County Receives Funding from State to Relocate Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department

From the Howard County Government:

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman is pleased to announce $500,000 in state funding to help fund a fire station relocation for the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department.  At the direction of Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer, whose district includes the Elkridge area of Howard County, the funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2012 State Capital Budget approved by the General Assembly.

“Public safety is a top priority of my administration, and I’m grateful to Senator Kasemeyer and all the members of the Howard County legislative delegation for recognizing this need and securing this important funding,” said County Executive Ulman.

“I’m glad to help this important project move forward,” said Senator Kasemeyer, Chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.  “The residents of Elkridge deserve first-class fire protection, and a new station will help achieve that goal.”

Howard County is embarking on a project to relocate the existing station, which lacks sufficient space for apparatus and staffing given the active volunteer personnel in Elkridge and growth in the community. The $500,000 in additional state money comes on top of $1.2 million included in County Executive Ulman’s proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Capital Budget, which is subject to County Council approval.

“Being in the fire service myself for over 35 years, nothing makes me more proud than being able to help the Volunteer Fire Department in Elkridge,” said Delegate James E. Malone Jr., who also represents the area.

Deletage Steven J. DeBoy Sr. called the project a “tremendous asset for the region,” and said he was “pleased to be able to vote for a capital budget that included this funding.”

Howard County Councilperson Courtney Watson, who represents Council District 1, said a new station in Elkridge will “help this strong and growing community move forward.”

The county is in the final stages of selecting a location and determining a timetable for construction of the new station.