BALTIMORE — Wednesday city leaders and the board of estimates met again and it’s the first time they briefly discussed the conduit issue.
It’s the controversial deal that caused an uproar after Mayor Brandon Scott’s majority vote moved to approve it.
The city’s 700 mile conduit system is made up of an underground network of electric cables that powers the majority of the city.
With this new deal Baltimore City maintains majority ownership, but some city leaders, like comptroller Bill Henry and city council president Nick Mosby, still aren’t happy with the outcome.
“I think we’ve reached a point where it’s clear we just have to agree to disagree,” Henry said.
This is the tone that was set at Wednesday’s board of estimates meeting following the discussion to address the conduit issue.
Both Bill Henry and Council President Nick Mosby decided to sit out during the last meeting.
“We chose to be absent on February 14 because we did not believe we had sufficient information to make a well informed decision on the matter that significantly impacts not only the residents of Baltimore today, but generations to come,” Mosby said.
Last meeting Mayor Scott chose to use his majority vote to approve the city’s new conduit deal with BGE.
“The issue is clearly we agree to disagree. The Maryland administration believes that the item is already passed, the Council President and I do not agree. Our interpretation of the rules and the charter differs from their interpretation” Henry said.
RELATED: City Board votes for BGE conduit agreement despite absence of two members
The conduit is responsible for powering the majority of Baltimore city through its underground network of electric and fiber optic cables.
With the new deal, Baltimore will maintain full ownership of the city’s conduit system, and BGE will contribute $134 million in capital improvements to the conduit over the next four years. Mayor Scott confirmed BGE will also pay an annual occupancy fee of $1.5 million dollars.
“These are about making sure the business of the city moves forward,” Scott said.
“The mayor has made it very clear that he is acting within the best interest of the city. I do not deny the sincerity of the mayor when he says that. But, I will say that just because he feels this deal is in the best interest, does not mean he is automatically right,” Henry said.
Henry said although he understands Mayor Scott making the decision with the best interest of the community in mind, he does not understand why it had to be approved even before the received a report from the consultant who they hired to analyze the issue.
“ We’re paying someone $50,000 to study this issue, it seems like we should wait until we see their report before we make a decision of this magnitude,” Henry said.
Although this deal has already been passed the item is still on the agenda to get some clarity about the new deal and it's been deferred until April 5th.
