Keeping Up with Christiana! |
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Greetings!
Welcome to our September Newsletter! This month, the County Council returned from recess and reconvened for our normal legislative session on Tuesday, September 8th. There are several pieces of legislation being considered before the County Council this month, which I encourage you to read more about below.
From September 15 - October 15, Howard County recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month. I was very glad to see County Executive Ball recently establish La Alianza Latina (Latin Alliance) Workgroup for Howard County. La Alianza will be made up of 16 county residents, representing backgrounds throughout Central and South America. The workgroup will address many of the concerns and struggles of the Latino and immigrant community in Howard County.
Additionally, County Executive Ball announced that Howard County will officially recognize Indigenous People's Day in Howard County in place of Columbia Day on October 12, 2020. Celebrating Indigenous People's Day is an important first step to recognizing the history of Native Americans and Indigenous people in the United States, including the tribes on whose land Howard County is located. You can watch the announcement here.
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As we head into the Fall, 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 September!
Yours in service,
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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 are over 4,800 cases of COVID-19 in Howard County, and over 123 of our Howard County neighbors have lost their lives to this disease. This remains an incredibly challenging time for families across the nation, but I continue to be encouraged by the acts of kindness and generosity in our community.
Howard County Government is working closely with the Howard County Health Department, Howard County General Hospital, and the Maryland Department of Health to ensure that our county has adequate response measures in place. For additional information and updates on our County's response to COVID-19, I encourage you to visit Howard County Government's COVID-19 website.
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To date, over 25% of Howard County residents have been tested for COVID-19, and that number continues to grow. If you or a family member think that you may have coronavirus, I strongly encourage you to get tested. COVID-19 testing is free or covered by health insurance. For additional information on testing locations and availability, please visit the Howard County Health Department's website.
Lastly, County Executive Ball recently announced that Howard County has moved into Phase III of the HoCo Rise Re-opening Plan, following guidance from Governor Hogan. Please review the graphic below for changes to county opening policies in Phase III. While Howard County is seeing improvements, we must remain vigilant and continue to practice physical distancing at all times. Additionally, I strongly encourage you to wear a mask in public settings and when interacting with others, including at all times when indoors.
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September 2020 Legislation |
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On September 8th, the County Council convened for our September Legislative Session, following the August recess. This month, Councilman Opel Jones and I introduced CR142-2020, legislation establishing a Racial Equity Task Force for Howard County:
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CR142-2020: legislation creating a Racial Equity Task Force for Howard County. This task force is charged with recommending legislative actions to the Howard County Council to address racial disparities and inequities in Howard County. The task force will be comprised of subgroups exploring (1) Personal and Public Safety, (2) Land-Use and Housing Policy, (3) Economic and Workforce Development, (4) Public Health and Environmental Policy, (5) Education, and (6) Legislative Processes. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by Opel Jones and Christiana Rigby.
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This month, the County Council will also be considering several other pieces of legislation that were introduced by the County Executive and my colleagues in September. I have included information on some of the legislation of interest below:
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CB44-2020: legislation approving an additional $9.7 million in State funding to Howard County for the construction of Talbott Springs Elementary School and High School 13 in Jessup. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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CB45-2020: legislation revising the definition of Housing Commission Housing Development to include the Howard County Government so that the Department of Housing and Community Development can facilitate the construction of affordable housing on non-residentially zoned land. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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CB49-2020: legislation prohibiting vehicle parking in bike lanes in Howard County. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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CB51-2020: legislation prohibiting the Howard County Department of Corrections from accepting into its custody persons detained by federal immigration law enforcement agencies and housing those persons as they await disposition of exclusively immigration-related proceedings. You can read more about the legislation here. Introduced by Liz Walsh.
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Community Initiatives and Updates |
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Howard County Government is sponsoring “RecZone,” a childcare program operated by the Department of Recreation & Parks and designed to help families address childcare needs during COVID-19.
The program is open to students in grades K-5 who will receive support for virtual learning assignments, work sessions, and will enjoy crafts, physical activities, and games. The program began on September 8 at select schools throughout Howard County.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions and requirements, space is limited. Each group will have a maximum of 15 people, including two staff and thirteen children. RecZone plans to have two groups at each location, and more groups may become available later. You can learn more about RecZone and register online here.
