Last week, The Baltimore Sun reported that Howard County was the first jurisdiction in the Baltimore area with 50% of residents at least partially vaccinated. This achievement is a testament to the grassroots effort to quickly vaccinate our seniors, essential workers and reach our most vulnerable communities.

Read the story: 

Since the implementation of the program here in 1996, the role of SROs has been multifaceted as we have worked toward an ideal of preventative mediation measures, mentorship and strengthening community relationships with law enforcement. 

After addressing community concerns and input from over the past year, my recommendations include: 

I wholeheartedly believe that our community can find the right balance to preserve safety, promote equity and make progress on our county's inclusive values and academic success. We can achieve that by moving forward with a specifically tailored approach to evaluating, modifying and maintaining our School Resource Officer Program.

Created four years ago by five Maryland police officers, the Beyond The Badge Foundation works to build and strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the community, by making a difference in the lives of those in need.  

Now through April 30th, Beyond the Badge is collecting backpacks and other school supplies for elementary school students. To donate to this important effort, please contact PFC Raymond Peele to schedule drop off at rpeele2323@gmail.com.

Through careful planning and thoughtful discussions, we’ve created our largest operating budget to date, with a record $633 million for schools. Education is remains our top priority, with historically high funding to the school system, community college, and library system. 

My proposed operating budget includes $20 million above Maintenance of Effort, the highest in the past seven years, and also includes record high funding for special education.

Read more about my proposed budget here.

In Howard County, we are committed to ensuring our most vulnerable populations, including older adults, receive the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly, safely, and efficiently as possible. Howard County is currently leading the State with 80.7% of residents age 65 and older who are fully vaccinated, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

We will continue to StayCOVIDSafe by working together. To register with the State, please call 1 (855) MD-GOVAX. To register with the Howard County Health Department, please call (410) 313-6284.

According to the Maryland Department of Health, to date, 50.4% of Howard County residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine. This percentage includes those who may have received a first dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. the only way we can go back to normal is if we look out for one another and StayCOVIDSafe.

To date, 36.7% of Howard County residents are fully vaccinated according to the Maryland Department of Health. We continue to work with the Howard County Health Department and the State to ensure residents receive the vaccine safely and efficiently, as we receive supply.

Let's StayCOVIDSafe and get vaccinated!

Our Mobile Testing sites are now open from noon through 7:00 p.m. These mobile sites are more accessible to our community, provide quick test results, and improve our ability to contain COVID-19. 15-minute rapid testing and 24-hour PCR testing is available to residents at no cost at each of these five locations:

lease StayCOVIDSafe and get tested!

Last week, I presented by Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Operating Budget to the County Council. Through careful planning and thoughtful discussions, we’ve created our largest operating budget to date, with no tax increases for our residents or businesses.

This balanced budget provides broad based support for our priorities, and directs one-time savings towards critical public infrastructure, such as road resurfacing, repairing sidewalks, and flood mitigation projects. Education is still our top priority, with historically high funding to the school system, community college, and library system.

This budget also includes record high funding for special education. Despite the fiscal challenges amid the pandemic, this budget funds our strategic priorities while continuing the strong fiscal discipline that recently earned the County its 24th consecutive AAA bond rating. 

Watch my budget presentation here.

On bi-weekly calls with the White House, we're discussing and coordinating the quick distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine with all levels of government.

We're joined by three officials, Intergovernmental Affairs Senior Advisor Luke McGowan, COVID-19 Intergovernmental Affairs Director Eduardo Cisneros, and White House Vaccine Coordinator Dr. Bechara Choucair.

I encourage residents to send questions for the White House Vaccination Team to cball@howardcountymd.gov that I can direct to officials during these calls. Residents should put “Question for White House Vax Team” in the subject line of their emails. The next call is Thursday, April 15, at 2:00 p.m.

Residents can now walk up to several State Mass Vaccination sites to receive their vaccine:

Please note, the process for no-appointment lines may take longer and there is no guarantee of receiving a vaccine. To pre-register at a State site, please call 1(855) MD-GOVAX or visit COVIDVax.Maryland.gov

Currently, residents as young as 16 are approved to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer is the only vaccine, at this time, that can be administered in the United States to people under 18. State Mass Vaccination Clinics are more than likely to administer the Pfizer vaccine. I strongly urge parents and guardians to ensure our youth ages 16 and 17 get vaccinated.

