Columbia is 'Real City': Kittleman in State of County

In his first “State of the County” address, County Executive Allan Kittleman said the state of Howard County was “strong.”

In a county where residents have come to expect a high quality of life, “the challenge ahead of us is how we sustain this excellent quality of life for the next generation,” he said.

To that end, Kittleman said he is proposing legislation to change the name and scope of the county’s Office of Environmental Sustainability to the Office of Community Sustainability, broadening its mission from ”green” to “sustainable” living.

Columbia: Reinvestment is the Word

In Columbia, Kittleman highlighted the excitement surrounding the new construction of Little Patuxent Square and the Crescent and said at the same time, it was important to reinvest in existing infrastructure.

“Folks, downtown Columbia is looking like a real city. This is what Jim Rouse envisioned 50 years ago,” Kittleman said.

• Little Patuxent Square Breaks Ground in Downtown Columbia

“To truly achieve our goals, we cannot overlook our county’s older communities, including our aging village centers such as Long Reach and Oakland Mills,” Kittleman said.

After meeting with stakeholders from both Oakland Mills and Long Reach, Kittleman said he plans to “craft redevelopment plans that put greater emphasis on what the community wants.”

• Long Reach Village Center Enters Next Phase, Under County Ownership

Said Kittleman: “Now, I have said this many times before—I do not believe county government should be in the business of buying land for economic development and that will not happen in my administration. However, I also understand that we need to do the best we can with the properties that we currently own.”

Kittleman plans to harness public-private partnerships in redeveloping the village centers to minimize taxpayer impact, particularly since he learned shortly after taking office that the county has a $15.8 million shortfall in its budget.

“We need to move quickly to begin redevelopment in areas such as Long Reach and the Route 1 corridor,” he noted.

Other Highlights

• Kittleman said he planned to take “immediate steps” to help Ellicott City residents and business owners facing Tiber River flooding, with an announcement planned in the coming weeks.
• Howard County Chief Administrative Officer Lonnie Robbins is working on increasing the percentage of county services that are contracted to locally owned, small, and minority businesses.

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Full Text of 2015 State of the County Address

Thank you for those kind words. It’s really good to be here.

I’d like to thank the Chamber for hosting this important event. Thanks to President and CEO Leonardo McClarty, Chairman Miles Coffman and the entire chamber.

I’d again like to express thanks to the voters of Howard County for their confidence and for allowing me this amazing opportunity to serve you as your County Executive. I know I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating….I work for YOU.

And of course, I have to extend my deepest thanks to my wife Robin and our wonderful children (Haley, Mary, Robby and James), who have supported me in my journey to get where I stand today.

My daughter Haley is also here today.

I’ve only been on the job two months and already I’ve learned so much. For example, NO one looks good in a hairnet.

The first order of business is to state—unequivocally—that I believe in collaboration and bipartisan politics. I always have and I always will.

Citizens of the state of Maryland don’t elect us so we can engage in endless squabbling and party politics. They elect us to find solutions to problems and issues that affect their everyday lives. They expect us to work together. And they expect us to work FOR them.

I pledge to work cooperatively with our County Council. Mary Kay, Jen, Greg, Jon and Calvin—I look forward to many successful years working with you.

Friends, the state of our County is strong. How we got here is important, but our challenge is how we become even stronger. We have a great County because of you—our residents and our businesses—who work hard every day. So thank you!

I especially want to thank the 2,800 Howard County employees who make this county such a wonderful place to live. From the folks who clear the roads during snowstorms; to those who protect us from crime and fire; to those who work directly with constituents; our County would NOT be consistently ranked one of the best places to live in America without your dedicated service. We applaud you.

The challenge ahead of us is how we sustain this excellent quality of life for the next generation. Congressman Elijah Cummings often talks about how we didn’t inherit this world from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children. We must make choices today, to make sure our county continues to provide our future generations with the same opportunities we’ve had.

So, what are our priorities? I’m glad you asked.

