and MoveOn.”
“THE DEMOCRATS ARE FUNDING IRAQ ESCALATION: The Democratic leadership has proposed $100 billion of supplemental funding for an increased troop presence in Iraq. The leadership opted for the "slow bleed" policy over a month ago. This extends the occupation for at least another 18 months, and allows permanent placement of troops thereafter for "training" or "combating terrorism." It also will permit the Bush Administration to initiate a war with Iran without Congressional oversight. The surge of 20,000 troops recently increased to 30,000 and will likely increase to 100,000 by year-end…”
[…]
“In 2002 the Democrats authorized Bush to invade Iraq (or any other country he deemed to support terrorism, for example Iran) in hope he would become involved in an unpopular war which would produce a Democratic White House.”
[…]
“As a consequence, Americans now think even more poorly of Congress than ever; the failure to withdraw from Iraq dropped Democratic support of Congress from 44% to 33% according to the latest Gallup poll. The Democrats failure to stem what has become a Democrats war will be a factor in the 2008 elections.”
[…]
“MoveOn is an autocratic organization run by a small group of elitist wannabe power-brokers; it cannot be reformed, but you can let their politburo know your feelings (eli@moveon.org, Namrita.Chaudhary@gmail.com, tom@moveon.org), and you can unsubscribe! You also can refuse to lend them your name (their petitions are mainly for fund-raising), your efforts, and your money, and instead join with one of the many active progressive and antiwar organizations (check out United for Peace and Justice- UFPJ for a detailed listing of local and national groups, which incidentally does not include MoveOn). None of the MoveOn leadership has served their country in the armed forces; like Dick Cheney and 95% of Congress they had more important things to do, which did not and do not include supporting the troops that are in harms way.
Ay caramba.Read the rest of her vitriol here – and say a prayer for the Democrats and our nation: “Congress and MoveOn.”
“I was annoyed by MoveOn's decision to deal with Iraq war legislation in a pragmatic and incremental fashion. I see a fundamental disconnect between their grassroots organizing and rhetoric on the one hand, and the pragmatic lobbying that led them to endorse Pelosi's rather weak bill on the other. A similar annoyance among many of MoveOn's members is the subject of Farhad Manjoo's latest article in Salon, MoveOn moves in with Pelosi.”
“I always find it distressing and absurd when politicians bemoan that only so much of their agenda is politically possible, then proceed to do absolutely nothing to actually move the goal posts of possibility by spending their political capital. I am bemused by Congressional Democrats and their apologists who point out that only so much progress on ending the war can 'pragmatically' be made, and thus we must compromise and accomplish what little we can.”
CAMDEN, N.J - Gov. Jon S. Corzine was critically injured Thursday when his motorcade crashed en route to a meeting between radio personality Don Imus and the Rutgers women’s basketball team, a doctor said.
Corzine, 60, suffered numerous broken bones but his injuries were not considered life-threatening, officials said. He was recuperating early Friday at CooperUniversityHospital in critical but stable condition after two hours of surgery to repair …
Jeffrey Giles, a 10th-grader at WestminsterHigh School, recently won the annual American Heritage Essay Contest hosted by the Westminster Lions Club.
Contest entrants were asked to write on the topic, "Independent Judges: A Necessity in the Preservation of Our Constitutional Form of Government." Giles' essay was judged the best by a panel of Lions Club representatives.
As the local winner, Giles was invited to read his essay with other district-level winners at a Lions' cabinet meeting on March 31.
The winners were also presented with an American flag and a $100 savings bond.
Carroll County Delegate Nancy Stocksdale’s end of session wrap-up
April 10th, 2007
Dear Friends:
We have just concluded the 2007 Legislative Session, and I want to tell you about some of the legislation we voted on this year.
As with every Session, the most important thing we must accomplish is to approve a budget for the State. This year, Governor O’Malley’s budget used almost a billion dollars from the Rainy Day Fund to give as much money as possible to every State-funded group who asked for it. Our House Appropriations Committee spent from January to March analyzing the budgets of each agency. We tried to limit the increases over last year’s budget. We even reduced the general fund budget by $186.8 million.Subsequent to our reduction efforts, Governor O’Malley sent four supplemental budgets which then spent the money we had reduced from his original budget!
