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MIDTOWN COMMUNITY BENEFITS DISTRICT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE FOUNDATION BUILDING
6:30 PM

Member’s Present:    Steven Cassard, Ann Costlow, Jason Curtis, Michael Deets, Polly Duke, Eric Evans, Keith Gilchriest, Pamela Johnson, Steven Johnson, Michael Molla, Bill Oelke, Joseph Palumbo, Steven Shen, Carlo Van Greiken

Staff Present:
Peter Merles, District Administrator, Midtown Community Benefits District
Peggy Smallwood, Office Manager, Midtown Community Benefits District

Visitor’s Present:
Brittany Donald, Community Liaison for Councilman Bill Cole
George Gilliam, Director of Community Initiatives for the Dept of Real Estate
Omari Patterson, Assistant Development Director, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc.
Kate McShane Oeming, Assistant Director of Community Partnerships, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc.

Michael Deets called meeting to order at 6:38 pm
Chair called for introductions. 
Keith Gilchriest, new member to the board representing Charles North was introduced.

Approval of Minutes
Michael Deets makes motion to accept minutes.
Jason Curtis seconds motion. Motion passes.

Peter Merles, District Administrator’s Report
Report distributed prior to the meeting and copies are on file at the MCBD office in the minutes binder.

  • The MCBD reauthorization hearing was held on April 24th at the Planning Commission and received a unanimous approval vote.  The final hearing will be held with the Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday, May 29th at 5:00 pm
  • Shie’ree Saunders, our Americorp volunteer coordinator has had ongoing success with working with citizens in Bolton Hill and Madison Park for recruiting volunteers for Citizens on Patrol projects and for park projects.  She will be reaching out to the other neighborhoods to form a Citizens on Patrol in their area.  Shie’ree’s assignment ends in July and MCBD has applied for another AmeriCorp volunteer coordinator for next year.   
  • Additional training opportunities for the Green Team are being developed.  Pat Mikos, member of the Personnel Committee, will provide resource information from the state level.
  • Annual fundraising campaign is on target and should exceed the projected $55,000

 

Eric Evans, Midtown Development Corporation Report
Healthy Neighborhoods grants are moving along. 

  • 1616 N. Calvert Street is in the process of applying for a loan
  • 510 Cathedral Street process is completed and has been converted into a permanent loan
  • Developers of the State Center project expressed interest in making a presentation to the MCBD board.

Chair recaps discussion at last Executive Committee meeting addressing the financial situation and the impact on the budget that may be caused by the Homestead Tax Cap and if there were need to make changes to the approved budget it would be addressed at the next meeting.  The committee also addressed an issue outlined in Bill Cole’s memo distributed at the last meeting.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Steven Johnson, Budget & Finance Committee
Report distributed prior to the meeting and copies are on file at the MCBD office in the minutes binder. Report will be iles for audit.

  • After further review of the budget the projected deficit of $30,000 has been decreased to an estimated $7000.  Various line items showed a lower projected amount such as consultants, employee welfare and newsletter while legal fees, uniforms and general liabilities were slight higher than projected.
  • Committee chair shared a text message from Councilman Bill Cole about his thoughts on the Homestead Tax Credit, the impact it may have on the MCBD and proposing a resolution to the City Council.

Strategic Planning Task Force
Peter Merles reports that the Strategic Planning is moving along and Ann Cotten and team are now beginning to work on the focus group phase. 

Bill Oelke, Personnel Committee
Report distributed at the meeting and copies are on file at the MCBD office in the minutes binder.

  • The committee reviewed the staff organization chart and field supervision responsibilities.  Committee updated of a recent departure of a Clean Team member which leaves a vacancy.  Peter would like to use this as an opportunity to fill the Park Foreman position. 
  • Professional development opportunities where outlined for Peter Merles and Peggy Smallwood. 
  • Committee discussed developing and implementing staff recognition programs. 
  • Committee has begun its annual review of the District Administrator.  Peter presented to the committee his perspectives on his accomplishments and challenges over the past year.  The committee chair has emailed neighborhood association presidents and other board members for feedback.
  • Unemployment insurance rates have dropped.  Rates were at the highest due to the lay off of the Safety Team a few years ago. 
  • The Personnel committee has approved filling the vacant position with a Park Foreman.

Polly Duke makes motion to hire and fill open position with Park Supervisor
Jason Curtis seconds motion.
Chair opens floor for discussion.
Discussion follows.
Chair asks for passing of motion
14 votes in favor, 1 vote opposed.
Motion passes.

Steven Shen, Operations Committee

  • The Operations and Budget Committee met and recommends purchasing a new littevac machine now opposed to waiting for the new fiscal year.

Joseph Palumbo makes motion to purchase a new littervac machine opposed to waiting until end of year.
Polly Duke seconds motion.
Chair opens floor for discussion.
All in favor. Motion passes.

  • The committee would like to invite the company working on the camera project to give a presentation at the next board meeting.
  • An invitation was extended for board members to take a tour of the Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus monitoring station.

 

Vice-chair acknowledges three new visitors to the meeting.   
Kate Mcshane-Oeming, Assistant Director of Community Partnerhships,
Omari Patterson, Assistant Developer, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, and
George Gilliam, Director of Community Initiatives.

Michael Molla, Public Safety
Public Safety first meeting was held the first week of April.  The participation and feedback were positive.  Minutes from the meeting will be submitted at the next board meeting for review.
 
New Business
Steven Johnson makes motion to issue a letter of support to Councilman Cole to support his resolution that the MCBDMA should not be held responsible for any refunds.
Carlo Van Greiken seconds motion
Chair opens floor for discussion.
Peter Merles, District Administrator and Polly Duke, Secretary of the Board will prepare a resolution informing Councilman Cole of the MCBDMA Board’s position.

  • The MVBA met with city officials about plans to open a homeless shelter near Catholic Charities’ Our Daily Bread site.
  • Friday, May 16th – Monday, May 19th, MICA will have their annual campus wide 2003 Exhibition.  For more information log onto www.MICA.edu.

 

Chair asks for motion to adjourn
Polly Duke seconds motion.
Meeting is adjourned.