County Council - Regular Meeting

whenever you're ready. Good evening, Chair calls to order Special Legislative Session Day 26-021. I'm going to ask you to please join us for the pledge, followed by an opening prayer by Councilmember Bulls-Hottles.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity to serve. Grant us wisdom, patience, and humility as we conduct the business before us. Bless our community, especially our families and children, during this summer season and keep them safe. Guide our decisions for the good of all. Amen.

Amen. For unfinished business, reconsideration of Vetoed Bill 26-010, LOSAP Amendment Service Benefits. council this evening, we're here to reconsider Bill 26010, our length of service program for our volunteer firefighters that was passed unanimously by this council on June 9th and subsequently vetoed by the county executive as his right with any legislation. In his veto message, the county executive states that he fully supports the intent of this legislation. However, he could not support this bill because the county code outlines a process for making changes to the low sap program. First and foremost, it's important that everyone understands that we were contacted by members of the Hartford County volunteer fire and EMS association to consider several options to support recruitment and retention efforts for volunteers. one being the LOSAP enhancements, a second being property tax credit for our volunteers. This is not something that the council decided to do on its own. Specifically, the county executive suggests that a work group should be formed and an actuarial study conducted before any consideration of increase in benefits. However, during my time on this council, I've had the privilege of supporting amendments to the LOSAB program on two separate occasions, one in 2020 and again in 2022. Our auditors have reviewed Mr. Cassley's veto message and Chapter 28-4 of the County Code does not require an actuarial study for a change in benefits to be made. We know that there are 788 payees less one who passed away yesterday, unfortunately. Jack Polk, a 39-year veteran at a level volunteer fire company, passed away, and he will be missed by many for sure. Over the past several years, we know that there's $47 million left in this account. Our $50 increase proposed will cost the county an additional $550,000. These are all things that we know by not only the auditor's office, but the treasurer's office. Over the past several years, the county has made significant investments in our public safety infrastructure. We've stood up a full-time paid county EMS service to the tune of $65 million. We funded new apparatus for our fire companies, renovations to several fire stations, purchased several different pieces of equipment for them, as well as building two new stations, one in Whiteford, one in Abington. The one in Abington, I think, was $13 million. We have a second one coming in Whiteford to the tune of $23 million. that's gonna be a firehouse and a community center. We also know that this current budget looks at cancer screenings for our volunteers, and we know that it looks at turnout gear for each volunteer to the tune of about $6,000 each. These investments are important, but equipment does not answer emergency calls. and buildings do not respond to fires. Apparatus does not volunteer their nights, weekends, and holidays in service of others, but people do. This council remains committed to providing the same level of commitment to the men and women who continue to be the backbone of our volunteer fire and AMS service throughout Harford County. Supporting this bill is not just an investment in our volunteers today, It is an investment in the recruitment and retention efforts and long-term strength of our volunteer system well into the future. This Council has already spoken and voted unanimously on this issue. Tonight, we have the opportunity to stand by that decision and demonstrate our continued commitment to the volunteers who have dedicated themselves to serving Harford County, saving lives and property 24-7. I respectfully ask for your vote to override veto of Bill 26010. May I have a motion?

Mr. President, I make a motion to override the veto on Bill 26-010, LOSAP Amendment Service Benefit.

May I have a second?

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to approve the override on Bill 26-010. Is there any discussion? Mr. Penman.

Thank you, Mr. President. For the life of me, I can't understand why the county executive vetoed this bill. Harford County is based on our volunteers. And one, this compensates them, not even nearly properly, but incentivizes the program. Harford County cannot afford a full-time fire service. It just can't afford it. So this incentivizes, and we need to think of other ways to incentivize these programs, to bring in volunteers for the safety of Harford County. And $50 increase per month for someone who spent their life dedicated to saving lives is pennies. It's $550,000 annually total. It's the cost of keeping up with inflation. I tell you, elected officials keep up with their inflation because annually our salaries and the county executive salaries are tied to CPI. And since the county executive took office, his salary has went from $155,000 to $180,000. $25,000 increase and we're talking about $50 a month for someone who volunteered their time for a lifetime It makes no sense to me. I can't understand it I can't wrap my head around it and I appreciate my colleagues on the council and for attending this special legislative session, and I look forward to overturning, overriding this veto. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr.

Thank you. Anyone else? Ms. Robert.

