Keeping Up with Christiana! |
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Greetings!
Welcome to our December Newsletter! With the holidays fast-approaching, I'd like to wish you happy and peaceful holiday season.
The past month has been a very busy time for the County Council. As we approach the end of the year, the Council has finished up the majority of its legislative business for 2020. At our Council meeting on December 7th, the County Council also elected new officers for 2021.
In the upcoming year, I will be serving as Chair of the Zoning Board, and I am grateful to my colleagues for placing their trust in me for that role. You can find the full list of new County Council officers summarized below.
The County Council's Racial Equity Task Force has also launched its official work over the past several weeks, with different subgroups convening in December to begin evaluating racial equity actions for the County Council to adopt. I encourage you to learn more about the Task Force's work by visiting our website, watching Task Force meetings, and sharing your feedback with the Task Force in the months ahead.
As we near the end of the year, 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 December!
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Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3
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As COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases continue to increase in Howard County and across the country, I am closely following all updates on the local, state, and federal levels. To date, there have been over 9,200 recorded cases of COVID-19 in Howard County, and 173 of our Howard County neighbors have lost their lives to this disease. Additionally, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations have reached an all-time high during the pandemic, with over 1,700 people currently hospitalized for COVID-19 in our state.
These cases and hospitalizations reflect a significantly worsening situation, with widespread community transmission taking place. One of the primary drivers of this increase in cases is smaller, social gatherings at home. Now more than ever, I strongly encourage you to limit interactions with non-household members, host virtual holiday celebrations, and adhere to the Howard County Health Department's guidance.
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The Howard County Health Department is encouraging all residents to remain vigilant and follow COVID-19 safety protocols by limiting interactions with other people, wearing a mask in all public settings, and practicing physical distancing. For information on COVID-19 testing locations and availability, please visit the Howard County Health Department's website.
In recent news, several COVID-19 vaccines have been submitted to the FDA for approval in the United States, which is a good indication that we are nearing an approved vaccine. On December 8th, Governor Hogan provided an update on Maryland's plan for vaccine distribution, which you can find more information on here. You can find information on the Howard County Health Department's vaccine planning efforts here.
Additionally, County Executive Ball has launched a widespread antibody testing plan for Howard County, which will provide all residents with the opportunity to be tested for COVID-19 antibodies in the new year. You can read more about the serology testing plan and find additional information here.
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November Legislative Wrap-Up |
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On December 7th, the County Council convened for our December Legislative Session to hold a vote on November legislation. The County Council took action on the following legislation:
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CB59-2020: legislation requiring that all multiple-line telephone systems in Howard County allow for the direct dial of 911. This will ensure that an individual can direct dial 911 on any phone lines in Howard County without needing to dial an additional number to obtain an outside line first. This legislation passed in a 5-0 vote. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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CB61-2020: legislation amending PlanHoward 2030, the general plan for Howard County, to include The Ellicott City Watershed Master Plan. This legislation passed in a 5-0 vote. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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CB63-2020: legislation prohibiting county agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, as well as prohibiting discrimination against immigrants and prohibiting Howard County Government from disclosing immigration status information with federal immigration enforcement, except when required by law. I sponsored several amendments with Councilmembers Jones and Walsh to strengthen this legislation. CB63 passed in a 4-1 vote. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by Opel Jones.
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CR174-2020: legislation authorizing the sale of the "Flier Building" in Columbia. This legislation passed in a 5-0 vote. You can read more about the legislation and read Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Purchase of the Flier Building here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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TAO1-FY2021: legislation restoring $54.6 million from Howard County's Contingency Fund to fund the construction of the New Cultural Center in Downtown Columbia. You can read more about the legislation here. This legislation was tabled by the County Council again, though I am optimistic that the Council will be prepared to take a final vote on TAO1-FY21 in January. Introduced by the Chairperson at the Request of the County Executive.
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During the month of December, the County Council is in recess and will not consider any new legislation. The County Council will come back into session on Monday, January 4th, 2021 at 7:00 PM. |
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Council Officer Elections |
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On December 7th, the County Council voted on officer positions for the upcoming year. I would like to congratulate each of my colleagues on their leadership positions, and I look forward to a productive and collaborative year ahead. I am also pleased to share that each officer nomination was approved unanimously by the County Council. |
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County Council Chairperson
Liz Walsh
County Council Vice-Chairperson
Dr. Opel Jones
Zoning Board Chairperson
Christiana Rigby
Zoning Board Vice-Chairperson
Deb Jung
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Liquor Board Chairperson
David Yungmann
Liquor Board Vice-Chairperson
Deb Jung
MACo Representative
Dr. Opel Jones
NACo Representative
Dr. Opel Jones
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Community Initiatives and Updates |
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Racial Equity Task Force - Subgroup Meeting |
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The Howard County Council's Racial Equity Task Force held its kickoff meeting last month! In the second and third week of December, the six subgroups of the Task Force will be convening to begin their work. These meetings is open to the public, and I encourage you to tune in, hear directly from task force members, and learn more about their efforts!
You can register to watch meetings by visiting the Racial Equity Task Force's website. Have feedback for the Racial Equity Task Force? You can email comments and suggestions to the Task Force here.
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Health Insurance - Open Enrollment Period |
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From now through December 15th, Marylanders can enroll in a 2021 healthcare plan through Maryland Health Connection!
You can apply for coverage and financial help in any of the following ways:
1) Online – Create an account, complete your application, choose a plan and enroll online.
3) Phone – Call 1-855-642-8572. Deaf and hard of hearing use Relay service. Help is available in more than 200 languages.
4) Mobile App – Download our free mobile app, Enroll MHC, from the Apple Store (iPhone) or the Google Play Store (Android) to apply from your phone.
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The Department of Planning and Zoning invites you to attend two topic-focused, virtual public meetings with our HoCo By Design project team. The presentations will provide an overview of recently released physical assessments.
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Monday, December 14th, 7 pm:
Tuesday, December 15th, 7 pm:
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Rental Assistance & Eviction Prevention |
County Executive Ball announced a second round of Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention Grants using CARES Act funds.
This funding is available to residents who are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage due to loss of income resulting from COVID-19. I am very glad to see this additional funding dedicated to housing assistance as Howard County families continue to experience economic duress from this pandemic.
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Virtual Assistance Portal |
Howard County Government has launched a Virtual Assistance Portal to help connect residents with disaster and emergency resources, including housing assistance, food assistance, employment assistance, utility assistance, and more.
You can visit the portal and learn more about the resources available here.
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If you or a family member lost a job or experienced reduced income due to COVID-19, you can apply for unemployment insurance from the state of Maryland.
You can find more information and apply for unemployment benefits here. You can find more information on job opportunities and employment assistance here.
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Howard County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) is a group of community organizations focused on collecting and deploying resources during a local disaster.
If you are able to donate, are in need of grocery/medicine delivery, or are in need of a mask, please visit COAD's website here to learn more about their services.
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District 3 Pre-Submission Meetings |
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There are currently no pre-submission meetings scheduled in District 3 this month. |
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Christiana Rigby
Councilwoman, District 3
crigby@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-2001
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Colette Gelwicks
Special Assistant
cgelwicks@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-2421
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Felix Facchine
District Aide
ffacchine@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-3108
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Please feel free to contact us by email or phone. Plus, you can stay up-to-date with Christiana by following us on social media, where we post daily updates on events, county news, legislative priorities, and Christiana's activity! Don't miss out on any District 3 news! |
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