MEMORANDUM


TO: City Council

FROM: David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT: Status Report/Council Poll

DATE: December 6, 2007


Status Report

1. 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 $0.0338 per gallon to be applied to the price published on the Oil Price Information Sheet (OPIS). The City’s beginning contract price would be $2.8020 per gallon (the current OPIS price of $2.7682 per gallon + the differential of $0.0338). 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 2008.

2. Church Road

Staff met last week with staff from the Prince George’s County DPW&T. County staff indicated: the project is not funded; the $6 million construction figure is a rough estimate; and they are unlikely to move Church Road up on the list of County projects without significant financial support from the City. DPW&T acknowledged that upgrades to other County roads such as Old Chapel and Mitchellville were completed without requesting a City contribution. County staff promised to provide details on the Church Road project, including the detailed cost estimate. We will brief Council once that information is in hand.

There was also discussion about the possible takeover of County roads. There will be a follow-up meeting between the two staffs to explore this matter. Again, we will keep Council updated on this issue.

3. Traffic Safety

Enclosed in your package is material from a traffic engineering consultant (The Traffic Group). This information was presented at a recent meeting of the Public Safety Committee. It will be further addressed in the January 28, 2008 Worksession. Let me know if you have any questions/comments.

4. Board of Education for Prince George’s County

For the next year, the new Chair of the Board is Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq. and the new Vice Chair is Ron L. Watson, Ph.D.

Council Poll

Request for Funds
On Monday, Taneesha Tate-Robinson, of the Bowie High SGA, made a short presentation to Council about their upcoming trip to Bowie's adopted city of D'Iberville, Mississippi, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The SGA is planning to send approximately 50 individuals on a work trip during spring break to assist with rebuilding houses.

The students plan to travel by bus and stay in the D'Iberville Volunteer Village as they did during Spring Break 2007. They estimate that the trip will cost $19,960. The volunteers will pay a portion of their own costs and the SGA will put $5,000 toward the trip. The students also hope to raise money through fundraisers. Last year Council donated $4,000 to this effort. The students are asking for the same amount this year.

In 2005, Bowie High students were the impetus behind Bowie adopting a city in the Gulf Coast region. Since that time, Bowie residents have supported D'Iberville in a variety of ways, such as donating books to the D'Iberville High School Library, sending work groups from local churches, sending school supplies, toiletries and clothing to the Boys and Girls Club in D'Iberville, sending computers, and making donations to the D'Iberville Volunteer Foundation to assist with the rebuilding effort. The 2008 trip continues Bowie's help to D'Iberville.

Do you concur with giving $4,000 to the Bowie High School Student Government to help defray the costs of the work trip to D'Iberville, MS during March 2008?

Yes ___________________________ No ____________________________


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