[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6562175,"mediaKeyId","3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160","parentId",3280064,"title","Office of Transportation highlights 1,000,000-ridership milestone, HOKO pilot and fleet replacement plans","audioSeconds",184,"startMs",5130000,"endMs",5314000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160&start=5130&end=5314","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160/thumbnail_5130000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562175/Howard-County/Maryland/Office-of-Transportation-highlights-1000000-ridership-milestone-HOKO-pilot-and-fleet-replacement-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562175-43347a633e61d18f4b5fb5a0d23b3440/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522225&Signature=HdNupXUFTLouQaYX2i3lBWwzrwMO-HeB9QW4g9BzI9h12pM3OW-7jPT8bEwzkx-9Ptw25wuCfvNS~PuMNs2~37ROY8sKAE90T1TvXjXiykih60exBDh3pvxhg1bDwFt4UMQIpM6H50qvKelYYKXDvslMWNXOjUddTS-gTOcMTlZ0WfWszz8hdTzUWS4zRtlb8p7zTiuDhMm3oNM2iI3yVG91PxnoC1PdHBl4HFHKDJFdvGwuNzzwCaap2ch2S4SiEbWqz6nq44h3nrDykLlOjUgLgfBUrSU8-I0i~SVv2DyCsrRHpIzbswQvLSU-5fnMseLpiIhFdRs80fTzEbB39g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard","date","2025-05-12T00:00:00Z","article","Administrator F. Dickerson and deputy David Cookson told the council the Office of Transportation anticipates delivering more than 1,000,000 annual trips (fixed route and paratransit combined) by the end of FY25—returning ridership to pre-pandemic levels. The department credited a mix of service changes, operator hiring and new software (Spare) for improved paratransit productivity and on-time performance.

Dickerson outlined accomplishments including nine miles of new bike lanes, 55 upgraded bus stops, the launch of US-1 microtransit and ongoing work on Flash infrastructure. The HOKO Rapid Ride app-based pilot (Route 1 east Columbia area) launched in March and, by the presentation, had nearly 650 accounts and roughly 600 completed rides with over 99% of rated trips receiving a five-star score. The office requested $148,000 to support HOKO operations and monitoring.

On vehicles, the department reported orders for 11 transit vehicles for the current year; fleet replacement is an ongoing plan, but delivery timelines remain extended (a presenter estimated roughly 15 months for some heavy vehicles) and procurement may be affected by supply-chain and tariff risks.

Ending: Staff agreed to provide route- and validation-based student ridership data requested by council members and to share a timeline for delivery of ordered vehicles; administrators noted continued hiring and retention work for operators and mechanics to sustain service levels.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard - Budget Work Session - Operating #3 - May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Administrator F. Dickerson reported progress on transit ridership returning to pre-pandemic levels, bus replacement orders, bus stop and bike-ped improvements, and an app-based HOKO Rapid Ride pilot that has generated early positive user ratings.","taxTitle","Howard County, Maryland","taxId",13634,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562180,"Howard County Health Department flags $900,000–$1 million in possible grant reductions; maternal health and school-based clinics still expanding",160,5969000,6129000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160&start=5969&end=6129","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160/thumbnail_5969000.jpg","/articles/6562180/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-Health-Department-flags-9000001-million-in-possible-grant-reductions-maternal-health-and-school-based-clinics-still-expanding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562180-f9f98925583657c3f580c467eb8a8971/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522225&Signature=R5tnqvjtM~8wzK47kmsLzxl8IL8W-whlTnVOdRV8~ic~sr0aaHUz-Tmj4HcY2gA0OqZX3JT-kynduf4CDKu9kXwcfddfWXOLfUi0xorMZOoSOWGlOzT7XiHTpwcax31laYnzAUqEZ52VB6iyrqAaz93wArY9PctQgZEZw6i5gkwUBdwCG8VasTjLArvh-3UchoSG~4LEeLoh2mn5U2PEE-iJ7QghCP-k-w3AlvupP3KwGiR476b-uJ-DE6FJb2UZk86NxerTig7kiGPSeO498UJmQ5aqhJ~dmBtdx1KW0P-~-r4p~g3ei9dhNlI5lzEbMlAskxZ8cgB5GGhaho94Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Antigone Vickery, deputy health officer, presented the Howard County Health Department's FY26 operating request and emphasized program continuity while flagging federal and state funding uncertainty. The department reported a requested 13.7% increase for the budget line that covers staff and services (the department attributed most of the increase to IT chargebacks and state-imposed salary increases plus a half-year funding request for a mental-health court clinical position).

