A $65,000 grant through Maryland Environmental Services and a $500 donation from a Bel Air-based nonprofit group will allow Harford County’s nine waste oil and antifreeze recycling locations to remain open and keep monitors and restrooms active on the MA & PA Heritage Trail.
Information on the grant and donations was released late last week and gave County Executive David Craig’s office a chance to remind the public that the reduction in services were “due to last minute budget cuts by the County Council.”
Waste Oil Recycling Locations Spared Grant from Maryland Environmental Services Allows Harford County Sites to Remain Open
(Bel Air, MD) – – Faced with the issue of closing nine waste oil and antifreeze recycling locations due to last minute budget cuts by the County Council, the Harford County Department of Public Works consulted with officials at Maryland Environmental Services (MES). Through a grant program available from the Maryland Department of the Environment, MES and Harford County are able to keep the recycling locations open for another year. The cost of the service is $65,000 per year.
“I am very happy we were able to secure this grant funding”, said DPW Director Robert Cooper. “Used motor oil disposed of improperly can be potentially life-threatening to Maryland’s wildlife, contaminate ground water, and disrupt wastewater treatment facilities.”
The nine centers are located in various Harford County and municipal facilities across the county. Hours of operation and locations can be obtained by calling 410-638-3417 or on the County website, www.harfordcountymd.gov/dpw/envaffairs/information.html.
The following rules apply when utilizing the recycling sites:
– Place oil in a leak proof, reusable container with a tight-fitting cap.
– Additional oil can be recovered by draining used oil filters.
– Don’t mix recovered products with water, gasoline, antifreeze solvents or any other substance.
Here is the announcement of the MA & PA Heritage Trail donation:
Ma and Pa Trail Group Donates $500 to Offset County Budget Cuts and Support Trail Monitors
(Bel Air, MD) – – The MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc., a. Bel-Air based not-for-profit organization, made a $500 contribution today to Harford County Parks and Recreation Department to help fund trail monitor positions and keep public restrooms open at two of the trailheads.
The MA & PA Heritage Trail is a walking, running and bicycle trail located on portions of the former Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad corridor in Bel Air and Forest Hill. The group’s contribution comes at a time that the county government must address significant budget shortfalls by cutting staff and services in some departments.
“Harford County Parks and Recreation Department is extremely grateful to the MA & PA Heritage Trail organization for their generous and timely contribution that will help us to continue to provide services to the trail,” said Joe Pfaff, Director of Harford County Parks and Recreation.
The $500 contribution will help to pay the salaries for one fiscal year, starting July 1, of part-time trail monitors who patrol the trail for two hours each day, and also unlock and clean the public restrooms at Melrose Lane in Bel Air and Friends Park in Forest Hill.
“The MA & PA Trail is one of Harford County’s greatest recreational assets and it’s important that it continue to be supported with basic services,” said Rod Bourn, Board President of the MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc. “Our primary mission is to work in partnership with Harford County Parks & Recreation to make the MA & PA Trail a great place to enjoy the local outdoors. In this difficult economy, we feel this is an opportunity to step up and take action to support the county and to support the trail.”
The MA & PA Heritage Trail, Inc. helps preserve the MA & PA Railroad corridor for the present and future generations of Harford County’s citizens. The organization’s more than 100 members also work to preserve the heritage of railroads in Harford County and to promote the development of trails for recreation and an alternate means of transportation. More information is available at www.mapatrail.org.
I guess the Tea Party will protest and bully the people to change this decision also.
As a “Tea Partier”, I think this is a great thing. I am glad the Ma&Pa folks have decided to donate significant funds to help keep the trail monitors. This is what its all about during, community organizations and willing citizens kicking in during hard times, not the Government! Kudos to Mr. Bourn and his organization for doing this.
Tony,
Go read your history books. The Tea Party Group is standing up for your rights and freedoms. Are you suggesting that exercising one’s rights to free speech and one’s right to have a voice in our own government is “bullying”?
Go study up on Thomas Jefferson and then you’ll realize just how much we as individuals have already given up and lost to Big Government.
I guess you Tea Party people are really jumping for joy that your actions caused pain and suffering for those innocent people in the county government who lost their jobs because of your bullying tactics.
I’m glad that this worked out. $500 annually sure doesn’t seem like much money, even for 2 hours per day.
My only initial concern is that the source of the recycling stations has been moved from the County to the State level. We are still paying for it.
I feel that these stations are good because they keep oil and antifreeze out of our water supply, but I can’t imagine they cost that much to operate.
Next year we need to all work on the budget together to help get responsible cuts rather than garbage like “slowing the response to Hazmat spills”. Hurray for Tea Parties! Hurray for Independence Day!
Independence Day TEA Party
9am
220 S Main Street
Bel Air, MD
Maybe the tea baggers, can take a look at the elected Officials, makeing a $100,000 Dollars a year who refuse to give up a dime of there wages & let the lower income take the brunt. lost wages etc.
Patrick McGrady,
Vietnam Vet makes a good point. Could you find the answer to his question. As county employees are furloughed and laid off is everyone in county government making the same sacrifices? Are elected county officials giving back 5 days of their pay? More importantly are the appointees of elected officials, who make over $100,000 a year, giving back 5 days of their pay.
For those who may wonder, yes, I did donate 5 days of my delegate salary back to the State and to charity.
A salary in the mid $40,000 range with benefits and retirement? For three months out of the year?
Joe,
It is true we are insession for over 3 months a year. The rest of the year we work out of our district office doing work for our constituents, attending meetings, doing committee work, answering emails and letters.
While I was at the dog park Saturday, I counted ~15 families per hour pulling up to the Tollgate yard waste drop-off center only to find it now shut down. The Tea Party should claim victory and hang a sign claiming credit for halting this expenditure.
Anyone know why the drinking fountain isn’t working at Annie’s Playground? Is the Tea Party now trying to give our kids heat stroke all in the name of saving us a buck or two?
better yet we could install a quarter machine on the drinking fountian 25 cents for 5 seconds of water