Board of Public Works Approved $25.8M for Counties This Week

During a meeting yesterday the Board of Public Works approved $25.8M in funds for county government projects from Program Open Space (POS), state agency loans, capital budget allocations, and the Rural Legacy Fund. 

Of the $25.8M, the vast majority was allocated to Howard from the Maryland Department of the Environment, to continue renovations as part of the county’s flood mitigation plan. That total allocation is $18.1M. About $3.4M of the funds were appropriated from the state’s previous commitments in prior year capital budgets to Washington and Wicomico. Rural Legacy Funds from this round of approvals went to Queen Anne’s with about $831K allocated for the preservation of productive agricultural land. POS approvals totaled around $2.3M across ten jurisdictions.

See all county allocations and projects below.

Anne Arundel

  • A request by the Department of Natural Resources to commit $25,000 in Program Open Space funding allocated to Anne Arundel County to complete the County’s 2027 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan, consistent with State planning requirements.

Calvert

  • A request from the Maryland Department of the Environment for new loan funding up to $1,013,794 to the Calvert County Board of Commissioners for the for the design and construction of a well, treatment system, water tower, and water main to address a water supply capacity deficiency in St. Leonard. The increased capacity will also provide sufficient water to meet fire flow demands. 

Carroll

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $552,150 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Carroll County for the following projects at Piney Run Park:
    • $439,650 to replace the deteriorating boathouse 
    • $112,500 to construct a new asphalt parking lot for a future pavilion area 

Cecil

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $80,100 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Cecil County to install a new vault-style toilet at Brantwood Regional Park.

Dorchester

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $350,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Dorchester County to convert an abandoned railroad corridor from Washington Street to Woods Road to a multipurpose path. 

Frederick

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $67,055 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Frederick County for outdoor lighting, signage, greenspace, and parking at Woodsboro Community Center.

Howard

  • A request from the Maryland Department of the Environment for new funding up to $18,169,588 ($17,169,588 loan + $1,000,000 grant) to Howard County for the Extended North Tunnel project. This project is one of the key components of the County’s Flood Mitigation Plan to protect Historic Ellicott City from intense and frequent storm events as the result of climate change. The project entails the construction of an approximately 18 feet diameter 5,300 feet long rock tunnel with three drop shaft locations to convey large storm flows, like those that occurred from flooding events in July 2016 and May 2018. The tunnel starts from Papillon Road and runs under Historic Ellicott City and the CSX Railroad to the Patapsco River.
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $450,000 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Howard County for the following projects:
    • $200,000 to replace three existing pedestrian bridges along the Woodland Road pathway near Centennial Park
    • $250,000 to install shade structures at Centennial, Blandair, Huntington and Cypressmede Parks

Kent

  • A request by the Department of Natural Resources to commit $25,000 in Program Open Space funding allocated to Kent County to complete the County’s 2027 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan, consistent with State planning requirements.

Montgomery

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement between the State and Montgomery County for a $50,000 operating grant to improve parking in Downtown Silver Spring necessitated by the construction of the Purple Line (FY 2026). 

Queen Anne’s

  • A request to provide a $831,154 grant to Queen Anne’s County from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of a 151.42-acre conservation easement in the Lands End Rural Legacy Area (Island Creek Farm, LLC property).  Acquisition of this easement will preserve productive agricultural land that is adjacent to a block of more than 2,000 acres of protected land. Concurrently a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) easement will be acquired on a 58.50-acre portion of the property (see companion Item 12A below). The easement will be co-held by the County’s Board of County Commissioners and DNR. Easement value: $5,442.87/acres
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to grant $419,685.00 of Program Open Space stateside funds to Queen Anne’s County for the acquisition of a 58.80-acre Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) easement (Island Creek Farm, LLC property). Acquisition of this CREP easement permanently protects water quality by preserving approximately 6,000 linear feet of forested land along the wetlands buffering Granny Finley Branch and Island Creek, which flow to the Chester River. A vegetated field edge buffer and forested area further inland will also be protected by the CREP easement. The easement will be co-held by the County’s Board of County Commissioners and DNR.

Worcester

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $315,000 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Worcester County for the following projects:
    • Stockton Park: $45,000 to replace the picnic pavilion
    • John Walter Smith Park: $157,500 for a new concession stand roof and dugouts for three ball fields 
    • Newtown Park: $45,000 for a new concession stand roof 
    • Northern Worcester Athletic Complex: $67,500 for new parking lot lights 

Washington

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to grant $73,242 of Program Open Space stateside funds to Washington County for the acquisition of a 13.2-acre Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) easement (Schofield property). Acquisition of this CREP easement permanently protects water quality by retaining 1,200 linear feet of forested buffers along Antietam Creek and an unnamed tributary. As part of the transaction, the landowner will be donating 19.43 acres of the property into the easement for 32.63 acres of total protection. The easement will be held by Washington County and DNR.
  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $2,500,000 grant to the Board of Commissioners of Washington County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Maryland Theatre, the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (Urban Educational Campus), the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, and for the Multi-use plaza. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant. The General Assembly previously approved this funding as part of the 2020 Capital Budget.

Wicomico

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $900,000 grant to the County Executive and County Council for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Arthur Perdue Stadium, including audio and visual upgrades and maintenance. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant. The General Assembly previously approved this funding as part of the 2024 Capital Budget.