Politics & Government

Ulman to Determine if Ellicott City, Elkridge Stay in District 1

The county executive will decide Thursday whether or not to sign into law a new councilmanic map.

County Executive Ken Ulman has not yet decided whether to sign into law a new councilmanic map that leaves two Ellicott City neighborhoods in District 1 but moves part of Elkridge to District 2.

According to Deputy Director of Communication Kathy Sloan-Beard, “Ken has not made a final decision yet,” she said Wednesday afternoon, but, he will Thursday.

On March 5, the county council voted 3–2 to adopt an amended redistricting map, sponsored by Council Chair Mary Kay Sigaty (D-District 4), that would leave the Ellicott City neighborhoods of Wheatfield and Brampton Hills in District 1 as opposed to moving them to District 2, as several alternative maps would have done.

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Voting in favor of the amended map were Sigaty, Greg Fox (R–District 5) and Jennifer Terassa (D–District 3).

Courtney Watson (D-District 1) and Calvin Ball (D-District 2) voted against the map.

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If Ulman does not sign the amended map into law, a map proposed by the Howard County Redistricting Commission will go into effect. That map would move the two Ellicott City neighborhoods -- and parts of Elkridge -- into District 2.

A round of emails from Ellicott City residents over the past week urged Ulman to sign the map into law:

Please sign the Redistricting Bill the Council sent you on March 6. We live on Rolling Meadows in the Wheatfield neighborhood and wish to stay in District 1. The Council’s map received support from both parties (Mary Kay Sigaty, Greg Fox, and Jen Terrasa).  Please honor the map supported by the vote of these elected officials.        

- Timothy and Kelly Fleming 

Our neighborhood borders  Rt. 103. This means we walk to the YMCA, Long Gate Shopping Center and the Stonecrest neighborhood. This geographical  location results in our daily activities, interests, parallel concerns, common history and future concerns being most similar with other citizens in District 1. Rt. 100 is a major highway that cannot be safely crossed on foot or bicycle.

- Karen Collins

I am writing the letter as a concerned citizen in the Wheatfield neighborhood.  I am a 16 year voting Howard County resident, and a 10 year resident in Wheatfield.  I am a former Vice President of the HOA for Wheatfield and have strong community pull within the neighborhood.  I am asking you to
Please sign the Redistricting Bill the Council sent you on March 6.

- Bill Winfree 

The citizens along Rt. 103 have worked together to form a cohesive community and have stepped up numerous times to build community in this area.  Since 1995, our community has been an active and guiding member of both the Ellicott City Residents Association and Montgomery Road Citizens for Responsible Growth.  We worked with the Long Gate Shopping Center Developers to appropriately landscape the businesses closest to our neighborhood.  We marched on the northern side of Rt. 103, wearing red, carrying signs “No Lowes, We Oppose.”  Our residents advocated for the Senior Housing on Rt. 103 across from the armory.  We worked and advocated to help build Veterans Elementary School. My family along with our neighbors in Precinct 02-03 wish to stay in District 1.

- Lori Carr and Family 


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