Legislative Session Recap

Transcription

1 Legislative Session Recap AWARDS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT MAY / JUNE 2016 MUNICIPAL ACHIEVEMENT LEGISLATOR The Maryland Municipal League REPRESENTING MARYLAND'S CITIES AND TOWNS

2 A THOUSAND YEARS AGO YOU WOULD RELY ON THIS. Today, you can rely on LGIT for protection. Visit us during MML s Convention Booths 322 & 323 Local Government Insurance TRUST We take our name seriously Parkway Drive Hanover, MD Tel Fax

3 CONTENTS MAY/JUNE 2016 On the cover UPDATED Convention Schedule 5 MML Lifetime Achievement Award: Bruce A. Wahl 7 Rock Hall: Dock, Dine, and Discover Program 9 Bladensburg: Prince George's County Municipal Collaboration 10 Laurel: Community Redevelopment Plan 11 Defensive Legislative Session Legislator Awards 20 Rock Hall s scenic waterfront location attracts many tourists, especially during the boating season. Rock Hall won MML s 2016 Municipal Achievement Award in the small town population category for its low-cost tram service from marinas and bed and breakfast inns to the downtown business district (see page 9). Bladensburg won the medium town population category (page 10), and Laurel received top honors in the large city population category (page 11). The Municipal Achievement Awards will be presented on June 27 during MML s convention in Ocean City. Cover photo courtesy of Billy McGee Photography, all rights reserved Meetings & Upcoming Events 22 Vol. 46 No. 9 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION of MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE Scott A. Hancock Publisher Karen A. Bohlen Editor-in-Chief Paula Chase Hyman Contributing Editor Thomas C. Reynolds Contributing Editor Sharon P. Easton Circulation Municipal Maryland (USPS ), a publication for and about Maryland's cities and towns, is published nine times a year (monthly November through April and combined May/June, July/August and September/October issues) by the Maryland Municipal League, 1212 West Street, Annapolis, Maryland The Maryland Municipal League is a non-profit, non-partisan association of Maryland's cities and towns. Information in Municipal Maryland does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Maryland Municipal League. Postmaster: Send address changes to Municipal Maryland, 1212 West Street, Annapolis, Maryland Second-class postage paid at Annapolis, Maryland For advertising rates contact: Whitfield Whylie, Allegra Marketing+Print+Web, 103 Gibralter Avenue, Annapolis, MD Telephone: , Fax: , whitfield@annapolisallegra.com Subscription rate: $40/year Telephone: Toll-Free: Fax: Web: mml@mdmunicipal.org Municipal Maryland May/June

4 MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE 2016 ANNUAL CONVENTION CONVENTION CENTER OCEAN CITY JUNE 26 29, 2016 Convention Dinner Speaker June 28 GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN SAVE MONEY! Register on-line for reduced fees. Visit mdmunicipal.org/convention for convention details and to register. Service lines break at the rate of one every two minutes, wasting thousands of gallons of water. Address water conservation needs in your community with the National League of Cities (NLC) Service Line Warranty Program administered by Utility Service Partners. Over 300 cities already participate at no cost. Some have even generated revenue while saving their residents thousands in unexpected repair costs. Happy Cities. Happy Residents. A win-win for you and your community. Join us in Booth #503 at the MML Annual Convention to learn more and pick up your free gift. 4 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

5 UPDATED 2016 MML CONVENTION PROGRAM SUNDAY, June 26, :30-5:00 Golf Tournament 1:00-5:30 Registration 1:00-5:30 Planning Commission Training 1:30-2:30 Orientation for First Time Attendees & Newly Elected Officials 2:00-3:30 Social Media Petting Zoo 2:30-5:30 Consensus & Team Building (C) 2:45-3:45 Chapter Officers Briefing 2:45-4:00 Workshop: Youth & Public Service 4:15-5:30 Workshop: Community Branding 4:00-5:30 Board of Directors Meeting 5:30-7:00 Welcome Reception MONDAY, June 27, :30-8:00 How to Conduct Walking Meetings 8:00-4:30 Registration 8:00-9:45 Workshop: Structure of Government (C) 8:30-9:30 Rehearsal for Parade of Flags 8:30-10:00 Social Media Petting Zoo 8:45-9:45 Workshop: Police Department Relations 9:00-9:30 Snap Learning: Natural Play Spaces 10:00-11:30 Opening General Session Presentation of Colors Parade of Municipal Flags Achievement Awards Keynote Speaker: Jason Roberts 11:30-4:00 Exhibits Open 11:30-2:00 Lunch in Exhibit Areas 11:30-2:00 Social Media Petting Zoo 12:00-1:30 Mayors Forum & Lunch City & Town Administrators Lunch Municipal Attorneys Association Lunch 1:30-3:00 Workshop: Downtown Revitalization 1:30-2:45 Workshop: Small Town Emergency Preparedness (E) 2:00-4:00 Workshop: Municipal Budgeting (C) 2:45-4:00 Workshop: Hot Button Legal Issues (E) 3:00-3:30 Reactivate Your Brain & Body 3:00-4:00 Young Elected Leaders Power Hour 3:30-4:00 Snap Learning: Preparedness Training 4:00-5:00 Prince George s Elected Women Meeting 6:00-9:00 Eastern Shore Chapter Dinner * Montgomery Chapter Dinner * TUESDAY, June 28, :00-8:45 Prince George s County Municipal Association Breakfast* 8:00-9:00 Municipal Police Executives Breakfast 8:00 4:30 Registration 8:30-9:00 Credentials Desk Open 8:45-10:00 Workshop: Updating & Amending Codes Workshop: Inclusive Communities 9:00-10:00 Public Works Department Meeting 9:00-10:15 Workshop: Fraud Awareness & Prevention 9:00-10:15 Business Meeting Banner City/Town Award Recognition Election: Board of Directors 9:30-12:00 Social Media Petting Zoo 10:00-11:00 Coffee Break in Exhibit Areas 10:00-2:30 Exhibits Open Commerce Day in Exhibit Areas 10:30-11:45 Workshop: Traffic Calming 10:30-12:00 Discussion Forums Large Cities Small Towns Tiny Towns 11:30-2:30 Lunch in Exhibit Areas 12:00-1:30 MML Past Presidents Luncheon Municipal Clerks Association Luncheon 12:15-12:45 New Officials Meet & Greet 1:00-2:00 Dinner Table Reservations 1:30-2:00 Reactivate Your Brain & Body 1:30-3:00 Cabinet Secretaries Roundtable 2:30-3:00 Snap Learning: Grants 101 2:30-4:00 Workshop: Unmanaged Conflict (E) Workshop: Intergovernmental Collaboration 2:30-4:30 Workshop: Public Information Act (C) 3:30-4:00 Snap Learning: Art in Public Places 6:00-9:30 Children s Party 6:00-7:00 Cocktail Reception Hosted by Maryland Mayors Association 7:00-9:00 Dinner * Municipal Officials Hall of Fame Inductions Lifetime Achievement Award Remarks by Governor Hogan Induction of Board of Directors Background Music: Golden Touch WEDNESDAY, June 29, :30-12:00 Registration 8:30-10:00 Women in Govt Service (WINGS) Breakfast * 9:00-10:30 Governor s Smart Growth Subcabinet Meeting Workshop: Cyber Security (E) Workshop: Elected-Department Relations 9:00-11:00 Open Meetings (C) 10:00-10:30 Snap Learning: Aging Population 11:00-11:30 Snap Learning: Grants :00-12:15 Workshop: Creative Communication (E) 11:00-12:30 Workshop: Next Big Things (E) 11:15-12:30 Convention Planning Committee Meeting 12:45-2:15 New Board Member Orientation & Lunch 1:00-3:00 BBQ & Picnic Buffet* 2:30-3:30 Board of Directors Meeting Academy for Excellence in Local Governance Sessions C = Academy Core E = Academy Elective *Ticket required - must purchase prior to convention. Municipal Maryland May/June

