Councilman James Kole

Councilman James Kole James Kole represents Ward 1 on the Laurel City Council. It is used to share updates and information related to my official duties. Comments are welcomed.

Official Account Disclaimer & Comment Policy

This is the official government account of Councilmember James Kole. The views expressed here are my own and do not represent the official position of the City of Laurel, unless explicitly stated. This page is considered a limited public forum under the First Amendment. However, comments may be hidden or removed only if they:

Contain obscenity, pornog

raphy, or explicit content

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Comments will not be removed or hidden based on disagreement or viewpoint. Blocking users will only occur if behavior violates the above policy and in accordance with applicable law. All content, including comments and messages, may be subject to Maryland Public Information Act requests. For official inquiries, please contact me via email at [email protected].

Neighbors, at last night's meeting, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2055, for the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, by a v...
05/29/2026

Neighbors, at last night's meeting, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2055, for the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, by a vote of 3-2. The budget included Council Amendments #1 and #7. Councilmembers Kole, Simmons, and Clark voted in favor of the budget, while Councilmembers Mills and Smith voted against it.

Today, Mayor Sydnor exercised the line-item veto authority granted to him under the City Charter and vetoed both amendments approved by the Council.

Amendment #1 removed funding for the proposed Family Resiliency Program and reduced projected interest revenue by an equal amount to maintain a balanced budget. The amendment was intended to provide the Council additional time to review the proposal, receive community input, and continue discussion before appropriating City funds.

Amendment #7 reallocated funding within the budget by increasing funding for public advertising and communications while reducing the Mayor's Legal Services budget based on current and historical spending levels.

Under the City Charter, the City Council may vote to override a mayoral line-item veto. The Council will meet in the coming days to consider each veto separately, and each amendment will be voted on individually.

As always, I encourage residents to follow the discussion and share their thoughts with members of the City Council.

05/22/2026

It's that time again to Remember, Honor and Celebrate those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to our City, County, State and Nation! Please join members from the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department (LVFD), Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad Company 49, American Legion Laurel Post 60, and Laurel Police Department this Sunday, May 24th, at Ivy Hill Cememtery, 1201 Sandy Spring Road, for our 53rd Annual LVFD Joint Memorial Day Service. It will begin with the Memorial Wreath Laying Walk at 10:45am from the American Legion Post 60 Memorial Stone, stop at each Memorial for a moment of silence and end at the LVFD Memorial, where the service will begin around 11am, and weather permitting, will include a flyover from the Maryland State Police around 11:30am. Please help us remember our fallen members and celebrate their service. Please share! We will also air the event live right here on FB page.

In case of inclement weather, the service will move indoors to the Laurel Municipal Center Chambers, 8103 Sandy Spring Road.

Come join the Laurel Historical Society for the 2026 Garden Tour. I am excited to see this year's gardens!
05/19/2026

Come join the Laurel Historical Society for the 2026 Garden Tour. I am excited to see this year's gardens!

The Mayor and City Council are at Laurel Park for the first ever Preakness in Laurel, MD!
05/16/2026

The Mayor and City Council are at Laurel Park for the first ever Preakness in Laurel, MD!

Music at the Mansion just started. Come out for the final Saddle Up Laurel event!
05/15/2026

Music at the Mansion just started. Come out for the final Saddle Up Laurel event!

At this evening's work session I introduced an amendment to increase advertising funding to The Laurel Independent (to F...
05/11/2026

At this evening's work session I introduced an amendment to increase advertising funding to The Laurel Independent (to FY26 funding levels), in addition to reclassifying funding to the Voices of Laurel as advertising and increasing that advertising funding as well. The amendment did not move forward from the work session. I look forward to working with my fellow Councilmembers on further amendments to keep advertising funding at FY26 levels.

Sunday's Low Cost Vaccine Clinic is fast approaching. This is a great opportunity to bring your cats or dogs current on ...
05/11/2026

Sunday's Low Cost Vaccine Clinic is fast approaching. This is a great opportunity to bring your cats or dogs current on their vaccines for an affordable price. Be sure to schedule your appointment soon!

Due to another event being scheduled at Oliver's Old Towne Tavern on the second Thursday, May’s Kole’s Korner will be mo...
05/11/2026

Due to another event being scheduled at Oliver's Old Towne Tavern on the second Thursday, May’s Kole’s Korner will be moved to Wednesday, May 13, from 6–8 PM.

Kole’s Korner is my informal version of office hours. There’s no agenda and no appointments. Just stop by if you have a question or want to talk something through.

Oliver’s is simply providing a place to meet, and residents are not expected to purchase anything, although you are welcome to support local business while you’re there.

The Council is currently reviewing the proposed FY2027 budget, and I’m happy to answer questions about the process or proposals being discussed.

The City of Laurel - Government is partnering with Heart4Animals for the first Affordable Well-Pet Vaccine Pop-Up Clini...
05/01/2026

The City of Laurel - Government is partnering with Heart4Animals for the first Affordable Well-Pet Vaccine Pop-Up Clinic. If you have a Dog or Cat that is in need of Rabies, Distemper, Bordetella, Heartworm Testing, or Microchipping, this event is for you!

The clinic will take place on May 17, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., in the parking lot of the City of Laurel Municipal Center at 8103 Sandy Spring Rd.

Vaccinations are one of the most effective ways pet owners can protect their animals from serious and potentially life-threatening diseases. This community-focused initiative aims to ensure that more pets across Maryland remain healthy, safe, and protected. Rabies vaccinations are required by law in Maryland.

Please note: This event is intended for healthy (well) pets only. Pets that are sick, injured, or in need of medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment should be scheduled for a separate appointment on a different day and time to ensure they receive appropriate care.

During the event, the following services will be offered at reduced costs:

Rabies vaccinations: $15.00
DHLPP vaccinations (dogs): $30.00
FVRCP vaccinations (cats): $15.00
Bordetella vaccinations (dogs): $30.00
Microchip and registration: $20.00 (Heart4Animals will register your chip for you and there are no additional fees.)
For pets receiving their first DHLPP or FVRCP vaccination, a booster shot is recommended within 3–4 weeks to ensure full protection.

Appointments for the affordable vaccination clinic, as well as follow-up booster visits, can be scheduled online at the link below. The same website can also be used to schedule spay and neuter procedures for pets if those services are desired; however, please note that spay/neuter surgeries will not be performed during the May 17, 2026 clinic event.

https://app.clinichq.com/online/c241d73e-3740-4085-8a96-afc607ed0791

Address

8103 Sandy Spring Road
Laurel, MD
20707

Telephone

+13017255300

Website

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