Greetings!
Welcome to our November 2022 Newsletter!
I am happy to share that I was re-elected in November and will be returning to the County Council to continue representing the residents of District 3 over the next four years.
As this County Council transitions into the next term, we will be on legislative recess for the months of November and December. Our legislative sessions will resume in January 2023.
While the Council is on recess, our office will continue to work on constituent issues and plan upcoming legislation for the year ahead. Please don't hesitate to contact my office if you are experiencing any issues in your community or would just like to get in touch. We are here to help with your concerns and listen to your feedback.
Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy November!
Yours in service,
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Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3
she/her/hers
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October Legislative Wrap-Up |
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On October 31st, the County Council convened for our October Legislative Session. The County Council took action on several pieces of legislation, including the following:
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CB72-2022: An AN ACT to establish an Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission; providing for the membership of the Commission; providing for the purpose and duties of the Commission; providing for the method of appointment and staff; requiring certain meetings and certain reports; providing the expiration dates of the terms of the initial members of the Commission; and generally relating to an Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission. This legislation was passed unanimously. You can read more about the legislation here: CB72-2022. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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CR185-2022: A RESOLUTION approving the terms and conditions of a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement by and between the Howard County, Maryland and Ranleagh Court, LLC for property located at 6001 Turnabout Lane, Columbia, which will comprise a mixed-income, rental housing development to be known as Ranleagh Court Apartments. This legislation was passed unanimously. You can read more about the legislation here: CR185-2022. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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CR189-2022: A RESOLUTION pursuant to Title 5, Subtitle 3 of the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, approving the Howard County Board of Education’s Capital Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024 and Capital Improvement Program Request for Fiscal Years 2025-2029 for the purpose of submission to the Interagency Commission on School Construction. This legislation was passed in a 3-2 vote. You can read more about the legislation here: CR189-2022. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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CB54-2022: An ACT amending the Howard County Code to prohibit the issuance of certain waivers or variances to Forest Conservation regulations for properties located in the Tiber Branch Watershed; requiring certain site design requirements in the Tiber Branch Watershed; altering the existing floodplain, wetland, stream, and steep slope waiver provisions for the Tiber Branch Watershed; requiring development in the Tiber Branch Watershed to meet its forest conservation obligations on-site; and generally relating to waivers or variances. This legislation was passed unanimously. You can read more about the legislation here: CB54-2022. Introduced by Liz Walsh.
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CB58-2022: An ACT to set the rate of the Public School Facilities Surcharge for certain addition construction; and generally relating to the public school facilities surcharge. This legislation was passed unanimously. You can read more about the legislation here: CB58-2022. Introduced by Liz Walsh.
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Community News, Events, and Updates |
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Savage Mill Yuletide Festival
& Bollman Bridge Lighting
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Ring in the holiday season by celebrating at the Savage Mill Yuletide Festival, happening from November 26th to December 18th!
Shop local, meet Santa on the weekends, and enjoy musical performances happening throughout the festival.
During the festival, please join us for the beautiful Bollman Bridge lighting on December 3rd at 6pm! Visit Savage Mill's website to explore the many ways you can celebrate the holidays this season.
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Carroll Baldwin Hall Celebrates
Its 100th Anniversary!
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On November 12th, I was thrilled to join residents in Savage and the Carroll Baldwin Memorial Institute to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of Carroll Baldwin Hall!
For 100 years, Carroll Baldwin Hall has served as a focal point of Savage, Maryland. Residents know the Hall to be a place of community building, social gathering, celebration, and shared history.
Congratulations to the Carroll Baldwin Hall Memorial Institute and the many volunteers who have poured their time and energy into preserving this historic building. I'm excited to see what the next 100 years has in store!
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Whiskey Bottom Road Sidealk |
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A Howard County construction project to extend the sidewalk along eastbound Whiskey Bottom Road to Moonshine Hollow and Old Lantern Way in Laurel, was expected to begin on or about Monday, November 14th.
This pedestrian connection will bridge a sidewalk gap on Whiskey Bottom Road and better connect residents to nearby destinations, like the North Laurel Community Center. I'm grateful to County Executive Ball for funding this project in the FY23 budget.
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Shop Small Saturday is coming up on November 26th! On Shop Small Saturday, I encourage you to join me in supporting our vibrant small business community in Howard County.
Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy. For every $100 spent at a small business, it is estimated that $68 of those dollars stays in the local economy.
This Small Business Saturday, I will be visiting and supporting some of our incredible small businesses in Savage Mill and Old Ellicott City. I hope to see you there!
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Commission - Virtual Audition
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The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission is looking for Howard County students to participate in their January 15th, 2023 Celebration which will take place at the Horowitz Center Smith Theatre.
Applicants must submit a three-minute video of a dance, spoken word, or musical performance that reflects Dr. King’s commitment to service, justice, and peace. The deadline to submit a video is December 1, 2022.
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On the Road Premieres this December!
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On National Road, an original new musical that chronicles historic milestones during the last 250 years in Ellicott City and Howard County is set to premiere at the close of the town’s Sestercentennial year on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8th!
A signature piece of Ellicott City’s 250th anniversary celebration, this magical, entertaining, educational, family-oriented musical features 19 songs in a variety of musical genres.
The musical will premiere on December 8th and will have several showings through mid-December. You can learn more about the show and purchase tickets to attend by visiting EC250's website!
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Midnight Madness in Ellicott City |
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Join our neighbors in Old Ellicott City for their 44th annual Midnight Madness on December 2nd! Watch the tree lighting at B&O Museum plaza at 5:30 pm and stay until midnight to enjoy the festivities on Main Street.
There will be performances by local high schools’ bands and choirs, a meet and greet with Santa and the Grinch, and opportunities to shop and eat at OEC’s many shops and restaurants. Check out the Ellicott City Partnership's website for more details.
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HoCo Holiday Activities for the Family |
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There are plenty of fun holiday activities for the family happening in HoCo this year! Play some reindeer games at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center on December 9th, from 5 - 7pm! There will be holiday themed arts & crafts, indoor games, and more! The cost if $5 per child (ages 6-11). For more information, visit Howard County Rec & Parks' website.
You can also join the Robinson Nature Center for their Frozen Fest! From 10 am to 3 pm on December 10th, enjoy some winter-themed science experiments, go on a scavenger hunt, and so much more! Entry is $7 for members, $10 for nonmembers, and free for 2 and under. You can find more information on the Center's website.
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B&O Museum - Holiday Train Garden |
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Visit Old Ellicott City’s B&O museum to see their holiday model train garden! Free for all visitors and recommended for the whole family, go see the train garden from 10 am to 3pm any day from November 25th, 2022 to January 8th, 2023!
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Christiana's Climate Corner |
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Welcome to Christiana's Climate Corner, the section of our monthly newsletter where I share updates on environmental and sustainability efforts in Howard County, including information on legislation, events, and opportunities for you to support sustainability efforts in our community! |
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Local Tree Planting Opportunities
Howard EcoWorks is a local environmental nonprofit that leads on workforce development and environmental initiatives in our community. This Fall, EcoWorks is hosting several tree-planting events around Howard County.
Volunteers are invited to join Howard EcoWorks in planting over 1,000 trees across our community over the next several weeks.
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What are your environmental priorities for Howard County?
As Howard County continues to develop our next General Plan, called HoCo By Design, our office is soliciting community feedback on environmental priorities and policy goals for the General Plan.
The General Plan will contain a draft chapter on environmental protection, which is titled Life Outdoors.
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Bivalent Booster Shots Available
The Howard County Health Department is offering the updated Omicron-specific (Bivalent) booster shots.
Appointments are available at the Howard County Health Department's website. Vaccines is also available at local pharmacies, urgent care centers, and retail stores. You can visit the Maryland Vaccine Locater to find a vaccination location convenient to you.
As the Health Department receives additional supply of the updated vaccine, additional appointments will be made available.
Not sure if you are eligible for a booster shot? You can check your eligibility for a booster shot from visiting the CDC's website.
COVID-19 Testing
The Howard County Health Department and our private partners are continuing to offer COVID-19 tests across Howard County on a regular basis. If you would like to get tested, please visit the Health Department's website for a list of nearby testing clinics and locations.
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District 3 Pre-Submission Meetings |
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There are currently no community pre-submission meetings scheduled in District 3. |
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Stay Connected with Christiana! |
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Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3
410-313-2001
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Colette Gelwicks
Special Assistant
410-313-2421
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Felix Facchine
District Aide
410-313-3108
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