Address: 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043 | Phone: 410-313-2001 | Email: [email protected] |
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It is with great enthusiasm and pride I was elected to be your Councilmember representing the viewpoints of the amazing people of the Second District of Howard County. I am honored to serve as your Councilmember and looking forward to following in the steps of your prior leaders by continuing their fine legacy of leadership. My focus is on enhancing education, assuring public and personal safety, and championing community vibrancy.
While these are our primary focus areas, my team and I are committed to partnering with you on so many different topics to make District Two the absolute best place to work and live! Working together, we can accomplish a lot and that means listening to your ideas, addressing your concerns, and building on your feedback. I look forward to our journey together!
In service and partnership,
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East Columbia 50+ Center Groundbreaking
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"Our County's aging in place population is one of the fastest-growing demographics," said Chair Jones.
"Providing equitable access to a variety of learning experiences, exercise activities, and social events for our aging-in-place communities is vital for their mental health and our community vibrancy!"
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Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
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"As an educator and father of an HCPSS student, I am thrilled about the $8M pledge by our County Executive, in funding from the American Rescue Plan for bonuses to HCPSS educators and staff, in addition to the $8.1M by HCPSS. The amazing educators and staff of HCPSS are essential for students and parents during these uncertain times,” said Councilmember Opel Jones.
“I am thankful for Dr. Calvin Ball's and Dr. Michael Martirano's commitment and leadership to those who make our HCPSS one of the best school systems in the country!”
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Black History Month: Howard County Living Legends Honorees |
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Howard County Bond Rating 2022 |
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It was an honor and a privilege to meet with the Administration, Moody's Investor Services, Standard & Poor's Credit Rating Services, and Fitch Credit Ratings for the Howard County Bond Rating virtual call.
During this call, I shared updates on the Columbia Gateway Development project and School Surcharge Fees.
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Howard County Board of Education Renews Contract for Superintendent Michael J. Martirano Ed.D |
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“I am excited to continue my office’s partnership with a diligent and tenacious leader,” said Councilmember Jones.
“Dr. Martirano has championed steadfast progress in our school system by working with County Executive Ball to secure teacher bonuses, the acquisition of land for two new schools, lessening the health fund deficit, and assisting teachers, students, and parents during COVID-19.”
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Howard County Resident Services |
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Information on food assistance, housing help, social services, and more. |
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Resources and services for residents living in Howard County:
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Community Action Council Assistance
Community Action Council offers housing assistance, energy assistance, food assistance, and early childhood education. Visit www.cac-hc.org to learn more. Get support or get involved now by calling 410-313-6440.
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Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland
Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals once a week for seniors, as well as support and safety-net services. To learn more about services or to donate/volunteer, click here
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Howard County Food Bank
Shop for the Foods YOU want at the Howard County Food Bank. All shopping trips are family-choice. Fresh items such as milk, eggs, hygiene products, meats, produce are all on hand each time. Families who may qualify should visit www.CAC-HC.org or call 410-313-6440 for more details.
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Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center
6700 Freetown Road, Columbia, MD 21044
Call: 410-531-6677 or 410-531-6006
24 Hour Hotline: Dial 211
Telephone counseling, free walk-in counseling, emergency shelter for the homeless, a 24-hour suicide hotline, Mobile Crisis Team, and a Runaway Teen Program that provides crisis intervention for runaway youth and their families. All services are free. Marylanders with mental health or substance use issues are encouraged to "Call 211 and Press One" to reach help.
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Howard County General Hospital's Member Care Support Network
Receive FREE support while recovering from a health crisis (weekly calls, wellness checks, connection to community resources, and more). To qualify, you must be 18 or older and live or worship in Howard County. To enroll or for more information, email [email protected] or call 410-740-7601.
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Department of Recreation and Parks: Summer Camp Registration Now Open!
Online registration, mail-in, phone, and walk-in registration for Howard County residents for Recreation and Parks' 2022 Summer Camp Guide is now open!
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Free Tax Preparation Assistance Available
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Offers free tax preparation assistance to qualifying families. If you’re unsure how to do your taxes, have questions or want to make sure you’re completing the forms correctly, MakingChange can guide you.
Howard County residents earning $58,000 or less annually are eligible to meet with an Internal Revenue Service certified volunteer who will prepare your taxes - even if you haven’t filed taxes in a while or owe back taxes.
The MakingChange Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site at the MultiService Center in Laurel is open and accepts new clients, by appointment only.
Make your appointment here.
