URGENT - ACTION REQUESTED

 
Message From
Oakland Mills Board Co-Chairs
                  Virginia Thomas  and    Bill McCormack 

[email protected]           [email protected]                        
April 7, 2017
 
Please contact the Howard County Council members to ask them to support the capital budget items below that County Executive Allan Kittleman included in his budget at our request. We thank Mr. Kittleman for adding these projects to the capital budget. We are aware that he had more requests than there was money available. He can be reached at 410-313-2011 or email at [email protected] if you want to thank him.  
 
These projects will improve our schools, increase safety on our roads, provide more recreation opportunities for everyone, and build on our potential to take the next steps in our re-inventing Oakland Mills Village Center Area.
 
If the Council approves these projects in May 2017 then the budget would be effective July 2017.  Please help make sure this happens.
Here is the link to contact the Council members: [email protected]. 
Or you can call the office at 410-313-2001.
 
Here is the link if you would like more specifics on the below projects:
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=IDNWORuNZWA%3d&portalid=0  
 
N3102 FY2000   Blandair Regional Park     
$ 700,000 in GO Bonds was added for FY18 for construction fees for Phase III. Construction is expected to start this Fall with funding of
$1.7 million for the completion of a "Playground for All," a universally designed playground for children of all abilities, space for games, a restroom and pavilion at Blandair Park. 
 
B3863 Bridge Columbia    
$500,000 was put into the capital budget to support the renovation of the bridge in FY18. Project is slated for completion early in spring 2018. Transitway study was previously funded as part of the Transit Development Plan. 
 
E1036  Oakland Mills Middle School Renovation 
$3 Million was put in for FY 19
E1043 FY19  Talbott Springs Elementary School Renovation
$3 Million was put in for FY19  
 
T7106 Stevens Forest Road and Farewell Road/Night Street Hill
Intersection or Corridor Safety Improvement Program 
A project to install a mini-roundabout at the intersection of
Stevens Forest Road and Farewell Road/Night Street Hill
to address traffic operational and safety concerns. This project is still under design, approximate estimate for this task is $300K. Timeline to start and complete project - 30% design complete, 90% design underway in FY 17/FY18 and potential construction towards late FY18 or early FY19. 
  
Streetscape final design and construction for Stevens Forest Road from Santiago Road to and through Whiteacre Road and Streetscape design and construction for Thunder Hill Road, South of 175, to Whiteacre Road.
 
Funding for design and construction of Oakland Mills streetscape projects was included in the FY17 budget. However, the projects were placed on hold awaiting the results of the Oakland Mills Village Center Area Feasibility Study.  The final study was presented and it is now time to begin community renewal projects. One of the first is roadway modifications and streetscape improvements to Stevens Forest, Whiteacre, and Thunder Hill Roads as a component of the reinvention of Oakland Mills. Consequently, we ask that the budget maintain current funding for the construction of the streetscape projects already in the design phase and any new design modifications as necessary for streetscape design and traffic flow improvements.
 
Thanks for your prompt action.                                   
                      
Sincerely,
Bill McCormack and Ginny Thomas,
Co-Chairs of your Oakland Mills Village Board 
                 
[email protected]

  [email protected]