[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6463391,"mediaKeyId","5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551","parentId",5785616,"title","Carroll 250 organizers outline traveling exhibit, community calendar and monthly events","audioSeconds",416,"startMs",4864000,"endMs",5280000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551&start=4864&end=5280","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551/thumbnail_4864000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6463391/Carroll-County/Maryland/Carroll-250-organizers-outline-traveling-exhibit-community-calendar-and-monthly-events","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463391-c13aff3a9e2ed68e3c124c099cdde2a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167849&Signature=JP-QqqgxZB76IHee5h1VV8RChD9WQaWLIpeuI0APggn-Gf44Zql-neLU2en8xCZIaro0ECM66EyBHEDVfCbUgiQM4~Y6ZQLZs~wjHbQzB731KI4-Wj038UCWxjxTQnCb5osmzbxAy2kdpOapVYtwj5lp1mkP8gXtNRfEzONg-inDYCxBjyyagIPM21JTEM84kdebxE-l4sjUoGriO-5J~7ayZA-RQPxLnMN1a4x0g6qA01ciQMyCYwA0Ky6Ns6djZZWNrooArHIL~v0gW4F5CVM0itJEelfa9bO-36ccpUo7w8cdH56IwlXgXvnPDV4EQOwJi0YnmxLU2Xf6aN8Y7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Carroll County, MD","date","2025-09-18T15:22:19Z","article","Advisory committee members briefed the Board of Commissioners Sept. 18 on Carroll 250 planning and promotion, a countywide effort to mark America’s semiquincentennial.

Jason (committee staff) and Joe Thompson, director of public services for the Carroll County Public Library, outlined the work done since the board established a Carroll 250 advisory committee in May. Jason said the effort has produced a one-stop landing page with a community calendar, an exhibitor form for a traveling exhibit and a membership list of advisory committee participants. \"This is a a good 1 stop shop for, Carroll 2 50 initiatives and planning,\" he said.

Joe Thompson described partnerships that have formed around programming and collections, and noted the traveling exhibit is currently at the Manchester Historical Center. He also described a \"celebrating America\" summer passport program that drew 1,496 student registrants and 61 completed passports this year; the fall history expo will include the drawing for raffle prizes.

Other highlights and next steps discussed by committee members included:
- A county landing page with an events submission form and a community calendar intended to aggregate municipal and nonprofit events tied to the semiquincentennial.
- A traveling exhibit available to community groups with no fee and a suggested multi-week hosting window to justify setup and takedown logistics; it is currently on display at the Manchester Historical Center.
- Quarterly community forums for public input; the committee confirmed a December 4 forum in Taneytown.
- Plans for coordinated programming across museums, libraries and the Farm Museum, and discussions with the Westminster Arts Center about an art exhibit tied to 250 themes.
- A commemorative county coin being developed with the Carroll County Coin Club and additional promotional materials (trifold brochures) to be distributed at events.

Committee members said the primary approach is to support and promote locally led events and to help partners prepare complementary programming rather than producing a single county-run marquee event. The traveling exhibit, they said, is available at no cost and the committee will assist with logistics and scheduling.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioners Open Session September 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Advisory committee members and public-service partners updated commissioners on Carroll County’s America 250 (Carroll 250) planning: a traveling exhibit, a community calendar, quarterly forums and partnerships with libraries, historical societies and towns.","taxTitle","Carroll County, Maryland","taxId",7748,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6463394,"Local management board unveils community needs assessment highlighting place-based disparities in Carroll County",1041,1958000,2999000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551&start=1958&end=2999","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551/thumbnail_1958000.jpg","/articles/6463394/Carroll-County/Maryland/Local-management-board-unveils-community-needs-assessment-highlighting-place-based-disparities-in-Carroll-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463394-cf9c742f4c961e9854da1d889052cfc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167849&Signature=WS5UJJSaBTveHZdIePPiba9lTcWJTlrIqAX3T4Uef-rEQtYaht624wgJG0UNgWuNIhWhAE3kC8JahnEZoMhFNXC4AXEpwSKtMNPmVad3~bYYJFy9Jws3EOFImd16UjGTSDhUv-VJo4EyN81Wb8cyXJFpfOaFJw2k5hOFyn24cZANy3Y27COhGdQqHbzv4NMSyvDuiVB4~qbmAD2dOaG~slckH8CAmQbNuKmG0A-ClyEC674lzdiUkvmXw4no-Wv~VOR~v4eqI-eVsiBQExLA8Cd~vuxR6t4g2mL8Yv969-Wp0C1im8PpiT4nrX7iIUf9WzokXEOR7S-NBQyNKKih~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Carroll County Local Management Board presented its six-month community needs assessment to the Board of Commissioners on Sept. 18, describing countywide strengths and place-based disparities concentrated in the City of Westminster and the Town of Union Bridge.

