HoCo Rising

Merriweather-Symphony Woods Concept Plan

2012-02-24T10:26:00.000-05:00

I asked Jan Clark to send me the schematics and drawings from last night's presentation so that I could share with all of you. You can find those drawings here. For a good idea of what was proposed by Howard Hughes, you can look at the drawing below:

You will note from the linked schematics that the light green parcel on the upper left side is projected as a possible site for the new Central Branch Library, but these are just ideas.

CA Board Recap: February 23, 2012 Board of Directors Meeting

2012-02-24T07:29:00.001-05:00

Start Time: 7:36 pm
End Time: 10:37 pm

Shorter than expected meeting, but there is little pride to be taken there. This meeting does not have much to show for the time, effort, and frustration that was spent on its existence.

Symphony Woods
CA must submit its revised plan for Symphony Woods by March 6. This new plan will be a "Neighborhood Plan" including both Symphony Woods and Merriweather Post Pavilion. Last night the Board, and a few members of the public, received a preview of the Plan to be proposed by Howard Hughes with an accompanying schematic by CA for Symphony Woods. There were two items of this Plan that received some resistance from the Board.

First, the Howard Hughes Plan presumes/incorporates a series of land transfers for some vendor pavilions on the south-east side from CA to HH (i.e., pavilions are noted on property that currently belongs to CA). Board members objecting to this schematic seemed to presume that Staff was interested in relinquishing this land without negotiation, payment, or trade. The Staff's response was that a) This is just a schematic with little to no legal significance in terms of ownership of land; b) This land may be sold or leased to create a more complete design for the neighborhood with due compensation being received by CA.

The second concern was a parking lot on the north-west side of the neighborhood. Notably, this parking lot is much larger than that proposed by CA's SW plan and presumably would serve MPP. I can't recall whether the proposed lot was on CA land, but I do know that the primary concern was...more trees will be cut down.

On top of everything else, there were five residents, primarily if not exclusively from Oakland Mills, who expressed concern regarding the "53 healthy trees" that would be cut down in the creation of Symphony Woods park. I clearly lied to myself when I thought the issue of trees in Symphony Woods had been put to bed. The tree issue is jumping on the bed, breaking the springs, and waking the neighbors.

There is a well-used quip in Howard County that every resident presumes that once they pulled their "for sale" sign out of the ground, a big fence came swinging across the County borders with a "No Vacancy" sign. The SW complaints are that notion under a different cloak. This sparsely used, vacant park was no one's "paradise" until changes were proposed. These changes are focused on a forward-looking "new" Columbia that is down-right scary to those who have spent their entire lives here. I understand that and have a significant amount of empathy for those who are concerned. Nonetheless, if you think there weren't 53 trees cut down to build your house, your grocery store, or even your favorite man-made lake, you are deluding yourself into this fiction that "Columbia is nature." It's not. And Symphony Woods is not a natural preserve.

Either way, the Board did not vote on anything last night. It was an "FYI" session. For my information, this is going to be a boondoggle once there comes a time for the Board to vote.

Dashboard Metrics
Pavlov would have a field day testing my blood pressure whenever someone uses the word "Dashboard." (Is it possible to get PTSD from meetings?)

We spent another hour (plus) discussing how to make the Board more efficient by way of a set of graphs (known as the "Dashboard") that will provide a snapshot of where our organization is along those metrics. This is a fantastic idea in concept. Execution is looking grim. As a member of the Staff joked last night "We are no longer looking at this as a destination as much as it is a journey."

The most significant debate last night was whether survey results for member satisfaction with CA Staff in the Sports/Fitness and Community Services context would be a valuable metric. The survey responses to be gauged were Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, and Not Sure. Staff included all responses, but then combined "Excellent/Good" to great consternation and gnashing of teeth by the Board.

I don't find this metric to be useful at all. Maybe it is my general skepticism of survey statistics, but the variation between Excellent and Good does not amount to anything in my judgment; certainly not anything I would expect the Board to act on. Imagine a 50% drop in Excellent's to Good's. What does that mean? It was a rainy day? People were suffering from seasonal affective disorder? Or that staff is losing a step? Nonetheless, I was a minority vote on this item, which found itself in limbo over the simple fact that these surveys are done approximately every two years (at $20,000 expense to CA lien-holders) and would not have much relevance in a quarterly survey.

The next metric proposed was "Internet/Social Media Metrics." Some Board members wanted to add a metric that would show our "Internet communications." Seeing that I may be in the minority of Board members that follow CA on Twitter and on Facebook, this seemed a bit hypocritical and/or ignorant. There are easier ways to see whether CA is a salient target for spam-bots. But again, I was in the minority, and this metric will be "attempted" in the next proposal.

What I keep coming back to is one of my first meetings as a Board member. The Quarterly Report had just come out and a number of Board members were demanding certain pieces of "data" from the Staff. Question by question, the Staff would respond that the data was provided in the Quarterly Report. It was embarrassing. In this context, it is not too difficult to imagine a day in which a future Board demands "Metrics" from Staff, to which they will point to a 40 page packet and say "It's in the Dashboard." At which time, I will stand up and slow clap.

Service Reductions

Certain members of the Board (overlapping with those who wish to cut staff salaries, rates, and CPRA fees), want there to be at least 30 day notice for any "service reduction" that adversely affects residents. This is another nice idea in theory. Unfortunately, its application is a hot mess. New programs, failing programs, or simple redundancies cannot and should not be subject to a 30 day holding period. Some Board members responded that this would only be a "Guideline" and not "Policy", to which I have to ask "Why are you wasting our time?" Is the presumption that Staff does not have common business sense and they are only waiting for proper inputs from our amateur Board?

The policy is going back to the drawing board, but I would just as soon see it thrown away. If there is an improper handling of a service reduction, the Board will have every opportunity to take that up with Staff...as an operational criticism. Not as Board action.

Similar to Board meetings, I have run out of time to discuss the matters before the External Relations Committee (i.e., the Committee upon which I sit).

Have a great FRIDAY (!!) doing what you love!

Is The CPRA Lien Fair? (Thursday LINKS)

2012-02-23T07:34:00.001-05:00

There was a Columbia Association Board meeting last night, but it was not long enough to justify a Board Recap. By that, I mean it was only two hours (sad face) with approximately 45 minutes being closed (re: contract negotiations).

A focal point of last night's discussion was the Columbia Parks and Recreation Association Lien also referred to as "the Assessment." Before last night's meeting, it was 68 cents for every $100 of assessed value with a 2.5% increase cap for any individual home-owner. After last night, it was 68 cents for every $100 of assessed value with a 2.5% increase cap for any individual home-owner. (For those working as slow as I am this morning, it stayed the same).

I emphasize that because to hear some of our Board members speak last night you would think we voted on an increase. In fact, you may have heard people say things like "A resident's property value may have gone down 20-30% yet they will still be paying more to CA." I couldn't tell if this was populist nonsense or a general misunderstanding of property taxes, caps, and assessments. CA staff provided a guesstimate that approximately 0.4% of all Columbia residents would be paying more in FY2013 than they did in FY2012. Forget Occupy's 99%...think of the 0.4%!

This is an area of great misunderstanding. Property taxes and the CA Assessment are both based on property value with maximum annual increases in what your actual payment will be. As such, as your property value goes up, your tax/assessment will only go up in accordance with the stepped cap (5% or 2.5%). For short-term home-owners (1-5 years), it is an unfortunate possibility that your property assessments have gone down so far that you will be paying less in CPRA/Property taxes this year than you did last year. For those who have been in their homes for 5-15 years, it is likely that your CPRA cap increase of 2.5% has kept your actual payment low enough that you have not seen an appreciable change over the last 5 years and almost certainly will not see an increase for FY2013. Now, for those long-term property owners (15 years+), you may be part of the 0.4%. If there remains increased value in your home that has not been reflected in the CPRA due to the 2.5% cap (i.e., if the assessment still needs to "catch up" with the increased assessment of your home), you may see an increase. At most, it will be 2.5%.

If you want to call property appreciation a tax increase, that is your prerogative, but you would do well to provide an alternative, because that is the foundation of a property tax. Notably, there were no alternatives proposed last night. There were a number of nice sound bites regarding "compassion", "tough economic times" and that this Budget is a "failure", but none of the Board members suggested an alternative. In my book, that's posturing.

Bottom line: No increase was passed last night. I would not have voted for one. I doubt there is anyone on that Board who would have voted for an increase. We kept the assessment exactly where it is. And in the face of declining property values, that is a merit to the Staff. Not something that should be deemed a "failure."

LINKS

TJ does a bang up job destroying Governor O'Malley's proposal to shift teacher pensions from the State to the counties. It would be nice to see this picked up by the other Patches (is that how you use the plural of "Patch"? Makes me think of an orange cat). Most interesting to me was his discussion of how much teachers already pay into the pension, which is frequently acknowledged to be unsustainable. Imagine paying into two retirement vehicles (SS and pension) that are repeatedly referred to as items that may not last the next 20-30 years. (County employees -- this is why you should probably give a toot about OPEB, but I am not opening that can of worms today).

George Huguely, former UVA lacrosse player accused of murdering his girlfriend, has been found guilty and sentenced to 26 years. This verdict is disturbing on many levels. It is undisputed that Mr. Hughuely killed a 21 year old woman after previous instances of abuse. That is a grave offense and one that I believe amounts to more than 2nd Degree Murder. Nonetheless, Mr. Huguely's sentence is comparable to the jail time doled out for any number of crimes in Baltimore City relating to drugs. Just drugs. These are very different jurisdictions with very different juries, but I don't blame the juries. I wonder what kind of criminal justice system we have that puts scores of young men in prison for half-lifetimes for drugs (just drugs), yet killing a woman in the prime of her life merits only 26 years.

