Support the plan for Belmont
One item in County Executive Ken Ulman's proposed fiscal year 2008 budget has the makings of a legacy.
The county executive is supporting Howard Community College's plan to run a successful conference center on the Belmont estate in Elkridge and use the center as a lab school for hospitality and culinary students.
HCC is a highly respected institution with a solid record of integrity and excellence. It has lived up to its mission to serve the greater good of Howard County.
Under the college's capable stewardship, many good things will happen. The county will continue to have a distinctive conference center that has been operating for many years. Students will learn high standards of hospitality and culinary management. And revenue will be generated to help preserve the rich history of the 18th-century manor house and estate.
Colleges can provide legacies for their communities. A vibrant and protected Belmont with a historical and educational component will be a legacy that will benefit the college, the business community and individual citizens for many years to come.
I urge the County Council to join the county executive in supporting HCC and Belmont.
Del Karfonta
The writer is chairman of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce.
An unorthodox method of response
I read with interest James Truby's letter to the editor in the Howard Sun ("HCC has engaged in Belmont talks," May 6) that discusses the college's interest in negotiations with representatives of the Save Belmont coalition formed by Rockburn Land Trust. Mr. Truby has represented Howard Community College, the manager of Belmont, in these negotiations, and Michael Davis has represented the Howard Community College Educational Foundation, the owner of Belmont.
As a participant in these negotiations, I offer the following comments.
There have been six negotiation meetings, beginning in December 2006. The most recent meeting was on March 27. Despite our requests that several dates be scheduled in advance, the college and foundation declined to schedule more than one at a time. The college and foundation have yet to bring a proposal to the table.
On April 12, the mediator sent a written draft proposal, as a starting point, and asked each party to respond whether they wished to continue. Rockburn Land Trust's representatives responded within a week that they were willing to continue. The response of the college and foundation took three weeks and came via Mr. Truby's letter to the editor. My observation is that the negotiations had stalled.
