Laura Bianca Pruitt delivered a preliminary presentation to the Board of Town Commissioners on Nov. 25, outlining the town's plan to pursue recertification under the Sustainable Maryland Certified (SMC) municipal program in 2026. The voluntary program, run in partnership with the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center and the Maryland Municipal League, rewards municipalities for documented sustainability actions and provides access to targeted grant opportunities. Pruitt noted that "the town first became certified in 2012 and we were last recertified in 2023," and that Bel Air earned 445 points in 2023, above the 400-point silver threshold.

Why this matters: SMC recertification sets a three-year action plan that serves as a blueprint for town priorities and can strengthen grant applications. Pruitt told commissioners the program requires two mandatory actions (including maintaining a green team) and a points-based selection of additional actions; for silver level the town must complete required items and reach a points total. She said SMC also offers grant opportunities the town can pursue in 2026.

What Pruitt described: she walked the board through the SMC action categories and local examples that could be counted in the next application cycle. Examples cited include community-based projects (farmers market, community garden, public art), education (four Maryland Green Schools within or connected to town residents), energy and transportation items (municipal charging and a bicycle/pedestrian plan), public-health and safety measures (AED stations in parks, story walks), and historic-preservation work (the town's Courthouse District status and local tax-credit program). She also identified potential new entries for the application, such as a community composting pilot and a sustainability resource page hosted by the town.

Board reaction and next steps: commissioners asked about operational details and costs for a municipal composting program; Pruitt said staff discussed siting near the Department of Public Works and would consider piggybacking on existing recycling drop-off logistics. On funding she said SMC and related programs offer grants, though some awards have minimum amounts that may not suit small pilots. Pruitt listed immediate next steps: participate in SMC green-team training on Jan. 15, 2026; survey residents to help prioritize actions; schedule regular Sustainability Workgroup meetings; and assemble a draft 2026 application and action plan.

The presenter closed by asking commissioners to consider priorities for short- and long-term actions and to recruit volunteers for the sustainability workgroup. There was no formal vote on the presentation; the item concluded with staff follow-up to return proposed action items and grant options to the board for consideration.