Weekly Status Report - 1/21/2010

MEMORANDUM

TO:               City Council

FROM:         David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT:  Status Report

DATE: January 21, 2010   

Status Report

1.  BERAP Variance Resolution Strategy

BGE has contacted the City and outlined the following process for handling the remaining variances on the BERAP Project:

“As you are aware we still have some outstanding variance issues to wrap up before completely disengaging the last remaining tree crews associated with BERAP.  We currently have approximately 351 variances outstanding and a number of customers whom we have been unable to contact.    It is our intention to begin contacting the customer variances on or after January 25, 2010.   

As you are aware these outstanding variances are cases where our contractor failed to gain cooperation from our customer to proceed with the necessary work.  It is our intention to contact these customers again, and request a field meeting to resolve the customer’s questions, and or concerns, and gain cooperation to do the necessary work.   Our contact attempts will involve a field visit, a door hanger, and a phone call attempt.  During each of these contact attempts we will encourage our customers to arrange for a personal field visit from a BGE representative to answer questions, and explain the importance of the necessary work associated with the BERAP.   In the event that an agreement is unable to be reached, our customers will be sent a certified letter expressing: our regret that we were unable to reach an agreement, the importance of this work as it relates to the safety and reliability of the electric service offered to Bowie and its residents, a notation outlining our rights as a Public Utility to conduct the necessary work, a date after which we intend to conduct the work, and a number to call if the customer has additional questions or concerns.  We are committed to making every effort to resolve these variances in a manner that meets the goals of BGE and the expectations of our valued Bowie customers.   It is our intention to have all of outstanding variances resolved by June 30, 2010.

We look forward to working with each customer in an effort to resolve their questions and complete this final phase of the Bowie Electric Reliability Action Plan.”

2.  Help for Haiti

Staff is setting up a page on the City website to serve as an information clearinghouse about ways to donate to Haiti relief efforts and to publicize local efforts for Haitians.  So far we are aware of the following local projects:

  • St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church is collecting health kits
    (list of supplies will be on our site).
  • Bowie Cares Concert:  Mary Nusser and Rabbi Steve Weisman are planning a fundraiser concert on March 7th.  They are hoping to combine it with a dining fundraising at several local restaurants on the same night.
  • Bowie Baysox:  The Baysox are raffling off a pair of season tickets with proceeds from the raffle going to the American Red Cross.
  • Prince George’s County Social Services:  French and Creole speaking translators are needed by Prince George’s County Social Services to work with individuals from Haiti that have recently come to the County.

We will also suggest that individuals check with local houses of worship to see what various congregations are doing to assist with the relief effort.

The page will also contain a caution from the FBI about fundraising scams.


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