Better Schools. Safer Streets. Stronger Neighborhoods.
Issue #104: February 20, 2009

Dear Friends:

This week, I urged Baltimore City's economic development agency to work with the City Council to craft the necessary zoning legislation for a voter-approved Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) facility. In light of the current economic climate, it is imperative that the City move expeditiously to bring a slots facility online to help fund education, create new jobs, reduce property taxes and fulfill the will of Baltimore voters. As the City's lead agency charged with developing the new VLT facility, the Baltimore Development Corporation must begin working with the City Council now to ensure that the appropriate zoning is in place.

The primary purpose of the November 2008 slots referendum was to fund public education. Dollars generated by VLT's will fund the state's education budget. Baltimore City relies heavily—more than any other local jurisdiction—on state education funding. Any delay in approval and construction of a facility in Baltimore City will result in lost revenue for education, perhaps as much as $11 to $84 million annually. This year, Governor O'Malley was forced to make very difficult choices regarding funding for public schools. These tough, painful choices will only get worse in the years ahead if additional education revenues from a City slots venue fail to materialize quickly enough. In these difficult times, we can't afford to forgo new funding streams for the state's education budget. Approval and construction of a city VLT facility will help to create hundreds of new jobs. The sooner we move forward to allow construction of a facility, the sooner we can create those jobs and put our citizens back to work. I believe that the new facility presents a significant economic development opportunity for Baltimore to become a true entertainment destination—adding to our already strong tourism sector.

Make no mistake: reducing the property tax on homeowners is an important goal for the City of Baltimore. Our property tax is the highest in the state and drives working families away from Baltimore. That's why last year, I advocated for a continuation of the 5-year plan to reduce property taxes. I believe that the City can continue to reduce property taxes by creating a strong profit-sharing lease agreement based on the VLT facility's profitability—and by dedicating those funds to reduce property taxes. The simple truth is that without a new facility, it will be extremely difficult to lower property taxes, especially in the current economic climate where tax revenues are declining and the demand for city services continues to rise.

In November's historic election, city voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment to allow slot machines at five designated locations across the state, including Baltimore City, by a stunning margin of nearly 20 percentage points. There can be no cavalier disregard of the will of the people of Baltimore. They have spoken, and there is too much at stake to delay any longer. Public education, jobs, lower taxes, economic development, and yes, even the Preakness Stakes are at risk. Now it's time to move forward.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

Baltimore School for the Arts Ninth-Grader Becomes Published Illustrator

Last week with the release of the children’s fantasy-adventure story, The Last Synapsid, Baltimore School for the Arts freshman Paul Cronan made his mark as a published illustrator. Paul did the black and white pencil illustrations of dinosaurs, dogs, and other curious details when he was just 13 years old. The Last Synapsid is a book for children ages 8 to 14 and is published by Delacorte Press. Paul says he has been sketching for as long as he can remember.

You can meet this young illustrator in person during a book signing Saturday, February 21 at the Ivy Bookshop, 6080 Falls Road, in the Lake Falls Village Shopping Center. Paul and author/Broadway playwright Tim Mason will be there from 9am to 11am. They will hold a book talk and Paul will hold a short interactive drawing session with the audience.

Baltimore School for the Arts Receives 2009 Architectural Awards from AASA

The Baltimore School for the Arts grabbed top honors in the American Association of School Administrators’ 2009 Architectural Awards contest. The city school today received the Walter Taylor Award during AASA’s 2009 National Conference on Education in San Francisco. The design team restored and updated a brownstone facility of three separate multi-story buildings into learning spaces where natural daylight filters in, even in difficult-to-access interior spaces and into lower-level art studios. The new school was given a "heart" with the addition of a new centralized library that is a shared space for all, and the internal space was reorganized and expanded to improve the links between old and new.

Completed over four years, the result is state-of-the-art facilities that incorporate the historic charm of original features: a brownstone entry, a cantilevered, circular stairway and unusual multipaned circular windows. What was once a narrow, shadowy alleyway between two buildings is now a bright, inviting corridor linking the school and the new 10,000-square-foot dance studio. An unused, lower-level swimming pool was converted into a sculpture studio, and a ballroom was turned into an auditorium that is used by the school and community.

Exterior windows provide natural light and allow the community to see what’s happening inside. The renovations and additions accommodate an increase of enrollment from 315 to 375 students and an expansion of its after-school arts programs to serve over 700 elementary and middle school children. Support for the project came from the school’s volunteer board; private fundraising accounted for nearly 60 percent of the $25 million in construction costs. The Baltimore addition and renovation was designed by Cho Benn Holback & Associates of Baltimore.

