Councilman Bill Henry's 4th District Blog

Baltimore City Public School System - FY 13 Budget Dialogue

2012-01-05T16:31:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Day & Mandatory Furlough Day Closings

2011-11-23T14:04:00.000-05:00

Since Thanksgiving Day is a City holiday, Department of Public Works’ offices and yards will be closed on Thursday, November 24, 2011, a holiday; offices will also be closed on Friday, November 25, a Mandatory Furlough day.

On Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 24:

• Trash and recycling, both curbside and City containers WILL NOT BE COLLECTED.

• Saturday, November 26, 2011, will be the make up collection day for trash and recycling in those areas that are regularly scheduled for pick up on Thanksgiving Day.

• There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.

• Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).

• All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED.

• Parking meters WILL NOT be in effect.

On the Mandatory Furlough day – Friday, November 25:

• Trash and recycling, both curbside and City containers, WILL BE COLLECTED as regularly scheduled.

• There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.

• Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).

• All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED with the exception of the Police Headquarters complex. Citizens will be unable to pay City bills or obtain permits at City offices. Some bills can be paid online; please visit http://www.baltimorecity.gov/
.

Mayor's FY 2013 Budget Workshops

2011-11-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

Today Is Election Day - What Should I Do?

2011-11-08T06:22:00.000-05:00

Poll are open from 7am to 8pm. Please go vote!

Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event for City Residents - November 4th and 5th!

2011-10-27T09:57:00.000-04:00

Baltimore City’s first Hazardous Waste Drop-Off event at its new containment facility located at the Northwest Citizen Convenience Center will take place on Friday and Saturday, November 4th and 5th, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Center is located at 2840 Sisson Street.

Though tentatively planned to begin at the end of October, final facility preparations and traffic logistics planning has pushed the event to the following weekend.

This event provides an opportunity for Baltimore City residents to dispose of hazardous household materials such as oil-based paints, pesticides, herbicides, household batteries, drain cleaners, gasoline, pool chemicals and many other items. Latex paint can be dried up and the cans put out for regular trash collection.

Materials that will not be collected include asbestos, ammunition, fire extinguishers, industrial and medical wastes and radioactive materials, including smoke alarms with a radioactive symbol.

Residents must show proof of city residency, e.g. a driver's license, telephone bill or tax bill, before they can drop off any hazardous items. Residents must also be able to identify the material.

To find out more about the proper disposal of your household hazardous waste, click here. For more information about the event, contact Celeste Amato by phone at 410-545-6541 or by email at Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow by phone at 410-396-1185 or by email at Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov
.

Join Us For Financial Planning Day - Saturday, October 29th!

2011-10-27T09:17:00.000-04:00

.
1st Annual Baltimore Financial Planning Day
Saturday, October 29, 2011
10:00am - 4:00pm
Frederick Douglass Senior High School
2301 Gwynns Falls Pkwy
Baltimore, MD 21217

Baltimore Financial Planning Day is a FREE event providing Baltimore and Maryland area residents with quality financial counseling sessions and financial literacy workshops. This will be an energy-packed day filled with exciting one-on-one financial consultations and workshops on a variety of financial topics designed to inspire and inform people of all ages and income levels on how to become financially secured and empowered! The event is powered by the financial planning community and supported by the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore Community Action Partnership.

Event Agenda:

Registration starts at: 10:00am -10:30am

Opening Remarks (10:30am - 11:00am):

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, City of Baltimore
Peter Franchot, Comptroller of Maryland
Joan Pratt, Comptroller of Baltimore City
Greg Sileo, Baltimore Community Action Partnership
Sharif J. Small, Financial Planning Association of Maryland

Financial Counseling Sessions (11:00am - 4pm)

1-on-1 financial counseling sessions with financial planners (15 minutes).

Financial Literacy Workshops (11:30pm - 3:30pm):

Eliminate Credit and Debt Issues
Plan for a Successful Retirement
Save Money on Taxes
Lower High Cost of College
Better Budgeting 101
Smart Investing 101
Rights Steps to Homeownership
Estate Planning Basic 101
Choose Right Insurance for Every Life Stages
Build a Successful Small Business
Understanding Your Social Security Benefits
Foreclosure Prevention
And Many More!

In today’s uncertain economy, planning for your financial future is more important than ever. Don’t miss this opportunity for a free, private consultation on financial issues that matter to you with experts from the Financial Planning Association®, highly qualified CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals and Association of African American Financial Advisors.

For more information and to attend PRE-REGISTER at www.financialplanningday.org/baltimore or 1.877.861.7826. Stay as little or as long as you’d like, but definitely come early. Also, it’s all free so bring a friend and become financially empowered!

Register for CHAI's Weatherization Day

2011-10-17T14:17:00.000-04:00

The deadline to register for CHAI's Weatherization Day on November 6th is just 3 days away!

Don't wait 'til the last minute -- October 19th -- Register at www.chaibaltimore.org right NOW!

Help a senior or an adult with a disability prepare their home for winter by:

Weatherizing windows
Doing yard work
Checking smoke & CO detectors
Placing non-skid safety strips
Doing minor repairs
And more!

If you are coming with a group, please make sure you indicate this on the registration form at www.chaibaltimore.org.

Remember, you're automatically entered to win a free lunch when you bring a group of 5 or more! Also, we are looking for volunteers who speak Fahrsi or Russian so please let us know if you do!

For questions, call Chedva Rose at 410-500-5325
.

LABOR DAY IMPACTS ON DPW SERVICES

2011-08-30T13:35:00.000-04:00

.
Since Labor Day is a City holiday, all City offices will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2011.

ALSO CLOSED: Citizen Drop Off Centers will be CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).

NOT IN EFFECT - Parking meters will NOT be in effect on Monday, September 5, Labor Day.
.

Hurricane Irene - aftermath update from the Mayor's office

2011-08-29T23:36:00.001-04:00

Baltimore City still has almost 60,000 households without power. BGE regular crews stopped working at 8pm and they will have small crews that will respond to emergencies over night. The Mayor's office has asked BGE to prioritize certain public safety resources, senior facilities and others dealing with vulnerable populations.

We are emphasizing that any food left in un-powered refrigerators and freezers which required refrigeration should be disposed of when it passes the 24 hour time period when it would still be safe to consume.

We are checking on all senior centers and providing water and ice as needed. We are opening our traditional code red shelters for those residents who may need to get a place to charge phones, get cool, get water, etc. (In the 4^th District, our usual Code Red shelter is the Govans Multi-Purpose Center, at 5225 York Road; as soon as I have confirmation that it is open, I’ll pass that on...)

There are still approximately 160 traffic intersections that are without power. Police and STEOs working some of the busier ones and we are also using generators at others. We are reminding residents to treat broken signals as a four way stop.

There are a number of street lights that are out and we are working with Police to get some light towers into some of these areas. Police and Fire are both acting in a support capacity.

Rec and Park crews had hoped to finish today all of the 311 calls for trees blocking roadways, but got another one hundred and fifty-one calls today. Once they get done with trees blocking roadways, they will focus on trees blocking sidewalks and then they will focus on CITY trees on private property.

More updates as we get them.
.

Mayor Updates Residents on Department of Public Works Clean-Up Efforts

2011-08-29T13:41:00.001-04:00

Residences with storm damaged bulk debris may go to any of the Department of Public Works' (DPW's) five citizen drop-off locations, or call 311 to request a special solid waste clean-up.

Beginning today, nineteen crews from the Bureau of Solid Waste will work throughout the city to respond to every service request made to the 311 Call Center. Additionally, Solid Waste supervisors will survey City gateways for debris and storm damaged bulk, and remove debris from public property.

Citizen Drop-off Locations:

6100 Quarantine Road, 410-396-3772
Western Sanitation Yard, 701 Reedbird Avenue, 410-396-3367
Eastern Sanitation Yard, 6101 Bowleys Lane, 410-396-9950
Northwest Sanitation Yard, 2840 Sisson Street, 410-396-6070
Northwest Transfer Station, 5030 Reisterstown Road, 410-396-2706

Hurricane Irene - status update

2011-08-27T20:01:00.000-04:00

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Harford Counties and Baltimore City.

National Weather Service Doppler Radar indicates continued moderate rainfall with embedded heavier rain in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Rapid rises of small streams are expected as the heavier rain moves in and rainfall up to one inch in an hour is possible. Rainfall totals near the Chesapeake Bay have already been one to two inches.

Some locations that will continue to be affected by the heavy rains include the entire southern half of the Baltimore metro area including Baltimore City, Aberdeen, Bel Air, White Marsh and Towson.

Currently there are 1,040 customers without power in Baltimore City. The bulk of these outages are in East and Northwest police districts, although there appear to be two or three outages, each affecting 30 homes or less, in our part of the City.

Forecast for Saturday night: Tropical storm conditions expected. Showers will continue, with thunderstorms also possible after 2am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 71. North wind 35 to 45 mph, with gusts as high as 65 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts in excess of 4 inches possible.

Forecast for Sunday: Tropical storm conditions possible. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11am, then a chance of showers between 11am and 2pm. High near 82. Northwest wind 27 to 32 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
.

Hurricane Irene - status update

2011-08-27T13:21:00.000-04:00

http://www.wunderground.com - 1:13pm

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency announced that the first signs of Hurricane Irene arrived in Ocean City Saturday morning with light rain and 30-mph winds. The eye of the storm is slated to hit near Ocean City around 8pm tonight and be off the coast by 2am. The State currently has about 1,200 people relocated from Ocean City at the Fifth Regiment Armory.

The Mass Transit Administration said that Light Rail will be shutting down @ 6 p.m. tonight. ALL other services will shut down @ 9 p.m. tonight. Mobility service will be operational to assist with dialysis patients.

Baltimore City should expect Tropical Storm Winds gusting to 70-75 mph, resulting in downed trees and local flooding. Also expected are interruptions to power and phone service. Baltimore City activated the following shelters at 12noon:

Patterson High School
100 Kane Street
Baltimore, MD 21224

Edmondson-Westside High School
501 N. Athol Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21229

War Memorial Building
101 North Gay Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(Backup shelter)

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off this Saturday - Not Cancelled!

2011-08-26T08:56:00.000-04:00

The Department of Pubic Works, Bureau of Solid Waste, will hold a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off event this Saturday, August 27, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute parking lot located at Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane. Residents should use the Cold Spring Lane entrance.

This event provides an opportunity for Baltimore City residents to dispose of hazardous household materials such as oil-based paints, pesticides, herbicides, car and household batteries, drain cleaners, gasoline, pool chemicals and many other items. Latex paint can be dried up and the cans put out for regular trash collection.

Materials that will not be collected include trash, acids, asbestos, ammunition, fire extinguishers, industrial and medical wastes, and radioactive materials, including smoke alarms with a radioactive symbol.

Residents must show proof of city residency, e.g. a driver's license, telephone bill or tax bill, before they can drop off any hazardous items. Residents must also be able to identify the material. No walk up items will be accepted and residents are asked to remain in their vehicles at all times. Loads over 500 lbs. will not be accommodated at this event.

To find out more about the proper disposal of your household hazardous waste, click here.

Batten Down The Hatches! Storm's a Comin'!

2011-08-25T16:06:00.001-04:00

Gov. Martin O'Malley has declared a state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Irene, which could dump as much as a foot of rain on Maryland this weekend.

In preparation, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has ordered the City’s Emergency Operation Center to open Friday morning at 7:00 a.m. to ensure essential City services are maintained before, during, and after the storm. All residents should take the following steps to prepare for the storm:

• Have an emergency kit including a three-day supply of water, battery-operated AM/FM radio, and a flashlight.

• Stay tuned to local TV and Radio Stations and listen for instructions from City officials.

• Have a personal or family plan to shelter-in-place or evacuate if told to do so.

• Batten down (See!) any loose items, and secure property as best as possible.

• Clear outdoor storm drains near their property to prevent flooding during heavy rains.

• Report blocked storm drains and downed trees to 311.

• Dialing (877) 778-2222 to report power outages.

• Do not drive on flooded roads or park in flood-prone areas.

• Stay informed. Monitor the storm on local TV and radio stations, and listen for updates from City officials.

• Citizens who live along streams or in places that are subject to flooding are especially urged to stay alert and to be prepared to move their vehicles or evacuate.

As always, try to look out for any of your neighbors who may not be able to prepare fully. For more information on how to prepare, click here.
.

Govanstowne Treasure Hunt - Starts August 25th

2011-08-12T09:48:00.000-04:00

City Declares Code RED - Emergency Cooling Centers Open - UPDATED

2011-07-21T15:18:00.001-04:00

The heat has led Commissioner of Health Dr. Oxiris Barbot to declare a Code Red Heat Alert Day in Baltimore City through Sunday. As part of the heat alert, the city will open emergency cooling centers each day with cool air and water from 9am to 7pm on weekdays. (Only the Community Action Program centers will be open on weekends, from 11am to 7pm.)

Community Action Program will operate these five centers:

• Northern Community Action Center, 5225 York Road (in our district!)

•Southern Community Action Center, 606 Cherry Hill Road

•Northwest Community Action Center, 3939 Reisterstown Road

•Southeastern Community Action Center, 3411 Bank St.

•Eastern Community Action Center, 1400 East Federal St.

The Health Department’s Office of Aging and CARES will also operate cooling centers:

•Waxter Center, 1000 Cathedral St.

•Oliver Center, 1700 Gay St.

•Sandtown-Winchester Center, 1601 Baker St.

•Hatton Center, 2825 Fait Ave.

•John Booth, 229 ½ South Eaton St.

•Zeta Center, 4501 Reisterstown Road
.

Towing Town Hall - Thursday, July 21, 6pm to 8pm

2011-07-16T14:20:00.000-04:00

Come meet Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) officials and DOT consultant RK&K as they discuss their efforts to research current towing operations and potential improvements to the towing process.

