Howard County notes
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Citizens group plans campaign to draw voters to the polls
Organizers of a grass-roots group hoping to influence next month's
Columbia Council elections are urging voters to express their
dissatisfaction with Columbia Association President Deborah O.
McCarty at the polls.
Citizens for Columbia, a recently formed group whose mission is to
"get out the vote" in village elections April 14 and 15, held an
hourlong meeting Wednesday to devise strategies and ask questions
of council candidates in attendance.
Four villages -- Harper's Choice, Hickory Ridge, Oakland Mills and
Town Center -- have contested council races this year.
Bob Moon, a longtime resident of Harper's Choice, said voter
participation is so low most years that the elections all but "happen
by accident." He called the situation on the council a "leadership
debacle."
Mediator for Columbia is hired without bids
A consultant trying to smooth the recent controversy centered on
Columbia Association President Deborah O. McCarty was hired
without bids and was referred by a close friend of the Columbia
Council chairman.
McCarty approved spending up to $25,000 to hire Steve Beall, of
Columbia-based Beall Consultations, for "transition, facilitation and
public relations consulting." The purchase requisition cited
"emergency procurement procedures."
All 10 "emergency purchases" approved without bids in the first
three-quarters of the fiscal year were related to utility restoration or
emergency repairs.
McCarty says she requisitioned the funds on an emergency basis
"because we're very well aware that there are a lot of concerns in the
community and we're trying to address those."
Judge sets date for ruling on evidence in Tripp trial
A Howard County Circuit Court judge says she will make a ruling by
May 5 on what evidence, if any, state prosecutors can use in their
illegal-wiretapping case against Linda R. Tripp.
The announcement was made after a two-hour hearing Wednesday
in which Tripp's lawyers attacked key witness Monica Lewinsky's
credibility, calling her a "liar," and asked Judge Diane O. Leasure to
throw out the case against their client.
State prosecutors defended their investigation, saying a small portion
of the evidence was tainted by Tripp's immunized testimony to
federal authorities investigating President Clinton in 1998. They are
asking Leasure to allow them to proceed to trial.
Leasure said she would post her ruling on the Internet by 2 p.m. May
5.
Judge upholds change by zoning board
A major Columbia-style development in Howard County has moved
a step closer to reality.
Circuit Judge Diane O. Leasure ruled last week that the Howard
County Zoning Board made no "error of law" when it changed zoning
to make way for development on the 516.9-acre Key property in
North Laurel.
The Rouse Co. plans to build a mixed-use development that would
consist of 1,200 apartments, townhouses and single-family homes
and 1 million square feet of retail and service space.
Opponents claim the development will strain area roads; they plan to
appeal the decision.
Alton J. Scavo, senior vice president of the Rouse Co., said he
expects home sales to begin in 2002.
Howard Co. animal shelter to be open every Saturday
After weeks of complaints, Howard County Police Chief Wayne
Livesay has announced that he will open the county's animal shelter
every Saturday.
The shelter's hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, Livesay said,
instead of the former twice-a-month schedule. The new schedule
began yesterday.
In addition, Livesay said he is upgrading the shelter's recordkeeping
system and has requested two more full-time employees for next
fiscal year.
The chief also is asking for $200,000 in capital budget funds to plan
a two-year improvement program.
Originally published on Apr 2 2000