Mr. Cassilly,
I find it very disheartening that your first two acts as Harford County executive consist of frivolous spending: changing the county’s seal for the second time in eight years and suing a school teacher because he won a fair election.
You claim Councilman Bennett is ineligible to hold that office due to his employment as a public school teacher for Harford County, which makes him an employee of Harford County. If that is indeed the case, I look forward to ALL Harford County teachers being compensated for the time they have not been credited as Harford County employees, such as the three additional personal leave days county employees receive; the additional sick leave days county employees are provided at 10+ years of service that teachers currently do not receive; and the two to three additional paid holidays during the summer months that teachers are not paid for.
Since you have declared that teachers are indeed Harford County employees, I look forward to your upcoming executive order that repays those employees who have been disenfranchised for so many years.
Respectfully,
Travis L. Galliher
Bel Air
Teachers should not be disqualified from serving
Right or wrong, I think it is utterly ridiculous for a school teacher to be disqualified from serving on the Harford County Council. He can simply disqualify himself from voting on any issues concerning the Board of Education. Bob [Cassilly], I have no doubt that politics has much to do with this issue.
Roger L. Kegley
Abingdon
I’ll take it from here, Usha
In response to Usha Nellore’s letter, “County Council members exhibit ‘mean girl behavior’” (Dec. 14, 2022). Usha and I have been friends for many years, rarely see each other as we are so busy.
I come from three Harford County families (two were Quaker) who have been in Harford County for the past 300 years. I just finished one family’s Quaker Museum for Harford County. So, I am more qualified than most (and braver than most of our fearless, faceless voters) to stand up and address Usha’s concerns.
Maryland has always been a state of diversity — reread your history. Our government workers, proximity to D.C., many transient military and the diverse families from around the world who reside here in proximity to Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C. and New York City.
My ancestors came from Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Hungary and Austria. Add in my ex-husband (Jewish) who adds Russian and Chechoslavakian to the mix and ya’ got All-American — after the indigenous Native Americans. You all just wouldn’t believe how many Harford County citizens are distant cousins.
Oh, yes, the Jewish uncle-in-law was president of the United Nations Association in New York City.
Well, to coin Usha’s definition of the “all-white council members, many of them ossified in their extreme Republican views, do not represent its growing diverse population. The County Council members who have exhibited ‘mean girl behavior’ discredit public service and the county.”
But then, that’s due to the voters who don’t take responsibility for oversight of their governing bodies. To quote a Russian doctor I know, “You Americans are going to lose it all. You don’t guard your rights responsibly and you’re throwing away a once beautiful country.”
Mary Cecelia “Celie” Stier Hanauer
Darlington