Regarding The Sun's recent report on City Council voting records, when I spoke with the reporter I made an effort to give her a clear and accurate report of my work product as a member of the Baltimore City Council ("Baltimore's City Council members often miss votes," April 4).
My City Council assignments were to serve as a member of the executive appointments committee, the land use and transportation committee and the urban affairs committee. As well, I was (and still am) the appointed Baltimore City Council voting member to the Baltimore City Planning Commission and the Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee.
I often had a conflict with attending executive appointments and land use committee hearings during the Maryland General Assembly session because they are held at the same time as Maryland Association of Counties voting sessions. The same situation presents with Urban Affairs Committee hearings, held at the same time as Planning Commission meetings, which serve as a public hearing for all appropriate City Council bills.
I am the only person representing the Baltimore City Council at the Maryland Association of Counties, where votes are cast at that meeting only, and at the Baltimore City Planning Commission, where votes are cast at that time only.
City Council committees, however, are comprised of at least five council members. And the chairperson can change the voting to any date or time, not just when a bill is heard.
In addition, bills which pass the committee level go on to the full City Council, at which time I have the opportunity to — and do — cast a vote.
I feel compelled to add this information to what was written in The Sun article as a clearer reflection of my work product.
Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, Baltimore
The writer represents Baltimore's 5th Councilmanic District on the City Council.