Tuesday, May 1, 2012
County Administrative Officer Fred Homan, in an April 30 letter, writes that the firms withdrew because of disclosure of information provided at a secret meeting between county officials and Council on April 16.
Updated (4:59 p.m.)—A contract to hire an outside attorney to sue Merrill Lynch over a failed $21 million investment has been withdrawn. In an April 30 letter to the Baltimore County Council, County Administrative Officer Fred Homan said the contract with Scott, Douglass and McConnico, LLP and Themis PLLC was being withdrawn due to press reports about the potential lawsuit. Homan wrote that "due to the disclosure of confidential information about Baltimore County's claim, they are not willing to move forward on the county's behalf at this time." Patch reported two weeks ago that county officials met secretly with members of the Baltimore County Council to discuss a 2007 investment in Mainsail II LLC. That investment, which involved …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Council, state legislators and labor unions say the county executive is uncompromising and difficult to work with.
After a relatively quiet first year in office, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz has found himself in conflict with other state and county elected officials and labor unions. The recent conflicts over legislation in Annapolis and in Towson have prompted complaints that Kamenetz has been difficult to work with, unwilling to compromise and arrogant. Former Councilman Bryan McIntire served with Kamenetz for 16 years on the Baltimore County Council. The Timonium Republican said problems between the Democratic county executive and others have been personality-driven. "(Kamenetz) is the kind of person who has to have his own way at any cost," said McIntire. "That's his nature and he can't change his nature anymore than you or I can …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Officials ask the Baltimore County Council to hire an outside attorney for a lawsuit involving subprime mortgages.
Baltimore County pension officials are privately scrambling to meet a deadline to file a lawsuit in an attempt to recover tens of millions of dollars in county pension funds. County Budget Director Keith Dorsey and County Attorney Michael Field met with Council members Vicki Almond, Cathy Bevins, David Marks and Ken Oliver and members of the county auditor’s office late Monday prior to the council’s voting session. The subject of the meeting was the approval of a contract to hire an outside attorney to pursue a lawsuit against Merrill Lynch, multiple sources tell Patch, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the meeting publicly. Almond confirmed the meeting, but said the discussion was …
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Spokesman says county would find matching money in the unlikely event the state fully funded Baltimore County's school construction and renovation projects.
Elected and school officials from Baltimore County will descend upon Annapolis Wednesday with others from around the state to press for money for school construction and renovation projects. The county plans to press for nearly $70 million in total funding for school construction and renovation projects during the annual event often referred to as "beg-a-thon." "We're going to send a really strong message that if we were to get $70 million that we're willing to step up and provide whatever local matching funds are necessary," said Don Mohler, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's chief of staff and spokesman. Baltimore County has the second oldest school stock in the state but receiving full funding for the annual list of projects is unlikely…
charles richardson
5:15 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
I'm waiting for Meg O'Hare to respond. Meg, would you classify the latest comment as "nasty"? Will you be quick to respond, condemn or will you sit silent and let it go.I hope your blog is what you really believe and if it is you will comment. Please, "crooks"? Buck are you really claiming that either of those 2 benefited personally by the horrible investment. Please try and refrain from such … more ›