Keeping Up with Christiana!
Greetings!

Welcome to our October Newsletter! As we continue into the Fall, flu season is starting to pick up. The CDC recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months should get a flu vaccine, and I would encourage you and your family to get vaccinated this year too!

You can find more information on the seasonal flu, as well as walk-up and drive-thru flu clinics from the Howard County Health Department, here.

This month, Howard County also officially recognized Indigenous People's Day in Howard County in place of Columbus Day on October 12th. Celebrating Indigenous People's Day is an important first step to recognizing the history of Native Americans and Indigenous people in the United States, including the tribes on whose land Howard County is located.
As we continue through the Fall, 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 October!

Yours in service,
Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3



October 15, 2020
COVID-19 Update
As COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases continue to increase in Howard County and across the country, I am closely following all updates on the local, state, and federal levels. To date, there have been over 5,500 recorded cases of COVID-19 in Howard County, and 130 of our Howard County neighbors have lost their lives to this disease. This remains an incredibly challenging time for families across the nation, but I continue to be encouraged by the acts of kindness and generosity in our community.

Howard County Government is working closely with the Howard County Health Department, Howard County General Hospital, and the Maryland Department of Health to ensure that our county continues to have adequate response measures in place. For additional information and updates on our County's response to COVID-19, I encourage you to visit Howard County Government's COVID-19 website.
To date, over 30% of Howard County residents have been tested for COVID-19, and that number continues to grow. If you or a family member think that you may have coronavirus, I strongly encourage you to get tested. COVID-19 testing is free or covered by health insurance. For additional information on testing locations and availability, please visit the Howard County Health Department's website.
September Legislative Wrap-Up
On October 5th, the County Council convened for our October Legislative Session to hold a vote on September legislation and introduce new legislation for the upcoming month. The County Council took action on the following legislation:

  • CR142-2020: legislation creating a Racial Equity Task Force for Howard County. This task force is charged with recommending legislative actions to the Howard County Council to address racial disparities and inequities in Howard County. You can read more about the legislation here. I'm pleased that this legislation passed in a 4-1 vote. Introduced by Opel Jones and Christiana Rigby.

  • CB44-2020: legislation approving an additional $9.7 million in State funding to Howard County for the construction of Talbott Springs Elementary School and High School 13 in Jessup. You can read more about the legislation here. This legislation passed in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.

  • CB49-2020: legislation prohibiting vehicle parking in bike lanes in Howard County. You can read more about the legislation here. This legislation passed in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.

  • CB51-2020: legislation prohibiting the Howard County Department of Corrections from accepting into its custody persons detained by federal immigration law enforcement agencies and housing those persons as they await disposition of exclusively immigration-related proceedings. You can read more about the legislation here. This legislation passed in a 3-2 vote and was vetoed by County Executive Ball on October 7, 2020. Introduced by Liz Walsh.
October Legislation
On October 5th, the County Council convened for our October Legislative Session. I was not the primary sponsor on any legislation this month. However, I have included some legislation of interest below that was introduced by my Council colleagues and the County Executive:

  • TAO1-2020: legislation restoring $54.6 million from Howard County's Contingency Fund to fund the construction of the New Cultural Center in Downtown Columbia. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.

  • CB53-2020: legislation approving the acquisition of land for a new elementary school in the Turf Valley neighborhood of Ellicott City for $6 million. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.

  • CB55-2020: legislation requiring the County Executive to submit fiscal analyses for legislative items to the County Council. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by Deb Jung.

  • CB56-2020: legislation amending the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) to remove an exemption for conditionally-exempt residential subdivision plans. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by Liz Walsh.

  • CB57-2020: legislation replacing the recommendation requirement with an analysis requirement for the Department of Planning and Zoning's Technical Staff Reports. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by David Yungmann.
Community Initiatives and Updates
Flu Vaccine Opportunities
The Howard County Health Department is sponsoring two free flu vaccine clinics in the upcoming weeks! I encourage you and your family to get your flu vaccines this year, which will help protect your community and reduce stress on the healthcare system during COVID-19. You can find more information on the flu vaccine and free flu clinics here.
Neighbor Ride has also launched a “Get Your Flu Shot Early” campaign. Collaborating with the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services Office on Aging & Independence, Howard County Health Department, Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and other community partners, the volunteer-driven nonprofit is providing FREE RIDES for Howard County seniors (age 60+) who would like to get their flu shots at local physicians’ offices, pharmacies, or vaccination events. You can find more information and schedule a ride here.
November Election Information
If you would like to vote-by-mail, you must first apply to receive a mail-in ballot from the Board of Elections. You can easily request your mail-in ballot online in 5 minutes here. The Board of Elections must receive your request for a mail-in ballot by October 20th.

