What are the odds the county is going to lose a bunch of money on these deals, and developers will make a bunch? It seems more than a bit smelly to me.

Mark my words - Dundalk will once again get the short end of the stick.

What does it say when the government starts selling its assets in order to pay its bills? It's a false argument to raise as to whether the replacement facilities will or will not cost taxpayers money in the near term. Bottom Line: After this sale, the County will have less assets than it did before. How does that bode for the long term? What assets will the County sell off next year? and the year after that? If they keep making these "free" transactions, over time, the County will have no remaining assets with which to barter.

Larry, what is your proposal? Build a new police station? Have you seen that building? Do you have any idea what it would cost to reconstruct that building? If the county is losing cash, or if it is selling property, it is losing its assets. This is the best path forward. Get on board or stay back with the rest of the closed minded people from Dundalk...

I don't much care for the way KK operates or even support such land sales as the best way to overcome our shortfalls. in fact I think this is how we got here in the first place. To me it is another typical example of solving the problems you create. The part I don't understand is why people think there is a smell to it. What he is doing is legal and he is most certainly doing what he was elected to do by those who got him elected.

I'm a little concerned myself. Even by the admission of this article, the county sold the Yorkway Apartment complex for less than 10% of what they paid for it. While I'm all about progress, I'm not about progress at the unnecessary expense of the tax payers. The County Executive and County Council need to be as transparent as possible about what's going on with these land deals... if for no other reason than to avoid the very likely appearance of impropriety.

He could have moved the county's Vehicle Operation Maintenance over to the old State Highways Building off the west end of Joppa Rd. but chose to put it way out on Liberty Rd & now he's moving the Towson Fire Station & the Highways yard right next to it.How much will he be getting for that prime piece of real estate & will it offset the cost of 2 new buildings & bays for the trucks.None of this sounds right at all.

Dundalk will lose even more green space, and outdoor recreation areas. More grass and trees will be covered in concrete and the steam running next to the property (Lynch Cove Run) will become another poluted eyesore...

Why would anyone question this deal? Sounds like a great deal. Ask this guy if you don't believe me.

http://citypaper.com/news/cashed-out-1.1070788

So. In other words the county politicians are selling properties so their buddies can cop them for swaps? Is that legal? Oh, I forgot. It doesn't matter if it's legal if you are in office. My mistake.

Towson Fire House should qualify as historic since it has been headquarters and training since it's inception...a very valuable piece of real estate indeed..

Who the hell sells non-leveraged assets in a down market?

Its like amateur hour in the county government.

Kamenetz & his county council buddies seem to be wasting more taxpayer dollars.When the GPS systems were installed in county vehicles he said it would save $100,000 in fuel costs,but it costs about $38,000 to monitor every month.Kamenetz likes to spout off about how much money he is saving,but in reality if the county were run with his own money it would go bankrupt after the 1st day it opened for business.

Here's a really novel idea. Lets get Chuck Burton, Al Day, Blutusnord,JD Stuts and Buck Harmon together in a room. You all figure out how to build new facilities, air-condition schools without raising taxes. Then submit that plan to your councilman or woman if that's the case. I have found this Council and this County Executive to be very open to new ideas. Now here's the test. All of the Fireman, Police ,Teachers and workers would like raises periodically. The citizens DON'T want any new taxes or fees, and all county employees want healthcare coverage with little as possible coming out of their pockets.
Now get to work and submit your plan. The residents of Baltimore County can't wait to see this plan.

Kelly Blew...that sounds like a great idea...I believe that the reason you hide behind a fake name is because you are a County employee that lacks confidence...feisty though..

Leroy Brazelton: Our politicians are horrible examples of how a group can treat the citizens they claim to represent. This is the worst group ever. If anyone runs against them I will help in their campaign. We must as concerned citizens vote the rascals out.

Hundreds of vacant homes and store fronts are in Dundalk, this is the last thing our town needs. Other portions of Baltimore County reap the benefits and Dundalk always pays the price.

