Ulman

As President of the Howard County Chapter of the Homebuilders Association of Maryland (HBAM), I would like to respond to Howard County Executive Ken Ulman's recent veto of County Council Bill 37, the growth tier map ("Ulman vetoes land preservation bill," Dec. 16). Members of HBAM, the farming community and a broad coalition of citizens worked closely with the County Council to craft a tier map that would continue to support the successful Density Exchange Option (DEO) program, which has led in part to the preservation of more than 21,600 acres of land in agricultural easements and thousands of additional acres preserved under environmental and other easements.

What a lovely spot for a veto. Clark's Farm in Ellicott City spreads out on 540 acres along Route 108, where cattle roam the pastures and where Humpty Dumpty, Willie the Whale, Little Red Riding Hood and other characters from the old Enchanted Forest theme park have found second homes. It's also the former home of the late state Sen. James Clark Jr., the father of Maryland's agricultural land preservation program. County Executive Ken Ulman chose the location this month to spike a piece of County Council legislation dealing with development rights on rural property - such as Clark's Farm, which has been in preservation since the 1980s.

Ken Ulman is not a dictator and doesn't own Howard County's properties. The citizens of Howard County own the county's properties. The citizens should have the say on whether legal sugary drinks should be banned from the properties they own. Banning legal substances is a bad idea. Freedom should be true freedom and legal substances should stay legal. Legislators and executives need to stop taking away our freedoms. Citizens should decide what they consume and parents should watch out for their children.

 Ken Ulman confirms what many have suspected all along - parents of fat kids are too stupid to decide what their kids should drink. Finally an adult takes charge. This is why I voted for him - his vision sees priorities and he acts - by Executive Order, no less! How impressive.  I wonder what Constitutional authority he cites to do this? Never mind. At least his wisdom allows the parents to slowly poison their kids with aspartame. Next on his list? I hope it's those Easter Peeps! George W. Dress III Ellicott City

It is troubling that Howard County Executive Ken Ulman can dictate what people can eat and drink on county property ("Howard bans sale of sugary drinks on county property," Dec. 12). Last week, Mr. Ulman unilaterally banned the sale of certain beverages on all county properties, including recreation centers, government offices, parks and police and fire stations. We agree that obesity is a serious problem. But we disagree with Mr. Ulman's heavy-handed tactics. Why not give the residents of Howard County, whose tax money pays for the upkeep of county properties, the dignity to think for themselves?

In response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's decision to deny flood benefits to Eastern Shore communities, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said that "we cannot forget those impacted by Hurricane Sandy" ("Inspectors to evaluate Eastern Shore homes, businesses for Sandy damage," Dec. 8). We also shouldn't forget that there's a gubernatorial election in 2014 - an election in which Mr. Ulman is probably going to seek the Democratic Party nomination. That may explain why he's opining on something so removed from his official duties in Howard County.

Can someone loan Ken Ulman a shirt he can wear to pick up another county's garbage? Don't everyone line up at once. After his bet on Sunday's Ravens game went sour, the Howard County executive has to make good on what he promised Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker. Sometime this week Ulman must put on a Robert Lee Griffin III jersey and wear it to pick up roadside trash in  Redskins terriotory while singing the team song. "All my Redskin fan friends are coming out of the woodwork today, giving me a hard time.," Ulman said in a video he posted Monday on You Tube.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman moved Tuesday to ban the sale of high-sugar drinks such as soda in parks, libraries and other county properties and at county-sponsored events - hoping yet again to make the county a progressive model. "I believe Howard County government should lead by example," Ulman said. "That's why today I've signed an executive order to increase the availability of healthy beverage options in our county departments and programs. "The vending machines will look different, starting right away," Ulman said at an event in Ellicott City.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman threw down the football gauntlet Wednesday to his Prince George's counterpart. With the Ravens set to take on the Redskins on Sunday, Ulman -- a huge Ravens fan -- sent an online challenge to Rushern Baker. If the Ravens lose, he'd shame himself publicly by wearing a red and gold jersey for an entire day. Ulman isn't afraid to let his purple flag fly -- even around the office. Two years ago, when the Super Bowl bid was looking possible, Ulman declared one Friday "Willis McGahee Day-hee" and renamed food in the office cafeteria -- there were "Harbaugh hot dogs" and "Todd Heaps of chili over Ray Rice.

Lance Armstrong won the Revolution 3 Half-Full Triathlon at Centennial Park in Howard County on Sunday, finishing the 70-mile race in just under 4 hours, 11 minutes. The effort by the famous cyclist and embattled seven-time Tour de France winner in the combined swimming, biking and running event, organized by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults to raise money for cancer awareness, brought him in more than 18 minutes ahead of the second place finisher, Louis Therien of Quebec. Sharon Schmidt-Mongrain of Lafayette Hill, Pa., was the top female finisher in just under 4 hours, 54 minutes.