Vickery and staff described programmatic highlights: expansion of maternal and infant health navigation and a doula-training initiative; a 25% increase in enrollment at a campus-based reproductive health clinic at Howard Community College; ten school-based wellness sites with a 10% utilization rise; sharp rises in contacts for peer recovery staff supporting opioid response; and a strong environmental-health performance with 90% of mandated food inspections completed this year (surpassing prior goals).

On the department's financial exposure, Vickery said initial known reductions amounted to about $900,000–$1 million so far, including a 10% cut in certain state core funding. She urged councilors to consider the county's role in backstopping programs if federal or state cuts materialize. On senior services, Ophelia Ott said the county's 65+ population is about 16% today and projected to increase; she noted Title III (Older Americans Act) funds support congregate meals (donation-based but not means-tested) and home-delivered meals. The department described an award from CareFirst to establish a local Food Council focused on food access and nutrition.

Ending: Health Department officials agreed to share planned reports (including the latest concert/noise monitoring report and details on maternal and doula programs) with the council and to continue briefing evaluations of grant exposure as state and federal signals develop.","Deputy health officer Antigone Vickery briefed council members on the Health Department's FY26 request and program highlights, noting an estimated $900,000 to $1 million of current federal/state funding exposure and describing growth in maternal-infant services, school-based wellness, and community health worker outreach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562184,"Community Resources and Services warns of federal-state cuts as demand rises; asks council to avoid additional reductions",558,4828000,5386000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160&start=4828&end=5386","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160/thumbnail_4828000.jpg","/articles/6562184/Howard-County/Maryland/Community-Resources-and-Services-warns-of-federal-state-cuts-as-demand-rises-asks-council-to-avoid-additional-reductions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562184-a3e7f5ba08c9ac2bd3d6b701adc036d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522225&Signature=CAif9Gc8hWYnLe2GfziZmHfY4AUO5IFfY1qD4dQ7v5UHW1Eaqfizh2thw1CGONjwsXstjvu3QsmjZYn6oosEhMD4IPIxAYwp8Ue17doaP3pC3FnJxbUmN6BZ2gwYbla1qG5EpZ0GnEIsSc4y4Y0mMVWKsWJdyeI7IOkwcwcP3vowA6ahtdfe77lLEcleQ6FG285GJQZfpzvrNwgFbSpR2dr9pbCvhKlY72i~mKO3TDDahb2n1ZLTKKuppsSbrU216b5XbZZrp8j6j6Xr1Zk2Toaa2flqdcPjy9vRNMbv0J78W0LFfMiPZ3rBWRS9IMczWA9LCtlLt8oYYd8VVYu99A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jackie Scott, director of Howard County's Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS), presented the department's FY26 operating budget and emphasized a heavy reliance on state and federal grants to deliver services across the lifespan. Scott said the department's total operating request is roughly $41.9 million, with about $19.8 million from the county general fund and the remainder from federal grants, program revenue and special funds; she said the proposed request represents less than a 2% increase and contains no new efforts.

Scott warned the council that potential federal cuts (including proposals affecting HHS programs and Older Americans Act funding streams) could have an outsized effect on DCRS and on the county's nonprofit partners. She described three tiers of exposure: direct county administered federal funds supporting seniors and congregate meals (Administration for Community Living programs), passthrough grants for childcare workforce training and home visiting, and risk to nonprofits that also depend on federal reimbursements. Scott said DCRS is monitoring possible cuts — which she estimated at roughly $900,000 to $1 million to date — and asked the council to avoid further reductions in county contributions so the department can remain flexible.

Council members asked about staff vacancies (two half-year frozen positions and three full-year frozen positions) and how DCRS has reassigned duties; Scott said senior leadership redistributed oversight and that the department has relied on grant realignment and internal realignment to maintain services. Questions followed on nutrition and congregate meals for older adults: Ophelia Ott (Office on Aging and Independence) said 16% of Howard County residents are age 65 and older, and 60+ population will grow; she noted 50-plus centers run congregate meals (supported by Title III/Older Americans Act funds) and that donations are requested but meals remain available without means testing. The department said staff are preparing outreach and contingency plans if federal funding streams change and that the county and administration are coordinating budget and grant risk assessments.