Local management board manager Ed Singer said the assessment combines secondary data from state and national sources with input from more than 400 community members and local focus groups. \"This needs assessment was conducted by the local management board in partnership with due east. It combines secondary data from more than a dozen state, county, and national sources with input from over 400 community members here,\" he said.

Maddie Eslinger, the board’s Enough community engagement coordinator, summarized the four pillars guiding the Enough initiative: high-quality childcare and education; family health; economic stability and basic needs; and safe and thriving communities. Key findings included:

- Education: Carroll County’s high school graduation rate is reported at 95 percent, and third-grade English/language-arts proficiency at 61 percent versus 47 percent statewide; kindergarten readiness was noted at 58 percent overall but with lower rates for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, Black and Hispanic children. Chronic absenteeism affects about 1 in 5 students, organizers said.

- Family health: The presentation said infant mortality is about half the state average and only about 3 percent of residents lack health insurance, but mental-health service capacity is strained; providers have long wait times and some are not accepting new patients. The board noted that nearly one in five high-school students had seriously considered suicide.

- Economic stability: The countywide child-poverty rate was reported at 6 percent with a median household income near $116,000. Place-based disparities are more pronounced: Union Bridge was described as having an 18 percent overall poverty rate and a 33 percent child poverty rate, while the Westminster focus area shows higher-than-county poverty (roughly 11 percent overall and 13 percent for children). The assessment flagged a sizeable ALICE population (households above the federal poverty line yet struggling to afford basics).

- Safe and thriving communities: Presenters said homelessness is at a five-year high, with 556 people reported in the most recent count; school homelessness and juvenile complaints have increased in recent years, and community members expressed concerns about trust in law enforcement and limited recreation infrastructure.

Ed Singer said the assessment is intended as a roadmap for coordinated investments and partner-led action. He described the local management board’s role as convenor rather than direct service provider: \"the local management board doesn't provide very much as far as direct services are concerned. What we do is, we're the glue that kinda pulls everybody in the community together to figure out who can do what to try to address some of the needs that we've identified in this plan,\" he said.

Representatives from the Governor's Office for Children were on hand; program manager Misaki Valentine noted the state’s capacity-building grant funding supports county boards across Maryland. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about ALICE definitions, geographic differences in housing costs, the effects of pre-K programs on kindergarten readiness and local strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve behavioral-health access.

Commissioners and presenters discussed next steps including prioritized place-based investments in Union Bridge and Westminster, coordination with the school system and the development of an asset map to make services more discoverable to first responders and residents. The board did not take formal action during the presentation; staff said the next phase will be translating the plan into prioritized programming and funding requests.","The Carroll County Local Management Board presented a community needs assessment funded through the state Enough initiative, reporting strengths (high graduation rate, strong literacy) and challenges focused in Westminster and Union Bridge including childcare access, mental health wait times and concentrated poverty.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6463399,"Carroll County commissioners approve multiple FY26 purchases, grants and contracts",4481,1879000,6360000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551&start=1879&end=6360","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5785616-e98842ef3bd63fc23ce54a9e25b15551/thumbnail_1879000.jpg","/articles/6463399/Carroll-County/Maryland/Carroll-County-commissioners-approve-multiple-FY26-purchases-grants-and-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463399-aa9051cb5a393ab97f256cc2061d6c59/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167849&Signature=CtxStdv9nAG7gjN0p0kXTjKYziMDcwTXTto89EFVaT3-OI5YuNDNUxRhSbNY8DAzgihutA3InvZbx7oakbIiWWqMqGCstXRhGqIkJMcD6UXyrophnRrksGSitYbuH19tiEULYWh9~NRtj7wZWVvxX8ztxP0NeUHhMZmab8lsGifQ-cNzyC3-cR0r7AOdpuX7GFFt9OIlysXseVSHSNfavvEehFfIYyjDuzaov1kDYVUZF0XMt3DDgQctcMp39PsmkMMWkznbcooXc3KfWGfH4V0J5exCfpSDXjtLwV-PJDS-5lrgzIIJpgXyvSTGoPllY9HK1x9~O1JdfyTYQiM9lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Carroll County Board of Commissioners approved a series of procurement items, grant applications and contract awards during its Sept. 18 open meeting in Westminster, officials said.

