Greetings and Happy Holidays! I hope you are experiencing the joys of the season and wish you the very best for a happy, healthy New Year. I am looking forward to 2019, making and fulfilling resolutions, and starting some new traditions that focus on District 4 and Howard County residents. My wish for the coming year is that we resolve to act as a community when making decisions, that we treat one another with respect and dignity, and that we reach out to those most in need. I look forward to seeing and meeting many of you in the coming year.
Deb
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Pre-filed legislation has been posted online for the January session. Have a
look
.
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BWI Noise Complaints
The maddening rumbling of low-flying commercial planes over residential neighborhoods in District 4 negatively impacts our quality of life and our general health. Why are we hearing this constant plane noise? Satellite technology, known as Next Gen, enables a "super highway" of air traffic at lower altitudes than the previous radar systems that routed planes in a fan-like fashion over residential communities. This new system was activated approximately two years ago.
The County Council has been invited to have a representative on the DC Metroplex BWI Roundtable, which was established to find ways to address the noise pollution directly with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Roundtable, consisting of officials and representatives from Howard and Anne Arundel counties, has requested the FAA to reinstate pre-Next Gen flight paths to better distribute noise and lessen impact on communities. I understand this issue all too well as the daily, early morning barrage awakens me every morning, thus I have decided to serve as the Council's representative knowing the deep personal stake we have in the outcome of this group's efforts for our community.
Timeline
March 21, 2017:
The Roundtable’s first meeting; the group issues a resolution that the FAA should revert to the pre-Next Gen flight paths and procedures.
April 24, 2018:
The FAA responds with a technical report outlining minor procedure changes; the Roundtable requests an analysis of the report.
June & July 2018:
Maryland files a petition in federal court and with the FAA to readjust flight paths to 2012 procedures. The FAA withdraws from participation in the Roundtable pending the court decision.
December 4, 2018:
The Roundtable reviews the analysis of the FAA technical report. The analysis can be found
here.
The group agrees to draft a letter stating the pros and cons of the FAA’s proposed changes. They will meet again in January.
Summary of FAA Proposed Changes:
In general the FAA proposed minor changes to departures by shifting some flight paths and making minor altitude adjustments. However flight paths would remain concentrated and would not revert to 2012 (pre-Next Gen) procedures. For arrivals, the FAA proposed only minor changes and no altitude changes.
The proposed changes may decrease noise over north of Columbia and increase noise south of Columbia over Guilford. The FAA has not announced when these changes will take effect.
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FY2020 HCPSS School Budget
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HCPSS Superintendent Dr. Martirano has announced a $998.4 million total budget for FY2020. The county's portion is a requested
$722.9 million
, a 17% increase over FY2019.
Highlights include
- $10.1 million for 126 new mental-health support positions
- $4.9 million for general education positions for an increased enrollment of 850 students
- $5.4 million for special education positions
- $19.6 million for operations, building maintenance, and upgrades
- $27 million one-time request to eliminate the Health Fund deficit.
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Pre-Submission Meetings & Public Hearings
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Pre-submission meetings and public hearings in and around D-4 include
- St. Louis Church, amend site development plan and conditional use for a bell tower, 1/9/19
- Enterprise Homes, amend PDP & NT Zoning to add 300 units, 1/3/19
- Resubdivision of Cherry Brae, Lot 1, 1/17/19
- Highland Office Building, infill application, 1/25/19
- Howard Research & Development Corp., administrative appeal, 1/25/19
- Good Hope Presbyterian Church, conditional use, parking spaces, 2/11/19
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County Executive's Listening Session
Wilde Lake High School
January 16, 7-8.30pm
Can’t Make it? Join in for a LIVE TWITTER CHAT
Thursday, January 10, 12-1pm, @HoCoGovExec | #FutureofHoCo
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Bus Route Changes
Get around town faster, easier and with less hassle and delay. The RTA has announced the following
service and route changes
to meet ridership needs. Proposed changes incorporating public comment should go into effect in the spring of 2019.
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Ellicott City Safe & Sound
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On December 27, 2018, the County Executive announced a multi-phase plan to support Ellicott City's public safety, local businesses, property owners, and the environment.
Highlights include:
- building acquisition
- emergency public alert system
- clearing the waterways
- flood mitigation assistance
- state funding partnerships
- Main Street ombudsman
- alternatives to demolition on Lower Main.
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Below are some of the events and meetings I have recently attended. Let me know about your community activities so I can stop by, if possible.
12/18 - Agricultural Legislative Breakfast at the Howard County Fairgrounds
12/19-Featured Speaker at the Maryland Builder's Industry Association Luncheon
12/21 - Old Ellicott City Holiday Bucks Kick-Off!
12/27-Safe and Sound Press Conference with County Executive Ball
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We are so lucky to have local businesses in Ellicott City and elsewhere in the county where we can shop for gifts, spend time with family, and celebrate the holiday season.
Merry Everything, District 4, and Happy New Year.
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This Month's
Non-Profit Spotlight
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FIRN is a nonprofit organization in Howard County that empowers immigrants, refugees, asylees and other foreign-born individuals by helping them to access community resources and opportunities. FIRN provides immigration counseling and citizenship classes, interpreting and translation services, English tutoring, information and referrals, and a variety of workshops
Click
here
to learn more about FIRN.
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Potholes Be Gone
Got potholes and other repair requests? Report the problem and track the solution through
SeeClickFix
. Create a login, set your location, and rest assured that the county is working for you.
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Voices of the Villages & HOAs
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Click
here
for more information.
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HoCo Open 2019 Drop Off
January 3, 2019
4:30pm - 6:30pm
8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City
HoCo Open, the Arts Council’s immensely popular non-juried exhibit, is open to artists (aged 18 years and older) who live, work, or study in Howard County. Eligible artists are invited to bring one piece of ready-to-hang original artwork completed in the past two years to the drop-off. Artwork will be accepted for the exhibit on a first-come, first-serve basis, one piece per artist, until the gallery is full.
HoCo Open 2019 will be on display from January 11 – February 22, 2019, with a reception on January 18 from 6-8pm
Click
here
for more information
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NEW YEAR NATURE HIKE & CIDER-SIPPING
January 12, 2019
2:30pm
Robinson Nature Center
6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia
Get active and enjoy nature (two great resolutions for 2019)! Join a naturalist for a guided winter hike during which you can try a range of activities to help your family stay moving and entertained during the cold weeks ahead. We'll head back inside to brew and enjoy kid-friendly wassail (mulled cider) to help take the chill out of winter! Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.
Ages 6+ with an adult, $9 per person. To register, call 410-313-040
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Rainbow Theatre Presents: Dig Those Dinos
January 18, 2019
10am - 11am
10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia
Join us for a morning of Dinos and puppets! A great show for kids of all ages.
Click
here
for ticket
information
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CA Camps Open Hire
January 19, 2019
8:30am - 11:00am
6310 Hillside Court, Columbia
- Love being outside and working with kids? CA Camps is looking for people like you! It’s a great place to work, too — take it from Cara, a camps director who’s been working at CA Camps for nine years: “I love that as a summer camp director, I can play and be silly with the kids!”
- CA Camps is hosting an open hire event on Saturday, January 19 from 8:30-11am at CA Headquarters (6310 Hillside Court). Available jobs include Junior Counselors, Counselors, Supervisors, Lifeguards, Canoe Specialist, Archery Specialist, and Camp Directors.
- Applicants must be at least 16 years old by June 20, 2019. For job descriptions, please visit here.
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