This Town Hall will provide all attendees with the opportunity to express their concerns about towing operations and suggest issues the City should address, including:

• Customer service provided at the tow yards
• Prices and costs of service for tows, vehicle storage and processing
• Licensing of Medallion towers
• General efficiency and equity of efforts to obtain and return vehicles to owners

Attendees should feel welcome to bring suggestions and concerns in writing to leave with Department officials, and/or prepare statements to deliver orally in person.

Towing Town Hall

Thursday, July 21, 6pm to 8pm
War Memorial Building

101 North Gay Street

This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!

Please contact Barbara Zektick, DOT Legislative Affairs Executive, at 410-396-6854 or Barbara.Zektick@baltimorecity.gov, with any questions or concerns about this meeting or to submit questions or concerns for the Department to address through its towing research. For more information about DOT, click here. For information about City towing, click here.
.

City offices are closed Monday for Independence Day

2011-07-01T17:43:00.000-04:00

Just a quick reminder - since Independence Day is a City holiday, all City offices will be closed Monday, July 4, 2011.

On Independence Day – July 4:

NO TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION on July 4. Mondays are not regular curbside trash and recycling collection days in Baltimore City.

CLOSED: Citizen Drop Off Centers are CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).

NOT IN EFFECT - Parking meters will NOT be in effect on Monday, July 4, Independence Day.

Have a Happy Fourth of July!

NECO’s Annual Meeting - Saturday, June 11th

2011-06-09T08:05:00.000-04:00

(Click on flyer to enlarge)

You are cordially invited to attend the NECO (Northeast Community Organization) 2011 NECO COMMUNITY CONGRESS, “Northeast Excellence” on Saturday, June 11, from 9:30 to 11:30 am at the STUDENT CENTER at Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane.

The NECO Community Congress is NECO’s Annual Meeting. Its purpose is to conduct the business of the organization, including the election of officers, the adoption of the budget, and the setting of priorities and events for the coming year. We need your presence to help conduct this important work for our community.

The NECO Community Congress will also review the activities undertaken by NECO to strengthen our communities in the past year and highlight the progress we have made on a comprehensive planning document, “Northeast Excellence.” There will be displays of various neighborhoods throughout the northeast and community updates. Elected officials and representatives of NECO’s partners Morgan State University, Good Samaritan Hospital and NEDA (Northeast Development Alliance) are expected to attend.

NECO, one of the oldest umbrella community associations in the City, unites neighborhoods within the NECO area; addresses concerns and needs to the City and State governments, provides a forum for public discourse and education, and serves as a resource to member organizations. The NECO area is defined by the following boundaries: City/County line to the north, York Road to the west; Perring Parkway to the east, and 33rd Street to the south.

For more information, please contact Catherine Evans by email at necoevans@hotmail.com or by phone at 410-433-7197 (sorry, no voice mail).
.

Tuesday, May 31st - District-wide Community Meeting with Police Commissioner and State's Attorney

2011-05-30T10:44:00.000-04:00

State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein and Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld

For the last few years, I have brought together the stakeholders of the 4th District every few months for district-wide community meetings. My hope is that these meetings serve not only to keep the lines of communication open between the community and City government, but also as opportunities for neighborhood leaders to talk amongst themselves, sharing information and experience in ways that will make each association stronger.

As such, I am pleased to invite you to my next 4th District-wide community meeting. We will be joined by both Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld and our new State's Attorney, Gregg Bernstein. They will be coming out to meet with us, discuss their crime-fighting strategies and plans as they relate to our neighborhoods, and offer you the chance to ask questions. Please take advantage of this opportunity to discuss with them your concerns and the many ways in which we can partner with them in making our communities safe.

Tuesday, May 31st

6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. (doors open at 6pm for pizza & beverages)

Episcopal Church of the Holy Covenant

5657 The Alameda

To confirm your attendance, please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email her at Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov. Thank you for your continued commitment to your community and the city of Baltimore and I look forward to seeing you on the 31st!
.

McCabe Avenue Demolition: "Vacants to Value" at work!

2011-05-17T17:32:00.001-04:00

Please join us to cheer on the big machines that will demolish 4 blighted properties in the Woodbourne McCabe neighborhood - 700 block of McCabe Ave. at 10:30 am tomorrow!

On hand will be Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Commissioner Paul Graziano, Habitat for Humanity Director Mike Mitchell, and Julie Day, Deputy Housing Commissioner!
.

RENAISSANCE INSTITUTE OPEN HOUSE – May 12th, 10AM

2011-05-02T08:09:00.000-04:00

The Renaissance Institute on the campus of the College of Notre Dame is holding an Open House for new and prospective members to learn about its many exciting activities. The Open House will be on Thursday, May 12, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, in Fourier Hall (the building at the corner of Charles St. and Homeland Ave.) on the campus at 4701 N. Charles Street.

The Renaissance Institute is an active group of more than 300 men and women over 50 years of age who are interested in lifelong learning, continued intellectual growth, trips, and social activities.

All are invited to attend and learn more about the many wonderful activities and programs of the Renaissance Institute. Convenient on-street parking is available on Homeland and Wyndhurst Avenues and along Charles Street after 10 AM.

For more information contact Becky Straub, director of the Renaissance Institute at rstraub@ndm.edu or by phone at 410-532-3162.
.

Household Hazardous Waste Day - Saturday, April 30th

2011-04-18T14:03:00.000-04:00

This is a great opportunity for Baltimore City residents to dispose of household hazardous waste materials including pesticides, turpentine, latex paints, car batteries, disinfectants, car batteries and more!

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

Falls Road & Cold Spring Lane

(Please use Cold Spring Lane entrance to the lot)

Saturday, April 30th - 9am to 2pm

Baltimore City residents ONLY - proof of residency WILL BE required!

Materials that WILL NOT be accepted include asbestos, medical or industrial waste, smoke alarms, and mercury thermometers.

For a complete list of acceptable and non-acceptable items, residents should go to www.baltimorecity.gov
.

Planning Department's 2010 Annual Report

2011-04-13T14:44:00.000-04:00

The Department of Planning’s Annual Report for 2010 is now on-line. As the City Council's representative on the Planning Commission, I'm especially proud to share with you details about the work which your Planning Department is doing to streamline the development process, revitalize neighborhoods, preserve Baltimore’s heritage, and promote a green and healthy City.

Click here to view and download - please be patient as this graphic-rich document downloads!
.

York Streetscaping Design Phase Almost Complete!

2011-04-12T18:59:00.004-04:00

The long-awaited Streetscape Project for York Road between Glenwood Ave. and 43rd St. is almost complete! The City's Department of Transportation is putting the finishing touches on design plans!

On Thursday, April 28th, the Department of Transportation will go over the plans as they now stand and take final public input with regards to the streetscaping project. Come and see how your ideas have taken shape!

York Corridor Streetscape Meeting

Homeland Vocational Center

4800 York Road

April 28th - 6pm to 8pm

If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Wietscher in my office at Leslie.Wietscher@baltimorecity.gov or 410-396-4830. Hope to see you then!
.

City Closed For Good Friday - April 22, 2011

2011-04-11T16:28:00.000-04:00

Good Friday, April 22, 2011 is a City Holiday and all City offices will be closed.

There will be no trash or recycling collections on Friday, April 22nd, but the make-up collection day will be the next day, Saturday, April 23rd.

Additionally:

There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.
Citizen drop-off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).

Parking meters WILL BE IN EFFECT...

For further information about trash or recycling collection, please contact either Celeste Amato at Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov (410-545-6541) or Robert Murrow at Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov (410-545-6189)
.

SAVE THE DATE - York-Belvedere Small Area Plan Community Meeting

2011-04-04T09:26:00.000-04:00

The Baltimore City Planning Department is preparing to wrap up a planning process for the York-Belvedere commercial area, focusing on issues of traffic, parking and zoning. Please join us on April 18th to review the conclusions to date. Tell your neighbors and community association members - everyone is welcome.

York-Belvedere Small Area Plan meeting

Monday, April 18th - 6pm to 7:30pm

Junior League, 5902 York Road (enter off of Rosebank)

For more information, please contact either Leslie Wietscher in my office at Leslie.Wietscher@baltimorecity.gov or Katie Rose Imbriano, Northern District Planner for the Baltimore City Dept of Planning at Kathleen.Imbriano@baltimorecity.gov
.

Questions about water? Join us on April 6th!

2011-03-30T16:51:00.001-04:00

Lately, my office has been getting what feels like an increase in complaints about water bills. Not just from people who are unhappy that the rates have gone up – although there is some of that – but it seems like there are more incidents of mistakes being made and residents being overcharged.

Many of these complaints evolve into longer conversations about water in general, leaving me with three basic questions that we often get asked, namely:

1) "Why do residents in Baltimore County pay less for water than we pay in the City?" A number of constituents have told me that their friends and family in the county have shown them substantially smaller water bills. Why would they pay less for the same water?

2) "Why have we been paying more for water lately than we used to?" The impression given is that rates have been raised multiple times in a very brief span - where is that money going?

3) "Why is it so hard to just get an accurate bill every three months?"

To help us get some clarity, Celeste Amato, Director of Communications for the Department of Public Works, will be coming to next week's York Road Partnership meeting, to give a short (10-15 minutes) presentation that answers these questions. I hope you can join us!

Wednesday, April 6th

Meeting starts at 7:15pm

St. Mary’s Church Hall (entrance in rear)

5502 York Road @ Tunbridge

Celeste will be there to talk about general questions - if you have a specific issue with your personal water bill, please email all of the details to my office at bill.henry@baltimorecity.gov, so that we can help you work through the issue with DPW...
.

BCPS Considers A New Grading Policy

2011-03-17T11:48:00.000-04:00

Please share this with any parents, or local school partners, stakeholders and networks:

Baltimore City Public Schools wants your input on a new grading policy it is currently considering.

Come to a discussion and make your voice heard. Your thoughts and ideas—whether you’re a parent, teacher or interested community member—are very important!

Tuesday, March 29th
5:30pm to 7pm
BCPS Main Office - 200 E. North Ave.

Refreshments will be served!

For more information, email Michael P. Carter, Director of Family and Community Engagement in the Office of Partnerships, Communications and Community Engagement at MCarter@bcps.k12.md.us or call him at 410-545-1870.
.

Office of Emergency Management Recommends City Residents Prepare for Flooding

2011-03-10T17:36:00.000-05:00

(Smith Avenue bridge photo from North Baltimore Patch)

As a result of the heavy rains, Baltimore City is under a flood warning. Heavy rain that has moved into the region will likely cause flooding in low-lying areas and cause streams and creeks to rise out of their banks. City officials are asking residents to monitor conditions in their area and prepare for possible flooding.

City agencies are monitoring areas that are usually prone to flooding, including Inner Harbor, Fells Point, Meadow Mill, and Mount Washington Mill. Due to rising water on the Jones Falls, the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management and the Fire Department have asked businesses and residents to evacuate the properties at Meadow Mill and Mount Washington Mill.

Residents can also take steps to stay safe and reduce flooding in their area:

Clean trash from storm drain inlets. Keeping drains clear of trash and debris is crucial in preventing localized flooding.
Avoid parking on top of storm drains. Vehicle tires can prohibit runoff.
Report blocked storm drains that cannot be cleared to 311 so that DPW crews can address them.
Stay Informed. Monitor the storm on local TV and radio stations, and listen for updates from city officials. Citizens who live along streams or in places that are subject to flooding are especially urged to stay alert and to be prepared to move their vehicles or evacuate.
Don’t drive on flooded roads.

For more information, click HERE.
.

City Council Redistricting Process Continues

2011-03-09T13:51:00.000-05:00

Redistricting for Baltimore City is the process of dividing the City into districts of approximately equal population for the election of members to serve on the City Council. The Mayor and City Council are responsible for redrawing city council districts. Baltimore redistricts every 10 years after the decennial census is completed.

On Monday, January 31, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake introduced her redistricting plan to the City Council. Click HERE for an overview of the Mayor's plan. Click HERE to view a PDF file of the Mayor's proposed plan in a map layout. (Downloads may take a minute...)

On Thursday, February 8, John T. Willis, consulting attorney for redistricting, addressed the Redistricting Committee on issues related to the redistricting process. Click HERE to view the full briefing packet presented to the Committee, including the Plan of Action for the redistricting process.

The full City Council will hold multiple hearings and worksessions to discuss the Mayor's plan. Remaining scheduled sessions include:

PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT

Wednesday, March 9th

5 pm, Banneker Hall

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

1400 West Cold Spring Lane

WORK SESSION: Monday, March 14, 6 p.m.

*To begin 15 minutes after 5 p.m. City Council Meeting ends

Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th Floor, City Hall

PUBLIC HEARING: Wednesday, March 16, 5 p.m.

Baltimore City Community College Fine Arts Building, 2901 Liberty Heights Avenue

Click HERE to see the full schedule of the Council Redistricting Committee.
.

National Youth Violence Prevention Week

2011-03-09T10:48:00.000-05:00

National Youth Violence Prevention Week is March 21 – 27, 2011. During this week, activities and events will be held nationwide to spotlight the issue of youth violence, to identify strategies to combat this epidemic, and to promote the positive role youth may have in making their communities and schools safer.

The Baltimore City Health Department’s Office of Youth Violence Prevention in collaboration with several city agencies and community-based organizations, is using this week to kick-off a series of events, workshops, and open houses to spotlight this issue, the work being done here in Baltimore, and to assist our youth in finding better ways to resolve conflict, promote peace, and respect themselves and others.

Know any creative kids? The Health Department is holding its annual YVP Week poster contest for youth ages 6 - 18. Entries should show how you can stand up and speak out against bullying, cyberbullying, teen dating violence and gun violence. Check out their flyer for more information.

They are also collecting nominations of individuals who encourage non-violence in their community for our Baltimorphosis contest.

For more information about Youth Violence Prevention and what it means in your community, or if you have specific questions about any of the YVP Week activities, please contact the Office of Youth Violence Prevention at BmoreYVP@baltimorecity.gov or (443) 984-3566.

For general news, facts, and stats about Baltimore City’s Youth Violence Prevention Week, please visit www.Facebook.com/BmoreYVP
.