6 Strengthening Maryland s Public Sector university of baltimore SCHAEFER CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY Maryland s preeminent applied research and policy analysis center offering: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AND CONSULTING Survey Research Program Evaluation Performance Measurement Staffing Studies Policy Analysis Data Collection The Maryland Certified Public Manager Program is a nationally accredited program for current and future leaders in the public sector. The program is open to state, city and county employees including those who do not have a college degree. Custom training programs are also available. 6 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

7 MML Lifetime Achievement Award Bruce A. Wahl Mayor, Chesapeake Beach Bruce Wahl entered the U.S. Army at age 19 and earned a commission as an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant at age 20. Six months later he was assigned to a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he served first as a training battalion advisor at the Vietnamese Infantry Officers Candidate School, and then as the Officer in Charge of American Forces Vietnam Network detachment in Pleiku. Returning to Virginia from Vietnam in January, 1971, Bruce found a job as the eighteenth employee at a new organization, National Public Radio, where he still works (45 years later!). In 1985, Bruce moved from Northern Virginia to Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, where he quickly became acquainted with the local elected officials and business leaders. Unlike Fairfax County, this local government was very accessible. Bruce was appointed to the Town s Planning and Zoning Commission in 1988, and then to fill a Town Council vacancy in He completed that term and was reelected to the council four times. In 2008, Mayor Gerald Donovan decided not to seek re-election, so Bruce stepped up to run for Mayor. Now in his twenty-eighth year as a volunteer Chesapeake Beach elected official, he is nearing completion of his second mayoral term. Under Mayor Wahl s leadership, the Town has completed many important projects. These include the completion of a State Highway Administration $5 million streetscape program, major improvements to the local sports complex, building the Town s third water tower, construction of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail, and the subsequent creation of the Chesapeake Beach Oyster Cultivation Society (CBOCS). Other projects include replacing the Fishing Creek Bridge, adding a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to monitor the water and sewer infrastructure, and implementing a preventative maintenance program that has eliminated all catastrophic water and sewer failures. One direct result of the construction of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail and the formation and support of CBOCS is a collaborative effort with the Calvert County Public School System that now brings every county fifth grader to the trail twice per year on field trips. Here, the students get hands-on opportunities to see oyster aquaculture, learn about water quality and make their own measurements, and learn how tidal wetlands flush out unwanted nutrients from the water. During Mayor Wahl s tenure, town special events have included the annual Memorial Day Stars and Stripes Festival, memorializing the ultimate sacrifice made by those in the Armed Forces of the United States. In 2015, this event commemorated the Korean War, with Maryland s First Lady Yumi Hogan as the keynote speaker. Prior to being elected as MML President in June 2014, Mayor Wahl served on the Board of Directors as a Memberat-Large, and President-Elect. He has been a League Executive Committee member since Mayor Wahl also served as Chair or Vice Chair of MML s Convention Planning Committee for many years, and was the founding Vice Chair of the Hometown Emergency Preparedness Committee. Mayor Wahl graduated from the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance in 2002, the second class to do so. When the stewardship of the Academy was transferred to the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, an Academy Council composed of Maryland Municipal League members, Maryland Association of Counties members, and University of Maryland faculty was created. Mayor Wahl is a founding member of the Academy Council, and continues to serve in that role. He also is a 2003 graduate of Leadership Maryland. Mayor Wahl s 28 years as a dedicated volunteer to Chesapeake Beach exemplifies the best in public service and serves as a shining example for others to follow. In recognition of his devotion to the town government and residents of Chesapeake Beach, and for his many years of service to the Maryland Municipal League, Mayor Bruce A. Wahl will receive MML s Lifetime Achievement Award on June 28, 2016 during the League s annual convention in Ocean City. Municipal Maryland May/June

