Baltimore County Council Work Session on Redistricting, Contracts, and Housing - September 11, 2025
Baltimore County Council Work Session on Redistricting, Contracts, and Housing - September 11, 2025
The Baltimore County Council held a work session on September 11, 2025, to discuss several legislative items ahead of the September 15 legislative session. Key topics included approval of qualified individuals for supervisor of assessments, multiple contracts for services, housing affordability agreements (PILOTs and loans), zoning amendments, and the critical redistricting map for the council expansion from seven to nine districts. Public testimony was heard on numerous items, particularly the redistricting map.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of five qualified candidates for Supervisor of Assessments (personnel matter, names confidential).
- Contracts: Easter Locks (preventive door maintenance, $291,515.73), Johnson Controls (HVAC controls amendment, $454,916.66), CCMI (prevailing wage compliance, $1.8M over 5.5 years), and two auto rental contracts (Sterling and Towson Economy, $50,000 total).
- Supplemental appropriations: Opioid restitution funding for Quick Response Team ($100% no match), cold case DNA testing ($30,000 donation), AIDS case management grant ($449,999).
- Resolutions: Melvin Park PILOT (20-year, 79 affordable units), Turner Station Preservation loan ($495,000, 30-year) and PILOT (10-year), Towson revitalization zone extension, and Pikesville Sustainable Community designation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bill 6325 (CCC overlay first floor apartments): Brad Croner (administration) and Chris Mudd spoke in support, citing market shifts and need for housing flexibility.
- Bill 5225 (demolition delay): Phoebe Evans Latocha (LPC chair) requested withdrawal for more time and input from Maryland Historic Trust. Brad Croner proposed friendly amendments to close loopholes and require council vote within 45 days.
- Bill 5425 (zoning map notice correction): Pat Keller (Perry Hall Improvement Association) opposed, arguing it bypasses public input; recommended referral to Board of Appeals. Roland Patterson raised due process concerns.
- Redistricting (Bill 5525): Over 30 speakers testified. Positions varied:
- Supporters of the original 2-0 or amended 2-1 map: Charlotte Wood, Sen. Charles Sydnor (step forward but needs more), Roland Patterson (NAACP – move in right direction but still dilutes), Linda Dorsey Walker (argued for Woodlawn district), Asia Johnson (Greenlee – supports keeping Essex/Middle River together), Tamara Gunter (Greenlee – opposes commission map, supports original 5525), Janette Barnett (Greenlee – supports new map), Patricia Fallon (Hanover Road – supports, but needed more time), Asa Johnson (Middle River – supports cohesive east side), George White (supports Woodlawn map), Al Barnes (Randallstown – supports Woodlawn map and east side BIPOC), Sheila Lewis (urged use of commission map), Cheryl Gottlieb (criticized closed process, supports commission map), Sam Weaver and Karen Wynn (Essex/Middle River water groups – keep waterfront communities together), Kathy Wolfson (Gaithersburg area – appreciates keeping area in one district, but wants more time), Pam Ecker (Boring – supports 5525), Jordan Harburger (Jews United for Justice – urges time and fairness), Shawn MacIntosh (disappointed process, suggests blending maps), Jason Glenn (Woodlawn – strongly opposes amendment, decries gerrymandering), Danny Blount (criticized original expansion process), Selena Joyner and Michael Joyner (support original map, ask for time), Janice Washington and Aaron Barnett (Woodlawn – support Woodlawn C plan, ask for more time), Owen Anderson (Catonsville – supports 3-1-5 map), India Artis (Villanova – opposes Woodlawn inclusion due to property values), Al Mendelssohn (supports 5525), James Woods (supports Woodlawn map), Neil Posner (supports 5525 as drawn).
- Critics of the original or amended map: Sen. Ben Brooks (commission map is fairer, calls for east side BIPOC), Susanna Berrios (Latino community – map lacks east side diversity), Maureen Wambui (immigrant community – map packs west side, ignores east), Mildred Boyer (supports Woodlawn map), Keith Dorsey (opposes amendment, calls for Woodlawn district).
Discussion Items
- Supervisor of Assessments: Procedure explained; no questions.
- Contracts: Questions on prevailing wage impact (Councilman Young sought follow-up; cost to contractor was $407,000 in FY25 for 52 projects; budgeted at 1% of project cost).
- Housing PILOTs: Melvin Park – 79 units affordable (30% of site); Turner Station – 34 units, all affordable at ≤60% AMI, comprehensive renovations.
