Council Meetings On Demand

From HoCo Gov:

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and County Council Chairperson Mary Kay Sigaty are pleased to announce that beginning Monday, October 5, the County will officially launch new video streaming technology that will enable the public to view County Council public hearings and legislative sessions through the Internet. The Council sessions will be available either live or on demand, at the viewer’s convenience, from the “webcast” link on the County’s homepage at www.howardcountymd.gov. The first live webcast will be the Council’s Legislative Session on the 5th beginning at 7:30 pm.

“We know that more and more people are getting their news and information off the internet as opposed to through traditional media outlets, so the Internet is where we need to be. This is a giant step forward in open government and how we communicate with the public,” said Executive Ulman.

“Our citizens demand and are entitled to know when the Council is engaged in the all-important function of passing laws that impact on their welfare. Now, they can follow the ins and outs of the process,” said Council Chairperson Sigaty.

The new on-line service is powered by San Francisco-based Granicus, Inc., the premier provider of government webcasting and public meeting management solutions to over 500 government agencies spanning 45 states across the nation. The Granicus solution includes streaming software to capture, manage, store and distribute online video recordings. In the future, the county plans to offer videos of different county events and other public meetings available through the video streaming technology.

On Thursday, October 8, the Howard County Board of Education will also begin using the same technology to broadcast their public sessions on-line, live and on-demand. To access those meetings, visit the school system’s website at www.hcpss.org/board.

The funds to purchase this new technology were provided by Ellicott City Cable Company through a cable franchise agreement signed with Howard County earlier this year.

No Rush For Speed Cameras

On Thursday, a new state law goes into effect authoritizing wider use of speed cameras across the state, but few communities, including Howard have approved programs yet, according to WaPo.

Howard County has set aside money for a speed camera program but has yet to approve its use. Police in Baltimore and Frederick have begun collecting the documentation required before a council vote. Anne Arundel County has no immediate plans for the cameras, although Annapolis is considering their use.

WaPo paired its update with a second story looking at the experience of one speed camera near Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville.

Two years ago, when Camera #2091 was installed, there were about 75 Kodak moments a day in this spot. This Monday: 16. The sharp decline leaves little doubt that drivers slow down on this stretch of road, as they tend to most anywhere a speed camera is mounted. But important questions linger: How much revenue do cameras like this generate and where does it all go? Do drivers revert to form and floor it after gliding gently by the camera? Are roads safer because of speed cameras?

Symphony Woods 2.0

HoCoMoJo has produced a nice YouTube report on possible plans for Symphony Woods.

Elkhorn To Finally Get A Cleaning

We don't know about you, but we are very excited about plans for "material de-watering."

From CA:

The Columbia Association (CA) has awarded a contract to Mobile Dredging and Pumping Co., of Chester, PA, for the dredging of Lake Elkhorn. The proposed dredging plan follows the permitted plan and requires no amendments to the permits obtained for this project.

The Lake Elkhorn dredging project has been in the planning and development stages for several years. CA solicited the input of residents, Board members and other stakeholders to develop a plan that responds to community, environmental and traffic concerns, and presents a responsible approach to accomplishing the dredging within budget.

After canceling the first request for proposal, re-issuance of the request for proposals for Lake Elkhorn dredging was released on July 22, 2009. Proposals were due on August 18, 2009 and CA received four proposals. A five-person, multidisciplinary evaluation team was established and the proposals were evaluated.

Mobile Dredging and Pumping Co. had the highest rated proposal which was satisfactory in all terms of methodology, performance time and cost, and met all of the minimum requirements of the request for proposal.

Construction of the staging area, which is located at the parking area accessed by Broken Land Parkway and adjacent grassy area, is scheduled to begin early October 2009. Active dredging and material de-watering is scheduled to occur from November 2009 and continue into the fall of 2010. This includes the hydraulic dredging of approximately 52,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment from the forebay pond, main lake and the tail water pond. At the staging area, the hydraulically dredged material will be de-watered and hauled by truck to off-site locations for disposal.

Free Yard Waste Recycling Bags

Another useful tip from Town Center: HoCo is trying to encourage people to use paper bags to dispose of grass clippings, leaves and such, giving away two per family. (Not many for a typical yard but it's the thought the counts) While supplies last.

Visit the Recycling Division at 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 514 or the Alpha Ridge Landfill at 2350 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, for free paper yardwaste bags.

Bye-Bye Bailey Banks & Biddle

Mrs. Talk is not going to be happy about this development. Both of Mr. Talk's favorite jewelry emporiums have now become casualties of the downturn.

Oh well, there's always flowers.

From the Wash Business Journal:

Bailey Banks & Biddle jewelry stores are targeted for shut down as part of the bankruptcy that has claimed jewelry chain Finlay Enterprises Inc.