Yet another audit has been released in Baltimore City: "The audit, released Wednesday, found that some homes received only estimated water bills for years at a time while others received no bills." This adds up to about $4.2 million issued back to the bill-payers.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: Here's some truth -- If it had not been for HowChow, I would never have tried Korean food. It's nice to be able to link certain life experiences back to particular folks that had an influence on your life. For me, it was a blog. HowChow gets back on the kimchi box to tell you why you should get out to Rte 40 and try some grilled meats.

That's all for today. For those who asked, I am feeling much better. Thank you for your concern. I had heard horror stories about how this bug was a 7-10 day ordeal, but mine ended up being the slow buffalo.

Have a great Thursday doing what you love!

How to Take What's Comin' (Wednesday LINKS)

2012-02-22T07:02:00.001-05:00

The Baltimore Sun has an op/ed column lauding Baltimore County Executive Ken Kamenetz's tact on the teacher pension shift. The piece notes that due to its population and median income, Baltimore County is poised to be hurt the worst by the new scheme:

Poorer jurisdictions are due to get an influx of direct state aid under the governor's proposal, and richer ones benefit more from Mr. O'Malley's idea to limit income tax exemptions and deductions for the top fifth of earners. The result is that Baltimore County would see a hit of nearly $3 million in the fiscal year that begins in July, with the effects magnified in the years after that.

Despite repeatedly endorsing Mr. Kamenetz's position on pensions, the writer never really explains exactly what that approach is, other than to note:

He is seeking legislation that would allow the county to combine efforts with the school system in areas like information technology, workers compensation, procurement and data management. Mr. Kamenetz believes that the county and schools can eliminate redundancy and save money without affecting what goes on in the classroom.

The general point of the piece becomes clear only at the end:

But the biggest fight Mr. Kamenetz faces, and the one on which he could use some back-up from the other executives, is over the governor's scheme for providing the counties with more revenue to compensate for the new costs they would face.

"Come on, counties! Don't you see the Governor is trying to give you money?" Despite the serpentine logic of the column, I think it is a very good explanation of the teacher pension debate, including the suggestion that this shift will provide a platform for pension reform. If you want to extend the "brace for impact" logic a little further, The Sun may also suggest that it would behoove teacher's unions to get out in front of this avalanche and make suggestions to their independent school boards about how pensions may be restructured, costs may be cut, and balance sheets fixed.

What's more interesting about this piece is that the approach advocated would undercut the benefits of adversarial government. The Executives don't get a vote on the teacher pension shift, but they do have political power. Doesn't it make sense for these elected leaders to use whatever influence they may have to fight against a shift so that the eventual compromise is one that hurts the least? Controversial government actions are subject to compromise but only if the controversy presents itself. The teacher pension shift is big (and bears repeating).

Kamenetz's "twice for flinching" approach may be accommodating and romantically stoic, but, as The Sun piece notes, Baltimore County will be taking the worst of this change in expenses. Notably, this is after a recent spat between the County government and the teacher's union related to tight funds and teacher cuts.

I think Ken Ulman knows that teacher pensions will be shifted back to the County. I also think he is going to make that a very hard decision for our State Legislature and one that comes with as many bells and whistles for the counties as may be available. That's the way controversial decisions should be made. With compromise. Not concession.

LINKS

Speaking of education funding, the Howard County Board of Education unanimously passed a $697 million operating budget request for FY 2013. That is a 1.9% increase from 2012. Here's the bad part: "But some members noted that the budget did not include a contingency plan for dealing with the possibility that teacher pension costs could be shifted from the state to the county level. French said the Tuesday meeting was not the time or place for such a discussion, but agreed that a full discussion needed to be held in front of the public — and soon. French suggested such a discussion be held during the board's March 8 meeting." No evacuation plan.

The Howard Delegates' votes on same-sex marriage went 5 for, 3 against. I wouldn't be surprised to see that as a pretty fair representation of the popular vote in this County should the matter go to a referendum.

Frederick County Commissioners have voted to make English the County's official language. Proponents say it will deter illegal immigrants from settling in the County...obviously reflecting the fact that illegal immigrants look to obscure County ordinances when determining where they will live.

Meanwhile, back in places that are passing legislation that matters, Baltimore County has passed a transgender discrimination ban, defeating a "bathroom amendment" that would have excluded bathrooms, locker-rooms, and dressing rooms from the protections offered by the new law. I loved this line from the article: "Opponents of the bill have said it would lead to men dressed as women assaulting females in restrooms, though critics could not point to any specific incidents in places that have transgender anti-discrimination laws." Doesn't that pretty much sum up any argument against any civil rights bill for the history of time? "Something horrible's going to happen!!" "Do you have an example of this happening elsewhere?" "No, but...HORRIBLE!!"

Featured Blog Post of the Day: Sarah is making a movie! Ok, so her husband is making a movie, but she is helping and running the website. This seems like a cool thing to follow, especially since I tend to believe Howard County lacks in the cinema department (despite those warehouses were Homicide and The Wire were filmed).

That's all for today. I'm feeling a little under the weather, so forgive me if any of the logic was fuzzy (can I put that disclaimer on the bottom of all my posts? "Geez, Tom really needs to get over that cold. He's not making a lick of sense.")

Have a great Wednesday doing what you love!

Retreat (Tuesday LINKS)

2012-02-21T06:59:00.000-05:00

I spent the last four days in a remote cabin in the middle of New York State. There was no TV, no Internet, and no Cell Service. Local government was relevant only insofar as that's where people go when there is a dispute about land boundaries and hunting licenses. You can get from place to place by car, but most people take ATV's. They tell a lot of bear stories.

It was a great vacation for someone like me. I have a tendency to find myself drawn to "screens" to see what's going on. It's a bad habit.

But nature is also the most effective method of providing humility. The thing about technology, particularly the Internet, is that it provides the illusion of control. You would think the vast expanses of the techno-verse would be similarly humbling, but everything is a Google search away. Not so when you look up a wooded mountain and think about going to the top; looking at millions of stars unaffected by city lights; or something as simple as the complete silence of the outdoors without the hum of HVAC units, murmur of televisions, or swishing of passing cars.

It was also odd to look out from high up on the hills and see expanses of land that were comparable to all of Howard County and think about what we've made of our "spot." This hive.

Life is so much different there. It makes you think in so much simpler terms, but in such greater depth. While I enjoyed my retreat, I think I picked the right life for me. Maybe I'll spend a little less time with my screens.

LINKS

On my way back home, I listened to a Midday with Dan Rodrick's podcast discussing the new headquarters for Exelon in Harbor East. Dan cited a recent column by (soon to be former) Sun columnist Jay Hancock that reminded me of the Columbia Downtown Development debate: "Developers always say they need tax breaks because the "economics" of the project wouldn't work without them. But that proposition is rarely tested. Cities and states always cave in. And the books are rarely thrown open to reveal the most interesting economics — how tax incentives feather developers' profits."

The same-sex marriage bill has moved to the Maryland State Senate after passing in the House of Delegates. While the magnitude of this bill is significant, its passage has almost become a formality with the thunder of chest thumping undertaken by Republicans who promise to take the measure to referendum. In effect, I think this has almost given an "out" to legislators that fear reprisal in their districts who can now say "I think this should be decided by the people and therefore am voting with the understanding that it will go to referenda." Good. You do that. I understand that these votes have gone against marriage equality in the past, but I think Maryland may be different in that regard. So long as the protections for religious liberty are incorporated and sound, the motivation to get-out-the-vote against the bill just isn't there. Now, for those favoring marriage equality, there is all the motivation in the world to knock on doors, vote, and enjoy all of the attributes that go along with fighting for civil rights. And THAT could be very dangerous for Maryland Republicans.

I like what Baltimore County is doing with regard to "Planned Unit Developments" and making more information online for those projects that will skirt underlying zoning in exchange for a "community benefit." Admittedly, as we've seen locally, the more information you make available, the more you may be accused of "hiding something", but there are the reasonable folks in the middle who just want to know what's happening with their community. This type of transparency lessens their burden.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: HowChow continues his "Welcome Home Series" (which would make a nice book) with a review of those great places in HoCo that many people talk about, but few people know how to get to. Thankfully, smart phones have made destination driving a little easier, but I don't think you have lived a complete Howard County experience unless you have eaten at a place, thought it was great food, but then forgot how to get back.

That's all for today. Great to be back. Have a great Tuesday doing what you love!

You've Got (Social) Issues (Thursday LINKS)

2012-02-16T07:05:00.001-05:00

A while back I wrote a post lamenting the death of the same sex marriage bill. I noted how it was a missed opportunity to put Maryland amongst the first in the Country to pass such legislation. I went on to say that we were letting a significant portion of the population down.

Friend of the blog, Ox posted (to paraphrase): "I'm glad this is over so we can get back to the economic issues that are affecting the lives of millions of Marylanders...Tom sucks."

He was right (not on the last part).

Same-sex marriage is important. It should pass. But it, along with so many other social issues, constitute a smoke-screen and one that I hope you don't buy into. Politicians enjoy the opportunity to see themselves as liberators and defenders. They don't like to see themselves as taxers and spenders (which they all are regardless of party stripe). Social issues allow our elected leaders to put on the mantle of liberators and defenders. Look at their newsletters, Facebook posts, and Twitter feeds. They aren't talking about bond bills and capital projects. They're talking about "marriage equality", "protecting your wallet", and...well...Bible verses that somehow endorse what they are about to do. It makes state government seem like the crucible of freedom, if not the final battle between good and evil itself.

There have been a good number of articles recently about how the blue collar workforce is essentially using its political power against itself in supporting the Tea Party and other conservative initiatives. Whether or not that's true, there is no reason to fault their logic. This is not about the practical issue of how bills will be paid! This is about LIBERTY! FREEDOM! BALD EAGLES! And for the Dems it is about EQUALITY! FAIRNESS! That bad ass O logo!

