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Karin's Board Update
Another Columbia Association (CA) board term has come to an end and it's been a series of wins and losses for residents. On the win side, residents made their thoughts known on who should manage Village buildings and the board acted accordingly in favor of continued Village autonomy. The board approved a Strategic framework for annual goal setting. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application rollout to residents has started and I think will prove to be very useful. Additionally, work has just begun on a Natural Resource Management Plan that will be critical for managing open space in a climate emergency. CA has started seeking input from residents and I encourage everyone who can to participate. Scroll down for a resident survey from CA on this topic.
On the loss side is making CA more affordable and accessible for residents. The board did not vote for any new cost savings for residents, but rather voted to maintain the status quo. CA has been beating the budget by $2-$4M dollars for the past several years. Last year it was able to pay out $2M in retention bonuses to staff. This year it put an extra $2M above the budgeted $3M into the emergency reserves. This puts the emergency reserves at $16M going into FY '26.
While the community supports including pools for residents at no extra charge, and despite CA's healthy financial situation, getting the board to take action didn't happen. I want to reiterate a point I've been making over the past two years and why the board's failure to act is problematic: less than 30% of residents participate in CA's programs and facilities. I stated in a regular board meeting that this is a colossal failure and I stand by that statement. Article 1, Section 3 of CA's charter is clear on why CA was formed: "...organized and operated exclusively for the promotion of the common good and social welfare of the people of the community of Columbia and its environs..". The charter then defines the community of Columbia: "Columbia" being defined as the community developed and to be developed on that tract of land in Howard County, Maryland (the "County")), presently consisting of 14,744.382 acres of land,..". In other words, residents living on CA assessed property and the surrounding open space are the only reason we have a Columbia Association.
$50M of CA's FY '26 expected income which makes up 60% of its operating budget, is received through the annual charge and $32M of that comes directly from residents. This is guaranteed income. It is entirely up to the CA Board of Directors to make CA programs and facilities more affordable and accessible for residents. However, seven of the ten board members consistently voted against reducing costs for residents. Only three board members, myself, Eric Greenberg (River Hill) and Reg Avery (Long Reach) vote in favor of affordability for residents.
The new board term starts on May 8th. Following last Saturday's village elections there will only be two new board members: Delilah Holmes from Dorsey Search and Wesley Fuhrman from Kings Contrivance. The rest of the board remains the same for the new term beginning on May 8th.
Tell The CA Board of Directors What You Think
You can share your thoughts and opinions with the Columbia Association and its Board of Directors.
1. Email the CA Board of Directors - This link will take you to an online form to complete that is sent to the entire CA Board of Directors.
2. Sign Up for Resident Speak Out - Use this link to sign up for Resident Speak Out. Before every CA Board meeting residents are given the opportunity to speak to the Board either in person or virtually, about any issue that's on their mind with respect to CA. Individuals are allotted 3 minutes and groups are allotted 5 minutes. You need to sign up by 5pm the day prior to the Board meeting.
MONEY $ MONEY $ MONEY $
This is the annual money issue where I share all the information on where and how to save money. This newsletter contains important information for anyone paying the annual charge who is also receiving a property tax credit from Howard County. For example, if you are taking advantage of the Aging In Place tax credit you are eligible to receive a discount on your annual charge.
Also, by obtaining a Columbia Card you can use the summer pools for free on specific days during the summer.
Finally, the Columbia Association also offers income qualified memberships. You can find all of this information below. I hope this helps get your summer off to an amazing start.
PRINT ME OUT
I have created this email so that it can be printed out and shared with friends and neighbors who may not be online. Instead of just hot links to important information, I've also included phone numbers and addresses.
Tax Credits & The Annual Charge
If you received a property tax credit from Howard County, you are eligible to receive a proportionate credit on your Columbia Association annual charge bill.
In order to receive the credit on your Columbia Association annual charge, you need to show a copy of your Howard County Tax Bill showing the credit to the Columbia Association.
You must notify the Columbia Association in writing of this credit each year. Please email a copy of the county credit to AnnualCharge@columbiaassociation.org, or send via US Mail to the address below:
Columbia Association, Inc.
℅ Annual Charge Division
6310 Hillside Court
Columbia MD 21046
If you have any questions regarding how this works, you can call 410-715-3137 and leave a voice mail and someone will get back to you.
Details for the CA Credit on the Annual Charge
You can also take a copy of your Howard County tax bill to the address above.
