Margery,

Back-to-School season is upon us! Whether you're a student eager to reunite with friends, a parent preparing for the busy months ahead, or an educator ready to inspire young minds, the back-to-school season is a time of new beginnings and endless possibilities. 

Wondering How to Prepare Your HCPSS Student for the First Day of School?

• To apply for Free and Reduced Meal's, visit this website.
• For school supplies lists, visit this website.
• For transportation and bus services, visit this website.
• For school start times, visit this website.

For residents no longer in the Howard County Public School System, I encourage you to check out classes offered by Howard Community College, Howard County Library System, and Recreation and Parks.

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 school year!

On July 29th, the County Council convened for our July Legislative Session to vote on the budget legislation. The Council voted on several pieces of legislation, including the following:

• CB47-2024: An act establishing the Office of the Inspector General; specifying the selection, term, qualifications, and responsibilities of the Inspector General; providing for the referral of certain matters; specifying the funding and powers of the Office of the Inspector General; requiring certain reports; establishing the Inspector General Advisory Board; specifying the composition, powers, and duties of the Inspector General Advisory Board; specifying the selection, term, and responsibilities of the Inspector General Advisory Board; and generally relating to the Office of the Inspector General. This bill was tabled in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by Councilmember Liz Walsh.

• CB48-2024: An act supporting the creation of the Office of the Inspector General; amending the process for whistleblower complaints; repealing certain duties of the County Auditor; amending the composition of the Howard County Ethics Commission; and generally relating to supporting the Office of the Inspector General. This bill was tabled in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by Councilmember Liz Walsh.

• CR107-2024: A resolution proposing to amend the County Charter to create an Office of the Inspector General. This bill passed in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by Councilmembers Deb Jung, Liz Walsh, Opel Jones, Christiana Rigby, and David Yungmann.

The County Council is on recess during the month of August. Legislation for the month of September will be pre-filed on Thursday, August 22nd for introduction in September.

Public Art Survey

The Howard County Arts Council and County Executive Ball are seeking your feedback. The brief survey will inform the County's inaugural permanent public art program, Arts for All. Arts for All aims to transform community spaces and County facilities with vibrant, permanent art installations.

By providing your feedback, we can ensure that the Arts for All program resonates with the community. The survey asks residents to offer input regarding the themes, types of arts, and potential installation sites they would like included in the program.

Take the survey before it closes!

Free Community Concert

The Quey Percussion Duo is performing on Friday, August 16th at 7:00 PM at Glen Mar Church, located at 4701 New Cut Road in Ellicott City. The Duo performs a blend of contemporary, cross-cultural, classical, and popular music.

Admission is free! Visit Glen Mar Church website for more information!

Public Information Meeting for Elkridge Projects

County Executive Ball is hosting a community input meeting on Tuesday, August 27th at 6:30 PM at the Elkridge Branch Library!

The meeting focuses on two new Elkridge projects - the community center and indoor track at Troy Park.

The meeting will start with a brief presentation from Recreation and Parks and their consultant, then open up to hear feedback from residents and community organizations on their ideas for the services needed at the community center and indoor track.

If you are unable to attend the meeting and would still like to provide input, please visit the Recreation and Parks website.

For more information, please read the event posting.

Leadership Essentials

Applications are now open for Leadership Essentials 2025!

Leadership Essentials 2025 is a six-month leadership development program for emerging leaders offered through Loyola University Maryland, in collaboration with Leadership Howard County. From December 2024 to June 2025, a diverse cohort of approximately 30 individuals from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors will strengthen their leadership skills through full-day sessions, coaching, and a community service project.

If you are interested in applying for Leadership Essentials, consider attending the next virtual information session held virtually on Thursday, September 12th at 4:00 PM.

Applications for Leadership Essentials 2025 are due on Monday, October 14th. To learn more about the program, information session, and to access the application, visit the Leadership Essentials website.

Route 1 Pedestrian Improvements

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) has begun work on Route 1 as part of the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) program.

The PSAP program prioritizes safety enhancements along corridors, like Route 1, and improvement implementation decisions are made using factors such as equity, destinations and connections, crash data and density.

The Route 1 program will make context drive physical improvements along 2.2 from the County line to Gorman Road.

Currently, SHA is planning to host a public information meeting this fall. More information about upcoming meetings and the changes coming to Route 1 can be found on the PSAP website.

YEP! Grants

Applications are now being accepted for the Fiscal Year 2025 Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) grants. The YEP! initiative aims to build avenues for young people to become more connected to their families, friends, and mentors through targeted programming.

The grant award ranges from $5,000 to $50,000. In order to be considered, applicants must:

• Be a nonprofit organization in good standing that provides direct services to the residents of Howard County;
• Offer free or low-cost youth programming at least monthly over the course of 12 months; and
• Programming must engage youth in activities during times when they are not in school, including on weekends, after-school hours and during the summertime.

The grant application can be found online. Completed applications, and all supporting materials, must be submitted to yep@howardcountymd.gov by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, September 10th.

To support applicants through the grant process, the Office of the County Executive is hosting a virtual public information session on Thursday, August 22nd at 6:00 PM. Please sign-up in advance of the meeting.

For any questions about the YEP! grant or application process, contact the Office of the County Executive at 410-313-3939 or email yep@howardcountymd.gov.

Route 1 Quick-Build Demonstration Project

The Howard County Office of Transportation and Department of Public Works are partnering with Smart Growth America and the State Highway Administration on a temporary Complete Streets project on Route 1 in North Laurel!

The project is located on Route 1 southbound from north of Davis Avenue to North Laurel Road. On this stretch of the road, the outer lane is now a temporary bike lane. The bike lane is open now until November.

Learn more about this exciting project by visiting the Office of Transportation's website.

Book Review: A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety

In her book, A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet, Sarah Jaquette Ray addresses the mental toll of climate change, uniquely felt by Gen Z, and proposes solutions to support youth in the fight to reverse the effects of climate change.  As an environmental studies professor, Ray draws from her experiences educating Gen Z and their emotional reactions to the climate crisis. Ultimately, the book serves as a guide for climate activists in the pursuit of emotionally resiliency. Each chapter tackles a different theme, ranging from climate guilt to burnout, and everything in between; offering techniques and strategies for overcoming climate anxiety. While the climate crisis is severe and daunting, we cannot give up and must continue forward. Ray explains it perfectly writing, “we need to figure out how to not just address but thrive in a climate-changed world.”

While the book is aimed at Gen Z, the messages should be heard across all generations. Every single person experiences the impacts of climate change - no one is immune. Climate anxiety is a feeling many of us understand far too well, but it is not a reason for us to stop fighting. By building resiliency, we are better positioned for the long-term climate movement.

A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety is not currently available at Howard County Library System. If you would like to request an addition to the collection, please follow this link. 

There are no community pre-submission meetings scheduled in District 3.

Christiana Rigby

Councilwoman, District 3

crigby@howardcountymd.gov

410-313-2001

Colette Gelwicks

Chief of Staff

cgelwicks@howardcountymd.gov

410-313-2421