Greetings!
Welcome to our June Newsletter! This month, we celebrate and recognize LGBTQ+ Pride Month here in Howard County. Due to coronavirus, Howard County's Pride Festival has been postponed to later this year, on October 9, 2021. This summer, there will also be several events hosted by organizations that serve the LGBTQ+ community. You can learn more here.
Vaccine Update
Howard County residents have continued to get their COVID-19 vaccinations in record numbers. As of this newsletter, over 80% of Howard County residents over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their vaccine, and nearly 73% of residents over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated. Our county has made significant progress in getting vaccine shots in arms, but there is still more work to do.
If you haven't yet been vaccinated, there's never been a better time! The Howard County Health Department is offering dozens of vaccine clinics over the next several weeks at locations across the County, including appointments for anyone age 12 and older. You can find a full list of vaccine appointments here.
As we continue into the summer, 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 June!
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Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3
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To date, there have been over 19,400 recorded cases of COVID-19 in Howard County, and 251 of our Howard County neighbors have lost their lives to this virus.
Howard County's positivity rate and new case rate have have continued to decline over the past month, and our 7-day positivity rate is now at an all-time low of 0.45%.
As vaccination efforts continue to improve and expand, I encourage everyone to continue doing their part to limit the spread of coronavirus in Howard County by getting vaccinated and following local safety recommendations. For information on COVID-19, vaccines, and coronavirus testing locations, please visit the Howard County Health Department's website.
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On June 7th, the County Council convened for our May Legislative Session to hold a vote on pending legislation. The County Council took action on several pieces of legislation, including the following:
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CB42-2021: legislation requiring the Department of Planning and Zoning, in collaboration with specified County agencies, to establish a system of data collection; requiring the Department of Planning and Zoning, in collaboration with specified County agencies, to recommend actions to improve the retention of existing forest areas and effectiveness of mitigation measures; and generally relating to the Forest Conservation Act. This legislation was passed by the County Council in a 5-0 vote. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by Deb Jung.
You can watch the County Council's full June legislation session here.
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At the legislative session on June 7th, the County Council introduced new legislation for consideration. I have included information on current legislation of interest below:
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CB43-2021: legislation making emergency appropriations pursuant to Section 610(b) of the Howard County Charter and amending the Annual Budget and Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2021 in order to receive additional grant funding from the United States Department of the Treasury to provide rent and utility assistance. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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CB49-2021: legislation amending Recreation and Parks provisions of the County Code; prohibiting discrimination in accordance with the County Code; providing that certain activities may be conducted upon a permit required by the Director; clarifying the reserved use of park property. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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CR104-2021: a resolution adopting the Housing Unit Allocation Chart for Fiscal Year 2022 pursuant to the Adequate Public Facilities Act of Howard County. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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CR105-2021: a resolution adopting the School Capacity Chart, pursuant to the Adequate Public Facilities Act of Howard County, to designate the elementary school regions, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools constrained for new residential development during each of the following years as based on the definition of program capacity as defined by Howard County Public School System policy. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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On May 27th, the County Council voted on the FY2022 Capital and Operating Budgets for Howard County. This was another challenging year, and the County Council had to make some difficult decisions regarding several funding priorities in the budget.
Despite the challenges with this budget, I would like to highlight some of the community wins of this budget cycle. After 30 years, the new East Columbia 50+ Center will finally begin construction this year. Hundreds of residents of Eastern Howard County will stand to benefit immensely from this infrastructure investment, especially as we emerge from this pandemic.
This year, Complete Streets transportation projects were also fully funded in the budget, meaning that our County will continue to expand our important bike and pedestrian infrastructure with projects in North Laurel, Columbia, and Savage. I’m thankful for the Office of Transportation and the Department of Public Works for their continued work on these projects.
I am also happy to share that the County Executive’s proposal to fund a number of environmental initiatives has been approved. This includes funding for an update to the Green Infrastructure Network and a new Climate Action Plan, which will enhance our greenhouse gas standards and chart our County forward on a new path of tackling climate change here at home.
Finally, I am very glad that the County Council directed an additional $5.5 million to the Operating Budget of the Howard County Public School System, particularly to increase funding for instruction and special education. As we look toward the future, I strongly believe that we need to look at our revenue streams and evaluate how we can increase our financial commitment to HCPSS in a structural and meaningful way.
Even in challenging times, there is much to be thankful for. As this budget season concludes, the path toward next year’s FY23 budget is just beginning. I encourage everyone who has reached out to the Council this budget season to stay engaged and continue working with us to build a Howard County where all residents succeed. Stay tuned for opportunities to provide feedback and share your priorities for next year's budget season!
When the final budget documents are published, you may view them here.
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Community Initiatives, Events, and Updates |
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On Saturday, June 19th, the Howard Count Center of African American Culture will be holding its 21st Annual Juneteenth Celebration! Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated across the United States to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people on June 19th, 1865, two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
Earlier this year, County Executive Ball announced that Juneteenth would be recognized as a County holiday in Howard County. Just this week, the United States Congress passed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
If you would like to participate in the Howard County Center of African American Culture's Juneteenth celebration this weekend, you can find more information here. In-person and virtual options are available. I hope to see you there!