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of rhetoric during the last year. Lots of promises. Lots of pledges made. Things that need to change and things we need to make better. And here’s a word you’re going to hear a lot from me over the next four years—sustainability.

My predecessor Ken Ulman established the state’s first Office of Environmental Sustainabilitnmnjhuij8uy to help make Howard County a “model green community.” That office has made some excellent progress on stormwater management and environmental sustainability.

It is NOW time to expand that vision from a “model green community” to a “model sustainable community.”

Sustainability is balance. And balance is what will drive our decisions in County Government, particularly as they relate to our economy, agriculture, environment and infrastructure.

The legislation I submitted to the County Council will change the name to the Office of Community Sustainability and expand its scope and mission.

And if you’re thinking -- “Oh no! More staff, growing government, additional spending!” -- I want to assure you that is NOT the case.

We are working with a University of Maryland program -- the Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability – to collaborate with Howard Community College and the existing staff within the Office to work on sustainability initiatives. There are resources right here in our community that we can use to benefit our county. That’s sustainability.

I’d like to specifically thank Ned Tillman, Chair of the County’s Environmental Sustainability Board, for his leadership and guidance during this process. This was not an easy endeavor and it took a lot of help from many people from all across the spectrum.

Last week, we held our first Agriculture Sustainability Roundtable Discussion at TLV Tree Farm in Glenelg. The host of that breakfast – Jamie Brown - is here today and I’d like to acknowledge him.

This event -- and we plan to hold others -- was an opportunity for us to meet with farmers from various parts of the county who use different business models, and ask them:

• • How can we help make your agricultural business more sustainable?
  • How can we help you work more efficiently and productively in providing a food supply for county residents and beyond?
  • How do we ensure that farming remains a part of the fabric of our County for future generations?

As some of you may know, I come from a farm background and this issue is near and dear to me. I thought I knew a lot about farming in Howard County. But I was surprised by how much I didn’t know and what I learned.

This is why we will continue to reach out to other industries for similar conversations. In Howard County, the idea of sustainability has ALSO been embraced by our children. Students in our schools are reaching out and asking to do new and innovative projects. At Pointers Run Elementary School, a class of fourth grade students contacted school administrators and the county’s Department of Public Works to ask if they could start a composting program. It started with one class and now the entire school is on board. Another great success is our county’s pilot program, the Roving Radish. The Roving Radish is a food truck which provides low cost, nutritious meals at specific locations in the county, making it more convenient to access fresh, healthy food. We plan to continue and expand this program because it’s not only beneficial, it’s also SUSTAINABLE. Through the pilot program, we found this concept was particularly popular among families with young children, half of which were eligible for subsidized rates. And this has also been popular with our seniors. The Bain Center stop had the highest participation rate. By offering affordable, nutritious meals that are easy to access within neighborhoods, we encourage people to choose a healthier diet. It’s something they want to do, not something IMPOSED on them by the government. That’s how we can promote change. Through education and access to what’s healthy at a price that people can afford. At the roundtable last week, several farmers shared their enthusiasm for the Food Hub project, which in conjunction with the Roving Radish, will help us do a better job of using food grown and produced right here in Howard County. You see, this is how this whole sustainability thing works -- we grow it here, prepare it here, distribute it here, sell it here and consume it here. At the end of the day, we compost anything left over. You can even buy that compost at the landfill and use it in your own vegetable gardens. And the cycle begins again. Sustainability. In Howard County, we have a proud history of more than two decades of focusing on the environment – with curbside recycling, mulching Christmas trees, erecting green buildings, using solar energy to power lights and hot water heaters, and using more hybrid vehicles than any other local government in the state.

In many ways, we’re far ahead of other communities across the nation. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have more work to do. One of our bigger environmental challenges has been with us for nearly 250 years -- and that’s the flooding issues in downtown Ellicott City.