When the budget was introduced on the House floor, the Republican Minority Leader offered an amendment that would have kept the budget at the 2007 level with just a limited number of exceptions. That amendment was rejected, and the $30 billion dollar budget passed the House of Delegates. Minor changes were made during the conference committee between the Senate and the House budgets, but we have neglected to control spending or to try to decrease the size of the upcoming $1.5 BILLION structural deficit. Thirty-seven tax bills were introduced this year to take $4 billion dollars from our citizens. Although most of these bills did not pass, look out for next year! There are rumors that (Senate) President Miller will be asking the Governor to call for a special session to pass tax increases and slots.
Listed below are some of the other bills which we debated :
Jessica’s Law (HB 930) - The voices of thousands of Marylanders were heard this Session by the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee who voted on the Jessica’s Law legislation. The “Bill O’Reilly Show” focused on House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Joe Vallario, who was not supportive of this bill last year.Delegate Vallario is a trial lawyer who does not believe in mandatory sentences. The bill, which was named for the nine-year-old girl from Florida who was r---d and buried alive in a plastic bag, mandates a 25-year prison term with no parole for first-degree r--- or sex offenses against a child under the age of 13. The bill is waiting for Governor O'Malley's signature.PASSED.
Chesapeake Bay Green Fund (HB 1220) – This bill would impose a tax based on the square foot of impervious surfaces on residences and commercial buildings. Impervious surfaces include the roof, driveway, and parking spaces. The cost per square foot began at $2.00 but was amended before it was voted on in the House of Delegates. It is now $.50 per square foot for residential and $1.00 per square foot for commercial. The vote was 96 – 41 in the House, and it was then sent to the Senate where it did not move out of committee.FAILED.
Higher Education – Tuition Charges – Maryland High School Students (HB 6) Even with the budget deficit of $1.5 billion dollars looming for next year, the House of Delegates approved HB 6 (81 to 57 vote) giving undocumented immigrants in-State tuition rates at our universities. Tuition for Maryland residents at the University of Maryland College Park is $7,969 a year, and tuition for non-residents is $22,208 a year. The legislature has frozen tuition rates for the past two years which means that the taxpayers are paying a larger share of the cost for tuition with money from the General Fund. The bill only requires a student to attend a Maryland high school for two years before that student can apply for in-State tuition up to five years after graduation, regardless of residence. As long as the parents have paid MarylandState tax, the undocumented or illegal immigrant is eligible to attend either a community college or a four-year institution. The bill does not require an applicant to live in the State of Maryland. For example, a parent may be employed in Maryland but live in Delaware, West Virginia, or another neighboring State and have Maryland taxes withheld. This Maryland tax is refunded to the non-resident, but the student can attend our schools at in-State tuition rates. The bill does not require a length of time for employment in Maryland. Someone could work for only one day and qualify for in-State tuition! This legislation is so unfair to the Maryland residents who are here legally and who have paid Maryland taxes for long periods of time and, many, for a lifetime. There are only a limited number of slots for students in our universities and our own students may be denied acceptance. This was a terrible bill, and all of the Carroll County Delegation voted against it. It was debated in the Senate committee but was not brought out for a vote.FAILED.
Vehicle Laws – Drivers’ Licensing of Illegal Aliens – Restrictions (HB 537) - This bill stops illegal immigrants from getting a driver’s license. FAILED.
Voter Registration Protection Act (SB 488/HB 544) - This allows an individual convicted of any crime, with the exception of buying or selling votes, to register to vote if not actually serving a court-ordered sentence of imprisonment, including any term of parole or probation. Although this bill did not make it out of the House, the Senate bill did succeed in passing in both chambers and is waiting for the Governor’s signature. Your Carroll County Delegation voted against this bill.PASSED.
Clean Indoor Act of 2007 (HB 359/SB 91) - Smoking ban for restaurants and bars passed in both houses but in different forms. An amendment was offered to prohibit smoking altogether in Maryland to really protect our health. The amendment was defeated. The Senate bill excluded private clubs such as the VFW and the American Legion.After the conference committee, the bill banned smoking in all restaurants and bars with no exclusions. However, companies which can prove they will suffer financial hardships as a result of the ban may request a waiver effective until January 31, 2011. After that date, there will be no smoking in any public business.PASSED.
Election Law – Presidential Primary Election Date (HB 1434/SB 1025) This moves the Presidential Primary Election from March 4 to February 12. Another election related bill, Election Law - Voting Systems - Voter-Verified Paper Records (HB 18) requiring a paper trail was passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.PASSED.
