Board of Public Works Sends $9.2M to Counties This Week

The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) met this week and approved a little over $9.2M for counties between Rural Legacy Funds and Program Open Space.

During a regularly scheduled meeting of the BPW, the committee approved funding for a number of new and ongoing projects, as well as adjusted the parameters of one existing allocation. Of the $9.2M addressed, $6.5M was appropriated from Program Open Space. The majority of those funds went to Montgomery and Prince George’s for pathway enhancements in local parks and contributions to the construction costs of a new community center, respectively. Another $1.9M went to Charles from the Rural Legacy Fund for the acquisition and conservation of 665 acres of agricultural and forested land to be held by the County Commissioners in the Nanjemoy-Mattawoman Forest Rural Legacy Area.

More actions from the Wednesday meeting are outlined below.

Allegany

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $10,710 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Allegany County to install a concrete pad and bench swing at the Pratt Street Park in the Town of Luke.

Carroll

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $599,609.41 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Carroll County for the following projects:
    • Piney Run Park: $270,000 for new playground equipment and safety surfacing
    • Mount Airy Rails to Trails: $37,730.76 to pave the existing gravel trail to create an accessible pathway and construct a drainage culvert
    • Walkins Park: $54,537.25 to resurface the existing trail and add a drainage culvert and signage
    • $194,129.40 for Union Bridge Community Center renovations
    • Maple Avenue Lion’s Club Park: $43,212.00 to replace the roof on the existing pavilion as well as add new gutters, and paint and repair the walls

Charles 

  • A request to provide the following grants to the County Commissioners of Charles County from Rural Legacy Funds for easements to be held by the County Commissioners in the Nanjemoy-Mattawoman Forest Rural Legacy Area:
    • A $336,711.63 grant to for acquisition of an 86.55-acre conservation easement (Palmer property).  Acquisition of this conservation easement will protect woodlands, forested nontidal wetlands, and approximately 400 linear feet of forested buffers along Hancock Run, which flows to Nanjemoy Creek, then the Potomac River, and ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay.  Easement value: $4,774.16/acre
    • A $1,413,630.33 grant to acquire a 538.59-acre conservation easement (Resolute Acres, Inc property).  Acquisition of this easement will protect woodlands that is Forest Interior Dwelling Birds Species (FIDS) habitat and agricultural land.  The easement will also protect a 100-foot forested stream buffer of approximately 3,000 linear feet along Wards Run and its tributaries, all of which flow into Nanjemoy Creek and then into the Potomac River.  Easement value: $4774.16/acre
    • A $154,844.54 grant for the acquisition of a 40.3-acre conservation easement (Turner, Jr. property).  Acquisition of this conservation easement will protect agricultural and forested land within the Nanjemoy Creek watershed, an area of statewide ecological significance.  This easement will protect approximately 900 linear feet of forested buffers along unnamed tributaries of Nanjemoy Creek, which flows to the Potomac River, and then drains into the Chesapeake Bay.  Easement value: $ $4,654.80/acre

 Garrett

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $86,400 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Garrett County to renovate the restrooms and construct a new dog park at the Grantsville Community Park.

Howard

  • A recommendation from the Department of General Services to grant a one-year extension to the County Executive and County Council of Howard County from the automatic termination of $750,000 in capital grant funds for the Ellicott City Flood Mitigation project.  The Grantee did not meet the 7-year deadline before the authorization terminated because it anticipates submitting additional contracts for eligibility review.

Montgomery

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $2,631,154.25 in Program Open Space funding allocated to Montgomery County to acquire 170 acres of open space to expand the Little Paint Branch Stream Valley Park and connect walkways to existing paths. 

Prince George’s

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $3,000,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Prince George’s County to design and construct an approximately 3,000 square foot expansion to Rollingcrest Community Center.

St. Mary’s

  • 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 2027 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan, consistent with State planning requirements.
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $225,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to St. Mary’s County to resurface the tennis courts at Dorsey Park and basketball courts at Chancellors Run Park.

Watch the full meeting of the Board of Public Works on August 27.