Emergency Management / Health and Human Services / MACo Events / Public Safety and Corrections / Winter Conference
Vitals? Check: Taking the Pulse of Maryland’s Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical services are in the midst of transition - from an operational and a financial standpoint. The changes ahead could benefit both rural and metropolitan counties in different ways. Learn more at an educational session at MACo's Winter Conference. Details: Session Title: Vitals? Check: Taking the Pulse of Maryland’s Emergency Medical Services Session Description: When the ambulance shows up, the experts take over. But what happens behind the scenes to maintain Maryland’s top-notch emergency…

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October 22, 2019
Read more about the article Washington County Invests in Existing School Facilities
General Assembly News / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Winter Conference
Washington County Invests in Existing School Facilities

The Herald-Mail Media reports that Washington County Public Schools undertook 113 facilities projects and major work at 14 buildings over the course of the summer. Maintenance and upgrades to current school buildings can help extend their useful life. As reported by Herald-Mail Media, Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Proulx said any investment the system can make in maintaining its infrastructure is beneficial because the district doesn’t know what the lifecycle of its buildings will be. For…

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October 21, 2019
County News / Economic Development / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Parks and Recreation / Planning and Zoning
Save the Date: Historic Preservation Capital Grants Workshops

The Maryland Department of Planning offers a series of opportunities to learn more about grant writing for historic preservation throughout the state this November. The Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program promotes the acquisition, restoration, and rehabilitation of historic properties in Maryland. Eligible properties are listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing structure within a district. According to the Maryland Historical Trust, the program has received…

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October 3, 2019
Health and Human Services / Winter Conference
10 Ways to Improve Rural Resident Health in Maryland

A 2017 Report of the Workgroup on Rural Health Delivery to the Maryland Health Care Commission made many recommendations regarding ways to support and enhance healthcare in Maryland's rural counties. Transforming Maryland's rural healthcare system: A regional approach to rural healthcare was a report required by 2016 legislation of the General Assembly. The robust list of recommendations in the report include ways to: Expand the rural healthcare workforce Increase rural residents' access to care Fund…

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October 1, 2019
County News / Pensions & Public Funds
Printing Money Proposed to Save Public Pensions

An article in Barron's proposes using modern monetary theory to solve the issue of underfunded state public pensions. An article by  Randall W. Forsyth in Barron's describes how public sector finances lag, despite recovery in home prices since the recession. State and local pensions have $8.8 trillion of liabilities, of which only 52% is funded after a decadelong bull market. Falling interest rates have been a major propellant of higher asset prices, but also have…

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September 30, 2019
County News / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
Bi-Partisan Bill in Congress Might Help Leverage Existing County Health Programs

The National Association of Counties' Human Services and Education Steering Committee hears an update on the Social Determinants Accelerator Act and what it might mean for counties.  The National Association of Counties Human Services and Education Steering Committee recently heard an in-depth overview of the Social Determinants Accelerator Act (H.R. 4004), recently introduced in Congress. As described by NACo, The bi-partisan bill would help counties better leverage existing programs and authorities to improve the health…

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September 30, 2019
Emergency Management / Public Safety and Corrections
Role of the Public Highlighted in Updated National Emergency Communications Plan

The Department of Homeland Security released the updated National Emergency Communications Plan– the Nation’s roadmap to ensuring emergency communications interoperability at all levels of government. In 2014, the Maryland Association of Counties advocated improving governance of the State's interoperable emergency communications radio system through the creation of an inclusive Radio Control Board. The Radio Control Board continues to support the 700MHz system with input from county governments who use the system for daily operations and…

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September 26, 2019
Read more about the article Preemption Part 2: A Path out of the Morass
County Government and Structure / Environment / Health and Human Services / Planning and Zoning
Preemption Part 2: A Path out of the Morass

Research shows that implied preemption of local laws by state courts creates unpredictable results throughout the country. But there is one state where a clarifying constitutional amendment removes uncertainty. A report developed for MACo by a candidate for a Master's degree in Public Policy at the University of Maryland details the history of preemption and its types while identifying ways that Maryland might end this unpredictable court doctrine. Case Laws Lay on Boggy Ground  When…

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September 25, 2019
County News / Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections
Article Details Congress’s Delay on Fentanyl

The Washington Post chronicles the failure on Congress to act to stop the fentanyl crisis, even as they received warnings regarding its dangers. The powerful drug fentanyl, a synthetic opioid has been responsible for deaths across the US, and in Maryland. According to data in a recent article from The Washington Post, in Maryland, 3,346 people died from fentanyl overdoses between 2013 and 2017. The focus of the article is on the failure of Congress…

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September 25, 2019
County News / Pensions & Public Funds
Article Suggests Certain Investments for Public, Church Pensions

As described in an article in Chief Investment Officer, public pensions and church pensions face similar difficulties and might benefit from similar investment models. A white paper written by Rivera and Mercantile Managing Director Thomas Cassara suggests managing volatility and avoiding drastic underfunding. According to Cassara, an ideal investment strategy for these plans needs to address two key objectives. One is to improve the funded status of the plan while managing the ups and downs…

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September 13, 2019
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