County Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Chair calls to order a public hearing for resolution 00226 pilot agreement St. John's comments. Mr. Sandless whenever you're ready. Robbie Sis, Harford County Treasurer, um here on behalf of the county executive asking for an approval of an extension of the pilot which stands for payment in lie of taxation uh for the uh Harford Commons property which I'm sorry for the St. John's Commons property uh which provides um uh uh affordable housing for our uh senior population. They have 40 units uh at that uh at that unit, I'm sorry, at that complex. Uh a pilot generally uh is an agreement with uh with an entity uh that more or less supersedes the traditional property tax process of assessments that are done by St. um that are done by the state department of assessments and taxation. And then normally what it does is it does provide them with generally with a break on their what other what their property taxes would have been otherwise. But it also just provides some some sense of certainty for these um these organizations. They oftenimes have have pretty thin uh thin margins and enables them to keep their rents low and also invest back in in those properties. So Harford County has about 15 pilots. One of those at the Aberdine proving ground and is for an office complex, but the other 14 are for affordable are for affordable housing. And if you look at all of those different um those pilots, the the total delta, I guess, between what the property taxes would be and what the the pilots are is about $170,000. And in this case, it's around $15,000 is the the differential for what St. uh St. John's Commons would be versus its um its assessment. So this this deal would have um this pilot would have uh the uh pilot increase by 3% annually over the next uh 15 years. It's more or less the same uh parameters we had in place uh that we had in place with the previous uh with the previous pilot.

Thank you, Mr. Sanless. Um at this time I'll open it up with uh council members with questions. Mr. Jan Jardano. Robbie, thanks. Um so we have 15 of these pilot programs. uh how does somebody go about putting in for one of these and have we added in the last couple years and is there any more coming down the road?

Um we don't have any any new applications at the time. Sometimes you will have um you we're um interest that that comes out. There are certain um limited parameters that we normally have here. U again largely for uh senior/affordable housing. In other jurisdictions sometimes you'll see like in Baltimore City like be for hotels or big economic development projects. Again, ours have largely been for for this purpose and it still has to go through the state department of assessments and taxations to be qualified for it and then it would have to go in front of this council as well. Um so if we did have that so it's been a while since we've had any any new ones. I know we've had um uh Megan and I were talking about this this earlier. Uh the Growl complex in Havity Grace had a renewal not that long ago. Um and I think it's been quite a few years since we've had a brand uh a brand new one. um at least you know at least 10 years or so.

Looks like you have a list. Can you share that list with the council people so we sure so we have that does that list show how long they've had that for or anything like that and are are they all nonprofits or are they for-profit uh places or combination of both?

You know I I I can't say for sure. I know the the vast majority of them just by looking at them are generally set up as as as nonprofits but I can't speak if all of them are. should also note that if at any point the property taxes were um were to be less than the pilot then you we wouldn't charge them the the higher amount but I can provide this this list. Um it's actually one of the things we have to do as part of our our annual comprehensive uh financial report is that we have to list kind of what the total dollar amount is of that lost tax abatement. Um and so we do we do track those so I can provide this list. Okay. Thank you Mr. Bennett. Um is St. John's Tower also part of the pilot.

They have a separate um they have a separate uh uh pilot. So they're one of the one of the 14s. And I had to kind of get my head around that. I was thinking or there two and it's like this is the the more yellow building that's over there by by town hall. Shorter and wider. Yes. Whereas the the towers are there on on Congress. Um Pennington. Yes. Pennington Avenue, right?

It's on Pennington. This one here is on Pennington. Um, and I just, you know, thank you for allowing us to continue in this pilot. I know many people who live in St. John's Commons who walk to uh the church and who walk to the library and um it's a beautiful facility on the inside. You know, they do they really take their pride in making it uh be a welcoming place for people who live there. Um, and I know that us uh reducing what their burden with paying to the county is a big part of how they're able to afford upkeep and making it a good place to live. So, I'm very thankful that we do this as a county, especially for places that uh uh provide 65 and up housing.

And of course, if at any point they were to stop providing um you that that affordable housing, they would lose the pilot. So, they wouldn't just be able to turn it into a a market rate and then keep the pilot. Yep. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Anyone else? All right. With no one else from the council, uh, Miss Dixon, do we have anyone signed up from the public? We do, Mr. President. There is one Sherry Snider.

Behind you there at the podium, ma'am. And name and address for the record, please. Hi, my name is Sheri Snder, 208 Elkton Boulevard, Elkton, Maryland 21921. Thank you.

So, and I just kind of wanted to speak. I'm the executive director for St. John's Commons, and I just kind of wanted to reiterate what Mr. Standless had already said. We are 62 and older for affordable housing for seniors. And the building St. St. John's Commons for more than a decade has provided that housing to people on fixed incomes, which is really important for their independent living and their dignity. And now that the building is aging, it's even more important that we we keep our costs down, especially where taxes, insurance, utilities are concerned. And this is where the pilot can make a difference. um it can give us that predictable income that we have to have for the rates of taxes every year. So we are able to then budget money for repairs a little bit more and have more stability with that and that's going to help us keep the building safe and um hopefully continue serving seniors for more decades to come. So, I just want to thank you for your past um support with this and I hope that we can continue this partnership.

