The Abingdon Community Council met at the Abingdon Branch of the Harford County Public Library on Monday evening, February 27. Public attendance was light. There was a discussion of how to go about increasing community participation. Meeting dates and community council information is disseminated through the Harford County web site, District A Councilman Dion Guthrie’s newsletters, the Abingdon Community Council Facebook page and Abingdon Community Council eblasts.
Harford County Deputy Lieutenant H.J. Dougherty reported on the monthly crime statistics for Sectors 30 and 40. Incidents for robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle theft were relatively stable or up slightly in comparison to the same time period last year. Meeting attendees expressed concern over the continued speeding problems on the State Route 24/ Interstate 95 overpass. Lt. Dougherty reported that there is a traffic task force working on this situation. Another traffic issue of concern voiced by attendees is the intersection of Abingdon Road/ Singer Road and State Route 24. The right turn lane on Abingdon Road has been reconfigured with a short yield and/or merge lane and a concrete barrier that directs the traffic onto State Route 24. Better road markings or more descriptive signs would be helpful to better identify the proper use of this lane. Work at this intersection is a Maryland State Highway project because they are responsible for all intersections on state highways such as State Route 24.
Work is continuing on the traffic calming devices that run through the Cedarday community. A subcommittee of residents was established to work with the county on this issue. Communication problems have led to misunderstandings about the location of some of these installations. There is concern that they will obstruct resident driveways. The speed limit through the community will be a posted 25 MPH with the section near Route 136 at 30 MPH. Road work will resume, weather permitting, on or about March 1 with an expected completion date around the end of May.
The Boulevard at Box Hill will have a J.C. Penney on its site. It is expected that more shopping venues will be under contract by the end of May after the developers attend a retail conference in Las Vegas. The slow economy has deterred or slowed business interest and commitment.
Plans are underway for a new 129 detached single family home subdivision on the east side of the Laurel Bush Road and Hookers Mill Road intersection. There will be entrances to the subdivision onto both Laurel Bush and Hookers Mill Roads.
Maps of the recently drawn council, legislative and senate districts were presented. The Abingdon area is now represented by Harford County Councilmen Joe Woods, Mary Ann Lisanti and Dion Guthrie.
District B Councilman Joe Woods reported that master plan amendments will be completed by Thursday, March 1, and the Harford County Council will vote on the final Master Plan and Land Use Element Plan at the March 6 meeting. Woods has added amendments for watershed protections in the Abingdon area, specifically covering James Run, Winters Run and Bynum Run. There are also amendments concerning ground water protections and development setbacks from waterways.
Woods discussed controversy over the inclusion in the Master Plan and Land Use Element Plan of an arts center on the Emily Bayless Graham property. He stated that at this time, the property is not owned by Harford County and that there are parties contesting the will of the estate. The future of this property is unsettled and therefore putting a designation for this site into the master plan is premature and improper. Woods stated that Harford County constituents have called him to voice concerns about this project and that none of these comments have been favorable. The Joppatowne Community Council is upset that they would receive a garbage transport site in their district while Abingdon becomes the county arts center. The Fallston Community Council is concerned that funding for an arts center will preempt that community’s need for a new elementary school building. Woods reported that because of the controversy, the Harford County Council will be very unlikely to vote for funds for the arts center project.
District A County Councilman Dion Guthrie reported that Harford County budget hearings are proceeding. County Executive David Craig and all of the Harford County Councilmen are worried about Governor Martin O Malley’s plan to transfer partial economic responsibility for teacher pension to the county. The initial annual cost to Harford County, if successful, would be $9 million and would escalate to $15 million within the following years of implementation.
The next meeting of the Abingdon Community Council is scheduled for Monday, March 26, 2012, at 6:30 P.M. at the Abingdon Branch of the Harford County Public Library. Public attendance is encouraged.
Bel Air Fed says
An arts center would have been nice in a time when we all had plenty. But this is a time when most families, even some in affluent Harford county, are living pay check to pay check. I’m glad to see that the arts center will probably be put on the back burner – use what we have – all the millions spent on new schools with nice auditoriusms, let’s use them to the fullest.