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Howard EcoWorks' Native Plant Sale |
Howard EcoWorks is hosting a Native Plant Sale to fundraise for their "Seeds of Change" program at the Howard County Detention Center.
The Seeds of Change program is an environmental and workforce development program at the Howard County Department of Corrections. In 2016, EcoWorks established an on-site native plant nursery operation where inmates learn about nursery operation and plant propagation.
You can find more information on the Native Plant Sale here!
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November Election Information |
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Unlike the primary election, Maryland residents will NOT be automatically mailed their ballots for the November General Election.
If you would like to vote-by-mail, you must first apply to receive a mail-in ballot from the Board of Elections. You can easily request your mail-in ballot online in 5 minutes here. Once you receive your ballot, you may mail it back to the Board of Elections or submit your ballot at one of these ballot drop-boxes in Howard County.
If you would like to vote in-person, you may early vote at any of these five locations from October 26th - November 2nd from 7AM - 8PM. You may also vote in-person on Election Day (November 3rd, 2020) from 7AM - 8PM at any of these 17 locations in Howard County.
Please note: if you request an absentee ballot and decide not mail it in, you may still cast a provisional ballot in-person, which will be counted once the Board of Elections confirms that you have not cast your requested mail-in ballot. You can find more information on provisional ballots here.
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Now that school has resumed, HCPSS has updated their Fall 2020 schedule for Grab-N-Go meals! Student meals (breakfast and lunch) will be served at no cost to all students through December 31, 2020.
Meals may be picked up at any HCPSS school location with the exception of Burleigh Manor Middle School and Hammond High School. Pick-up times are Monday through Friday, from 8AM - 9AM and 10:45AM - 12:45PM. You can find more information here.
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Complete Streets Workshop |
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Do you care about Safe Streets in Howard County? If so, please consider providing feedback on Howard County's Complete Streets Community Engagement Plan!
The Complete Streets initiative will make our roads safe and usable by all modes of transportation, which promotes community health, environmental sustainability, accessibility, and equity.
I encourage you to join the Office of Transportation, the Complete Streets Implementation Team, and community members for our virtual workshop on Wednesday, September 23 at 1PM or 7PM!
More details can be found here.
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2020 Census - 2 Weeks Left!
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As of September 15th, over 80% of Howard County households have responded to the Census. That means roughly one out of five households have not yet responded -- equal to about 65,000 uncounted Howard County residents!
For every person counted, the Census brings nearly $18,000 in federal funding to Howard County for critical programs like housing assistance, Medicaid, school lunch programs, Head Start, and more. Each person counted in the Census has a direct impact on community services and resources.
I encourage you to take 5 minutes and visit my2020census.gov to respond for your household today. If you have already completed the Census - thank you! Please share the Census with three friends & family members and encourage them to get counted. The deadline to complete the Census is September 30th.
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Plastic Bag Fee - Effective October 1st |
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Starting October 1, 2020, all stores in Howard County who provide customers a disposable plastic bag at the point of sale are required to charge 5 cents per bag. Customers cannot be charged if they use their own bag for their purchases.
The bag fee is in place to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags and the costs incurred with removing them from the environment. The bag fee will also raise awareness about single-use plastics and their associated environmental impacts.
Based on other jurisdictions’ data after having a bag fee for multiple years, bag fees lead to a reduced use of disposable plastic bags which in turn leads to a reduction in litter and pollution in our waterways and forests.
For more information on Howard County's plastic bag fee and other local environmental efforts, please visit the Office of Community Sustainability's website.
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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 $800,000 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 recently 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. Please note that Maryland's unemployment insurance system will be down from September 16 - September 20, 2020. You can also find more information on job opportunities and employment assistance from the Howard County Office of Workforce Development here.
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Business Resources and Assistance |
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Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) has published a resource page for local businesses and employers looking for relief and assistance.
The State of Maryland is also offering several business grants, loans, and assistance programs. You can find the full info regarding state & federal resources for businesses here.
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Almost immediately after this pandemic impacted Maryland, Howard County resident Erika Strauss Chavarria created Columbia Community Care to meet community needs.
With over 6,000 members on Facebook, Columbia Community Care is collecting and distributing donations of groceries, toiletries, and other items in need. You can learn more about how to donate, volunteer, or access resources 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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