Thursday, May 9, 2013
A poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press reports that state and local government fare well as public opinion of federal government declines.
How do you feel about Howard County Government? Chances are that if you like a majority of those surveyed by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press then your answer is "pretty good." A poll released last month found that 63 percent of those surveyed looked favorably on their local governments. That percentage is roughly unchanged from last year when the group conducted a similar survey. State governments are enjoying similar public approval with 57 percent of those surveyed saying they look favorably upon their state governments—a five-point increase over last year. Meanwhile, public opinion of the federal government decreased by five points to 28 percent—the lowest point ever in a Pew poll, according to the center. The …
Monday, December 24, 2012
Find out what county services are available between now and Jan. 1.
Monday, November 5, 2012
One long-time media professional is joining the administration's staff as two members leave to take new jobs.
Former WBAL News Director Mark Miller is coming to Howard County to join the administration as the new press secretary, managing the Office of Public Information. “I am thrilled to have someone with Mark’s media experience join the County,” County Executive Ken Ulman said in a statement released Monday. “Mark understands firsthand how critically important effective communication is, and he is extremely well-versed in both the old and new world media.” Miller, who will begin Nov. 7, joins the county administration as Director of Public Communication Kevin Enright leaves government to join the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine. Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs David Nitkin will take on additional duties as the Director …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The longtime servant of Howard County died Tuesday morning.
Longtime Howard County Administrator and County Executive for nine months William "Ned" Eakle died Tuesday morning after falling ill at the age of 86, according to a statement released by Howard County. Eakle, who lived in Elkridge, started working as the county administrator in 1977 and served for nine months in 1986 as interim county executive after J. Hugh Nichols left office before his term expired. Current Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said Eakle's loss will be felt. "He was a frequent visitor to county offices and was famous for his warm smile and great sense of humor," Ulman said in the statement. "I want to express my deepest condolences to Ned’s wife, Agnes, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We will miss him…
Monday, July 23, 2012
The county executive will invite resident to ask him questions Monday night.
Do you have an issue you wish county government would resolve? Or is there something great it’s already doing, and you want to shine a light on it? Tonight (Monday) is your chance. County Executive Ken Ulman is holding his sixth annual public forum, where six county department heads will join him. The event starts at 7 p.m. and is at the Robinson Nature Center in Columbia, at 6692 Cedar Ln. Last year, the forum started a county-wide discussion on the diversity of the Howard County school board. Tell us your questions for Ulman in our comment section too. What issues would YOU like to see raised? Elkridge Patch Editor Elizabeth Janney will be covering the event and reporting on what she hears. Are you on Twitter? Use the hashtag #…
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The governor's proposal for moving teacher pension costs from the state to the counties was the focus of a Feb. 21 hearing.
The Howard County Delegation heard from 36 people in Ellicott City on Tuesday on state and local issues. More than any other issue, citizens mentioned concern over Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to shift teacher pensions from the state to the county. County Executive Ken Ulman has opposed the proposal, and his constituents followed suit at the Feb. 21 hearing. Council Chair Mary Kay Sigaty testified on behalf of the council: "With county resources already stretched very thinly, this will be an obligation impossible to meet...We cannot absorb the additional cost of the pension shift without significantly impacting critical services that our residents need including police, the human services and public works." Here’s what the …
Monday, February 20, 2012
Veterans and members of the military invited to learn more about resources available to them and their families.
Veterans and members of the military who would like to learn more about the resources available to them and their families, share issues of concern or talk about unmet needs, are invited to meet with members of Howard County’s Commission for Veterans and Military Families on Monday, February 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. The meeting at the Howard County Library’s Central Branch, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, is free and open to the public. The commission was formed early last year by Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and the Howard County Council to help ensure that the issues of the county’s veterans and military families are addressed effectively and efficiently, according to a statement from the group. The commission advises the …
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Animal Matters Hearing Board is looking for new members from Districts 1 and 3.
The Howard County Animal Matters Hearing Board is looking for new members from Council Districts 1 and 3. The seven-member board hears and issues decisions on appeals of citations for violating animal control laws. It also issues orders related to the law, and makes recommendations regarding the animal control facility; the board annually reviews the facility’s budget. The call for members comes a month after and cats and dogs from abusive households are keeping rescue and throughout Howard County. The board’s members serve five-year terms. One member must be a licensed veterinarian who practices in Howard County and at least three additional members must be “experienced in animal matters,” according to a statement released by the county…
In a letter to Howard County employees, the county executive laid out the worst-case scenario if the governor's pension plan is passed.
Shifting some of the responsibilty for teacher pension costs from the state to the counties would be “devastating” to Howard County, Executive Ken Ulman said in a letter sent to county employees on Thurday, Feb. 9. Ulman added that many of the county’s goals for the upcoming fiscal year are “at risk” and he discussed possible consequences To help close a $1.1 billion hole in the state’s budget, Gov. Martin O’Malley has proposed from the state to counties, saving the state about $240 million. According to the Ulman's office, those savings for the state would mean an additional $17.2 million burden on Howard County. In the letter to county employees, Ulman said that he has put a “more stringent conditional freeze on new hires,” and has …
Friday, February 10, 2012
Howard County turns to crowdsourcing on the internet to hear your ideas and suggestions.
Howard County officials like to talk about how wired residents are around here, and now they’re putting that idea to the test. They want you to offer your ideas for development of the county’s information technology strategic plan. It works like this: Residents go to http://ideas.howardcountymd.gov to offer ideas in what is known in internet lingo as crowdsourcing, collecting the best ideas from a large online community. When it works, the best of the ideas gain momentum and are used to solve problems, discover truths or make change or improvement. “We are fortunate to have a wired and engaged citizenry to help propel Howard County forward as we strive to better meet the needs of those we serve,” said County Executive Ken Ulman in a press …
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