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Council member questions environmental job qualifications
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty wants to make sure the administrator of a county environmental office has the expertise and education to grapple with complex environmental issues.
“I look for this as an opportunity for us to establish an office that looks at our environment from a scientific perspective,” said Sigaty, D-District 4.
A bill before the County Council would create an Office of Environmental Sustainability within the county’s administration department.
Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced in December his plans to create the office, following a recommendation from the now-disbanded Commission on the Environment and Sustainability.
The department initially would be staffed with one person, Joshua Feldmark, who served as the commission’s executive director.
The administrator “shall have considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of air and water quality, energy use, land preservation, and environmental education,” plus at least five years of experience, according to the measure.
But Sigaty said more experience and education should be required of the administrator of an office that is expected to grow.
Feldmark has served as executive director of Center for Environmental Citizenship, an environmental nonprofit, and worked for Maryland Department of Natural Resources tributary team program.
Sigaty said her scrutiny wasn’t political payback to Feldmark, who ran against her in 2006 and was backed by Ulman. Sigaty lost to Ulman for the council seat in the 2002 primary.
Councilman Greg Fox, R-District 5, also questioned the administration’s intentions for the office administrator.
The position is expected to be a “generalist,” rather than an expert in one environmental area, said Chief Administrative Officer Lonnie Robbins.
Councilman Calvin Ball, D-District 2, said the County Council should not unfairly scrutinize this position compared with the other county administration directors.
“It’s probably appropriate for the county executive to have a great deal of latitude in the people he hires, as does the council in the people we hire,” Ball said.
Jim Caldwell, a former head of Montgomery’s department of environmental protection, said a director doesn’t need scientific expertise, as long as the staff has experience.
“A background in policy or any kind of government [or] understanding of how public affairs works — that’s more important than saying, ‘I am a good scientist,’” he said.
smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
Ken Ulman should set an example how he is cutting back and drive himself to the county government complex each day. He should also eliminate his 24/7 police escort he has had since he's been in office. Do other county executives have 24/7 police escorts? These officers could provide better services to the citizens of the county in other capacities. And, what about those positions he found or created for his friends? Anyone who has followed what he's done so far can see he is all about building his political career and moving onto bigger and better things. Let's hope he doesn't win a second term.
5 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
No executive staff members will lose their take-home vehicles. Okay, if take home cars weren't meant to be a benefit, then why do they still get them? I doubt having to drive in their own cars to work will "compromise county services." Hey Ulman, what are you going to spend THIS money on?
6 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hey Kenny, take home cars aren't green. The only thing green about you is your ability to waste other peoples money.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Perhaps Ulman can drive himself to work now, scrapping the 24/7 police escort he set up for himself.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How can Ken Ulman and the county council spend our money on wasteful positions and recycling bins when our schools and county government buildings are literally falling apart. One day he celebrates the fact that we have a surplus and now he crying poor mouth. If you want a perfect example of corrupt leadership look no further then our own local politicians. Quote from Ken Ulman: "The citizens who live here are willing to support the higher costs associated with the level and quality of police and fire services, as well as public schools" I understand we need public safety but he should not use our public safety servants as a deflection to warrant higher taxes and his inability to manage a county budget.
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Examiner Reader said:
Cost of Living increase??? The Howard County employees do not receive cost of living increases. That is why most of them live in neighboring jurisdictions. Those increases were scale adjustments not COLA's or connected to CPI, ECI or any other index. They were scale adjustments. That is Ken Ulman's own words. Ken Ulman and the county council view the general workforce as the red headed step child and view the Police and Fire department as a highly skilled and qualified workforce of Howard County. The Fire and Police Dept.'s do not require college degrees but their starting pay is higher than most professional entry level county positions which do require 4 year degrees. If you want to cut a bloated budget how about cutting back on the Fire and Police Departments 5% and 6% increases. Either that how about cutting back on Ken Ulman's wasteful positions he has created for his friends. Ulman and the people who run HoCo are incompetent and a joke!!