Martha Valentine says
The Schools are being utilized to the maximum with their own programs and have little time or space for the arts groups in the community to utilize their resources- the drive for an arts center has come from a grassroots initiative from Harford County as a whole- this initiative began long before Councilman Woods was in office- the facts he is presenting with regard to the arts center are incorrect – for the CORRECT information on how this community is in need of an arts center and what a tremendous asset it will be to the community contact the Center for the Arts Executive Director Sallee Filkins at 410-838-2177 or email sfilkins@centerfortheartsharford.org or go to http://www.centerfortheartsharford.org
noble says
I would be VERY interested in hearing you refute Mr. Woods facts right here for us, please educate us.
Joe Woods Harford County Council Member - District B says
I too would be VERY interested in hearing that information!
The Executive Director and Members of Center for the Arts had an opportunity to give “the CORRECT information on how this community is in need of an arts center and what a tremendous asset it will be to the community” Monday night at the scheduled Abindgon Community Council meeting however they failed the community that they wish to be a part of by not showing up.
So at the next Harford County Council Meeting maybe we should schedule some time for you a Coordinator, on the Harford County Cultural Arts Board that the County Council oversees to explain to me and the rest of the board (you know the County Council) on how we are wrong and help me understand what facts that I’m presenting are incorrect. Also please explain that “the drive for an arts center has come from a grassroots initiative from Harford County as a whole” and it has been a long term initiative. However you should also explain that the potential use of this land is a relatively new thing and that started after I was in office.
Also from the Center for the Arts FAQ section on the web page:
3. Where will the Center for the Arts be located?
A site has been selected and should be announced in spring 2010. The facility is centrally located in Harford County to provide ease of access for residents from all parts of the County and the region. The location was determined after careful analysis of over 20 available public and private sites that met the site criteria. Also analyzed was future BRAC infrastructure and road improvements; access to public transportation; and partnership opportunities with other institutions.
I took Office in 2009, and I have Ms. Roni’s files on that land. I cannot find any information about it being used as a Center for the Arts just a passive park.
So please explain?
You may answer here or contact me directly, I think you know the number.
Marty says
@Martha
Do you have a personal interest in having taxpayers pay for an arts center?
FFFR61 says
The Abingdon Community Council would get more attendees if they were more “people” friendly. They also need to be more community friendly. I have been to a couple of meetings, and they don’t like what the citizens have to say. Their advertising is not reaching the right people, by putting their meeting notices in Councilman Guthrie’s mail, they are reaching the wrong people. They are reaching Joppa/Joppatowne/Edgewood area people and NOT Abingdon area. They need to post in the local area. The Chair of this group needs to do what other chairs do and send out an email to everyone who attends. They need to have a data base and build on that. I attended the first 3 meetings, and signed in and gave them my email, I have yet to get a reminder of any subsequent meetings.
Dion F. Guthrie - Councilman says
Remember since the Re-districting, I now represent a good part of Abingdon and I have added a lot of people from Abingdon to my list. So anyone out there who woule to get on my list, you can e-mail me your e-mail address at dfguthrie@harfordcountymd.gov and I will add you.
noble says
They do that already. I get about two emails a month. You can email them yourself abingdoncc at gmail.com
Pat Scott says
Regarding the Arts Center – May I make a suggestion to the person who has not been contacted about meeting times and places? Call them and offer your volunteer assistance. I feel certain you will be accepted and I believe you will meet some exciting County resident.
Dion F. Guthrie - Councilman says
The problem with the “Arts Center” is the cost. Somewhere around $60,000,000. To many other things on our plate.
Watcher says
Like getting reelected? Never too early to start. Right, Dion? Are you going to subject the district to more bad grammar, loud ties, the inability to pronounce Bel Air (hint: it’s two words), pretending you care about Edgewood, and more out of county and out of state unions padding your political war chest?