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Returns!

2011-03-04T15:39:00.000-05:00

Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Public Works Director Al Foxx announced a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off:

Saturday, April 30th

9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute parking lot

Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane

The Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off provides an opportunity for Baltimore City residents to dispose of hazardous household materials such as oil-based paints, pesticides, herbicides, car and household batteries, drain cleaners, gasoline, pool chemicals, and many other items.

Residents dropping off waste must show proof of city residency, telephone bill, or tax bill before they can drop off any hazardous items. Residents must also be able to identify the material.

Materials that will not be collected include trash, acids, asbestos, ammunition, fire extinguishers, industrial and medical wastes, and radioactive materials, including smoke alarms with a radioactive symbol.

To find out more about the proper disposal of your household hazardous waste, go to www.baltimorecity.gov
.

Temporary Draining of Guilford Reservoir

2011-03-03T16:10:00.000-05:00

During the week of March 7, 2011, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works will begin to drain the Guilford Reservoir, located across Cold Spring Lane from Loyola University near Charles Street. The reservoir will be taken out of service for up to seven weeks to allow a small crew and equipment to enter the basin over the northeast portion of the embankment on March 14 or shortly thereafter.

This will entail temporarily removing a small section of fencing at the equipment access point. Tests will be performed using a small bulldozer and a drill mounted on an all-terrain vehicle, both of which will remain within the reservoir perimeter throughout the four- to six-week investigation period. The project is part of Baltimore City’s plan to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements to improve water quality and protect finished water reservoirs. In this instance, it will ultimately involve installation of covered tanks in place of the open reservoir.

The geotechnical team will drill 8-inch diameter subsurface borings 35 to 70 feet into the bottom of the reservoir at locations which will help to determine wherethe buried tanks ultimately will be constructed. Diesel engines and the sound of the hammer will be audible intermittently during the workday. The hours of work typically will be between 7:30 a.m., to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Once the tests are complete and the equipment removed, the reservoir will be refilled and restored to service and the fence replaced. During the period that the reservoir is out of service, the Guildford Pumping Station will be supplied using a by-pass main, ensuring no interruption in service to area residents and the larger system.

After the borings are obtained, the reservoir will remain operational, except for periodic maintenance, until construction of buried tanks begins in late 2013 or early 2014.

The Department of Public Works, Bureau of Water and Wastewater, continues to work closely with the Guilford, Kernewood, and Loyola University communities on specific tank placement, proposed slopes, landscaping and other related issues.

Information about the project has been made available through public meetings conducted over the past two years. For more information, contact the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Water and Wastewater, at 410-396-3500.
.

"Women's History Month" at Woodbourne School

2011-03-02T07:49:00.000-05:00

Tessa Hill-Aston, president-elect of the Baltimore City chapter of the NAACP, is coming to kick off "Women's History Month" at Woodbourne School tonight. All are welcome.

Date: Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Time: 7:30pm
Place: Woodbourne School gymnasium - 1301 Woodbourne Avenue

For further information, please call 410-433-1000, extension 2223.
.

SAVE THE DATE: President Young's Northeast Community Meet and Greet

2011-02-27T13:39:00.000-05:00

(click on image to see full-sized flyer)

City Council President Jack Young wants to get to know his neighbors in Northeast Baltimore.

Please join him next month at Valentino’s Diner and come prepared to discuss the issues that impact your neighborhood.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Valentino’s Diner

6627 Harford Road

Baltimore, MD 21214

6PM - 8PM

RVSP: charline.rolley@baltimorecity.gov or regina.boyce@baltimorecity.gov

.

DPW Information Guide & Calendar is Back!

2011-02-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

The 2011 Department of Public Works Calendars are being delivered, by mail, to Baltimore City residents this week. The highly popular DPW Calendar is an important and valuable tool for our citizens, providing a wide range of information.

The calendar contains a single stream recycling guide, winter weather tips, how to schedule bulk trash pick up, locations for citizen drop-off centers, rat control tips, how to protect the quality of our drinking water and how to keep our streams and harbors clean.

Baltimore City holidays with their make up trash and recycling collections days as well as Public Works events such as the Mayor’s Spring and Fall cleanup dates are listed.

New this year is a sheet of trash and recycling stickers so kids (and young-at-heart adults) can mark their trash and recycling collections days. Residents can call 311 for their schedule and then mark it on the calendar.

Serious budgetary challenges delayed a commitment to printing and mailing the calendars before the first of the year. However, these much anticipated, award-wining calendars are an important tool in promoting recycling and in highlighting sanitation issues affecting the health and cleanliness of the water in our streams and harbor. The calendar is free to Baltimore City residents and has been voted one of the best uses of taxpayers’ money several years running by City Paper’s Best of Baltimore.

City residents who have not received a calendar within the next two weeks, should call 311 to request one. To view a calendar on-line as a .pdf, click here and wait a minute - it's a big file!

.

Mayor Announces Expansion of PNC Neighborhood Grant Program

2011-02-23T11:54:00.000-05:00

Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, and PNC Bank announced a new component to the PNC Neighborhood Grant Program. For many years, the program awarded grants to eligible Baltimore City organizations for the purpose of producing events. Starting this year, the PNC Neighborhood Grant Program is expanding to include funding for murals and gardens projects.

“Baltimore’s charm comes from its diverse neighborhoods, and the people committed to making their streets better, safer, and stronger,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “For over 20 years, the Neighborhood Grants Program has provided resources to dedicated communities to beautify and revitalize our neighborhoods.”

Now in its 21st year, the program continues to provide financial assistance in the form of cash grants for special projects that revitalize the city’s neighborhoods and engage its residents. The PNC Neighborhood Grant Program is sponsored by PNC Bank and produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.

“PNC Bank is dedicated to enriching the communities we call home and the lives of people we meet every day,” said Louis Cestello, Greater Maryland Regional President, PNC Bank. “The PNC Neighborhood Grant Program is one of the many ways we support the communities and residents of Baltimore.”

The murals and gardens program encourages neighborhoods to collaborate with art organizations and artists to incorporate the arts into community improvement projects such as reclaiming empty lots, creating murals, or starting community gardens with art components. Grants range from $2,500 to $10,000. The events program distributes funding in the amount of $500 to $1,000 for special events, such as street festivals, flea markets, health fairs, block parties, and more. Events will be funded from Sunday, May 1 through Wednesday, November 30, 2011.

All entries will be judged by a selection committee based on the clarity, design, readiness, value, commitment, and urgency of the project or event. Selected groups are required to send one representative from the organization to attend a mandatory workshop. The Mural and Garden Information Workshop takes place Saturday, February 26 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. The Events Workshop takes place Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. Both workshops are held at the Southeast Anchor of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, located at 3601 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore MD 21224.

Local neighborhood associations and community-based, nonprofit groups can apply for one or both grants by visiting www.promotionandarts.com. Deadline for applications is Friday, April 1, 2011 at 5:00 pm. Applications can be faxed to 410-385-0361 or mailed to the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, 7 East Redwood Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21202.

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance, and asset-based lending; wealth management; and asset management.

For more information on the PNC Neighborhood Grant Program, contact the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts at 410-752-8632 or visit http://www.promotionandarts.com/

City Government opening 2 hours late - City Schools closed

2011-02-22T06:35:00.000-05:00

.

On Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Baltimore City Government will be operating on a 2-hour delay with liberal leave in effect for non-essential employees. Essential personnel must report to work on time and remain at work as scheduled. Baltimore City Public Schools are closed, but the administrative offices are open.

The Charm City Circulator will begin operations today at 8:30 a.m.

The Baltimore City Snow Team has been treating city roadways throughout the night and will continue to work on the roads throughout the day. Streets may be slippery and drivers are encouraged to proceed with extreme caution and allow plenty of following distance.

Phase I of the Snow Emergency Plan is still in effect in Baltimore City until further notice. This means that all vehicles driving on city roadways MUST be equipped with snow tires, all weather radials or chains.

.

Check out the City's Snow Page

2011-02-21T23:27:00.000-05:00

Phase I of the Snow Emergency Plan is now in effect in Baltimore City until further notice. This means that all vehicles driving on city roadways MUST be equipped with snow tires, all weather radials or chains.

Check the City's "Snow Page" for updates by clicking here.

Power Outages Create Water Outages

2011-02-19T16:59:00.000-05:00

Click above to see full DPW press release

At around 2 p.m. today, Department of Public Works pumping stations in Pikesville, Cromwell, Guilford and Towson suffered electric outages. Power has been restored to two pumping stations in Guilford and Cromwell. An electric arc sparked a fire on a power line coming into the station at Pikesville. A generator is being activated that location so power can be restored.

BGE is working to restore power to the Towson pumping station and some service is being restored. Residents in Guilford, Roland Park and Govans should see water coming back. This rash of outages are due to extremely high winds interrupting power that are affecting the area today.

Residents in the area from Northern Parkway north and west to Reisterstown and Glyndon are being asked to voluntary conserve water use until full service can be restored. This includes Towson, Pikesville, Reisterstown, Glyndon, Owings Mills and surrounding communities.

Residents in the affected area:

o Should not use dishwashers and washing machines.
o Should delay taking showers.
o Should not let water run unnecessarily.

To report water main breaks/leaks Baltimore City residents should call 311. Baltimore County residents should call 410-396-5352.

Next 4th Districtwide Community Meeting - February 26th @ the Senator !

2011-02-09T16:41:00.000-05:00

For three years now, I have brought together the leaders and active members of the 4th District’s neighborhoods for my districtwide community meetings. My hope is always that these meetings serve not only to keep the lines of communication open between the communities and City government, but also as opportunities for neighborhood leaders talk amongst themselves, sharing information and experience in ways that will make each association stronger.

As such, I am pleased to invite you to my next quarterly 4th District Community Meeting. This meeting will focus on two areas: the City's 311 system and how it works with CitiStat, as well as the new Neighborhood Nuisances law, recently passed by the City Council. Please come and take advantage of this opportunity to discuss with representatives of the CitiStat office and Baltimore Housing any of your concerns in these areas.

Also at this meeting, I will be introducing the members of the 4th District Community Advisory Commission. Appointed last year, commissioners review and discuss issues affecting their neighborhoods – including but not limited to economic development, recreation, public safety, traffic & parking, sanitation, streetscape, and zoning – and provide related policy suggestions or reactions to me on behalf of you, their neighbors. Amongst their other responsibilities, the commissioners will also review and discuss the City’s annual budget and tax proposals, interview potential replacement candidates in the event of a vacancy, and advise me on the setting and topics for these districtwide community meetings.

One of their suggestions was to try a schedule change and set the next meeting for a Saturday morning, rather than the weekday evenings on which I had been hosting these events. So, our next meeting will be:

Saturday, February 26th

10am to 11:30am

The Senator Theatre

5904 York Road

Please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email her at Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov to confirm your attendance. Thank you for your continued commitment to your community and the city of Baltimore and I look forward to seeing you on the 26th!

DoT Meeting on Proposed New Truck Routes

2011-02-09T16:21:00.000-05:00

Keeping commercial vehicles on their designated routes is a major challenge throughout Baltimore City due to the changing economic and neighborhood conditions within the city. While truck traffic is necessary to maintain commercial and industrial activity, it is possible to reduce its impact on communities. (Click on flyer to see it fullsize) Many truck routes have not been examined for their appropriateness and practicality in several decades. The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has conducted an audit of existing truck routes to analyze and ultimately re-route truck traffic to balance both economic viability and community livability.

While the only legal through routes for trucks in the 4th District are York Road and Northern Parkway, if you'd like to see what is and what's going to be allowed elsewhere in the City, please join the Department of Transportation at Barclay Elementary/Middle School (the closest of the citywide public meetings to us!) next Wednesday, February 16th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Fleming, Northeast Community Liaison for the Department of Transportation, at 443-984-4095 or Jeffrey.Fleming@baltimorecity.gov

Come preview this year's City budget!

2011-02-04T09:41:00.000-05:00

Council Passes Neighborhood Nuisances Citation Bill

2011-02-03T08:27:00.001-05:00

On Monday, January 31st, the Baltimore City Council passed Bill 10-0618, which authorizes the issuance of citations for neighborhood nuisances that are disorderly in manner or disturb the peace of the neighboring residents. In addition to any other potential civil or criminal citations, both the occupant(s) and the owner of a disorderly property would be subject to an environmental citation with a penalty of $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for any subsequent offense within 12 months of a previous violation. A copy of the bill is available here.

All of us who worked on crafting this legislation believe that it will be a useful tool for both law and code enforcement officials to use in discouraging residents from hosting raucous parties or playing music at an unreasonable loud volume that could disturb their immediate neighbors. By providing the ability to cite the property owner as well as the occupants - and by making unpaid citations tax liens on the property - we also believe that this legislation will also encourage some owners of rental properties to try harder to ensure that they have responsible tenants, who will respect their fellow neighbors' right to enjoy their homes and community in peace.

Code Blue Activated For Today Through Tuesday, Feb. 1

2011-01-31T20:45:00.001-05:00

Because predicted snowfall and extreme cold temperatures present a potential danger to health, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot is declaring a Code Blue cold weather alert for Monday, Jan. 31 and Tuesday, February 1, 2011. As a result of the Code Blue declaration, emergency shelters will keep extended hours. Emergency workers will conduct outreach for vulnerable residents.

Cold Weather Tips for Staying Healthy:

Wear multiple layers of loose-fitting clothing.
Always wear a head covering, like a hat and/or scarf, when outdoors.
Keep space heaters and candles away from flammable materials, such as curtains, furniture and loose clothing.
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcoholic beverages.
Check on those who are elderly and/or chronically ill.
Provide appropriate shelter for domestic animals.

Individuals with a known heart condition are reminded of the danger of physical exertion in colder temperatures. Shoveling snow increases the workload on the heart, increasing the risk of a heart attack. Take frequent breaks and avoid lifting too much snow or ice at once.