State Procurement Contracts - Living Wage (HB 430) This bill will require a contractor who does work for the State to pay a certain wage. In BaltimoreCity, Prince George’s, Montgomery, and BaltimoreCounties, the wage will be $11.30 while in the other counties the living wage will be $8.50.This bill was heavily debated in the House of Delegates.Carroll County Delegates feel this a discriminatory bill because of the wage differential in our county.The Senate debated the bill on the last day of the Session and passed it with a 31- 16 vote in favor.PASSED.
CarrollCountyBond Bills –
The Capital Budget Sub-committee approved a $100,000 bond bill for the Danele Shipley Arena at the AgricultureCenter, and a $100,000 bond bill for the Martin K. Hoff Memorial Log Barn.
The Department of Juvenile Services appropriated $3,329,000 for the Carroll County Youth Services Bureau’s new building.
For school construction, CarrollCounty received a total of $8,219,443. The money will be used for Ebb Valley Elementary which will receive $5,600,000 and Freedom Elementary which will receive $1,479,000. The remainder of the money will be divided between Ebb Valley Elementary and Mt. Airy Middle for a new roof.
All of the legislation requested of the Delegation by the Carroll County Commissioners was passed:
1. Abatement of Nuisances – Ongoing Violations
This provides that if both a property owner and occupant have been notified more than twice during a 12-month period of a specified nuisance violation (overgrowing weeds, accumulation of refuse, presence of stagnant water or combustible materials), the nuisance is considered to be an ongoing violation and additional notification is not required before the county takes action to abate the nuisance.
2. Pretrial and Work Release Programs
This authorizes the Sheriff of Carroll County to establish a pretrial release program that offers alternatives to pretrial detention and to adopt regulations to administer the program.
3. Bingo and Gaming Events – Qualified Organizations
This will permit outside organizations to come to CarrollCounty and conduct bingo or a gaming events.
4. Public Facilities Bonds
This authorizes the commissioners to issue up to $80 million in bonds for acquisition, construction, improvement, or renovation of public buildings, facilities, and public works projects, and for installment purchase agreements for the acquisition of easements on agricultural and forestry lands.
I feel it is an honor and a privilege to serve you in Annapolis. Although we may not agree on everything, your opinions are important in my decision making. I appreciate hearing from you.
Helen Thomas to speak at McDanielCollege in WestminsterMaryland.
April 9th, 2007
The McDaniel College web site calls to our attention that “Author and veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas…Dean of the White House press corps … will speak at 7:30 p.m. April 12 in McDaniel College’s Forum, located in DeckerCenter.
The lecture, "From JFK to George W.: Holding their feet to the fire, Helen-style," is free and open to the public.
No doubt the “queen of combativeness and irrationality” will certainly enlighten us with “the Hezbollah view” of the Middle East and the presidency of George W. Bush.
Mr. Tinti writes, “Although that’s the quotable moment of this exchange between Tony Snow and Helen Thomas, the entire thing is worth watching simply for its entertainment value alone. It’s old school Helen Thomas, trying to ‘Scott McClellan’ Tony Snow. And somehow Tony has already mastered the art of dealing with the queen of combativeness and irrationality. It’s really quite impressive.”
For a glimpse of perhaps we will hear from Ms. Thomas can be found here: “Helen Thomas on the Media's Failure.”One of the interesting quotes is when she pronounces condescendingly, “everybody with a laptop thinks they’re journalists - that’s a problem…”
“Journalist Helen Thomas discusses the failure of the media in covering the Iraq war and its aftermath during the Why Media Matters panel hosted by Media Matters for America”
Fox Watch: Media Matters for America host a discussion panel moderated by MMFA's David Brock with Al Franken, White House Press Corp. reporter Helen Thomas and Newsweek's Eleanor Clift.
______
As one can quickly and easily see, Ms. Thomas will probably be a hit at McDanielCollege.
Liberals love her.Conservatives find her cringe worthy at best.To understand why; perhaps Ms. Thomas said it best in a November 6, 2002 account of her presentation at the Massachusetts’s Institute of Technology (MIT):
“‘I censored myself for 50 years when I was a reporter,’ said Thomas, who is now a columnist for Hearst News Service. ‘Now I wake up and ask myself, “Who do I hate today?”’ Her short list of answers seems not to vary from war, President Bush, timid office-holders, a muffled press and cowed citizens, pretty much in that order.”
[…]
"Helen Thomas offered a very powerful indictment of the current behavior of the Bush presidency in her comments on the incoherence and inconsistency of Bush's policies and the danger to civil liberties of Bush's rhetoric," said (MacVicar Faculty Fellows David) Thorburn, (professor of literature.)
