A retrospective look at how years of poor school transportation planning and decades of shortsighted, unsustainable residential overdevelopment policies by the Howard County government have led to and exacerbated the current HCPSS school bus transportation crisis.
An examination of some key elements of the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Contract with Zum Services, Inc. , which has left thousands of HCPSS families scrambling to deal with bus route cancellations and delays at the start of the 2023-24 school year.
A look at the history of the current Howard County school bus disaster with Zum Services, Inc. and how this situation is just the latest of many leadership issues that have plagued HCPSS in recent years under the tenure of Superintendent Michael Martirano.
Part One of a series of posts that critically analyzes actions taken by former Columbia Association (CA) President Lakey Boyd and the false narrative-laden smear campaign against the CA Board of Directors that occurred in the months prior to Boyd’s abrupt resignation. Part One focuses on a very concerning contract signed by former President Boyd that significantly lowered the monthly rent due by a Howard Hughes Corporation commercial tenant at one of the most desirable outdoor dining locations in the County, potentially costing CA residents over $1 million in uncollected rent payments in the long run.
An overview of the unusually high election campaign contributions made by the HCPSS redistricting-focused “Polygon 147” Ellicott City neighborhood to The Calvin Ball Team in 2017 and why it is significant that they have made zero contributions to Ball’s campaign in this election cycle.
A Guest Watchdog reflection on the HCPSS Board of Education’s recent decision to change its opening statement for public forum to include rules that may violate the First Amendment and to cordon off the public meeting room dais with theatre-style ropes.
A detailed investigation of how Howard County Executive Calvin Ball promoted his underqualified family member to a county position that they didn’t have the educational requirements for and personally authorized ten years worth of pay raises in just three years for this family member after they wrongfully denied the public release of hundreds of emails that included evidence of broken laws and backroom deals on land use and development.
An initial examination of the legal deposition of Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s Executive Liaison & election campaign manager, given as part of a lawsuit that resulted from her wrongly denying the public release of hundreds of emails related to correspondence between the members of the Ball Administration and a private land use attorney & developer lobbyist.
An investigation of how Howard County Executive Calvin Ball hired and gave unusually generous pay increases over three years to his family member who was simultaneously being paid as Ball’s election campaign manager, and how this family member proceeded to repeatedly and wrongly deny the public release of hundreds of emails related to correspondence between the County Executive and private developer attorneys & lobbyists.
Issue #4 of the HoCo Watchdogs newsletter. This newsletter provides a concise list of articles, videos & social media posts for readers to stay well informed about important Howard County, Maryland issues such as public school policies, land use & development, and county governance.