Thank you, Mr. Thank you. Thank you. With uh no other speakers, this will conclude this public hearing for resolution 00226 and uh we will take this up at our next meeting. Uh and we are going to adjourn for about seven minutes. We'll start. Good evening. Chair calls order legislative session day 26007. I would ask you to please join us with standing for the pledge followed by the opening prayer by council member Stles. Could I have the cub scouts pack 8.99 and all those up front please?

Oh, here over here guys. This way. Take over. I know. I like that. Come on over this way a little bit more.

That's good. That's good. Tighten up there in the center, guys. Come on. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Stand with us here just for a minute. Miss,

dear heavenly father, thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of Harford County. Grant us integrity, courage, and compassion as we lead and make decisions. We pray for our residents, for safety in our communities, strength for those facing hardship, and opportunity for our children to thrive. Bless this meeting and guide our work tonight. Amen. Amen. Thank you very much. Agenda item number four, presentation of proclamations, February 2026, Black History Month. Miss Robert, if you want to step down,

and if we could have our young men on tour up front, please. Representation.

And same thing, if we could have some of you on each side, please. Some of the taller ones in the back and smaller ones up front, please. That means I should go up front. You should be up front. Yes. Yes, definitely. Mr. James Daddy, whenever you're ready.

Whereas Black History Month was first recognized nationally by Jer President Jared R. Ford in 1976 to seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history. Prior to this official national celebration, Carter G. Woodson designated the second week of February as Nego History Week in 1926. And whereas Young Men on Tour Yot, a 5013C nonprofit male mentoring program serving young men in Harford County, Maryland, has remained committed to supporting youth academically, socially, and emotionally as they navigate to the important, and often challenging transition from boyhood to manhood. Originally serving 20 students at its founding in October 2011, YOot has grown significantly and is now impacting more than 100 young men through constant mentorship and community support. as they celebrate their 15-year milestone anniversary. And whereas YOT provides weekly group meetings during the academic school year open to any middle school or high school young man attending a public school. Sessions include homework assistance, guest speakers, educational field trips, and sports integration to promote leadership, accountability, and personal growth. The pro this pro the program partners with teach HCPS and a University of Maryland Eastern Shore offering high school participants the opportunity to take part in a dual enrollment program where they can earn college credits while preparing for future success. Now therefore, we the county council of Harford County Maryland on this 7th day of February 2026 do hereby salute young men on tour and express our appreciation to all whose support and sustain this program. Mentorship fosters confidence for a brighter future.

Thank you. So, I've met Zeno a while back um as part of my work with the NAACP and knowing that this program was out there and not too many people are aware of it, but this program has definitely mentored a lot of boys to men. And if you're aware, it's very hard to find a mentorship program for boys. uh girls, you can always find a lot of women ready and able to help out, but for boys, it's a lot harder. And so for Zeno to step up for 15 years providing this program um is a great asset to our community and a great asset to our boys. And I just want to say thank you. Do you want to say a few words? Not much for words, but thank you. I appreciate it. I'm honored. Um, like you said, we've been doing this for years now, and again, we just want to just continue to enrich our young um enrich our young men. So, thank you.

You may want to tighten up a little bit. He's going to take everybody in. We're gonna try and keep everybody between the two outside TVs. So, the younger boys have come in front. We are looking pretty good. So now the time to get all your giggles out. I'm going to count down and then I'm see two one two and we're two. Awesome. Thank you everybody. Thank you for being here.

NAACP next Whereas Black History Month was first recognized nationally by President Gerald R. Ford in 1976 to seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglect accomplishments of black Americans in every era of endeavor throughout our history. Prior to this official national celebration, Carter G. Woodson designated the second week of February as Negro History Week in 1926. an whereas the National Association for the Advancement of Color People NAACP has worked tirelessly to eliminate race-based discrimination and to ensure political, educational, social, and economic equality for all people. The Harford County branch of the NAACP has played a vital role in advancing civil rights and improving the quality of life for residents, particularly within communities of color through advoc advoc advocacy, education, youth empowerment, and community engagement. And whereas in honor of the 100year milestone anniversary of Black History Month, we proudly recognize Harford County branch of the NAACP, which has been active in its current iteration for 72 years following its restructuring in 1954 and continues its steadfast ad advocacy for civil rights and equal justice throughout Hartford County community. Now therefore, we the county council, Hartford County, Maryland, on his 17th day of February, 2026, do hereby salute Harford County NAACP Black History Month and express our appreciation for its endearing legacy of

service, leadership, and advocacy on behalf of justice and equality. And I just want to say thank you to the NAACP. Um, when I found the NAACP, when I moved to Harford County, I became a member. Um, and I have been an active member ever since. And I'm going to let our uh, vice president have the the mic for a minute.

