...continued

As for the Solo Cup project, Almond and the developers want to move the project foreward on the fast track. Traffic in the area is painfully slow and dangerous now. Proposed changes do not take into account the increase in traffic that the Solo cup project will cause.

Not to mention the fact that Solo cup claims the property is "clean" of hazardous materials. The County Government, when asked, only states that the property is clean. Solo cup was released of responsibility for any claims that may occur in the event that the property is found to be contaminated. So, if hazardous materials are found onsite, the taxpayers will get the bill!

The whole Solo cup closing and redevelopment of the site is questionable, and Delegates Morhaim, Stein and Cardin, Senator Zirkin, Councilwoman Almond, former County Exec Jim Smith and current Exec Kamenetz all have their greedy hands deep into this project.

Steve, I totally agree about the traffic. I am a huge Wegman's fan but there is no way that I'll shop at a store at the Solo Cup site. The roads simply do not support the traffic generated by Wegman's.

I'd like to know if the rumor that the county paid Wegman's to take the site off its hands is true. Otherwise, why not put the storoe up at Owings Mills. Wegman's has been very successful with the Hunt Valley store and the redevelopment of that mall into a "town center" should encourage everyone to go all in with doing the same at Owings Mills.

Folks, I don't live near Owings Mills, so I have no dog in this race, but I know the Wegman's in Hunt Valley. It's a wonderful store, with customer service you've never seem before, baked goods and a meat department that is unbeatable. Their prices are more than competative.
This past weekend, I also had the opportunity to go to the "Town Center" at Hunt Valley, created after Wegman's and other upscale locations were there. There were waiting times for tables in the restaurants, and this was at a mall! The place was bustling. There was a live band at one end of the parking lot. I was impressed.

In a perfect world Wegmans would be at the mall, but Wegmans has said they don't want to be at Owings Mills Mall. So its Solo Cup or bust. I JUST WANT A FRIGGIN WEGMANS! Giant and Safeway have a limited produce selection and I would prefer organic foods over designer clothes @ a mall. But since the mall already has the infrastructure it should probably take priority over Solo.

Mr. Smith. Your comments are moronic. Zirkin has been out front criticizing the solo cup project on traffic grounds. Do your homework before spouting off about things you don't know about. Idiot.

4) Has an exit plan, including hazardous material cleanup costs, been negotiated to protect our citizens?
Answer: We have an agreement that allows the company to vacate the property. They have assured us that all hazardous materials have been removed and the site is clean.
5) Who, from the County, inspected the site to assure that the company has thouroughly cleaned the site?
Answer: We have accepted the results of the tests that the company has provided. (This is a huge mistake. Assuming the company is being honest is dangerous)
6) Did the County require the company to leave a cleanup fund in case hazardous materials are found?
Answer: No, we feel there is no need.
7) So if the site is found to be contaminated, the citizens of Baltimore County will be responsible for the cleanup?
Answer: We find no reason to suspect that the situation would arise. Should contaminates be found we have the manpower to clean up the site. (County employees = County residents covering the bills)

Maryland, when I was running for a seat as a Delegate in 2010 for the district that encompasses all of the projects mentioned, all of these projects were discussed. Of course there were no proposals of what to use the Solo cup site for, the County officials worked with Solo on an exit plan for the company. Among the several questions that I asked regarding the property were these:
1) Is there any hope of salvaging these jobs and keeping the company here? Answer: We have accepted the companies plan.
2) Is the County actively looking for a new company/companies to move in? Answer: We have plans for the site that will benefit the community.
3) What are the plans?
Answer: We are working with a developer on a plan. (suggests that a deal was made with a developer skipping the process of asking for bids)

County officials sat with Solo Cup representatives and agreed on the plan for the company to leave. If the property was 'sold' to the developer, why were county officials involved in brokering the deal with the company? The only reason for County officials to be involved is because the County agreed to take ownership of the property.
I grew up and lived in the Binghamton, NY area. Residents in that area suffered through large companies closing their doors. While the residents were led to believe that the large parcels of land were sold to developers, no "For Sale" signs were ever erected, but County or City officials were involved in the meetings leading up to the closing of the company. These same County/City officials held press conferences bragging about redeveloping the property. The developers who did the construction were always the same companies that were well connected with those same County/City officials. Many questioned why there was no bidding process for the projects, but County/City officials ignored the complaints of the citizens. The time came for the next election and it was discovered that the developers made very hefty donations to those same officials campaigns, as they did for the previous campaigns as well.
Here in Baltimore County, and the State of Maryland, corruption is rampant. The same developers and the same elected officials...while taxes continue to rise, these people continue to pat themselves on the back.

OpenEyes Fantastic piece of hard work. Brilliant! We need more and more of this type of information. One of the best pieces I've seen.

Ever wonder why the council passed the restrictions on the parking lots (make them smaller), no money in empty spaces. Developers need land, more land.

Mr. Maryland, I have no document or link. When I inquired about these agreements it was a verbal discussion between myself and some of those who alledgedly serve the people in this district at a few events leading up to the elections. Anyone who has run for office, or intimately knows those in office are quite aware of the backroom deals that take place. I was approached twice while running for office and offered over $10,000 in campaign money if I would publicly state I was in favor of supporting the agenda of a certain group. I refused to play along based on my own moral and ethical beliefs. It seems that those who alledgedly represent us do not stand with the same ethical standards. Case in point, I refer to an article dated May 17, 2012, in which the subject was updating the ethics statement for County Officials, "Kamenetz and Council members Almond, Cathy Bevins, David Marks, John Olszewski Sr. and Tom Quirk all reported receiving tickets to sporting events or other trips in 2011 from developers and others in their most recent ethics disclosure filings." Clearly there are deals being made, and the taxpaying citizens are left wondering if they or the developers are represented.
I learned of the information I presented in my statements here in this forum by getting in these peoples faces and not backing down until they admitted to me what I suspected was the truth. My suspicions were correct, and they know I am right.

Steve smith got fewer votes for delegate than most people running for student council president in a small elementary school.

Wanda I agree with you 100%. Until recently American politics were about negotiation and compromise. To day it is about voter nullification, character assassination, money, and a bunch of other unholy things. It is the voter fault since we put the characters in office. I am about putting the light of day on the bad actor. Come on election day! Let' s flush the whole bunch.