Howard County residents came out Tuesday night to advocate for funding libraries, bike lanes and a new swimming pool in fiscal 2025 as County Executive Calvin Ball formally presented his proposed $412.5 million Capital Improvement Program budget to the County Council.
The budget covers expenses for construction of transportationand water s projects, as well as buildings such as fire stations, libraries and recreation centers.
Ball also presented his proposed fiscal 2025 operating budget for the county Tuesday.
During the public hearing Tuesday, residents advocated for $4 million for the renovation and expansion of the Elkridge Branch Library. The funding is included in Ball’s proposed budget, as is approximately $300,000 for the planning and designing of a new Southwest Branch Library.
“Expanding the Elkridge Branch Library is part of the county’s commitment to the community,” Kelly Smith, chairperson of the Howard County Library System’s Board of Trustees said. “We need to address space for children and teens, and we ask that you fully fund the county executive’s budget for libraries.”
The proposed budget does not include any new funding for a planned 100,000-square-foot library in Columbia, estimated to cost $144 million. Last May, the Howard County Council voted unanimously to approve $5 million in funding for the conceptual design of the library, then called the Lakefront Library, and another $5 million for the project was placed in a special contingency fund that the council can use under conditions outlined in an amendment anytime during fiscal 2024.
Ball unveiled plans for the library in March 2023, alongside Gov. Wes Moore, but the proposal received pushback from residents and some officials concerned about the hefty price tag, the bidding process, and whether the county even needs a new library. A series of community meetings about the library’s fate were held last month.
As the County Council works through the capital budget, library funding is likely to be debated.
“Funding the Howard County Library System is critical to achieving our goals of providing a world class and holistic education to residents of all ages and abilities,” Ball said. “This investment builds on our efforts to ensure access to learning and growing for residents of all ages.”
Residents and library officials agreed.
“We are thrilled the county executive has moved up funding for a study and investing in a new library in the southwest portion of the county,” said Tonya Aikens, president and chief executive officer of the Howard County Library System.
Aikens said the study will go toward meeting the needs of the residents in that part of the county.
Samir Jafri, a 30-year resident of Elkridge, said the Elkridge Library is important for students who need access to its computers; however, there are not enough computers available, he said. Jafri said the library space is also not adequate for community and youth activities.
Ball’s proposed budget also includes $14.5 million for new pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The funding will provide the necessary infrastructure to continue the implementation of the Howard County Pedestrian Master Plan and Bicycle Master Plan.
Jack Guarneri, a resident of Ellicott City and president of Bike Howard County, asked the County Council to approve the funding. Guarneri said BikeHoward Express, which consists of specific proposals to provide nearly 48 miles of improved bicycle infrastructure, is popular in the community.
BikeHoward Express is part of the Howard County Bicycle Master Plan, and would include new bike lanes, designated shared roadways and shared-use pathways.
Guarneri said it’s time to allocate funding for the project.
“We advocate for fully funding the capital projects for additional bike lanes,” he said. “We need to revisit the Bike Howard Master Plan.”
The proposed budget also allocates $20.1 million for a North Laurel Pool.
“This investment follows years of community advocacy and support for a new amenity that benefits residents of all ages and abilities,” Ball stated in budget documents.
Susan Garver, a member of the planning committee for the pool, said she was pleased to see funding in the budget.
“I’m excited to see it funded in the budget on a non-election year, and in a year when there are a lot of great needs, and a pool usually falls to the bottom,” she said. “I know the benefits they can provide. The southeastern part of the county is the appropriate place to put a pool.”
Ball’s proposed fiscal 2025 capital improvement budget was released to the public on April 1. The council held its first two work sessions on the budget this week. A second public hearing on the budget is scheduled for May 9, and a final vote and budget adoption are set for May 22.
County meetings are live-streamed at https://cc.howardcountymd.gov/watch-us and broadcast on channels 44 (Verizon) and 99 (Comcast).
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