- Towson Revitalization Zone Extension: Two long-stalled projects; minor addition.
- Bill 6325: Removes prohibition on first-floor apartments in CCC overlay if within 1,000 feet of retail.
- Bill 5225 (demolition delay): Councilmembers Patoka and Marks engaged with administration and LPC on friendly amendments to require council vote within 45 days.
- Redistricting (Bill 5525): Chair Ortell and Councilman Patoka outlined the updated 2-1 map (two majority Black districts, one BIPOC plurality district). Councilman Jones and Young proposed delaying the vote by two weeks to allow public review. Councilman Marks noted the commission's map was 4-3, not a supermajority. Debate on transparency, timing, and compliance with Voting Rights Act.
- Other bills: Bill 6425 (extend wastewater appeal window to 365 days), Bill 6525 (historic preservation appeals – reintroduced, work in progress), Bill 6625 (LPC meetings – requiring in-person; chair expressed concerns), Bill 5325 (floodplain ordinance – update enactment date), Bill 5425 (zoning map correction – alternative process), Bill 5925 (zoning exceptions for Sudbrook Lane school), Bill 6025 (RO zone uses for hair braiding on Liberty Road), Bill 6125 (revitalization property tax credit for Owings Mills and Woodlawn), Bill 6225 (hookah lounge security personnel requirement).
Key Outcomes
- Most items are scheduled for final approval at the September 15 legislative session.
- On redistricting (Bill 5525), no vote was taken; Councilman Jones and Young requested a two-week delay for public review of the amended map. The council did not commit to that request, but debate indicated possible further amendments.
- The administration will discuss prevailing wage concerns with Councilman Young before the vote.
- Technical amendments were noted for Turner Station resolutions (location and termination date corrections).
- Bills 6525 and 6625 (historic preservation) remain under negotiation; withdrawal or further revisions are possible.
- Bill 5225 demolition delay will be refined with Maryland Historic Trust input.
Meeting Transcript
This is the work session for the legislative session that will take place next Monday on September 15th. So we're going to start out with an approval of qualified individuals for supervisor of assessments. I think, Mr. Secretary, you were going to cover this for us. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman. This is this is submitted by the administration. The procedure that there's an opening of vacancy with the supervisor of assessments. The uh administration is tasked with identifying up to five uh qualified candidates. Those candidates are forwarded to the county council for approval just so that the administration can then move forward those names on to the state for them to uh make essentially make the hire um out of those five names. So uh it's on the agenda for your approval. Uh all five because it's a personnel matter, the the names and the resumes are are confidential. Um if any member needs to review those more in depth, uh I can furnish that to you. Um the they the administration has uh averred that all five of these persons meet the qualifications outlined in the statute for consideration. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you. Um I guess there's no real discussion on this since we kind of an obscure thing. So yes, sir. All right. Uh any questions from the members at all on the okay. All right, so we'll move on to um fiscal matters. Uh first up, we have uh Miss Deborah Schindle, Chief of Property Management on two different items. One's an amendment to a contract for Johnson controls, digital control of HVA systems and preventive maintenance. And the second is a contract for Easter's lock and access systems preventative door maintenance services and inspections. Ms. Schindle, how are you today? I'm good, sir. How are you? Good. Good evening, Councilman Chair and members of the county council. The administration is requesting an approval of a contract for Easter locks and access systems to furnish all labor, material, tools, equipments, supervision, and incidentals to pre-borne preventive maintenance, annual inspections of automatic doors to maintain doors in a working order at all times in various county-owned and operated facilities within Baltimore County. This is a one-year contract with four one-year renewals. The total compensation, estimated compensation for this contract is 291,515 and 73 cents. This contract was competitively bid and was chosen based on the best value, best qualified, low uh experience, and low bid. And I'm willing to take any questions you may have on this kind this contract this evening. Any questions from the members? None. Okay, Ms. Schindle, I guess next item, please. Thank you. The administration is requesting an approval of an amendment to the contract with Johnson Controls to provide digital controls for HVAC systems and our preventive maintenance services. Out of the um original contract, there are 45,484 and 52 cents, and there is $35,718 and 73 cents remaining. The new estimated total compensation of the contract would be 454,916 and 66 cents for emergency repairs and emergency preventive main uh maintenance. This contract will expire in 2026 and will be competitively rebid. And I'm willing to take any contract any questions on this contract that you may have. Any questions from the members? Okay. Thank you, Ms.
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