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COVID-19: County Updates & Resources |
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Vaccine Clinics For 5 - 11 Year Olds
Visit the Howard County Health Department website for a list of COVID-19 vaccine clinics for 5- to 11-year-olds. While demand is greater than supply at this time, please remain patient, and speak to your pediatrician first.
If you secure an appointment, please plan to arrive no more than 15 minutes early, in order to keep these clinics as calm and smooth as possible for our kids.
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Mobile COVID-19 Testing Sites
First Call Urgent Care and Centennial Medical Group will be implementing mobile testing units in the following locations: https://www.firstcallurgentcare.com/covid-19-testing-and-faqs/
Testing Sites will make every attempt to remain open, but may need to close due to inclement weather conditions. Call 443-351-7301 or email [email protected]
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County and Statewide Vaccination Information |
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Testing for COVID-19
For more information call 410-313-6284 or click
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Deep Run Elementary School:
Deep Run ES will be hosting a Vaccination Clinic on Tuesday, February 15th from 4 - 6 PM for children ages 5-11. For more information click here.
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Atholton High School:
The AHS Asian Student Union (ASU) is hosting a Lunar New Year Party on February 18th from 6 - 8 PM
Musical- Hairspray: March 24th at 7 PM, March 25th at 7 PM,
March 26th at 7 PM, and March 27th at 3 PM
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Centennial High School:
Band Concert March 28th at 7 PM
Orchestra Concert March 29th at 7 PM
Choir Concert March 30th at 7 PM
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Hammond High School:
Musical- Freaky Friday: March 3rd at 7 PM, March 4th at 7 PM and March 5th at 2 PM and 7 PM
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Howard High School:
Musical- Into the Woods Jr: February 10th at 7 PM and February 11th at 7 PM
Play- Clue on Stage!: February 24th at 7 PM, February 25th 7 PM, February 26th at 2 PM and at 7 PM
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Long Reach High School:
Musical- Lion King: March 24th at 7 PM, March 25th at 7 PM, March 26th at 7 PM, and March 27th at 2 PM
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Oakland Mills High School:
Musical- High School Musical: March 17th at 7 PM, March 18th at 7 PM, and March 19th at 2 PM and 7 PM.
Guitar and Piano Recital March 23rd at 7 PM
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Upcoming Meetings
The next board meeting is scheduled for February 22, 2022, at 7 PM and will be held via Zoom.
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OMHS Food Pantry Donations at The Other Barn
Next Distribution Date: February 16th, 3 - 5 PM
We are now taking donations for the OMHS food pantry at The Other Barn. Drop off items Monday through Thursday between the hours of
10 AM - 3 PM. Click OMHS Food Pantry for more information and to see a list of items needed.
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Oakland Mills Online
Visit OMO! One CLICK opens the door to become engaged in a community-based, multi-generational social learning environment.
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Oakland Mills United
Oakland Mills United is a community organization in Howard County led by OMHS graduates. This organization advocates for the betterment of schools within the Oakland Mills community. Oakland Mills United addresses four core issues:
- Changing the stigma
- Closing the opportunity gap
- Maintenance of school buildings
- Redistricting
For more information click here.
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Youth and Teen Center @TheBarn
Teen Tuesday Nights @ The Barn - 2nd Tuesday of the Month
Free and open to all Howard County teens. Have fun, meet new friends, and enjoy karaoke, foosball, pool, basketball, video games, the snack bar (items for purchase), and more.
The Youth and Teen Center has afterschool drop-in programming, fun events, and more. Click here to see what's happening at the YTC!
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CA Yards Alive!
Yards Alive! is an exciting new program established to educate by CA's Climate & Sustainability Committee and Oakland Mills residents about more sustainable landscaping practices. Oakland Mills is the location of the first pilot program. Visit the Yards Alive! Blog to learn more about the program and about ways you can improve your little square of paradise. The Yards Alive! blog has articles written by Oakland Mills community neighbors.
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Upcoming Meetings
Board of Directors
The next board meeting is scheduled for February 15th, 2022, at 7:30 PM and will be held via Zoom.
More information is available here.
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Long Reach Master Gardener Series
Free Virtual Presentations from the Master Gardeners of Howard County
Growing Herbs Year-Round Inside & Out
Monday, March 28th, at 7 PM
Learn simple tips on how to grow, maintain, and harvest herbs so that you can have a ready supply of herbs year-round. This presentation provides general care ideas that apply to a variety of herbs.
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Integrated Pest Management for Vegetable Gardens
Monday, May 9th, at 7 PM
Learn about identifying common insect pests attacking your vegetables and organic ways of dealing with them. Also learn about some common vegetable diseases and what can be done to avoid them.
