BALTIMORE — Former Baltimore Mayor Jack Young made a rare appearance at City Hall on Wednesday.
Young attended the City's weekly Board of Estimates meeting to protest the potential sale of Baltimore's conduit.
The $7 million underground network houses wires for city phone, electric, and internet services.
During the meeting, board members considered whether to grant a $50,000 contract to the consulting firm FMI, which would advise the City on the best way to profit off the conduit.
A condition in the proposed contract would pay FMI a "one-time transaction fee equal to a portion of any profit from a future deal."
Some, including Young, took that incentive as an indication the City would sell if FMI recommended doing so.
One concern raised by Young, is the upcoming election.
In November, City voters will be asked to decide on the conduit's future.
But if the FMI contract goes forward, Young fears voters will miss out on that opportunity.
Former Baltimore city mayor Jack C. Young makes an appearance at the Board of Estimates to protest against a proposal to sell an underground conduit valued at $7 million the city owns before voters get to vote on Question E in November. @WMAR2News pic.twitter.com/vvfPKGlEOb
— Mark Roper (@MarkRoperTV) October 5, 2022
Current Mayor Brandon Scott defended the proposed contract, stating "maintenance costs of the conduit significantly outweigh any income derived from the
system."
Scott added that FMI could "properly assess the true value of the conduit and evaluate viable options that best serve the City.”
According to the board's agenda, the City currently leases space in the conduit to several major corporations, including BGE and Verizon.
However, the City says many providers have begun "shifting away from deeper underground placements," and instead use traditional cell phone towers and other means to pass wires through.
