[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6181801,"mediaKeyId","5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30","parentId",5112221,"title","Bel Air commissioners oppose moving district court out of downtown, plan outreach to county delegation","audioSeconds",1098,"startMs",606000,"endMs",1704000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30&start=606&end=1704","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30/thumbnail_606000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6181801/Bel-Air/Harford-County/Maryland/Bel-Air-commissioners-oppose-moving-district-court-out-of-downtown-plan-outreach-to-county-delegation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181801-d4466bbd04acaaa14dc04e855ac2ee9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195371&Signature=OuNfWCvDP7QNfb4yvH0YVyLAibqqsIxAP6NPEWeTA8GtgA2LjWYPwhiQMxUDw1NJe39WqLS~EnjOEjIe2Hhjk8EBBKPdnPiJXigGJesMs0-Pf8uJzAK-MQ90NOkwZREZgzFhDBqXpebP~lKxQTvCewozKu9lxVJoMgvSv96rOFT79BLECQJ4vSduMg3dT1BD7PgAzIzaggczsEhTGJjlfVgj1fzf2EttDf5SPjvg7Qq8GI1E9FPOm39HJrGbET4TSky5HtwGRuaGjlzc9EjKbytSbnsPq7mV8pfFfOFB4q9zty4uVmh~c4Lay7HiUQ280u3r75dfbAG5n~nMwMAqCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-01T09:52:53Z","article","Bel Air commissioners publicly discussed the state’s purchases of properties near the Target on Marketplace Drive and said relocating the district court there would harm downtown businesses and remove tax‑generating parcels from the town rolls.

Chair Eddy said she requested the item so the Board of Town Commissioners could discuss it publicly. “My concern about moving the district court is gonna be very disruptive to our downtown economy,” she said, adding that the state has purchased several properties but may still be negotiating for the Walgreens parcel.

The commissioners framed the issue as both a local economic concern and a countywide service question: keeping a fully staffed district court downtown supports attorneys, court staff and the small businesses—cafés and shops—that rely on courthouse foot traffic. “Hollowing out that property is going to be terrible for the town of Bel Air,” Commissioner Taylor said, noting that courthouse visitors and employees “still eat lunch” and “walk across Thomas Street.” Commissioners also raised the prospect of a satellite location in the Route 40 corridor to serve residents in the southern part of the county while retaining downtown court functions.

Several commissioners said they planned coordinated outreach. Chair Eddy said she had called state and local officials and would contact the administrative judge for the district court, the county sheriff and the state’s attorney. Commissioner Taylor urged bipartisan support and recommended lobbying the Maryland Department of General Services and the governor’s office with a packet of local endorsement letters. “When they go to lobby DGS and the governor's team … they need to be armed with all the local support letters in the world,” Taylor said.

The board did not take a formal vote. Commissioners agreed on two next steps: 1) Chair Eddy will circulate a draft list of stakeholders and contacts for outreach, and 2) the town will consider endorsing or joining any similar Harford County position letter. Chair Eddy said she would reach out to Senator James, the administrative judge she identified as Judge Miller, State’s Attorney Allison Healy and Sheriff Jeff Gaylor to solicit perspectives and potential support.

Commissioners described alternatives and precedents in other jurisdictions, including satellite district court offices in Baltimore County and other Maryland jurisdictions where attorneys travel between locations without full local offices. They noted uncertainty about which state agencies will remain downtown if the courthouse function moves and stressed that losing courthouse traffic could reduce patronage to downtown small businesses.

No formal motion or ordinance was introduced at the meeting. Commissioners signaled intent to pursue coordinated advocacy with the county and local stakeholder groups, including business associations on Route 40 and the Downtown Alliance.

The commissioners said they will continue discussions as responses arrive from state and county officials; Chair Eddy will circulate her proposed contact list and suggested stakeholders for the town’s outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","06/30/2025 Board of Town Commissioners Town Hall Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Bel Air commissioners publicly discussed the state’s purchases of properties near the Target on Marketplace Drive and said relocating the district court there would harm downtown businesses and remove tax‑generating parcels from the town rolls.","taxTitle","Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland","taxId",54308,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":44,"_47":79,"_49":80,"_51":81,"_53":82,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":83,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":84,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6181789,"Bel Air commissioners approve $16,679 purchase of servers and five desktop PCs from Dell",123,483000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30&start=483&end=606","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30/thumbnail_483000.jpg","/articles/6181789/Bel-Air/Harford-County/Maryland/Bel-Air-commissioners-approve-16679-purchase-of-servers-and-five-desktop-PCs-from-Dell","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181789-0303dd8a61c731fdeab9b0ccc5353fb9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195371&Signature=NTMnxwJtkZdIaZpz027YuCgc6EwjAdq1oOVfL7enlFgO9XV7lbdbcr6qG5WMuaC965iuwQ0H8KcdEWPZpq0sESXfUNFxOOYU8-~wgTiCx7gfLiZb1AxMi8OP6K5clvr~2V-35qe2CTrFFe4R5~i5vmVDCTE5GZCsKsB-fBzOLbghjoOV4YDiI5~G8rP8GE1ft7g~OBy5M0HhJEGCd2A6Wi8S~~~4tbx5e6NDozAqOpH16RBFdozpdMhDtkCSHBNtFFidPUc2lstF5U08ObFYaZM895GV404stgZJeQqzEfCrfJVL587UnVp3UR3XjlQHzDJ46~GlcuZSPeP9fqWRag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Town Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a purchase of IT equipment from Dell Marketing: two PowerEdge R450 servers and five Pro Slim Plus personal computers in a combined amount of $16,679.47.