I guess it is too much to ask folks to look beyond these issues. My Facebook wall, and presumably yours, is filled with all of the liberator and defender claptrap that can only be expected to increase over the next 9 months. Somehow it is allowing regular citizens to ignore the fact that our taxes are about to go up, gas taxes are regressive, the vast majority of our National Debt was collected under Republican administrations, the Teacher Pension shift is a shift in sovereignty, and our roads are taking a silent tax on all of our cars year in and year out.

But...ok...I was following you. But what does all of that have to do with bald eagles? FREEDOM!

LINKS

The ONLY potentially good move made by the Baltimore Orioles during the off-season, signing of South Korean Kim Seong-min, has been denied by Major League Baseball. Next thing you know they're going to retroactively cancel out the O's contract with Brian Roberts. ... I said the Next Thing You Know...

Maryland counties came out in force against Gov. O'Malley's proposal to shift teacher pensions back to the counties. I noted above that this would be a "shift in sovereignty." What I mean by that is noting that the counties are limited by statute in terms of revenue. Increasing their liabilities will not just be a financial burden, it will significantly curtail what they can do for their citizens, whether that means environmental initiatives, nonprofit funding, schools, or public safety. The folks that really should be testifying are the teachers. "Splitting the baby" in this context means two things: Cutting the Education Budget and Pension Reform.

Baltimore City is looking to close one of its high schools and curtail grade levels at others in an effort to restructure failing programs. These are brave moves, but unfortunately it looks like City School reform is little more than "brave moves." There has been little to show for all of the revolutionary efforts that have been made to bring City Schools up to par with those across the State.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: Lisa looks behind the recent "reading class" kerfuffle at "Common Core", which is being implemented across the State of Maryland. Common Core represents a "Disciplinary Literacy" approach to reading in which reading is increased within the context of their "content classes." I've been told that this is being implemented in middle schools because studies have shown that growth in reading does not show marked improvement after 5th grade if skills are taught in isolation from content. This makes a lot of sense. Reading comprehension, a core focus of advanced reading in middle schools, can only be accomplished when there is a purpose in comprehension. Content classes would seem to provide that purpose. So don't worry. Your children will not forget how to read in 6th grade.

That's all for today. Have a great Thursday doing what you love!

What Speech Has Woodbine Wrought

2012-02-15T10:15:00.001-05:00

In reviewing an article about the proposed legislation "that would require the State Highway Administration to create a permit program allowing individuals and organizations to display American flags in traffic roundabouts", I noticed the following quote:

"[The SHA] also expressed concern that the bill is not 'content neutral' — it would allow for flags to be flown but not other items — and would raise 'a likely challenge under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.'"

This is a textbook example of Pandora's Box legislation. Prescribing a certain type of speech on public land is dangerous, regardless of "noble intent." I understand that previous commentators have been told that "if you are against this legislation, you are against America." I welcome the comments. My concern, and one I would represent to the good folks of Western Howard County, is that once this bill passes, your roundabout is no longer yours to control. I think we all would like to imagine a garden of American Flags, but that's not how free speech works. You don't get what you want. The thing about speech is that it only needs protection when it is otherwise unwanted. Intermixed with your flags may be athiest promotion, political signs, and, unquestionably, signs about the nearest open house.

In fact, if I were you, I would keep government out of it. SHA can remove your flags at its own peril. No one is going to pass a law prohibiting the removal of the Northrop Team.

The Seven Percent Solution (Wednesday LINKS)

2012-02-15T07:06:00.003-05:00

As expected, the Teacher Pension Shift proposal has the eye of county governments across Maryland and has the prospect of doing significant damage to local budgets. While just about all County leaders are fighting against this bill, I have not read anything from Annapolis suggesting that the shift is otherwise imperiled. The only discussion I've heard is "which knife" -- proportional shift or "each according to their ability to pay" (as advocated for by Baltimore City leaders)...(and if you were to ask me, I would see things going this way, since any other solution would cripple Baltimore City budgets for the next decade, thereby injuring a significant engine of Maryland economic growth).

But our County is prepared. Lindsay McPherson writes that Howard County's Budget Administrator and other administration leaders are preparing for the $6 million to $17 million burden:

"What the county executive has done is gone to department heads and asked them for alternative plans to reduce (their) budget request by seven percent," Wacks said.

This is good leadership and I hope the Ulman administration shares these proposed reductions with the public (regardless of whether they are implemented), paired with an expected reduction in service, performance, or efficiency. I've long thought that all government departments should have "Evacuation Plans" as a matter of course so that when contraction is necessary, it can be executed in a well-planned manner without undermining the government service at issue. Cutting taxes is a legitimate objective of government leadership, regardless of party affiliation. Nonetheless, the character of government is to grow, not to retract, unless an elected leader dictates otherwise. From my perspective, the best way to do this is by way of cooperation with leaders within the administration who know (as deeply held secrets) where the trimming can be made.

Have no doubt that these are sincerely difficult decisions. Everyone is a government slasher until they sit down at the table with the person who prepared the budget. Everyone thinks the government is too big until they work in the cubicle next to a person whose job is cut. And let's not forget about our books. As extension of something noted in Lindsey's piece, Citizen A notices a tax cut once. They notice a reduction in library books repeatedly over the course of their residency in the County.

The Board of Education would do well to create their own 7% solution and Evacuation Plans. If the Teacher Pension Shift is to occur, which I predict it will, you can be certain that Executive Ulman will expect a pound of flesh from the BoE...if not more. Proportionally, the greatest opportunity for reduction in spending is in the Education Budget, regardless of what kind of horrors that may raise in the heads of parents and teachers. This shift is going to hurt all of us in measurable and concrete ways that we notice. Ken Ulman is doing the right thing by making sure we see it coming and the cuts are as painless as possible.

LINKS

Sara Toth notes that Howard County's most prominent teacher's union plans to recommend to the Board of Education that they either seek mediation or quit. With all due respect to the HCEA, I don't think you can fix agitation with agitation. This is like a wife telling her husband that he either clean the dishes or move out of the house. It is not going to get those dishes clean. In fact, I think agitation has stressed this Board out. Every single thing they do is met with such scrutiny and criticism that it appears to be impossible to operate. They work under the constant threat of litigation, whether that be tort or impeachment. That will fray your nerves, and that's coming from an attorney. What I would recommend, to both the HCEA and the Board, is to just take it down a notch. The soap-box speeches aren't going anywhere. The threat of litigation is not going anywhere. But you need to find a way to operate above it. Ignore what you can. Recognize that there are other good people sitting on the Board with you. And keep everything on the up and up.

Lindsey McPherson's Political Notebook: "As County Executive Ken Ulman spends more time making connections in other parts of the state, other gubernatorial hopefuls are making some connections of their own — here in Howard County."

It appears that the Grand Prix will not be going anywhere. Baltimore City has reached a new five year deal with "Downforce Racing." Respectfully, that sounds like a Speed Racer bad guy.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: If you link to two local blogs in a single post, you stand a good chance to get the daily nod. Sarah visits the Family Market, runs into WB, and notes that both of them ended up there after reading a post on HowChow. It's like getting extra credit in first grade for using two "words of the week" in a single sentence!

That's all for today. I should note that I had another nice surprise courtesy of the blog yesterday. My 6th Grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Stout, sent me an e-mail noting that he reads the blog. That was pretty cool.

Have a great Wednesday doing what you love!

A Sense of Urgency (Tuesday LINKS)

2012-02-14T07:05:00.001-05:00

It was another good time at the HoCo Blogger party last night. I have to admit that I'm really not into these types of events. Jessie does a fantastic job and it was clear that everyone was having a great time, but it's just not for me.

Why? It ruins my transmission. I feel like conversations go from 0 to 80 on subjects so varied that it leaves me spinning. I often describe the difficulty of "continuing" a conversation from the blog in that whomever I am speaking with (barring some minor exceptions) knows most of my thoughts on a subject while I know none of theirs. It is much more disorienting than you may think. As a result, while I may normally be a mingler by nature, I tend to stick around the folks I know at these types of events.

That's not to say I didn't have a good time last night. What was most interesting was the sense of urgency amongst those looking to discuss the Board of Education. I acknowledge that I may have set myself up yesterday by saying that most candidates should attend (only two actually did by my count), but there was a clear presumption that BoE should be front and center. They're probably right. Barring one, the HoCo blog-o-verse has not reflected the fact that we have a primary in a little less than a month and a half.

I was asked last night whether I plan to write more about the Board election. My answer was "not really." First, I don't really do much "planning" with this blog. (You all should find yourself very fortunate that I do not write "Dream Journal Tuesday" posts). Second, one cardinal truth I've learned with blog writing is: Never. Force. A Post. If you think you should write about something, but can't think of something to say, don't do it. Ever. As apparent from many of the commenters on this site, controversy normally fills the holes of informed opinion, with the maxim "If you can't inform, offend." I think there is a paired misconception about what the Board of Education does with an over-importance placed on each Board member's ability to change the body. I've said that before. We can talk all day about how the Board approves such a large proportion of Howard County spending, but in order for me to find that significant, you will also have to show me an instance in which a single Board member (or a pact of the same) fought and achieved a marked decrease in that budget.

A funny aside, I had my own opportunity to geek out a little yesterday. Before ever writing my own blog, I read the personal finance blog Bargaineering written by Jim Wang. Jim is another one of those bloggers who put out a good product, updated regularly, and was able to make a living from his website. I had a chance to meet Jim and chat with him briefly before being lost in the tide of people. In light of my own focus, and that of those I was speaking with, I tried to weave the conversation to "personal finance-local issues." It did not work. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet someone who had a "voice" that I had identified with and chat over his experience with blogging.

Hopefully my transmission comment is not taken as a knock on blogger parties. They really are great events in our community. It's not the party. It's me.