The Capital Budget proposal that I will submit to the County Council will include $2.5 million dollars to start flood mitigation projects. This will be an ongoing commitment. I think we’ve done enough studies and planning. It is time to start the work.

Our business owners and residents on Main Street shouldn’t have to panic every time the water starts rising on the Tiber-Hudson or Patapsco River.

In a few weeks, Councilman Jon Weinstein and I will make some important announcements about immediate steps we are taking to get started.

Ellicott City recently achieved the designation as a Main Street Maryland community, a process that took nearly six years to complete. This is a significant recognition. Ellicott City’s Main Street is one of the gems of Howard County, and we can’t afford to risk its future any longer.

Additionally, to encourage economic growth, we are working on an exciting initiative to bring free WiFi to downtown Ellicott City. This will harness the strength of the Inter County Broadband Network without requiring any additional appropriation of funds.

As a County, I believe it is important for us to help our economy grow. A thriving business environment is absolutely critical to maintaining our quality of life. As Governor Hogan has said, Maryland is open for business. While Howard County has always been open for business, I’m excited to have the Governor as a partner. Now, when a business decides to come to Maryland, I’m confident that we can get them to choose Howard County.

Our County continues to attract cutting edge businesses, like the 3-D printer manufacturer in Maple Lawn. This venture was funded by an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $3.4 million dollars. The company, M3D, started with 25 employees and now has 57. By the end of this year, they expect to add 150 more.

I’d like to recognize one of the company’s co-founders, Michael Armani, who is a River Hill High School graduate and studied at our school system’s Applications and Research Laboratory.

Another company, Iron Net – a cyber-security firm – has also set up shop in Maple Lawn. Its CEO, General Keith Alexander, was the top military man in charge of our nation’s intelligence and cyber communities. He decided to relocate his company from Washington, D.C. to Howard County. In the next few years, this company is expected to add several hundred new high tech jobs. These are sought-after jobs that attract and retain a highly trained workforce.

I am proud to make several economic development announcements today:

• • First -- Food Authority will be taking over 78,000 square feet of space in Jessup, bringing 120 new jobs to Howard County and a $2 million dollar capital investment.
  • Second -- We have more than $600,000 dollars of catalyst loans in the pipeline for small and minority owned businesses. The first of these went to Manor Hill Farm for developing the County’s First Farm Brewery.
  • Third -- I have asked Lonnie Robbins, Chief Administrative Officer for the County, to take the necessary steps so that the County can begin to invest locally. Building a sustainable economy starts with us. Taxpayer funds spent on critical services should be reinvested right here. We can help businesses in Howard County thrive by increasing the percentage of county services that are contracted to locally-owned, small, and minority businesses.

And how about downtown Columbia? New condos and apartments, new office and retail space, new restaurants, a Whole Foods in the old Rouse Company building, a reconfigured Mall, and plans under way for the Inner Arbor within Symphony Woods.

Ground has been broken on Little Patuxent Square near Lake Kittamaqundi, a mixed use project that will include office space, retail and apartments. And we’re looking forward to what the Crescent Development Project will bring to downtown as well.

Merriweather Post Pavilion—another Howard County gem—will complete the first phase of a comprehensive renovation this spring. When completed, these extensive renovations will elevate this downtown anchor to the next level, allowing Merriweather to attract the biggest acts in the nation.

General manager Jean Parker is here. She’s done a tremendous job turning Merriweather into a world-class venue.

Folks, downtown Columbia is looking like a real city. This is what Jim Rouse envisioned 50 years ago.

I remember as a kid crossing Rt. 29 from Allview Estates to fish and swim in Lake Kittamaqundi.

There was barely anything there!! Which is probably why we got away with swimming in the lake. And I gotta tell you – it was a heckuva lot warmer swimming there than in the Chesapeake Bay in January. Try jumping in 24 times. That water was cold!

But it was well worth it for such a great cause --- the Maryland Special Olympics!