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9 Rock Hall MML 2016 ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: RISE TO THE CHALLENGE Small Town Winner: Under 3,000 population Dock, Dine and Discover Program By Brian L. Jones, Mayor, Rock Hall Rock Hall, also known as The Pearl of the Chesapeake, is an historic waterfront town situated on the Chesapeake Bay on Maryland s Eastern Shore. While home to only 1,500 year-round residents, Rock Hall is a regional tourist destination, especially during the summer and shoulder season months. Visitors are drawn to our scenic waterfront to pursue a wide range of activities, including recreational boating, sport fishing, kayaking and canoeing, crabbing, cycling, birding, and hunting. Rock Hall also hosts numerous special events in-season that are well-known and well-attended, with signature events including a Fourth of July celebration, Watermen s Day, a regional triathlon, Pirates & Wenches Festival, and Fall Fest, just to name a few. As tourism is the engine of the local economy, the Town recognized the need to provide visitors with transportation to our Main Street shops and activities - especially for transient boaters without access to automobiles. Therefore, in 2011, in response to this need, Rock Hall invested in a tram system consisting of two 4-passenger jeeps and two 12-passenger trams. Despite the initial start-up costs of $83,600 (including vehicle purchases, salaries, fuel, maintenance, and insurance), the Town decided to charge passengers a nominal $1.00 fare to encourage ridership and make the trams accessible to all, including local residents. Local businesses sponsor the tram by purchasing advertising spots. Event committees and residents have made contributions as well. In addition, the trams are available for rental by private parties, contributing - from July 2014 to July 2015, for example - an additional $1,870 towards funding costs. In its five years of operation, the tram system has been a huge success, with ridership increasing significantly. To date, the trams have served approximately 60,000 passengers, with ridership starting at 863 passengers in the first two weeks, and growing to 13,632 in the season. The $1.00 fare remains in place and the tram system expects to break even in The trams currently operate seven days a week from May 23 through November 1, and on an on-call basis to allow maximum flexibility and convenience. While many tourist towns provide transportation for visitors, what distinguishes Rock Hall s system are: flexible scheduling, nominal fare, and renting out these trams for private parties as scheduling permits. Rock Hall s tram system is most noteworthy, however, for its remarkable success over a five-year period of time, as demonstrated by its dramatic and measurable increases in ridership year after year. Implementation of the tram system has made a significant and positive impact on the visitors overall experience, as well as benefitting the local community and economy. Any community with a committed town government and an active and involved citizenry has the ability to implement a successful seasonal transportation system similar to the one initiated in Rock Hall, if it is well-planned and well-executed. For more information, contact Rock Hall Town Clerk-Treasurer Stephanie Loller at sloller@rockhallmd.gov or , ext Municipal Maryland May/June

10 Bladensburg MML 2016 Achievement Award: Rise to the Challenge MEDIUM TOWN WINNER: 3,000 10,000 POPULATION Prince George s County Municipal Collaboration By Lieutenant James Flynn, Bladensburg Police Department The State of Maryland set energy reduction goals of 15% by the year 2015 and engaged the Maryland Energy Administration s (MEA) assistance in educating and assisting municipal governments with tools and funding to reach the goals. Energy efficiency experts state that buildings are the number one contributor to greenhouse gases. Residential homes represent 23% of all energy used in the U.S. and 80% of this energy is consumed by single family homes. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Review 2009). Many efforts have been made to provide energy audits for residents. While these are a good way to teach people about energy usage and provide recommendations for energy efficiency retrofits, many Low to Moderate Income (LMI) homeowners do not have the financial ability to implement these recommendations. According to the U. S. Department of Energy, checking a home s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost effective ways to use a whole-house approach to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars. (Source: MEA Energy Savers Booklet) Before: Leaky Roof Many smaller municipalities were unable to participate in grant funding due to limited budgets and the inability to fund projects on a reimbursement schedule. The Town of Bladensburg formed the Municipal Collaboration, now totaling 19 municipalities, with the intent to perform residential weatherization and rehabilitation upgrades for LMI families, at no cost, in LMI and sustainable communities. Bladensburg prioritized fixed income retirees, retired veterans, and retired teachers in the program. Bladensburg absorbed the costs until reimbursement from state agencies was received. This collaboration is formed by way of municipal resolution. Since 2013 grants totaling over $1.95 million dollars have been awarded to assist LMI families while also ensuring positive environmental impacts have been received and exhausted. These previous grant awards were supplemented with funds from the Department of Housing and Community Development-Community Legacy (DHCD-CL) funds of $365,000, and utility (BGE, PEPCO and SMECO) rebates totaling over $320,000. In 2014 Maryland homeowners served through the program enjoyed an estimated average savings of 20% of their utility bills more than $61,000 in estimated annual energy savings all told. (MEA Bladensburg Collaborative Case Study) Their property values increased, and we met the 10 year simple pay back requirements. Over the past three years, this municipal collaboration with the assistance of MEA, DHCD-CL and others has assisted over 475 households in 39 towns (the majority in incorporated municipalities in Prince George s County, Maryland). In the calendar year 2015 reportable results are as follows; 157 Energy Audits in 39 cities/towns; 113 houses rehabilitated; electrical energy saved: 230,598 kwh; tons of CO2 reduced - equivalent to planting 173,743 trees; spending over $1 million dollars; and, individual LMI annual energy cost reduction of $547.17, using the MEA Technical Reference Manual calculators. Merging the DHCD-CL funding to assist in rehabilitation efforts outside the scope of the MEA grant funding allowed the collaboration to assist over 57 homes in two years that would have been denied without both agencies involvement. This collaboration between agencies is one of a kind in Maryland. The Prince George s County Municipal Collaboration focuses on creating sustainable communities to benefit the People, the Planet, and Profit. The project benefits the people by decreasing their energy bills, increasing property values, and creating jobs. The project benefits the planet by reducing energy consumption and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn benefits people by promoting healthier communities. And, this project allows the people who save on their energy bills to have a little bit more money to spend locally; therefore, local businesses benefit. The local company that performed the energy audits did benefit and created five full-time green jobs in 2015, and that helps the county s tax base. In a difficult economy, jobs are scarce and the people hired will profit from this project. It is a win-win-win project. MEA s LMI EmPOWERs grant, in collaboration with DHCD s Community Legacy grant and Utility Rebate(s), facilitates a holistic approach for LMI families/homeowners in Prince George s County and neighboring counties and increases the efficiency of the distribution of state funds. MEA and DHCD only have to coordinate with one organization, Bladensburg, on behalf of 19 municipalities while assisting 100+ families/ homeowners and their communities. Program management costs to MEA were reduced as a result of this collaborative effort. The Town of Bladensburg has been transparent in all phases of this program and has allowed full examination of applications, reporting documents, draft resolutions, etc., to ensure that any participating municipality either in Prince George s County or other areas in Maryland can reproduce the project. We will share our experience and assist any agency that wants to duplicate the project. This collaborative effort received the 2013 Community Development Network of Maryland The Best Community Collaboration award as it is considered one of the most cost effective, efficient, and holistic approaches to reaching the goal of 20% reduction in energy consumption in the State of Maryland. For more information, contact Lt. Flynn at JFlynn@Bladensburg.net or After Installation of New Roof 10 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