LINKS

Here's an interesting topic for your next round of beer/coffee/juice: Should college athletics be allowed to monitor and regulate student social media? It seems to me that so long as the students can be punished for what they issue into cyber-space, that speech is already regulated with a hammer. It is odd how far we have gone from "Save the e-mail on your computer for a day before sending" to "I have a computer in front of me, I need to say something." Sure, that probably isn't something for a blogger to criticize, but...I have a computer in front of me, I need to say something.

A non-profit consultation organization hired to train Baltimore City police officers was found to have spent over 40% of its funds on entertainment, meals, and travel. Why do I imagine the Baltimore City auditor's office to be a spider-web filled attic with a skeleton sitting at the front desk?

Just as businesses and local governments across Maryland are saying "that's it?" regarding the first round of BRAC, President Obama has announced a second round of base realignment and closure for 2013. I expect this second round will not be talked of in the same "El Nino" terms of its predecessor...and probably catch everyone off guard in the process.

Big props to Alice Giles, the League of Women Voters, and the Howard County Council for getting the Howard Delegation public hearing moved back to Howard County on February 21. It is always exciting to see dedicated citizens make change happen, no matter the scale. I also want to note again that Senator Kittleman and Delegate Bates were holding a separate public hearing in Howard County before it was cool, which didn't seem to get the coverage that it probably deserved.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: HowChow offers up some of the best places in Howard County for "date night." I agree across the board.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! If I remember Elementary School correctly, many of my parent readers have a thousand card-paper-cuts and writer's cramp after drafting dozens of "Choo-Choo-Choose you" missives that were evaluated for inappropriate double entendres at about ten minutes a pop. If not, expect a note from an authority figure or offended parent.

Have a great Tuesday doing what you love WITH the person (or favorite pet) that you love!

Show Me A Sign (Monday Links)

2012-02-13T07:06:00.000-05:00

According to the Howard County Municipal Sign Code, the start date for when political signs relating to the April 3, 2012 primary were allowed was February 3, 2012 (60 days out from the election). By my amateur survey of Howard County's hills and valleys, no one seems all that interested.

By the look of things, the HoCo GOP may have to consider mounting their horses sometime soon. Whether it is Mitt, Rick, or Newt, the Nomination is unlikely to be locked up by April 3, barring some kind of sweep on Super Tuesday (March 6th). Even then, the new delegate structure whereby the runner-up gets proportional delegates may permit the hangers-on to hang-on well past the house-guest/dead fish mark.

More importantly, where are our Board of Education candidates? I very well may have missed it, but I recall there having been numerous forums well before the primary in 2010. Not to puff our collective chests, but smart candidates will find themselves at the Corner Stable this evening to get their name out in a game where that ends up being 70% of the effort (with the other 30% being where that name falls amongst the alphabet).

Whatever you're putting in the ground, tread lightly. I know of a good number of friends that will steadfastly refuse to vote for anyone who places illegal signs (i.e., those found along public property). We all know you didn't ask the round-about's permission before placing that sign.

I am reserving at least one of my primary votes for whomever has the most signage. It seems like the American thing to do.

LINKS

The Fed's may be cutting back, but Maryland's two largest federal employers, Social Security and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare, are staying put at about the same size they are at now.

This article made me happy: "Bill seeks to keep guilty pols from getting paychecks, pensions." Depending on the political bent of the person you are speaking with, you may often hear the phrase that Maryland is the "most corrupt state" in the Union. More times than not, the individual is referring to ethics and corruption prosecutions, which are not really a fair measure of actual corruption. The places you really want to watch out for are those where everyone says things are peachy-keen.

Jessica Anderson's article regarding the Elkridge CSX site makes some of our Howard County polliterati (yeah, that's right, I made up a word) look like a bunch of citizens filing FOIA requests regarding additional costs to CSX related to the potential sites for the intermodal facility. She closes with a breath-taking stat: "CSX and the state estimate that the transfer cargo site will generate more than $18 billion in direct and indirect economic activity and 6,700 jobs over 30 years." Looks like the people that will really be affected by the new intermodal site have yet to arrive.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: HowChow welcomes newcomers with a "tiny tour" of Howard County cuisine, lamenting that no matter what, you're going to have to get in your car. He includes the most important tip -- "Then read HowChow more and see what else you'd want." That's what I do.

That's all for today. Sorry if the post was a little "blah." The Baltimore Sun was more slow than normal and I feel like I may be stuck in first gear. I have a mini-vacation on the horizon, which will be much needed and much appreciated.

Have a great Monday doing what you love!

Voting on a Jet Plane

2012-02-11T10:02:00.001-05:00

I was recently referred to the 5 hr 30 min mark of this session of the Howard County Board of Education meeting. It begins with an admonition by the disembodied voice of Brian Meshkin to the Board for originally disallowing his participation in the meeting via teleconference and then changing course to bring Mr. Meshkin in as a tie-breaking vote.

Then it devolves. First at a trickle. Then the dam breaks.

A few things:
1) Mr. Meshkin should be embarrassed that this was ever necessary. He admits to having had to miss a number of meetings due to his business in California, which he would have certainly been aware of prior to running for office. I don't know all of the facts, but based on the unrefuted comments of the Board members, Mr. Meshkin first requested participation by phone that morning. If anything, I would expect him to be thanking the Board for permitting his participation in absentia, not shaming them for a perceived conspiracy to "use him" for his vote.

2) At about 5 hr 44 min, Allen Dyer requests that the Board recall its vote to impeach him. That was a nice aside.

3) When addressing the procedures of a deliberative body, you need to presume that what is good for one is good for all. Do we want our elected bodies to be small speaker boxes sitting behind name plates? It is an obligation of elected office to sit before the public, face to face, and cast your vote. Technology is not going to overcome this requirement. Consider the legal system. As much as we may like to challenge our speeding ticket over Skype or have witnesses in Colorado testify at criminal trials in Maryland through a television set, the law does not allow it. In my own experience with CA, it is inevitable that when a member participates over the phone, there will be problems. They can't hear. It cuts out. They inadvertently interrupt other members. It is a mess. So while I know there are alternative views on who is wrong and who is right, I just think there is a more practical issue of what we expect of those we elect. Above all things, I think "presence" is a fair preliminary.

4) Holster your weapons. Mr. Meshkin's accusation here is so ludicrous that it almost escapes reason. "I want to vote for this item. You were not going to let me vote for it. Now you are. You are using me for my vote. It hurts my feelings." And the dungeon analogy? Did Board of Education storm troopers escort you onto that plane, Mr. Meshkin? This Board has seen enough discord and controversy that it is all the more unfortunate that this non-controversy was blown up due to the conscious choices of one of its members.

I was not going to write about this item. I wasn't even going to post today. But this bothers me. We are all accountable for our own actions. The world has enough martyrs.

CA Board Recap: February 9, 2012 Board of Directors Meeting

2012-02-10T07:09:00.004-05:00

Start Time: 7:34 pm
End Time: 10:58 pm

This Board meeting was dedicated entirely to Columbia Association's Operating Budget. It became apparent early on that some members (member?) have viewed the Board's opportunity to "review and approve" the Budget as a paired opportunity to dictate the very operations of this organization. This is after repeated assurances that they are not interested in "getting into operations" and are rather exercising the Board's responsibility of "oversight."

What was even more frustrating is that it seems the Board is either unable or unwilling to prevent a blatant acknowledged tyranny by the minority in the course of Board meetings. As will be noted below, the Board considered over 34 proposals regarding the Operating Budget. With two to three items that were put on Tracking Forms for later action, none of the proposals made it past a straw vote. That means the majority was not interested in the proposal, which was apparent from the start on many of these items. Despite the CA Board's Special Procedures that are intended to govern our meetings, which explicitly say that the Chair is to take note of how many members would like to speak for or against a given item, each proposal was subject to discussion amongst whomever still had muscle-nerve contact between their shoulder and their hand.

In terms of Operational interference, it is time for the Staff to just say "no." There is a legal limit on what a Nonprofit Board of Directors may require of Staff in terms of dictating action. I would probably stand up and cheer if one Thursday a member of the Staff said to a Board member "We believe your proposal is entirely within the realm of CA operations and will not be following your directive on this." It would surely infuriate the Board Member, and possibly others, but it would also seem to curb this blank checkbook approach that has micro-managed a very good organization into nonsensical spiderwebs of policies, white papers, and inequitable formulas.

As I noted above, we reviewed over 30 some-odd proposals. I am only going to include those that stuck out for me. Again, spoiler alert, none of them passed.

Salaries Line Item

If you enjoyed "Attack on the Staff, Part 1" you'll love "Attack on the Staff, Part 8." Yet again, members of the Board sought to limit the increase in the salary line item to keep it at the same amount as 2012. Whether it is federal, state, or the nonprofit sector, I do not believe in taking "hard times" out on well-performing Staff. If we were looking to curtail our budget to save money, I firmly believe it should have been in Capital Projects or Programming. It was yet another round of amateur hour in terms of what CA's thousands of employees "deserve" due to "tough economic times." This proposal was voted down, as were subsequent proposals looking to edit salary items in the budget.

Rates

If you enjoyed "Attack of the Rate-Slashers, Part 1" you'll love "Attack of the Rate-Slashers, Part 8." Frequent readers will know that many on this Board see no measure of science in calculating rates. If it is a lot of money, it is too much. If the difference between resident and non-resident rates appears too small, it is not "significant." Who has time for market comparisons when we have the "eyeball test" to apply to complicated matters of CA income?

I appreciate the interest in lowering rates...for low income residents. Respectfully, for everyone else, I am willing to trust our Staff to consider market rates and our interest in providing Columbia residents a rate that is significantly below that rate. Other than that, I have no experience to offer in this regard and will not impose my judgment on the rates that have been calculated. These numbers don't exist in space. They're based on the cost of fulfilling a membership, the cost of subsidization between resident and non-resident, market competition, etc., etc. You have to wonder whether this organization would be spiraling into the red if there were two to three different Board members who thought Board service was an opportunity to get cheaper golf for their friends.