Residents lacking heat are reminded of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from using generators in enclosed spaces or burns caused by alternate heating sources. Energy assistance may be available to those who need it. For more information on energy assistance, contact the Office of Home Energy at 410-396-5555.

There are 10 emergency shelters currently operating in Baltimore City. A complete listing, with address and hours of operation, follows:

For more information on Code Blue, visit our Website at http://www.baltimorehealth.org/

Supporting the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act

2011-01-31T20:20:00.001-05:00

(If these aren't clear enough when you click on them, you can find the originals on the City Council's website here...)

I have received some inquiries asking if the Baltimore City Council would be taking a stand in favor of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act. Evidently, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a resolution last Tuesday supporting state legislation to allow same-sex marriage and now there is some question as to whether Baltimore City would follow suit.

The answer is "Yes! We are on record supporting marriage equality - and we have been for almost three years!"

The resolution above - introduced in February of 2008 - was the first piece of legislation I introduced after I came onto the City Council. When it was clear that the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act was not going to pass the General Assembly that spring, the Council amended our resolution of support to remove the specific references to that year and those bill numbers - specifically to make it clear that we were on record supporting the idea...no matter when.

Lisa Polyak, vice president of the board of directors for Equality Maryland, a nonprofit lobbying organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, (and a 4th district neighbor!) told Erin Cunningham of the Montgomery County Gazette last week that the idea of same-sex marriage has more support than in the past, with more than 55 co-sponsors of the House bill - up from about 40 last year; in the Senate, the identical bill has twice the sponsorship that last year's bill received. According to Polyak, "There is growing recognition that equality under the law is something that their constituents want and need."

The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act says that same-sex couples could marry, but no given church would be required to marry them if that church chose not to do so. Current state law says that only a man and a woman may marry, but as the Council's resolution so clearly reminds all of us "The opportunity to publicly and legally commit to share one’s life with a person of one’s choice is for many people one of the most central aspects of human experience, and denial of marriage to same-sex couples is the denial of a fundamental civil right."

Mayor Introduces City Council Redistricting Plan

2011-01-31T16:08:00.001-05:00

In accordance with the deadline established by the City Charter, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake today introduced a plan for redistricting City Council districts. The plan adheres to standards established by the Supreme Court of the United States, and creates districts that are approximately equal in population and reflect the racial demographics of the city. For the largest size of the map on the left, click here.

The 2010 Census population and demographic data provided by the federal government are not available in time to meet the redistricting deadline mandated in the City Charter. When that data becomes available, the Mayor’s Office will reanalyze the 2010 redistricting plan and offer amendments, if necessary, in order to ensure that the goals outlined by the Mayor are met.

In order to meet the deadline, the Mayor’s Office used Neilson Claritas Census Block Group estimates for 2010 to approximate changes in city population over the past decade. At the block group levels, Neilson Claritas base count information is based on sources including “…local estimates, trends in United States Postal Service deliverable address counts, counts from the Nielsen Claritas Master Address File, Hanley Wood new residential development data, and Valassis counts of new housing units.”

To learn more about Nielsen Claritas methodology, visit: http://www.claritas.com/collateral/data/update-demographics-2009-summary-methodology.pdf

So...where do we plow first?

2011-01-26T20:33:00.000-05:00

Since there are always those who are curious as to who gets plowed first when things get nasty, here's at least the first part of the answer.

The City plows primary routes first, then secondary routes, then neighborhood streets. The map to the right - which, as is often the case, gets bigger if you click on it - shows the primary routes in our part of town.

(If you want to see the whole City, go to the City's Snow Page and look in "Downloads" for a map marked "Primary Snow Routes" with or without neighborhoods. It's a pretty big file though...)

There are also more dynamic maps showing how long since a truck last made a pass along a given route and how many passes have been made along a given route. Both only show primary routes. Have fun tracking our progress and stay warm and safe!

.

More Snow!!!

2011-01-26T20:20:00.000-05:00

This excerpt to the left from the City's "Snow Brochure" - which will get much bigger if you click on it! -gives the definitions for the three phases of Snow Emergency and some photographic examples of roadway conditions from the City's point of view. (The difference between "passable" and "plowed" for instance, is key!)

If you like to see more, check out the City's Snow Page by clicking here. This is where the City posts Snow Alerts, like "Phase I of the Snow Emergency Plan is now in effect in Baltimore City." or perhaps "As of 6:30 p.m., commuters will encounter major delays along the northbound Jones Falls Expressway. Motorists should avoid the expressway at this time and use alternate routes." - both of which it actually says at the point I'm posting this...

City Activates Code Blue For Tuesday, Jan. 11th and Wednesday, Jan. 12th

2011-01-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

“If you must be outside in the cold, be prepared. Tell someone where you are going and how long you will be outside,” cautions Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Check in on neighbors who live alone, especially seniors.”

As a result of the Code Blue declaration, emergency shelters will keep extended hours. Emergency workers will conduct outreach for vulnerable residents.

Cold Weather Tips for Staying Healthy:

Wear multiple layers of loose-fitting clothing.
Always wear a head covering, like a hat and/or scarf, when outdoors.
Keep space heaters and candles away from flammable materials, such as curtains, furniture and loose clothing.
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcoholic beverages.
Check on those who are elderly and/or chronically ill.
Provide appropriate shelter for domestic animals.

Individuals with a known heart condition are reminded of the danger of physical exertion in colder temperatures. Shoveling snow increases the workload on the heart, increasing the risk of a heart attack. Take frequent breaks and avoid lifting too much snow or ice at once.

Residents lacking heat are reminded of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from using generators in enclosed spaces or burns caused by alternate heating sources. Energy assistance may be available to those who need it. For more information on energy assistance, contact the Office of Home Energy at 410-396-5555.

There are 10 emergency shelters currently operating in Baltimore City. A complete listing, with address and hours of operation, follows:

For more information on Code Blue, visit our Website at http://www.baltimorehealth.org/

Christmas Tree Pickup and Mulching

2011-01-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

The Bureau of Solid Waste will offer curbside tree collection from Tuesday, January 4, 2011 through Friday, January 28, 2011. Residents should set out trees on their regularly scheduled trash collection day at the same location where their trash is collected. All tinsel and ornaments must be removed from trees before they are set out for curbside collection or mulching.

DPW will also provide Christmas tree mulching Monday through Saturday during the entire month of January. Mulching services will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at BOTH the Sisson Street Citizen Drop-off Center, 2840 Sisson Street, AND the Reedbird Avenue Citizen Drop-off Center, 701 Reedbird Avenue.

Residents may bring their own bags or containers if they wish to collect mulch for their own use. Community groups are also encouraged to bring bags or containers and collect free mulch for neighborhood gardens while supplies last.

For additional information, please call 311.

Winter Weather Advisory in effect - Code Blue has been activated

2010-12-26T12:52:00.000-05:00

According to an 11:43am bulletin of the National Weather Service, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 6 am Monday. Light snow has begun across the region and will continue during the afternoon and evening hours, with an expected snowfall of 2 to 4 inches. Temperatures should stay around 30 degrees today, falling to the lower to mid-20s tonight. Expect winds from 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph, with gusts to 35 mph this afternoon and 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph tonight.

A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibility; use caution while driving.

Because of predicted extreme cold temperatures and the potential danger to health, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot has declared a Code Blue cold weather alert for Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010. As a result of the Code Blue declaration, emergency shelters will keep extended hours. Emergency workers will conduct outreach for vulnerable residents.

Cold Weather Tips for Staying Healthy:

Wear multiple layers of loose-fitting clothing.
Always wear a head covering, like a hat and/or scarf, when outdoors.
Keep space heaters and candles away from flammable materials, such as curtains, furniture and loose clothing.
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcoholic beverages.
Check on those who are elderly and/or chronically ill.
Provide appropriate shelter for domestic animals.

Residents lacking heat are reminded of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from using generators in enclosed spaces or burns caused by alternate heating sources. Energy assistance may be available to those who need it. For more information on energy assistance, contact the Office of Home Energy at 410-396-5555.

There are 10 emergency shelters currently operating in Baltimore City. For a complete listing with address and hours of operation or for more information on Code Blue, visit http://www.baltimorehealth.org/.

Holiday (and Furlough Day) Closures and Service Impacts

2010-12-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

Baltimore City Government Offices will be closed for Friday, December 24, Monday, December 27, and Friday, December 31.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Christmas Eve – Friday, December 24:

Trash and recycling, both curbside and City containers WILL BE COLLECTED.
There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.
Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).
All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED.
Parking meters WILL BE IN EFFECT.

NOTE: Parking meters WILL NOT be in effect on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the Mandatory Furlough day – Monday, December 27:

This is not a regular waste collection day.
There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.
Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).
All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED with the exception of the Police Headquarters complex. Citizens will be unable to pay City bills or obtain permits at City offices. City residents can pay some bills online; please visit www.baltimorecity.gov.

Parking meters WILL BE IN EFFECT on Monday, December 27.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On New Year’s Eve – Friday, December 31:

Trash and recycling, both curbside and City containers WILL BE COLLECTED.
There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled.
Citizen drop off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).
All City buildings WILL BE CLOSED.
Parking meters WILL BE IN EFFECT.

NOTE: Parking meters WILL NOT be in effect on New Year’s Day, Saturday, January 1, 2011.

A Holiday Gift for Our Schools!

2010-12-23T15:16:00.000-05:00

This morning, I had the pleasure of dropping off the first round of computers being donated to all of the schools in the 4th district, just before they closed for Christmas and New Year's. Thanks to Bootup Baltimore, each of the following schools will be receiving a newly-reconditioned PC system with a 19" or 20" flat-panel monitor: Walter P. Carter Elementary/Middle, Guilford Elementary/Middle, Tunbridge Public Charter, Govans Elementary, Baltimore IT Academy, Leith Walk Elementary, and Yorkwood Elementary.

Bootup Baltimore is a computer volunteering organization affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University, under the auspices of the school's Center for Social Concern. They work in tandem with Baltimore public schools, providing free computers and computer instruction to students in need. Their members volunteer their time and expertise to repair recycled computers and train students in word processing, graphics design, hardware maintenance, web development, and other useful and marketable computer skills.

A special shout-out goes to Tom Smith, a senior at Hopkins and president of the organization. While most of the group's members had already left town for the holidays, Tom took time away from his family - and his birthday! - to put together the seven systems and help load them into my van in time to get most of them delivered before schools closed this morning for winter break. (The systems for Baltimore IT and Guilford Elementary/Middle will be delivered when schools re-open on January 3rd.)

Not only does Bootup Baltimore recondition the computers before

providing them to schools at no charge, but the organization also provides servicing for the computers going forward. Based on the reaction of the principals I spoke with this morning,

I think that today marks the beginning of a beautiful partnership...

Have a happy holiday season and stay safe in the New Year!

Design Workshop for York Road and Cold Spring Lane

2010-12-10T12:44:00.001-05:00

The Department of Transportation will be holding a special design workshop for the intersection of York Road and Cold Spring Lane on December 16th, 5:30pm at Guilford Elementary/Middle School.

During previous York Road Corridor Improvement Project meetings, the community stated that this intersection is an important gateway for the York Road corridor, so DoT would like to explore additional ideas to enhance its appearance that fit within our budget.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out directly to Mark Brown at DoT - mark.brown@baltimorecity.gov

Hope to see you! - Bill

Christmas Eve & Mandatory Furlough Day Closings

2010-12-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Mayor's Anti-Animal Abuse Advisory Commission

2010-12-03T17:22:00.000-05:00

On October 4th, the Baltimore City Council passed Bill 10-506, creating the Mayor's Anti-Animal Abuse Advisory Commission. This commission will continue the work of the Mayor's Anti-Animal Abuse Task Force, which has functioned since July 2009, with a goal of eradicating animal abuse in Baltimore.

As Mayor Rawlings-Blake said upon enactment, “[W]e all have a strong and visceral reaction to news about animal abuse. Abused animals cannot speak for themselves, and if those of us who care about the humane treatment of living beings do not speak up on their behalf, no one will. Additionally, we know that there is a high correlation between animal abuse and other types of interpersonal violence.”

The commission will be composed to 33 members, 14 of which are to be chosen from each of the council districts. The Mayor has requested that each council member submit a resident of their district for consideration in accordance with Article IV, SS 6 of the Baltimore City Charter.

If you are interested in serving on the commission, please send a resume and a short (1-2 paragraph) letter of interest to my office. If emailing, please use MS Word format or a .pdf file for the attachments and use the subject line “Mayor's Anti-Animal Abuse Advisory Commission application”.

I share the Mayor’s confidence that through the diligent work of this Commission, we can begin to make progress addressing animal abuse in Baltimore. Thanks!

- Bill

(Image courtesy of Fox 45)

Thanksgiving Day & Mandatory Furlough Day Closings

2010-11-23T15:05:00.000-05:00

Veterans Day - Thursday, November 11th

2010-11-05T21:21:00.001-04:00

City offices will be closed Veterans Day

Trash and recycling will not be collected. (Saturday, November 13th will be the make-up day for collection in those parts of our district regularly scheduled for Thursday recycling collection.)

No bulk trash collection will be scheduled for November 11, and citizen drop-off centers will be closed.

Parking meters will be in effect.

Emergency services will remain active.

Veterans Day Ceremony

The City's annual Veterans Day Ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 11th at 10:00 a.m. in the War Memorial Building, 101 N. Gay Street.

Activities will include a parade, ceremony and tributes to distinguished Maryland veterans. All are welcome.

Note: The original, full, and printable versions of this announcement can be found here:
http://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/MOIT/VeteransDayFlyer_2010.pdf

.

Community Conversation - Temporary Use Of Winston Middle School Building

2010-11-05T19:44:00.000-04:00

Please Support GEDCO's ThanksGiving Tribute

2010-11-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

For more details, go to http://www.gedco.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=430293

DRAFT NEW ZONING MAP PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

2010-11-03T16:02:00.000-04:00

The City's Department of Planning is now ready to launch the next phase of the citywide zoning update, the release of DRAFT zoning maps. These maps accompany the DRAFT new Zoning Code released in June 2010. Planning needs input on their early version DRAFT zoning maps from property owners, neighborhood associations, developers, business owners and anyone else interested in the physical redevelopment of Baltimore. After the workshops, they will prepare a revised draft of both the text and maps for release in spring 2011.

