Howard County Department Of Planning And Zoning issued the following announcement on June 12.
Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman today signed an executive order creating the Harriet Tubman School Advisory Council, establishing a group that will prioritize ways to restore, renovate and preserve the historic building.
Kittleman said this advisory council will give residents and other community stakeholders input on the conversion of the Tubman School into an educational and cultural center. The Advisory Council will implement the vision for the Harriet Tubman School as well as serve as a liaison to the community.
“The community has been waiting for more than 20 years to restore the Harriet Tubman School,” Kittleman said. “This advisory council will ensure that the history of our African-American residents is preserved so that future generations can learn of the important role they played in the history of Howard County.”
Kittleman has advocated for years for the school to be transformed into an African-American cultural and educational center. Closed in 1965, the county’s only all-black high school had been used for more than three decades as office and storage space for the school system’s maintenance and school construction departments. In 2017, the Howard County Public School System declared the Tubman building surplus and agreed to transfer the site to Howard County government.
The Council will be chaired by Bessie Bordenave, a long-time leader in the community and graduate of the high school. Kittleman said Bordenave, along with the Rev. Doug Sands and Howard Lyles, have tirelessly advocated for preserving this historic landmark.
“I’m beyond excited that we are getting this project moving forward,” said Bordenave. “This building will give us the opportunity to celebrate the diversity of Howard County as well as provide a venue where our citizens can learn more about this history of Howard County that goes beyond what you can see in our school history books.”
Members of the Council include Bessie Bordenave, Rev. Doug Sands, Howard Lyles, Doris Ligon, Kori Jones, James LeMon, Fred Dorsey, Shawn Gladden, Everlene Cunningham, Melvin Kelly, Roberta Kelly, Patricia Thorne, Herman Charity, Kristina McKirahan, Ausar Edwards and Hannah Gorel.
The following county employees will serve as advisors to the Council: Michael Kaminetz, Department of Public Works; Caitlin Chamberlain, Department of Recreation and Parks; Matt Madera, Department of Recreation and Parks; and Alexandra Wohl, Office of the County Executive. Lauren Myatt, a consultant, also will serve as an advisor to the Council.
The Harriet Tubman School Advisory Council will hold its first meeting on Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 6 p.m. at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City.
An agenda will be posted on the Howard County Government meeting page at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/events-and-meetings.
Media Contact:
Paul Milton, Special Assistant to the County Executive, 410-313-4439
Original source can be found here.
Source: Howard County Department Of Planning And Zoning
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