Ending: Scott repeated DCRS's request that the council avoid further local cuts, stressing that the department has already slimmed operations, carried vacancies, and increased grant-seeking to bridge gaps. Council members asked for the analysis DCRS is using to monitor grant jeopardy and agreed to follow up on the department's requests for support if federal and state changes materialize.","Director Jackie Scott told the council DCRS is heavily grant-dependent (about 85% personnel cost) and faces potential federal and state cuts possibly affecting seniors, childcare and homelessness services. The department requested only a small overall increase and asked the council not to cut services further.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562188,"Recreation & Parks seeks $64 million in FY26; staffing and forest-conservation funding among council concerns",312,943000,1255000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160&start=943&end=1255","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160/thumbnail_943000.jpg","/articles/6562188/Howard-County/Maryland/Recreation-Parks-seeks-64-million-in-FY26-staffing-and-forest-conservation-funding-among-council-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562188-c1a132d8df07e4d71e4e39c5ab0ff336/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522225&Signature=bQgs6rhbBQhhabUrEfCqxYzTxlfHMYsn3qhXw~Hji~Z8IP2hPfHz23HgFH2FG9E3I4dDZb4SKUOwl0-jWMLJlrLCVd5i-QWu3-HeXwMmvsWrsCUTWQc7BitH0UZMgZ6ImLjPTq~9orqnwaXpn83Djw~LSUS2viwSVI7PE6VSwzqVu2zprFfKzEMztVk4dZ5rur3FTbCF2URXGXZ2iQcRECSAOClLbHq4naQuUYs8ItT4ssS1F1FMvTbaJBeeFtDokK82smladQqVpVFKoPUjB4sqKD6Op4fFqFiHh1tUKALCWGA6m-y2ZvMXlE3N7XPCpVyGrAbA9npCfaTBxwkbRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nicholas Moonahan, director of Howard County Recreation & Parks, told the council the department's FY26 operating request totaled about $64 million. Of that, roughly $34 million is proposed from the general fund and $28.7 million from the Recreation & Parks fund; smaller allocations come from the forest-conservation fund and other program grants. Moonahan described new operational efforts that account for the majority of the department's general-fund increase: operation of the AAPI Cultural Center at the Ellicott City Historic Courthouse (opening Nov. 1) and operations for the North Laurel Community Center pool (planned Jan. 1 opening). Those new efforts together represent roughly $537,982 of the general fund increase and will be staffed with a mix of full-time positions, contingent staff and contractual services.

The department reported maintaining more than 10,000 park acres, operating eight regional parks, 10 community parks, 12 neighborhood parks and 18 historic sites. Moonahan highlighted program volume: more than 72,000 registrants across classes and camps in FY24 and significant economic impact for tournaments and events—stated as roughly $60 million annually.

Council members pressed on personnel costs (general-fund personnel costs up about 6.3–7.1%, driven by step increases, salary market pressures and new positions for two new facilities), vacancy management, and the effect of frozen positions. Moonahan confirmed about seven frozen positions across the department this year, including maintenance and recreation-services roles and two natural-resources positions; he said some vacancies are deliberately maintained in the recreation fund for part-time childcare roles and that the reported vacancy count fluctuates.

The council also asked about the Forest Conservation Fund and programmatic shifts: Moonahan and Bureau Chief Brian Moody explained that regulatory changes and increased on-site conservation (rather than fee-in-lieu payments) reduced fee-in-lieu revenue, and the fund currently supports three natural-resources positions and tree-planting/hazard-tree programs. They said declining fee-in-lieu revenue will require a strategy—possibly moving positions to the general fund—to sustain planting and natural-resources work.

Other exchanges included questions about teen programming (Teen Vibes and Teen Kickbacks), an expanded low-cost summer camp (“Camp Outrageous,” $25 per child) with two locations and approximately 50 spots per site, and childcare staffing and wait lists: recreation staff said recruitment remains the top priority for before/after care and that aides start at roughly $17/hr, teachers at $18/hr and directors at $20/hr, with training supports offered.

