August 7, 2020
Media Contacts:
Mark Miller, Administrator, Office of Public Information, 410-313-2022
Office of Consumer Protection, 410-313-6420
Application deadline is Friday, September 4
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball is seeking applicants, particularly business representatives, a representative from the general public and one from a consumer interest group, interested in serving on the Consumer Protection Advisory Board. The deadline to apply for these positions is Friday, September 4, 2020.
"Protecting our consumers is essential as more residents are working online and businesses shift to e-commerce during this pandemic," said Ball. "Since March, we've seen an increase in online scams targeting our communities. I encourage residents with knowledge and interest in keeping consumers safe to utilize their skill set and apply for the Consumer Protection Board."
The Board is composed of seven voting members, with at least two members representing consumer interest groups, two members representing business interest groups, one member representing an economically disadvantaged group and two members representing the general public. Board member activities include participating in community activities and advising the Office of Consumer Protection and the County Executive on policies, programs and practices that can improve consumer protection-related services in the county.
To be eligible for consideration, candidates must be Howard County residents, 18 years of age or older, have an interest in consumer issues and be able to attend the Board’s meetings which are held the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Office of Consumer Protection, located at 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings are currently taking place virtually via WebEx.
Applicants should send a resume and brief letter explaining why they want to serve on the Commission to Kimberly Pruim either by email to [email protected] or by mail to: Howard County Government, Office of the County Executive, Attn: Kimberly Pruim, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The names of eligible applicants will be submitted to the County Executive for approval and then to the County Council for confirmation.
As part of the Department of Community Resources and Services, the Office of Consumer Protection provides consumer information, assists in resolving consumer-merchant disputes and enforces Howard County consumer protection laws.
For more information on the Consumer Protection Advisory Board, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/CPAB or call the Office of Consumer Protection at 410-313-6420.