The Rural Maryland Council

Read the RMC brochure for general information about what Council does. (June 2008)

The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) brings together citizens, community-based organizations, federal, state, county and municipal government officials as well as representatives of the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to collectively address the needs of Rural Maryland communities. We provide a venue for members of agriculture and natural resource-based industries, health care facilities, educational institutions, economic and community development organizations, for-profit and nonprofit corporations, and government agencies to cross traditional boundaries, share information, and address in a more holistic way the special needs and opportunities in Rural Maryland.

Our goals are to:

As a collaborative partnership, the RMC operates in a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory manner. Policy-makers and managers from stakeholder agencies and organizations at all levels of government and the private sector are valued participants. Where practical, the decision-making undertaken by the RMC is made by reaching consensus.

The vision for the RMC is the ultimate realization that citizens living in rural communities are achieving success in education and employment, have access to affordable, quality health care and other vital public services, and live in an environment where natural and cultural resources are being sustained for future generations.

How do we Define Rural in Maryland?

Rural jurisdictions share common characteristics that set them apart from their suburban and urban counterparts, such as geographic isolation, lack of transportation, and lack of access to and availability of health care. The state definition of rural is articulated in the Annotated Code of Maryland and includes 18 of the 24 jurisdictions in Maryland. Each is represented on the Rural Maryland Council. The following counties constitute rural Maryland:

Federally-designated rural jurisdictions are:

RMC Board Creates New Working Committees

(October 2009) -- The Rural Maryland Council Executive Board approved the creation of four new working committees. These committees help the RMC develop a greater depth of policy expertise by engaging already committed and knowledgeable rural advocates from across the state in specific policy areas.

The primary responsibility of a committee is to identify a specific challenge facing rural areas across the state or region, research the problem to get an overall understanding of it, and then, by consensus, develop and implement proposed solutions. Anyone interested and committed to the topic area is welcome to join these committees. If you are interested, email us at: rmc@mda.state.md.us.

New committees include:

  1. The Rural Maryland Prosperity Committee will develop and execute a long-term strategy (two to three years) for obtaining funding for the Rural Prosperity Investment Fund. Committee Chairman: Mike Pennington, RMC Chairman, and Executive Director, Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore.
  2. Rural Broadband Committee will track the deployment of broadband services and build out in rural areas by tracking the progress, goals and work plans for broadband providers of all sizes. The ultimate goal of the committee is to promote broadband expansion throughout all of rural Maryland. Committee Chairman: Wayne Clark, Executive Director, Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland
  3. Housing and Asset Building Committee will help ensure that rural communities are included in all state and federal initiatives to promote affordable and work force housing. This committee would educate lawmakers, policy makers and agency staff about the lack of services in rural areas and the special circumstances facing rural communities. Committee Chair TBA.
  4. Rural Seniors Committee will assist the RMC's efforts to reach seniors in remote and isolated communities as part of its work with the Maryland Department of Aging's rural seniors initiatives. Committee members should be familiar with and/or interested in aging issues and senior programs. Committee Chair TBA.

Existing Committees Include:

  1. Health Care Working Committee has been active in health work force shortage issues and has been investigating the role that allied health professionals could play in addressing the health care work force shortage in rural areas. Committee Chairman: Tom McLoughlin, retired hospital CEO.
  2. The Telehealth Working Committee was created as a result of the RMC's February 2009 Rural Health Roundtable which investigated the need for a statewide telehealth consortium. The committee is currently developing a survey of telehealth providers and receivers in Maryland to determine where the gaps and excess capacity exists before moving forward. Committee Chairs: Vanessa Orlando and Sarah Orth (RMC/SORH Staff)
  3. The Legislative Committee monitors bills as they are introduced during the General Assembly's Legislative Session to determine whether or not they affect rural areas.

For more information, or to join a committee, email us at: rmc@mda.state.md.us

Rural Maryland Council :: 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway :: Annapolis, MD 21401 :: 410-841-5772