Arin Gencer, writing for the Baltimore Sun, essentially gave her a pass in an article about Ms Thomas’ visit and lecture published March 8th, 2007, entitled: “A history of tough questions.”
Terry A. Dalton, an English and journalism professor at McDaniel, had originally called Thomas "out of the blue" to see if she would visit his media and politics class, he said.
[…]
Thomas is known for her persistent and pointed questions in news briefings, particularly with respect to the war in Iraq…
As a columnist for Hearst Newspapers, she spends her days not only speaking but writing what's on her mind.
Or, as Thomas puts it in her book, Thanks for the Memories, Mr. President: "After all those years of telling it like it is, now I can tell it how I want it to be."
Professor Dalton remarked in the Arin Gencer piece:
… a book he recently started having students read brought Thomas to mind.
That book was former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer's Taking Heat: The President, the Press, and My Years in the White House, which details his encounters with White House reporters.
"He mentioned Helen far more by name than any other reporter. ... He gave her a pretty hard time," Dalton said, citing questions she had asked.
Dalton said he wondered whether Thomas would be willing to come and give students her side of the story.
He was delighted when she agreed, he said.
In a March 12, 2003 article in Slate by Jack Shafer, entitled, “Screw You, Mr. President,” it is noted:
… Her loathing for Bush is palpable. "This is the worst president ever," she told the Torrance, Calif., Daily Breeze in January. "He is the worst president in all of American history."
Though Thomas never masked her crush on Democrats when she worked as a news writer, she comes completely out of the closet in her columns, ripping "Bush's headlong drive into war, his favor-the-rich economic policy and his campaign to put right-wing ideologues on the Supreme Court." As the child of Lebanese immigrants, Thomas knows exactly which religious button she's pushing when she repeatedly condemns Bush's plans for war on Iraq as a "crusade."
Some insight as to Mr. Fleischer’s point of view can be found in Mr. Shafer’s 2003 Slate article:
But Thomas' opinion columns are a model of restraint when compared with the snarky speeches she delivers in lieu of asking questions at White House briefings. In the past, Ari Fleischer usually gave Thomas first shot, and in recent weeks she rode a constant theme:
Thomas to Fleischer: Will you state for the record, for the historical record, why [Bush] wants to bomb Iraqi people? —March 5, 2003
Thomas to Fleischer: [W]hy is [Bush] going to bomb them? I mean, how do you bomb people back to democracy? This is a question of conquest. They didn't ask to be "liberated" by the United States. This is our self-imposed political solution for them. —Feb. 26, 2003
Mr. Shafer concluded:
“We could applaud her for stripping the varnish off standard-issue White House lies with her acerbic questions, but rarely are her questions tailored to produce an intelligent response from Fleischer. When you repeatedly ask the question, "Why does he want to drop bombs on innocent Iraqis?" you're mostly venting your spleen.”
[…]
“Which brings us to the saddest part of Thomas' decline: She often raises serious questions that are on lots of people's minds—questions that other critical journalists in the press corps might want to pose. But when spoken by Thomas' lecturing lips first, the questions sound absurd. She ends up taking the air out of the room for intelligent criticism of the president and helps make the press corps look like a Saturday Night Live skit. You can almost hear Fleischer squealing behind closed doors after the briefings: Thank God for Helen Thomas!
If Professor Dalton is bringing Ms. Thomas to McDaniel so that she may give McDaniel journalism students advice; insight as to what she will say can be found in her November 2002 MIT presentation:
“Asked to advise young journalists, Thomas pounced. ‘Remind the politicians you interview that you pay them, that they are public servants. Remember every question is legitimate. And don't give up. There's always a leak. There's always someone who's trying to save the country,’ she said.”
Commonly referred to as "The First Lady of the Press," former White House Bureau Chief Helen Thomas is a trailblazer, breaking through barriers for women reporters while covering every President since John F. Kennedy. For 57 years, Helen also served as White House correspondent for United Press International. She recently left this post and joined Hearst Newspapers as a syndicated columnist.
Born in Winchester, Kentucky, Helen Thomas was raised in Detroit, Michigan where she attended public schools and later graduated from WayneStateUniversity. Upon leaving college,Helen served as a copy girl on the old, now defunct Washington Daily News. In 1943, Ms. Thomas joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps.
For 12 years, Helen wrote radio news for UPI, her work day beginning at 5:30am. Eventually she covered the news of the Federal government, including the FBI and Capitol Hill.
In November, 1960, Helen Thomas began covering then President elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January, 1961 as a member of the UPI team. It was during this first White House assignment that Thomas began closing presidential press conferences with "Thank you, Mr. President."