11 Laurel MML 2016 Achievement Award: Rise to the Challenge LARGE CITY WINNER: OVER 10,000 POPULATION Community Redevelopment Plan By Jack T. Brock, Director Community Planning & Business Services, Laurel The early 1800s saw the beginning of a factory town along the Patuxent River. First known as Laurel Factory the town s name was shortened in 1873 to Laurel. The industry responsible for the town s early growth was cotton. A mill at the end of Main Street was the first cotton mill in Laurel, employing over 500 people manufacturing sail cloth during the Civil War era. Like many towns, the major commercial area was along Main Street. From Ninth Street to the Laurel Train Station a number of turn-of-the-century commercial buildings still exist. The Main Street community remains an active commercial district with its many types of offices, stores, and residences. It is history that reminds us that the town on the river, after building itself from a mill town to a transportation corridor, continues to thrive and grow. Like many main streets there are issues, because of age, with building integrity and the lack of parking. In January 2014 Laurel s Mayor and City Council approved the creation of a Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) to oversee urban redevelopment through: acquisition of an Urban Redevelopment Area; demolition and removal of buildings and improvements; installation, construction or reconstruction of municipal streets, utilities, parks, playgrounds, and other improvements to carry out Urban Redevelopment Plan objectives; disposition of any property acquired in the Urban Redevelopment Area including sale, initial leasing or retention by the City; implementation of plans for a program of voluntary or compulsory repair and rehabilitation of buildings or other improvements; acquisition of any other real property in the Urban Redevelopment Area to eliminate unhealthy, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, reduce density, eliminate obsolete or other uses detrimental to the public welfare, or to provide land for needed public facilities; and preservation, improvement, or embellishment of historic structures or monuments. In May 2012 the Mayor and City Council adopted Laurel s Community Redevelopment Urban Redevelopment Plan, and in February 2015 adopted the Eastern Main Street-Avondale Mill Neighborhood Plan. These plans develop a plan for land use in the Revitalization Overlay Areas in general and Laurel Main Street in particular that will help protect, preserve, and enhance the quality of life in the area. In keeping with its purpose, the CRA has purchased three properties on Main Street: The property identified as 312 Main Street because of its location is an important property that will aid in the redevelopment of Main Street. This vacant property is often vandalized, contains asbestoses, and the roof is partially collapsed. The CRA purchased the property for $250,000 and will invest an additional $139,000 to demolish the structure. Once the lot is cleared the property will be offered for sale through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process in order to attract a development compatible with the historic nature of Main Street. The CRA also purchased 378 Main Street, a vacant lot, for $300,000. The City partnered with the Laurel Board of Trade for their use of the property as a local farmers market. The property is being landscaped and the back portion will be paved to provide for public parking. The property at Main Street was purchased for $242,000. The site was occupied by a house and separate garage. The structures were demolished and the lot has been paved ($51,535), lighted ($8,000), and landscaped (in-house) to provide public parking. The CRA also funds the City of Laurel Main Street Area Economic Development Program which provides four types of grants and forgivable loans to tenants and owners of property located on Main Street: Business Relocation Grant allows either the property owner or business tenant to apply for relocation assistance up to $10,000 to assist with moving expenses, interior remodeling, on-site signage, or moving incidentals. Commercial Façade Grant provides participants who complete a façade renovation the opportunity to receive a rebate up to a maximum of $10,000 in the form of a loan, forgivable over a five year period. There is a one dollar rebate for each dollar matched by the applicant up to the maximum amount. Sign Grant allows the property owner or tenant to apply for assistance up to $2,500 in matching grant funds to upgrade the appearance, property value, and economic activity on a commercial building fronting Main Street. Commercial Property Improvement Grant provides an incentive to renovate existing commercial space in order to attract quality commercial tenants and fill vacant storefronts. Participants are eligible to receive a rebate in the form of a loan, forgivable over a five year period, for renovation purposes. The rebate is one dollar for every dollar matched to the maximum rebate of $25,000. Sign Grant allows the property owner or tenant to apply for assistance up to $2,500 in matching grant funds to upgrade the appearance, property value, and economic activity on a commercial building fronting Main Street. Commercial Property Improvement Grant provides an incentive to renovate existing commercial space in order to attract quality commercial tenants and fill vacant storefronts. Participants are eligible to receive a rebate in the form of a loan, forgivable over a five year period, for renovation purposes. The rebate is one dollar for every dollar matched to the maximum rebate of $25,000. The CRA will continue its revitalization efforts to upgrade existing neighborhoods and provide for a balanced economy with a mix of office, retail, and industrial uses. Doing so will ensure continued fiscal well-being and provide employment opportunities for Laurel residents. For more information contact Jack Brock at jbrock@laurel.md.us, , ext Municipal Maryland May/June