Seriously though, these are exciting times for economic development in Howard County – which is why I’ve included this as part of my vision for the Office of Community Sustainability. Having a sustainable community means living, working and recreating all in the same place.

To truly achieve our goals, we cannot overlook our county’s older communities, including our aging village centers such as Long Reach and Oakland Mills. We have already started these efforts in Wilde Lake.

I’ve met with stakeholders in Long Reach and Oakland Mills and will continue this dialogue to make sure we craft redevelopment plans that put greater emphasis on what the community wants.

I have asked my Chief of Staff, Diane Wilson, to take the lead in working with both communities, along with Councilman Calvin Ball to begin developing these plans.

We also cannot forget about revitalization efforts on the Route 1 Corridor. I will be working with Councilwoman Jen Terrasa to develop a strategy for the properties owned by the County along Route 1 in Savage and North Laurel.

Last month, I met with Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger and we’ll be working together to make Route 1 the Cyber Hub of Central Maryland – capitalizing on the presence of the U.S. Cyber Command and attracting businesses that will bring more jobs to our County.

We’re already seeing innovative businesses expand to this part of our County. I am excited to have Kasey Turner of Jailbreak Brewing Company here today. Jailbreak’s owners represent the kind of forward-thinking entrepreneurs who will drive our innovation economy.

Now -- I have said this many times before -- I do not believe County Government should be in the business of buying land for economic development and that will not happen in my administration.

However, I also understand that we need to do the best we can with the properties that we currently own. We need to move quickly to begin redevelopment in areas such as Long Reach and the Route 1 Corridor. My hope is that we can work with the private sector to develop Public-Private Partnerships so that the fiscal impact on taxpayers is kept to a minimum.

Being responsible to our taxpayers is a top priority. After taking office, I was advised that we have a $15.8 million shortfall in the current fiscal year. We are certainly not alone in facing a fiscal shortfall. Although it has been a difficult process, we will soon announce our plan to ensure that we have a balanced budget this year.

Of course, no State of the County speech would be complete without talking about our public school system. Our schools – among the best in the nation – consistently draw national attention and accolades. They’re why people want to move here – from elsewhere in the state, from other states and from other countries. Many of you sought out Howard County to give your children access to some of the best educational resources in the world.

As you know, I’m a product of this school system. I attended Atholton Elementary, Ellicott City and Hammond middle schools, and Atholton High School.

Today, I’ve invited one of my favorite teachers —the Reverend Dr. John Lunn – who taught in Howard County public schools for 31 years before retiring in 2003.

In high school, Dr. Lunn encouraged me to take a class that changed my life. It was Black History, and I was the only white student in that class. It helped shape me to value and respect diversity even more -- which is saying a lot considering I grew up with a father who was a leader in the civil rights movement.

It is an honor to have Dr. Lunn join us today.

Our schools are great – not just in bricks and mortar, not just in supportive parents and high test scores, and not just because Haley Kittleman teaches at one of them. Our schools are great because of our commitment to excellence and our team effort – among parents, teachers, administrators, support staff and your elected officials.

We are dedicated to continuing this effort -- and to closing an achievement gap that holds back some of our students. A great system isn’t good enough if ANY of our students fail to achieve their full potential.

Eliminating the achievement gap will require varied approaches and initiatives, some of which will begin with the youngest of our county residents.

That is why I’m working with Council Chairwoman Mary Kay Sigaty to create the Early Childhood Education Taskforce, chaired by Mary Kay. Through this effort, we will develop strategies and initiatives to improve early childhood education, particularly among children from low-income and vulnerable homes.

I am excited to support the county’s first Early College Access Program at the Applications and Research Laboratory. This countywide program puts students on the path to an AA degree and several professional certifications within a year of graduating from high school. It also connects them to high-paying jobs in network security.

Some of the students from this program are here. I’d like to recognize:

• • Mason Godsey from Mount Hebron High School
  • Jaylan Garrick from Hammond High School
  • Briahna Richardson from Howard High School
  • Edward Frederick Bittner from River Hill High School

Thank you for joining us today. We have high hopes for all of you.