We need to do everything we can to keep our families and community safe. We encourage residents age 16, 17, 18, and older to register for a vaccine TODAY by calling 1 (855) MD-GOVAX or visiting COVIDVax.Maryland.gov. Please note, you must specify your age when creating an appointment.

While there continues to be limited vaccine allocated to County Health Departments, we encourage ALL residents 16+ to visit one of many available locations to receive their vaccines. The State has implemented several Mass Vaccine sites to administer vaccines to residents. Pre-registration is now available to residents in all phases and all residents 16+ are eligible to receive the vaccine.

How to Register:

For more information and to register at any mass vaccination sites or pharmacy, please visit COVIDVax.Maryland.gov or call 1 (855) 634-6829.

Our Howard County Health Department is working to ensure every resident can receive the vaccine as soon as possible. Once you register, the Health Department will reach out to you within seven days to confirm your registration. If you have received your vaccine elsewhere, you may unsubscribe using the link in your confirmation email.

For more information, please visit Vaccine.howardcountymd.gov or call (410) 313-6284.

We are proud to announce a new foreclosure prevention program with $1.4 million supported through pandemic assistance funding. Residents impacted by COVID and not able to pay their mortgage payments should contact the Department of Housing and Community Development to complete an application for mortgage assistance. Applications are available here.

Residents with pending or approved forbearance plans with their mortgage lender are eligible to apply for assistance. Please note, the moratorium on filing of Notices of Intent to Foreclose also ends on 3/31.

Homeowners can use the county's Credit Eligibility Calculator to explore all available tax credits and relevant information regarding the application and screening processes. The Credit Eligibility Calculator can be found here.

Please, share this information with an older adult in your life. For more information, you can also call the Department of Finance at (410) 313-2195.

Additionally, remember to NEVER post pictures of your vaccination card on social media as it contains your name and date of birth. This information can be used to commit identity theft and other frauds against you. For more helpful consumer protection tips from OCP, click HERE.

If you receive an email phishing scam, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting https://Reportfraud.FTC.gov.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination card and Best Buy Geek squad scams, OCP is ALSO sharing a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warning about a number of employment related scams currently being seen in our community. According to the FTC, scammers advertise jobs the same way legitimate employers do — online (in ads on job sites and social media), in newspapers and sometimes on TV and radio. They promise you a job, but what they want is your money and your personal information. Examples of job scams include work-from-home job scams; nanny, caregiver and virtual personal assistant job scams; mystery shopper scams; job placement service scams; and government and postal jobs scams. To learn more about these job scams and how to avoid them/what to look out for, check out the FTC's website today.

Howard County older residents, if you are looking for something to keep you active and engaged, check out OAI’s monthly Virtual Offering Guides! Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, OAI has been working hard to provide older residents with various activities, from exercise and cooking classes to social engagement and lifelong learning classes, to help keep you moving, cooking and staying social while at home. To learn about the virtual offerings OAI has going on this month, check out its the April Virtual Offering Guide, available online now. for a list of this month’s offerings. For questions, contact OAI at aging@howardcountymd.gov.

To more information and/or for an application form, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/GirlsFireCamp. All CDC recommended COVID-19 safety guidelines will be followed at camp.

Have you voted? Now through May 6^th, help us share our love and appreciation for HCDFRS’ accelerant detection canine Sowell, by voting for him for American Humane's 2021 American Hero Dog award. This is the highest honor in all the canine world, and we’d love to be able to recognize Sowell for a job well done. In case you need a little convincing on why Sowell deserves this awesome honor, here's a little background information on our four-legged co-worker.

I hope you’ll join HCHD as it explores how to have these conversations, how to include children in these conversations and how to practice cultural competency and humility. To register for this series, click HERE.

Misplaced you COVID-19 Vaccination Card? Never fear! You can easily request your vaccination records the Maryland Department of Health’s “Maryland MyIR” website. Maryland MyIR is a free website service that allows residents to view and print copies of their official vaccination records directly from ImmuNet, Maryland's immunization information system. ImmuNet is used by healthcare providers to securely maintain vaccination records for Maryland residents of all ages.