At each workshop listed below, there will be a brief presentation on the DRAFT new Zoning Code and the approach to mapping. Following the presentation there will be draft maps placed around the room for review and plenty of time for discussion, comments and questions. The DRAFT code is the result of over two years of work and numerous public meetings; now we can all discuss how this proposed Code might impact your property and other parcels in your neighborhood.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR ONE OF THE FOLLOWING WORKSHOPS. The PRESENTATIONS ARE ALL FROM 6-8 PM and will be repeated at all meetings, so please attend the most convenient date for you and forward this invitation to others.

NOVEMBER 16TH

Cristo Rey High School

420 South Chester Street

The school is located on Chester between Eastern and Bank Street

NOVEMBER 22ND

Department of Planning

417 East Fayette Street, 8th floor

NOVEMBER 30TH

Baltimore Polytechnic High School-Cafeteria

Cold Spring Lane and Falls Road - enter on West Cold Spring Lane and park in front of school and use main entrance

DECEMBER 2ND

Morgan State University

University Center/ Student Center Room 210

On Hillen Road, south of East Cold Spring Lane

Park in garage behind the building; enter from East Cold Spring Lane

No RSVP needed, but we would greatly appreciate it if you could let us know if you plan to attend by clicking here. This will help to ensure a more productive workshop for all.
_______________________________________________________________________

DRAFT NEW ZONING CODE COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED

In June 2010 the Department of Planning released the DRAFT new Zoning Code text. Since then we have held eight major public presentations and discussions around the City. Hundreds of citizens have attended; read the document online or at a library and/or have sent us comments, concerns and suggestions. To broaden the opportunity for public input, we have extended the time to receive comments on the first draft to December 15, 2010.

To review the DRAFT code, previous presentations and other supporting material and to comment on the DRAFT text, please visit http://www.rewritebaltimore.org/. The DRAFT maps will also be available on the web later in December, after the public meetings.

For questions, email or call 410-396-PLAN

Copies of the text are available at the reference desk in all Enoch Pratt Libraries.

Tomorrow Is Election Day - What Should I Do?

2010-11-01T06:45:00.000-04:00

FREE RIDE TO THE POLLS IN BALTIMORE CITY

2010-10-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

This ELECTION DAY, Tuesday, November 2nd, vans and drivers will be available throughout the day. Housing communities are asked to organize residents and schedule a pickup.

Please call 443-525-7399 to schedule rides.

REMINDER - Next District-Wide Community Meeting - THIS WEDNESDAY

2010-10-29T18:01:00.000-04:00

This Wednesday, at the request of the York Road Partnership (YRP), several City agencies will update us on their progress towards meeting the goals in the York Road Community's Strategic Neighborhood Action Plan (SNAP), originally published in 2006. The update will take the form of a series of brief presentations as to what each department has accomplished regarding their respective goals in the seven sections of the SNAP.

These presentations will be made at my upcoming district-wide community meeting, which is being combined with YRP's regular monthly meeting:

Wednesday, November 3rd

Walter P. Carter Recreation Center

820 E. 43rd St. (@ St. Georges Ave.)

6:30pm to 8:30pm

The meeting will begin at 6:30pm, with City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young leading off as our guest speaker, followed by a brief SNAP "background" presentation by the YRP, and then the agency reports beginning around 7pm. Pizza and beverages will be available starting at 6:15pm.

As always, please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov if you have any questions about the event or to confirm your attendance. If you have questions regarding the SNAP, please contact Zach Chissell at ZChissell@greaterhomewood.org. Thank you for your continued commitment to your community and the city of Baltimore and I look forward to seeing you on November 3rd!

- Bill

P.S. If you would like to download your own .pdf copy of the SNAP, follow this link...but be prepared to wait for all 4.26 MB to download from Planning's server: http://www.baltimorecity.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=aR3X_Cd--P8%3d&tabid=272&mid=636

HEARING SCHEDULED FOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY BILL

2010-10-29T13:30:00.000-04:00

On Monday, November 1, 2010, at 5 p.m., the City Council's Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee will hold a hearing to explore the possibility of broadcasting proceedings from the Liquor Board, Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals and Board of Estimates, which represent three of the city’s most influential decision-making bodies.

Most citizens are kept in the dark about decisions made by these powerful boards – which rule on everything from zoning changes to the awarding of multi-million dollar construction contracts – because they are not currently televised, and the meetings often take place during the day when people are at work.

“My bill will continue to strengthen Baltimore’s communities and ensure that our citizens are able to follow government proceedings,” Council President Young said. “The Transparency and Accountability Bill is critically important and will help us build a stronger Baltimore.”

The hearing is open to the public and will be broadcast on TV25.

Monday, Nov. 1 - 5pm

Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th Floor

City Hall - 100 N. Holliday Street

Trash and Recycling Collection CANCELLED next Tuesday

2010-10-27T17:27:00.000-04:00

Director Alfred H. Foxx announced today that Department of Public Works’ offices will be closed Election Day, Tuesday, November 2nd.

Trash and recycling WILL NOT BE COLLECTED. There WILL BE NO BULK TRASH collection scheduled. Citizen drop-off centers WILL BE CLOSED (all yards including Quarantine Road Landfill, the Northwest Transfer Station and the Eastern, Western and Northwestern Sanitation Yards).

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH will be the make up collection day for trash and recycling in those areas that are regularly scheduled for collection on Tuesday.

For further information, contact Celeste Amato at 410-545-6541, Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow at 410-545-6189, Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov

Northeast Truck Study Public Meeting

2010-10-27T16:16:00.000-04:00

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has concluded a truck study intended to better manage truck traffic in the Northeast corridor of the City.

Please come out tomorrow night to learn about truck traffic changes in our area.

Thursday, October 28

6:30pm- 8:30pm

Dewees Park RecreationCenter

5501 Ivanhoe Ave.

Welcome Back to the Senator Theatre!

2010-10-13T16:35:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already heard, Buzz and Kathleen Cusack are re-opening The Senator Theatre on Friday, October 15th, starting with the film "RED," an action-comedy-spy-thriller starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich as ex-CIA agents who are now Retired, but still Extremely Dangerous.

Showtimes, per the new website for the Senator, are 2:15pm, 4:30pm, 7:10pm, and 9:45pm. You can also now buy tickets for the Senator in advance, by credit card here.
(Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox, poorly edited in-house...)

Coming Soon: the 2010 Fall Clean Up - Saturday, October 23rd!

2010-10-11T11:41:00.000-04:00

The 2010 Fall Clean Up will take place on Saturday, October 23rd, the theme for this year’s clean up being “Streets Are Streams - Clean Water Starts In Your Own Yard.” For the first time, the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Baltimore Water Alliance will hold their annual community cleaning events in coordination with the Department of Public Works.

“The Department of Recreation and Parks is proud to partner with the Bureau of Solid Waste and the Baltimore Water Alliance for the mayor’s city-wide Fall Clean Up,” said Recreation and Parks Director Gregory Bayor. “Promoting the importance of the land-water connection in trash and debris management is an important part of our department’s mission.”

“We are pleased to partner with the Mayor’s office and the Departments of Public Works and Recreation and Parks on this important day of service,” Halle Van der Gaag, Deputy Director of the Baltimore Water Alliance. “Together we will mobilize hundreds of volunteers to help clean up trash, haul tires and other debris out of the Middle Branch, an important natural resource right here in the City. This partnership highlights our collective commitment to cleaner water in Baltimore, not only by cleaning up trash but by also addressing pollution sources that negatively impact our waterways and communities.”

“We look to establish partnerships, because by joining forces we accomplish great things,” added Department of Public Works Director Al Foxx. “I look forward to working on more projects with the Baltimore Water Alliance and to joining the Department of Recreation and Parks again when we start planning the spring clean up. Our goal is to make Baltimore the cleanest city in the country.”

Volunteers are urged to sign up today. Community Associations and volunteers who want to participate in the parks clean up should call 311 to register.

Baltimore Sun photos by Kim Hairston and Monica Lopossay

Next District-Wide Community Meeting - Council President Young and SNAP updates!

2010-10-09T15:01:00.003-04:00

The York Road Partnership (YRP) has requested an update by the various involved City agencies on the progress towards meeting the stated goals in the Strategic Neighborhood Action Plan (SNAP) published in 2006. The update will take the form of brief presentations by the respective agency heads as to what each respective department has accomplished regarding each stated goal in the seven sections of the SNAP, while also sharing whether any new goals have been developed during the implementation process.

These presentations will be made at my upcoming district-wide community meeting, which is being combined with YRP's regular monthly meeting:

Wednesday, November 3rd

Walter P. Carter Recreation Center

820 E. 43rd St. (@ St. Georges Ave.)

6:30pm to 8:30pm

The meeting will begin at 6:30pm, with City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young leading off as our guest speaker, followed by a brief SNAP "background" presentation by the YRP, and then the agency reports beginning around 7pm. Pizza and beverages will be available starting at 6:15pm.

The YRP will be collecting specific concerns from community members through their SNAP update committee focus groups; these concerns will be circulated to the agencies in advance, so that relevant concerns may be addressed by the appropriate department representatives. This will take the place of a more conventional "Q&A" session after the presentations.

As always, please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov if you have any questions about the event or to confirm your attendance. If you would like to submit concerns or questions regarding the SNAP, please contact Zach Chissell at ZChissell@greaterhomewood.org. Thank you for your continued commitment to your community and the city of Baltimore and I look forward to seeing you on November 3rd!

- Bill

P.S. If you would like to download your own .pdf copy of the SNAP, follow this link...but be prepared to wait for all 4.26 MB to download from Planning's server: http://www.baltimorecity.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=aR3X_Cd--P8%3d&tabid=272&mid=636

York Road Streetscape Meeting - Wednesday, October 20th

2010-10-09T14:30:00.002-04:00

The Baltimore Department of Transportation will hold our next official public meeting for Phase I of the York Road Corridor Improvement Project. The meeting will be held at:

Govans Boundary U.M. Church

5210 York Road

Wednesday, October 20th

6pm to 8pm

Phase I of the York Road Corridor Improvement project is a $5 million capital improvement effort which extends from Glenwood Aveune on the north to 43rd Street on the south. Components of the project include:

Major sidewalk/ADA ramp repairs
New pedestrian lighting
Expanded tree pits and additional street trees
New traffic signals, including pedestrian countdown timers
Bike lanes
Bus stop upgrades and possible bus stop location changes
Street repaving/remarking/improved crosswalks
Possible minor traffic changes on peripheral local roads

We will discuss these items in more detail at the meeting, as well as respond to questions and concerns from the public. Feel free to contact Mark Brown at DoT by phone at 443-984-4094 or by email at Mark.brown@baltimorecity.gov if you’d like additional information about the project before the public meeting.

Please check for updates on this and other projects which are underway in the Planning Division of BCDOT on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DOTPlan

GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH-LED COMMUNITY ORGANIZING PROJECTS!

2010-09-13T17:09:00.000-04:00

Youth As Resources, Baltimore’s youth-led grant making organization has funds available!

Youth (up to age 21) in Baltimore City and County who want to put their community improvement ideas into action are invited to apply for funding. Grants range from $500 - $3,500 and are available for community organizing projects that are created and carried out by young people.

Youth As Resources is offering grant seeker workshops on:

Saturday, October 2 at 10:30 a.m.

and

Monday, October 4 at 5:30 p.m.

Applicants are required to attend one of the two workshops and must be represented by one or two youth and no more than one optional adult. Application deadline is on Monday, November 8 by 5:00 p.m. Registration is required. To sign up for a workshop and/or for more information, please call Julie Reeder at (410) 576-9551 or email her at jreeder@bcf.org.

Youth As Resources
2 East Read Street, 8th floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-576-9551 (direct line)
410-837-4701 (fax)
http://www.youthasresources.org/

Mayor Reminds Residents to Prepare for Severe Weather Emergencies

2010-09-01T16:43:00.000-04:00

With the National Weather Service predicting that Hurricane Earl may bring heavy amounts of rain and tropical storm winds this weekend, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake reminded residents today to prepare their families and their homes for possible severe weather.

“As we have learned from previous hurricanes, just because we are not in the eye of the storm does not mean we are free from danger. High winds, rain, and a storm surge can cause flooding and the downed power lines. It is absolutely vital that our residents are prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws our way.”

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has been tracking Hurricane Earl since late last week, and will continue to monitor it and Tropical Storm Fiona, which is currently active in the Atlantic Ocean. The storms are predicted to come dangerously close to the eastern shores of our state and any small shift could bring severe weather to our area. City agencies have begun preparations in case the storms hit the Baltimore region. OEM has developed robust emergency plans, which detail each agency’s role in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from severe weather.

The Mayor reminded residents what they should do to prepare for a severe weather emergency:

Have an emergency kit, including a flashlight (with extra batteries), a 3 day supply of water, and an AM/FM battery operated Radio.
Stay tuned to your local TV and Radio Stations for instructions.
Identify a personal and/or family plan to shelter-in-place, or for the remote possibility of an evacuation.
Check on family members and friends who may be vulnerable or have special needs.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEW DRAFT ZONING CODE?

2010-08-15T19:26:00.000-04:00

BALTIMORE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK OF THE NEW DRAFT ZONING CODE!

This exciting achievement is the result of a two-year process aimed at maximizing public input, simplifying the zoning process, creating new tools to support and guide City investments, and preserving the unique character of Baltimore.

The Baltimore City Zoning Code was last comprehensively updated over 40 years ago, and since then, the economic realities and design goals of the City have evolved, and so the 1971 Code no longer meets these needs.