If you pay your 2025 annual assessment before you apply for the CA annual charge credit, follow the steps above. Once the Columbia Association has your information you will receive a credit by check from the Columbia Association. This check will be mailed directly to you IF you pay your assessment OR to your mortgage company if they pay the assessment on your behalf.
If you prefer to have your bill recalculated to reflect your credit prior to paying your 2025 assessment, follow the steps above first - mail, email or take a copy of your Howard County tax bill showing your property tax credit to the Columbia Association. If your bill has already been sent before you take these steps, your assessment will be recalculated and a new bill will be sent to you with a new due date.
Processing of the Columbia Association Annual Charge credit takes approximately 6-8 weeks.
Contact the Columbia Association
Send us an email (preferred):
AnnualCharge@ColumbiaAssociation.org
Leave us a voicemail:
410-715-3137 (calls are returned in the order they are received)
Check your account balance:
24/7410-715-3058 (you will need your 6-digit parcel / account number)
Applying for a Howard County Tax Credit
Do you qualify for a Howard County Property Tax Credit? The link below will take you to the Howard County Government website that details the property tax credits that are available to residents.
Howard County Property Tax Credits Information
If you are unable to use the link you can call 410-313-2062, Monday through Friday between 8:00AM and 5:00PM to find out all of the information on property tax credits and determine whether or not you qualify. Your other option is to send an email to customer service: customerservice@howardcountymd.gov.
Many people in Columbia qualify for the Aging in Place Tax Credit. The 2025 application is due by June 30, 2025. The link below is for the MAIL IN application for FIRST TIME APPLICANTS for the Aging in Place Tax Credit. You can also apply online.
Get A Columbia Card for Discounts and Guest Passes
If you live on CA-assessed property but don't purchase a CA membership, you can request a free Columbia Card to access our facilities at a reduced, pay-as-you-go rate.
To get your Columbia Card, you can fill out the online form. You can also reach out to CA’s Customer Care Team via email at CustomerCare@ColumbiaAssociation.org or by calling 410-730-1801, and choosing option 6, between the hours of 9:00AM and 4:00PM Monday - Friday.
SUMMER BONUS: Columbia Cardholders receive 4 single-use guest passes per family on their Columbia Cardholder accounts. These guest passes are automatically added. The passes can be used at any of CA’s 23 outdoor pools throughout the summer, Monday – Thursday only (excluding Holidays). They cannot be used at other Columbia Association facilities or programs.Income Qualifying Memberships
The Columbia Association (CA) offers membership options for everybody in the Columbia area – no matter your age or income. Income-qualified memberships offer reduced rates to residents who live or work full-time on property protected by the CA covenants and have an annual income under federally-established limits (you can find those below).
Income Qualified households receive 50% discounts on all CA memberships as well as Before & After School Care, Swim Lessons and the Columbia Neighborhood Swim League (CNSL). To receive discounted rates on Swim Lessons and CNSL, participants must hold an Income Qualified CA Membership.
Household Size
*Gross Income
1 $72,950
2 $83,400
3 $93,800
4 $104,200
5 $112,550
6 $120,900
7 $129,250
8 $137,550
*as verified by IRS Tax Return Transcript or Housing Assistance documentation
The CA Membership Pricing website has all the information on how to obtain an income qualified membership. Membership Pricing
You can also contact the Customer Care Team by dialing 410-730-1801 and choosing option 6, between the hours of 9:00AM and 4:00PM, Monday through Friday.
Natural Resource Management Plan
The Columbia Association (CA) will be soliciting a consultant to draft a Natural Resource Management Plan in FY26. The plan will cover topics such as native and invasive plant management, reforestation, wildlife management, storm water management, and other sustainability topics. The community is invited to provide feedback and input that will be used when drafting a scope of work for the consultant. Here is the link to the survey:
Free Concerts!!
The Inner Arbor Trust concert season has already started at the Chrysalis. Don't miss out on this fabulous benefit. The Asian American & Pacific Islander Festival is coming up on May 10th from 12-5pm. Don't miss out on a single event by signing up to get email alerts. Scroll down from the homepage to complete the form.
Meet Up With Karin at the OM Farmers' Market
The Farmers' Market is back beginning on Sunday, May 11th. I will miss this first one because I'll be attending some very important college graduations. However, normally, I arrive around 9am so I can catch up with residents.
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