Sure. Thank you. So on behalf of the Harford County branch NAACP, we just like to thank the county council for acknowledging the work that we've been doing in Harford County for quite a few 72 years. Um and we just we're going to continue to fight the good fight for equity and justice in Harford County for all residents. Thank you.

Awesome. So instructions are going to be about the same that way. Make sure your eyes are open and you're smiling. Three, two, one. Three, two, one. Two. Two. One more. Thank you everybody. And then next is Harford County Public Schools Black Student Unions.

All right, I've been working on these names. Hopefully I'm going to get them right. Whereas Black History Month was first recognized nationally by President Gerald R. Ford in 1976 during the United States bicesentennial celebration. Prior to this official national celebration, Carter G. Woodson designated the second week of February as Negro History Week in 1926. Black History Month is now observed annually to promote, research, preserve, interpret, and disseminate information about black history and cultural to the global community. And whereas each year a theme is established for Black History Month, the theme for 2026 is a century of black history commemorations marking 100 years of national commemorations of Black History. And whereas the Aberdine High School Black Student Union BSU was st was was established in 2024 by students EUK Ageni Aeniche and Sya Barksdale. Creating a safe and healthy environment for black students and allies to unify, promote cultural awareness, and combat harmful harmful stereotypes through community service, advocacy for the needs and concerns of black students and education about the African disappa. In the spirit of Black History Month, the Aberdine High School BSU has hosted cultural potlucks, a schoolwide forum addressing inclusive language, Black History Month prep rallies and assemblies, Junth celebrations, and voter registration drives. Now, therefore, we, the County Council of Harford County, Maryland, on the 17th day of February, 2026, to hereby recognize Black History Month, February 2026.

Um, I want to thank the BSU for being here tonight. Um, it's kind of a rare occurrence for us to do three proclamations for Black History Month, but this is marking 100 years of honoring Black History here in the United States. And it's a big deal. And I believe it's also the 60th anniversary of the first BSU back in San Francisco. So, it's a big year for black student unions. And it's those uh students 60 years ago who advocated for the uh start of black studies as a study in colleges and campuses. And how fitting is it that now these young people who stand before us were the same young people standing up to keep African-American studies in our schools today. Um our young people are doing incredible stuff. And I learned of you all last year attending Jackie Robinson Day at Aberdine High School, seeing you pass out food to all the players and to be a part of that wonderful celebration that the Aberine High School baseball team does. Um, I'm really uh impressed by the work that you all do and I think it's great to see young people civic-minded and engaging in your school and saying how can we make our school a better place for everybody. Um, so again, thank you all so much. I wanted to give you the space if any of you all student members want to share what are some of those accomplishments that you've reached since 2024. How have you made Aberdine High School a better place? Um, I'll pass the microphone to you. It's hot potato.

Okay. Start. Yeah. Hi, I'm EA. Hi, I'm Samya. Oh, so basically we start we started BSU in October 2024. Um, our junior year. Yeah, we started it our the beginning of our junior year. We just decided like we just decided we needed like more inclusivity being in the school and we really wanted to give back to like our community. So, we decided to like do things like like they said host potlucks, host community gathering events. Um try to get a lot of people registered to vote and just educate people about the African diaspora and to make make people more aware of what Black History really is and like obviously like celebrate Black History Month. Yes.

And we are so thankful for our sponsor, Mr. Langraph. We had his class API for last year. He was the best teacher ever and now he decides to be our sponsor. So, thank you, Mr. L. Hopefully you guys know the drill by now.

Everybody two more. Thank you.

ALL RIGHT. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS, and nominations. We have none. Six, special presentations. Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton, committee. Mr. Thornton, Miss Nappy, if you'd like to come forward, please. So, this is definitely not the first time you've been here, but it's exciting for us to hear an update. Uh, and we appreciate you coming this evening.

Appreciate it very much. Uh, President Vincenti, members of the council, good evening. And I'm filling in tonight for our chair Curtis Bula who is out out of town. I am Jim Thornton, vice chair of the Sergeant Afric Hilton Memorial Fund, Inc. It is my privilege to introduce Sunsappy. Her research into the burial locations of the United States Color Troops here in Harford County has been meticulous, respectful, and driven by a genuine commitment to honor these soldiers stories. Thanks to her dedication and the research of others, we're gaining a clear, more complete understanding of the history that deserves to be remembered and recognized. Before turning the presentation over to Sue, I would like to ask those members of the Sergeant Afric Hilton organization in the audience to please stand and be recognized. Members of the Thank you. I would like to make one appeal to members of the council and those in the chamber and to the broader community. Please reach out to a member of the committee if anyone is interested in getting involved with this work. Let me now turn to Sue for the presentation. Sue.