Please join us for a presentation with time for comments and questions on the new DRAFT Zoning Code:

MONDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2010

5:30-7pm

Department of Planning Open House

417 East Fayette Street, 8th floor

Please forward this invitation to others. No RSVP needed. To review the draft code and to comment on the zoning text, visit http://www.rewritebaltimore.org/

Reminder: 4th District-wide community meeting & 43rd District candidates' forum

2010-07-21T15:15:00.002-04:00

Just another reminder: my 4th District-wide community meeting is scheduled for next Thursday, July 29th at 6pm at Northwood Baptist Church – 1100 East Northern Parkway. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will be meeting with us to discuss her vision and plans for Baltimore City as it relates to our neighborhoods and offer you the chance to ask questions.

Also, Jayne Miller from WBAL-TV has accepted our invitation to be the moderator of the 43rd District candidates’ forum, which is co-sponsored by the Northeast Community Organization (NECO). The forum will begin after the Mayor’s Q-and-A wraps up.

We’re going to start the forum a little earlier than originally scheduled; we’ll begin at 6:45pm with the candidates for state central committee, who will each get 2 minutes to introduce themselves and talk about why they think that they would be good members of the central committee.

Next, at 7:15pm we’ll move on to the candidates for state delegate, who will each get 2 minutes to introduce themselves before we move into a 45-minute Q-and-A period.

Then, at 8:15pm we’ll bring on the candidates for state senator, who will each get 2 minutes to introduce themselves before we move into a 25-minute Q-and-A period.

Finally, at 8:45pm we’ll wrap up with one or two final questions for any of the candidates.

Thursday, July 29th

6pm - 9pm (candidates' forum at 6:45pm)

Northside Baptist Church

1100 East Northern Parkway

As always, please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov if you have any questions or to confirm your attendance. Thank you for your continued commitment to your community and the city of Baltimore and I look forward to seeing you on July 29th!

- Bill

Save the date - July 29th - Q&A with the Mayor and a Candidates' Forum !!!

2010-06-17T10:44:00.003-04:00

Dear 4th District Stakeholder,

As most of you know, I have continued the efforts of my predecessor in bringing together the 4th District’s neighborhood stakeholders for district-wide community meetings. My intention is that these meetings serve not only to keep the lines of communication open between the community and City government, but also as opportunities for neighborhood leaders to talk amongst themselves, sharing information and experience in ways that will make each association stronger.

As such, I am pleased to invite you to the next of my quarterly 4th District Community Meetings. As our guest speaker, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has accepted my invitation to come meet with us, discuss her vision and plans for Baltimore City as it relates to our neighborhoods, and offer you the chance to ask questions.

Since Mayor Rawlings-Blake can only be with us for the first part of the meeting, the second portion of the evening will be given over to a Candidates' Forum for those running for state office here in the 43rd Legislative District, co-sponsored by the Northeast Community Organization (NECO). While we will not know for certain who all of the candidates will be until the filing deadline early in July, I do expect that multiple candidates running for State Senate, House of Delegates, and State Central Committee in our district will participate.

Thursday, July 29th

6pm - 9pm (candidates' forum at 7pm)

Northside Baptist Church

1100 East Northern Parkway

Please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov to confirm your attendance. Thank you for your continued commitment to your community and the city of Baltimore and I look forward to seeing you on July 29th!

- Bill

Water and sewer rate increases coming

2010-06-10T15:13:00.000-04:00

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works, at a public hearing yesterday, asked the Board of Estimates for increases in water and sewer rates and fees. The 9% increases for both water and sewer rates for Baltimore City customers were approved. These increases are required to meet State and Federal regulatory mandates, homeland security needs, and to address infrastructure replacement costs. These rate increases will raise the annual water and sewer bill for a family of four by approximately $81.

Bureau of Water and Wastewater Head, Kishia L. Powell, P.E., stated: “We have a looming CRISIS underfoot. The City’s water infrastructure, critical to basic sanitation, health, public safety and economic growth, is failing at an alarming rate. We not only have to choose HOW to spend our money, we have to choose TO spend money to replace our mains.” Ms. Powell cited numerous instances of major water main failures in 2009-2010: E. Madison St., Dundalk, W. Saratoga St., Halethorpe, Reisterstown, E. Lombard St., Argonne Dr., E. Monument St., etc. She also noted that for some periods during the past winter, there were 50 active water main breaks in a single day.

The reasons for the rate increase:

• Over 95% of the City’s water mains have been in service for 65 years without inspection; many are beyond 100 years of service.

• In FY2009 just 0.12% of the system’s water main was replaced; 0% in all of FY2010.

• In the past five years, DPW has responded to 5,762 water main breaks.

• Because of the aging system, the City looses enough water daily to fill the Baltimore’s World Trade Center; 20% of our finished water revenues.

• The continuing work mandated by a federal consent decree requiring $1 billion dollars in sewer system improvements.

• Homeland security improvements since 9/11 have increased costs for guard services, chemicals, water quality monitoring and facility security.

• Changes in Safe Drinking Water Act regulations requiring hundreds of millions of dollars in filtration and reservoir improvements.

• Improvements at wastewater treatment plants to meet federal mandates to reduce nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay.

While seeking to address our infrastructure needs and unfunded mandates, Baltimore City has taken, and is taking, action to keep costs down:

• Made cuts to the operation to reduce overhead; since 2005 the Bureau of Water and Wastewater has reduced its workforce by 10%.

• Making operational and organizational changes to become a more efficient operation.

• Fielding additional crews to cut costs of overtime and water loss.

• Implementing water audit recommendations to achieve cost savings.

• Implementing cost-saving strategies such as the Back River Co-generation facility; investigating solar energy for reservoir projects.

• Continuing to seek out state and federal dollars to offset costs which would have otherwise been billed directly to rate-payers.

Baltimore City has an outstanding water system. In order to keep it that way we must continually invest in it. Delaying needed infrastructure improvements will only result in more damage and cost us much more in the long run. While these increases mean that we will all pay more for our water and sewer services, they are not out of line with what is happening elsewhere in the nation. Indeed, Baltimore City continues to have lower rates than most comparable east coast cities and we are striving to keep it that way.

For further information, contact Celeste Amato at 410-545-6541, Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow at 410-545-6189, Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov

FY 11 Budget Update, reprise

2010-06-02T18:26:00.001-04:00

Dear 4th District Stakeholders:

On March 24th, the Mayor released her Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2011. To close a $121 million budget gap, the plan eliminates over 900 positions, 606 of them filled with current workers. This "doomsday" plan would close most of our rec centers, eliminate the Police helicopters and marine units, close seven fire companies, stop bulk trash pickup, close school-based health clinics, reduce staffing at Animal Control and cancel street resurfacing projects, among other reductions and eliminations of City services.

On April 12th, as part of its Comprehensive Budget Plan, the Administration introduced nine pieces of legislation aimed at generating about $50 million in new revenue. These monies would be used to offset a portion of the $121 million deficit that the City is facing for FY2011, allowing for some restorations of some of the cuts - such as all of the ones listed above - specifying $41.4 million in “priority restorations”, which would save 355 City employees (mostly Fire and Police) from being laid off.

Even with this entire revenue package though - as well as other efforts such as continuing furloughs and having City employees pay a greater share of their prescription drug benefits - we have been told that we will still be laying off about 250 City employees, as part of the other $71 million in the Administration's budget-cutting measures.

Throughout the process, everything that the City is doing has been up for review. The Council's Budget & Appropriations committee has held countless hours of agency hearings, with members grilling department and bureau heads on all levels of spending and operational policy. Given the scope of the deficit however, waste-trimming here and there is not going to be sufficient to the task.

Here are the revenue increases that the Mayor has asked for:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill 10-0467 - Hotel Room Tax Rate - $3.9M new revenue - Would raise the tax on hotel charges from 7.5% to 10% of hotel guest charges. Along with the additional $3.9M to the general fund, an additional $2.6M is generated by this tax which would go to Visit Baltimore, which promotes tourism in the downtown area.
Bill 10-0468 - Local Income Tax - $5.9M new revenue - For persons living in Baltimore City, the local income tax rate would increase from 3.05% to 3.20% of taxable income for 2011 and thereafter. For an individual making $36,900 a year, it would be an additional monthly charge of about $4; for a family of four making $73,800, the additional monthly charge would be about $7.
Bill 10-0469 - Property Tax - Discount for Early Payment - $2.5M estimated “saved”* - Currently, property owners receive a 1% discount on property taxes paid before July 31 and a .50% discount before August 31. This legislation would eliminate all discounts after July 31 and reduces the July discount to .50%. *The $2.5M savings estimates are based on the termination of August discounts. No estimates yet of July savings.
Bill 10-0470 - Energy Tax-Rates - $8.16M new revenue - To quote the Finance report, “This bill will increase the current Baltimore City Energy Tax by 15%. Additionally, taxes for nonprofit users of energy will be charged the same rate as commercial users.”
Bill 10-0471 - Parking Tax Rate - $5.08M new revenue - Increases the Baltimore City parking tax from 16% to 20% in parking garages, both privately and publicly owned.
Bill 10-0472 - Parking Violations-Fines - $1.68M new revenue - Increases City parking fines by 20% by violation category.
Bill 10-0473 - Telecommunications Tax-Rate - $3.74M new revenue - Increases local tax on phone lines in Baltimore city from $3.50 to $4.00 per line and increases Centrix rates from 35 cents to 40 cents.
Bill 10-0474 - Beverage Container Tax - $11.4M new revenue - Imposes a 4-cent surcharge on non-reusable beverage containers (bottles & cans) which are sold in Baltimore City. It would NOT include containers of dairy products, non-dairy milk substitutes, beverages containing at least 10% natural fruit juices, and any beverage of 2 liters or larger, but it WOULD include bottled water and alcoholic beverages. It would not include beverage containers for which deposits are paid by consumers and refunds are paid by dealers.
Bill 10-0475 - Bed Capacity Fee - $3.94M new revenue - Imposes an annual fee of $350 per bed on every college/university dorm and hospital which is a private, tax-exempt institution.
Board of Estimates - Parking Meter Rates - $3.1M new revenue - Raises the parking meter rates for on-street parking from $1/hour to $2/hour in parts of downtown, Midtown, Federal Hill, Harbor East, Fells Point, and Canton. (This did not involve City Council action and has already passed the Board of Estimates at their meeting this past Wednesday.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

After attending the hearings on these bills and listening to constituents - in person, by phone and by email - I am leaning towards supporting all of the Mayor's requests, with some qualification and two exceptions. In terms of qualification, my hope is that we will be able to put together a "consolidated" revenue package which "spreads the pain" out among a broader base, allowing us perhaps to reduce some of the Mayor's proposed rates for her tax increases, offsetting these reductions with increases in other existing revenue measures. In terms of exception, I do not support the bottle tax, nor the bed fee…unless it is amended to charge more for hospital beds and less for college beds, acknowledging the significantly larger number of customers amongst which this fee would be spread.

I continue to be against a “bottle” tax for perhaps parochial, but legitimate reasons; businesses in our district are at a greater risk of losing sales to county competitors than many others in the City. While I have listened to all of the good points made by its proponents, there is no denying the simple fact that no matter how good they think such a tax might be, it would definitely be better if we were not the only ones doing it. If we don't need to do it right now - as many of the Council feels there are other alternatives - then we should wait until we can bring Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties to the table and do it as a regional initiative - which, by the way, is how it was done last time.

I am also against the bed capacity fee as it is currently designed. While I acknowledge that a fair chunk of the real property in the City is exempt from property tax and that this places a burden on the rest of us, I think the bed fee is designed inequitably. Any reasonable attempt to get non-profits throughout Baltimore to pay a fairer share of the costs of running this City would not be generating more than a quarter of its total proceeds from Loyola University alone. Plus, given the effort that the surrounding communities have put into getting Loyola to house more of its students on campus - and the cooperation that Loyola has provided – it seems unfair now to penalize them for having done what we asked them to do. I remain hopeful that the Administration and representatives of the larger non-profits will work out a arrangement that allows these institutions to make a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) that will provide the City with needed revenue, but more equitably generated.

A "Consolidated" Revenue Package

For what I've been told is the first time in recent history, the Council has stepped up to the plate during this budget season with a willingness to propose its own revenue generators. Over the last month and a half, the following measures have been brought up for consideration by the Council, as alternatives to some portion of the Mayor's revenue package:

Bill 09-0290 - Simulated Slot Machines - $1.9M new revenue
Bill 10-0489 - Miscellaneous Offenses - Citation and Penalty Amounts - $173K new revenue
Bill 10-0503 - Outdoor Advertising Excise Tax - $1.6M new revenue
Bill 10-0516 - Non-Owner-Occupied Dwellings and Vacant Structures - $1M new revenue
Bill 10-0206R - Funding from Oversize and Overweight Trucking Permits - $1.1M new revenue (This would also not involve City Council action and could be done by the Board of Estimates at any time.)

The fact remains that the total revenue from a "consolidated" revenue package (without the container tax, but including this additional $5.7 million) is $43.7 million - enough to restore all 355 positions on the Mayor's $41.4 million “priority restorations” list, with $2.3 million to do additional restorations.

Between the $5.7 million available from these additional revenue proposals, and the additional funds available by adjusting some of the rates in the Mayor's own proposals, I feel confident in saying that the opportunity is there for the Mayor and City Council to come together with a final budget plan that maximizes the revenue available to maintain crucial City services, while minimizing the negative impact on any given part of the City's economy.

So, this is where I - and to some extent, we - are right now. If you haven't already shared your thoughts on all of this with me, I still want to know what you think. As I said before, while I may not be able to do everything that each of you suggest, I promise that I will carefully consider your thoughts and recommendations as we move forward through this difficult process. Thanks!

- Bill

----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Honorable Bill Henry
4th District - Baltimore City Council
(410) 396-4830 - voice
(410) 659-1792 - fax
http://friendsofbillhenry.blogspot.com/

City Hall Office:
100 North Holliday Street, Room 502
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

District Office:
5225 York Road, Suite D
Baltimore, MD 21212

Speed Cameras in the 4th District!