12 Defensive Legislative Session Comes to a Close for the Maryland Municipal League As is customary during the second year of a fouryear legislative term, there is usually an uptick in the number of bill introductions, and the 2016 General Assembly session was no exception. With 2,832 bills filed, bill introductions hit an all-time high not seen since the 2006 legislative session. A typical four-year term in Maryland usually follows a fairly predictable cycle. The first year usually means a that we see a large group of new legislators all learning the ropes, adjusting to committee assignments, becoming familiar with legislative protocol, sitting through endless hours of committee testimony, and biding their time to introduce bills reflecting all the issues that they talked about while on the campaign trail. When they return for their second year in office, they are usually ready to spread their wings and test the waters, which typically means a significant number of new ideas introduced in the form of legislation. While these can be exciting times for members of the General Assembly, it usually requires MML staff to spend more time carefully analyzing the municipal impact of legislation not previously seen before, and as we experienced this session, it can also mean opposing a higher than average number of bills. In total, MML opposed 30 bills this session, and while it is normally easier to defeat a bill rather than pass a bill, opposing a piece of legislation is a delicate process. To retain the credibility and respect of your organization, it s imperative that staff convey its position to the legislature, while still being respectful of the sponsor and the concept behind the legislation. Often times, rather than simply opposing a bill, it is more effective if an organization can instead come to the table with suggested amendments to address their specific concerns, which is something the League tries to do on a regular basis. Following is a synopsis of some of the more high-profile bills monitored by the League. MML Priority Legislation Highway User Revenues/Budget SB 585/HB 723. The MML membership, as it has for the past several years, selected as a League priority this year the reinstatement of municipal Highway User Revenues (HURs). Beginning in FY 2010, the state reduced municipal HURs by 96%, using the monies to bolster the State s general fund. It was not until the past three years that incorporated cities and towns saw a meaningful degree of relief when approved State budgets included consecutively $15.4 million, $16 million, and $19 million in special transportation allocations to offset the loss of HURs. The Governor included in his proposed budget for next year $20.3 million to continue the special municipal allocation. However, the General Assembly reduced the municipal portion to $19 million, which means that municipal HURs will be level funded in FY Coupled with formula-based HURs, transportation aid to municipalities is currently just shy of 60% of prerecession funding levels. Legislation (SB 585/HB 723) requested by MML sought to increase municipal HURs to prerecession levels over a five-year period. The heavily amended Senate bill passed the full Senate with a new one-time municipal transportation allocation of $25 million for FY 2018, but failed to come to a vote in the House committee. Two other bills (HB 1388 and HB 1455) would have restored HUR funding for all local governments; however, both bills failed in their House committee of origin. Once it became apparent that MML s priority legislation was not likely to pass this 12 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

13 session, House leadership indicated that they intend to form a workgroup comprised of select members of the House of Delegates to address the restoration of local government transportation monies. Once the workgroup has been appointed and begins meeting over the interim, the League will report on its progress to the membership. Program Open Space HB 462. The League s second 2016 legislative priority was the protection of Program Open Space (POS) monies. Although municipalities do not receive POS directly from the State, most municipalities do receive funding through various formulas and programs in coordination with their respective counties. Legislation was initially introduced (SB 927/HB 1464) to put in place program protections and funding restoration. However, as does happen occasionally during the legislative process, a bill with a related subject area becomes the legislation that is amended and ultimately passed to accomplish similar objectives, which is what happened in this case. Subsequent to the hearings on the original bills in both the House and Senate, leadership decided to instead amend most of the provisions of the original bill into HB 462. The legislation mandates a repayment of $90 million previously reverted from the program prior to 2016 beginning in FY 18 through FY 21. It also mandates repayment of program diversions in 2016, 2017, and 2018 to be repaid in 2021, 2025, and 2029 and requires that the program return to full cash funding in Finally, beginning in FY 19, if the Governor diverts funds from the program, there must be a plan in place to restore one-third of the diverted funding in each of three successive years. Strategic Engagement Statements Public Information Act and Body Cameras HB 947. Body cameras worn by law enforcement officers will record video of sensitive subject matter in places never before subject to public viewing private homes and businesses. This bill would have established a framework that balanced the need for public accessibility and protecting privacy of the subjects of the video as it pertains to a Public Information Act (PIA) request. The bill stated that a records custodian must provide the video of an incident; which includes an arrest, detention, death, or a claim of officer misconduct except in certain circumstances. Of particular concern is victim privacy, and the bill would have denied the release of video that showed victims of domestic violence or sexual assault unless the requestor is the victim or a person actively involved in the incident. The alleged perpetrator of the crime may view the video, but may not make or receive a copy. Lastly, this bill dealt exclusively with PIA requests and in no way would have interfered with discovery for criminal or civil litigation. MML supported this bill which had input from a broad group of stakeholders, and while the bill passed the House, it never received a vote in the Senate. Foreclosure. Despite a myriad of bills introduced to address foreclosed and blighted properties, no legislation actually passed the General Assembly this session. However, during hearings on the five foreclosure bills tracked by the League (HB 524, HB 664, HB 1171, HB 1286, and HB 1377), MML was able to convey emphatically to the members of the House Environment and Transportation Committee the severity and importance of the issue to municipal officials across the State. As a result, all five bills were referred to an interim study group which will be comprised of stakeholders with influence on the foreclosure process in Maryland. Members of the workgroup will likely include municipal and county officials, as well as representatives from the banking and real estate industries, members of the General Assembly, and individuals from various State agencies including the Departments of Housing and Community Municipal Maryland May/June

