Councilman Marks Reports on First 100 Days in Office

Editor's Note: County Councilman David Marks submitted the following opinion editorial as a letter to the editor.

On Dec. 6, I was sworn in as the Baltimore County Councilman from the 5th District, and this month I will complete my 100 days in office. I would like to thank the voters of the 5th District for the confidence they placed in me.

Since December, I have spent much of my time meeting residents and business owners within the 5th District, which stretches from Towson to Perry Hall. I established a 5th District Community Advisory Council, started a monthly newsletter and have attended on average five nightly meetings every week.  

My top priority is to steer Baltimore County through the recession without raising taxes and cutting critical services. The county executive will present his FY 2012 budget to the Council in April; the County Council can only cut (not add) to the budget. County Executive Kevin Kamenetz has set the right tone by focusing on consolidating county agencies and putting more transactions online to save money.

Legislatively, I have been a principal sponsor for three bills. Bill 2-11 establishes a Baltimore County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to make our transportation network more accessible to all residents. Bill 3-11 reforms the Community Input Meeting process so development hearings are more accessible to affected neighborhoods. Bill 4-11 increases the maximum fine for graffiti-related offenses.

In Perry Hall, I am working to build upon the success we have achieved over the past decade. Councilwoman Cathy Bevins and I co-sponsored the resolution that implements the Perry Hall Community Plan, which was developed after 16 months of hard work by community leaders.

The Perry Hall Community Plan should not just collect dust on a shelf. That is why I immediately sponsored legislation that implements a key component of the plan:  Designating the old Gunview Road right-of-way as a trail, which will hopefully limit development.

Another important priority of the Perry Hall Community Plan is the revitalization of the Perry Hall Square Shopping Center. I have met twice with representatives for the shopping center, and I am considering legislation to create a revitalization district to help businesses in the heart of Perry Hall.

Transportation is important in any community. I am very happy that Baltimore County has constructed new sidewalks near Honeygo Boulevard and Ebenezer Road, as well as a trail in Indian Rock Park near Perry Hall High School. One of my immediate goals is to achieve consensus on the future of the intersection at Forge and Belair Roads, as well as improvements to Forge Road.

I have also asked Baltimore County to take a fresh look at the future of the Perry Hall Mansion, which cannot be renovated by only using government money.

In closing, let me again thank you for the opportunity to serve as your county councilman. I’ll continue to work in a bipartisan manner to advance the best interests of Perry Hall.