SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOWIE CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2009

CALL MEETING TO ORDER

            The Special Meeting of the Bowie City Council was held on Monday, January 12, 2009 in the Council Chambers at City Hall.  Mayor Robinson called the meeting to order at 9:00 p.m. 

QUORUM

            In attendance were Mayor Robinson, Councilmembers Brady, Marcos, Polangin, Trouth, Turner and Valentino-Smith; City Manager Deutsch, Assistant City Manager Fitzwater, City Attorney Robert Levan, City Clerk Fleming, the Press, and the Public. 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

            The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

NEW BUSINESS:

            A.  Resolution R-4-09 - Authorizing the City Manager to Prepare a Response to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's RFP for the Neighborhood Conservation Program - Mr. Jesse Buggs, Grants Administrator, summarized the staff report dated January 8, 2009, a copy of which is on file at City Hall. He reported that the State of Maryland has been awarded $26,704,504 of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which means they are CDBG funds and the State and HUD rules; the funds are to be used to assist communities in addressing abandoned and foreclosed homes in neighborhoods that have been impacted by foreclosure and sub-prime lending; the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will use these funds through the Neighborhood Conservation Initiative (NCI).    Mr. Buggs reviewed the State's goals under the NCI and the guiding principals for applications.  He said that staff has reviewed the proposal specifications for this unique federal pass-through program and is prepared to develop the requisite documents to respond to the State's Request for Proposals for the NCI.    He said staff recommends that Council adopt Resolution R-4-09.

            Since there were no persons signed up to speak, Mayor Robinson declared the public hearing to have been held.
           
            Mayor Pro Tem Turner said he supported the resolution and moving forward with the process, but asked what the process and criteria are for income eligible teachers and police officers.   Mr. Buggs replied staff is working out the details and all programs will run concurrently.  Mr. Turner said he wanted to make sure that anyone interested has the opportunity to apply and that people are educated about the process.  Mr. Buggs said that the State has indicated they will respond within 30-45 days and shortly thereafter the program will be ready to go because the time limit on expenditure is 18 months or the funds go back to the State.

            Mayor Pro Tem Turner moved approval of Resolution R-4-09.  Councilmember Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT

            Mayor Pro Tem Turner moved to adjourn the special meeting into an Executive Session for the purpose of discussing a legal matter.  The motion was seconded by Councilmember Brady and carried unanimously.   The meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                    Pamela A. Fleming, CMC
                                                                                    City Clerk