14 to challenge a land use legal decision. MML and other local government stakeholders opposed the bill, citing concerns that passage of the legislation could result in more individuals or entities seeking judicial review of land use actions and/or an increase in the length of, and resources devoted to, individual cases. It was also of concern to the League that the legislation by expanding litigation of land use decisions, could in turn increase local government legal costs and affect the timing and outcome of land use actions being challenged. Following hearings in both the House and Senate, the bills were voted unfavorably in both the House and Senate Committees. Development and Assessments and Taxation. The objective will be to analyze the current foreclosure process to identify where legislation may be needed to streamline and accelerate existing practices. Quiet Session for Land Use & Environmental Legislation Water Use Shut Off HB 742. This legislation was cause for great concern among MML members. The bill set out a long list of new provider requirements to be met prior to shutting off water or wastewater services for non-payment. League staff reached out to several municipalities to determine current shut off practices and was able to share this information with House Environment and Transportation Committee members. Based on MML s input, it was determined that the legislation, if enacted, would have likely resulted in a significant reduction in water service revenues and an increase in administrative costs. Following testimony in the House Committee, the bill was voted unfavorably. Land Use/Standing SB 166/HB 243. This legislation was introduced by the environmental community in response to a recent Maryland Court of Appeals case in Anne Arundel County (Anne Arundel v. Bell). The case addressed the issue of judicial review of land use decisions of a local legislative body and specifically the question of when a person has standing Economic Development Legislation Strengthens Programs Strategic Demolition & Smart Growth Fund SB 559/HB 686. The Strategic Demolition and Smart Growth Impact Fund was created through the passage of HB 686. This fund is designed to provide grants and loans for government agencies to enable them 14 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

15 to pursue revitalization projects in areas designated as Sustainable Communities under current law. Projects such as demolition, land assembly, site development, and engineering are some of the types of eligible projects for the 70 municipalities in the State currently certified as Sustainable Communities under the program. The Fund has approximately $21 million allocated for FY 2017, and requires the Governor to appropriate additional funds in FY 2018 and FY Local Government Infrastructure Fund SB 104. This Departmental bill provides an additional avenue for local governments to secure financing by authorizing a county to pledge the faith and credit of the county or a specific county revenue stream to a municipal corporation located in the county for a local infrastructure project. This new financing option will facilitate cooperation between counties and municipalities to address these infrastructure needs should a situation arise where a municipality is unable to secure such financing on its own. Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit SB 759. Formerly known as the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit Program, the Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit is extended through FY 2022 with the passage of SB 759. In addition, the commercial project reserve fund will receive appropriations from the Governor in FY 2018 through FY There are a few eligibility and procedural changes, but this tax credit program should continue to encourage the maintenance of both residential and commercial historic structures in many municipal downtown areas. an additional 30 days to deliver the reimbursement. The bill passed with the amended language which provides certainty regarding the reimbursement schedule. Business Lending & Neighborhood Revitalization HB 326. A suite of programs under the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) relating to financial assistance to businesses were altered as a result of the passage of HB 326. Municipalities are potential beneficiaries of these changes as existing programs are expanded to include more eligible applicants in a larger geographic area. As introduced, this bill had a problematic clause that would have eliminated the municipal authority to approve projects located within their corporate limits. The bill was subsequently amended and passed with a clause stating that DHCD must provide notice to a municipality where there is a proposed project within their jurisdiction. If the municipal government provides neither an approval nor denial within 45 days, DHCD may then approve the project. Legal Issues Once Again in Play Local Government Tort Claims Act (LGTCA) SB 356/HB 637/SB 934. Despite making significant increases to the damage caps and notice requirement time frame just last year, the Local Government Tort Claims Act (LGTCA) was again a hot topic this legislative session. Senator Bobby Zirkin, Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR), introduced SB Enterprise Zones SB 76. At its core, this departmental bill alters the schedule for reimbursement to a county or municipality for its share of the enterprise zone property tax credit. Instead of submitting a reimbursement quarterly, under this bill the local government must submit its request annually by June 30 to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). SDAT then certifies the request by July 31 and the Comptroller reimburses the local government by August 31. In its original form, this bill left the reimbursement timeframe open-ended if the municipal government submitted its request after June 30. Amendments were added so that if the request is submitted after June 30, SDAT has 30 days to certify the request, and the Comptroller has Municipal Maryland May/June

16 356. Originally, this bill would have entirely repealed the current requirement that notice of court action must be provided within one year of an injury. The Senate Committee narrowed the scope of the bill to exempt the notice requirement for minors and mental incompetents, which was still considered to be a large and problematic carve-out. After the bill passed out of the Senate, the House Judiciary Committee weighed in and altered the bill further. Their amendments reduced the exemption to minors or mental incompetents with an injury due to the ingestion of lead. This version passed the House but the Senate refused to concur. A conference committee was established but did not produce a compromise and the bill ran out of time. HB 637/SB 934 took a long and winding road to final passage on the final day of the legislative session. The bill originally targeted providing notice related to employment discrimination cases filed with a local government that were also filed with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) within six months of the alleged discrimination. The intent of the bill was to have the MCCR submission constitute notice under the LGTCA as well. The bill was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee favorably with amendments that expanded the exception slightly, to include other State commissions with similar notice requirements. After passing the House, the Senate Committee removed all original language in the bill and replaced it with language that essentially created a brand new bill. The new language eliminated the notice requirement by mandating a court to take a case despite a lack of proper notice and removed the need to show good cause when no notice is provided. This would put the onus on a local government defendant to show its case was prejudiced by a lack of notice. Teaming up with the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), Baltimore City, and sympathetic Senators, MML helped delay the bill for a week on the Senate floor. Eventually, the heavily amended bill passed the Senate; however, the House refused to accept the drastic changes necessitating the appointment of a conference committee. The conference committee reached a more reasonable agreement that stated that the formal notice provision is waived if the local government receives actual or constructive notice of the injury or the cause of injury within one year. This final version, as passed by the General Assembly, still requires that the local government be notified within a year, although it may now be delivered in a different format. The bill also still allows for the cause of injury to be remedied, and still provides that a legal defense be prepared if warranted. Government Transparency and Municipal Elections Were Topics of Discussion Municipal Tie Vote - HB 852. Based on the fact that a single municipality in Maryland held a council election last November which resulted in a tie vote and the vacancy had yet to be filled when the 2016 General Assembly session convened in January, a bill was introduced that would have required the 86 municipalities in Maryland currently without a tie vote provision in their charters or code to either amend their charter or enact an ordinance setting forth a procedure to address a tie vote situation. After the bill passed the House in its original form, MML was able to suggest an amendment in the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee that instead requires that a vacancy created by a tie vote in a municipal election be filled within 90 days of the election when the tie vote occurred. The Senate passed the bill with MML s amendment and the House concurred and passed the amended version of the bill. 16 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

