The Aberdeen City Council looks to resolve a number of outstanding issues during its Monday night session including adoption of the fiscal year 2011-2012 Operating and Capital Budgets, setting the tax rate for the same time period, updating the city’s Comprehensive Plan, and nominating a full-time replacement for city police chief.
In early October 2010, the city council voted 3-2 to not renew the contract of the city’s longtime police chief Randy Rudy. Mayor Mike Bennett tapped Aberdeen Police Department Captain Henry Trabert to serve as acting chief until a permanent replacement could be chosen. At the time, Bennett said he hoped to have the search for a new chief wrapped up after the holiday season, early in 2011. The search is over and on Monday night, the city council will vote on the nomination of a full-time police chief, which could include removing the “acting” status from Trabert’s title and allowing him to remain full time in the position he has now served for nearly eight months.
Also Monday night, the city council will hold a public hearing on the Operating and Capital Budgets, Fiscal Year 2012 (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012). The FY 2012 General Fund Budget is based on an annual real property tax rate of $0.6800 per $100 of assessed value and an annual personal property tax rate of $1.70 per $100 of assessed value. The FY 2012 Water Use Rate will be a minimum charge of $14.50 for the first 3,500 gallons or less and $4.38 per each additional 1,000 gallons. The Sanitary Sewer Use Rate will be a minimum charge of $17.02 for the first 3,500 gallons or less of metered water and $4.85 per each additional 1,000 gallons of metered water.
The city council will also hold a public hearing on an ordinance creating a new subclass of real property in Aberdeen for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which would be taxed at a different, lower rate than other properties in the city to serve as incentive to attract sustainable, military-related development to the city.
In an effort to attract commercial development as it relates to the U.S. Army’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) that is occurring at Aberdeen Proving Ground and to promote sustainable development which can be partially achieved when buildings are built to LEED certifications, the mayor and city council are proposing to use tax policy to induce building developers to build to LEED (or approved equivalent) certification.
In order to qualify for the new LEED tax subclass, a property must fulfill the following requirments:
– The improvements are an office building. The office building may include on its first floor ancillary and clearly subordinate uses such as banks, restaurants, coffee shops, gyms and similar types of commercial uses.
– The office building must have a minimum of 50,000 square feet of gross floor area.
– The office building must have been granted a Use and Occupancy Permit by the City of Aberdeen on or after January 1, 2011.
– The office building must have and maintain a LEED Silver designation or, in the discretion of the City, a similar designation from a comparable entity that rates buildings for energy efficiency.
Monday night’s agenda also includes the presentation of proclamations and awards for the Aberdeen Heritage Trust Poster Contest; recognition of Harford County Teacher of the Year Christian Slattery; the Maryland Rural Water Association Employee and Wastewater System of the Year Awards; and the City of Aberdeen Comprehensive Plan 2011 Update.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Aberdeen City Hall.
The full agenda is listed below:
CITY OF ABERDEEN COUNCIL AGENDA
Council ChambersMay 23, 2011, 7 PM
Call to Order – Roll Call
Opening Prayer – Apostle Dianne Welsh, Breath of God Christian Fellowship Church
Pledge of Allegiance – Councilwoman Landbeck
Approval of Minutes: Council Meeting, May 9, 2011
PRESENTATIONS:
Proclamations & Awards by Aberdeen Heritage Trust Poster Contest, Nancy Backus
Proclamation in Recognition of Christian Slattery, Harford County Teacher of the Year
MD Rural Water Association Employee and Wastewater System of the Year Awards
The City of Aberdeen Comprehensive Plan 2011 Update, Phyllis Grover
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Ordinance No. 11-O-05, LEED Office Park Tax Subclass
Ordinance No. 11-O-06, City of Aberdeen Comprehensive Plan 2011
PUBLIC COMMENT: No more than five (5) minutes shall be given to any individual speaking unless the Council determines otherwise.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION:
Setting the Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 and the Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2011-2012, Budget Ordinance No. 11-O-04 (For Adoption)
BUSINESS OF THE CITY:
1. Unfinished Business
2. New Business
3. Business from Director of Planning & Community Development
4. Business from Chief of Police
5. Business from Director of Finance
Year-to-Date Financial Transactions
6. Business from Director of Public Works
7. Business from City Manager
Nomination of Police Chief
BUSINESS OF COUNCIL:
1. Business from the City Council
2. Business from the Mayor
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Next Council Meeting: Monday, June 6, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Next Council Work Session: Monday, June 13, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Mama Mia! says
New Chief of Police!? S.S.D.D.! Bennett got his “suck up” in for Chief (who did’t know that would happen!). The “$64,000” question is….how much money did the taxpaying citizens of Aberdeen have to spend on the “smoke and mirrors” search for a new chief, when all along, those of us “in the know” folks knew it would be Henry Trabert?
I’ve heard it was in the $15,000 range! But whatever the true amount is, it’s still ashame about the “leaders” of Aberdeen. I guess our city will never get its collective head out of its ass….
RWinger says
Can Mama Mia explain a little deeper for those of us not “in the know” who pay the taxes that keep the city running? The only information that I heard is that there was a national search conducted and extensive questioning from a panel that included an Aberdeen officer. I thought that was a little strange having an employee work on picking their new boss.
Mama Mia! says
RWINGER, The “national search” was the reason that the large sum of money was spent! Candidates that passed “muster” (or scrutiny) of the bogus committee were flown into town, put up in a hotel, etc, interviewed, and then sent on thier way (all at OUR expense!). Oh, and by the way, the search committee consisted of City Manager Doug Miller (a Bennett lap dog), an existing officer of A.P.D. (an other lap dog picked by Bennett), a citizen selected by Bennett (and certainly a lap dog), and finally Bennett himself! Well now….how convenient was that special little committee!? And yes RWINGER, it is a “far-out” idea to have a future subordinate picking the new boss! I wonder how that “normal” officer will be treated by CHIEF Trabert? Like I said earlier in an earlier post….S.S.D.D. Who loses? The citizens of Aberdeen.
vietnam vet says
I think it’s apparent, from day one it would be Trabert. I wonder how the officers, under him feel about this ?
Mama Mia! says
V V, To date, I have spoken to 3 different officers regarding the anointed one called Trabert. The opinions were consistant. They basically shook their heads from left to right and sighed heavily. Not a good response in deed!
sandi says
3 whole people?? WOW! That’s a great number to be able to tell how “the officers” feel about it. When you actually ask at least half of the officers come back and report please….(yes, it is sarcastic because too many people, not necessarily you, but too many assume that because a few officers disagree the majority must)
sandi says
I’m not going to go into my personal opinions on how the decision was made, how I feel about Chief, etc. The people that would be interested know how to contact me.
I will say though that the leaders of the City of Aberdeen who I know read this need to keep in mind that you will never get different results if you keep doing the same thing you have been doing. Fairness and impartiality are essential in gaining and keeping the respect of others.