The Walter Taylor Award recognizes architects for excellence in educational facilities planning, design and renovation. Winners are chosen by a jury panel of representatives from the sponsoring organizations: AASA, the American Institute of Architects and the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International. Sixty-one contest entries were received. City Schools CEO Dr. Andres Alonso was also recognized.

Send us the good news about your Baltimore City public school!

Do you have an exciting news item on achievements in Baltimore City Public Schools?
Let us know so that we can feature them in the President's SchoolSpot. Call Council President Rawlings-Blake's office at 410-396-4804 or send an e-mail to Marva Williams at marva.williams@baltimorecity.gov

City Council This Week

Monday, February 23

City Council Meeting
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
Draft agenda

Tuesday, February 24

Hearing: Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee, James B. Kraft – Chair
10:00 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0042 Residential Property - Required Disclosures on Sale or Lease

10:15 AM
08-0245 Mass Transit Vehicles - Obsolete Provisions

10:20 AM
08-0246 Enticing Minors - Expanded Coverage

10:25 AM
08-0247 Sale of Contraceptives - Repeal of Ban

10:30 AM
08-0248 Sporting Events - Offenses Involving

10:35 AM
08-0249 Police Ordinances - National Anthem

10:40 AM
08-0250 Street Regulations - Obstructions

10:45 AM
08-0251 Parades - Permit Requirements

10:50 AM
08-0252 Snow and Ice Removal - Sidewalks

10:55 AM
08-0253 Street Regulations - Soliciting

11:00 AM
08-0254 Street Regulations - Sand, Water, etc.

11:05 AM
08-0255 Taxicabs and Other Common Carriers - Refusal to Pay Fare

11:10 AM
08-0257 Vandalism - Street Lights and Other Utility Structures

Hearing: Budget and Appropriations Committee, Bernard C. “Jack” Young – Chair
4:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
LO09-0031 09-0096R - Legislative Oversight - Department of City Government
The following agencies are scheduled to attend: Dept. of Transportation; CitiStat; Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods; Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice.

Wednesday, February 25

Hearing: Land Use and Transportation Committee, Edward Reisinger – Chair
2:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0196 Zoning - Conditional Use Service and Housing Center - 620 Fallsway

Thursday, February 26

Hearing: Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee, Helen Holton – Chair
10:50 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
09-0266 Maryland Department of Transportation - County Transportation Revenue Bonds - Series 2009

Hearing: Community Development Subcommittee, William Cole – Chair
11:00 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0077R Baltimore City Green Collar Jobs Creation Coalition
Rescheduled from February 19, 2009

Community Events

For a comprehensive listing of events in Baltimore, check the City Council's online events calendar.

Transform Baltimore:the Zoning Code Rewrite

Transform Baltimore, which is the Zoning Code Rewrite, is holding a series of community meetings to ensure the public learns more about the Zoning Code Rewrite and the public offers input on the new document CITY OF BALTIMORE: INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ZONING CODE REWRITE.

This document will serve as the outline for the new code. All citizens are invited and encouraged to attend one of these meetings to learn more. Here is the link to the newsletter. Also in March, the Baltimore City Planning Department will host meetings on Form-Based codes to learn more about what they are and whether they might work for Baltimore.

 

Southwest - Monday, February 23rd
6:30-8pm
Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church
4640 Edmondson Ave

Northeast - Tuesday, February 24th
6:30-8pm
St. Francis School – Harford Road and Chesterfield
Park in rear lot

Northwest - Thursday, February 26th
6:30-8pm
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Cold Spring Lane and Falls Road
Enter on Cold Spring Lane

Downtown - Friday, February 27th
12 noon- 1:30pm
417 East Fayette Street, 8th Floor

Friday, February 20

Minority Business Summit
The Baltimore Hilton, 401 W. Pratt St. 410-235-4427 www.minoritybusinesssummit.com

New Laws Begin to Reduce Barriers for Ex-Offenders: Expungement & Child Support Incentives
Douglass-Myers Maritime Park and Museum, 1417 Thames St., 1pm-2:30pm. A forum presented by The Job Opportunities Task Force. 410-234-8040.

Saturday, February 21

Disability Income Tax Day-Baltimore City
Several Baltimore City locations, 10am-3pm. Free income tax prep, learn about disability services and other government funded assistance programs. Register at 410-333-6109.

Learn about Baltimore City Schools new Family and Community Engagement Policy
Pinderhughes Administration Building, First Floor Boardroom, 200 E. North Ave., 11am-1pm, 410-545-1870.

Free Fundraising Workshop
Morgan State University Clarence Mitchell Engineering Building Library, 9am-1:30pm. Understand core principles of fundraising and develop winning proposals, etc. Register at http://iur.morgan.edu

Sunday, February 22

Indoor Championship Track Meet
5th Regiment Armory, 29 Division St., 10am. Registration begins at 9 a.m.; $5 for participating athletes. Free to the public.