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Due to coronavirus, Howard County's Pride Festival has been postponed to later this year, on October 9, 2021. This summer, there will also be several events hosted by organizations and non-profits that serve the LGBTQ+ community.
On June 27th, HoCo Pride and the Downtown Columbia Partnership are hosting a "Chalk it Up for Pride" event in Downtown Columbia. At the event, you can join community members in celebrating Pride Month by creating chalk creations in celebration of pride. You can learn more about HoCo Pride's upcoming events and initiatives here.
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Pollinator Week Activities |
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June 19th marks the start of Pollinator Week in Howard County and across the country! During that week, you can join Howard County Bee City and partners in celebrating many of Maryland's most amazing pollinators.
Free events are scheduled all week long for pollinator enthusiasts of all ages. You can find more information and registration links here.
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While groceries were pre-bagged during the height of the pandemic in an effort of extreme caution, CAC feels strongly that it's important for families to choose the items they want, and it is ready to reinstate this model. All shopping trips after May 3rd will once again be family choice. Families who may qualify should visit www.CAC-HC.org or call 410-313-6440 for more details.
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Head Start and Pre-K Opportunities from Community Action Council |
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CAC offers free Head Start and Pre-K programming to eligible 3- to 5-year-old children. Programs provide family engagement services, speech & language therapy, mental health consulting, hearing & vision screening, and nutritional counseling.
CAC operates four sites across the county, including at the Bauder Education Center in Long Reach. Learn more on CAC’s website or by calling 410-313-6440.
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FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit |
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The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will provide eligible households with discounts of up to $50 a month for broadband service. It also will provide a one-time discount of up to $100 on a computer or tablet for eligible households.
Households can apply in three ways:
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Contact your preferred participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process.
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Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online and to find participating providers near you.
- Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application, and return it along with proof of eligibility to: Emergency Broadband Support Center, P.O. Box 7081, London, KY 40742.
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Pedestrian Safety Improvements on Route 1 |
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The $3.5 million for construction is federally funded. Work will stretch along nine miles of US 1 from North Laurel to Elkridge and include improvements at several key intersections, including:
1. Brewers Court – installation of a new pedestrian-activated signal, a protected space in the median and new continental crosswalks.
2. Guilford Road – construction of a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists along southbound US 1 between Guilford Road and the sidewalk approximately 1,100 feet to the north, new continental crosswalks and upgraded pedestrian crossing signals.
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Howard County Employment and
Volunteer Opportunities
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Are you looking for employment opportunities? There are several open positions in different Howard County Government departments and agencies, including the Recreation & Parks, Community Resources & Services, Public Works, and more. You can learn more about different open positions and how to apply here.
Interested in volunteering with Howard County Government? You can check out different opportunities to volunteer with our Department of Recreation and Parks here, and additional volunteer opportunities here.
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Mobile Ticketing is Available for RTA Riders |
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Howard County has recently implemented mobile ticketing, route tracking, and trip planning for our RTA bus service using the Transit app!
This updated technology helps bring RTA of Central Maryland into the 21st century, and it makes riding the bus easier and more reliable in Howard County.
Along with mobile ticketing, RTA introduced free transfers and fare capping, two cost-effective features for its riders that improve equity and access to the RTA system. One-way $2 fares purchased in Transit are valid for 90 minutes, making any transfers within that 90-minute window free system-wide.
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Rental Assistance & Eviction Prevention |
Howard County Government is offering Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention Grants to Howard County residents who are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage due to loss of income resulting from COVID-19.
Residents may apply for rental and mortgage assistance from:
Maximum assistance per household is 12 months of housing and utility expenses. Residents that previously received housing assistance ARE eligible to apply for additional assistance. You can find more information on the housing assistance grants and how to apply here.
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Food and Utility Assistance |
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Howard County Government has dedicated additional funding to the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC) for energy/utility assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you are in imminent danger of utility cut-off and need assistance paying your utility bills, you can apply for assistance from the Community Action Council here.
CAC also provides food assistance to Howard County families in need. You can find more information and fill out an application for food assistance here.
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Virtual Assistance Portal |
Howard County Government has launched a Virtual Assistance Portal to help connect residents with disaster and emergency resources, including housing assistance, food assistance, employment assistance, utility assistance, and more.
You can visit the portal and learn more about the resources available here.
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If you or a family member lost a job or experienced reduced income due to COVID-19, you can apply for unemployment insurance from the state of Maryland.
You can find more information and apply for unemployment benefits here. You can find more information on job opportunities and employment assistance here.
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Howard County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) is a group of community organizations focused on collecting and deploying resources during a local disaster.
If you are able to donate, are in need of grocery/medicine delivery, or are in need of resources, please visit COAD's website here to learn more about their services.
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District 3 Pre-Submission Meetings |
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There is currently one pre-submission meetings scheduled in District 3. |
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Name: Palmer Subdivision
Council District: 3
Acres: 1.84
Planned Use: Residential
Number of Units: 5
Zoning: R-12
Meeting Date: June 29, 2021 at 6:00 PM
Meeting Location: virtual
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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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Please feel free to contact us by email or phone. Plus, you can stay up-to-date with Christiana by following us on social media, where we post daily updates on events, county news, legislative priorities, and Christiana's activity! Don't miss out on any District 3 news! |
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