In September, 1971, Pat Nixon scooped Helen by announcing her engagement to Associated Press' retiring White House correspondent, Douglas B. Cornell at a White house party hosted by then President Nixon in honor of Cornell.
Thomas was the only woman print journalist traveling with then President Nixon to China during his breakthrough trip in January, 1972. She has the distinction of having traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, during the course of which she covered every Economic Summit. The World Almanac has cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America.
Helen Thomas has written three books, including her latest, Thanks for the Memories Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House.
Please Note: This weekly agenda is subject to change. Please call 410-386-2043 to confirm a meeting you plan to attend. All meetings will be in Room 300A, (Unless otherwise noted) CarrollCountyOfficeBuilding.
• Indicates Outside Activities
Monday – April 9, 2007
Visit with CarrollCounty Delegation – Sine Die
Annapolis, Maryland
Commissioner Zimmer
Tuesday – April 10, 2007
Tour and VisitFreedomDistrictElementary School
Eldersburg, Maryland
Commissioner Zimmer
11:00 a.m. Open Session
Proposed Budget Work Session
Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski
5:00 p.m. CarrollCounty Board of Education Meeting
Board of Education Hearing Room
Westminster, Maryland
Commissioner Zimmer
Wednesday – April 11, 2007
10:00 a.m. Open Session
Proposed Budget Work Session
Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski
Thursday – April 12, 2007
10:00 a.m. Open Session
Board of CountyCommissioners Roundtable Discussion
Discussion on Status of Commissioner Hearing Room
Department of General Services ~ Mr. Ralph Green
Bureau of Facilities ~ Mr. G. Michael Whitson
Discussion of Property Maintenance Code
Department of General Service ~ Mr. Ralph Green
Bureau of Permits and Inspections ~ Mr. Michael Maring
Briefing on Upcoming Public Hearing ~
Housing & Streamlined Annual Plan
Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan
Department of the CountyAttorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender
Review & Request Approval of two (2) Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (BJAG)
1. Group Therapy ~ Local Management Board
2. Intensive Outpatient Drug Treatment ~ Health Department
Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski
Department of Citizen Services ~ Ms. Jolene Sullivan
Grants Office ~ Ms. Colleen Baumgartner
Bid Concurrence
Inkjet Cartridges, Printer Ribbons, Toner Cartridges, Print Heads and Disks
Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton/Ms. Maureen Dunn
Central Warehouse ~ Mr. Chip Purkins
Bid Concurrence
One Track Loader
Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton/Ms. Tammy Conrad
Bureau of Fleet Management ~ Mr. Dave Reese
Bid Concurrence
One Five Ton Dump Truck
Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton/Ms. Tammy Conrad
Bureau of Fleet Management ~ Mr. Dave Reese
Bid Concurrence
Three Crown Victoria Police Interceptors
Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton/Ms. Tammy Conrad
Bureau of Fleet Management ~ Mr. Dave Reese
Bid Concurrence
CourtSmart Annual Maintenance Contract
Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton/Ms. Cindy Miller
Office of Information & Technology Services ~ Mr. Mark Ripper
1:00 p.m. Proposed Budget Work Session
Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski
A meeting of The Mayor and Common Council was held in City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, on the evening of April 12, 2007 at 7:00 P.M. Council President Chiavacci; Council Members Albert, Wack, Utz, and Pecoraro; Mayor Ferguson; City Administrator Wolf; Acting Director of Planning and Public Works Glass; Chief Spaulding; City Treasurer Unger; City Attorney Walsh; and City Clerk Taylor were present.
Mayor Ferguson read a Proclamation making April 3, 2007 through June 3, 2007 the Maryland Chiefs’ Challenge Campaign.
MINUTES:
Mrs. Albert moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 26, 2007 and the special meeting of April 3, 2007. Mr. Utz seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS:
Mayor Ferguson advised that he would like to reappoint the current members of the Board of Zoning Appeals: Mr. Gary Beard, Mrs. Venzena Legge, and Mr. Ed Cramer, as regular members, and Mrs. Robin Kable as the alternate. Dr. Wack moved to confirm the appointments. Mr. Pecoraro seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Ferguson next advised that he would like to appoint Mr. Roland Backhaus to the Tree Commission. The Mayor summarized the qualifications of Mr. Backhaus, who is a Maryland Certified Horticulturist. Upon Motion of Mrs. Albert, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and unanimously passed, the appointment of Mr. Backhaus was confirmed.
