Council adopts three resolutions on AEDs, bottle-deposit support and a legislative personnel study panel

The council voted on three resolutions late in the Feb. 18 meeting.

Resolution 6-25, sponsored by Councilmember Pickard, urges the county to expand public access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in parks and to work with private donors and the county Fire Department on a program of externally mounted units. Pickard said other Maryland counties have placed AEDs in park kiosks and that a local group had secured donations for several units. The council adopted the resolution unanimously.

Resolution 7-25 asked the council to urge the Maryland General Assembly to support House Bill 735 and Senate Bill 642, legislation to establish a beverage-container deposit program (a bottle-deposit system). Sponsor Councilmember Rabian said preliminary fiscal notes show the program would be nearly revenue neutral over time and that deposit programs substantially raise recycling rates. Council members were split on requesting a county position to the General Assembly; the recorded roll call shows multiple ayes and two abstentions from members who said they wanted more information or preferred to advocate on the issue at the state level. The roll call recorded named votes (Smith—Aye; Pickard—Aye; Volkke—Aye; Radbien—Aye; Hummer—Aye; Ledbetter—Abstain; Spiedler—Abstain).

Resolution 8-25 appointed members to an ad hoc committee charged with studying personnel policies for the legislative branch and extended the committee's deadline to deliver a final report. The council adopted that resolution unanimously.