We also returned to the Board's policy of not offering Double Discounts. Anyone paying attention to the Senior Discount will know that this has become a bit controversial. In short, CA does not allow "double discounts" as a matter of "good business practices" and therefore a member who has a 10% Senior Discount may not also enjoy a 20% discount on the early renewal, leading to a 30% discount on their Plan. It was suggested that we abolish the double discount rate at the Board level, which I tend to agree with. The trouble is that the way it was written suggested that this may be misconstrued as prohibiting staff from setting their own discount policy, including the prohibition on double discounts. (Still with me?). As such, the matter was deferred for later Board action.

Soon after the straw vote went through, one of the Board members, who happens to be the standard-bearer for the senior discount, called the Board "spineless" and then corrected himself to say we were "gutless." I would counter that this populist nonsense with no basis in data of any sort, and very well may be injurious to CA, is spineless...reckless and arrogant. Offering up to 30% off CA memberships to a growing segment of our population is not just wrong; it is dumb.

It looks like I have run out of time. Those were the two most prominent areas of discussion from last night's Board meeting. I didn't see any members of the press, but I've been wrong before. Nevertheless, I don't know if there was anything to cover.

I can't imagine that the ten directors enjoyed the use of their time last night. Three and a half hours that could have been spent with your spouse, your children, your pet, or just reading a book. But why aren't we doing anything about it? We talk a lot about the Board's credibility and our interest in transparency, but both are injured by long purposeless meetings.

Residents will have their say in April. Maybe they'll actually tell us something this time.

Have a great Friday doing what you love.

Shameless Plug

2012-02-09T15:33:00.000-05:00

It brings me a particular amount of pride to note that my father's accounting firm, Coale, Pripstein, and Associates, is now advertising on the HoCoMoJo Network. Every once in a while, I will (quite literally) shake my head and say "This blog thing is a trip." Whether it is someone introducing themselves as a reader or being told that "so and so" doesn't like me because of something I wrote, it has been a fascinating and exciting journey that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys writing.

But having my Dad buy a spot alongside my blog posts. That's something I appreciate in a different way altogether.

Contradicting Theories (Thursday LINKS)

2012-02-09T07:02:00.000-05:00

I was listening to my favorite podcast yesterday, which discussed the various forms of "Conservatism" in both the United States and Britain. To paraphrase, one of the commentators noted that "Markets, more than anything else, almost inevitably work against staid traditions." This individual was referencing the fact that the two understandings of conservatism (i.e., "family values" and "faith in the market") are seemingly at cross-purposes.

I wasn't sure I bought into this idea completely until I heard a later reference to the fact that it has been pop culture and "television" that has worn away at those values promoted by our politicians. Not government. How would one stop that? Regulating the market. How does one enforce morality amongst powerful businesses? Regulation. In fact, if you tear away the semantic dressing that most "family values" initiatives have, they are at base level a regulation of the free market, whether that market is media, health care, or life partner.

But that gets to the next interesting item I came across yesterday: "McCarthy, Beck, and the New Hate" (at least The Atlantic still makes use of the oxford comma). It is one of those pieces in which 33% are infuriated, 33% say "Didn't everybody know that?", and 33% say "This author has something to prove, but said some interesting things along the way."

Arthur Goldwag cites from an article about the temperance movement that also addressed economic matters: "On many occasions they approach economic issues as matters of faith and morals rather than matters of fact. ...when society adopts a policy of deficit spending, thrifty small-businessmen, professionals, farmers, and white-collar workers who have been managing their affairs by the old rules feel that their way of life has been officially and insultingly repudiated."

For anyone that has tried to have a discussion about fiscal issues with someone that starts shaking their head from the moment you open your mouth, doesn't that sound right? The reason family values and faith in the market is not a contradiction has nothing to do with their logical relation. It is an emotional relation. We're talking about the repudiation of a way of life and the nostalgic confidence that back when the government ran their finances like the family unit and we all had "family values", things were good. Things are bad because we have repudiated "my" way of life.

The most interesting aspect of Goldwag's piece is the manner in which he shows that nothing here is new. McCarthy, Father Coughlin, etc. -- they're all selling the same thing. The emotional connection of feeling like a strange person in a strange land with the explanation that "it's not supposed to be like this."

I don't want this to be taken as a rant on Republicans, but I presume that is too late now. I think you can see many representations of Republicans, like Senator Allan Kittleman, promoting a true conservative philosophy that tends to stand up under scrutiny. But I would note that the majority have no problem sitting on the fissure between markets and "family values", mostly because this gets them rewarded at the ballot box.

LINKS

Speaking of Senator Kittleman, yesterday I posted a link to LWV Alice Giles's letter noting the League's disappointment over the Howard County Delegation's decision to hold its public hearing in Annapolis. Senator Kittleman sent me an e-mail noting that both he and Delegate Gail Bates will be holding a Town Hall meeting on February 23 at the Miller Branch Library to allow residents that are not able to come to Annapolis on February 21 an opportunity to be heard on State legislation. More information here. (I can already hear Senator Kittleman's voice: "Now Tom, why did you have to link to the Town Hall meeting immediately after that...stuff about conservatives.")

Mayor SRB's use of the Baltimore City skybox is coming under scrutiny after she dis-invited City Council Chair Jack Young for the Houston Texans playoff game in January. It would really be great if the City just gave these tickets to Big Brothers/Big Sisters and stopped the politics of "who gets invited" all together...but that would make too much sense.

Maryland will be the recipient of approximately $1 billion in settlement funds (from a total of about $25 billion across the Country) spread out amongst 40,000 borrowers ("victims of shoddy and illegal foreclosure paperwork practices") which will be paid by mortgage banks. Your TARP money at work.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: 53 Beers chides the HoCo delegation for "being lazy" and asks some additional questions as to why the meeting would need to be in the Howard Building. He also wonders why it is so difficult to get the Howard Delegation all in one place. (They seem to have no problem managing it when it is an election forum...badoom ching).

I understand that some of you have had difficulty commenting. For whatever reason, there is no "comment" link at the bottom of my posts. However, if you click on the post header, it will open up a separate page in which you will see a comment box at the bottom. I will be working on this over the weekend, but just don't have time to get into the cranks during the week.

Have a great Thursday doing what you love!!

Ulman Fighting for...a Pay Cut

2012-02-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

According to this salary slide-show by the Baltimore Sun, should Ken Ulman seek to become Maryland's next Governor, he would be taking a $13,841 pay cut.

Governor O'Malley makes $150,000 a year.
County Executive Ken Ulman makes $163,841 a year.

Notably, Executive Ulman was shown to have the second higest salary of those listed, coming in behind only Congressman Elijah Cummings who makes $174,000 a year.

Should Ken get the big spot, I think we can presume that the $14K would be made up in mortgage payments.

Paralyzed (Wednesday LINKS)

2012-02-08T07:03:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since we saw this Council as divided as it is over a measure like Council Redistricting. By my recollection, the original bill was introduced in early December and the Council has now voted to table and extend the life of the bill to early March. As noted in Lindsey's piece, the Commission's Plan automatically becomes law if no action is taken by March 15, 2012. (I guess the Charter folks predicted this kind of strife.)

What's really puzzling is the apparent purposelessness of the dispute. This is a 4-1 majority Dem Council. If this was 3-2 D-R (or vice versa) you would almost expect the plan to be torn to pieces by heated partisans as the moderates roll their eyes and suggest "Why don't we just pass the Commission Map?" In fact, I would presume that Greg Fox and the HoCo GOP are saying to themselves "Is this really happening?" They were facing down a map that was clearly unfavorable to them, making District 1 more blue and the other Districts even further out of their reach, yet this Plan is under fire. Not only that, but Greg finds himself in the position of being a swing vote.

"Drunk with success" has significant meaning for Howard County Democrats here.

With the apparent conclusion that these Democrats are no longer concerned regarding the success of their own party, what are they fighting about?

Fiefdoms. Anyone close to this debate has heard "my district" enough to make them look for the court jester. Sure, there has been a lot of angst with varying levels of validity regarding who is in what district, but a lot of that is fear-mongering. "If you're in that district, imagine what will happen." Nothing. Imaginary lines will fall on someone else's lawn.

The only other concern that seems less acknowledged but also "there" is the ability to designate a successor. That seems to make a lot of sense when you see all of the fighting over particular neighborhoods while others are thrown in and out of districts without mention. Chief of staff, best friend, campaign manager, etc. etc. This is where I hope I'm wrong. Regardless of one's opinions about the legislation passed by the Council, the individual members do not seem to have the arrogance necessary to think that their hand alone will select who follows them.

Don't get me wrong, this is all fun to watch, but you have to wonder what the heck they are doing...other than helping the GOP.

(WB has a similar take here.)

LINKS

The County has decided to ignore the large "Don't Mess With Elkridge" warning label that comes affixed to that zip code. Auto Mechanic Brian Wilson has faced a series of zoning challenges related to his shop on Montgomery Road that don't seem to be going away anytime soon as he applies for a variance to include additional parking. The interesting question now is whether Mr. Wilson or the County are the ones that are going against the community. (Props to Kevin Rector who, by my review, has written 20-30% of the articles that the Flier has been putting out over the past few weeks. Great work.)

I've often expressed how fortunate Howard County voters are to have the League of Women Voters. Alice Giles shows that yet again with a letter to the editor questioning why the Howard Delegation is holding their annual hearing in Annapolis. This is unacceptable.

Rick Santorum won the GOP primaries in Colorado, Missouri, and Minnesota. Really? He did?

