Weekly Status Report - 9/9/10

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:               City Council

FROM:         David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT:  Status Report/Council Poll 

DATE: September 9, 2010 

Status Report

1.  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency Grant (SAMHSA)

The City Council received a presentation on the above grant on December 7, 2009 and endorsed the application concept that was subsequently prepared and submitted by staff to SAMHSA, which is a division of the US Health and Human Services Department. This agency offers this grant through the Drug Free Communities Support Program. The grant’s focus was on providing up to $125,000 annually for five years for the purpose of developing a community-based coalition for training, staff, equipment, material and supplies.

The Bowie Prevention Network (BPN) consisting of over 50 individuals and agencies represents our local venue by which this grant would have been implemented. Regrettably, the City received notice earlier this week that our application was not funded.  Only 84 applications nationally were funded in FY11.  A copy of the review of the application will be sent to us at a later date that will allow us to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of our application.  Staff has seen the list of funded entities; and our collective view is that the funded programs have strong support at both the city and county levels and a number of years of data collection that helped in establishing the Needs Assessment Section of the grant application which could have been the difference, in addition to the limited number of grantees identified. Another round of grants is anticipated to be made available in early 2011, at which time staff will re-evaluate our application, needs, and any necessary grant submittal requirements.

2.  Economic Development Committee (EDC)

The EDC held their regular meeting September 8th.  They received a briefing on the City's annexation policy and supporting handouts that Council received in 2005 and 2006.  Additionally, they reviewed the planned content from each of the six topic leaders and will proceed with meetings and topics as shown on the EDC Proposed Meeting Schedule included in your package.  The annual business recognition awards luncheon will be held Friday, May 13, 2011. 

The next regular meeting of the EDC will be Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 7:30 a.m.; the topic is "Growing the Tax Base".

3.  Senior Housing Rehabilitation Program

Council inquired about the geographic distribution of residents involved in the Senior Housing Rehabilitation Program.  Program recipients reside in the following neighborhoods:

Huntington
Rockledge
Overbrook
Yorktown
Meadowbrook
Tulip Grove
Foxhill
Somerset
Buckingham
Kenilworth
Pointer Ridge
Amber Meadows
Ternberry

4.  Ashleigh Annexation, Phase II

Within the past week, staff has received inquiries from two residents of the Ashleigh community regarding the annexation process and timing for their subdivision.  An Annexation Agreement for the entire Ashleigh subdivision, and adjoining properties to the east, was adopted by the City Council at a public hearing on October 21, 2002 (Resolution R-76-02).  That agreement stated that annexation of the Ashleigh community would occur in two phases, and each phase would take place upon the release of all street and stormwater management bonds by Prince George’s County.  The Resolution of Annexation (R-69-05) for Phase I was introduced before the City Council in October 2005, and the annexation of the subject properties became effective on January 5, 2006.  Under the Annexation Agreement for the entire Ashleigh community, each homeowner was required to sign a Consent to Annex form.  The development and homebuilding processes are still underway in Phase II, and the street and stormwater management bonds for Phase II continue to be held by Prince George’s County.  Consequently, Phase II of Ashleigh will not be annexed into the City until the conditions required under the Annexation Agreement are met.  Approximately 15 building lots in Phase II remain to be developed.  This information was conveyed to the residents who contacted City staff.

DJD/asf

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