Howard County Council Legislative Public Hearing – October 19, 2026

The Howard County Council held a hybrid legislative public hearing on Monday, October 19, 2026, beginning at 7:00 p.m., to hear testimony on legislation introduced on October 5, 2026. Chair Opel Jones presided in the George Howard Building, with Councilmembers Christiana Rigby (virtual), Liz Walsh, Deb Jung, and David Yungmann participating. Sign-up to testify closed at 7:00 p.m. The hearing covered dozens of appointment and reappointment resolutions, agricultural preservation, animal adoption fees, floodplain updates, police pay and classification changes, a senior tax credit increase, zoning procedure updates, ethics law changes, and Inspector General records access. Comcast broadcast technical issues were noted; viewers were directed to the live stream. No votes were taken; a Council work session is set for Monday, October 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., and a legislative session for final consideration is set for Friday, October 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Appointments and Reappointments

Candidates generally testified in support of their own appointments. Notable testimony included:

• CR131-2026 – Mary O. Barton (Interfaith Advisory Commission): described 19 years in Adult ESL at Howard Community College and helping an unhoused student; stressed faith communities can help residents navigate services.
• CR149-2026 – Meg Boyd (SMART Data Center Task Force): noted the Conservancy holds 52 conservation easements on 22,000 acres across the county.
• CR163-2026 – Danyell Diggs (Multimodal Transportation Board): cited more than 25 years of transportation experience at local, state, and federal levels; 27-year Howard County resident.
• CR164-2026 – Rev. C. Paige Getty (Interfaith Advisory Commission): former lead minister of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia; served on the working group that proposed the commission.
• CR165-2026 – Divine David Jimeto Alachebe (Opioid Restitution Fund Commission): Centennial High School senior who lost a friend to a drug overdose; recommended by a school social worker.
• CR166-2026 – Elizabeth W. Ndungu (Commission on Disabilities): born with clubfoot in Kenya; runs businesses employing people with intellectual disabilities; established nonprofit UESO.
• CR167-2026 – Jamie L. Ferguson, Ph.D. (Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board): historian managing 16 burial sites for Montgomery Parks; confirmed she does not live or work in Howard County, but noted the position was advertised as open to non-residents.
• CR168-2026 – Deacon Allen R. Greene (Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board): spoke about St. Mary's Cemetery in Turf Valley, resting place of about 167 people including enslaved and formerly enslaved individuals; his three-times great-grandmother is buried there.
• CR169-2026 – Kathryn Adkins Walker Robinson (Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board): testified on the importance of preserving cemeteries as irreplaceable time capsules of history.
• CR170-2026 – Saphronia "Sophie" Lang-Bradford (Commission for Veterans and Military Families): did not sign up beforehand but was allowed to testify by the Chair; cited her father's 35 years in the Army, her husband's 30 years in the Air Force, her own USAF service, and 20+ years of program management.
• CR171-2026 – Rita Kristine Bernardo (Multimodal Transportation Board): recent Harvard Graduate School of Design master's in urban planning; works at Baltimore Metropolitan Council on transportation safety.
• CR172-2026 – Kari Andresen (Multimodal Transportation Board): electrician apprentice; described dangerous pedestrian conditions near BJ's on Snowden, including at least one death of an employee walking to work.
• CR173-2026 – Rachael MacMurray (Adult-Use Cannabis Advisory Panel): 10 years in regulated retail; passionate about community reinvestment and repair.
• CR174-2026 – Saraniya Tharmarajah, Ph.D. (Adult-Use Cannabis Advisory Panel): public health researcher at Johns Hopkins; raised in Howard County.
• CR175-2026 – Quinton Askew (Adult-Use Cannabis Advisory Panel): overcame technical difficulties; former Howard County government staffer and current executive director of Ohana of Howard County.
• CR176-2026 – Francesca Valencia (LGBTQIA+ Commission): community leader and arts advocate.
• CR177-2026 – Marina Lambrinou, Ph.D. (LGBTQIA+ Commission): educator in HCPSS, openly queer, Democratic Central Committee member.
• CR178-2026 – Gemma Holgate (LGBTQIA+ Commission): transgender parent of queer HCPSS students; president of Community Allies of Rainbow Youth.
• CR179-2026 – Jeminetu Usman (Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission): Nigerian immigrant, social worker, wants to advance MLK's legacy.
• CR180-2026 – Margaret Melikian (Historic Preservation Commission): no testimony noted.
• CR181-2026 – Jonathan Shin (SMART Data Center Task Force): 25-year resident; nearly 15 years in building lifecycle and data center infrastructure experience.
• CR182-2026 – Sandra M. Price (Human Rights Commission): former community educator at HopeWorks of Howard County; five years on Consumer Protection Advisory Board.
• CR195-2026 – Chris Anderson (SMART Data Center Task Force, introduced by Councilmember Rigby): business agent for Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 486, which represents more than 3,000 workers; supports responsible data center development.

Reappointments were read without individual testimony: CR183-2026 Michelle Rhodes-Brown, CFA (Pension Oversight Commission); CR184-2026 Regina V. Lee (Commission on Disabilities); CR185-2026 Gift Gunaraj Jayakar (Commission on Disabilities); CR186-2026 Bryan Weinstein (Commission on Disabilities); CR187-2026 Ben S. Barlow (Historic Preservation Commission).

