EASTBALTCO.COM

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski is calling on County residents and organizations to help reduce the litter that degrades our communities and threatens our waterways. BaltCo Litter Blitz — a grassroots outreach effort that begins on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22 — invites groups of any size in Baltimore County to “team up to tackle litter” by hosting community cleanups and sharing results.

“A clean Baltimore County is a healthy and thriving Baltimore County, and all are encouraged to come together and help to ensure that those who visit, live and work here are able to enjoy all of the natural beauty our communities offer, said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “We all have a responsibility to take care of the environment, and working together to keep neighborhoods clean and waterways litter free is a win for everyone.”

Details and resources for the initiative, including a registration form, a cleanup checklist and social media toolkit, an interactive cleanup map and real-time results dashboard, are all accessible via the County’s website. Groups that choose to organize a cleanup can register their events, request supplies and indicate if they are seeking volunteers, and people who wish to volunteer can find contact information to reach out to them directly.

Upon request, the County is providing contractor bags and safety gloves to registered cleanups while supplies last and trash pickups for large cleanups.

The Litter Blitz initiative, which runs through Memorial Day, is a partnership between the County Executive’s Office, Baltimore County departments – Public Works and Transportation, and Environmental Protection and Sustainability.

Long-Term Anti-Litter Programs

In addition to the one-month Litter Blitz promotion, Olszewski encourages people to participate in the County’s year-round litter collection programs, Adopt-A-Road and the Team BCPS Clean Green 15 Litter Challenge.

The County’s Adopt-a-Road program currently includes 130 groups that pick up litter along a designated section of county roadway at least four times per year. Eligible adopters include civic and nonprofit organizations, school groups, commercial and private enterprises, families and individuals.

The Team BCPS Clean Green 15 Litter Challenge allows groups who conduct a 15-minute litter cleanup to designate a Baltimore County public school to earn credit towards grants to fund school-based environmental projects like outdoor classrooms, butterfly or rain gardens and nature educational opportunities for students.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski submitted a $4.9 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2024 that provides historic funding for public education, creates near-universal community college for county residents, and provides record investment in government employees — among other key priorities that will move Baltimore County forward.

“This budget strengthens our new standards of excellence—investing in our people, our communities and our shared future—and will continue to push Baltimore County toward its highest potential,” Olszewski said. “Together we will continue to build on the historic progress we have already made, address longstanding disparities in our communities, and raise the bar even higher in the years ahead.”

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

In today’s address to the County Council, Olszewski highlighted record investments in education and support for key priorities that will move Baltimore County forward. The total proposed Operating Budget is $4.9 billion.

Below are highlights of the FY24 budget that County Executive Olszewski submitted to the Baltimore County Council.

Investing in K-12 Education

Provides a $71 million increase above the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) for Baltimore County Public Schools — the single largest increase in County history.
Provides nearly $210 million in capital funding for school construction projects, including millions to support new or like-new buildings for Lansdowne High School, Towson High School, and Dulaney High School.
Provides full funding for step increases and a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for BCPS staff.
Investing in Higher Education

Expands the Community College of Baltimore County’s (CCBC) College Promise Program to provide near-universal, free community college to any Baltimore County household making less than $150,000 a year for residents seeking a full-time degree, part-time degree, or workforce certification program.
Freezes in-County tuition at CCBC for all residents for sixth year in a row.
Investing in County Employees

Provides a 4 percent Cost-Of-Living Adjustment or equivalent increase — the highest year-over-year increase in County employee pay in at least 3 decades — in addition to full funding of steps and increments for employees.
Creates a $500,000 student loan relief fund for employees.
Contributes $119 million to OPEB — a nearly 25 percent year-over-year increase — to the fund that provides health and life insurance benefits for retired County employees.
Retains a 20 percent fund balance-critical for maintaining the County’s bond ratings.
Investing in Safer Communities

Provides historic pay increases for our law enforcement professionals, including our police officers, 911 personnel, correctional officers, and sheriff’s deputies.
Provides over $9 million towards a new Catonsville Fire Station and $9 million towards a new Sparrows Point Fire Station and training facility.
Provides more than $4 million towards the planning and design of a new Essex Police Precinct.
Investing in our Infrastructure

Provides $30 million towards major Baltimore County Public Library projects at the Essex, Lansdowne, Randallstown and Woodlawn branches.
Allocates nearly $40 million dollars to continue road resurfacing projects and sidewalk improvements across Baltimore County.
Provides another $5 million in County funding — matching $5 million in new State funding — to support continued redevelopment at Security Square Mall.
Provides another $3 million — matching $3 million in new State funding — to support the revitalization of the Pikesville Armory.
Provides millions for senior center projects across Baltimore County, including funding to finish the expansion and renovation at the Woodlawn Senior Center and towards the new Jacksonville Senior Center and North County Senior Centers.
Investing in Vibrant, Livable Neighborhoods

Permanently eliminates the fees for CountyRide transportation service
Funding to bolster Baltimore County’s immigrant affairs outreach.
Funding to support a Working Group on Resource Coordination to Support Victims of Sexual Exploitation, Violence, and Domestic Abuse.
Investing in Sustainable Communities

Provides more than $63 million in funding for parks and open space, including:
$5 million to renovate, replace, and construct modern athletic fields across Baltimore County, including funding for Baltimore County’s first-ever cricket field at Cloverland Park.
$2 million for Cromwell Valley Park
$2 million for the County’s first water splash pad at Northwest Regional Park
$1.7 million for the Marshy Point Nature Center
$1.5 million for Rosedale Park
$1.5 million to re-envision the former Pahl’s Farm property
$1.2 million to plan the future development of sites like Fort Howard Park and Gerst Road Park.
The County Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed FY24 budget on May 25, 2023.