Staff Report

REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010
CALL MEETING TO ORDER:

The Regular Meeting of the Bowie City Council was held on Monday, March 15, 2010, in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Mayor Robinson called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m.

QUORUM:

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

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG:

The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION:

A. Ms. Nancy Wlodarski, representing Muscular Dystrophy Association, spoke about the MS Walk to be held on April 11, 2010 at the Bowie Town Center Food Court. She urged everyone to participate in this worthy cause.

B. Mr. Jim Caruso, 3005 Twilight Lane, spoke about consideration to convert Benjamin Tasker and Samuel Ogle Middle Schools to unisex schools. He felt this would be of benefit to young people.

SWEARING-IN CEREMONY:

A. Swearing-in of New City Police Officer - Chief Perez introduced Officer Daniel Wood and Mayor Robinson swore in him into office in accordance with Sec. 92A of the City Charter.

PRESENTATIONS:

A. Martin Luther King, Jr. Contest Awards - Ms. Elveeda Dixon, Chair of the Diversity Committee, spoke about the contest and that all who had participated. She then presented the winners:

Coloring Contest
1. Collin Bast
2. Kaelen Okenwa
3. Layla Haughton

Poster Contest
1. Angela Wroblewski
2. Jacqueline Friskey
3. Alexandra Curry
3. Stephanie Vargas

Graphic Arts Contest
1. Aliyah Griffith
2. Samantha Friskey

Photography
1. Dejah Greene
2. Ambler Hepler

Mr. Altman Pernell presented certificates on behalf of County Councilwoman Turner.

COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mayor Robinson reminded everyone to be sure to fill out the 2010 Census form and return it by April 1.

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT:

City Manager Deutsch reported: 1) Street Sweeping Program - The program has begun and the schedule is posted on the City's web site and will provided to the weekly newspapers; the schedule provides 5 separate sweepings of each street within the City. 2) Route 197 Fence - Bids have been opened to replace the deteriorated fence along Route 197; the previous estimate was $75,000 to replace the fence, however, the low bid came in at slightly under $60,000; staff is reviewing the bids and expect to have a recommendation for contract award at the April 5 Council meeting. 3) Emergency Management - Staff attended a meeting sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Administration to describe the requirements to successfully seek funding from the Federal government from FEMA to reimburse municipalities for costs during the February storms; staff is optimistic and has already submitted the paperwork through the County into the State; do not know how long the process will take but the expectation is that there will be 70-75% reimbursement of eligible costs. 4) Assistant City Manager Fitzwater reported that Prince George's County is working in conjunction with BGE to plant some replacement trees along Mitchellville Road from Rte. 197 to Northview Drive; they will initially start by planting new trees between the existing trees and then begin removing existing trees that would have grown into the power lines and caused problems.

CONSENT AGENDA:

A. Councilmember Marcos moved approval of the following items: A. Approval of Minutes of February 16, 2010 Council Meeting; B. Introduction of Ordinance O-2-10 - Amending the Adopted Budget for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2009, and Ending June 30, 2010, As Embodied in Ordinance O-1-09, As Amended, for the Purpose of Funding the Development of Energy Efficiency & Conservation Strategies for City Facilities and the Purchase of Single Stream Recycling Containers; C. Approval of Resolution R-11-10 - Accepting Bid for the Dredging of the Gateway Center Pond; D. Approval of Resolution R-12-10 - Accepting Bid for An Electrical Upgrade at Pump Station #8; E. Approval of Resolution R-13-10 - By Two-Thirds Vote Waiving the Bidding Requirements for the Extension of a Contract With Angle Technology Group for Services for the Initiation of the Bowie Business Incubator Program and Authorizing a Contract Pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of an August 2008 Agreement Between the City of Bowie and Angle Technology Group; F. Approval of Resolution R-14-10 - Approving an Amendment to the Annexation Agreement Between the City of Bowie and Home Depot, U.S.A., Inc. Regarding the Outdoor Display of Merchandise for Sale, Temporary Tent Sales and Instructional Clinics, and Temporary or Portable Signage; and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Same on Behalf of the City; G. Approval of Resolution R-15-10 - Approving a Site Lease Between the City of Bowie and Clear Wireless LLC to Install Communication Equipment at Allen Pond Park Located at Northview Drive and Mitchellville Road; H. Approval of Resolution R-16-10, Awarding a Contract to Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, PC for the Preparation of a Master Plan for Whitemarsh Park; I. Approval of Resolution R-17-10, Awarding a Contract to EKE, LLC for the Design, Fabrication and Installation of a Kinetic Sculpture for the New City Hall; J. Approval of Proclamation P-4-10 - Proclaiming the Month of March 2010 as Census Awareness Month and March 20, 2010 as Census Awareness Day in Bowie; and K. Approval of City Position Letter Re: Proposed FY2011 WMATA Transit Budget Adjustments. Councilmember Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS:

A. Strategy for SB 350 Annexations - Mr. Joseph Meinert, City Planning Director, summarized the staff report dated March 11, 2010, a copy of which is on file at City Hall. He reported that at the December 7 Council meeting, Council had requested additional information about the properties affected by the annexation proposal; staff prepared a list of property addresses and owners to respond to Council's questions. He said a total of 48 property owners are affected which are located mostly in Old Town Bowie; municipalities are limited to annexing no more than 25 total acres using the process created by SB 350 and the process is time-limited to a period of two years, until September 30, 2011 and may only involve individual parcels that are five acres or less in size that are already partially located within the municipal boundary and have been for the past three years; a total of 16 houses would be annexed, although five of these dwelling units are currently bisected by the corporate limits of the City. He concluded by recommending that Council endorse the annexation of up to 25 acres of property, pursuant to SB 350, from the list shown on Attachment #2 of the staff report by September 30, 2011.

Since there were no persons signed up to speak, Mayor Robinson declared the public hearing to have been held.

Following discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Marcos moved to direct staff to move forward. Councilmember Polangin seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS:

A. Energy Efficiency and Conservation - Mr. Kevin Bellamy and Mr. Clive Graham, Environmental Resources Management, displayed a slide presentation, a copy of which is on file at City Hall; the presentation included: Project Overview, Project Results, Energy Use Baseline, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Baseline, Goals, and Summary.

Public Hearing:

Mr. Gary Allen, Chairman of the Environmental Advisory Committee, reported that the baseline data contained in the EECS report represents the details of how to address the 10 steps to a greener Bowie; instead of identifying all the various things that could be done to achieve the goals, the consultant has provided the work detail. He urged Council to accept the report and make it the basis for the bold action he is asking be considered, and to look at the details as stepping stones along the process.

City Manager Deutsch said that the document needs to be submitted to the Department of Energy by March 17, 2010 and hoped Council would endorse it so the requirement of the grant can be met and implementation can move forward.

Following discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Marcos moved to direct staff to deliver the conservation strategy to the Department of Energy by March 17, 2010. Councilmember Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER:

Mayor Robinson acknowledged the presence of Boy Scout Bryant McFarland of Troop 1688 who is working a badge.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mayor Pro Tem Marcos moved to adjourn the meeting into an Executive Session for the purpose of discussing legal and personnel matters. Councilmember Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9:41 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Pamela A. Fleming, MMC
City Clerk