BEL AIR, Md. — Passed by while other newly-elected Harford County Council members took the oath of office, Jacob Bennett sought out a separate ceremony for himself, and no one questioned his right to seek the office.
“For county council, they require you to live in the district for at least two years, and Mr. Bennett exceeded that time frame,” said Harford County Board of Elections Director Stephanie Taylor. “He presented valid I.D. and then he also paid the fee that’s required for a candidacy.”
The pushback began when Bennett announced his intent to continue working both as a school teacher and as a commissioner.
“When I’ve spoken to other school teachers who serve as county commissioners and county council members across the state, this is a common occurrence in which their ability to serve as school teacher and council member at the same time has been challenged,” said Bennett.
In all of those cases, Bennett says the candidates came out on top, but now the issue is a section of the Harford County Charter that bans people with county or state jobs from working on the council.
“The Board of Education is a separate, corporate, public body that receives funding from the federal, state and local government,” said Bennett. “But when you look at our hire and fire, when you look at our negotiations, you look at our contracts, our budgets---it’s all separate from the county and state government.”
This isn’t the first time a potential conflict has arisen on the county council, and Bennett says he has precedent on his side.
A precedent, which he’s prepared to use to argue his case in court if this pushback continues.