Thank you, Jim. So, I'm Sue Nappy. I'm a board member of the Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton Memorial Foundation, and I want to thank the council president and the council members for inviting us this evening to speak. Tonight, I'd like to share the story of Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton, the work being done to honor him, and the broader effort to recognize United States Color Troops, also called the USCT with Harford County ties. So, Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton is Harford County's only nativeborn recipient of the Medal of Honor, and that's our nation's highest military award. He was an African-American soldier who served in the USCT during the Civil War. On September 29th, 1864 at Chapen's Farm as part of the Battle of New Market Heights in Virginia, Sergeant Hilton served as a color bearer. It's a role requiring extraordinary courage. Colorbear colored bearers carried the flags that marked a unit's position. Losing the colors could shatter a regiment's morale. Saving them could rally men under fire. Colorbearers advanced into battle unarmed. On September 29th, Hilton carried the American flag forward under heavy fire. Hilton marched into battle carrying not just his colors, but the hopes of his family. Both his brothers, Aaron and Henry, also served alongside him. When the regimental color sergeant fell, Hilton seized that flag as well, carrying both forward. And you picture this, there were two big flags on poles, unarmed, going into heavy fire. Now burned with both legs and confronted with unrelenting rifle fire, he eventually dropped the with a severe leg wound. Even then, he held the colors a loft and screamed, "Boys, save the colors." He passed those those the colors to other other soldiers. After the battle, he was taken to a segregated field hospital where his

right leg was amputated. He died on October 21st, 1864, and is buried in Hampton National Cemetery, Virginia. There is no evidence that his family knew or was ever notified of the Medal of Honor. His story remained largely unknown until Harford County historian Jim Krmer, aided by James Dorsy and Hunter Sutherland, brought it to light in the year 2000. Although Hilton's story was nearly lost to history, Harford County has taken several meaningful steps to ensure he is remembered and they're listed on the chart. November 2017, the Maryland 22 bridge over I95 was dedicated to him. June 2018, American Post American Legion Post 55 in Bair was renamed the Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton Memorial Post 55. And in January 2021, the Alfred B. Hilton Memorial Park was rededicated in habrace. October 2021, the mural of Hilton at the Battle of New Market Heights was unveiled on American American Legion Post 55. And November 2022, the Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton memorial was dedicated at David Craig Park, Habit of Grace. If you haven't been to the memorial, I urge you to go. It's beautiful. It overlooks the Susquana River and it's a really powerful tribute really honoring his um sacrifice at the battle of New Market Heights and these recognitions reflect a growing understanding of Hilton's importance not just to Harford County but to our nation. So the Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton Memorial Foundation is dedicated to educating the public and preserving the legacy of Hilton and all USCT soldiers connected to Harford County. And we do this in three areas. Firstly, by creating and supporting lasting tributes such as the memorial to Hilton and Havra. Secondly, we provide for public recognition and education. We host

annual educational events focused on Sergeant Hilton, the USCT, and their contributions to Civil War history. The foundation has also awarded 12 scholarships to date totaling 12,000 to Harford um community college students and we're going to continue to do that in the future. Four $1,000 scholarships per year and we're we're focusing now on increasing that support. And new this year, we launched an annual countywide art essay contest for elementary middle high school students with monetary awards. So watch uh Facebook that's going to be pushed out through that. It's also being pushed out through the schools. Also in the works is our YouTube channel and that's going to feature videos highlighting Sergeant Hilton and and stories and burial sites at the Harford County USCT. And lastly are our efforts to restore and preserve the USCT burials in Harford County, which I will dive into a little deeper into my in my next charts. So Hilton's courage was extraordinary, but he was one of many African-American soldiers who stepped forward despite enormous obstacles. So during the Civil War, nearly 185,000 African-American men, both enslaved and free, answered the call to preserve the Union and slavery and fight for their own freedom and dignity. And many historians believe their service was decisive in the Union winning and the victory. Yet yet the stories are difficult to trace. Records of African-American service are incomplete, scattered, and dismissing. So the picture on this slide is of the fourth regiment company E. It's a very iconic picture. It's used a lot because there's not many pictures of the USCT. Sergeant Hilton is not in this picture picture. He did serve in the fourth regiment, but but in company H. Um, there is known p known pictures of Sergeant Hilton. Recently, the foundation received a

grant from the Dresser Foundation to research and identify USCT soldiers with Harford County ties, meaning they were born here, they enlisted in USCT here in Harford County, they lived in the Harford County, or they're buried in Harford County. We identify 305 men that fit that description. We have their service records plus many other records from the slave claims to casualty sheets, hospital bed cards, final statements, pension records. We have a wealth of information that we have put together. We record it into a massive spreadsheet and we've been analyzing the data and delving into stories that have been uncovered. Of these men, 67 men did not survive the war. That's 22% of the 305. They were killed in action. They died of wounds, disease, drowning, or imprisonment. 38 of them have no known burial. They're likely interred in mass graves with little or no identification. Racial prejudice, limited wartime documentation meant many African-American soldiers were not properly identified when reentered. They were buried into battlefield mass graves or in hospital graves. And after the Civil War, national cemeteries were created and then then they were reinterred into there. but they weren't properly identified when they originally buried them. So now we don't know where they are. Among the survivors of the war, we have located burial sites for about half and in Harford County, 49 burials have been confirmed, but unfortunately only 26 have headstones. For the remaining 23, we know they're in that cemetery, but we just don't know exactly where. And these burials are spread across 18 African-American cemeteries in the county. So these numbers are not just statistics. They represent individual men whose stories were nearly lost. To restore dignity and visibility to these forgotten heroes in Turan Harford

