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Anne Arundel Earns National Accreditation in Parks and Recreation

Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks recently earned national accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). From Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks: “The CAPRA accreditation has been a goal of the department for over five years. It represents a tremendous effort from our staff to take a hard look at ourselves and what improvements we needed to…

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October 29, 2020
Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / Environment / Health and Human Services / Parks and Recreation / Planning and Zoning / Public Information and Ethics / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works
“Last Day” Issues Wrap Up

As reported yesterday by MACo, a number of issues with county effect remained in play prior to the midnight deadline for the General Assembly session.  Below is an overview of how each of those bills ultimately played out: Maintenance of Effort – As reported yesterday, three bills were awaiting  final action. MACo supported HB 44 and SB 53 as a legislative initiative, to expand and balance the process for considering county MOE waiver requests —and…

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April 12, 2011
Bill Hearing / Parks and Recreation / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works
House and Senate Conferees Complete Work on the FY 2012 Budget

House and Senate budget conferees have completed their work to resolve the differences in each chamber’s respective FY 2012 budget plan (HB 70/ HB 72).  It is anticipated that both chambers will pass the revised budget by Friday. As reported by the Washington Post, both sides have resolved differences over State employee and teacher pensions and retiree health care. Under that compromise, state retirees will see their maximum out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs more than…

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April 6, 2011
Bill Hearing / Parks and Recreation / Planning and Zoning
Session Update: Parks and Recreation Legislation

This post summarizes the status of various parks and recreation bills that MACo either considered or took a position on. Concussion Education and Treatment:  HB 1, HB 858, and SB 771 are similar bills that require school systems and youth sports programs to provide information about concussions to athletes, their parents or guardians, and coaches.  An athlete suspected of having a concussion or other head injury must be pulled from practice or play until cleared by a licensed health care provider. …

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April 5, 2011
Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / Parks and Recreation / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works
Senate Budget Committee Approves Budget Plan: Rejects Pension Shift, Agrees To One-Time Funding for Local Roads

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee approved its plan to modify the Governor's 2012 proposed budget, concurring with a large number of the actions taken by the House.  As a part of their plan, the Senate Committee concurred with the House to restore funding for education, rejected a Department of Legislative Services (DLS) recommendation to transfer 50 percent of teacher retirement expenses to the local boards of education, and concurred with a one-time payment of…

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March 25, 2011
Finance and Procurement / Parks and Recreation / Public Safety and Corrections / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works
Appropriations Committee Approves Budget Plan: Rejects Pension Shift, Finds One-Time Funding for Local Roads, Reduces Assessment Shift

After a marathon 9 hour decision meeting, the House Appropriations Committee approved its plan to modify Governor O' Malley's proposed FY 2012 budget.  As a part of their plan the House Committee restored funding for education, raised motor vehicle titling and vanity plate fees to generate revenue for transportation, and modified other program reductions and transfers. The Committee also took actions to change retiree health benefits and modify the employee and teacher pension systems. The…

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March 19, 2011
Parks and Recreation / Uncategorized
MACo-Supported Bill Giving Local Governments More Flexibility for Use of POS Funds Passes Senate

The Senate passed Senate Bill 421, a bill MACo supported which would give added flexibility to uses of Program Open Space (POS) funding for jurisdictions reaching approved land acquisition targets. Under the current POS law and practice, counties submit a local Land Preservation and Recreation Plan (LPRP), including land acquisition targets. If a jurisdiction is certified by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Planning, that it has achieved the goals set…

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March 11, 2011
Bill Hearing / Education / Environment / Health and Human Services / Parks and Recreation / Uncategorized
MACo Seeks Amendments to Student Athlete Concussion Prevention bill

On March 9, MACo supported with amendments,  Senate Bill 771 sponsored by Senator Joan Carter Conway, before the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.  MACo's Parks and Recreation Affiliate Chair and Talbot County Parks and Recreation Director, Rick Towle,  Howard County Recreation and Parks  Director John Byrd and Allan Harden, Superintendent of Sports, Howard County Recreation and Parks, suggested amendments to each bill to address problematic implementation issues for volunteer-run athletic programs, in terms of…

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March 11, 2011
Parks and Recreation / Planning and Zoning
MACo Winter Conference Session-The Economics of Parks and Recreation

Local parks, recreational facilities and protected open spaces help make your community a desirable place to live, work and visit.   Your Parks and Recreation departments are a driver for economic development and they offer an exceptional array of services at little to no cost to your citizens.  While state funding for local acquisition and recreation projects has been cut severely and future funding is uncertain, and local departments are being asked to do more with…

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December 27, 2010
Parks and Recreation
Debate Continues on Safety of Artificial Turf Fields

An August 27 Gazette article highlights the ongoing debate about the safety of artificial turf fields for both people and the environment. Depending on who is talking, synthetic turf fields are either the environmentally sound wave of the future or a yet-to-be-fully known threat to humans and the Earth.  ... As the debate goes on, federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, still are measuring the risks that might be posed by direct and environmental…

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August 30, 2010
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