Eric says
60 million dollars for a Visual and Performing Arts Center? Really, where do people get these outlandish numbers from? Massive residential developments are built for far, far less. M & T Bank Stadium was built for $220 million dollars just 15 years ago (about $320 million in 2012 dollars). That’s a 70,000 seat behemoth that included considerable demolition and infrastructure modifications. Do you really expect people to believe that a comparably small county “Arts Center” will cost about 1/5th of the value of M&T Bank Stadium? On a piece of land GENEROUSLY GIVEN to the project, with little more than a bunch of trees to be knocked down and another traffic circle to be added. Who ordered the 24K Gold toilet seats???
And while that 60 million dollar figure is ludicrous regardless of who parrots it… isn’t the foundation taking on some responsibility to raise money as well? I don’t know that ANYONE has asked the county to cover the entire tab… whatever that tab may be.
Sadly, my guess is that political red tape will do just enough to kill it… because another residential development with a few hundred more townhomes and condo units will contribute more to the tax coffers. And in the end, that REALLY the only think politicians care about.
Pavel314 says
In all the years I’ve lived in Harford County, I’ve never heard anyone complain about the lack of an arts center. This is another one of those projects where a small group of elites come up with some scheme to spend tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars on something nobody else needs or wants. But, having access to the politicians, they get this talked up as a wonderful investment and none of the rest of us have any say in the matter, other than footing the bill.
Joe Woods Harford County Council Member - District B says
Earlier I received an email from Ms. Martha Valentine – Coordinator, Harford County Cultural Arts Board alerting me to the article posted on the Dagger and stating that I need to do my research and that I am “sending out complete misinformation to the community” on the Center for the Arts issue. I then read the article and discovered that the author failed to document my main point and misreported two of my comments. I made attempts to contact Ms. Valentine by phone then I replied to her email stating my issues with the article and explaining my position on the issue. Then I attempted to contact the Chairwoman of the Abingdon Community Council and Brian Goodman from the Dagger to correct the issue. Being unable to make contact with the above stated individuals I feel it is important to post the corrections myself. Council Member Guthrie or any other people present at the meeting please correct me if I am wrong in my assessment of this article.
First I need to state my “main point” that did not make it into the article. This is also the comment I used at the meeting to start the conversation. This is a quote from my notes: “My final amendment that effects the Abingdon Community is the one to remove the wording for the Center for the Arts from the master plan. I need input from the Community and from the Community Council on how you would like me to move on this? The Abingdon Community will need to live with how that land is used. Tell me how you feel.” I then went on to explain the amendment; what I based this amendment on; and answered questions.
As for the misreported parts of the article I never used the word “controversy” to describe this issue with the master plan and I never reported “that because of the controversy, the Harford County Council will be very unlikely to vote for funds for the arts center project”. I do feel and made the statement that some members of the Harford County Council including myself would not vote for the funding of such a project when we have so many other pressing needs. I also pointed out that the administration has not come to the Council with any request for funding or any MOU’s for the arts center or for the property. The comment: “He stated that at this time, the property is not owned by Harford County and that there are parties contesting the will of the estate” is partly correct. The property is not owned by Harford County, however my comments about “parties contesting the will of the estate” were made while discussing the Quaker Church School and the second will that gifted the land to the Church. Months back the Harford County Council voted to do a land swap to settle that issue. I also stated that I do not remember any mention of the Center for the Arts project when voting on that issue. I will take credit for the other comments in some form or another.
As I stated at the public hearing and at the County Council meeting the reason for my amendment is not about the Center for the Arts; Development of that land; or the Quaker Church School. It is about property rights, land use, and the ability for the Harford County Council to represent our constituents.
First Harford County does not own this property. It is wrong for government to say private land will be used for government use in an official Master Plan without having agreements firmly in place.
Second, the property is not zoned for this type of use. It is unfair for government to just change land use or zoning to fit governments needs without public input when we make our citizens go through a long and expensive process to make changes to their zoning and land use.