There are five stores in the D.C. area at Westfield Montgomery, Tysons Corner Center and The Fashion Center at Pentagon City, Fair Oaks and The Mall in Columbia.

Finlay filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Aug. 5.

According to Bloomberg and the jewelry trade publication National Jeweler, liquidation firm Gordon Bros. Retail Partners LLC emerged as the highest bidder in Wednesday's auction for the assets of Finlay Enterprises (OTC BB: FNLY). National Jeweler says "Gordon Bros. entered an 85.75 percent equity bid on asset inventory, estimated at $116 million on the closing date, for the company's 49 "ongoing" stores. This means that Gordon Bros. is guaranteeing that store-closing sales will generate at least 85.75 percent of the aggregate cost value of the merchandise."

No Free Ride On ICC

If it's not soaring gas prices, it's something else. WaPo warned of big tolls ahead for those of us who hoped to take advantage of Montgomery County's east-west Intercounty Connector now under construction.

By Katherine Shaver
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 24, 2009

Drivers using the Intercounty Connector could pay toll rates of up to 35 cents per mile during peak commuting times, amounting to a maximum toll of $2.35 for the projected average trip on the new highway in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, according to a state proposal released Wednesday.

Those who drive the entire 18.8 miles of the six-lane highway between Gaithersburg and Laurel would pay up to $6.15 during peak times -- from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. -- according to the plan issued by the board of the Maryland Transportation Authority, which will operate the ICC.

Tolls for two-axle vehicles would vary from 20 cents to 35 cents a mile, depending on the time of day. Those driving outside peak commute times would pay up to $2 to travel the projected average of six miles and as much as $5.30 for the entire route.

Larger trucks and tractor-trailers, which are projected to make up about 7 percent of all ICC traffic, would pay 60 cents to $2.63 a mile, depending on the time of day. A five-axle truck would pay a maximum toll of $36.85 to drive the entire highway during peak times.

The ICC will be the first toll road in Maryland to collect all fees electronically at regular highway speeds and the first to vary charges by the time of day, state officials said. It will have no tollbooths. Officials said they expect 95 percent of ICC users will be charged via electronic E-ZPass transponders. Vehicles without an E-ZPass will be photographed, and their owners will be mailed a bill for the toll plus a $3 surcharge.

Montgomery County Council President Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg-Rockville), a longtime ICC opponent, said he thinks that his constituents will be shocked at the proposed toll rates. Those who commute between interstates 370 and 95 -- an estimated one-quarter of all ICC users, according to the state's analysis -- could be charged up to $11.20 round-trip daily. That could amount to more than $2,400 a year, he said.

"For many workers, that would be unaffordable," Andrews said. "These tolls are so high they would create an exclusionary road for people whose taxes were used to pay for it."

Louis Campion, a spokesman for the state's trucking industry, said many truck drivers would welcome the option of paying a toll to avoid the Capital Beltway, which many prefer to smaller local roads.

"The Beltway provides the safest alternative for truck traffic, but the congestion is dramatic," said Campion, senior vice president of the Maryland Motor Truck Association. "The ICC will provide a safe alternative" to the Beltway.

The proposed toll range is now subject to a 60-day public comment period. The authority's board is scheduled to vote on a final plan Dec. 17.

The east-west highway, which is estimated to cost $2.56 billion to build, is expected to fully open between the Interstate 270 and Route 1 corridors in spring 2012. The first 7.2-mile segment, between I-270 and Georgia Avenue, is scheduled to open next fall.

Although some toll rates on other highways throughout the country can change from minute to minute to keep traffic free-flowing by raising prices during congested periods, for example if backups occur from a crash, the ICC toll rates will not have that flexibility.

If the highway becomes too crowded, Maryland officials said, they would increase the toll rates within the approved range. However, they said, they would issue a 10-day notice to the public before doing so. If they decide the road has become so jammed that they need to increase rates beyond the maximum in the range, they would propose a toll range that would then go out for a new 60-day public comment period, and the board would have to approve any changes.

"We will be monitoring that very closely," said Ronald L. Freeland, the authority's executive secretary.

Freeland said the authority also will monitor whether the times for peak tolls need to be adjusted to combat commuter congestion. Electronic signs will alert drivers to the per-mile rate being charged at the time they enter the highway, he said.

Toll revenues are key to the state's federally approved financial plan to cover the highway's $2.56 billion construction costs. Of that, $1.23 billion is being financed with 30-year bonds backed by tolls collected on the ICC, Maryland's portion of I-95 and six toll bridges and tunnels throughout the state.

Public comments are being accepted until 5 p.m. Nov. 23. The state will hold two public information meetings and two public hearings on the toll proposal in October. Information is available at http://www.iccproject.com.