March 8, 2019

Dear Friends, Today, I hope everyone in Howard County will join me in celebrating International Women’s Day! On this day, we highlight the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. But our work to build an equitable, gender-balanced world must continue tomorrow, and every day, moving forward.  The theme for International Women’s Day 2019 is #BalanceForBetter. This campaign reminds us that a balanced world is a better world. In Howard County, we must work together to seek gender parity in our all aspects of our community. As Gloria Steinem said, "The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights."

This Week in HoCo

Elkridge 50+ Center One-Year Anniversary  I was honored to stop by the Elkridge 50+ Center to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their opening and recognize some of the hardworking ladies who have volunteered countless hours to the success of the center. Thank you to the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS) for your commitment and service to our senior centers. Environmental Sustainability Plan Last week, I announced my environmental sustainability plan, which included Howard County joining the "We Are Still In" declaration. To address the very real challenges of climate change, we need bold leadership and decisive action. Check out this infographic for more information about our initiatives.  #HoCoGreen

Prescription Drug Affordability On Wednesday, I was honored to join the mayor and various county executives to advocate for prescription drug affordability. Our senior residents should not have to choose between paying for dinner or paying for their medication. We need to speak up to help all Marylanders afford their medications.

Legislative News

In the County The next Howard County Council public hearing will be held on Monday, March 18, 2019. For a full list of bills that are up for a hearing, visit the council website here. You can now sign up to testify for bills online .

In the State

I joined Senator Katie Fry Hester, Delegate Courtney Watson, Councilwoman Liz Walsh, Department of Public Works, and the Office of Emergency Management to testify in support of SB0269. This bill will recapitalize the Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program, which will help Ellicott City and areas across the state better plan for and recover from flood events.

Departmental News

Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) We oftentimes receive inquiries about development. To provide residents with an easier way to learn about current and upcoming pre-submission community meetings, public hearings and development plans or signs posted on a property, DPZ partnered with the County’s Department of Technology and Communication Services to update the County’ s Search Development Plans Application . The application now features a new user guid e , new context tools to connect to Pictometry images, and even a tool to create a PDF of your search results. The applications has also been enhanced with additional links to public hearing websites, improvements to advance search options and additional overlays. Finally, future pre-submission community meetings notes will be added as they become available.

Police Department (HCPD) Looking for something to do with your youth group, scout troop or student organization this coming summer or fall? Sign up today for a behind-the-scenes tour of HCPD. Throughout the year, HCPD hosts monthly tours of its police stations, the County’s 911 center and emergency operations center. Participants will also learn about fingerprinting, forensics, and how law enforcement operates in Howard County. To register your group (advance registration is required), click here .

Department of Public Works Construction Report Below are two new Capital Projects set to begin on or about this coming Monday, March 11, 2019, weather permitting. Details about each project can be found below. Additionally, for a full list of current projects, refer to the March 1, 2019 newsletter .   Columbia Continuation of Kings Contrivance Sewer Main Rehabilitation Project (Capital Project S-6232) – Phase II of a project to rehabilitate a portion of the public sewer house connections in the Kings Contrivance Village of Columbia. The public sewer house connections along Kindler Road between Single Wheel Path and 1st League will be relined. Disruptions to residential water and sewer service are expected to occur in blocks of approximately two to three hours during construction hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Prior to any disruption, residents will be notified by the contractor at least 48 hours in advance and advised when normal sewer usage may resume. In addition, while the project is not expected to impact the flow of traffic in the area, motorists are being asked to avoid parking and blocking nearby manholes during construction hours. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by early May. Cedar Lane Water Transmission Main Extension (Capital Project W-8328) – Project to install new water transmission mains – that will serve the future Cedar Lane water pumping station, along southbound Cedar Lane in the Hickory Ridge Village of Columbia. During the project, the two southbound lanes of Cedar Lane will be closed Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. A single lane of southbound traffic will be diverted to the center turn lane, while the two northbound lanes will remain open. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by late May.   To learn more about DPW Capital Projects currently underway, visit https://bit.ly/2V6K5B6 . Searchable by project category and street name, from this site you’ll find additional project details, including news releases about the project. You can also contact DPW’s Customer Service Office at 410-313-3440 or email publicworks@howardcountymd.gov for further assistance.   If you have questions or are interested in finding out about a State road (numbered roadway) project in your area, visit the Maryland State Highway Administration’s website and search by “County” to learn more about State road projects.

Department of Public Works - Bureau of Environmental Services Thanks to the expansion of the county’s compost facility at the Alpha Ridge Landfill, this spring, almost 10,000 additional homes will now be able to participate in the Bureau’s curbside food scrap collection program. By participating in the program, you can help reduce the amount of trash sent to the Landfill by at least 30%, help the county save money on disposal costs and produce a valuable resource, compost. Oh, and did I mention it's FREE to participate! Mailers have gone out to those households who are eligible to participate. Recipients have until next Friday, March 15 to sign-up. Containers will be delivered at the end of March, right before curbside yard trim collection resumes for all residents on April 1 . Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/feedthegreenbin to learn more about the program.