Baltimore City Teachers may be regretting their deal with the devil...ahem...for more pay as a large number receive poor teacher evaluations. I love the subheading "Teachers believe it is attempt to avoid pay raises, but system says it is effort to help them become more effective." Shut up, system.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: How can I not go to my friend HowChow when he posts about a new NIGERIAN food spot coming to the Long Reach Village Center. I can already see the conversation in my household. "Wanna try the new Nigerian place?" "I don't know...it sounds spicy." "How does it sound spicy? It's a country!" "No, let's go to Facci."

That's all for today. Have a great Wednesday doing what you love!!

Please, No More (Tuesday Links)

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jane and I were watching the news last night and something came up about the (insert controversy) funding by (insert previously benign organization) or government regulation of (insert political hot button). I can't remember which. Anyhow, Jane turned to me to comment and before she finished her sentence, I politely asked her to stop.

"Please, no more. No more politics."

February is a little early for political exhaustion, but it hit me yesterday. Hard. I don't want to hear anyone named Mitt or Newt talk for the next two days. I don't want to hear about Planned Parenthood. I don't want to talk about which medical procedures have religious implications.

"Please, no more. No more politics."

There really is no escaping this stuff. Social media is awash with "If you stand by ____, repost this as your status, change your profile picture, or defriend all college classmates that begin with the letter R." I also have had my fill of various friends and family posting Op/Ed's as if they are revealing some hidden conspiracy that was not covered by the mainstream media. It has Op/Ed written on it for a reason. These writers know that your emotions work faster than your intelligence and are making a living off of it. Play their game if you want, but it will probably take less than two clicks of a mouse for your recipients to realize that you've been fooled. And that's uncomfortable for everyone.

So when I sat down to type my post this morning, the only thing I could think was "Please, no more. No more politics." Looks like I couldn't even run away from it in my own head.

LINKS

The Orioles have traded their (arguably) best pitcher, Jeremy Guthrie, for two pitchers of lesser quality and around the same age. The Duquette Era hurts me.

Opponents to the transgender bill in Baltimore County testified last night. One citizen is even quoted as saying that they are having trouble sleeping over the idea that a man might be in the women's restroom. With all of the problems of the world, you are concerned regarding a de facto no trespassing sign being violated?

It didn't take long for the Maryland Legislature to consider that slots just wasn't enough. A bill introduced in the Senate last night would allow table games and an additional casino in Prince George's County.

Comptroller Peter Franchot is opposing Governor O'Malley's gas tax and plans to go right to the people with his message for why it is a bad idea. He's holding a roundtable discussion today in Annapolis on the subject, with two out-spoken opponents of the measure. Franchot is slowly beginning to take the inside track for those "practical Republicans", who don't feel the GOP has a chance at the Governor's Mansion.

Featured Blog Post(s) of the Day: HowChow has been on a tear recently and is covering a number of local restaurants (Facci, Maiwand Kabob) that are expanding or moving in the near future. Click over and get updated before your pumpkin craving is met by an empty storefront.

That's all for today. Have a great Tuesday doing what you love!

The Extremes Are Watching (Monday LINKS)

2012-02-06T06:55:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend I posted a snarky status on Facebook about Rachel Maddow and Rush Limbaugh (as I am known to do since neither are my "friends") and received the following response comment:

Sometimes being in the middle doesn't mean your right. Sometimes what you believe is a common sense approach is wrong. Sometimes the extreme of either end is the awakening call. And lastly, while the middle looks at the ends as "extreme" and "too passionate" the ends look at the middle as "indecisive", "grey", "mushy", and worse, the group that puts the bad-guy in office!

I found it interesting on a number of levels, but mostly because it challenged some of my deepest held beliefs about politics. Namely -- moderation in all things creates the correct path.

But in a political climate where meaningless words like "post-partisan" are thrown around as if they have decisive heft, have we lost touch with those words that at one time actually described something? Does "moderate" even mean anything anymore? I found that the more I thought over the comment in my head, the less I felt it actually applied to me. Is it "moderate" to spend an hour a day typing words into space? Do I hold "moderate" beliefs about anything? I don't think I do. I'm pretty extreme about moderate things. (Insert sip of coffee to think over whether that makes sense).

Said otherwise, I do think my general political beliefs are what could be considered moderate, but I am anything but "indecisive, gray, or mushy" about their achievement.

A lot more could be said about the extremes and "cult politics" whereby people begin to define themselves by the issues they hold on placards. That will never be me. I will never yell at someone to communicate a political objective. That time is wasted. It would be better spent on the mushy folks.

LINKS

After the Giants won their second Super Bowl with Eli Manning at the helm, we will be told that he is elite. Over and over. Nevertheless, we all will continue to think that "there is something not-right with that boy."

There has been a public outcry over Columbia's new story "Charm City Puppies", which sells, you guessed it, puppies. I hate puppy mills. Both of our dogs are rescues, with one being a puppy mill reject that we had to rehabilitate from a serious case of mange. I also hate to see a new store face this kind of adversity in its most critical months of life. But overall, I would hope that anyone looking for a dog would go to the Howard County Shelter before dropping a couple grand on a dog that comes with a certificate.

Stink bugs have found it difficult to survive the many storms this area has faced over the last six months. Too bad so sad.

Anne Arundel County Councilman Jerry Walker wants to make English the official language of Anne Arundel County. The bill submitted last Monday "would require that all official county documents, communications and agreements be in English." It would also require all government employees to cover their ears and say "I'm not listening" whenever a foreign tongue is used.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: WB looks at one of Howard County's "green" programs that may take a hit with a cut in State funding: kitchen waste recycling. It's good to hear that the County is already looking at ways to downsize.

That's all for today. Have a great Monday doing what you love. Patriots fans -- don't worry, you'll feel better in approximately two weeks. And just be glad you didn't lose on a field goal.

CA Board Recap: February 2, 2012 PSC Budget Work Session -- Capital Projects

2012-02-03T07:07:00.002-05:00

Start Time: 7:36 pm
End Time: 10:42 pm

I found this to be a productive meeting. The Board lost its path a few times, but overall I felt as if the members were oriented towards voting, which is a good thing.

Staff Incentives/Bonuses

Although this meeting was to be dedicated to Capital Projects, we still had old business regarding how bonuses for CA Staff were to be governed. The Board passed a Motion that bonuses would be allocated from 50% of surplus (under-budget) funds, excluding depreciation and interest. Of that money, each individual staff member would received no greater than a 5% bonus. There were at least three Board members (including myself) that wondered how we got to a point where we have narrowed the availability of bonuses to this level. Rather than increase transparency and fairness, it seems as if this level of micro-managing has obfuscated the process and put an individual staff member completely in the dark as to what they need to do to earn a bonus.

After the budget process is over, the Board may want to consider going back and untying some of these knots placed on personnel. The meeting in which Staff tells the Board "we're losing good people" will be when it is too late to change.

Symphony Woods Park

Prior to last night, Symphony Woods Park had been allocated $1 million in the 2013 Budget. The Board determined (with guidance from Staff) that in light of set-backs with the County, it was very unlikely that this Project would be ready to utilize those funds by next year. In response, the Board swapped 2014 funding ($585,000) for FY 2013 funding in anticipation of being able to do the bulk of construction in 2014 (which notably is a conditional budget).

I would have preferred to leave the $1 million in FY 2013. Based on my review of how things are going, it would seem that once the County grants us permission, there will be a lot to do at a fairly steady pace. I also recalled that some Board members had asked whether our fountain plans were constrained due to an inappropriate allocation of funds. This was the Board's opportunity to give Staff additional flexibility.

I understand why other Board members were disinclined to "park" money, but I think that is an erroneous view of how CA funds are allocated. Said otherwise, we don't have a $1 million piggy bank with "SymFony Woodz" written on it. But all the same, the reallocation of about $300,000 should appear in the form of smaller projects being completed faster, which is something I can support.

Lake Kittamaqundi

Many Board members, myself included, were disappointed that only $50,000 was allocated for completing the pathway around Lake K. This is a project of high priority for the Board and one that we would like to see completed as soon as possible. Nonetheless, there are significant permitting hurdles that were further held up by lake dredging. The good news is that the "other side of the lake" is not under the new downtown zoning scheme, so we will be able to save ourselves what has turned out to be about 8 months of planning and evaluation by the County. This project has been allocated $220,000 for 2014.

Dorsey's Search Meeting Room
As you all may imagine, this particular project has had my attention throughout the budget process. Without getting too far into the details, the "Meeting Room" attached to the Dorsey's Search pool is part of the "aging infrastructure" that I have alluded to in numerous posts about CA's future challenges. Every Village has a structure like this and every Village seems to have had a viable project voted down because of either infighting or the determination by CA that the improvement would not be profit positive.

When it comes to Village improvements, we can't look at these projects in terms of profit. If that was the objective, all of our Village Centers would host ReMax agents and Starbucks barristas. Our Village Centers and meeting spaces are there to provide resources and value to the residents. In the case of Dorsey's Search, the Meeting Room has hosted a succession of day care operations that have repeatedly outgrown the space. This space was not serving the residents adequately.

I am very happy to note that the PSC voted to approve the expansion of the Meeting Room. It probably was the happiest 10 seconds of my time on the CA Board. Not only because it helped my Village, but also because it showed that this infighting of "Your Village isn't getting a project until my Village gets one" may be behind us. I look forward to seeing future proposals for updating our Village Centers and plan to provide my full support.

