Community College of Baltimore County requests $19.25M from county biennial bonds; outlines EV and student-services projects

Community College of Baltimore County leaders presented their FY26-27 capital priorities to the Baltimore County Planning Board Committee on the Capital Improvement Budget and Program, requesting county bond funding and describing additional state and college contributions to fund several projects.

CCBC President (name not specified in the transcript) and Vice President Melissa Hopp described a set of near-term projects for the biennium and a broader 10-year facilities and academic master plan now under way. "This project is one where we're working very hard to get funds, but to cobble them together from a variety of different sources," Vice President Hopp said of an addition to the Catonsville automotive technology building aimed at electric-vehicle instruction.

Why it matters: CCBC serves roughly 51,000 students countywide and provides workforce and credential programs that local employers rely on. The college argued that targeted capital investments support workforce pipelines (welding, EV technicians, HVAC and allied trades) and sustain student services.

Key FY26-27 items described by CCBC included the following: an $18.5 million county bond authorization approved by voters in November (with CCBC recommending that amount plus the college's capital fee revenue bringing the biennial request to about $19.25 million); an estimated $5 million CCBC strategic reserve set aside toward a 20,000-square-foot automotive technology addition focused on EV maintenance; $2.5 million in county pay-as-you-go funds already allocated by the county executive; a $39 million Catonsville student-services reconfiguration planned as a 50/50 county-state funded project; and a $14.8 million switchgear replacement at the Essex campus that CCBC says is about 50 years old.

Funding and timing: Hopp said Governor Moore's proposed FY26 budget includes roughly $6 million toward CCBC projects (student services center and Essex switchgear) with more state funds anticipated in FY27. CCBC said it seeks to reach an ongoing goal of roughly $20 million per biennium in capital investment and is pursuing grants and state matching funds to close gaps.

Project selection and campus needs: CCBC noted completed and near-complete maintenance work (for example, a Dundalk Wellness and Athletic Center roof and siding replacement that cost roughly $2 million, with funding from county bonds, state funds and CCBC operating funds). The college identified deferred maintenance of about $58 million on its current list and forecast a longer-term capital outlook of roughly $88 million beyond the biennium while it completes a new facilities master plan.

Board members asked about workforce partnerships, use of space in light of growing online enrollment, and whether empty classrooms could be repurposed. CCBC officials said they already partner with unions, employers and county agencies for apprenticeships and internships and are studying classroom utilization as part of the 10-year master plan. "We know that that's a growing book of business for us," Hopp said about online enrollments and added the college is reviewing whether to reconfigure existing space rather than build new buildings.

The committee did not vote on CCBC funding during the session. College officials said follow-up material and a fully detailed master-plan-informed capital request will be presented when available.