Agricultural, Financial, and Public Safety Legislation

• CB60-2026 – James Zoller (Administrator, Office of Agriculture) supported a multi-year installment purchase agreement to acquire an agricultural preservation easement on a 62.98-acre equine farm at 2698 Jennings Chapel Road, Woodbine, for a maximum purchase price of $2,363,100 (not more than $37,520 per acre). The property has 99% Class 1, 2, and 3 soils, a current soil conservation plan, and would add to over 23,380 acres of preserved farmland.
• CR188-2026 – Sherry Fox (Animal Control Administrator) and Fran Lepresti (Animal Matters Hearing Board) supported a maximum adoption fee for dogs and cats. Current charges can reach $291 for dogs and $241 for cats. In 2025, 655 animal adoptions generated $41,384; proposed flat fees would lower collections by an estimated $16,254, but lower fees are expected to increase adoptions and reduce shelter costs.
• CR189-2026 – A county economic development representative (identified as Ms. Jones) supported endorsing state financing for Saval Foods, LLC. Saval Foods plans to consolidate two Elkridge locations in Gateway and add approximately 100 jobs; it has been in the county about 40 years.
• CB61-2026 – Yosef Cabetta (Director, Department of Public Works) supported updating floodplain provisions to meet FEMA/MEMA requirements. Howard County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and has a Community Rating System Class 5, giving residents a 25% flood insurance premium discount. The update began in 2020; the county is in a 90-day appeal period. No fiscal impact is expected.
• CB62-2026 – Ann Coshi (Deputy Administrator, Office of Human Resources) presented specialty pay of $5,000 per year for police captains; with eight captain positions, the fiscal impact is approximately $40,000. The Personnel Board approved CB62.
• CB63-2026 / CB64-2026 – Ms. Coshi presented a new Police Colonel executive exempt position and its classification and pay grade. The Personnel Board tabled votes on both bills that day. Council discussion raised questions about the need for the position, whether it would replace an existing assistant administrator position, and total costs; the pay range cited was approximately $145,000-$281,000 excluding benefits.
• CR193-2026 – Emily Ayaki (Chief, Bureau of Real Estate Management) supported conveying approximately 0.477 acres of county-owned parcels along Route 1 to the State Highway Administration for the US 1 (Washington Boulevard) Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. The total appraised value is $102,950; the bill waives advertising and bidding requirements.
• CR194-2026 – A Howard County Public School System representative and Brent Lovellis (PTA Council of Howard County Legislative Chair) supported the Board of Education's FY2028 state capital construction submission to the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC). Projects include Dunloggin Middle School renovation/additions and roofing projects at Ilchester Elementary and Hollyfield Station Elementary. The total state funding request is about $18.6 million; the estimated local share is $22.5 million, for a total of $41.1 million. The IAC target allocation is about $13.8 million, with another $1.5 million in reserve funds.
• CB66-2026 – Introduced by Councilmember Yungmann at the request of the Zoning Board, this bill amends Zoning Board procedures. Stu Cohn (President, Howard County Citizens Association) offered detailed suggested revisions and requested changes to majority requirements, notice provisions, and deadlines. Shemika Preston asked why the exception-filing period would be shortened from 20 days to 10 days and whether residents would have adequate time to respond. Another resident suggested 15 days as a compromise.
• CB67-2026 – Chair Jones introduced this bill to increase the senior property tax credit maximum from 25% to 50% of eligible county property taxes after the homestead credit, beginning in Tax Year 2027. Alan Schneider (Howard County Citizens Association) supported the bill's purpose but raised concerns about the fiscal analysis, application complexity, and whether the average benefit of roughly $1,000 per applicant is sufficient.
• CB68-2026 – Introduced by Councilmember Jung and co-sponsored by Councilmember Rigby, this bill clarifies confidentiality of Ethics Commission complaints and makes technical corrections, modeled on Anne Arundel County. Matthew Gallagher (Ethics Commission Chair) supported it, saying confidentiality deters weaponized complaints. James Bell opposed it, arguing sanctions for disclosure would discourage legitimate complaints. Ryan Powers supported it but asked for defined sanctions. Councilmember Rigby proposed a broader review of ethics laws.

Inspector General Records Access (CB69-2026)

Councilmember Jung introduced CB69-2026 to designate the Inspector General as a custodian of Howard County government public records. Inspector General Kelly Madigan testified in support, stating the OIG has received 113 complaints and has 35 open cases. She said she has been denied access to records under the Maryland Public Information Act, citing more than 50 categories of exempt records, and has requested access to roughly 30 of about 400 county systems. She argued the current county code already promises full and unrestricted access, and that designating her as custodian is a local solution authorized by MPIA.

The Office of Law's written advice stated that 'the sufficiency of CB69 is not free from legal doubt,' while Inspector General Madigan said her office's impression, after months of discussions, is that the bill is legally sufficient. Numerous members of the public and members of the Inspector General Advisory Board spoke in support, including advisory board chair David Salem, Katie Sedney, Mitchell Stom, former County Executive Alan Kittleman, Kia Green, Andrea Levinson, Daniel Waters, Cindy LaFollette, Nadia Kane, Angela and Robert Bruce, Ryan Powers, Ryan O'Connor, Alan Schneider, and Haley Hendrick. Speakers invoked the 85% voter approval of the 2024 charter amendment establishing the OIG, with 145,000 votes in favor, and argued that an IG without records access cannot perform independent oversight. No public testimony opposing CB69 was heard.

Key Outcomes

• No final votes were taken during the October 19, 2026 hearing.
• The Council will hold a work session on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.; agenda items are due by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
• A legislative session for final consideration of legislation heard this evening is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Banneker Room.
• Written testimony will be accepted and considered by the Council prior to action.
• The Personnel Board tabled its recommendations on CB63-2026 and CB64-2026; the Council will need to determine the effect of that tabling on its consideration.
• Regarding CB69-2026, the Council asked the Inspector General to circulate supporting materials and received Office of Law advice that legal sufficiency is not free from legal doubt.