Finally, the County Council has not ratified the MOU with the Center for the Arts or been included in any of the discussions with the administration or the Gramham estate. This may be the best thing for the citizens of Harford County and I would like to see a Center for the Arts in Harford County one day, but how can we vote on an issue without having all of the information. If this wording stays and the master plan is approved we the County Council essentially agree to commit taxpayer money and land that we do not own to a project that we have very little information on and without our constituents input.
I stated at the County Council Meeting prior to the Abingdon Community Council meeting that this topic will be discussed at the next Community Council meeting. I encouraged constituents to attend and take part in the discussion. The Abingdon Community Council posted and sent out emails about the meeting saying that members from the Center for the Arts would be at this meeting do discuss the planes and answer any questions. Council Member Guthrie and I both sent emails out about this meeting. Please take notice that the above article does not talk about the members from the Center for the Arts being at this meeting. Per the Chairwoman of the Abingdon Community Council “they (the Center for the Arts) cancelled on us with short notice… stating that they were not prepared for this meeting”. So for now the Abingdon Community can only base an opinion on the limited information we currently have. I asked once again at the end of the Community Council meeting for their opinion because they will be the ones living with this. Only two Community Council members made comments. They both stated anything would be better than more houses. One of the two agrees with the amendment and the other did not comment on it. Four community members and one Community Council member informed me that they do not want to see a Center for the Arts building or any houses and agree with the amendment. Based on the information I have I still support my amendment to remove this section of the Harford County 2012 Master Plan.
Below is some additional information. I encourage everyone to go to your local Community Council meeting. You can find information about them at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/CommunityCouncil/ . You can also attend a County Council meeting or watch it online at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/Council/ . For more information about the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts Inc you can visit http://www.centerfortheartsharford.com/
You can send comments or contact me at jmwoods@harfordcountymd.com
Thank You,
Joe Woods
Harford County Council
District B
Information from the Aegis January 26, 2012:
Center for the Visual and Performing Arts Inc. and County Executive David Craig signed a memorandum of agreement in October in which the county agrees to provide up to one-third of the funding for the building and will also be responsible for all interior and exterior building maintenance…
County capital project:
According to the MOU between the county and the center, the building would be a county capital project, but “the Center shall play an active role in the selection of consultants and the design of the facility.” In addition, “Any major improvement will be a joint decision and the County will consider such through a request by the Center made in the annual County capital budget process,” the agreement states. The Center would also be required to give the county a business plan and annual audit.
County Attorney Rob McCord, who negotiated the MOU, said in November the agreement between the county and the Center was still subject to ratification by the Harford County Council. McCord said at the time he did not know the timetable for submitting it, in part because the county had to tie up a few loose ends regarding the site acquisition.
The agreement between the county and the Center for the Arts says that after the project is completed, the county will lease the site to the Center for $1 per year for an initial term of 30 years, with two additional renewal options of 15 years each, with rent to be agreed upon by both parties.
Earl Grey Abingdon Community Council says
Councilman Woods, Thank you for clarifying and providing some good information. I first want to note that I do not speak for the entire Community Council, but I was present and wanted to provide another perspective.
While most of the above article correctly reflects the events at the meeting, including Mr. Woods comments, he is right about the discrepancies. He did not speak about any “controversy” regarding the Arts Center or how it relates to any County funding. He mentioned the changes to the Master Plan and that nothing about the proposed center has been brought before the County Council. (presumably because the County still does not have ownership of the land)
I am hopeful that the Center for the Arts will be able to present their proposal to the Abingdon community so we can fully understand their intentions, and I look forward to it.
I would also like to remind people that although it is a “center” for Harford County, apparently no County funds have been designated to their project and might never be– yet it could still be completed.
I am anxious to see how this unfolds and I would like to invite others in the Abingdon community to attend our meetings to stay informed on this and other issues.
You can also follow the Community Council at http://www.facebook.com/abingdoncc
Thanks for reading.
Dion F. Guthrie - Councilman says
I agree with Councilman Joe Woods 100%.