Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The law suit filed in Baltimore County Circuit Court seeks to stop a loan to the county that would be used to build a recycling facility in Cockeysville.
The union that represents Baltimore County Police is seeking to stop a $21 million loan from the pension system to the county for a new recycling facility. The 10-page lawsuit filed late last week by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4 alleges that the board of trustees for the Baltimore County Employees Retirement System failed to do its duty to protect the pension system including: "The county is using the employees pension plan to fund capital projects," said Cole Weston, president of the police union. "To fund capital projects like this is very concerning." The loan will be used to pay for a new recycling facility in Cockeysville. It's the same facility for which the Baltimore County Council approved $25 million in bond sales last …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
A federal judge grants the county permission to seek an appeal while the damages phase of the trial continues.
Baltimore County will appeal a federal judge's ruling in October that found pension rules that charge some county employees different rates are discriminatory. At issue is an October ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Benson Everett Legg that found that the county's pension rules requiring different contribution rates from employees based on age violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. That ruling came after a federal appeals court overturned Legg's original ruling that was in favor of the county. The county asked Legg for permission to seek an appeal on his current ruling while the trial enters the damages phase. The county argued in a filing that it would need as long as two years to review as many as 10,000 pension …
Monday, December 10, 2012
The plan involving Eastwood and Norwood Elementary Schools and Holabird Middle School appears tied to possible sale of government land for redevelopment.
UPDATED (1:29 a.m.)—Parents at two Dundalk Elementary Schools learned Monday night of a plan that will close one school and possibly lead to the building of a new police station. The plan involving Eastwood and Norwood Elementary and Holabird Middle schools appears tied to an expected proposal from County Executive Kevin Kamenetz to sell county property for redevelopment. Kevin Hobbs, Baltimore County Public Schools deputy superintendent, told about 150 people gathered Monday night in the cafeteria of Holabird Middle that Eastwood Elementary would be closed at the end of the current school year. Hobbs said the Eastwood building will become "the property of the county." He declined to elaborate on what the potential uses might be. Multiple …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
A state delegate criticizes the county for expenses of a lawsuit filed by a William Blake, a Baltimore County Police officer, that amount to more than $750,000.
UPDATED (5:46 p.m.)—Baltimore County now knows the price tag for losing a lawsuit involving a police detective who was ordered to undergo unlawful medical examinations and tests. U.S. District Court Judge Benson Everett Legg ordered the county to pay $494,243.00 attorney fees and $17,716.00 court costs in the case of William Blake. "The significant fee award reflects the serious nature of the case as well as the diligence of counsel," Legg wrote in his decision. "While the total cost to the County is high, there is a silver lining, however. This case may ultimately avoid future litigation by providing guidance with respect to fitness-for-duty examinations." The county has lost a number of similar cases in the last two years. Most recently…
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
County spokesman calls owners of the Towson venue "good corporate citizens" two months after County Executive Kevin Kamenetz blamed them for a brawl.
Two months ago, Brian and Scott Recher were solely to blame for a highly publicized brawl outside their Towson bar and concert venue, according to county officials. But a day after the brothers were vindicated by the liquor board, county officials say the pair are "good corporate citizens" and that they now want to "move forward." "The Rechers are an outstanding family and they have a really outstanding record of being good corporate citizens in Towson," said Don Mohler, a spokesman for County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. "Moving forward, there's not an ounce of positive energy in regret or looking backward," Mohler said. Two months ago, Kamenetz stood in front of the media and declared the Recher brothers responsible for a Sept. 22 brawl …
Friday, November 9, 2012
The agreement to combine data centers will save as much as $4 million in construction costs and $100,000 annually in maintenance, according to the county.
County government and schools system officials say an agreement to consolidate data centers will save millions in construction and annual maintenance costs. The school system has agreed to combine its primary data center in Timonium with a county government data center in Towson. County Government and the schools system have been sharing a backup data center since 2007. The agreement, announced in a statement by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Superintendent S. Dallas Dance, is expected to save as much as $4 million associated with the construction of a new center for the schools system. Both Kamenetz and Dance highlighted the fiscal benefits of the agreement. "We have made giant strides so far in using innovation and consolidation to …
Monday, October 22, 2012
The lawsuit was filed in 2007 on behalf of two county Department of Corrections employees.
Baltimore County pension rules that charge some employees different rates are discriminatory, according to a ruling by a federal judge. U.S District Court Judge Benson Everett Legg ruled that pension rules requiring different contribution rates from employees based on age violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which brought the suit in 2007, announced the decision Monday afternoon. The federal commission brought the suit on behalf of two county Department of Corrections employees. The county made changes to its pension system in July 2007. Employees hired after that date contributed to their pensions at a flat rate regardless of their age at the time of their hiring. …
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Three cases filed Wednesday come a month after the county settled ten claims in a Department of Justice lawsuit.
County officials said three new disability lawsuits filed in federal court are without merit and that its policies on requiring medical testing for some employees will be vindicated. In a rare comment on pending litigation, Don Mohler, a county spokesman, said the county has done nothing wrong and he believes the county will ultimately win all three cases. "We don't think these lawsuits have any merit," said Mohler. "We stand by the county's policies and procedures. We don't think that we've done anything wrong and we'll make that case again." Firefighters Donald Becker and Stanley Kuklinski and police Lt. Michael Lauenstein are each seeking $2.3 million in damages and additional legal fees. All three claim they were forced to undergo …
Monday, August 6, 2012
Baltimore County vows not to spend more than $25,000 if council fails to approve contract.
UPDATED (9:27 p.m.)—The Baltimore County Council is scheduled to vote Monday on a contract with a consultant who is already advising the county police department on promotional testing procedures that are being scrutinized for possible violations of federal discrimination law. The Baltimore County Police Department entered into a $70,000 contract June 26 with Fields Consulting Group Inc. to provide validation services for the department's corporal and sergeants promotional exams. The company began providing services despite a requirement by the County Charter that the Baltimore County Council approve all contracts exceeding $25,000 or in excess of two years in duration. A county spokesman said such retroactive council approvals are not …
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Baltimore County officials say the loan for a Cockeysville recycling facility from its underfunded pension system is a "win-win." But some County Council members have questions.
UPDATED (3:16 p.m.)—Some Baltimore County Council members and union officials say a $25 million loan made to the county from its own pension system raises questions. The loan will be used to pay for a new recycling facility in Cockeysville. It's the same facility for which the Baltimore County Council approved $25 million in bond sales last November. Councilmen David Marks and Tom Quirk say they now have questions about the change in how the project is financed and the lack of independent oversight. "I don't know any of the details of the arrangement at all," Quirk said. "We definitely have questions." Marks, a Perry Hall Republican, said he was withholding judgement on the changes but was asking the administration to provide a legal …
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