The board voted to authorize spending included in the FY26 budget and to accept related grants, from IT hardware and ambulance purchases to stormwater and airport work. Most approvals were voice votes; the minutes record motions, seconds and “Aye” responses but do not include roll-call tallies.

Office of Procurement staff Allison described the largest single procurement: “The Office of Procurement in cooperation with the Department of Technology Services request signing authority approval to spend up to but not exceed $500,000 with Dell Computer Corporation for replacement computer equipment and accessories,” she said, noting the purchase will be made through an Omnia Partners contract and is within the FY26 adopted budget.

Other approvals included:
- Purchase authority and budgeted spending up to $500,000 with Dell Computer Corporation for replacement computers and accessories (procurement staff).
- Authorization to submit and accept a Maryland grant for cardiac devices (two LifePak 35 monitors) with a total project cost of $141,324 and a county match request of $24,324.90 (Fire & EMS); the application was approved for submission and acceptance.
- Acceptance of a state-mandated National EMS information system implementation and annual services contract (ESO Solutions) for $47,321 to meet NIRS/NEMSIS requirements for electronic patient care records (Fire & EMS).
- Purchase of three new Ford-based Ultra Medic ambulances from Atlantic Emergency Solutions for $1,263,996 (Fire & EMS); the county expects delivery in about two years.
- Fleet replacements: nine 2026 Ford Explorers for sheriff patrol ($416,070); four 2026 Ford F-450 trucks for parks and roads ($542,324); and a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox for utilities ($29,602). Existing units will be auctioned as described in staff remarks.
- Purchase of three control-room consoles for the Carroll County Detention Center (SHI) for $54,689.80, part of an ongoing control-system renovation.
- Award of a $291,970 contract to replace and relocate the automated weather observation station (AWOS) at Carroll County Regional Airport (Glenelg Construction), with 95% of the project funded through IIJA/FAA grant sources and a small local match.
- Payment to the City of Westminster of $88,640.42 for benefit assessments and a water meter for the Office of the State's Attorney project (Building Construction reviewed and confirmed fee calculations against the city code).
- Stormwater and culvert repairs: approval of Shotcrete lining at Harney Road ($44,990.50) and two related Enterprise Street projects (ProShot Concrete, $100,600; and a follow-up increase to Pleasants Construction totaling $133,560.08 more than the original contract). Staff said the approach saved the county money compared with alternate liner methods.

Commissioners and department staff who presented the items emphasized that the purchases and awards were within the FY26 budget and tied to ongoing capital or operational needs. Several presenters noted federal, state or cooperative contract vehicles were used (Omnia Partners, Sourcewell, Baltimore County cooperative contracts). No items were tabled or rejected.

Public comment at the meeting included one caller from the Carroll County Republican Central Committee who addressed local civic activity and upcoming party events; that comment was not related to any of the votes.

The board completed the requested approvals by voice vote and moved on to other agenda items.","At its Sept. 18 meeting in Westminster, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners approved a bundle of procurement items, grant applications and contract awards included in the FY26 budget, covering IT equipment, airport infrastructure, public-safety equipment and road and stormwater repairs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Carroll 250 organizers outline traveling exhibit, community calendar and monthly events

Local management board unveils community needs assessment highlighting place-based disparities in Carroll County

Carroll County commissioners approve multiple FY26 purchases, grants and contracts