Two of Garrett County’s elected officials, Delegate Wendell Beitzel and State Senator George Edwards, provided their annual Legislative Update at the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Before Hours event. Edwards and Beitzel each took turns covering recent legislation, both that passed and failed, and what it means for the citizens and community in Garrett County.
Both Delegate Beitzel and Senator Edwards were very pleased with most of the legislation, as it will provide much needed funding for many capital projects. Unlike other states and communities, Maryland saw tremendous growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. This created a $7B surplus in the budget, which allowed for specific allocation to new initiatives, many of which will benefit Garrett County.
- Funding was secured to help the Bittinger Volunteer Fire Department purchase a building to serve as their firehouse. The building, now owned by Beitzel Corp., is in an ideal and central location, and could allow for future expansion. Beitzel will move this office to a new spot in the Grantsville Industrial Park.
- $1M was secured for Garrett College to expand and enhance their baseball field to allow room for a soccer field. Currently, the college does not have a field for soccer. The new turf field will be available to the college, local school teams, and community, and will offer the many benefits that ‘turf’ footing brings, including better drainage.
- $200,000 was secured to upgrade the athletic facilities at Northern and Southern Garrett High Schools. Both schools have produced state-championship level teams in recent years, and continue to be hubs for athletic excellence.
- $4.7M was allocated for the creation and development of the ‘Yough Trail’ – which will stretch from Friendsville to Swallow Falls State Park and eventually into Oakland. The majority of that money, $4M, will go to the stretch of trail from Friendsville to Sang Run. The ‘Yough Canyon’ as it’s known now will be developed to allow for hikers and bikers to enjoy stellar views of the Youghiogheny River and some of the best scenery our area has to offer. The additional funds will help connect the Sang Run portion to Swallow Falls State Park. The future plan is to secure enough funding to connect Friendsville to Oakland!
- A local bill was passed for Garrett County that will now allow for alcohol to be served at hair salons and barber shops.
- The Western Maryland Economic Development Task Force is a new pilot program that has secured $50M to be allocated over three years to the three westernmost counties: Garrett, Allegany, and Washington. This money will help businesses get financial assistance for roads, infrastructure, buildings, curbside improvements, and more. Starting July 1, 2022, businesses can apply for assistance through this program.
- Significant funds have been allocated by the state of Maryland to provide critical upgrades and expansion to state parks and other state-owned land. Maryland owns 25% of the land in Garrett County, which is home to 10 State Parks in addition to 3 State Forests. These funds will help provide trail expansions to allow for more cycling focused trails, general train maintenance, handicap accessibility, restroom upgrades, and any other needed upgrades.
- The Natural Resources State Lakes Protection Bill did not pass, but there is still $1M allocated for the next three years.
Other topics discussed included family paid leave, retirement tax benefits, school & city bus upgrades, and the upcoming vote to legalize marijuana. As advocates for our rural community, our elected officials help to ensure that legislation is as fair as it can be for the citizens of Garrett County. Regulations and rules for Baltimore County or Montgomery County may not always be feasible for Garrett County. An example of that is the push to have all city, public, and school buses be electric – which can cost anywhere from $90,000-$300,000 per vehicle. Legislators for our area help to ensure that language is added to allow our local board and commissioners to make decisions that make the most sense for the local budget and people. Legalizing recreational marijuana has been a large topic in many states, and will be on the ballot in November for Maryland. The new law would allow for possession of 1.5-2.5 oz and/or two house plants.
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