Weekly Status Report - 1/7/2010

MEMORANDUM

TO:               City Council

FROM:         David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT:  Status Report

DATE: January 7, 2010   

Status Report

1. School Boundary Change Proposal

This afternoon the Board of Education is holding a meeting to discuss the Phase II Boundary Change Proposal, which Education Committee Staff Liaison Leni Stern is attending.  At the meeting, the Board will be discussing a subset of the initial Phase 2 changes announced in November.  The only one of the changes under discussion today that affects Bowie students is the Church Road corridor students being moved out of Whitehall Elementary.  It would appear that the proposal has been revised once again to move those students to Kenilworth Elementary School.  Staff will provide Council with a summary of the discussion at today's Board meeting and the impact of the latest revisions to the proposal as soon as possible.

2.  Cooperative Purchase of Diesel Fuel

The Council of Governments has opted to renew the current contract for the cooperative purchase of diesel fuel.  The current supplier of diesel fuel in truck transport quantities is Mansfield Oil and their contract calls for a net differential of $0.0355 per gallon to be applied to the price published on the Oil Price Information Sheet (OPIS).  The City’s beginning contract price would be $2.0885 per gallon (the current OPIS price of $2.0530 per gallon + the differential of $0.0355).  As with other fuel purchases, the price of diesel will increase or decrease during the first and third week of each month based on the published OPIS price.  The City Charter requires the City Council be given seven days notice prior to entering into a purchase agreement of this type.  This contract will run through December of 2010.

3.  BGE Tree Cutting on Race Track Road and Mitchellville Road

Attached please find letters that will be mailed on Friday, January 8th to residents on Race Track Road and Mitchellville Road regarding tree cutting that is proposed for these areas starting January 25th.  These letters reflect the modified approach to right-of-way maintenance as discussed by City Council on December 7, 2009 with the City taking an enhanced maintenance role on these County right-of-ways in order to have BGE and the County provide replacement trees in these areas.  BGE has also offered 55 replacement trees for Old Chapel Road as well.  This amount will also be supplemented by Prince George’s County.  The County is preparing a tree planting sketch plan for Race Track Road, Mitchellville Road and Old Chapel Road that will be reviewed by City staff and communicated to Council when available.  BGE has indicated in writing that their offer on the replacement trees is valid through November 15, 2010.  However, we are hoping this planting can take place this spring in these areas.  BGE is trying to substantially complete the tree cutting associated with the Bowie Electric Reliability Action Plan (BERAP) program in early 2010.  The completion of the Race Track Road and Mitchellville Road projects are two of the major remaining elements of the BERAP program along major public right-of-ways.  The removal and replacement of the landscaped trees on Mitchellville Road from Route 197 to the City’s Parks and Grounds Facility is now scheduled for late winter or early spring.  We will provide Council with more specific information once the specific time frame on the Mitchellville project is determined.  Finally, there are approximately 280 variances with individual property owners that still need to be resolved.

4.  Allen Pond Park Master Plan Project Update

This past Tuesday, a second public meeting was held to discuss two development concepts provided by our consultant Lardner/Klein Associates of Alexandria, VA and to encourage public input in the review process for the proposed master plan improvements.

Over 25 persons attended this second meeting and provided valuable input on the project.  Councilmember Brady attended the meeting along with Community Recreation Committee members Harlan Tucker and Charlie Jacobs. 

The options presented focused on the need to address expanded parking needs, restroom facilities, potential locations for a new amphitheater, ingress/egress traffic patterns getting in and out of the park, boathouse/bulkhead feature, the location of pavilions and group areas, and new fishing pier locations.  Staff is analyzing the public input and meeting regularly with the consultant to synthesize the proposals and input. The report will be used to develop a multiyear capital improvements budget for the Park in the upcoming budget cycle.  A presentation and report to the City Council is scheduled for Monday, January 25, 2010.

5.  Bowie Business Incubator

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among Bowie State University, the Bowie Business Innovation Center, and the City has been signed by all parties.  Staff and advisors are continuing to work on an operating agreement that will establish the incubator at the University in accordance with the MOU.

Attachments:

Letter re: BGE Tree Trimming on Race Track Road
Letter re: BGE Tree Trimming on Mitchellville Road