17 Municipal Elections Write-In Candidates SB 760/HB This legislation was also introduced as a result of a situation that occurred in a single municipality this past year. This bill would have required municipalities with a write-in provision in their charters to adopt regulations governing deadlines for the filing of declarations of candidacy and ethics forms by write-in candidates in municipal elections. The League opposed the legislation and as a result, the Senate Education Health and Environmental Affairs Committee voted the bill unfavorably. The House bill never moved out of the Rules Committee and, as a result, did not move prior to the end of the legislative session. Open Meetings Agendas HB 217. Legislation to require agendas under the Open Meetings Act (OMA) passed the General Assembly on the final day of the 2016 session. In prior years, MML suggested amendments to address various situations where producing an agenda might be unrealistic. As a result, the bill, as passed, includes local government amendments addressing provisions for producing agendas following emergency meetings and requirements for providing agendas when closing a meeting under the OMA. Open Meetings Training HB 823. Despite the fact that there were several bills introduced this session to address expanded OMA training, none of the bills passed the General Assembly. HB 823 was the bill that the House Health and Government Operations Committee chose to use as a vehicle to revise and expand current OMA training requirements. House Committee leadership requested that MML, MACo, the Maryland/Delaware/DC Press Association, and Common Cause work together such that all stakeholders could support the end product. As a result, the bill as passed by the House included stakeholder amendments changing current law such that the individual required to be trained under the OMA would no longer be a local government appointed official, but instead would be a local government official elected or appointed to a governing body. The bill further stipulated that if the person trained under the OMA was not in attendance at a meeting, an online OMA compliance checklist would have to be completed prior to a meeting and the checklist be entered into the minutes. When the bill was considered by the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, Committee members felt that the legislation was overreaching and unnecessary. As a result, the bill failed to move out of the Senate Committee prior to adjournment. Public Information Act & Personnel Records (PIA) HB 402/SB 671. Legislation introduced this session would have allowed a person making a complaint against a governmental unit or an employee of a governmental unit to be considered a person of interest, which would have allowed the individual to review the record of the person against whom the individual issued a complaint. The bill also specified that a record related to a formal complaint made against a public employee, including an investigation record, a hearing record, or disciplinary decision would not be considered a personnel record for purposes of denial of inspection under the PIA. MML was joined in vigorous opposition by the Maryland Association of Counties, the Maryland Association of School Boards, various State agencies, and representatives of a number of labor unions representing government workers in Maryland. Following hearings in both the House and Senate where opponents described the serious consequences of the legislation and despite efforts by proponents to offer amendments to address a wide variety of concerns, the bills were voted unfavorably by both the House and Senate Committees. Omnibus Policing Workgroup Legislation Passes General Assembly Public Safety & Policing Workgroup - HB The death of Freddie Gray in 2015 led to the creation of a Public Safety and Policing Workgroup that met during this past summer. The workgroup provided Municipal Maryland May/June

18 recommendations on a range of issues that turned into the reforms included in HB This bill received extensive hearings and potential amendments throughout the session due largely to the bill s broad scope. Several changes were made to the bill between introduction and final passage. In cases involving alleged police brutality, the bill alters the requirements of an investigating officer, increases the time frame to file a complaint of police wrongdoing from 90 days to 366 days, and allows for a suspension of officer interrogation for up to five days while the officer acquires counsel. Hearing boards that address cases where a punitive action is taken against an officer now have new guidelines as to their makeup and size. Hearings must also be open to the public unless there is a need to protect the identity of the officer or a witness. The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission received new authority and operational oversight including a new requirement for police officers to receive additional training on antidiscrimination and force de-escalation practices. New administrative requirements are placed on police departments such as filing an incident report by the end of the day when an officer is involved in a use of force incident, posting all policies of the law enforcement agency to the websites of the Commission and their own if they maintain one, and reporting annually to the Commission on officer discipline. Local law enforcement agencies must establish a community policing program and follow certain procedural steps. A Community Program Fund is created with an annual appropriation of $500,000 starting in FY Law enforcement agencies can apply for grants for community public safety programs. Additional whistleblower protections for officers were also added. Speed Camera Continuous Audits SB 769/HB Although this session did see a marked decline in the number of bills addressing speed cameras, several bills were introduced that would have mandated the addition of technology to provide continuous audits of a speed camera program and all its cameras. Both MML and MACo opposed the legislation, stating that omnibus legislation passed in 2014 provided stricter oversight requirements and accuracy benchmarks, making legislation such as this unnecessary. Further, it was noted that thus far, only one European vendor offered the technology needed to meet the bill s requirements. This would have meant that securing the required equipment would have been costly and would not have allowed local governments to compare bids from a variety of vendors. Based on MML and 18 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