Ending: Council members asked for more detail on how personnel growth and contingency/ overtime mixes were calculated, and requested program-level data for tree-planting locations and camp specifics. Moonahan and staff agreed to provide follow-ups on fund balances, tree-planting site breakdowns and childcare staffing strategies.","Director Nicholas Moonahan presented a roughly $64 million FY26 request for Recreation & Parks, highlighting new facilities (AAPI Cultural Center, North Laurel pool) and PAYGO investments. Council members probed increases in personnel costs, vacant positions, forest conservation fund declines and teen and childcare programming.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562193,"Howard County inspections, licenses and permits holds steady budget; eyes on vacant positions and online permitting",182,95000,277000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160&start=95&end=277","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280064-663de1a42e60090bdae444adf81a1160/thumbnail_95000.jpg","/articles/6562193/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-inspections-licenses-and-permits-holds-steady-budget-eyes-on-vacant-positions-and-online-permitting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562193-67c769161e82e658c03276ea70a290ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522225&Signature=nBmYQImCr8gsvnFln0kuUuusTbAi-b5j3HSnkqWnuvL6vbbYUEiVBVk9kN1MnXb1KrfEUR0laXueNOIXofl3rSQK6QfGHdnPT2OncO0qzhLup3MIvXBB7uQzDuBzFbzLlV-oPbEtgnYuRniMRgPZ5MPxas1mFYKJRtOGISlTF4yhojoSKb24tNBR7Ju0xUxq9AEjlztAsQLJF64rgK7T~dh69SpzjyYV5X7QN-6Pw14mZy8-YID8DD36HHSTFtLAm-rmDP4ZuLVEWow5DMfvWiu2iaII~kn1cRnvAJGl43nWe5xftVh6WGwhAq4-Nnnyt6W4vJpQzmbSaUIY6MyV8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bob Francis, director of Howard County's Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, told the County Council at a fiscal year 2026 budget work session that his department's operating request for FY26 increased by 2.04% from FY25 and includes no new funding requests for new programs.

Francis said DILP saved the county about $350,000 annually by ending a legacy transaction-fee arrangement with its credit card processor and by terminating maintenance contracts on an end-of-life data system. The department is testing and rolling out several online tools: a text/IVR inspection scheduler, a commercial mechanical HVAC permitting program, planned online submittals for rental-housing licensing renewals, and an online portal to replace a legacy system slated to reach end of life by the end of calendar 2025.

Francis briefed council members on staffing and service metrics. He noted that about 25% of plan submissions are returned for revision and that DILP engages with architects and neighboring jurisdictions to reduce resubmissions. He described permit technicians as “the face of our organization,” assisting applicants with electronic submissions and routing plan sets to the appropriate reviewers. On inspections availability, Francis said electrical inspections are the most in-demand category and sometimes book out two or three days; the department monitors daily request queues and uses overtime when necessary.

Council members pressed Francis about three frozen positions (one electrical inspector and two regulation support technician 2 positions—one in licensing and permits and one in plan review). Francis said the frozen electrical-inspector slot contributes to daily pressure in electrical inspection scheduling but that the department has not yet hit a “critical mass” of delay. He and staff said vacancies have been a recurring challenge and that recruiting and filling positions (especially inspectors) can take months.

The department also noted internal promotions and recent staff honors: Sedonia Garrett was elected president of the Maryland Building Officials Association and Deborah Whelan elected secretary; Don Mock serves in national code committees. Francis said DILP plans to adopt the 2024 International Code Council model codes in 2026 and to implement an online rental-license renewal and portal to reduce paper submissions and resubmittals.

Ending: Francis summarized that DILP seeks to preserve its current level of services while implementing digital tools to improve throughput and that the key near-term risks are the frozen inspection and permit-technical positions and the incoming legacy-systems transition slated for late 2025.","Director Bob Francis briefed the Council on the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) FY26 operating request, highlighting small budget growth, cost savings from contractual changes, new online services and concerns about three frozen positions that could slow plan review and inspections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Office of Transportation highlights 1,000,000-ridership milestone, HOKO pilot and fleet replacement plans

Howard County Health Department flags $900,000–$1 million in possible grant reductions; maternal health and school-based clinics still expanding

Community Resources and Services warns of federal-state cuts as demand rises; asks council to avoid additional reductions

Recreation & Parks seeks $64 million in FY26; staffing and forest-conservation funding among council concerns

Howard County inspections, licenses and permits holds steady budget; eyes on vacant positions and online permitting