2017 State of the School System Address Recap & Updates on the Long Reach Village Center Redevelopment and Route 1 Corridor Safety

September 15, 2017

CHAMBER UPDATES

2017 State of the School System Address Recap

What an afternoon it was! We enjoyed one of the largest crowds for a member lunch ever yesterday for the 2017 State of the School System Address with Interim Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano.

As always, Chamber President & CEO Leonardo McClarty started things off by welcoming everyone including our wonderful sponsors, the elected officials and their representatives in attendance, and especially the Howard County Public School System employees who took time out of their days to join us.

After a brief lunch, Dr. Martirano started his address in front of the audience who were all eager to hear from him. Dr. Martirano began by bringing everyone up to speed on the current state of the school system highlighting the county's high graduation rate this spring, but also pointing out that 22% percent of HCPSS students are now part of the Free and Reduced Meals Program.

"Equal is not equity" is a theme that Dr. Martirano touched on throughout the address. He is working to put policies in place to make sure that every HCPSS student is getting the same education, but also the same feeling of being valued within their schools.

Another theme that came up throughout the address was transparecncy. Dr. Martirano was quick to admit that the public's confidence that they were getting truthful and timely information from the school system was simply not there. Dr. Martirano has instituted an online portal for public information requests to ensure that the process of getting information from the school system is now much more transparent.

Of course a State of the School System Address would not have been complete without some insight into the ongoing and controversial redistricting process. Dr. Martirano made it clear that he can empathise with the anger and uncertainty many parents are feeling right now, because as a parent of three children who were educated here in Howard County, he experienced redistricting as a father firsthand. Dr. Martirano explained how the acceleration of construction of the county's 13th high school is meant to help address some overcrowding issues, but he admitted that it is just part of the solution. He is looking for new innovative ways to do even more to ensure that another major redistricting is not in the county's immediate future. One idea being considered is the creation of a possible 14th new highschool/middle school that would be focused on career development. The goal would be to offer more educational opportunities for students who may not be interested in pursuing a college education, while taking some of the stress off of overcrowded schools at both the middle and high school levels. Superintendent Martirano will make his final recommendation on the redistricting process to the Board of Education on October 3rd.

We are so glad we were able to partner with Dr. Martirano and HCPSS on the 2017 address and hope that it will not be the last.

We've Moved!!!

The Howard County Chamber is now officially located at 6240 Old Dobbin Lane in Suite 110!

Thank you to Board Chair Jeff Agnor, Howard Tech Advisors, HoCo Haulers and Perry Moving & Storage for helping make the transition as smooth as possible. We also owe a big thank you to Sandy Spring Bank, Sparksoft and MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate for helping us fill the new space with furniture, cubicles and a new television!

We'll be sharing details about our upcoming Open House soon!

The Business Monthly Will Be Contacting You for our 2018 Business Resource Guide & Member Directory

As part of our ongoing rebranding process, the Chamber has once again teamed up with the incredible people at The Business Monthly to produce our 2018 Business Resource Guide and Member Directory .

You will notice a few changes this year, but one thing that hasn't changed, is that you will still be contacted by The Business Monthly team over the next month to verify your directory listing information. They will also be offering you the opportunity to upgrade to an enhanced listing and even take advantage of the exposure the publication will provide by purchasing an ad. If you want to guarantee an advertising spot in this year's Directory, contact The Business Monthly team at 410-740-7300.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting Recap

At this week's Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting, Maryland Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer, Jr. stopped by to talk about his office and their focus.

Committee members learned more about how the Commissioner's office regulates the state's insurance companies and producers, investigates consumer complaints, licenses insurance companies operating in Maryland and investigates acts of insurance fraud.

Read more about the Chamber's 2017 Issues for Legislative Action here.


	Photo Courtesy of Howard County Executive's Office

Kittleman Approves Sale of Long Reach Village Center

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman has signed the purchase and sale agreement with Orchard Development for the Long Reach Village Center, moving the project a step closer to breaking ground.

Once the County closes the sale, the Village Center will officially transfer to Orchard Development who can then begin construction on the major revitalization effort. Orchard Development says they plan to have the first buildings open to the public sometime in 2020.

Read more

Public Input Sessions on Route 1 Corridor Safety

After years of incidents involving the deaths and injuries of pedestrians and cyclists along Route 1 between Elkridge and North Laurel, the Howard County Office of Transportation is looking for public input to help improve the safety of the area.

The Office of Transporation is hosting two all-day drop-in open houses to make sure they hear the publics feedback.

September 25, 2017 - 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

UMUC Dorsey Station Center in Elkridge

October 3, 2017 - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Howard County Multi Service Center in Laurel

Email [email protected] for more information.

KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP

Columbia Workforce Center Holding Protective Services Recruitment Event

Meet with some of the area's top Security and Protective Services agencies. Opportunities range from entry-level through senior-level professionals.

September 20, 2017 - 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

The Columbia Workforce Center

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Maryland Cyber Day Marketplace

The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI) and the BBB are presenting a one-day event for Maryland Cybersecurity providers and buyers.

October 10, 2017 - 8 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Columbus Center

700 E. Pratt St.

Baltimore, MD 21224

Read more

CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

Columbia 50th Birthday Celebration

We have been celebrating Columbia's 50th Birthday all year, but there are still several big events coming up. The Columbia 50th Birthday Celebration organization is presenting "Building a Better City: Columbia's Legacy and Promise" on September 19th. Before the screening, there will be a "reunion" in the lobby where people who worked on the Columbia project can mingle with people currently living and working in Columbia.

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Visit Howard County's 36th Annual Meeting

Visit Howard County's 36th Annual Meeting will feature tastings from Howard County breweries & restaurants, a sneak peek of Merriweather's expansive renovations and a presentation from County Executive Allan Kittleman.

September 21, 2017 - 4 - 6 p.m.

Merriweather Post Pavilion

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2017 Howie Award Nomination Forms Now Available

The Howard County Arts Council is still looking for nominations. The Council is asking for nominations of individuals and businesses that have made a significant contribution to the arts in Howard County for their 2017 Howie Awards.

For more information about the award rules, or to nominate your business or another member business in the community, please email Kristi Simon at [email protected].

Congratulations to The Columbia Bank!

It's official! The Ribbon has been cut at The Columbia Bank's new Columbia Town Center location. Board Chair Jeff Agnor and Chamber Ambassadors were joined by Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman for the big event!