County, we've launched a headstone restoration initiative. So a headstone is more than a marker. It is a declaration that a life mattered. Many existing markers require cleaning, repair, or replacement. We've also placed small signs beside beside each USCT grave to ensure these veterans are recognized, especially on Memorial Day and Veterans Day when many do not receive flags because they don't have a military designation on it or a person doesn't understand what USCT means. And an example of one of those markers is on the the left side of the chart up there, the blue and yellow. Also on the chart are two examples of existing headstones now that we found on the top is Sergeant George Barrett. He served in the 39th US Colored Infantry and he's buried at the Asbury Cemetery in Churchville. And as you can see from the picture, his headstone is on the ground. It's detached from his base and there's no indication of a Civil War service. And we found two headstones like that that are detached and with with you know and needs to be repaired. Also in the middle below Barrett is a leaning headstone that we believe belongs to Private Richard Turner from the fourth US Colored Infantry. And this is at Green Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery in Darlington. And this headstone requires cleaning just to confirm that it is his. And there are six other additional headstones we found that need to be straightened. The majority of the headstones we have identified need to be cleaned which we have plans to do in the spring. We are also working with the city of Haviggrace and other partners to restore two long neglected African-American cemeteries, probably neglected for decades. Each contain one USCT burial. These sites are so overgrown, we had to wait till late fall to be able to access them. It was just impossible to walk through it. The picture on the screen is of Skinner Cemetery and Habiggrace. And right in

the middle of the picture, you can see two headstones where they they've both fallen over for and been disconnected from its base. Research is ongoing. Uh with increased public awareness, we hope more burial sites and service records will come to light. Detailed biographies and service service summaries for all 305 soldiers have been shared with the Historical Society of Harvard County and will soon be available on our website. So looking ahead, we have several initiatives with that will deepen public awareness and ensure these men are remembered. The foundation plans to install signage at each of the 18 Harford County cemeteries where the USC soldiers are buried, listing all their names so they're all remembered whether they have a headstone or not. Uh, we also have a long-term goal, a countywide memorial honoring all 305 USCT soldiers with Harford County ties. Remember earlier I stated about half of them we found where they're buried. It's a good chance we're not going to find all the other half. We'll find a few, I hope. These men fought for a country that did not yet recognize their full rights, yet they believed in that promise. A memorial listing their names will ensure they receive the honor they deserve and are never forgotten. Our annual fundraiser and educational event will be held on June 6th at the Historical Society of Harford County. And in addition to a visit by Abraham Lincoln as reenacted by Duke Thompson, the presentation will include several interesting and moving stories of the Harford County USCT that our research uncovered and details post will be posted soon on our website. So in conclusion, as a person who unders under undertook this research project, I can attest that identifying these soldiers through their service records and then searching for and finding their final arresting places has been a deeply

moving experience. Every time I located a barrier, I felt I found you. I found you. Somebody found you. Now you matter. Um, the information we uncover helps restore their dignity, visibility, and rightful place in our history. So, please join our efforts. On this chart, you can see the list of our board members, and we welcome sponsors, volunteers, and community partners. Reach out to the foundation via email to get involved. Thank you for your time and your commitment to preserving Harford County's history. Thank you. Any any questions?

So Sue and Jim, let me thank you for your presentation here this evening. Want to thank you for your commitment to our veterans. We all owe our veterans a great deal. Uh and thank you for the time and effort that you're putting in to recognize them. Finally, um want to thank you for the memorials that you've put up. I mean, we have followed that from day one. Been a part of that from day one. and we do appreciate the recognition. I'm glad that you put your fundraiser up uh the date of that because we'll all support that. U I'm sure. Uh and with that, I'm going to open it up to my colleagues for comments, questions. Mr. Bennett.

Hello. Good evening. Um I echo everything Council President said. I think what you're doing is a tremendous work. I was curious if you of the 305 uh people identified if you've been able to find if they any of them still have family who live in the county um like if their lineage you know still is in Harford County.

Well Hilton has family still in the county and I know of several others I've heard you know they are in the county. I I think that I mean that's such a blessing for families that might not even know their own history from the Civil War to bring that to light is I mean it's just a gift to the whole county um and to those men to make sure that they're remembered. So thank you so much. Thank you Mr. Em.

