On March 20, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman delivered his eighth and final State of the County Address, offering a course for the future and a list of accomplishments and milestones met over the the years.

From Howard County’s press release,

In his annual address, delivered at Turf Valley resort, County Executive Ulman offered a retrospective of his eight years in office along with a look to his final year, and said that investments made in broadband, environmental sustainability, government efficiency and toward a cutting edge entrepreneurial ecosystem will pay dividends for years to come.

“With less than one year to go in this job, I can say without a doubt that because of our work together, the state of Howard County is accelerating and strong, forward-focused and vibrant, healthy and nimble, and poised for future success,” said County Executive Ulman.

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County Executive Ulman noted several upcoming milestones in the address. In the area of environmental sustainability, he said Howard County will plant the 70,000th tree since he took office next month, and that they County’s innovative food scrap collection program is poised for expansion. He also said a major project to deliver treated wastewater to Fort Meade for use in a computer cooling center is on track, and will generate revenue when completed while offering environmental protection.

In the economic development arena, he said the county maintains the lowest unemployment rate in Maryland, and more private sector jobs were created in Howard County over the past five years than in any other jurisdiction in Maryland. He said the Howard County Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship and the 3D Maryland manufacturing initiative were delivering results by helping new companies grow. He mentioned several entrepreneurs in the address, and said that Howard County has become the hub of the nation’s cyber industry.

Ulman also pledged a boost in mental health resources and public safety protection in the aftermath of the January shooting at The Mall of Columbia.

County Executive Ulman is prevented by term limits from seeking re-election is 2014.

To read the full text of County Executive Ulman’s remarks, visit Howard County’s website.