Officials Battle Over Air Conditioning in Baltimore County Public Schools

Governor Larry Hogan sounded off about the lack of air conditioning in many of Baltimore County’s schools Wednesday, calling for the county executive and superintendent to be held accountable, to which the county executive responded that the state should contribute more to the cause.

Hogan described the situation of dozens of schools without air conditioning as “disgraceful” and “unacceptable,” during the Board of Public Works meeting on Sept. 16.

The governor said there was funding available and it was unclear why air conditioning had not been installed.

Comptroller Peter Franchot said that Baltimore County received $27 million in state funds in the last six years for repairs and renovations, spending little on air conditioning, according to WBAL.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz issued a statement following the state officials’ remarks.

“We have made historic progress and are working hard to quickly resolve a problem that I inherited,” Kamenetz, who has been in office since December 2010, said in the statement.

In the past five years, he said the county has reduced the schools without air conditioning from 52 to 15 percent, and has budgeted to ensure 99 percent of schools are air conditioned by 2021.

For faster progress, he said the state needed to provide more funding.

“We need the state to step up and equally match our county contributions, so we can expedite the air conditioning projects at the remaining schools,” Kamenetz said in a statement.

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Hogan called upon Kamenetz and Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance to appear before the Board of Public Works at its Oct. 7 meeting about the air conditioning issue, according to WBAL.

Beforehand, Franchot will reportedly be meeting with constituents at the Arbutus Town Hall on Oct. 6.

Capital News Service reporter Darcy Costello contributed.

Statement from County Executive Kevin Kamenetz Sept. 16 on air conditioning issue

“Baltimore County is in the midst of a $1.3 billion, ten year Schools for Our Future program. Sixty-nine percent or $900 million of those funds are County dollars. The state is contributing 31 percent or $400 million. Customarily, the State requires the County to provide a dollar for dollar match. We are providing more than $2 for every $1 dollar of State funding. We need the State to step up and equally match our County contributions, so we can expedite the air conditioning projects at the remaining schools. In the past five years with projects completed or fully funded, we have reduced the number of schools without air conditioning from 52 percent to 15 percent. At the conclusion of our program, 99 percent of all of our schools will be air conditioned, including every single elementary and middle school. We have made historic progress and are working hard to quickly resolve a problem that I inherited.” —Kevin Kamenetz

Statement from Dallas Dance issued Sept. 16 on air conditioning issue

“I want to thank the County Executive, County Council, state legislators and our Board of Education for the progress made to not only put air conditioning in our schools but also to modernize our schools to accommodate enrollment increases. It shows the strong partnership and commitment to all our students, families and employees.” —Dr. Dallas Dance