Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Howard Community College, sports groups and residents push FY27 investments for workforce, recreation and community centers
Summary
At the council's FY27 capital hearing HCC leaders highlighted a $3 million county ask for deferred maintenance and the progress of the Bell Center; residents and coaches urged funding for ice rinks, an indoor banked track and a $34 million Elkridge community center.
Howard Community College and local recreation and athletics advocates spoke in support of capital investments during the FY27 public hearing, emphasizing workforce training, deferred maintenance and community infrastructure.
Maureen Evans, vice president of government and external affairs at Howard Community College, said the college serves more than 23,000 students and praised the county executive's FY27 proposal for fully funding HCC's capital request. "This year's investment of 3,000,000 in county funding for deferred maintenance and systemic renovations will keep our campus infrastructure safe, functional, and aligned with expectations of the students and the families that we serve," Evans said.
Vivian Moore Lawyer, chair of the HCC Board of Trustees, described the Kathy and Danny Bell Workforce Development and Skilled Trades Center as a generational investment and said the center will launch the first cohort in fall 2026. "The Bell Center represents a generational turning point for Howard County," she said, and asked the council to support the proposed county funding.
Recreation and athletics advocates asked for other capital investments. Duncan Brooks of the Howard County Youth Hockey Club urged construction of both ice sheets at the Meadowbrook complex at once so local families do not have to travel for rinks. Zach Dickerson, track and field coordinator for HCPSS, called for a banked indoor track in the county, saying lack of such facilities forces teams to travel and spend thousands on rentals each season.
Kevin Chen, a District 1 resident, asked the council to back a $34,000,000 appropriation to build the Elkridge Community Center, saying Elkridge has grown quickly and needs equitable capital investment.
Why it matters: The requests combine workforce investment, deferred maintenance and community infrastructure that county leaders say are central to economic opportunity and equitable access. Several speakers tied capital projects to downstream economic benefits such as workforce pipelines, tournaments and local spending.
The council did not take action at the hearing; those budget requests will be considered in subsequent work sessions.
