July 28 Board of Public Works Meeting: Here’s What Counties Need to Know

The Board of Public Works (BPW) — a three-member panel including Governor Larry Hogan, Comptroller Peter Franchot, and State Treasurer Nancy Kopp — reviews projects, contracts, and expenditure plans for state agencies, many of which have an effect on county governments.

The BPW considered and approved the following requests and recommendations in its July 28, 2021 meeting.

Note: This is a list of county-specific items, not a comprehensive list of BPW actions.

Anne Arundel County

  • A request from the Maryland Department of Health to approve a $6,622.00 grant to Main Street Housing, Inc. to assist with replacing the HVAC units at 10 Woodward Ct. and 7 Winslow Court in Annapolis. The houses are used to provide safe and affordable housing for people living with mental health disabilities.  The project’s total cost is $10,530 (Item 15 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Baltimore City

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for grants totaling$250,000 to the Board of Directors of Artspace Baltimore, LLC for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping Ambassador Theater. There is no matching fund requirement for these grants (Item 2 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Baltimore County

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $75,000 grant to the Board of Directors of the Sparrows Point/North Point Historical Society, Inc. and the Board of Education of Baltimore County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Beacon of Hope project at Sparrows Point High School. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 4 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to grant $415,000 of Program Open Space statewide funds for the acquisition in fee simple of 1 +/- acres (Murray property) in Baltimore County. This mostly forested property, which is adjacent to Patapsco Valley State Park and includes an unnamed tributary of the Patapsco River, will be managed by the Maryland Park Service as an addition to Patapsco Valley State Park. The acquisition will expand public recreational opportunities and improve parking access for the Alberton Road/Thru Trail adjacent to the property. The property lies within the Hollofield Gorge Ecologically Significant Area. It includes riparian floodplain forest that provides important habitat for Forest Interior Dwelling Species, wildlife, and diverse species of flora (Item 10A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Caroline County

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $197,262 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to install new playground equipment consistent with National Playground Safety Standards and the Americans with Disabilities Act at Fourth Street Park (Item 2A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Carroll County

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $245,050 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to replace the current bandstand and park bench seating with an amphitheater-style bandstand, additional seating, a walking path, period lighting, and stamped concrete at War Memorial Park in Hampstead (Item 3A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Dorchester County

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $137,040 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to purchase and install new playground equipment and safety surfacing consistent with National Playground Safety Standards and the Americans with Disabilities Act at the Town of Vienna Playground (Item 4A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $253,300 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to construct a new baseball field, basketball court, and gazebo at North Main Street Park in Hurlock (Item 4A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Frederick County

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $12,488.00 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Frederick County for two projects in Emmitsburg:
    • Memorial Park: $2,243.00 to paint and refurbish the existing benches in the dugout for ballfield #7, as well as install a helmet and bat rack, add ventilation to the storage room and replace the wood frame and chain link fence around the dugout window (Item 5A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).
    • E. Eugene Myers Community Park: $10,245.00 to construct a small pavilion with a picnic table near the existing bandstand (Item 5A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).
  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $75,000 grant to the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Maryland Ensemble Theatre facility. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 7 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).
  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $500,000 grant to the Board of Trustees of the Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs in Frederick County, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Religious Coalition for the Emergency Human Needs facility. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 9 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Harford County

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $50,000 grant to the Board of Directors of The Sgt. Alfred B. Hilton Memorial Fund, Inc., and Mayor and City Council of the City of Havre de Grace for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Sgt. Alfred B. Hilton Memorial at Millard Tydings Memorial Park. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 13 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).
  • A request from the Maryland Environmental Trust to ratify the donation of a perpetual conservation easement on 43.1354 acres in Bel Air (Patterson Mill, LLC property on Patterson Mill Road) (Item 12A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Howard County

  • A request from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to approve an easement agreement between the Howard County Housing Commission (HCHC), The Residents at Ellicott Gardens, LLC, and Ellicott Gardens 2 Limited Partnership. In 2008, DHCD provided Maryland Bond Program and Partnership Rental Housing Program loans to the Residences at Ellicott Gardens, LLC, an affiliate of the Housing Commission, to finance the development of the Residences at Ellicott Gardens, a 106-unit affordable multifamily project. HCHC is now proposing to develop an additional 70 affordable housing units adjacent to the existing project, known as The Residences at Ellicott Gardens 2. This agreement will enable the existing and proposed projects to share a children’s play area and exercise room. In addition, it will establish access, utility, infrastructure, and parking easements for the projects (Item 8 of the Secretary’s Agenda).

Montgomery County

  • A request from the Maryland Department of Health to approve a $127,646 grant to Housing Unlimited, Inc. to acquire a house located at 914 King Farm Blvd., Rockville. The property will provide housing for two individuals with psychiatric disabilities. The contract sale price of the property is $169,395 (Item 17 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).
  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $91,000 grant to the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Germantown branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 5 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).
  • A request to certify matching funds and enter into a grant agreement for a $100,000 grant to the Board of Directors of the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Noyes Children’s Library. The Grantee has submitted documentation of sufficient funds to meet the matching fund requirement for this project (Item 8 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $711,350 in Program Open Space funding allocated to Montgomery County to acquire 69.79 acres of property (Fairhill Estates Property) to use for trail development at the new Upper Hawlings River Stream Valley Park (Item 6A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).
  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $100,000 grant to the Board of Directors of Artpreneurs, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Arts on the Block studio expansion. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 3 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Prince George’s County

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $250,000 grant to the Board of Directors of Riverdale Park Business Association, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of a trolley car into a public amenity space. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 10 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

St. Mary’s County

  • A request by the Department of Natural Resources to commit $25,000 in Program Open Space funding allocated to St. Mary’s County to complete the County’s 2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan, consistent with State planning requirements (Item 7A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $202,500 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to St. Mary’s County to purchase and install new lights for the existing tennis courts at Cecil Park (Item 7A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Washington County

  • A request from the Maryland Department of Health to approve a $750,000 grant to the Arc of Washington County (AWC), Inc. towards the renovation of the Grantee’s 30-year-old main campus buildings located at 820 and 840 Florida Avenue, Hagerstown. AWC provides comprehensive services and support to children and adults with a wide range of intellectual and developmental disabilities. The total project cost is $4,544,440 (Item 16 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Wicomico County

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $90,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Wicomico County to renovate outdated restrooms and conduct site work for a new pavilion at the Salisbury Zoo (Item 9 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Visit the BPW website for more information.