2010-05-31T17:09:00.000-04:00

The Department of Transportation's "Speed Enforcement Units" are starting to pop up all across town - we're now seeing them in several of the places that communities have asked the City for traffic calming!

If you have additional locations that you would like to suggest, call 311, suggest the location to DoT, and then email our office with the tracking number and location, so that we can follow up on your request.

Fixed Camera Locations

Charles Street SB @ Lake Avenue
Cold Spring Lane WB @ Loch Raven Blvd
Northern Parkway WB @ Springlake Way
Northern Parkway WB @ Waverly Way

Portable Camera Locations (currently!)

Bellona Avenue @ Broxton Road
Hillen Road @ Waveworth Road
Woodbourne Avenue @ Midwood Avenue

FY 2011 Budget Hearings update

2010-05-01T16:04:00.000-04:00

A few of the Council's budget hearings have had their times shifted and evidently new agencies are still being added to the list, so please check the post of April 14th here below for updated hearing information as we get closer to budget hearings. Rather than posting whole new schedules as whole new posts, I will simply edit the April 14th post as the schedule changes.

Also, for those who have never had the pleasure of attending City Council budget hearings, the times listed can best be described as approximate. Or perhaps hopeful. The first one usually starts on time, but if some agency goes longer than expected, don't expect that time to be made up...

RecycleMORE Community Tonnage Competition FINAL RESULTS!

2010-04-20T14:32:00.001-04:00

The official winner of the RecycleMORE Community Competition was announced by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake at the start of this year’s Spring Cleanup. In an exciting race to the finish, which DPW Director David E. Scott compared to the Preakness, the 4th District's very own Radnor Winston Improvement Association came from being tied for fourth place to winning the competition!

Association President Nick Sheridan received a Citation from the Mayor and an award letter for Radnor-Winston to put on a block party. Radnor-Winston won with 2,500 lbs. of recycling pulling ahead of Hampden by 60 lbs. and outdistancing our leader of many weeks, Cheswolde by 80 lbs. Another 4th District neighborhood - Lake Walker - also broke the "Top 10" with 1,560 lbs.
1. Radnor Winston - 2,500 lbs.

2. Hampden - 2,440 lbs.

3. Cheswold - 2,420 lbs.

4. Abell Improvement Association - 2,220 lbs.

5. Locust Point - 2,160 lbs.

6. Riverside - 2,080 lbs.

7. Federal Hill - 1,980 lbs.

8. Butchers Hill - 1,620 lbs.

(tied for 8th) - Patterson Park Neighborhood Association 1,620 lbs.

(tied for 8th) - Upper Fells Point 1,620 lbs.

9. Glen Neighborhood Improvement Association - 1,580 lbs.

10. Lake Walker - 1,560 lbs.

Jointly sponsored by the Department of Public Works and the Initiative for a Cleaner Greener Baltimore, the contest tracked recycling tonnage from 39 participating communities. In a way, we are all winners when we RecycleMORE, so...woo hoo!

Budget-related Public Hearings Schedule and Additional FY 2011 Budget Information

2010-04-14T20:08:00.004-04:00

The City Council's Budget Hearings will start on Monday, May 10th with an Budget Overview presentation by the Finance Department at 4pm in the City Council Chambers, followed by the Council's Taxpayers' Night at 6pm across the street in the War Memorial Building - this is the public's opportunity to come downtown and tell the City Council what you think about the budget. [Ed. Note - all of the people in this picture were not here for Taxpayers' Night...]

The rest of that week and the following Tuesday, the Council will hold individual public hearings on most City agencies individually, from 3pm on, Tuesday through Friday. The agency hearings are currently scheduled as follows:

Note: ** Asterisks below denote timeslots for televised hearings – Taxpayers’ Night beginning at 6:00 PM on May 10th will be televised, and the Department of Housing and Community Development hearing on May 12th beginning at 5:15 PM will be televised; no other scheduled hearings will be televised. Start times are all approximate.

Monday, May 10, 2010
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM Budget Overview – Held in Council Chambers
6:00 P.M. - Until Taxpayers’ Night/Constant Yield Tax Rate ** (Location: War Memorial Building)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
3:30 PM – 4:00PM Mayor’s Office of Cable and Communication
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Department of Recreation and Parks
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Baltimore Development Corporation
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM CitiStat

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Department of Planning, to include the Capital Budget
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Health Department
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Fire Department
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Visit Baltimore (Formerly known as: BACVA)
5:15 PM – 7:00 PM Department of Housing and Community Development**

Thursday, May 13, 2010
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Department of Public Works
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Department of General Services
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Municipal and Zoning Appeals
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Commission on Aging and Retirement Education
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Police Department/Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice

Friday, May 14, 2010
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Baltimore City Public School System
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Department of Human Resources
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Environmental Control Board
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Department of Transportation/Parking Authority

Tuesday, May 18, 2010
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Department of Finance
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Mayor’s Office of Employment Development /Enoch Pratt Free Library
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Inspector General’s Office

For those of you having trouble finding any of the various 2011 budget documents on-line, click below:

FY 11 Preliminary Budget Plan (will take a minute - large file)
FY 11 Comprehensive Budget Plan (includes additional detail on revenue enhancers)
Outcome budgeting process
City budget process flowchart

FY 2011 Budget Update

2010-04-14T18:44:00.001-04:00

At Monday’s City Council meeting, the Administration introduced nine pieces of legislation aimed at generating about $50 million in new revenue. These monies would be used to offset a portion of the $121 million deficit that the City is facing for FY2011. These bills, coupled with the Mayor’s preliminary budget of March 24, 2010, are the proposals from which we will begin the work on the budget until its final adoption some time in June.

Throughout the process, everything that the City is doing should be up for review. The Mayor’s Transition Team did a good job at identifying existing inefficiencies as well as areas where the City should either cease its involvement or look toward privatization and/or self-sufficiency. Even with all of this - as well as budget-cutting measures such as continuing furloughs and having City employees pay a greater share of their prescription drug benefits - we will have to seek new sources of revenue.

I am sending all of this to you so that you may review it and share your thoughts and ideas. Our City is faced with serious financial problems that demand real solutions. Given the alternatives in terms of the Mayor’s willingness to close most of the rec centers, eliminate the Police helicopters, close seven fire companies, stop bulk trash pickup, and cancel street resurfacing projects, I have to say that simply saying “no more taxes or fees” is just not realistic. So, please take the time to think about each of the proposed revenue bills, why you may be for or against it and, if the latter, what alternatives you suggest. (Don't bother suggesting a commuter tax - we'd love to, but the State legislature won't let us!)

Descriptions of these bills, including the new revenue estimated to be generated, are as follows:

Bill 10-0467 - Hotel Room Tax Rate - $3.9M new revenue
Would raise the tax on hotel charges from 7.5% to 10% of hotel guest charges. Along with the additional $3.9M to the general fund, an additional $2.6M would go to Visit Baltimore, which promotes tourism in the downtown area.

Bill 10-0468 - Local Income Tax - $5.9M new revenue
For persons living in Baltimore City, the local income tax rate would increase from 3.05% to 3.20% of taxable income for 2011 and thereafter.

Bill 10-0469 - Property Tax - Discount for Early Payment - $2.5M estimated “saved”*
Currently, property owners receive a 1% discount on property taxes paid before July 31 and a .50% discount before August 31. This legislation would eliminate all discounts after July 31 and reduces the July discount to .50%.
*The $2.5M savings estimates are based on the termination of August discounts. No estimates yet of July savings.

Bill 10-0470 - Energy Tax-Rates - $8.16M new revenue
To quote the Finance report, “This bill will increase the current Baltimore City Energy Tax by 15%. Additionally, taxes for nonprofit users of energy will be charged the same rate as commercial users.”

Bill 10-0471 - Parking Tax Rate - $5.08M new revenue
Increases the Baltimore City parking tax from 16% to 20% in parking garages, both privately and publicly owned.

Bill 10-0472 - Parking Violations-Fines - $1.68M new revenue
Increases City parking fines by 20% by violation category.

Bill 10-0473 - Telecommunications Tax-Rate - $3.74M new revenue
Increases local tax on phone lines in Baltimore city from $3.50 to $4.00 per line and increases Centrix rates from 35 cents to 40 cents.

Bill 10-0474 - Beverage Container Tax - $11.4M new revenue
Imposes a 4-cent surcharge on non-reusable beverage containers which are sold in Baltimore City. It would NOT include containers of dairy products, non-dairy milk substitutes, beverages containing at least 10% natural fruit juices, and any beverage of 2 liters or larger, but it WOULD include bottled water. It would not include beverage containers for which deposits are paid by consumers and refunds are paid by dealers.

Bill 10-0475 - Bed Capacity Fee - $3.94M new revenue
Imposes a bed capacity fee of $350 per year on every college/university dorm and hospital which is a private, tax-exempt institution.

These bills will all be heard by the Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee, of which I am the vice-chair; barring something unforeseen, I will be attending the hearings on all of them. Two hearings have already been scheduled – the Beverage Container Tax and the Bed Capacity Fee will be heard on Thursday, April 22, in the Council Chamber on the 4th floor of City Hall at 11am and 12noon, respectively.

At this point, I am leaning against a “bottle” tax; businesses in our district are at a greater risk of losing sales to county competitors than many others in the City. Also, given that the tax only applies to non-refundable bottles though, I agree with some of my colleagues that we should strongly reconsider mandatory deposits on bottles in Baltimore City instead.

I am also very uncomfortable with the bed capacity fee. While I acknowledge that about 1/3rd of the real property in the City is exempt from property tax and that this places a burden on the rest of us, I think the bed fee is designed inequitably. Any reasonable attempt to get non-profits throughout Baltimore to pay a fairer share of the costs of running this City would not be generating more than a quarter of its total proceeds from Loyola University alone. Plus, given the effort that the surrounding communities have put into getting Loyola to house more of its students on campus - and the cooperation that Loyola has provided – it seems unfair now to penalize them for having done what we asked them to do.

By the way, two other bills - already introduced and in committee - that the Mayor is considering making part of her revenue package are Councilman Curran’s “simulated slots” bill and my own paper and plastic bag surcharge. The simulated slots bill would raise about $1.26M by increasing the registration fees for video poker-style games in bars and stores, which I think makes sense. My bag surcharge bill, however, was not intended to be a “moneymaker” for the City; I promised impacted businesses early on that any funds raised by the surcharge would either stay with the businesses or underwrite “green” programs, like giving all households in the City free reusable bags.

Otherwise, I am currently undecided as to the rest of the Mayor’s revenue package – so I want you to let me know what you think. While I may not be able to do everything that each of you suggest, I promise that I will carefully consider your thoughts and recommendations as we move forward through this difficult process.

Thanks!

- Bill
-------------------------------------------------
The Honorable Bill Henry
4th District - Baltimore City Council
(410) 396-4830 - voice
(410) 659-1792 - fax
Bill.Henry@BaltimoreCity.gov
http://friendsofbillhenry.blogspot.com/

City Hall Office:
100 North Holliday Street, Room 502
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

District Office:
5225 York Road, Suite D
Baltimore, MD 2121

District-wide community meeting this Thursday !!!

2010-04-06T12:46:00.000-04:00

Just a quick reminder:

My next district-wide community meeting is this Thursday evening, April 8th. Our featured speaker will be Mr. Andrew Klein, the City’s budget director.

Thursday, April 8th

7pm - 8:30 pm

Andrew White Student Center – 4th Floor

Loyola University Maryland

(A map of the campus, showing short-term parking in blue, is below - click on it to expand it)

Mr. Klein will be sharing with us the same current year budget background information that he has been presenting to the City Council, agency heads, and mayoral transition team members. My hope is that more broadly disseminating this information will better prepare all of us to face the challenges of the FY '11 budget.

Please call Leslie Wietscher at 410-396-4830 or email Leslie.Wietscher@BaltimoreCity.gov to confirm your attendance. Thank you for your continued commitment to our communities and I look forward to seeing you on Thursday!

- Bill

TONIGHT - York-Belvedere Plan Community Meeting

2010-03-22T08:52:00.000-04:00

The Baltimore City Planning Department is in the middle of a planning process for the York-Belvedere commercial area, focusing on issues of traffic, parking and zoning. Please join us on March 22nd to share your ideas and help shape the process. Tell your neighbors and community association members, everyone is welcome.

York-Belvedere Small Area Master Plan meeting
Monday, March 22nd - 6:30pm to 8pm
Junior League, 5902 York Road (enter off of Rosebank)

The two maps below are part of a study of the development potential of the York-Belvedere area conducted by the Planning Department in last spring. The study looked at undeveloped parcels as well as parcels that could be consolidated and redeveloped. Only lots currently zoned commercial were included in the study and those with historically significant buildings like the Senator Theater were excluded.

The square footage shown is not the maximum allowed under zoning; rather it is in scale with existing York-Belvedere area development. The two maps show development options, with new commercial or mixed-use development in gray and potential parking garages in pink. (NOTE: These are NOT proposed developments! They are just places the Planning Department identified as being big enough for prospective development, conceptually...)

Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the ratio of the floor area to the total site area or “how much building” can be built on a given property. Zoning determines FAR. Note that the property at York/Orkney is part of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) and therefore the allowable square footage is based on the area of the PUD, not only the lot itself. (If you click on the maps, they should expand to a readable size...)

For more information, contact Lisa Morris, Northern District Planner for the Baltimore City Dept of Planning at (410) 396-5937 or at Lisa.Morris@baltimorecity.gov

Rally to Get Baltimore Working

2010-03-17T19:44:00.000-04:00

This coming Monday, March 22nd at the City Council's 5pm meeting, I will be introducing a new law aimed at bringing jobs back to Baltimore City and tackling our growing unemployment problem.

Just beforehand, many supporters throughout the community will be

in front of City Hall - 100 N. Holliday Street -

at 4:15pm on Monday, rallying in support of this legislation.

Together, we can “Get Baltimore Working” again.

I hope to see you there!

Radnor-Winston Recycling Moves Into 3rd Place In Citywide Contest!