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Office of Transportation: Active Transportation Open House 2022
This Saturday, February 12th, join our Office of Transportation as it kicks off its second annual Active Transportation Open House (ATOH). Visit Saturday, February 12th and Friday, February 18th at 4 PM when the virtual Open House will be open. The Open House will consist of three sections – discussions, a self-guided tour, and online surveys, and will focus on biking, walking, micro-mobility, and Complete Streets.
The Open House will also include updates to the County’s BikeHoward projects, e-scooters, and Complete Streets implementation activities.
For questions and/or to learn more about this year’s Open House, including topic-specific discussion sessions, visit here or email the Office of Transportation at [email protected] (Please include “2022 ATOH” in your email subject line).
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The Crown Act: Virtual Lunch & Learn
February 24th from Noon – 1 PM
The Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity invites you to close out Black History Month with this virtual webinar exploring how African Americans deal with illegal discrimination based on personal appearance, especially concerning their hair texture and style. This one-hour lunch and learn will educate attendees on the history of Black hair and its importance to African American culture, expose the various kinds of discrimination African Americans face because of their hair, as well as illuminate the protections offered to Howard County residents.
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Child Care Fair
Saturday, February 26th- 10 AM – 2 PM at the North Laurel Community Center
This annual fair provides parents, guardians, grandparents and childcare personnel with a “one stop shop” for information on childcare, pre-school and summer programs, as well as access to early childcare teachers and program directors. Representatives from OCF and community service organizations that offer programs and services to Howard County’s young children will be on hand to share resources and information. The event will also feature free information sessions on “How to Choose an Early Childhood Program” at 11 AM, Noon, and 1 PM.
The in-person event is scheduled to take place at the North Laurel Community Center. While admission is FREE, attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item or unopened pack of diapers or wipes to donate to the Howard County Food Bank.
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Maple Sugaring and Syrup Tasting Event
Join Recreation & Parks’ Robinson Nature Center on February 26th and 27th for this family-friendly, deliciously sweet and sticky event about the art of maple sugaring, i.e., when the sap from trees is collected to make syrup. Participants will have the opportunity to hike around Robinson Nature Center’s property to explore tapped trees and partake in a cooking demonstration and syrup tasting. Preregistration is recommended for this sweetly popular event; to register, call 410-313-0400 or sign-up here.
Cost is $7 for Robinson Nature Center members and $10 for general admission. Please note, this program is recommended for those three and older as it takes place along unsurfaced trails which are not stroller accessible.
If you are not able to join our Robinson Nature Center staff on the 26th or 27th, Recreation & Parks is also offering a take-home maple sugaring kit. This interactive kit includes video chats from a Nature Center naturalist about the tradition of maple sugaring and materials for a seasonal craft, themed scavenger hunt and a half-dozen cookies, maple-flavored icing and decorations for a family cookie-decorating activity. This kit is geared towards children age two to seven. To secure your “Take Nature Home: Maple Sugaring Season” kit today, click here. Cost is $55.00 per kit.
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Addressing Long-term Health Consequences
Many survivors experience chronic pain conditions that interfere with their quality of life. ARTiculation is a peer support and education group focused on exploring ways to live well, be informed self-advocates, and address the stigma and health disparities that challenge our well-being. Register here.
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Using the Arts & Humanities to Explore Oppression and Revolution
HopeWorks’ Women’s Circle Program is excited to host a nine-session workshop series to explore imbalances of power and the spirit of revolution through poetry, music, visual arts, literature, theatre, history, ethnography, and philosophy. Begins Saturday, March 5th, 2022. Must be able to attend all 9 sessions. This free program is open to the general public. Register here.
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Diaper Drive
The Howard County Library System is collecting diapers throughout February. Drop off donations at any library branch in the county - diapers sizes 4 and up, including pull-ups, are needed most.
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Howard County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Student Member Applicants
Application deadline: March 18th
Candidates must be a Howard County resident, enrolled in high school for the 2022-2023 academic year, have an interest in public recreation and be able to attend the Board’s meetings which are held the third Wednesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM in Conference Room #1 at the Department of Recreation and Parks Headquarters, 7120 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, board meetings may take place virtually.
Applicants should send a resume and a brief letter explaining why they want to serve on the Board to Kimberly Pruim either by email to [email protected] or by mail to: Howard County Government, Office of the County Executive, Attn: Kimberly Pruim, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. About the Parks & Rec Advisory Board.
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"Writing" Relationship Wrongs: A Teen Writing Workshop to Explore Relationship Dynamics. Register here.
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