Once you receive your ballot, you may mail it back to the Board of Elections or submit your ballot at one of these ballot drop-boxes in Howard County.

If you would like to vote in-person, you may early vote at any of these five locations from October 26th - November 2nd from 7AM - 8PM. You may also vote in-person on Election Day (November 3rd, 2020) from 7AM - 8PM at any of these 17 locations in Howard County.

Please note: if you request an absentee ballot and decide not mail it in, you may still cast a provisional ballot in-person, which will be counted once the Board of Elections confirms that you have not cast your requested mail-in ballot. You can find more information on provisional ballots here.
This year, Howard County voters will also be voting on three local ballot questions approved by the County Council this past summer. These ballot questions would change the Howard County Charter (our governing document), which is why voters are weighing in on them on the ballot.

These ballot questions include:

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔: this Charter amendment would allow the County Council to set new dates for our Councilmanic Redistricting Commission, which is responsible for drawing the council district boundaries following the decennial Census. The Charter currently requires this process to begin on an outdated timeline. This amendment would allow the Council to begin the process in time for the 2022 primary election.

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕: this Charter amendment would reduce the term length for resident members of Howard County Boards and Commissions from 5 years to 3 years. We have heard from County Administration that this amendment will help with recruiting a broader and more diverse selection of residents who would like to serve on these voluntary boards.

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖: this Charter amendment would expand employment protections for county employees in the Charter. The additional protections would prohibit employment discrimination based on an individual's disability, color, national origin, immigration status, age, occupation, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, and personal appearance.

I voted YES on each of these Charter amendments before the County Council, and I encourage you to support them with your vote this year as well!
HCPSS Free School Meals
For the remainder of the Fall 2020 academic semester, HCPSS will be providing free Grab-N-Go meals for students! Student meals (breakfast and lunch) will be served at no cost to all students through December 31, 2020.

Meals may be picked up at any HCPSS school location with the exception of Burleigh Manor Middle School and Hammond High School. Pick-up times are Monday through Friday, from 8AM - 9AM and 10:45AM - 12:45PM. You can find more information here.
Virtual Walk Audit - Elkridge
Join Horizon Foundation, Howard County Office of Transportation, community partners, and Howard County residents for a virtual Walk Audit of Elkridge on Wednesday, October 21st at 7 PM!

At this event, the Streets for All Coalition will be meeting with the community and advocates to discuss walking conditions along Montgomery Road in Elkridge and talk about the next steps to advance transportation projects in the area.

You can learn more about this initiative and the pedestrian conditions in the area by registering to attend the Virtual Walk Audit here.
2020 Census - Deadline TODAY
Due to a recent Supreme Court ruling cutting the Census deadline short, TODAY is the last day to complete the 2020 Census. Over 80.5% of Howard County households have responded to the Census. That means roughly one out of five households have not yet responded -- equal to about 65,000 uncounted Howard County residents!

For every person counted, the Census brings nearly $18,000 in federal funding to Howard County for critical programs like housing assistance, Medicaid, school lunch programs, Head Start, and more. Each person counted in the Census has a direct impact on community services and resources.

I encourage you to take 5 minutes and visit my2020census.gov to respond for your household today. If you have already completed the Census - thank you! Please share the Census with three friends & family members and encourage them to get counted.
MIHU Enrollment Open
The Department of Housing & Community Development is currently accepting applications for the Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) Homeownership program!

Residents who are interested in applying for the MIHU program can submit an application online. The enrollment period is from October 1 through October 30, 2020.

For more information and to find the application, please visit this website.
COVID-19 Resources
Rental Assistance & Eviction Prevention
County Executive Ball announced a second round of Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention Grants using CARES Act funds.

This funding is available to residents who are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage due to loss of income resulting from COVID-19. I am very glad to see this additional $800,000 dedicated to housing assistance as Howard County families continue to experience economic duress from this pandemic.

Residents may apply for rental and mortgage assistance beginning October 5th from Community Action Council of Howard County, Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, or FIRN (Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network). You can find more information on the housing assistance grants and how to apply here.
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.
Unemployment Services
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.
Community Resources
Almost immediately after this pandemic impacted Maryland, Howard County resident Erika Strauss Chavarria created Columbia Community Care to meet community needs.

With over 6,000 members on Facebook, Columbia Community Care is collecting and distributing donations of groceries, toiletries, and other items in need. You can learn more about how to donate, volunteer, or access resources here.
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 a mask, please visit COAD's website here to learn more about their services.
District 3 Pre-Submission Meetings
There are currently no pre-submission meetings scheduled in District 3 this month.
Want to Get in Touch?
Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3

crigby@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-2001
Colette Gelwicks
Special Assistant

cgelwicks@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-2421
Felix Facchine
District Aide

ffacchine@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-3108
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!