Public Hearings Set For Roads, Fees, Taxis

Havre de Grace City Council set a pair of public hearings to discuss legislation introduced during Monday's regular meeting.

Council will hear public input on proposed alterations to the road code, the water & sewer fee process and the city's taxicab code.

Council also approved two public events during the meeting.

For a full rundown of the meeting, as provided during a live blog Monday night, read below:

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8:18 p.m.: The meeting adjourns.

8:17 p.m.: Councilman Miller noted the planning committee will meet at 7 p.m. on April 9 to discuss zoning at the proposed hospital at MD Route 155 and Bulle Rock Parkway.

8:16 p.m.: During public comment, resident Bob Robinson noted that he knew former City Councilman Ralph Mason, who used to give he and other children a ride to school.

Robinson offered a prayer for Mason.

8:14 p.m.: Council President Bill Martin recalled initial meetings with city and county officials at David Craig Park.

"You would need a machete to get down to the water. It was a jungle. Mayor there was poison ivy down there. I saw it," Martin said.

Martin said the project was done well under budget.

He continued, noting that the city staff's efforts enabled a sidewalk project initially estimated at $14,000 to $18,000. The project is now near completion, thanks to the physical construction project by city staff, paid for by grants found by city staff through the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway.

"8:08 p.m.: Dougherty mentioned the annual Easter egg hunt will be held at noon Saturday at Tydings Park.

Dougherty said it’s like watching a human vacuum at work, after hours of set-up.

“In five minutes, it’s cleaned out,” Dougherty said of the childrens’ quick egg pick-up.

8:06 p.m.: Councilman Jim Miller said the city will hold a community clean-up day from 8 a.m. to noon on April 21 at the .

Miller also notes a large soccer tournament will be coming to the region in the middle of summer in 2013, bringing approximately 30,000 visitors to the area.

"It should be a pretty big boom to the economy here to the restaurants and the hotels. We won’t collect any hotel taxes, of course," Miller said.

Councilwoman Barbara Wagner said she's already contacted the city's tourism department about the event.

"They’ll be here for five days," Wagner said of the players and family members. "They’ll book the whole five days, assuming they make the end of the tournament, and if they don’t make the end of the tournament, they’ll be looking for things to do." 

Wagner recognized city employee Marissa Willis of the planning department, who sends out a tip of the day for environmentally-friendly practices.

Wagner also recognized community members who helped take on the project of cleaning up David Craig Park in the Fall of 2009.

Wagner said a meeting of the Havre de Grace Green Team will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the prospects of a community garden. The meeting will be held at the police station.

7:54 p.m.: Mayor Dougherty begins his address, noting: “I’m mentally tired today, so I want to be as brief as possible.”

Dougherty said he attended the at before Monday's meeting. He said it's the second youth-oriented fundraiser he's attended in the last month at the restaurant.

“It certainly showed that the McDonald’s corporation and the local franchise is a big supporter of our youth with these fundraiser they sponsor,” Dougherty said.

7:50 p.m.: Captain Wayne Young of the Havre de Grace Police Department notes the city will hold a prescription drug turn-in program on April 29.

"If you have any unused or unwanted prescription drugs, you can turn those in to the police department," Young said.

7:47 p.m.: Bill Reeder of the department of public works, said David Craig Park is shaping up nicely.

"The lower-half is pretty much completed now," Reeder said. "The upper half, we're working on a rain garden and the parking area. [The lower half] is closed right now for pedestrians."

A hand railing will be installed on the new sidewalk leading down to the parking lot at Tydings Park.

7:45 p.m.: Director of Planning Neal Mills notes the city has received 61 building permits through the third quarter—up from 50 last year.

Of those, there is a trend toward more townhomes vs. single-family homes.

7:42 p.m.: Council unanimously approves two events:

1. Restore Church movies at Tydings Park, Aug. 24 and Aug. 31
2. Hope for a Home 5K Walk/Run at North Park, June 2

7:41 p.m.: Council unanimously adopts an ordinance pertaining to taxicab service in Havre de Grace.

A public hearing has been set for 6 p.m. on April 16 at City Hall.

The ordinance, essentially, allows businesses not based in Havre de Grace to have access to the city for taxi runs. It also removes the requirement for cabs to be registered through both the city and the county.

"This would allow other taxicab companies that may not have an office in Havre de Grace to come into the city and pick up cab fares," Councilman Cullum said. "For quite some time, we haven’t had other businesses. It’s time to open it up for fair trade and let the business be what it is."

7:37 p.m.: Council unanimously adopts two ordinances concerning the Harford County road code.

A public hearing has been set for 6 p.m. on April 11 at City Hall.

"We already have a scheduled public work session on the general fund budget that evening," Martin said.

7:32 p.m.: Council unanimously approves the charter amendment to enable water and sewer funds to be set in intervals of three-or-more years.

"I think this is going to be a great budgeting opportunity for the city," Councilman Randy Craig said.

7:28 p.m.: Council introduces a charter amendment that would set water and sewer rates for three-year periods or more. They are currently set annually. 

7:26 p.m.: Council unanimously approves the resolution.

7:20 p.m.: Council introduces a resolution to approve a lease for the Tidewater Players and Havre de Grace Main Street, Inc. to utilize space in the former City Hall building on Union Avenue—known in the city as the "opera house."

Councilman Jim Miller asked if the lease involved any language pertaining to four parking spots in the rear of the property that are taken up by various storage sheds.

Councilwoman Barbara Wagner suggests the city consider opening the facility up to other organizations, groups and individuals.

Councilman Randy Craig notes that long-term plans for the facility include provisions for more free use of the stage space.

7:17 p.m.: Public comment period closes.

7:14 p.m.: Period for public comment begins.

Resident Chuck Maslin speaks out in favor of a proposed ordinance to overhaul the city's taxicab code.

Maslin said his car, parked in front of his home, was "broadsided by a Montville taxi cab going a high rate of speed down a wrong way street," causing approximately $12,000 in damage.

Maslin said violations and penalties should be raised, though he is in support of the ordinance—which is on Monday's agenda.

"Let’s make these drivers and cab owners, let's hold them responsible when they run havoc around this town," Maslin said. "A $100 fine doesn’t do it, change it to $1,000."

7:11 p.m.: Tiffany Robinson, community development manager with Harford County, revealed that the city will receive $59,080 in a community development block grant. 

The city is already in possession of $225,500—which is dedicated to street improvements on Lewis Lane, as well as the installation of an elevator at the former City Hall building on Union Avenue.

There's no current plan for the recent grant.

7:07 p.m.: Former Mayor Dr. Gunther Hirsch spoke in memory of former City Councilman Ralph Mason, who passed away last week.

“I hope you will honor him, I hope you will remember him. He was a great citizen,” Hirsch said.

Hirsch recounted a story of Mason's defense of Concord Point, where, years ago, the city considered placing a wastewater treatment plant. 

"Ralph and his family deserve a lot of credit for preserving the most scenic place in Havre de Grace," Hirsch said. He continued, noting that the family helped to rebuild the shoreline near the Concord Point Lighthouse, which, he said was "practically sinking into the Susquehanna River”

7 p.m.: The meeting begins with all elected officials in attendance.

6:45 p.m.: Welcome to our City Council live blog, where we will be updating the news coming from City Hall at it happens.

Check back regularly. We will be adding nuggets of news immediately. Feel free to email sean.welsh@patch.com with any questions.

Check out our , which includes a PDF file of the agenda.

NOTE: Lulls in reporting happen from time to time due to wireless internet connectivity inside the council chambers.