Oakland Mills, Centennial among schools urged for restored capital funding at HCPSS hearing

Multiple community members and association leaders urged the Howard County Board of Education on Feb. 12 to restore capital funding for high‑school renovations, highlighting Oakland Mills High School as a pressing example of deferred maintenance.

Jonathan Edelson, chair of the Oakland Mills Community Association, told the board he had submitted a timeline of building failures and system degradations and said the school's condition and deferred repairs require full funding. "We've often heard that past neglect and deferral of OMHS was the legacy of Passports of Education," Edelson said, asking the board whether it would "recall your vote and listen to the staff" that previously supported renovations.

Christine Lockwood described ventilation problems, visible mold and flooding that community members say have created health concerns and prompted protests. "A sick building makes us physically sick," Lockwood said, and she asked the board to restore funding that had been removed from the capital budget.

Community speakers noted that higher local property values have increased tax revenue and argued those funds should support school repairs. Several residents warned that delaying large high‑school renovation projects risks further deterioration and higher costs; one commenter called for a systematic evaluation of how building failures affect education across the county's 13 high schools.

Speakers also raised related fiscal transparency concerns, citing deferred maintenance totals and the need for a credible multiyear payment plan. The hearing included no formal board action on capital projects; staff and board members will consider public testimony as they refine FY27 requests.