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:
After making a Motion to suspend the Rules of Order and Procedure in order to introduce and adopt an ordinance, Mr. Pecoraro summarized Ordinance No. 763, which would amend Section 160-14 of the Westminster City Code (“Allocation Policy”) to authorize the Mayor and Common Council to establish by resolution an allocation policy regarding the issuance of any new water service connections. The current Section only applies in times of drought. The amendment would further authorize the Mayor and Common Council, in adopting any such policy, to consider the needs of enumerated categories of use. Mr. Pecoraro and Dr. Wack pointed out that the Policy, which will be permanent, would be reviewed and revised regularly. Council President Chiavacci noted that the Policy is the first step in implementing the Consent Order between the Maryland Department of the Environment and the City that was executed on April 3, 2007. The user categories enumerated in the Ordinance are not in order by priority, with the exception of the first one – projects identified by the Carroll County Health Department as requiring water service for health and safety reasons. He commended Ms. Wolf, Mr. Glass, and staff for their work on the Order. Dr. Wack seconded Mr. Pecoraro’s Motion to suspend the Rules of Order and Procedure. Upon Motion of Dr. Wack, seconded by Mr. Pecoraro and unanimously passed, the Ordinance was adopted.
Mr. Pecoraro summarized Resolution No. R07-2, the Water Allocation Policy authorized by Ordinance No. 763. The Resolution specifies which new water connections may be approved by the Director of Planning and Public Works for residential development, non-residential development, and emergency projects. It further sets forth the procedure for requesting allocations. The application for requesting allocations is attached as Exhibit A. Applicants dissatisfied with their results can appeal to the Mayor and Common Council. Council President Chiavacci noted that there is no fee to apply. Dr. Wack observed that the projects delayed by the moratorium would receive priority. Future projects will be processed with a set of rules based on the new method of calculating available water supply that was adopted by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Mr. Utz remarked that the moratorium occurred because of the change in the method of calculation by the Maryland Department of the Environment and not because of any change by the City. Mr. Pecoraro moved to adopt the Resolution. Dr. Wack seconded and the Motion passed unanimously. Ms. Wolf advised that she would schedule meetings with developers whose projects had been delayed.
Mayor Ferguson read Resolution No. R07-3, which requires the City to identify and implement practices to conserve energy and to reduce the amount of global warming pollutants generated by City operations. He thanked the representatives of the Catoctin Chapter of the Sierra Club for their efforts in bringing the issue to the attention of the Mayor and Common Council. Mrs. Albert moved to adopt the Resolution. Mr. Utz seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Mr. Utz reported that the State Highway Administration is progressing in its study of Maryland Route 31 and its intersections near Uniontown Road. Once the Administration develops its concept proposal for increasing safety, a meeting will take place with the City. Mr. Pecoraro observed that a community meeting on the proposal might occur as early as June.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:
Mr. Unger reported that training for the new financial software continues. Mr. Chiavacci announced that a work session would take place on Monday, April 16, 2007 at 6:00 P.M. in City Hall.
Chief Spaulding advised that the annual awards ceremony would be held Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 2:00 P.M. at McDanielCollege.
Ms. Wolf reported that work was progressing on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2008.
CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Greater Westminster Development Corporation President Lori Graham reported that the Blue Ribbon Panel for Economic Development held its first meeting. She also reported that tickets remain available for the Westminster Fallfest Gala on April 14, 2007.
On behalf of the Catoctin Chapter of the Sierra Club, City resident Dan Andrews thanked the Mayor and Common Council for adopting Resolution No. R07-3 and offered the Club’s assistance in its implementation.
City resident Henry Hefner requested that Mayor and Common Council to create a plan for cleaning local streams and junkyards.
In response to a comment from City resident Rick Blizzard, Mr. Glass reported that the City has installed intakes at the West Branch of the PatapscoRiver to evaluate it as a possible water source. Mr. Blizzard recommended that the City consider running the Medford Quarry emergency water supply line along the Western Maryland Railway right-of-way.
City resident Sylviea Tejada announced that playwright Eve Ensler would attend an event at the Community College Amphitheater featuring one of her plays on April 20, 2007 at 6:00 P.M. Mayor Ferguson congratulated Ms. Tejada for arranging the event.
City resident Rebekah Orenstein expressed her wish that the economic development team of the Greater Westminster Development Corporation not recommend changing the residential zoning along Pennsylvania Avenue and West Main Street.
Council President Chiavacci adjourned the meeting at 8:00 P.M.