If you or a loved one believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, please get tested today. to book your appointment for this location, visit https://howardcounty.azova.com

While the Howard County Health Department (HCHD) continues to prioritize those in earlier phases, when supply allows, it will open more appointments. To be alerted when HCHD clinic appointments become available to your phase/phase group, be sure to complete one of HCHD's pre-registration survey's on its "COVID-19 Vaccine" website, vaccine.howardcountymd.gov, if you have not already done so. In the meantime, residents are strongly encouraged to register/pre-register for the State's mass vaccination sites or other approved providers.

Housing’s Next MIHU Open Enrollment Period to Begin April 1^st

Don’t miss out on your chance to call Howard County home. This is your last week to submit your application for our Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) program April open enrollment period. Held quarterly throughout the year, this inclusionary zoning program provides individuals and families the opportunity to purchase quality new homes at reduced sale prices and rents to those eligible. Applications will be available online and completed applications can be submitted either online, mailed to 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 224, Columbia, MD, 21046, or dropped off at DHCD’s Patuxent Woods Drive office by appointment only. The DEADLINE to apply is 5:00 p.m. this Friday, April 30^th.

Keep in mind, if you are interested in DHCD’s MIHU rental program, prospective renters may apply directly to a participating rental community at any time during the year. For more information on the MIHU rental program, including a list of participating communities, visit DHCD’s MIHU rental website.

For questions and/or more information about the MIHU program, contact DHCD’s Housing Opportunities Programs Division at 410-313-6318 and select option two, email housing@howardcountymd.gov or visit DHCD’s open enrollment website. 

Geared towards 15- to 18-year-old who are looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, YPA is a FREE, one-week day-camp that gives participants an introduction into what it’s like to be a police officer. Campers train and learn like those in the police academy while exploring career and leadership opportunities and building life skills. This year’s camp will fun from June 27^th through July 2^nd and applications are due by no later than May 1^st. To apply, click HERE.

HCPD’s P.L.E.D.G.E (Pride, Leadership, Education, Diversity, Growth, Evaluation) Summer Leadership Camp is a FREE, one-week day-camp that helps rising 9^th graders develop leadership skills prior to entering high school. Lessons and activities challenge campers’ ability to make critical decisions, focus on core beliefs and values, recognize diversity and work toward a common goal. This year’s P.L.E.D.G.E. Leadership Camp will run July 19^th through July 23^rd and July 26^th through July 30^th. To apply, click HERE; applications are due by June 1^st.

HCPD continues to seek the public’s help to identify the suspect in a destruction of property/hate-bias incident that occurred on March 12^th around 7:49 p.m. at Glenwood Middle School. The suspect spray painted over the word “Black” on the school marquee that read “Black Lives Matter at GMS.” The suspect vehicle, seen in this video, is believed to be a gray SUV. Anyone with information is asked to contact HCPD at 410-313-STOP or email HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.

My team and I are seeking responses from qualified firms with experience and successful completion of a rock tunnel, as our Office of Procument and Contract Administration issues Expression of Interest (EOI) for the final design of the Ellicott City Safe and Sound plan's North Tunnel. The extended North Tunnel is one of the most impactful projects in our Ellicott City Safe and Sound plan, keeping floodwater off the street and preserving the history of our town. Even as we deal with the challenges of a global pandemic, we continue to make progress to protect Ellicott City from flooding for generations to come.

Of note, firms will also be required to demonstrate success in construction cost estimating and scheduling. To view the EOI and/or more information, click HERE.

Our Department of Public Works (DPW) will hold a virtual public meeting this Thursday, April 29^th starting at 6:30 p.m., to discuss plans to stabilize a portion of a significantly eroded stream located between Thunder Hill Road and Phelps Luck Drive, south of Broken Timber Way and Five Fingers Way. To do so, DPW will use wood and rock structures and bio-engineering planting to re-establish a more natural stream, reduce instream erosion and improve water quality. Finally, the area disturbed by the construction will be replanted upon project completion. The project is expected to begin this fall 2022.

Those unable to participate in the virtual meeting who would like to view the plans and/or have questions, should contact Mr. Avinash Dewani with DPW’s Stormwater Management Division at 410-313-6417 or email adewani@howardcountymd.gov.  

To learn about DPW 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 (SHA) “Project Portal” website.

In an effort to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries on Maryland roadways, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is creating a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP). As part of its development process, SHA will be hosting a virtual public meeting this Friday, April 30^th from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., to allow Marylander's the opportunity to learn more about the PSAP and how to provide input on pedestrian safety. Participant feedback will help SHA create a safety plan that will lay the groundwork for improving bike and pedestrian safety across Maryland and ultimately save lives. To partake in the meeting on the 30^th, click HERE or call in via +1 443-409-5228, Conference ID: 484 724 096#.