I am enthusiastic about the Early College Access model, which will be expanding to Oakland Mills High School with a similar program next year.

This is yet another step we are taking to become a more sustainable community. By helping students succeed at every age level, we help them develop critical career-readiness skills so that they can take advantage of the excellent jobs that Howard County attracts.

And we hope that they will choose to live right here in the County – especially as we work toward building a vibrant Downtown Columbia and revitalizing our aging neighborhoods.

I talked earlier about M3D – the 3D printing company. When Michael Armani and his business partner looked for a home for their company, they chose to come back to Howard County.

We have many excellent leaders to thank for this, among them --

• • Dr. Renee Foose, thank you for your leadership in ensuring that our children get a first-class education.
  • Dr. Kate Hetherington, thank you for your visionary guidance at Howard Community College in keeping up with our innovation economy.
  • Valerie Gross, thank you for your enthusiastic leadership making our Library System the best in North America and for offering programs such as Hi-Tech and -- one of my favorites -- Battle of the Books.

Speaking of the best, I’d like a rousing round of applause for Jody Zepp of Hammond High School, recently named Maryland Teacher of the Year. It’s truly a proud moment for us because this is the first time in twenty five years that a Howard County teacher has been named Maryland Teacher of the Year.

Educators like Jody have helped us graduate students that we can be proud of.

One of those students, a former Hawk, now a Raven, Michael Campanaro is here. Whether you’re a Redskins fan or a Ravens fan – or dare I say it – a Steelers fan, I know that all of us were proud every time this young wide receiver made a catch on national TV.

We have so many great things to be proud of in Howard County that I could go on for another 20 minutes. But I’m guessing you don’t want me to do that. So let me quickly single out a few more outstanding people and briefly touch on a few other initiatives.

• • I appointed Police Chief Gary Gardner as one of my first actions as County Executive. Chief Gardner has ambitious plans to expand community outreach initiatives and we look forward to his leadership. Fire and Rescue Services Chief John Butler was sworn in on January 20th. I was impressed with him when I first met him and even more impressed to watch him lead the department during very difficult times over the last several weeks, as we mourned the loss of fire fighters Nick Garner and Eric Steciak.
  • I want to thank everyone who participated on my transition team – many of whom are here today. I want to give special thanks to Mike Davis, for all of his hard work as Chairman of the transition team.
  • Andrea Ingram of Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center is here today. Last year, she celebrated 25 years with Grassroots. I am inspired by her strength and appreciate her support for the new Day Resource Center, which will help end homelessness in Howard County.
  • Construction has begun on a new $77 million, 145,000 square foot Science, Engineering and Technology building at Howard Community College.
  • Work is underway to implement OpenHoward – which will make data available online so you can see where your tax dollars are going. Thank you to Council members Greg Fox and Jen Terrasa for their leadership on this effort. We’ve started building the backbone for a performance measurement system called HoCoStat. This will help you keep us accountable.

You’ve heard a lot from me today, and now I want to ask for your help. The County has partnered with the School System and the Arc of Howard County to establish Project SEARCH – a program that connects young adults with developmental disabilities to career opportunities in the public and private sector.

In county government, we have 12 Project SEARCH interns this year, working alongside our employees. These interns are gaining invaluable work experience through this process -- experience we hope will help them secure productive and rewarding jobs.

Today I ask that you consider bringing a Project SEARCH intern into your workplace as well. You can reach out to coordinator Kim McKay with the Arc if you have interest in this worthwhile project.

It’s efforts like Project SEARCH that make Howard County so special. We have a great county and so much to be proud of. Just recently, Columbia was recognized as one of the most “Caring Communities” in the country! As long as we have residents and businesses like you who are willing to keep on investing right here, I know we will continue receiving honors and being singled out as one of the best places to live.

Together, we will keep moving ahead and keep getting better.

Thank you.