Tuesday, February 24

Women’s Heart Health Fair
Baltimore Convention Center, Hall A, 8am-4pm. Free heart disease screenings with immediate results, fitness & cooking demonstrations and more. 410-616-8943. sister2sister.org

Free Workshops on Pro-Bono Design Assistance Available to Healthy Neighborhoods
Feb. 24 & Mar. 11, 6:30pm, The Neighborhood Design Center, 1401 Hollins St. (near Hollins Market). 410-233-9686 www.ndc-md.org

Wednesday, February 25

Mayor's Night In
City Hall, Curran Conference Room 4th floor, 6-8pm. Attend an informative discussion on the city’s budget process, hear how the annual budget is developed, how the current economic climate impacts it and what it all means for you as a city resident. Photo ID needed to enter City Hall. www.baltimorecity.gov/government/moon

Black History Month Ice Skating Tribute, Feb. 21, 3:30pm, Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena, 6101 Hillen Rd., Enjoy an original skating piece in honor of Black History Month between public skating sessions. Public skating session admission is $4; skate rental is $2.

Black History Day, Feb. 23, 4-5:50pm, Mora Crossman Recreation Center, 701 S. Rappolla St., crafts, dramatic readings and a video presentation. Recommended for ages 5-13. 410-396-9222.

African American Arts Festival, Feb. 23-25, University of Baltimore Student Center Performing Arts Theater, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave., 5th floor. Free. www.ubalt.edu/studentcenter

Black History Celebration, Feb. 24, 3:30-5:30pm, Lakeview Towers, 717 Druid Lake Dr., Enjoy youth dance and music performances. Free and open to seniors. 410-383-0785.

Black History Program, Feb. 27, 3:30pm, Mt. Royal Recreation Center, 120 W. Mosher St., Enjoy an afternoon of dance, food and poetry in honor of Black History Month. Recommended for ages 5-12. 410-396-0374.

Celebrate Black History Month at the Top of the World Observation Level, 27th floor of Baltimore’s World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt St., runs through March. 1. Enjoy historic Black Baltimore memorabilia from Philip J. Merrill of Nanny Jack & Co. Admission fee. www.viewbaltimore.org. 410-837-VIEW.

Lexington Market’s Black History Month Celebration features free concert series daily (except Sundays) all month long. Enjoy narrated skits and dances based on African, Caribbean, jazz, blues, gospel, or big band swing/jazz themes and exhibits from Great Blacks in Wax, African-American authors, crafters and a special presentation from the Buffalo Soldiers in full uniform.

Upcoming/Ongoing

RecycleMORE BaltiMORE!

Effective January 2009, Baltimore City residents will be able to recycle more items. New items to be included in curbside single stream recycling: wide-mouth plastic containers used for margarine, yogurt, cottage cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream; empty prescription bottles (lids and caps do not need to be removed); plastic drinking cups; aluminum foil and aluminum pie pans; clean milk and juice cartons.

New items to be taken to the citizen drop-off center and placed in container marked "rigid plastics:" rigid plastics which include milk/soda crates, buckets, laundry baskets, lawn furniture, totes, plastic drums, coolers, flower pots, water bottles, pallets, pet carriers, shelving, closet organizers, empty garbage/recycling bins. Info: 410-396-4511 or
www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/recycle/

Cold Weather Tips: Protect Your Pipes

Pipes and utility meters can freeze when the temperature remains below 25 degrees for extended periods of time. The Baltimore City Department of Public Works offers the following tips to help protect water lines during periods of cold weather:

  • Let a thin stream of cold water run from a basement faucet. The stream should be a continuous flow, about the thickness of a pencil. This water can be caught in a bucket or pail to be recycled later as laundry or dish water.
  • If your pipe is frozen, gently warm it with hot air from a blow dryer at the point where it enters your house.
  • Be sure you know the location of the water shutoff valve in your home. Check it periodically to ensure itworks properly.
  • Periodically monitor your sump pump. A frozen drain pipe could result in a flooded basement.
  • Insulate pipes in unheated parts of your house. Be especially alert if you have had frozen pipes in the past.
  • Keep bottled water on hand.

The Department of Public Works maintains outdoor water lines up to and including the meter. Water lines running from the meter to the house, as well as internal plumbing, are the responsibility of the property owner. For water emergencies in Baltimore City, please call 311. If you are outside the City, but in our service area, please call 410-396-5352.

Reduced adoption fees at the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS), through Feb. 28, adoption fee is $40, normal fee is $65. Adoption fees include spaying and neutering, rabies & DHLPP vaccinations, Felv testing for cats and kittens and more services. 410-396-4695. www.baltimoreanimalshelter.org.