Commissioner Rutledge moved approval of the Dell Marketing proposals to purchase the two servers and five computers; Commissioner Taylor seconded. Mr. Krantz, speaking for staff, said the purchase was originally budgeted for fiscal year 2026 but could be pulled into the current fiscal year. “We had tentatively budgeted this for FY26, but we are able to pull that forward … into the current fiscal year. Hence, the little bit of urgency to get your approval prior to July 1,” he said.

Commissioners expressed support for updating town technology. The motion passed on a unanimous roll call: Commissioner Rutledge, Commissioner Chismar, Commissioner Taylor and Chair Eddy voted “Aye.” The board did not add further budget details or conditions during the approval.

Town staff indicated the purchase is for the town IT department; Mr. Krantz offered to put another staff member on the line if commissioners had technical questions but none were raised. The contract and authorization were approved at the meeting and staff may proceed with the procurement and deployment consistent with the FY25 accounts as discussed.","The Board of Town Commissioners approved a $16,679.47 purchase of two PowerEdge R450 servers and five Pro Slim Plus personal computers from Dell Marketing, moved from next fiscal year into FY25 to meet an operational need before July 1.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6181794,"Bel Air adopts ordinance increasing required distance between cannabis dispensaries to one half mile",151,315000,466000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30&start=315&end=466","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112221-36c7f33c8c0d87f803b8f23dc79a3e30/thumbnail_315000.jpg","/articles/6181794/Bel-Air/Harford-County/Maryland/Bel-Air-adopts-ordinance-increasing-required-distance-between-cannabis-dispensaries-to-one-half-mile","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181794-7baae3f771565cc5152d74e2fa6df949/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195371&Signature=olpf9ouD0uiPcaadD~Orm6Vnle2j5EpD78IzLh5gkNK7CqewQ-zflW8KdL3ceeQoaBdRI7jNt6rjEljUB4mnsUJGwycox6K5cNXHyD03vC5hc-er6AfXLBHWPXJpKDEEfs08tLz4KyBoSlmsXouyuHaM6rmnq4PNxcdH1Q8q1aVDgXz9QrQbrYDCyJVXffWNPQEdyduHo28iiAWUvTzHUPVkT4NgmUfUkr3iJ5uzPM6EURUOqrk-V6SlBwfgB2J5cidH~zzREkpexnb6s9xNL78PdSrZlICLwoukozzxXao2gk8naKh3D~fK7aCmwRUiH7CxUAc~J3FgoHmnLAZkaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Town Commissioners of Bel Air approved Ordinance 842‑25 on first reading to revise the town code’s spacing requirement for cannabis dispensaries, changing the minimum distance from 1,000 feet to one‑half mile.

Commissioner Chismar moved for approval of Ordinance 842‑25, described in the public hearing as “amending the town code chapter 165, article 7, section 165‑53(h)(2)(a)(1), revising the required distance between cannabis dispensaries.” Commissioner Rutledge seconded the motion. Commissioner Taylor said he preferred adopting the state‑authorized maximum distance to allow the town to “crawl before we walk and run” with a new business type; he added the change could be revisited later. “I certainly don’t think it's wise to invite a proliferation of cannabis dispensaries into the town limit,” Commissioner Taylor said.

Chair Eddy confirmed the board had only one choice under state law—selecting a permitted distance between 1,000 feet and one‑half mile—and called the roll. The vote was unanimous: Commissioners Rutledge, Chismar, Taylor and Chair Eddy voted “Aye,” and the ordinance was approved.

The ordinance changes only the spacing metric; no other regulatory provisions were discussed at the hearing or during the motion. No members of the public spoke at the public hearing, which opened and closed at 5:17 p.m. The board offered that the change aligns the town with the state maximum allowed distance and left open the option to adjust the ordinance later if experience with local dispensaries suggests a different approach.

The ordinance was recorded as approved at the meeting; the board did not set an additional implementation date in the discussion.","The Board of Town Commissioners approved Ordinance 842-25 to amend Town Code Chapter 165, Article 7, Section 165-53(h)(2)(a)(1), changing the allowable distance between cannabis dispensaries from 1,000 feet to one-half mile; the vote was unanimous.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bel Air commissioners oppose moving district court out of downtown, plan outreach to county delegation

Bel Air commissioners approve $16,679 purchase of servers and five desktop PCs from Dell

Bel Air adopts ordinance increasing required distance between cannabis dispensaries to one half mile