Department of Recreation & Parks Howard County residents, registration is now open for the Department of Recreation and Parks' 2019 Spring/Summer Activity Guide. If you have not checked the Activity Guide out yet, I encourage you to do so today. Available online to view at www.howardcountymd.gov/rap , the Activity Guide offers a wide range of programs, activities, classes and sports to help you get up, get out and get active throughout the spring and summer months. From the same link above you can register online or on page two of the guide, you’ll find addition information of others ways you can register. For non-Howard County residents, online registration for you begins March 13 at 6:00 p.m., followed by all other forms the following today.

Upcoming Events and Meetings

March 9 - Coffee with a Cop Join Howard County Police Department (HCPD) for its monthly Coffee with a Cop tomorrow, March 9 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the H Mart, 3301 North Ridge Road in Ellicott City. Come meet face-to-face with HCPD's Community Outreach Officers in an informal and neutral space to discuss issues, ask questions and build relationships one cup of coffee at a time. As always, coffee and conversation are on the house. For more information and/or questions, contact HCPD's Community Outreach Division at 410-313-2207.

March 10 - Daylight Savings & Smoke Alarm Inspection Time Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 10, at 2:00 a.m. to be exact. That means it's time to spring those clocks forward one hour AND while you are at it, make sure to check your smoke alarms as well. Whether you have the new sealed-in, 10-year/long-life battery-operated smoke alarms or hardwired smoke alarms (with battery backups), it is always good to check your smoke alarms to ensure they are functioning properly. The Department of Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS) reminds us, our first line of defense against a house fire is a working smoke alarm. Per the National Fire Protection Association, roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Ensure your family's safety by checking your smoke alarms this weekend. If you are interested in setting up a home safety visit with DFRS’ Community Outreach Division, feel free to give them a call at 410-313-2616.   Also, this week and next, Department personnel will be out and about, canvassing Howard County neighborhoods in order to provide fire safety education to the communities they so proudly serve.

March 11 - Office of Human Rights Review Committee Public Meeting Following the recommendation of my Transition Team, I signed an Executive Order creating an Office of Human Rights Review Committee to review the operation of the Office of Human Rights (OHR). OHR is responsible for administering and enforcing provisions of the Howard County Human Rights Law, investigates complaints and attempts to eliminate violations by conference, conciliation and persuasion. On March 11, the Committee will host a public meeting from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia, to gather public input on ways to strengthen OHR. Individuals may provide testimony in person (two-minute time limit) or submit written testimony to HumanRights@howardcountymd.gov . Residents are reminded written testimony is considered public information and, as such, is subject to the Maryland Public Information Act.

March 14 - Wilde Lake Water Main Project Public Meeting The County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will hold a public meeting on March 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia, to review and discuss the Wilde Lake water main project. The project will replace 17,000 linear feet of corroding water mains along Green Mountain Circle at Twin Rivers Drive and is scheduled to begin mid-March. For more information about this meeting, click here .

March 19 & March 20 - Recreation & Parks’ Registered Licenses Childcare Programs Spelling Bee Every year, Howard County’s Recreation & Parks hosts a spelling bee tournament among its before and after school care programs. Winners from each school will gather at the County’s North Laurel Community Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road in Laurel from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. on March 19 (grades 1-3) and March 20 (grades 4-5) for a final competition to determine whose is the best spelling bee around. For questions and/or more information about this event, call 410-313-4797.

March 20 - Talk Saves Lives - An Introduction to Suicide Prevention Hosted by the Howard County Health Department and sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, this presentation will cover the general scope of suicide, the research on prevention and what people can do to fight suicide. The event will take place from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Barton Room at the County’s Ascend One Building, 8930 Stanford Boulevard in Columbia. To register for this FREE event, click HERE .

March 28 - 23 rd Annual Howard County Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony All are invited to join myself and the County’s Commission for Women for this year’s Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This year, the Commission has selected three outstanding Howard County women for induction: Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Georgia Eacker and Cathy Hudson. This year’s ceremony will take place starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City. The event is FREE and open to the public. To learn more about this year’s inductees, click here .

April 8 - Veteran's Resource Fair With more than 20,000 veterans residing in Howard County, I am pleased to join the County’s Office of Veterans and Military Families and Commission for Veterans and Military Families to host a Veterans Resource Fair. Geared toward all veterans and their families (active, guard, reserve and dependents), the fair provides attendees with a convenient, one-stop shop where they can meet face-to-face with the organizations and nonprofits that provide services, support and jobs. This year’s fair is set to take place on Monday, April 8 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Howard Community College’s Rouse Company Foundation Student Services Building. Admission is free.   In conjunction with the fair, I am also leading an initiative to collect donations of suits and professional attire to be distributed free of charge to those engaged in the job search process. Now through April 3, donations of new or gently used professional clothing can be dropped off at DCRS’s Headquarters (9830 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia), at the George Howard Building (3430 Courthouse Drive in Ellicott City) or to Success in Style/Phil’s Closet (8600 Foundry Street #4 New Weave Building in Savage).   To learn more about this year’s fair, click here or call 410-313-0821.

Tweets of the Week

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