Board of Public Works Meeting Sends $1.9M to Counties

During a meeting yesterday the Board of Public Works approved $1.9M in funds for ten county governments. Funds came from Program Open Space (POS) and prior year state capital budget allocations.

Of the $1.9M, the largest allocation of $600K was made to Montgomery for the construction of a new recreational trail within Rock Creek Regional Park and North Branch Stream Valley Park. About $1.5M of the total funds were appropriated from Program Open Space with about $350K coming from previous state commitments in prior year capital budgets.

See all county allocations and projects below.

Allegany

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $8,100 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Allegany County for signage, landscaping, mulch, dugout soffit and associated amenities at Hill Street, Latrobe Street and Takoma Drive Parks. These parks are all located in the Town of Barton; and
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $60,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Allegany County for new LED lighting at Brauer Field at the Cresaptown Sports Complex.

Baltimore County

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $420,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Baltimore County for new LED lighting systems at all of the athletic fields and ballfields at Reisterstown Regional Park.

Calvert

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

Cecil

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $25,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Cecil County for a new electronic gate at the Elk River boat launch.

Dorchester

  • A request by the Department of Natural Resources to commit an additional $16,250 in Program Open Space funding allocated to Dorchester County to complete the County’s 2027 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan, consistent with State planning requirements.

Howard

  • A request to enter into grant agreements for grants totaling $250,000 to Howard County, Maryland for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Ellicott City 50 + Center including entrance ADA accessibility improvements. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant. The General Assembly previously approved this funding as part of the 2025 Capital Budget.

Montgomery

  • A request by the Department of Natural Resources to commit $125,000 in Program Open Space funding allocated to Montgomery County to complete the County’s 2027 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan, consistent with State planning requirements; and
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $600,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Montgomery County to construct a new 2.2-mile paved hiker/biker trail within Rock Creek Regional Park and North Branch Stream Valley Park.

 Queen Anne’s

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to grant $213,256.75 of Program Open Space stateside funds to Queen Anne’s County for the acquisition of a 35.20-acre Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) easement (Whaley property). Acquisition of this CREP easement permanently protects water quality by preserving approximately 3,000 linear feet of forested stream buffer directly on the Wye River and approximately 1,300 linear feet of forested buffers along an associated unnamed tributary. The easement will be co-held by the Board of County Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Washington

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $75,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Washington County to renovate the bathrooms at Billy Doub Park in Williamsport.

 Wicomico

  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $100,000 grant to Wicomico County, Maryland for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Wicomico County Bookmobile. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant. The General Assembly previously approved this funding as part of the 2021 Capital Budget.