Hobbit's Glen

The expansion/renovation/reconstruction of the Hobbit's Glen Clubhouse was approved before I came to the Board. I apparently made the mistake of asking about why this decision was made, which was interpreted as asking for "justification" (and thereby imperiling the Meeting Room expansion -- gotta love politics). As someone who has actually taken a pair of scissors to the collar of greens during the Senior PGA Tournament, it was almost laughable that I ended up on the other side of this criticism, but we can put that aside for now. My concern is that we are not doing an adequate job explaining this project to our residents. Hobbit's Glen appeared to be the straw-man at Tuesday's Aquatics Master Plan Work Session and there is clearly a lot of angst over CA's funding of this project. I was told that the purpose of the renewed attention was to make sure all of our amenities were in good repair and could be a source of pride for residents. Ok, that's good, but I think we need more.

The CA Board will be receiving proposals for the new Clubhouse in about three months. I hope to be able to share more with you then, but as of right now, I know about as much as all of you. And apparently am not allowed to ask questions...

Well, time flies while you're talking about the Budget. We discussed additional projects, but I think I covered all of the big ticket items.

Have a great FRIDAY (!!) doing what you love!

Water Water Everywhere (Thursday LINKS)

2012-02-02T07:05:00.001-05:00

A Work Session for the proposed CA Aquatics Maters Plan was held this past Tuesday in the River Hill Village Center. It brought out an impressive number of citizens comprising approximately an hour and a half of testimony. Some of this testimony was persuasive, reasonable, and well thought out. Other testimony showed that some folks just want to be angry...with the intermixed pot shot at Hobbit's Glen.

I've found that considering public testimony is one of the most difficult aspects of serving on the CA Board. Do I take this as dispositive of the public sentiment? Do I consider the "content majority" who were not so moved as to come out against a proposal? Should I look at the proportion of people speaking for or against a particular item and project that out amongst all Columbia residents?

This Board is easily moved by public testimony. Almost to the point that we may be walked into bad decisions by those that have access to much less information. That's not a knock on those who testify, but it is the Board's responsibility to look at a particular vote on the whole, while residents are invited (and expected) to speak only from their experience. I've often wondered whether the Board made the right decision on Splashdown when we voted to drop over $200,000 on repairs that may only last two years. But that is what the testimony overwhelmingly supported. So that's what we did.

On Tuesday, I heard two contrasting opinions. One said "Make Columbia cutting edge again." The other "Stick with the status quo; it's what's expected." The former had two to three proponents, the latter 10-15. One is semantically and conceptually attractive, the other politically attractive.

I have no interest in closing any pools and I am very frustrated at those who are trying to scare residents into testifying on this matter. The bottom line question is whether Columbia lien-payers want to subsidize under-utilized pools. I understand that there is a underlying question of why those pools are underutilized, but to answer that CA will have to spend a great deal of resources to come to the same conclusion that has already been reached: We have too many outdoor pools.

I hope that Columbia residents stay involved...as problem-solvers. We have heard the concerns, but if this community is to pride itself on its involvement, we are going to have to solve this together.

LINKS

You know a political commentator has struck all the right notes when people from two different Gubernatorial campaigns are promoting the analysis on Facebook. On Tuesday, I saw folks from the Franchot camp and the Ulman camp post this piece from the FreeStater Blog, noting how "astute" it was. This line is stuck in my head "Ulman cannot easily be defined as liberal or conservative - he is, dare I say, post-partisan." I'm sorry...what did you say? Post-partisan? Ken Ulman has successfully prosecuted almost every single plank of the Democratic Platform on a smaller scale. You folks may get Climate Change elsewhere, but here in Maryland? We're safe. Health-care reform? Thanks for catching up, Obama. Smoking Ban? First in the State. We even warn people that lightning is dangerous!! I think Ken Ulman is a very good executive with some of the smartest staffers in the State, but post-partisan he is not. Only in Maryland would that line pass the laugh test...and I actually don't think it did.

For those with blogs, I highly recommend this post regarding...ahem...jerk commenters that was forwarded to me by my friend TJ. Out of all of the local blogs, I am probably the quickest to block/delete a comment. I started doing this after someone told me that they would comment more often, but they don't want to spend the day arguing with an anonymous troll. In my book, you get a little more leeway being a jack...donkey if you use your real name, but not much. Said otherwise, I want everyone to feel free to comment and if someone else fails to keep the conversation on the up and up, they will be asked to leave...by an internet bouncer...a 300 lb internet bouncer.

Speaking of TJ, check out his thoughts on the Woodbine Flag controversy. To summarize, he is not particularly sympathetic.

A "Thank You" and kudos to Jessica Anderson for covering the loss of CA's People Tree as its logo. It may be too late to turn this ship around, but I think the people of Columbia have a right to know about this and be heard on whether they want to fight it. The People Tree and CA are synonymous (that word use makes sense in my head, so deal). If nothing else, I think we may have taken ownership of the symbol by way of adverse possession.

The Howard County Board of Education finally has a Duckett's Lane site that is projected to open for the 2013-14 school year.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: Duane looks at the changing demographics of Howard County, including the smaller proportion of young families. You have to wonder if Howard County has priced itself out of reach for most young families who are looking for housing that they can grow into. By my anecdotal review, most young families in Howard County seem to live in the smallest of houses.

That's all for today. In honor of the CA Capital Projects Budget Work Session, please enjoy this segment from Portlandia on Dog Parks:

Have a great day doing what you love!

No Post Wednesday

2012-02-01T07:12:00.000-05:00

Despite having plenty to say about last night's Aquatic Master Plan Presentation, I have to drive off to King of Prussia, PA to meet with a client this morning. Hope to have something up tomorrow.

Housing First (Tuesday LINKS)

2012-01-31T07:03:00.000-05:00

Dan Rodricks spent two hours discussing homelessness on his Midday Show yesterday. I downloaded the podcasts and have been listening to them in my car. I was happy to hear that despite the continually perplexing case of "solving homelessness" for each individual that finds themselves on the street, there are some common threads and consensus on a number of items. One of those is "Housing First."

The premise of Housing First is that before any attempts at rehabilitation and reintegration are undertaken, the individual must be housed. "Social Workers in the Woods" is an example of why Housing First is a bedrock argument for homeless advocates. This may appear as common sense, but programs directed toward housing can often have moralistic conditions that can effectively remove their usefulness.

But we don't need to worry about those conditions in Howard County. You see, in Howard County, we just straight up do not have sufficient housing.

Grassroots operates the only general emergency shelter in Howard County at 6700 Freetown Road in Columbia, MD. The program has 33 beds for families and single adult women experiencing a shelter crisis.

Even the most stoic and unmoved observer of the homeless condition would have to conclude that to the extent there are resources for our homeless population, those resources are insufficient.

The real kicker is that Grassroots is remarkably successful. The average period of homelessness is 6 months. Grassroots positions itself perfectly to intervene during crisis and prevent chronic homelessness, which is the real bugaboo in this discussion. The political resistance to addressing the homeless problem is people imagining the warehousing of homeless men and women who continue their standard of living under more permanent structure. That's not what the Plan to End Homelessness imagines. Rather, the Plan will establish points of intervention for all men and women that are at risk for homelessness to avoid chronic homelessness and effectively end homelessness as we know it. There will undoubtedly still be those who choose to live in the woods and remain homeless. That is a sad truth that has as much to do with mental health resources as it does homelessness. But to suggest that all of those who live without shelter are doing it by "choice" represents an ignorant view made possible by a sheltered life.

Housing First is the intervention for both the chronically homeless and those in need of crisis intervention. It is a small idea with big consequences. It would be nice to see it tried effectively here.

LINKS

It's going to be sixty frickin' degree outside today! Am I allowed to be happy about this, or should I continue my subconscious terror at the shifting of seasons?

Maybe I've missed it, but I still don't think this Governor or his Administration have made a sufficient case to justify raising income, gas, and sewer taxes to make up for shortfalls in State revenue. This isn't populist saber rattling. The baseline understanding is that higher taxes are bad (especially regressive taxes like those on gas). Republicans have been screaming about the structural deficit for decades with both Democratic leaders and The Baltimore Sun saying that everything was fine. Now we need a slew of tax increases to keep the lights on?

The Congressional Budget Office released a report yesterday concluding that federal workers receive an average of 2% higher salaries and 48% better benefits than comparable workers in the private workforce. There seems to be a faulty assumption worked into this analysis from the start. I have not read the report, but I know that when I left the Gubment to work for a private law firm, my compensation went up significantly. I no longer had the litany of government holidays and had to work longer hours, which oftentimes is the crux of studies such as those performed by the CBO. I presume that is fair, but in my head it just doesn't jive.

300 Protesters came out to "Protect Marriage" and speak out against a bill that would recognize same-sex marriage. I keep coming back to the simple fact that this law would change almost nothing about the way most of us live our lives. Same-sex couples that are living together would continue to live together. Those that don't will most likely not change their mind in response to the law. The State of Maryland would not change its "Welcome" signs to say "We recognize same-sex marriage!" It would just knock down phony legal barriers that treat some private compacts as different than others. I don't mean to belittle the significance of this law for those who would be affected, but I do mean to suggest to those who are protesting it that they have much less at stake than they seem to present.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: WB takes some pictures in Old EC and Columbia to show us the remains of Isabelle and the future signage of the "New Downtown"...and not the kind you think.

That's all for today. I attended the first hour and a half of last night's Board Operations Committee meeting, hoping to discuss "Agenda Reform." No such luck. While promoted, it was not on the BOC agenda. Waaa waaa waa.

Have a great Tuesday doing what you love!

Some Are More Equal Than Others (Monday LINKS)

2012-01-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

I read a very interesting Op/Ed over the weekend entitled "Don't Blame the Rich." You probably don't need to read the piece to understand where the author was going, but this sentence stuck with me:

We could reduce income inequality by trying to curtail the financial returns of education and the number of women in the workforce — but who would want to do that?

(Before anyone sets this blog on fire, please be aware that the argument leading up to this line was that households with two incomes tend to find themselves in the higher income ranges than those with only one wage-earner).

