Baltimore County's Drive, Then Sign Event

Three new electric stand-up vehicles gifted to the Baltimore County Police Department aren't exactly street legal yet.

But that didn’t stop county officials from putting them into service at the Towson Spring Festival, just three days after publicly showing them off at news conference. That's more than two weeks before the Baltimore County Council gets a chance to officially approve the acceptance of the $39,000 gift from Baltimore County Police Foundation.

County law allows the county to accept gifts valued at $5,000 or more after sending the Council notice and giving them 14 days to decided if they want to formally discuss and vote on the gift.

The Council Monday introduced a resolution seeking to approve the gift. That resolution will be voted on at the May 23 meeting.

This isn't the first time the county has made use of a gift before receiving the required approvals. Typically, the Council frowns on it.

Council Chairman Tom Quirk Monday said he gave the administration approval to use the vehicles after being told that the department hoped to use them.

"I know the executive office did let us know," Quirk said. "I knew we were going to accept [the gift]. I told him I was fine with that."

Quirk declined to talk about why the Council opted to not follow the process outlined in the law.

"I just don't have any more comment about that," Quirk said.