Ms. Yes, thank you, Mr. President. So, I really want to address the communication issue with this process. I noticed that in the code, it provides for a periodic review of the low SEP benefits, which is just pretty much vague. And it sounds like it's ongoing. I spoke to Tom, the president of the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS today. And my understanding from his perspective is there's been ongoing discussions regarding the low sap enhancements. And I had a conversation with him and I had a separate conversation with Steve Overbay because I had constituents reach out to me and ask me when this initial letter came out and the memo, who's on the work group? What is the work group? Um, so I was advised by Tom today that the work group is including the representatives from all the 12 volunteer companies, the administration and the treasurer's office. Um, I pretty much got similar response from Mr. Overbay as well. What I didn't understand about the veto was I get that the process was mentioned in the language of the code. However, there's seven of us that came together and agreed on the process that the volunteer firefighters should get the LOSAP benefits. I did ask to Tom about what he felt was needed to improve and really the benefits to get more recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. He felt that that was their biggest problem right now. And what I've heard and read, and I did a lot of research and conversation within the past two weeks, is that this disagreement has not been about the benefits themselves, but rather the process outlined in the county code. And my theory is at this point, these communications between everyone needs to get better, stronger, so it'll be less confusing and avoid Scenarios like this. I also spoke with Steve about the work group and I on my conversation with him said I would like to be a part of the work group and I also told Tom that today that I would offer myself as being a person from the council to be part of that work group to bring in a little bit more transparency and but also to make sure that things are effectively going through the way they claim that they are going to be going through. At the end of the day, it appears everyone is at the same goal, the same mission to strengthen the LOSAB program. And I'm hoping that that is true. My understanding is the actuary study is probably done. It was supposed to be done for a meeting that is going to be held tomorrow with the work group, according to Tom. And I advise Tom, And I've advised Mr. Overbay that I'd like to be present for the work group meetings. So I'm just hoping that at the end of the day, we're getting our firefighters, those boots on the ground, and those who have served their time, the financial benefits that they should be awarded. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Ms. Robert. Mr. Giangerdana.

I also spoke with Tom today, and I did speak with some other fire people in different fire departments. But I also agree with Councilwoman M. I'm sorry, Councilwoman Robert, that the communication maybe is a little bit better and ongoing about that. But I also think the study I'm hoping comes back and shows that maybe it's not $25 because I don't think $25 is a good representation of inflation of the last couple of years and what we can do with the low SEP. But I also like to see and going to work on and I've already going to work on legislation where this is automatic every two years that it has to be done, has to be brought A study has to be done, has to be brought to the council, and then acted upon moving forward so that we're not in this position. Furthermore, I've thought about how to increase the benefits for the volunteer fire department. It's not a property tax. It's an income tax, and it's a reduction for the Hartford County income tax, which is 50% or 3%, maybe up to a gross tax. I've had Brad look at that, and if we did that across the board with the amount of people that we have, that would probably look at about 2.4 million. But what it would do is new people coming into the fire department or the younger kids who don't have a property that they own would give them a tax credit on their taxes up to 3% and up to, you know, if they made $100,000, it would be about a $3,000 benefit. That attracts young people, you know, who aren't buying a house, but maybe in the future are gonna buy a house, based on the low set points, you know, that they currently have going, but also spread out over four quarters, not where they just do it in one quarter, but it's spread out over four quarters. Um, I think that's something they also get a tax break from the state, but that could add on top of that, which is a huge benefit across the board. So, uh, anyway, that's what I have to say. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Bennett.

Um, I agree with everyone else's comments tonight. I think the idea of an income tax credit is a great idea because, you know, low SAP is a benefit you get near the end of your volunteer service. So having a benefit that hits you early in your service is a wonderful idea. And I think it's important to remind people at the end of the day, this bill is about giving back to the people who give so much to us and our volunteers. And I also think it's important to remember that if there were concerns about the procedures, In this process, Mr. Overbay was sitting at that desk the night of the hearing, the night of the vote, and did not bring those concerns forward. But what was brought forward was concerns from the treasurer about spending the $500,000 with his comments to the firefighters being every dollar given has to be taken from somewhere else. And the actual reality is there is plenty of money present to provide this to our volunteers. So I look forward to overriding this veto tonight and providing this additional money to our volunteers. And I hope that the county executive moving forward is able to provide even more to our volunteers beyond this increase.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Anyone else? And I think that is absolutely the outcome we all want. We want to see our volunteers taken care of into the future. We know that at some point we will expand on the hybrid system that we have. We know that that is a positive step. $2.5 million, $2.3 million, $500,000. It's a heck of a sight cheaper than $200 million to fund a paid fire service. Anyone else? Ms. Dixon?

Mr. President?

Aye.

Mrs. Robert? Aye. Mr. Penman? Aye. Mr. Giangerdano? No. Mrs. Wills-Oddles? Aye. Mr. Bennett? Aye.

There being five votes in the affirmative, one negative, the veto override is hereby approved. That'll adjourn this meeting. Thank you.