Um I have kind of like a geographical question for the most part. A lot of the those the two of the stones you guys were referencing were in northern Harford County and one was in Hav Grace. Is there not any burial sites in the center or the southern of the county or is it was it like specific areas? I'm just curious. Yeah, there was 18 cemeteries. There's one in Japa town. Um another in in was it Fston? There's one on 152 in Fston. Yes. Okay. Yeah. So that's that's my home ter. Yeah, there were sever, you know, but they were they were spread out through the county. I I was all over the place when I was driving through the signs and um the Hav Grace Cemetery. How did you guys come?

Simhoff, hold up just a second. Gentlemen, gentlemen, thank you. Sorry. The the cemetery in Hav Grace that obviously has been neglected for a long period of time. Um how did that one get identified? Well, when we were doing the research, um, there's find agrave.com where you can go in there and you can find where the graves are. But Jim Krismore and his his original spreadsheet had identified several of them already as being located in in all these cemeteries. So, we knew that there was one USCT there was verified on findrave.com. Very cool. Well, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Jinger. Jim, good to see you. Likewise,

Sue, I don't think we've ever met, but we've emailed a bunch of times. Yes. So, but thanks for that all that information. I'm just amazed that I don't know where you're getting all this information that's that's this old that you can put all this stuff together, but but I I'm just amazed by that you can put this stuff together for all those years back and and find that. Now, isn't would a lot of the churches that are around now that have that have graves, do do they count as cemeteries that you look in too? Correct. So, where I got the information from was it started with the actual service records from the National Archives have been digitized. Wow.

And that's only been in the last few years and that's available on fold3.com. So it was through searches through there that I was able to identify additional ones over and above that was originally identified by Jim Krmer and then you from that you know there's a wealth of information on those service records slave claims will be in their deeds of manum mission their pension records and so that helped that was a starting point but um many of the churches then our next step is to try to find the church records of those burials in most cases it doesn't it isn't there anymore because of those churches have been long gone. But we are going to start working on that to see if we can can find them.

Yeah. And I've been around for for quite some time to see some of the you know some of the murals and everything put up uh over time which just amazing and some reenactments of uh Sergeant Alfred Hilton and to hear the story about that. So uh but anyway, thanks for all your work. So Jim, you and I have talked several times about the technology that you use to find out for sure if there's remains in these sites. Are you still doing that? That's correct. And uh we use uh particularly not in the USCT project, but another project that that we're involved with is using ground penetrating radar.

Uh and so at some point we'll come back to the council on that project overall. But perhaps we should provide each of the council members for their respective districts those sites that are within your district. That would be pro perhaps good information for you to have. I think that would be a yes. Great. Uh and maybe some churches that might being is there any churches that might be too as well as that aren't on that that could be burial sites that you might be able to give us?

Sure, we can do that. Yeah, we have that data. We appreciate the opportunity to uh speak to you tonight. Hopefully uh we've informed you about the work of the the organization and we're also making the appeal as I indicated earlier to the broader community that would like to get involved with this work. We're always looking for volunteers. Thank you. Uh council just last anyone else. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Agenda item number seven, approval of minutes. Legislative Day 25006 February 10th 2026. Are there any corrections to the minutes? There being no corrections, the minutes stand approved. Eight. Introduction and consideration of resolutions. Resolution 00626. Citizens Nursing Home Board Authorization Executive Director Resident Agent. May I have a motion, please? Council President, I move to approve resolution 006-26. Thank you. May I have a second? Second.

Thank you, Mr. Mr. Bennett. It's been moved and a second to approve resolution 0626. Is there any discussion? Mr. Bennett? Um, I just want to preemptively thank the council for their support with this resolution. It's important uh for citizens care uh and them continuing to do their great work and uh have a uh ease of communication with the state as their laws and and rules have changed. Um, and I really appreciate the county legal department for coming in and explaining this all to us so well last week. Thank you. Anyone else? Seeing no one else. Miss Dixon. Mr. President. I. Mrs. Robert. I. Mrs. Mhoff.

Hi. Mr. Janerano. Hi. Mr. Riley. Hi. Mrs. Badles. Hi. Mr. Bennett. I. There being seven votes in affirmative zero and a negative resolution 00626 is hereby approved. Nine, introduction of bills. We have none. 10, introduction and consideration of amendments. We have none. 11. Call for final reading of bills. None. 12. Enrollment of bills. None. 13. Unfinished business. None. 14. New business. None. 15. Comments and input from attending citizens. Do we have anyone signed up, Miss Dixon?

We do, Mr. President. We have two this evening. Ezekiel Hopkins, followed by Cassandra Bever Beverly. Call your first speaker again. Ezekiel Hopkins.

Good evening, sir. Name and address, please. Good evening. Uh, Ezekiel Hopkins, 2200 Thomas, Ron Road, Bair, Maryland 2105. Um, I really don't want to be here. tell you that right now. Don't like public speaking. Don't like any of that. How much time do I have?