2010-02-24T13:03:00.000-05:00

RecycleMORE Community Tonnage Competition Update

The latest update for the RecycleMORE Community Competition through January 30th shows the leaders holding on but being joined by the Radnor Winston Improvement Association in third place with 800 pounds of recycling.

Still leading the pack is the Cheswolde Neighborhood Association, which has recycled a half a ton of material since the start of the contest. Federal Hill is still in second place with 820 pounds. Riverside has slipped to fourth place with 780. Locust Point has slipped to sixth place with 700 pounds and Hampden has moved up to fifth place with 760 pounds. All neighborhoods are encouraged to promote recycling in their communities in the hope of coming in first at the end of the competition.

Jointly sponsored by the Department of Public Works and the Initiative for a Cleaner Greener Baltimore, the contest tracks recycling tonnage from 39 participating communities from January 1 through March 26, 2010. The neighborhood that recycles the most will win an appreciation day block party. The winner will be announced at the Mayor’s Spring Cleanup Kickoff, April 17, 2010.

The goals of the competition are to increase community partnerships that promote a cleaner, greener City, increase household recycling through community outreach and education, and increase Baltimore’s overall recycling tonnage.

For further information, contact Celeste Amato at 410-545-6541, Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow at 410-545-6189, Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov

Celebrate Black History Month at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum this Saturday

2010-02-23T10:47:00.000-05:00

This Saturday, Verizon is sponsoring an Open House at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture. The event is free to the Citizens of Baltimore.

Open House Hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Activity Hours: 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM

The program will celebrate African-American History/Culture and the use of Literacy as the means to learn about these topics, which is the underlying theme of the activity. Verizon is making this program possible by supporting the activity and bringing together partners to participate in ways that enable young people, and their parents, to learn about issues and examples of leaders in art, business, education, and government at the renowned Reginald F. Lewis Museum in the African-American cultural hub of Baltimore. Click on the flyer for additional details.

Mayor Gives "State of the City" Address

2010-02-22T16:59:00.002-05:00

Earlier this afternoon, Mayor Rawlings-Blake addressed the City Council with the Mayor's annual "State of the City" address.

I was going to post the entire speech, but it's a little over 3,000 words. So, if you'd like to read it in its entirety, click here...

4th District Snow Clearance Report - Monday's update

2010-02-15T16:14:00.000-05:00

Zones 1, 2, and 9

These zones have been inspected and these roads are determined as "passable", meaning the street is able to be driven through, but is not necessarily plowed. According to DoT, every single street in each of these zones has been visually inspected by the Fire Department, who can judge the street’s accessibility for both personal and emergency vehicles.

To further define “not necessarily plowed”, I was told that if there are ruts or tire tracks or even just solid packed down snow, as long as it’s less than six inches off of the road, it’s considered passable. I was also told that a number of streets where residents “haven’t seen a plow” were streets where they’ve come by in the middle of the night and left the snow lower, because they are not trying to get down to asphalt in most places.
Currently working Northern Parkway, trying to clear it back to full operation, are twelve bobcats, five dump trucks, four loaders, and four pick-up trucks.

Zone 5

This zone was almost clear this morning; they do have four bobcats and two 5-ton dump trucks still finishing the area.

Zone 6

This is where most of our problems remain – the densest neighborhoods with the most cars on the tightest streets. Private contractors are working their way through the zone with three 1-ton pick-up trucks with plows, two backhoe/loaders, and a tractor w/ a commercial blower. As soon as the bobcats are done in zone 5 or along Northern Parkway, I am trying to get them detailed to assist in Zone 6.

As I've said before, these are the City’s official assessments, not mine personally. If your street has been deemed "passable" and you disagree with that assessment:

a) please call 311
b) state your concern to them
c) write down the tracking number they give you
d) email me at bill.henry@baltimorecity.gov with your address and the tracking number

All that being said, please try to be reasonable when you’re making your own assessments. Do not use your ordinary standards for post-snowstorm clearance – try to think more in terms of post-hurricane or some other sort of natural disaster. I know that this has been tough on all of us, but the men and women who are working twelve-hour shifts in the snow room and on the streets, trying to get us back to a semblance of normalcy, they deserve our thanks and praise, not our anger and frustration.
Please share this with your neighbors. Thanks!

P.S. Hold down the Ctrl button and click on the map to see it fullsize…

Trash & Recycling Collection Update

2010-02-15T13:57:00.002-05:00

The City has announced that both trash and recycling collections will resume tomorrow – Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Please note the following particulars:

• Citizens are asked to place their regularly scheduled trash OR recycling at the end of the nearest street or alley or at an accessible central location determined by your community association president for pick up. (Streets that may have been deemed passable by the City for cars may not be safe for trash trucks. Since no one wants a trash truck sliding into their car, the hope is that communities will support this decision…)

• Community Association Presidents may call 311 with accessible central locations where regularly scheduled trash OR recycling will be placed for pick up.

• This week only trash and recycling may be placed in just bags; cans are temporarily optional, especially if you are taking your trash and recycling any distance to have it collected.

• As always, citizens should call 311 for missed pick ups. The Bureau will continue to collect in this manner until full access to regular pick up locations is possible. Care should be taken not to block sidewalks, streets and alleys for vehicles and pedestrians.

• Citizen Drop-Off Centers are open to the public at their regular operational hours. Citizens can go to http://www.baltimorecity.gov/ or http://www.cleanergreenerbaltimore.com/ to find the nearest drop off center.

• Bulk Trash pick up is cancelled for the week of February 15 through February 19, 2010.

As quickly and safely as you can, please clear your sidewalks and then help your elderly and disabled neighbors do the same.

It is also very important to clear areas around fire hydrants and storm drains to augment the continuing efforts of Public Works Water and Wastewater crews as they tackle the City’s 33,000 inlets. Daily thawing and melting snow can pool and freeze during the night causing large ice patches.

Most importantly, thanks to all for your patience and perseverance as we work together to meet the challenges presented by these historic and unprecedented back-to-back storm events.

PLEASE NOTE: Changing weather conditions expected for Monday, February 15 may alter planned sanitation operations. Citizens should continue to listen to and read local media for the latest updates and instructions from the Mayor and the Office of Emergency Management.

For more information, contact Celeste Amato: 410-545-6541/Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow: 410-545-6189/Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov

Snow Clearance Report from the Department of Transportation

2010-02-14T21:30:00.000-05:00

As of 9pm, Sunday night:

Zones 1,2,9 - zones have been inspected and roads are determined "passable" meaning the street is able to be driven through but is not necessarily plowed...

Zones 5,6 - both zones still have a few blocks that need work

Also, they are finding that some roads [previously] deemed passable are now becoming slippery because of the drop in temperature during the evenings - they are trying to address those as well.

If your street has been deemed "passable" and you disagree with that assessment, please call 311, state your concern, and then email me at bill.henry@baltimorecity.gov with your address and the tracking number. Thanks!

4th District Snow Zone Map

2010-02-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

To the right is a map of the 4th District's primary snow zones - we are completely contained in zones 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9. It'll get bigger if you click on it.

I have asked for an update/status report on the progress of snow clearance in our zones. As I get that information from the Mayor's Office and/or the Department of Transportation, it will be posted here at http://friendsofbillhenry.blogspot.com/

There is a "snow page" on the City's website - available here - with a great deal of useful snow-emergency-related information. It includes links to "snow removal progress maps" for "pass count" and "time since last pass", but neither link has worked for me yet, which is why I'm waiting for updates from actual humans. (In all fairness, the maps are probably fine, but hundreds of thousands of people trying to check them all at once may have been a mite too much for our IT infrastructure...)

Baltimore City Solid Waste Service Resumes Tuesday, February 16, 2010

2010-02-14T19:29:00.001-05:00

"The Department of Public Works, Bureau of Solid Waste, announced today that both trash and recycling collections will resume Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Citizens are asked to place their regularly scheduled trash OR recycling at the end of the nearest street or alley or at an accessible central location determined by your community association president for pick up. Care should be taken not to block sidewalks, streets and alleys for vehicles and pedestrians.

Community Association Presidents may call 311 with accessible central locations where regularly scheduled trash OR recycling will be placed for pick up. As always, citizens should call 311 for missed pick ups. The Bureau will continue to collect in this manner until full access to regular pick up locations is possible.

Citizen Drop-Off Centers are open to the public at their regular operational hours. Citizens can go to www.baltimorecity.gov or www.clearergreenbaltimore.com to find the nearest drop off center.

Bulk Trash pick up is cancelled for the week of February 15 through February 19, 2010. As always, citizens are asked to properly contain trash in cans with tight-fitting lids to keep rats out and keep litter in its place.

PLEASE NOTE: Changing weather conditions expected for Monday, February 15 may alter planned sanitation operations. Citizens should continue to listen to and read local media for the latest updates and instructions from the Mayor and the Office of Emergency Management.

As citizens can safely do so, they should clear their sidewalks and then help their elderly and disabled neighbors do the same. It is also very important to clear areas around fire hydrants and storm drains to augment the continuing efforts of Public Works Water and Wastewater crews as they tackle the City’s 33,000 inlets. Daily thawing and melting snow can pool and freeze during the night causing large ice patches.

Most importantly, we thank Baltimore City’s citizens for their patience and perseverance as we work together to meet the challenges presented by these historic and unprecedented back-to-back storm events."

For further information, contact Celeste Amato at 410-545-6541, Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow at 410-545-6189, Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov

City Offices Closed Thursday

2010-02-10T21:20:00.000-05:00

Due to implementation and continuation of Phase III of the Baltimore City Snow Plan, Mayor Rawlings-Blake has announced that city offices will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, February 11, 2010.

All essential personnel that are part of the snow storm recovery effort must report to work and remain at work as scheduled. This includes: fire and police protection and emergency medical services; snow removal operations and support of snow removal operations, water and waste water treatment and maintenance, building operations and maintenance, city wide payroll operations, parking management and towing, tree service and maintenance.

Dear 4th District residents and stakeholders

2010-02-10T18:58:00.000-05:00

As of this evening, we are coming out of the “white out” portion of the blizzard. With Phase III of the Snow Emergency Plan still in effect, there should still be no vehicles on the street except emergency vehicles. Until this latest snow stops, even once plowing and clearing resumes, the City will only be trying to clear main roads and snow emergency routes. According to the City’s Emergency Operations folks, not until the snow stops completely will they even begin to attack the secondary roads…and most of our residential side streets do not even qualify as secondary roads.

If you or your neighbors have called or e-mailed my office at any time over the last few days, please know that Leslie, Nia, or I have been forwarding all of your requests – and complaints! – to the people coordinating the City’s plowing efforts. As I look out of my bedroom window at the expanse of snow, which no longer clearly shows a street between facing homes, trust me…I share your pain!

I know that conditions on most of our residential streets are still awful…and getting worse with this second snow. I ask for your patience and your understanding that this is not just another snowstorm. This is a natural disaster and we are all trying to get through it as safely as possible. The amount of snow we have received is literally unprecedented – as such, we are all coping with logistical challenges that we have never faced before.

Unless you're reading this on a PDA, you obviously have electricity, so please take a moment and be thankful; there are more than a few of our neighbors who don’t right now. If you are up to it, when the white-out conditions drop off, check on some of your neighbors, especially the seniors or anyone with a medical condition that might inhibit their ability to get around.

As I was on my way downtown for Monday’s City Council meeting, I saw many examples of side streets choked with snow. But I also saw lots of people digging themselves - and each other - out of the snow, working together to get through a common hardship. It made me proud and reminded me why I live in the City.

Over the last few days, neighbors who may have gone weeks between saying more than “Hi” from adjacent porches have laughed and complained together as they shoveled…and scraped...and pushed stuck vehicles. I just hope we don’t need another 4 feet of snow to keep working together like this in the days and weeks ahead. Stay warm and safe and keep taking care of each other!

- Bill

P.S. I don't have a working digital camera right now, so thank you to Carolyn Hayes for taking a great photo of her block of our neighborhood :P

NO TRASH OR RECYCLING COLLECTION FOR THE REST OF THIS WEEK

2010-02-10T13:20:00.002-05:00

Due to extreme weather conditions and the resulting difficulty in accessing collection points, the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Solid Waste, announced today that both trash and recycling collections will be cancelled for the remainder of the week. Citizens are asked to hold their trash and recycling until their next regularly scheduled collection day. As always, Citizens are asked to properly contain trash in cans with tight-fitting lids to keep rats out and keep litter in its place.

The safety of citizens and our Solid Waste workers is our top operational priority at this time. The Bureau will continue to utilize its resources to support the Department of Transportation in its snow removal efforts. Once roadways are reasonably clear, the Bureau will determine how to best restore full collection services next week.

Citizens are also reminded that Bulk Trash Collections have been cancelled throughout the remainder of the week. Although Citizen Drop-Off Centers are closed to the public now, they will be REOPENED on Friday, February 12th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Citizens can go to www.baltimorecity.gov or www.clearergreenbaltimore.com
to find the nearest drop off center.

We thank citizens for their patience as we work together to meet the challenges presented by these historic and unprecedented back-to-back storm events.

For further information, contact Celeste Amato at 410-545-6541, Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov or Robert Murrow at 410-545-6189, Robert.Murrow@baltimorecity.gov

City Offices CLOSED Wednesday for Exchanged Furlough Day

2010-02-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

Due to the inclement weather the City is experiencing, it has been determined that Wednesday, February 10, 2010 will be substituted for Friday, May 28, 2010 as the 5th and final designated mandatory furlough day of the Fiscal 2010 Employee Furlough Plan.

This change in the designated mandatory furlough days will not apply to employees who work in trash and recycling collection, certain court operations, 24/7 operations, employees involved in snow removal operations or support of snow removal operations, or certain employees of the Fire and Police Departments.

The presidents of the City Union of Baltimore (CUB) and the Managerial and Professional Society of Baltimore, Inc. have agreed, to and will support the exchange.

Deborah F. Moore-Carter, Labor Commissioner