The argument gets a little muddled after that, questioning the purpose of higher tax rates on the most wealthy and suggesting that these revenues would be used for social programs, which I think is a faulty premise, but overall, the refutation of the repeated suggestion that income inequality is something the government can and should solve is a good one. Many, myself included, would argue that a greater objective would be to stop subsidizing the wealth gap with favorable taxation schemes and government funds, but that is for another post.

He closes with a promotion of "social impact bonds" as a means for reducing poverty "rather than inequality":

Under this approach, private investors, including foundations, put up money to pay for a program or initiative to help low-income people get jobs, stay out of prison or remain in school, for example. A government agency evaluates the results. If the program is succeeding, the agency reimburses the investors; if not, they get no government money.

I really like this idea. Especially in Howard County. One could argue that our County's greatest "natural resource" is wealth. A particular line is finding its way in a number of speeches throughout the County this year "We are the richest county, in the richest state, in the richest Country in the World." A true leader, political or otherwise, will find a way to translate this wealth into social good. I may have to concede that Statler and Waldorf are going to go apoplectic on this post, but private return on investment is a "social good."

The government displaces the risk of a failing program onto private investors. Investors evaluate the merits of a program designed to meet the needs of the community (i.e., employment for recently released ex-offenders). It is funded by private investors. If the program is successful, the investors get their money back with an additional return on investment. If not, the investors lose their money in a venture that may nudge future innovation, but tax-payers lose nothing.

I can't imagine the complexities that are required to build such a platform, but it is much easier to think of all the good things that may come of it.

LINKS

The Sun continues to play tax auditor in Baltimore City. No resident is safe.

Bob Ehrlich pens his first Op/Ed for the Sun. He couldn't help but use his first opportunity to zing his old adversary (i.e., the paper upon which his words are printed), but notes that the present editorial staff has a more "balanced and professional approach to its content." That is the sound of a thousand con-serva-teeves crumpling their Sunday paper.

The Maryland Board of Public Works has given final approval to $4 million for turf fields..."a roofing project and renovations to an art and music suite." I can't help but feel that the addition of these miscellaneous capital projects is significant, but also presume that this would be a facile way to look at a complex dispute. I would also prefer to walk slowly away from the turf field dispute, lest there be any additional stomping of feet or accusations of yellow journalism.

Featured Blog Post of the Day: 53 Beers likes the look of the fountain proposals for Symphony Woods and encouraged the Board to move forward with Stage 2. I appreciate this feedback and hope more Columbians (and Howard Countians) take the opportunity to look at the proposals and give their yay or nay.

That's all for today. I've received a few e-mails over the weekend seeking (or suggesting) correction of various posts from over the past week. First, Bob Tennenbaum has not been engaged to work on Symphony Woods. However, he has been a part of the team that has been submitting proposals for the Columbia Lakefront, so my concern still remains regarding the "Neighbor A" example. Second, the CA Dashboard has actually been on the table for six years and not one, as suggested by my CA Board Recap on Saturday. That is embarrassing. Oh no, not for me...

Before leaving the subject of corrections, I do want to note that there is a comment section that is mostly unregulated. If you think I am wrong, particularly if it is a peripheral matter as opposed to a large-scale mistruth, please include a comment. I normally don't have time to include a "corrections" section and am almost regretting including one here.

Have a great Monday doing what you love!

Brokaw Bash

2012-01-28T12:12:00.000-05:00

I have not commented too much on the Republican Primary, but this is probably the most effective and devastating political ad I have ever seen:

CA Board Recap: January 26, 2012 Board of Directors Meeting

2012-01-28T08:07:00.005-05:00

Start Time: 7:35 pm
End Time: 11:05 pm

As we concluded this meeting, someone who had been in attendance for the full 3.5 hours turned to me and said "I dare you to write something positive about this meeting." It was another instance of a lot of talk with very little action. While I would concede that there are times for prolonged deliberation, this meeting had at least two occasions where we discussed the prospect of future discussion.

Symphony Woods Fountain
You know how when you get a tickle in your throat and you think "Darn, I'm getting sick", but there is little you can do to stop it? That's a good way to describe how I feel about the SW fountain. I foresee nothing good coming of this.

First, the designs. I find myself in the camp that is not particularly wow'ed by the current proposals. I thought Westco Fountain put on a great presentation within the parameters that were presented in the RFP. Maybe it is a failure in imagination, but I can't see a circumstance in which either of these fountains draws people to the park. I understand that many of you disagree on this point, but density will be what defines this park. There is nothing spectacular about Centennial Lake, but it is in a good location to draw people for walking, running, fishing, etc. In that context, creating a fountain that "draws people" to the park is probably a bad idea and has the danger to become an eye-sore. Rather, I think we need a fountain that is complimentary to the Park, but is also innovative and symbolic of what the new Columbia aspires to be. That's a heavy load, but if we are going to spend up to half a million dollars (currently budgeted for much less) of CA funds and grants, it really should be spectacular, regardless of what $1 million (or more) would have provided.

That brings me to my potentially conflicting second point: the CA Board should not be the "Aesthetic Council" for deciding what this fountain should look like. Period. Exclamation Point. Highlight cursor. As noted in David Greisman's article, at least two members of the Board expressed their personal disappointment in the proposals and suggested holding a work session to develop additional ideas. One of those Board members recommended that each Board member find pictures of fountains that they liked and bring them to the work session for Westco to incorporate. In a project with permanence, I would rather defer to expertise than personal favorites. I expect a proposal that is a little outside of my comfort zone with the appearance of being lasting. With a fountain that has this many components, I am quite certain the temptation will be for each Board member to have their "mark" on the final product. "See that sideways jet of water coming out of the vertical feature? That's mine. And actually the vertical feature was [insert Board member's name]'s idea. The color scheme was offered by..." (You get the idea). If that doesn't sound like a horrific process for building a lasting monument to Columbia...you probably are on the Board.

So where does that leave us? I have no idea. I am interested in seeing what happens at the work session, which will be at least three months off. This would have been a lot easier for me if I had fallen in love with one of the two proposals. Right now, I feel that my only alternative will be to join one of the camps in favor of what's on the table. I need to decide if that is "settling", which I will not do for a project of this magnitude. If that turns out to be the case, I would rather look to solicit additional proposals...from experts.

Transfer Dredging Funds

This agenda item was delegated 10 minutes, but ended up taking 30. As I've noted before, the Board has repeatedly shown that it does not have the discipline necessary to follow a timed agenda. While the agenda item was to discuss the allocation of excess funds from one dredging project to another, we devolved into a discussion of dredging as a whole, when these projects would be finished, and whether we need to reevaluate the dredging process as a whole. When this gyre begins to spin, there is very little that can be done to slow it down or put it in reverse.

We eventually voted to transfer the funds. Unanimously. After 30 minutes discussion.

Dashboard Metrics

For those new to the show, the Dashboard Metric discussion celebrated its one year anniversary! The Board is considering which metrics of achievement and sustainability it would like displayed in graph form for easy reference by future Boards. The most controversial example is "Market Share", which shows what percentage of Columbia Residents have "memberships." I put that last word in quotes because it is the source of great frustration and gnashing of teeth. Some Board members want a footnote defining what "memberships" means (Package plan? Pool? Golf?). Others (me) feel that the Board can't see the forest for the trees with these types of complaints.

As I noted at the meeting, I think we need to narrow down what metrics we are including in our "Dashboard" (which is beginning to resemble that of a helicopter). The current Dashboard is approximately 8 pages of graphs of varying importance. The Board is now looking into whether we should add additional metrics regarding "Resident Satisfaction" and...well...I can't tell you exactly what else. The suggestion was made that our metrics should be more forward looking with an example of "Not just whether you liked what you got for Christmas last year but what do you want for Christmas next year?" That is probably a good way to conceptualize what the Board is looking for, but I don't know how you graph that and, more importantly, I don't know what the Board would do with that information.

The best possible Dashboard will provide relevant accessible data for the Board to act. The last three words of that sentence are the most important. If these metrics will encourage inappropriate overreach by the Board, I am against them. If these metrics can refocus the Board on the items of greatest importance for Board oversight (i.e., finance and sustainability), I am for them.

Overall, I just want to stop talking about them. These discussions remind me of that time when Mr. Rogers displayed a TV monitor with an image inside of another image that went on for eternity (if that did not make sense, just bear with my dabble into nostalgia...and then check out this horribly awful statue of Mr. Rogers in Pittsburgh). We are discussing what data we will need for future discussions without any context. What I would really like, that I think has been requested in various ways throughout the year long discussion, is just a Dashboard. What doesn't work will be tweaked. What is unnecessary will be removed. But unlike the helicopter, we can fiddle with this thing while we are driving. These discussions are absolutely pointless and get into all of the philosophical mumbo jumbo that frustrates the dickens out of me. I am frankly quite tired of hearing Board members pontificate about what CA "aspires to be." My favorite suggestion of the night was from Ed Coleman who proposed that we have a "Board Efficiency Metric" that would measure how long we talk about this Dashboard. The Board laughed. I was ready to second his motion.

CA's New Logo

The biggest story in Columbia that isn't being covered is that CA does not own the People Tree and has been "encouraged" to find another logo. Hu-whhhhaaaaaaaat? In the shattering of the Rouse Company that resulted in CA, GGP, and Howard Hughes, the People Tree appears to have gone to Howard Hughes.

In response, CA has engaged Redhead Companies to design a new logo. I've been impressed with all of my interactions with Redhead and look forward to their proposal, but as a former employee who wore the People Tree on my polo shirt for two years, I am a little reticent to concede.

The new logo will be unveiled this Spring.

So that was the meeting. We really only passed one vote (reallocation of Dredging Funds). I found the Fountain discussion to be important, but probably about 30 minutes too long. There will be a discussion of agendas at the next Board Operations meeting, which I will plan to attend (work permitting). Maybe the death of Board Reform has been greatly exaggerated.