Thursday, May 16, 2013
Starting June 1, builders with approved construction plans must upload documents online.
Harford County construction permits are going digital. The county announced this week that its department of inspections, licenses and permits are migrating from paper to digital storage. Currently, the department disposes of submitted paperwork 180 days after a certificate of occupancy has been issued. Electronic storage will eliminate paperwork disposal and the need for hard copies and allow inspectors to access those documents anywhere, according to a county release. The department will require electronic copies of building permit documents—once a building's plans have been approved—starting June 1. Required materials can be uploaded on the county's website.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Harford County will use the Eastern Sanitary Landfill in White Marsh to dispose of solid waste starting in 2016, Harford officials announced Tuesday.
Harford County Executive David Craig announced Tuesday plans to dispose of the county's solid waste in Baltimore County when the existing agreement with the U.S. Army expires in 2016. The estimated annual cost for moving solid waste and recyclables to the Baltimore County transfer station is $13.4 million. The new agreement with Eastern Sanitary Landfill also means the county no longer plans to build a waste transfer station at the former Plecker Golf property in the 800 block of Philadelphia Road in Joppa—a proposal that was met with strong community opposition. The county currently disposes of solid waste at the Harford Waste Disposal Center on Scarboro Road in Street and the Waste-to-Energy facility in the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen …
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Harford County Education Association President Ryan Burbey wrote a letter to the editor in response to Harford County County Executive David Craig's proposed budget.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The fiscal year 2014 budget is $6 million higher than the previous budget, a 1.31 percent increase.
Taxes won't be going up under Harford County Executive David Craig's proposed budget. The budget for the 2014 fiscal year is, in all, $6 million higher than the 2013 fiscal year's budget, a 1.31 percent increase, according to a county press release. According to the statement, funding for the Harford County Board of Education is more than $1.95 million above state-mandated maintenance levels, and the budget spends an additional $1.5 million on teacher pensions. The budget has no wage increases for county, sheriff's office or county library employees. The new budget will fund new or replacement schools at Youth's Benefit Elementary and Havre de Grace High School and "major systemic projects" at Joppatowne High School. The budget includes $…
Friday, April 5, 2013
The bill passed the Maryland state senate Thursday night.
The State Senate Thursday passed an amended gun control bill, despite votes against by all three Harford County-based senators. The bill passed the senate with a 28-19 vote. Maryland delegates passed the amended bill earlier this week in a 78-61, with opposition from the entire Harford County delegation. The bill bans more than 40 types of guns including the AR-15 and prohibits those who are involuntarily committed from owing a gun. Also included in the bill is a controversial requirement for all future purchasers of regulated firearms to be fingerprinted and licensed. The changes in licensing represent the first time in two decades that any state has attempted to impose new licensing requirements. The bill also prohibits the possession of…
Thursday, April 4, 2013
A bill in the Maryland legislature that would have allowed Harford County to impose a hotel tax failed last week, but supporters are already planning to try again next year.
Last week marked the end—at least for now—of a proposed bill in the Maryland legislature that would have allowed Harford County to collect taxes on hotel room bookings in the county. Harford is currently the only county in Maryland without a lodging tax. Del. Mary-Dulaney James, a Democrat representing Harford and Cecil counties who sponsored the hotel tax bill, said she plans to introduce similar legislation again next year. "It has bipartisan and near-complete support back home and there is no reason for it not to pass." James said Thursday, referring to residents and those outside the delegation. "My sense is that people are more afraid of the right wing than the right thing to do." Harford Tourism Manager Wini Roche also expressed …
The Maryland House of Delegates passed gun control legislation.
Despite opposition from Harford County lawmakers, Maryland is one step closer to passing stronger gun control measures after a bill proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley passed the Maryland House of Delegates this week. The amended bill bans 40 kinds of rifles including the AR15, requires fingerprinting and licensing of all purchasers of new guns and broadens the law prohibiting firearms purchases by anyone who is involuntarily committed because of mental illness. Legislators in the House of Delegates—in a 78-61 vote—successfully passed the gun control bill Wednesday with unanimous opposition from the Harford County contingent. All eight Harford County Delegates cast votes against the bill. (See chart) The amended bill will return to the Senate…
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Harford County Emergency Operations Center will activate at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Harford County will partially activate its emergency operations center at 8 a.m. Wednesday to prepare for a winter storm. Harford County Emergency Manager Rick Ayers, in an automated phone message to county residents around 6 p.m. Tuesday, said the county is anticipating the heaviest snow during the day Wednesday, with up to six inches of snow possible. Wind gusts up to 40 mph are also possible, Ayers said. Earlier Tuesday, the National Weather Service was projecting up to 10 inches of snow for parts of Harford County. Ayers' message in full: Good Evening, this is Emergency Manager Rick Ayers with a winter weather message. Harford County has been placed under a Winter Weather Warning. The heaviest snow will occur during the daylight …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
County Executive David Craig announced the 2013 ratings.
The world's three prime credit rating agencies have given Harford County the same ratings it had last year, County Executive David Craig announced Wednesday. Each year, Standard and Poor's, Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings identify how stable governments are for investments and rank them accordingly; a triple-A rating is the most secure. Craig traveled to New York with four members of his administration to present the county's financial outlook to the credit rating agencies in January. In 2013, Moody's and Fitch each gave Harford AAA ratings. Standard and Poor's gave the county a rating of AA+. These were the same ratings the county received last year. "Although we would have liked to have received an AAA bond rating from all …
Strickland must be confirmed by the Harford County Council to serve as the director.
Russell Strickland, head of Harford County Emergency Operations, was this week named acting director of the newly formed Department of Emergency Services. Harford County Executive David R. Craig made the announcement Tuesday afternoon. "Russell brings to the position years of professional and volunteer service with the Maryland fire and rescue service and has a strong background in executive level leadership," Craig said in a release Tuesday. Strickland was initially hired as manager of emergency operations for the county in September 2012. The Cecil County native has served in public safety since the 1970's when he began as a dispatcher with the Elkton Police Department. He and his family now live in Harford County, just outside Bel Air…
Barry
8:28 pm on Monday, May 13, 2013
Apparently, when Scarboro " closes " it will close only to the commercial trash haulers. Nothing will change for the county residents. Apparently, this means that the recycle, composting, mulch, and trash drop-off will not be affected. Can The Patch confirm this information? more ›