Dear Community Leaders and Members of Anne Arundel County,

County Executive Pittman submitted his FY21 Budget Proposal to the County Council this past Friday. Here is an excerpt from his budget remarks:

This budget is our path in uncertain times.

After adjusting our revenue projections down $68 million from what we expected at the start of the budget process, it was clear that this would be a year to defer progress on many of our goals, and many of the requests that our residents expressed at our seven Budget Town Halls in January...

...We chose in this budget to reduce spending where we could, hold tax rates or reduce them slightly, budget responsibly, and do our best to protect the reserve fund. Our goal was not only to maintain services, but also to position ourselves for recovery.

Read through this newsletter for more resources on the proposed FY2021 budget, information about a new app that will help make recycling easier, an update on Administrative Hearings, and more!

We also encourage you to participate in the County Executive's #ThankYouThursday contest on his Facebook page . We have been living through a very tough phase in the county's history, but between the hurt and uncertainties there have been inspiring stories of individuals stepping up help those around them. We'd love to hear about who you are thankful for in a comment on his #ThankYouThursday Facebook post tomorrow - and if your comment gets the most likes, you could win a takeout dinner from a local restaurant of your choosing.

Lastly, we will be reviewing how the governor's announcement today allowing golfing, fishing, tennis, camping, and other outdoor activities to resume will affect county operations. We will communicate decisions to you promptly once they are made.

Sincerely,

James Kitchin

Office of the County Executive

Director, CECS

The County Executive's Proposed Budget

You can read about the budget highlights HERE .

You can watch the budget address HERE .

You can find the full budget documents HERE .

You can see the schedule of County Council budget hearings HERE .

Building Back Better with County Executive Steuart Pittman

This is a reminder that the County Executive's weekly program addressing the coronavirus pandemic is now on Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. and focusses on how we are positioning ourselves to Build Back Better.

You can watch Building Back Better with the County Executive and his guests on the following platforms:

If you missed last night's installment that focussed on preventing hunger in Anne Arundel County you can watch it below.

Anne Arundel County Provides New App to Make Recycling Easier

Anne Arundel County has partnered with Recycle Coach, the largest recycling education network, to offer an easy to use app that will further enhance the County's ability to effectively and quickly communicate information to residents regarding the recycling program, curbside collection services, Recycling Centers and the Millersville Landfill.

Read more about this exciting program HERE . 

Submit County Council Testimony Online & Attend Virtual Meetings

The County Council is now conducting virtual legislative sessions to hear and vote on legislation postponed due the COVID-19 health crisis and introduce other necessary legislation. Meetings will be held on Mondays in May, except for Tuesday, May 26, and will start at 7:00 p.m. The full schedule is available  HERE . 

Instructions on how to submit public comment on a specific piece of legislation or to submit remarks on subjects other than bills and resolutions currently listed on the schedule can be found HERE.

The following bills are scheduled to have a hearing on Monday, May 11:

Administrative Hearings to Hold Virtual Hearings Starting May 19

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Administrative Hearings will NOT be held at the Arundel Center during this time. They will be conducted over the internet via Zoom. The link to join a particular hearing will be posted under the individual hearing on the Administrative Hearing calendar.

The public has the right to object to an internet based hearing. The objection must be submitted to the Administrative Hearing Officer in writing, stating the reason for the objection. The Administrative Hearing Officer will review the objection and, if he believes the objection is well-founded, may reschedule the hearing to a time when in-person hearings are able to resume.

More information can be found on the Administrative Hearings webpage HERE .

The Board of Appeals does not currently plan to hold virtual hearings.

Here is a link to the May 5th Legal Mailing, which includes the schedule of Administrative Hearings, county wide, from May 19th through June 16th.

County Executive Pittman Creates Immigrant Commission

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman signed Executive Order Number 15 creating the Anne Arundel County Commission on Immigrant Affairs, and calling for applications.  

The commission will serve as an advisory body for immigrant voices to be heard and understood. The body will also facilitate civic engagement among immigrant communities and advise the county government on ways to improve access to county services.     

“Language, culture, and immigration status are barriers to the kinds of community engagement that make government responsive and effective,” said County Executive Pittman. “That’s why I made the decision months ago to create this commission. We need to hear from the leaders of every immigrant group in our county, and we need to ensure that their families can access county services. The current pandemic adds urgency to this effort.” 

In 2018, there were an estimated 47,810 immigrants in Anne Arundel County, which accounts for 8.3% of its total population. As a group, immigrants contribute $282.2 million in state and local taxes, which positively impacts government finances, increases innovation and significantly benefits the entire county.

You can read the full press release HERE and apply HERE .

Other County COVID-19 Resources

Be sure to frequently check the county's coronavirus website for the most up to date information on county and community resources.

View this Update as a Webpage

For media inquiries, please call Roz Hamlett at 410-222-1372 or 410-279-4748.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Anne Arundel County Government is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Each county sponsored event includes information about how to request an ADA Accommodation. This E-Blast is available in an alternate format upon request.