Columbia Association’s (CA) Board of Directors approved the organization’s fiscal 2022 budget. fiscal 2022 officially begins May 1, 2021 and ends April 30, 2022; estimated revenue for fiscal 2022 is $63.6 million, almost $20 million below the original estimate for the last fiscal year.

Among the significant items that fall under the budget are:
​​​​No increase in annual charge rates

There is no increase in the annual charge rate (currently at $0.68 per $100 of assessed valuation) in fiscal 2022. The cap will also remain at 3.5 percent.

Reopening 15 of our neighborhood pools

A map is available at www.columbiaassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ColumbiaVillages_2021-Pool-Opening-Vicinity-Map-RB.pdf

Ceasing operations of Haven on the Lake

Keeping Haven on the Lake open would result in a more than $430,000 net loss every year in addition to rent and other fixed costs. ​​​​​​

Before-and-after school care at 20 schools

Assuming more Howard County students will resume in-person instruction this fall, CA is prepared to reopen before-and-after school care at 20 locations for the 2021-2022 school year.

The fiscal 2022 budget also funds a handful of camps this summer. CA plans to release that information in March.

The return of international and multicultural programming

CA will bring back a full-time program manager for the International and Multicultural program who will re-establish communications and plan future exchanges with Columbia’s Sister Cities in France, Spain, Ghana, Haiti and China.

Pre-pandemic maintenance levels in open space

CA will continue to invest in the maintenance, upkeep and improvement of its more than 3,600 acres of open space and nearly 100 miles of pathways. That routine work will return to pre-COVID levels, including response to both urgent and non-urgent work orders.