Good Afternoon. I hope everyone is doing well and is able to stay cool! 

Thanks to everyone who came out to one of the National Night Out Events last night to support our men and women in law enforcement! County Executive Pittman was able to attend several of them and enjoyed getting to meet so many of you there.

County Executive Pittman knows that keeping our communities safe is one of government's most important obligations. This is why he has invested heavily in all of our public safety agencies in the past four budgets. These investments have enabled us to increase the number of police officers from below 700 in 2018 to almost 800 today; implement a body-worn cameras program; increase the number of firefighters and trained paramedics; and budget for a new, joint 911 call center to be built. Importantly, in 2021 violent crime was reduced by 11% in Anne Arundel County compared to 2020, even as it was increasing nationally and in the region. We all owe a lot to those who work in our public safety agencies. We thank them for their work and everyone who came out last night to support.

If you live on the Broadneck or Pasadena Peninsulas, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, August 10th, for the fourth of County Executive Pittman’s Making the Best Place for All Community Summits. We will be at Severna Park Middle School starting at 6 pm to discuss education, the environment, public safety, and other local issues. We hope to see you there.

1. Glen Burnie Carnival Special Day | 2. 2022 Artists Without Limits Art Exhibit | 3. County Groundbreaking on a solar energy project | 4. Lacrosse: General’s Highway vs. England's MetroStars

County Executive Steuart Pittman opened the 2022 Artists Without Limits Art Exhibit. The exhibit will run from August 1st through August 19th at the Arundel Center in Annapolis, Maryland, and from August 22nd through September 9th at the Chesapeake Arts Center located in Brooklyn Park, Maryland. The show features artwork from Anne Arundel County residents of all ages with disabilities. Twenty-five artists have contributed thirty-nine pieces of art to display this year. The opening night reception was held on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. in the Blue Heron Center at Quiet Waters Park. The event included the presentation of citations to all of the artists from the Maryland Delegates, County Executive Steuart Pittman, and the County Council.

Read the full press release.

On August 4, 2022 at 4:30 p.m., the Anne Arundel County Council will meet via Zoom to determine if a petition to amend the Charter satisfies all of the requirements established by law relating to petitions that initiate a Charter amendment. The petition was filed on Friday, July 29, 2022 and asks that the question of establishing a public campaign financing system for candidates for Anne Arundel County Executive and County Council go to the voters of Anne Arundel County by appearing on the November 8, 2022 ballot.

Read the full press release.

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works and officials from the Maryland Department of Environment officially kicked off construction of a solar project providing clean energy to the Bureau of Utility Operations (BUO) Complex in Millersville. The Capital Project will consist of a combination of four carports and seven rooftop solar arrays, producing 1.3 megawatts (MW) of power.

The Department of Public Works was awarded a $3 Million Alternate Source of Energy Project Grant from the Maryland Department of Environment’s Energy Water Infrastructure Program (EWIP). The EWIP grant represents 73% of the $4,110,394 total project investment. The project will offset more than 90% of the current electricity demand at the Complex.

Read the full press release.

The Northern District Police Station will be hosting a Grand Re-Opening (Ribbon Cutting Ceremony) for the Northern District Community Basketball Court on August 8, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. The rain date is August 11, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. The court was renovated over the past year, and we are looking forward to re-opening the court to the North County Community. This renovation provides another location (a lighted basketball court) for our residents and children to use in Northern District. Building partnerships with our community is a priority for us, and this court provides an opportunity to expand our community outreach efforts.

Read the full press release.

The Chesapeake Bay is perhaps Anne Arundel County’s most treasured natural resource, constituting the largest estuary in the United States. CFAAC's Environment Anne Arundel Fund supports Anne Arundel County nonprofit organizations working to protect and improve the environment in Anne Arundel County and the Chesapeake Bay.

Learn more.

The Women and Girls Fund supports projects that develop individual skills, decrease isolation, create new experiences and empower women and girls who face major obstacles due to poverty, disability, domestic violence, and/or lack of access to resources. Grants from the Women and Girls Fund will be used to support nonprofits that help women and girls pursue positive, productive lives by helping remove barriers for women and girls, increase their economic security, enhance their well-being and safety, and empower them to make positive life decisions for themselves and their families.

Learn more.

Applicants must be an existing BGE electric and/or gas customer with positive BGE credit history. Other eligibility criteria include:

The City of Annapolis is seeking community organizations and leaders to develop and expand activities for youth with limited opportunities throughout the summer and fall. Special consideration will be given to those interested in funding projects in low-income neighborhoods run by community leaders. Projects that help to address the need for child care services and youth development throughout the summer, or programming offered from 2:00 pm-7:00 pm as after-school programming, are especially encouraged.

Learn more.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, through Project Restore, is providing financial support to Maryland’s existing or new businesses to help incentivize commercial investment in vacant retail and commercial properties.​

Project Restore provides two grant opportunities for businesses, including nonprofits, that are expanding, moving to, or opening in a property that was previously vacant for at least six months:

Property Assistance Grant: Provides up to $30,000 for one year to support costs associated with rent, mortgage payment or property improvements as applicable.

Business Operations Grant: For businesses that generate sales and use tax, provides up to $250,000 per calendar year to support capital (property improvements, equipment, etc.) and operating (staff salaries, marketing, inventory, etc.) costs associated with business operations in the vacant property.

Click here to learn more.

Below is a list of the legislation receiving a public hearing at the upcoming County Council meeting. Come and let your voice be heard during the public comment period for each of these! The legislation scheduled to be heard at the next County Council meeting is subject to change. Click here for an up-to-date list and to see other legislation that has been introduced but isn't scheduled for a hearing at the next meeting.

Join the Department of Transportation for a virtual public meeting to review the draft Walk & Roll Anne Arundel! The department will review the draft content of the plan and take public comments. This meeting will cover the entire County, and you have two opportunities to participate, August 17th and August 31st, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

Click here to learn more.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks is seeking Public Comments on the draft master plan for Bacon Ridge Natural Area - Severn Chapel. The draft Master Plan is available for review and comment on the Rec and Parks website.

The Severn Chapel portion of Bacon Ridge Natural Area comprises the 150-acre former Forney property, located off the 1500-block of Severn Chapel Road in Crownsville. The new area is an expansion of the existing 1,124-acre Bacon Ridge Natural Area. The project will include added hiking and multi-use trails, a mountain bike skills course, parking, a homestead interpretative area with historic tobacco barns, and park operations and support facilities.

Review the Master Plan report, and email [email protected] to provide comments.

Residents can view a calendar of upcoming meetings in their area, review site plans and other documents, attend virtual meetings, watch previously recorded meetings, and provide public comments directly to the Office of Planning and Zoning - all through the new Community Meetings website. See a partial list of upcoming meetings below and click here for more details and to view the full calendar.

Visit the Department of Health's website for more information.

Newsletter edited by Vincent Moulden.

For media inquiries, please contact Jeff Amoros.