You got three minutes, sir. Um, I don't think that this any of this any of what I'm about to say is a council's responsibility and I don't think they have uh I don't think it should be probably I think you should just probably know about something. Um, some people like me in the county I think get a little bit off track with their life. Maybe it has to do with drugs. Maybe they went to jail or prison. Maybe they just had wrong thinking. Or maybe like me, you just get a little bit confused like a late bloomer or something. And um I think this county, again, not the council, not the government necessarily. I don't I don't know if the system for getting people back on track is working. I'm I'm just not sure. Um, a lot of this has to do with the national problem. Not even the national government, just the way that applying for jobs works. There's a problem with that. Not the place to address that, but I think that's a big part of the problem. Um, let me give you a more specific example. I'm related to, you know, somebody in the town government and I thought, let me call in a favor. Not actually a favor. just wanted to call them and say, "Hey, can you point me towards somewhere that I can volunteer to be a part of the community, could only point me to the food banks at certain churches, which don't give me a call back, and um they only want donations, which as I said, I've gotten off track. I'm poor. I can't help you with that. Uh I can only help with my time and labor and investment into anything that's meaningful. And I just it's just there's you know when you get off track and you don't have social

capital what do you do about that? You just get stuck. I'm stuck. And I don't know just sad state of affairs. That's all. Mr. Hopkins stick around after the meeting. Thank you.

Good evening ma'am. name and address for the record, please.

Good evening. Uh, Cassandra Beverly, 137B Alisan Street, Bair, Maryland. Good evening, um, President Vicente and members of the council. My name is Cassandra Beverly, and I'm the chairperson of the Harford County Caucus of African-American Leaders. The caucus was organized in 2018 with a mission to advocate for fairness, equity, and inclusion for African-Americans in Harford County. We are a nonpartisan group comprised of business owners, clergy, lawyers, and community advocates. I was last before you to discuss the community repair and reinvestment fund uh that provides grant funds to community organizations to address the harms resulting from the overpolicing of certain communities visav the criminalization of marijuana. I'm happy to report that we have been able to establish a good working relationship with the county uh around the distribution of those funds. Marcus Webster, the project administrator uh well the programs under housing and comm community development, but we have worked with Marcus Webster who has worked diligently to make the community aware of the fund to solicit input from the community and to educate organizations on the application process. I'm here today as we celebrate Black History Month. I woke this morning to the devastating news of the death of civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson. Reverend Jackson is one of the giants of our country's history due to his long and tireless commitment to the fight for justice and equality. He was a protege of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the um founder of the Rainbow Push Coalition, a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive international organization fighting for social change. As I reflect back on Reverend Jackson's life and the times that he lived through, I can't help but think of the similarities between those times and these. There are no blatant signs

outside of businesses saying no negroes allowed or whites only. But the message is clear clearly being conveyed by our government that people of color color particularly if you're an immigrant are not wanted and that our contributions are not valued. That is why now more than ever the teaching of black history is of paramount importance. Now when there is a consider concerted effort to erase any sign of the accomplishments of black men and women from the military and through uh throughout the government. Now, when there is a coordinated effort to use coded language to block the teaching of uncomfortable truths in our schools, young people must be taught that black people's history did not begin in this country with enslavement. They must be told that Dr. King had more than a dream about people being judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. He dreamed of economic and social justice. Many of the people who will now speak so well about Reverend Jackson and uh Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King vilified them and worked against the things that they fought for throughout their lives. That is the unvarnished truth. We must teach truth even when it's uncomfortable. I pray that one day will come when would not be necessary to have a Black History Month. However, that day is not on the horizon. It will not come while the fight against truth continues. Truth must win for all of us to win.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. There are no more speakers, Mr. President. With no other speakers, we'll go to 16 business from council members. Miss Saddles, we'll start with you tonight.

Thank you, Council President. On Friday, my aid attended the ribbon cutting and the one-year anniversary of Homeland's Market in Churchville. The market aims to be a welcoming spot where families can pick up fresh local farm products, unique gifts, home decor, and fresh dairy from Brooms Bloom. This Thursday at 6:30 is the Churchville Creswell Fountain Green Dublin Darlington Community Advisory Board meeting. It will be held at the Churchville Rec Center. And next Tuesday, I look forward to visiting the Harford County Sheriff's Office display in real time crime centers and drones as first responders at the Harford night in Annapolis on February 24th and that will be hosted by the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Mr. Bennett.

