Wednesday, April 1, 2020
An Update from the Office of Community Engagement and Constituent Services (CECS)
Dear Community Leaders and Members of Anne Arundel County,

I hope that each of you are well and that you are finding creative things to do while obeying the Governor's stay-at-home order. We are in this together and it takes all of us following the guidance of our public health experts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

This past Saturday, County Executive Pittman held his weekly virtual town hall to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and the response of local government. In his opening statement, he addressed the evolving situation in Anne Arundel and also went over many of the tools that have been put in place to help see our residents through this trying time. You can read his full opening remarks HERE.

Yesterday, the County Executive signed an executive order that closes all community playgrounds in the county. This order was the result of feedback that we received from HOA and Civic Association leaders saying that their community playgrounds were still being used and asking for direction from the county. Please keep those ideas coming. It is important for us to hear from you and for you to tell us what we can do to help your communities. More details on this executive order, and on other topics, are included below.

Lastly, today is census day. If you haven't already, take a moment to fill out your online survey. It only takes a few minutes and it is very important that we get an accurate count of our residents. In addition to Congressional representation, there are a lot of federal funds that are given out based on the local jurisdiction's census count. We don't want to leave any of those funds on the table, so please fill out that survey and be counted.

All my best,


James Kitchin
Office of the County Executive
Director, CECS
Governor Hogan's Latest Executive Order
We have received numerous questions since Governor Hogan issued his latest executive order on Monday. Here is some information to address those:

  • The list of essential businesses has not changed.
  • Restaurants are deemed essential businesses and can still offer carryout, curbside, and delivery services.
  • County parks remain open, but only for outdoor exercise activities. You can jog, bike, hike, or walk your dog... but restrooms, basketball courts, tennis courts and dog parks are CLOSED. You must use our parks responsibly and follow social distancing guidelines.
  • County Police will not be pulling cars to check if you are an essential worker or not. They will, however, respond to complaints they receive and enforce the executive order.
County Executive Pittman Closes All Community Playgrounds
Responding to community concerns, County Executive Steuart Pittman signed an  executive order  today closing all private or community playgrounds to reduce the risks associated with COVID-19 coronavirus. 

“To slow the spread of this dangerous virus, we must take Governor Hogan’s stay at home order seriously,” said County Executive Pittman. “People should not be congregating during this pandemic. We closed county park playgrounds last week, and we are taking this additional step because we have gotten reports that community playgrounds are still being used.”

You can read the full announcement HERE and the executive order HERE.
Childcare for Essential Employees
The County is opening six new sites to provide childcare for children of essential employees. Please go to the Department of Recreation and Parks website for details on how to register
The Department of Aging and Disabilities is proud to present a daily message, activities, and virtual socialization to help keep us all safe, connected, and informed during COVID-19.

Anyone from the public is welcome to follow along and participate in online exercise, art classes, crafts, line dancing, music and more! 

Click HERE for information how how to participate!
Be Sure to Fill Out Your Census Survey
You can click on the image below to get the process started!
Virtual Town Halls
Please join us Saturday at 11 a.m. for our next COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health . County Executive Pittman and Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman will be joined by Dr. George Arlotto, the Superintendent of Anne Arundel County Public Schools and we'll also receive a statement from Christine Feldman from our Public Libraries.

You can the Virtual Town Hall with the County Executive and his guests on the following platforms:


If you missed it, please see the Virtual Town Hall from last Saturday with County Executive Steuart Pittman, Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, and the Director of  Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services, Carnitra White.

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.