3 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Jim Robey was bad enough but Ken Ulman has taken the cake when it comes to spending. Until the voters of Howard County wake up and do the right thing at the polls, it will only get worse. In the meantime, Councilwoman Cochran and Councilman Fox, keep up the good work.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
So Kenny got caught gaming the system. Hey, how else does a goverment school graduate and functional illerate get a good goverment job if not from his friends?
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Examiner Reader said:
Way to go Ulman. Way to squander the County surplus on sweetheart deals to campaign contributors! This guy does not deserve a second term.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Budgetcuts! Has economy reality finally trumped Ulman's spending spree? Wonderful!
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Examiner Reader said:
Ulman says times are tough, so let's "only" hire 43 more employees. This guy is out of touch. Maybe we should elect someone with some executive experience, instead of his 10 jobs over 10 years.
3 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Another crappy decision by Ulman. I wish our party would nominate someone talented instead of this guy.
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Examiner Reader said:
Another reason to get rid of Kenny. I pay $5K in property taxes and the HC government can't pay for trask pick-up without a $175.00 surcharge that they now want to raise 29%! These political hacks need to be kicked out of office.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How does firing 15 people and creating new positions save money amongst Ulman's continuing spending? And I seem to recycle just fine without it being mandatory to own a bin.
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Examiner Reader said:
This notion of forcing residents to own recycling bins by raising fees is ridiculous. It doesn't make any sense. And just how can Ulman call this a tight budget when he funds close to 200 new positions, gives raises, and provides health care? Then why the urgency of firing 15 people? As with the recycling bins, Ulman is using the budget to fund his personal agenda and to support his friends he hired into county positions.
2 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"...necessary to demonstrate their political support to the community..." This will be even harder to achieve with no GTV, which was recently abolished by our self-obsessed county executive, Ken Ulman.
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Examiner Reader said:
if we are going to question anyone's qualifications, we should start with ulman. at least feldmark doesn't claim to have all sorts of experience he doesn't. now ulman on the other hand. what a fraud that guy is.
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Examiner Reader said:
Sigaty only lost to Ulman (by less than 50 votes, BTW) because Ulman claimed he was "Secretary of the Cabinet" and a "Clinton White House Staffer" and "Director, Board of Public Works" and Ulman's daddy helped him buy his way into office. Ulman is a joke who deserves to be replaced. Good for you - Mary Kay! Maybe you or some other qualified Democrat will run against Ulman, because Ulman just appoints his high school chums and gives his donors sweetheart real estate lease deals.
18 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Ken Ulman has become a bad joke in this county. No matter who we talk to, the next election can not come fast enough. He'll be back practicing law and again ripping off his clients very soon. Better days are coming folks.
16 agree | 15 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This is an opportunity for Sigaty to eliminate usless an political office that will cost HC taxpayers and have no environmental impact from a scientific perspective. HC doesn't have this position now and doesn't need it in the future. Ulman is a green fool.
12 agree | 14 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Odd, only after cutting Gtv does the council outline their broadcast needs. You don't know what you have until it's gone! And what exactly will be saved by this cut? Ulman speaks of studio cost when it's housed in a building the government already owns. And equipment costs? About half that of the new positions created when he took office. Perhaps the floor of that building in Oakland Mills he wants to purchase will be used to staff a new government station with his friends and campaign contributors.
28 agree | 21 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
There will still be no direct county employee responsible for covering HC government. How can the government hold HCC employees responsible for taping their meetings? They don't receive a paycheck from the government, and what happens when a meeting doesn't get covered? Will the Executive and Council deny funds to the college as punishment?
17 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Make up your minds!! Ulman cuts GTV to save money. Then the council wants additional coverage that GTV is... or was, capable of. Then, hiring new positions may be necessary? After just laying off the GTV staff? Come on Ulman! What poor planning and foresight is this?? It seems to be a complete mystery what "savings" will occur, and that you and the council were never on the same page in regards to television coverage needs. Doesn't sound very efficient to me, though neither does personal, around the clock police transportation, renovating just your offices on the third floor of the Howard building, buying hybrid cars for county fleets in which the upfront cost outweighs the savings, hiring new positions not needed in your so-called "cabinet", and planning to pay for a health plan in a year where he is warned about his spending and a possible deficit. Give me a break! Brace yourself voters, we are only one year into this administration!
30 agree | 13 disagree
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