Additionally, per the SHA, as ts PSAP evolves, additional meetings, surveys and other community meetings will be scheduled. A recording of SHA's April 30^th public meeting and information on future PSAP activities will be available on SHA's website at www.roads.maryland.gov/contextdriven. For questions and/or more information about this public meeting or plan, contact SHA at 410-545-0303.

For more information about this project, click HERE and/or contact SHA at 410-545-0303.

Starting this Friday, April 30^th, I invite you to join our Department of Recreation & Parks for the City Nature Challenge. What started in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles, has since grown into an international event, motivating people from around the world to find and document wildlife in their cities. Join us for this global competition, by helping to document and protect our community’s local biodiversity with the aid of the iNaturalist app. Howard County Park Rangers will be stationed throughout our parks this weekend (May 1^st and May 2^nd) to help you get started. For more information and/or to register to be a part of the Baltimore City Challenge, click HERE.

Have you found the roaming gnome? Earlier this month, Recreation & Parks’ launched its Roaming Gnomes scavenger hunt. Each week, residents can find clues on Recreation & Parks’ Facebook page that will guide them to one of four Roaming Gnomes. Find the gnome, scan the special QR code and submit your entry form to be entered in a weekly prize drawing. Prizes are awarded each week, with a special grand prize to be awarded to the person or team who finds all four gnomes by the end of the month! Best of luck as we enter the last week of this month’s scavenger hunt.

Join Recreation & Parks for a groovy Virtual Glow Dance Party next month with its latest take-home kit. Perfect for the whole family, each kit contains everything you need for a fun evening at home, including a LIVE virtual dance party, two personal pizzas, popcorn, glow necklaces and themed activities. Kits will be available for pickup from Recreation 7 Parks’ headquarters in Columbia on Saturday, May 15^th. To reserve your kit today, click HERE.

Sign up today for West Howard Warhawks Football and Cheer! Starting this August, your child can learn the basics of competitive football (with games and practices at Western Regional Park) or cheerleading (with practices held at the Gary J. Arthur Community Center), all while developing athletic ability, good sportsmanship and more. For more information and/or to register, click HERE.

In addition to the proposed bike lanes along Centre Park Drive and Columbia 100 Parkway, our Office of Transportation is also proposing to implement the recommendations of BikeHoward, for bike lanes on segments of Warwick Way and Birmingham Way in Marriottsville during current road resurfacing efforts. Transportation is proposing adding newly painted bike lanes on Warwick Way from Marriottsville Road to Birmingham Way and along Birmingham Way from Warwick Way to Dorchester Way. As part of its effort, Transportation invites the public to join them this Wednesday, April 28^th at 7:00 p.m. for a virtual public meeting to learn more about and provide feedback regarding these proposed roadway additions. To register for the meeting, click HERE. In addition to the meeting, residents can also submit feedback to the Office of Transportation, now through May 12^th, via email at transportation@howardcountymd.gov.

Mark your calendars! This year’s annual Bike to Work week celebration will take place Monday, May 17^th through Sunday, May 23^rd. Organized by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) and its member jurisdictions, Bike to Work Week is a socially distanced cycling challenge to encourage commuting by bike.

Participating riders qualify for free t-shirts (limited to the first 1,500 riders), giveaways and prizes, all while discovering the advantages of a cleaner, healthier commuting option. Participants who register for the event may ride any time during the week and pick up their event shirt and other giveaways at participating bike shops throughout the region. To register, visit biketoworkmd.com today.

To make Bike Month even more fun, BMC is offering cyclists a free online cycling challenge and encouragement program called “Love to Ride.” This fun, friendly and free competition between workplaces, clubs and individuals uses prize drawings, leaderboards and virtual networking to challenge users to get more people cycling. The program is year-round and features special prize challenges in May for Corporate Challenge participants. To register and/or for more information about “Love to Ride,” check out www.lovetoride.net today.

Our Office of Transportation is looking for ways to improve Howard County’s Bikeshare system and is seeking to gather public feedback through a short survey. Your feedback will help Transportation improve its system now and in the future. To learn more about Howard County Bikeshare, visit https://howardcountybikeshare.com/.