Hello. Um, good evening. It's good to be with everyone this evening. Um, I attended the Abington CAB meeting last week along with uh, council member Imhof and that was a really great conversation around Medicare. Um, which I'm a far away from ever using Medicare, but it was still very informative and I know my parents just recently started on Medicare and went through that process. Um, so I thought our CAB meetings, they're all just such a tremendous resource for information to learn about your government, to learn about the things going on in your community, and I really think the CAB meetings are underutilized uh for that uh the resource that they are. So, I really want to encourage everybody to go to their local community cab meeting. Um, this upcoming Saturday is the Havdy Grace Ice Festival, which is always a big hit. This year's theme is Wizard of Oz. Um, so I I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Uh, and the trolley, which is free public transportation in Havdy Grace, will be running uh directly from the Star Center parking lot to downtown. So, you don't have to worry about finding parking close to downtown. You can park at the Star Center and take the trolley into town. So, I will encourage everyone to do that. Um, and uh know that one week from today is the filing deadline to run for office. Um, if you've ever looked at us and thought, "Oh, they must know something special to be up there." We just paid $50 to be on a a list. That's all it took. So, you can also pay $50 to be on a list and and uh join us on the county council or many of the other positions, you know, register of wills or uh your local central committee for your political party or school board. These are important uh positions in our county and there's only one week left to file and there's many races that right now either have zero people filed or only one

candidate filed. So um I just want to encourage people to be a part of that democratic process and put their name out there. That's all I have this evening. Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Miss Robert,

thank you. Um I just have um a couple things. Um, Debbie, my legislative aid, attended the grand opening ribbon cutting for behavioral interventions. I couldn't get there, but she came back with a plethora of information, so I'm going to visit there on Friday and take my own personal tour of the um establishment. And then yesterday I got the honor and privilege of going to the state senate and um being commissioned for the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust Board of Trustees. Um so that um happened last night in Annapolis. Um and that was an interesting experience as well. Um just want to let everyone know a couple of things. um tomorrow night through the Harford County Public Schools um families um they are offering a what parents need to know about suicide prevention. As I stated last week um we have the highest rate of suicide in the state um Harford County. Um and that is from 12 to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom and you can find the information on the Harford County Public Schools website. There's also the Have it a Grace Youth Commission is hosting stop bullying series and there's a parents guide to identification and intervention there and that is Wednesday February 25th um from 6:30 is when doors open and it's at the star center. Um and that is all for me. Thank you.

Thank you Miss Robert. Miss Imhof.

Good evening. First I want to thank the Scouts of America specifically Cub Scout Pack 899 from Fston for leading the pledge of allegiance. I also want to thank you guys for coming out and meeting with me earlier. Your thoughtful questions and great discussion and your enthusiasm is always encouraging to see. I also um just want to thank the the group that came out earlier. You guys taught me a ton about scouts and um it really means a lot to know that a lot of you guys are actually not only the same ages as my girls, but in the same classes as my girls. Um, on February 11th, I met with members of Harford County Public School math curriculum team along with Wade Sul, our district 3 board of education representative. Our discussion centered on the math MCAP um, testing, including the thoughtful conversation about benefits and challenges of students completing computer-based testing during the school year as part of their preparation. It was a very informative exchange on current assessment practices and potential ways that we continue to improve the process. It also sparked a lot of conversations with a lot of parents and a lot of students even after the fact. On February 12th, I also attended the Abington Emerton Community Advisory Board meeting. Um they have a um a newly robust board. Um so I'm glad to kind of see a few more people in attendance to that specific CAB meeting as well. Um, on February 25th is the Fals and Community Advisory Board meeting as from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Veronica Chennith Activity Center. I also want to wish anybody who celebrates a happy Lunar New Year. Um, and for anybody who celebrates Migall Le Bon Boule.

Wow. Thank you, Miss Inhoff, Mr. Jan Rodana. Man, I'm supposed to foul that up. Hey, I went to the grand opening of Homelands Market with the council president Vincenti, but he left early and I got the ice cream. So, you know, he missed out on that. Uh there's a cab meeting tomorrow night for Jarrettsville includes Forest Hill uh up at the Jaredville Volunteer Fire Company. And that's all I have. And uh I can't say what she said in French. So, uh you know, have a good evening. Thank you, Mr. Janet Dana, Mr. Riley.

Yes. I'd like to congratulate uh Gladen Curt's 60 years of service, active service with the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Department. We did an awards banquet for her. And also, I had the privilege going to behavioral innovations grand opening along with Debbie. And not only is the Jarrettzville uh tomorrow night, but Thursday night, they also have the Churchville Creswell. Uh that's all, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. Riley. Uh 17 business from the council president. Uh today is kind of a special day because it is former county council president uh Richard Slutzky's birthday today. So I called and wished him a happy birthday. He's 83 today. Uh doing well. Um and then also everyone's mentioned a ribbon cutting at Homelands. Um, but it's important to note that used to be a bank. Uh, and when I went in there uh to walk through the place, it's amazing. It's a great venue for local artist and also uh local farmers to sell their wares. I think High View Farms had some meat products in there. Uh, and also Brooms uh Bloom's Broom. Couldn't get it out. It was very good. Yes. Uh and then um again tragically uh got to share our condolences uh for the family and friends of Tommy Close. Uh very sad to hear that he passed and then the sudden tragic passing of Mike Peele and Chip Heaps. Uh so I'd ask you to keep all their friends and families in your thoughts and prayers. And with that, we'll adjourn this meeting. Thank you.