Maryland Career Fair Sponsored by Maryland Career Consortium, Feb. 27, 9am-3:30pm, Towson University’s Towson Center. http://asp.symplicity.com/mdcareerfair

Starting and Financing A Small Business, Feb. 28, 11am-1pm, Hamilton Branch Library,
5910 Harford Rd., tonia.mccoy@sba.gov

MD HOPE (Home Owners Preserving Equity) State Hotline 1-877-462-7555
For assessment and possible referral to a housing counseling agency or a volunteer attorney for assistance in your foreclosure matter. www.mdhope.org

New Baltimore City Traffic Law -- Stop on the Light Before You Turn Right .... For a 30 day period, traffic enforcement officers will issue a warning (violation notice) to delinquent drivers informing them of the civil penalty for making a rolling right turn on red. After the warning period, violators will be charged with paying the fines. The penalty for a violation is $75. Payment of the fine amount will not result in points on your driver’s license and cannot be used to increase your insurance rates. Warning signs have been posted at Red Light Camera Enforcement locations to make motorists aware of the fact that they are approaching a Red Light Camera Safety intersection. The actual locations of the cameras are listed on www.baltimorecity.gov.

Dr. Maya Angelou to speak at UB School of Law’s 2009 Feminist Legal Theory and Feminism Conference, Mar. 6, 6pm, The Lyric Theatre. The conference explores the concrete ways in which feminist legal theory is (or is not) changing the law. Free. Must pre-register at http://law.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=931

Volunteers Needed to Help Rebuild the Playground at Stadium Place. The project will take place May 5-10. Also, need help with office work, publicity, recruiting volunteers, etc. Contact the Greater Homewood Community Corporation at 443-756-6198 or friendsofourplayground@gmail.com.

Survivors Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) is offering a $1000 scholarship to a graduating Baltimore City public high school senior who has lost an immediate family member to homicide. Deadline is April 3. For details, contact Robin Singletary Haskins at 410-361-9301.

Registration is underway for 2009 Northwood Baseball League. Every Wednesday 6:30-8:30pm & every Saturday 11:30am-2:30pm, Morgan State University’s Montebello Complex, Room 124, 2201 Argonne Dr. 410-444-4872.

Registration is underway for Spring 2009 Forest Park Neighborhood Football League, for youth players, 5-15, Call Coach Quinton at 443-744-6346 or Coach Curtis at 443-506-9985. fplittleleaguer@aol.com

Free Tax Prep Clinics hosted by The Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Service through March 7. 12pm-5pm Wednesdays; 9am-2pm Saturdays. Various city locations. For wage earners making $26,000 or less. Call for an appointment 410-234-8008.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore’s Foreclosure Prevention Program offers emergency bridge loans to victims of predatory or exotic lending, or homeowners hit with emergencies such as illness or unemployment. Eligible low- to moderate-income homeowners can receive up to $5,000 in deferred loans. 410-327-1200.

Community Greening Resource Network (CGRN), sponsored by Parks and People Foundation, is accepting new members. The CGRN is an annual membership program to support community gardens throughout Baltimore City. It provides community-based groups access to material resources (tool, seeds, plants, mulch, and compost) training opportunities (green space planning, organization, and fundraising), and networking opportunities for sharing skills and experience among community greeners. Sarah Krones 410-448-5663.

New Conversations/Conversaciones Nuevas, Enoch Pratt’s Southeast Anchor Library, 3601 Eastern Ave., Tuesdays at 11am. Practice casual conversation for beginning English and Spanish speakers, 410-396-1580.

Food Assistance provided by Project 100, an initiative of the Baltimore City Housing Community Action Partnership and New Psalmist Baptist Church, to help families with food security for 30 days in order to pay down other bills. It’s for residents of 21217, 21216, 21201, 21223, or 21229 who have children and do not receive food stamps or a utility subsidy from Section 8. 410-396-089320

Open Minds is Creative Alliance's free book-based after school program. New visual and performing arts courses, including mural painting, photography, music production and breakdancing are beginning at Wolfe Street Academy, Hampstead Hill, Collington Square and with EBLO-Mi Segunda Casa at John Ruhrah. Call Karen Summerville at 410-276-1651.

Conserve energy, save money and protect the environment with BGE’s PeakRewards program. If you have central air conditioning or an electric heat pump, you could save up to 15% year round in energy costs. www.bgesmartenergy.com/peakrewards

Power of Parents and Partners in School (P.O.P.S. Program) is a new program to encourage and address the needs of students who are expecting or parenting teens who have dropped out and want to return to school. Developed by the Laurence G. Paquin School. 410-396-9398/9399.

Baltimore Speaks Out! Program, a great opportunity for children ages 11-15 to learn about video/film production. Offered at Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Herring Run branch, 3810 Erdman Ave. 410-338-0947. Free.