Friday, February 1, 2013
The Anne Arundel County Council no longer needs to vote on the removal of John Leopold from office after a judge found him guilty this week of two counts of misconduct.
UPDATE (3:20 p.m.)—John Leopold resigned as Anne Arundel County Executive on Friday, after a judge found him guilty earlier this week on two counts of misconduct. The Pasadena Republican said in a resignation letter that he was stepping down "with great sadness and regret," but that it was a necessary to allow the county to get back to business. "It was a compelling and humbling experience for me to sit through two weeks of the trial and listen intently to the words expressed by the court," Leopold wrote. "I acknowledge the serious errors in judgment that I made and do not want these errors in judgment to further distract the County from its ability to move forward in a positive way." The resignation means the county council will no …
Monday, December 24, 2012
Nearly 400 residents donated items to help others through the county's Holiday Sharing Program.
Thanks to the Holiday Sharing Program, thousands of needy families in Anne Arundel County received food, cards and gifts donated by nearly 400 residents. Anne Arundel County released the following announcement. County Executive John R. Leopold is proud to report that the Holiday Sharing Program administered by the Department of Social Services has delivered cards, food and gifts to 9,000 needy families. “The outpouring of support from the community to those in need during this holiday season has been tremendous,” County Executive Leopold said. “We want to thank all of the people who took a moment to help families who have been struggling in difficult economic times.” This year the Department sent out 9,000 cards to families and seniors on …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Students may notice increased security at schools on Friday, the superintendent said.
UPDATE (4:30 p.m.)—Police said at a press conference on Wednesday that rumors spreading on social media of planned school shootings on Friday have all been investigated and found to be not credible. Lt. J.D. Batten, who is charge of school security for Anne Arundel County, said some shooting rumors have come from students saying they heard it from others. The press conference was held Wednesday morning at the central office of Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) to address the rumors that are circulating at multiple schools. "Thus far, we have found no truth to any of it," Batten said. He said a student at an Anne Arundel County school texted a friend: "Don't go to school on Friday because I heard there was going to be a shooting." …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The trail makes the flagpole area that faces Mountain Road in Pasadena more accessible.
A trail in the Lake Shore area of Pasadena was dedicated on Tuesday. According to a press release: County Executive John R. Leopold joined the Pasadena Business Association to dedicate a trail that leads from the Lake Shore Athletic Complex to the flagpole that faces Mountain Road. The trail makes the flagpole area more accessible and provides access to parking. Thanks to Boy Scout Troop 773 for assistance to the Department of Recreation and Parks to clear access to the flagpole and veteran's memorial.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Some charter amendments sailed through the polls with a 90 percent approval vote, with the lowest being 61 percent.
Anne Arundel County voters are set to ratify 15 county charter amendments by a landslide, according to early results. All of the county's charter amendments were set to pass as of 10 p.m. Tuesday night—some with as much as 91 percent approval, and as low as 61 percent approval. But the results so far have left no room for middle ground on the issues. Among the charter changes are removing authority from the county executive's veto rights, giving the council the authority to remove a councilman or executive convicted of a felony, and setting the month of August as a legislative recess for the seven-member council. A few of the tighter races are yet to be determined, but Anne Arundel County residents can rest tonight on pretty solid ground …
Friday, November 2, 2012
Some of these items resolve long-standing disputes on the County Council, while others fix newer problems.
When Anne Arundel County voters arrive at the polls, they'll not only be voting on the DREAM Act and same-sex marriage, but also deciding the fate of 15 Anne Arundel County charter amendments—ranging from how convicted county councilmen should be treated to enacting an August recess for the Council. In an attempt to make these 15 items more digestible once you arrive at the polls, I will disassemble the legalese into a more understandable language, and explain context when necessary. Some of these items resolve long-standing disputes on the County Council, while others fix newer problems. Question A—Gives county departments more time to file their budgets. It also moves the start of the 60-day window for budget deliberation by the County …
Friday, August 17, 2012
Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold is mentioned in two recent lawsuits against the county, which seek more than $1.3 million in combined compensation.
Anne Arundel County councilmen are introducing a pair of bills that would give them the final say when large legal settlements are reached. And if the individual is a county official in a case of misconduct, the official would have to foot the bill. The pieces of legislation come at a time when the county is facing two potentially costly litigations. Former employees Karla Robinson Hamner and Joan Harris are each pursuing cases against the county in U.S. District Court on grounds of wrongful termination. Hamner is seeking $300,000, and Harris is seeking nearly $1 million. Both women worked for County Executive John R. Leopold and mention him as being instrumental in the filing of their legal complaints after accusing him of official …
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
A criminal investigation into Teare is being dropped by the state as a result of his retirement.
UPDATE (3:05 p.m.)—Maj. Pamela R. Davis is the new acting police chief for the Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACPD), effective immediately after Police Chief James Teare Sr.'s retirement is set to begin in Aug. 1. Davis will be the first female police chief in Anne Arundel County history. She is currently the commander of the Administrative Services Bureau of the police department. The other heads of the department are retiring later this year—including Deputy Chief Emerson Davis, who is set to retire in August, and Deputy Chief David E. Pressley, who will retire in September. County Executive John R. Leopold made the announcement of Davis' appointment on Wednesday afternoon, hours after Teare's retirement was made public. “Pam …
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Charter amendments introduced Monday could boot convicted felons.
A councilman convicted of a felony, or found to be unable to perform the duties of office, could be voted out of their County Council seat under a change to the county code introduced Monday. The Council has started adopting changes recommended by the Charter Revision Commission, a group created each decade to identify concerns with rules on how the county government operates. Nine changes to the charter were introduced to the Council Monday, including two that dealt with removing Council members from office. Until now, there has been no official way to deal with that issue. Under the proposed charter revision, the office of a member of the County Council, or the county executive, may be declared vacant with a vote of five members of the …
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Mountain Road renovations, along with new police and fire stations, are included in the fiscal year 2013 county budget.
Anyone who lives in Pasadena has probably sat in a long line of traffic on Mountain Road waiting for another car to turn onto Woods Road. That could change soon. In fact, Pasadena residents could expect a few changes to the area now that the County Council has approved the fiscal year 2013 budget. Renovations on Mountain Road along with a new fire and police station were funded in the coming fiscal year's budget. "We are providing $8.7 million in construction money for a new Eastern District Police Station, $2 million for the construction of a Woods Road /Mountain Road congestion mitigation lane and a $500,000 for planning and engineering for a new Lake Shore Fire Station,” said Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold in his budget …
hawkeye
3:33 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
I'd like to know where Grasso got his law degree from that he can say the legislation to remove Leopold was "illegal". We do know that Leopold's actions were illegal though - a judge convicted him. And that's not the same as "not quite legal". Grasso seems to have a strange sense of reality. I am glad Leopold resigned though so we can get past this blight on the county. more ›