Room fees, Parking charges, Taxing Districts : Solving Problems in Aberdeen

A pair of Aberdeen city councilmen believe the path to the city’s fiscal salvation can be paved through a series of new taxes, fees and charges - and they just might be right.

Appearing Dec. 18 on ‘Aberdeen Happenings,’a local radio talk show hosted by Mark Schlottman on WAMD 970 AM, city councilmen Mike Hiob and Ron Kupferman specifically detailed plans for establishing parking fees at Ironbirds games to stave off accumulating city debt on the stadium, acquiring enabling legislation from the Maryland General Assembly to charge a fee on every night’s stay in every hotel and motel room in Aberdeen and installing a special taxing district along part of Beards Hill Road to help pay for an untangling of traffic congestion in the area.

But before launching their three-pronged (tax, fee, charge) approach to righting the city’s finances, the councilmen first spoke about the future of Aberdeen given its new leader - Mayor Mike Bennett, who defeated former mayor Fred Simmons in the November election.

“Do you see a new direction for the city with a new man at the forefront?” Schlottman asked. Continue reading Room fees, Parking charges, Taxing Districts : Solving Problems in Aberdeen

Proactive Police Protect People, Prevent Problems, Procure Praise/Prize

Though occasionally accused of being too aggressive and militaristic of law enforcement initiatives for such a small city, the Aberdeen Police Department’s surveillance camera system and Rapid Response Team (RRT) have undoubtedly helped proactively combat crime and clean up city streets.

At a ceremony in Glen Burnie on Tuesday, those efforts by Aberdeen Police were officially recognized when the law enforcement agency was the recipient a pair of crime prevention awards handed out by Gov. Martin O’Malley.

The Governor’s Crime Prevention Award for Outstanding Proactive Crime Prevention Programs in Maryland was awarded to the Aberdeen Police Department for both its Camera Surveillance Project and its Rapid Response Team Safe Street Initiative. Continue reading Proactive Police Protect People, Prevent Problems, Procure Praise/Prize