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Council hears dozens of appointments and several administrative measures; DGS reorganization and BGE easements flagged for work session
Summary
In the same Feb. 18 session the council received testimony for numerous appointments to local commissions and heard administration testimony supporting a proposed Department of General Services. Real‑estate staff briefed the council on two easement requests from Baltimore Gas & Electric; councilmembers asked BGE to appear at a work session for further explanation.
Beyond the CB11 hearing, the Howard County Council received a long series of nominees speaking to qualifications for boards and commissions, including the Commission on Women, the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission, the Opioid Restitution Fund Commission and the LGBTQIA+ Commission. Nominees summarized experience in education, homelessness services, addiction recovery, planning, and nonprofit work.
Administration testimony in support of Council Bill 9 (establishing a Department of General Services) described administrative reorganization that would move facilities and real‑estate functions from the Department of Public Works into a standalone DGS, and estimated a fiscal impact of roughly $600,000 to the general fund for executive leadership positions. Members asked clarifying questions about functions that would remain with DPW and how the Board of Public Works’ authorities would interact with the new department.
Real estate staff presented two small easement conveyances requested by Baltimore Gas & Electric to install communications fiber at Rockburn Branch Park and along Church Avenue. The county real estate official said BGE had agreed to restore disturbed property and would pay appraised values; several council members said they want BGE to brief the council at a work session before final action.
The council also heard general public testimony on other bills, including an item to provide right of first refusal to the county for some mobile home parks and motels; advocates called it a tool for preserving affordable housing stock.
No votes were recorded on these items in the Feb. 18 session; some items were postponed for work‑session discussion or to the Feb. 19 continuation of the legislative hearing.
