The new county council redistricting plan moves some parts of Abingdon into new districts, a move at least one local community council member says might not be a bad thing.
Members of the Abingdon Community Council briefly discussed the countywide redistricting plan during Monday evening's meeting.
County Councilman Joe Woods, who represents part of that area, spoke briefly about the plan, saying it is difficult to keep Abingdon all in one place in terms of council districts. He did, however, say they were trying to get guidance from the state for re-drawing the precincts.
Abingdon Community Council member Earl Grey also said that even though Abingdon would be divided into three parts, instead of the two it is under the existing map, it may not be a bad thing.
"It kind of divides us up and gives us a little bit less pull," he said. "On the other hand, it gives us the ability to reach three council members."
Woods also addressed a concern that re-drawing the county districts could affect the Harford County Board of Education, which welcomed its first elected members this year.
Woods said the board of education did not consider the county council when going through its recent redistricting and it had not occurred to him as a councilman to think of the school board during the council's redistricting process.
The board of education and Harford County government are separate entities.
The Harford County Council will host a public hearing for the revised map at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 15 in the A. A. Roberty Building.
Master plan
Community council member Susan Rausch Cook briefly mentioned the Harford County draft master plan for 2012, saying she was "stunned" at how little green the area would have, pending the proposed plan. Cook encouraged all attendees to look up the Abingdon area on the county website.
Regular attendee Susan Heselton also said she had recently met with County Planning and Zoning Director Pete Gutwald and requested that he attend a future meeting to help explain the proposed plan. Council chairperson Cynthia Hergenhahn said she would ask him to speak at the November meeting.
Other business
Capt. Christopher Swain, of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, said the men responsible for the recent Chick-fil-A robbery had not been apprehended as of Monday evening and that similar problems had not been reported at any other local businesses.
The next Abingdon Community Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Abingdon branch of the Harford County Public Library.