Weekly Status Report - 10/21/10

MEMORANDUM

TO:               City Council

FROM:         David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT:  Status Report

DATE:  October 21, 2010

Status Report

1.  BGE Electric Reliability and Tree Reimbursement Meeting

On Thursday, October 14th, Mayor Robinson and staff met with representatives of BGE concerning the electric reliability information that City Council had requested at your last meeting with BGE on July 12th.  Enclosed in your package is the follow-up information requested.  A breakdown of the neighborhoods served by each feeder is also enclosed. 

There was also a discussion about the City’s request to be reimbursed for the unused tree vouchers in order to establish a tree replacement fund in the City.  BGE continued to take the position that they are not going to reimburse the City for these unused vouchers, but instead intend to use these moneys for making electric dependability improvements in other areas of their system.  Staff would suggest that Council make the Public Service Commission (PSC) aware of the BGE position and request another opportunity to come before the PSC to make the City’s case for this reimbursement.  Staff will prepare a letter for Council consideration.

2.  Tent Sale at Bowie Town Center

Staff has received notification from The Simon Property Group (Simon) that it will be staging a furniture tent sale in the parking area immediately west of the Sears Auto Center, for a period of approximately 30 days.  The practice of holding tent sales in this area was proposed by Simon in February 2009, when they were before City Council to review several other event and merchandising ideas.  The time frame previously discussed with Council was for displays lasting no more than 14 days, up to 12 times per year.  Simon would like to hold the tent sale beginning within the next few days, for a time frame that would straddle the last two weeks of October and the first two of November.  At the same time, staff will work with Simon to reach an agreement within 30 days after the conclusion of this tent sale on mutually acceptable wording to revise the Bowie Town Center Specific Design Plan (SDP) identifying any additional parameters that should be applied to these types of events.

At the Council meeting last year, a few Councilmembers expressed the need for the residential Homeowners Associations in the immediate area to be notified of these types of events.  Staff will be sending out a letter to this effect by the end of the week.

DJD/JLF/asf