Enough is enough, the building is an eye sore. The location is a great spot for new and different businesses to come into the area. We have plenty of rec spots for children to play, half the fields arent even used any way. True, you may need to travel alittle bit of a distance for your child to play a rec sport or be involved in a program. But, why slow down progress for the many when only a few will be slightly inconvinced? If a few investors make money to bring in more stores good for them. They are taking a big risk and could lose millions, thats capitalism.

Timmy, a sale of the Government Center property cannot be considered progress.
Dundalk is going down the wrong road again. The location is a great
spot for kids and sports. It is a great spot for the community to come together.
Losing this open space would do much more than inconvenience a few.

Tom I would have to disagree with you. I live in the area and my two children would use that field for sports. However what i mean by alittle inconvenience would be having to drive to Stricker, or Gray Manor, or Bear Creek. There are so many places where children can play sports. I dont think some teams even use Bear Creeks fields. As for the indoor activites public schools are open to these events as well. There are plenty of options for these programs to go. What we need is a store to come into this area to give the other businesses, like walmart, some competition.

There is pleanty of room for other retailers to expand into Dundalk currenly wihout demolishing the North Point Government Center and its Recreation fields. Currently there are well over 120 vacant stores very close by. Follow the attached link to a photo detailing this for more information:
http://flic.kr/p/dJWiaG

This so Awesome! Target! Here we come!

Timmy, you are wrong! There are not enough fields in the Dundalk/North Point
area. Public schools also have limited indoor space. Dundalk is not getting another
big box store....No Target! This is simply a ploy to get some land. Take a look
at Seagram's.

Unfortunately, most big box stores require a median income of $50,000 a year in an area before they decide to open a new location in a community (Exceptions include Kmart, Wal-Mart, and a few others). Dundalk’s median income was $39,789 in 2010 before the steel mill closed. With the loss of these jobs, the median income in the area has declined even more….

Bucky boy, Cole (JDStuts), Leroy and friends right now we need the great actor Paul Ford screaming from the top of the Dundalk Marine Terminal as Mayor Shinn did (The Music Man), "where's your plan,where's your plan". You add nothing to the conversation except be against, be against, be against.Get together, figure it out then post it. You all know the ins and outs, at least you claim to. You guys figure out how to move forward with new facilities, better roads,increased police presence, periodic pay increases, immediate snow removal (regardless of how much snow falls), health care coverage (with employees paying minimum amounts) BUT YOU CAN'T RAISE TAXES, NO FURLOUGHS AND NO LAYOFFS. Those are the rules. Don't dwell on the past just explain, coherently, if at all possible, your plan. Let's see your plan, put it out there. Until you do please listen to the words of the great Col. Nathan R. Jessup, "I suggest you grab a weapon and stand to post".
You decide the road map, I'll leave you with the words of Judge Smails , "well we're waiting".

One does have to wonder why it's only in Dundalk that a community gathering place is being sold. Many of the programs housed there could not be housed in a school. I think it's shameful that Kanenetz and others put the finances of the rest of the county on the backs of the kids and citizens of Dundalk. They are certainly not thinking about the good of that community! Additionally, putting the Dundalk police station at Eastwood Elementary, on the outermost edge of the community, a block from the city, AND within a residential setting is absurd.

I agree with you Lance, Fire stations and Police stations needs to located centrally in the community.

Incidentally, where will county vehicles be getting their fuel when the new fire station replaces the fueling station? Does this mean a nice contract for some oil company, beyond the one which now supplys fuel?

Some posters here read like a paid shill ... just saying. Personal attacks, off-topic rants, crazy distracting speculations and weird movie references ... anything but talk about the article or the issues.

I'm surprised The Patch puts up with it... it significantly lowers the signal/noise ration and devalues the entire website. Also there's the question of multiple shill accounts - nothing a simple IP log can't deal with I expect :)

Will KK seek to get back at someone by locating a new fueling station with its all hours visits by police, fire engines, snow plows, etc., in someone's neighborhood? He's a politician, and will certainly be tempted, at least.