19 other stakeholder opposition, the legislation failed in both House and Senate committees. Income Tax Distribution Issues Generate Legislation Legislation enacted this year by the Maryland General Assembly addresses two separate issues associated with local income taxes. A U.S. Supreme Court decision (Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland v. Wynne) released in May 2015 overturned a Maryland law that based local income taxes on income earned both in Maryland and in other states. As a result of the ruling, many municipalities now owe income tax rebates to persons who filed claims for reimbursement and will continue to file amended income tax returns for up to three years retroactively. SB 766 calls for the Comptroller to issue refunds from a State reserve fund to those who were taxed illegally. Based on the passage of SB 766, local governments now required to repay the reserve fund have five years to make repayments to the State. The bill also addresses an issue where a recent audit of local income tax distributions in Montgomery County showed that eight out of 19 municipalities had been allocated income taxes that should have gone to other cities and towns and/or to the county. SB 766 calls for the Comptroller to disburse monies to compensate those local governments that were underpaid and to allow the municipalities that were overpaid to reimburse the Comptroller over a 10-year period that will begin once payments due under the Wynne Court decision are completed. The bill further requires the Comptroller to do a statewide audit to determine whether similar underpayment/ overpayment issues exist in other parts of Maryland. Paid Sick Leave Legislation Fails in Final Days of General Assembly Session The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act (HB 580) would have required employers, including municipal governments, to provide one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours that most employees work, including most who work part-time. For employers with 14 or fewer employees, the sick leave would have been unpaid. For those with 15 or more employees, the leave would have been required to be paid sick leave. Late in the legislative session, the House approved the bill with amendments that included language to exempt some seasonal workers from the sick leave requirements. The Senate however failed to move the bill. In Conclusion The League took positions on 64 bills and tracked another five bills, a number not seen since the League monitored a high of 75 bills in The MML Legislative Committee supported 23 bills, of which five passed, supported 11 bills with amendments, of which four passed, and opposed 30 bills, of which three passed (two with MML amendments to address municipal concerns). For a complete listing of all bills tracked by the League this past session and the outcome of each bill, please visit the legislative advocacy page on the MML website. MML would like to sincerely thank the leadership of the League, the members who took the time to travel to Annapolis to testify on bills, and especially the members of the MML Legislative Committee who met six times during the session, participated in several conference calls, and provided guidance on legislation presented to them for their input. On more than one occasion, data requests were made of our membership with very tight deadlines. The response we received was on point, comprehensive, timely, and led to several of our wins this legislative session. What sets MML apart from other advocacy organizations is our ability to have our members tell their story. Nothing makes more of an impact on members of the General Assembly tasked with deciding the fate of the bill than hearing from elected or appointed municipal officials who can describe the positive or negative impact of a piece of legislation on their city or town. Whether the information is conveyed via testimony at a hearing, an , a phone call, or a personal visit, the message is powerful and effective and the legislative team at MML very much appreciates the response we receive when we ask our members for assistance. Thanks to you, the Maryland Municipal League is considered to be one of the strongest, most credible, and most important organizations in Annapolis, and we wouldn t be who we are without your support. MML Director of Governmental Relations Candace Donoho, Director of Research & Information Management Jim Peck, and Governmental Relations & Research Associate Bill Jorch worked together to write this article. Municipal Maryland May/June

20 2016 Legislator Awards Municipal Super Stars The following members of the Maryland General Assembly have earned the MML Municipal Super Star award for going above and beyond on behalf of municipal government during the 2016 General Assembly legislative session. These individuals acted as lead sponsors of MML s priority legislation to restore municipal Highway User Revenues, monitored numerous legislative issues with impact on cities and towns, worked to protect Maryland s municipalities from harmful legislation, and remained in close contact with MML members and staff throughout the General Assembly session. Senators Cheryl Kagan, District 17 Montgomery County Nancy J. King, District 39 Montgomery County Douglas J. J. Peters, District 23 Prince George s County Ronald N. Young, District 3 Frederick County Delegates Carl Anderton, Jr., District 38B Wicomico County Pamela Beidle, District 32 Anne Arundel County Anne Healey, District 22 Prince George s County 20 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland Friends of MML The following members of the Maryland General Assembly have earned the Friend of MML award to recognize their strong support of municipal government during the 2016 legislative session. These individuals have advocated publicly on behalf of Maryland s municipalities in committee hearings and/or during General Assembly floor sessions. Senators Robert Cassilly, District 34 Harford County William C. Bill Ferguson, District 46 Baltimore City Richard S. Madaleno, Jr., District 18 Montgomery County Thomas M. Middleton, District 28 Charles County Paul G. Pinsky, District 22 Prince George s County Justin Ready, District 5 Carroll County Jim Rosapepe, District 21 Prince George s County / Anne Arundel County Craig J. Zucker, District 14 Montgomery County Delegates Carol L. Krimm, District 3A Frederick County Stephen W. Lafferty, District 42A Baltimore County Neil C. Parrott, District 2A Washington County

21 The Maryland Municipal League Invites Your Input Is there a Maryland statute that needs to be changed to enable you, as a municipal official, to do your job better? Have you received citizen complaints that you could not address because you needed legislative authority? Are there outdated provisions in Maryland law that need to be modernized or streamlined? Each spring, MML solicits input from our membership to enable us to establish our legislative priority issues. Now is the time to submit ideas that could be improved with a legislative fix during the 2017 legislative session. Suggested legislative priorities may be submitted by a member municipality, chapter or department by completing a Legislative Action Request (LAR) and sending it to MML no later than Friday, July15, Please note that all LARs must be approved by the governing body of the municipality, department or chapter prior to submission. To download the LAR form, visit click Legislative Advocacy and select 2017 Legislative Action Request. A $250M in-house project finance fund and 100+ megawatts of commercial solar experience Development Engineering & Design Financing Implementation StandardSolar.com E: info@standardsolar.com TF: Municipal Maryland May/June

22 UPCOMING events & meetings events MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ANNUAL CONVENTION June 26-29, 2016 Ocean City Convention Center June 25-28, 2017 Ocean City Convention Center FALL CONFERENCE October 12-15, 2016 Solomons October 11-14, 2017 Rockville NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CITY SUMMIT November 16-19, 2016 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania November 15-18, 2017 Charlotte, North Carolina CONGRESSIONAL CITIES CONFERENCE March 11-15, 2017 Washington DC INTERNATIONAL CITY/COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 25-28, 2016 Kansas City, Missouri October 22-25, 2017 San Antonio, Texas Website of the Month Vibrant Streets Vibrant Streets is a program that helps communities revitalize neighborhoods by creating thriving retail districts through technical expertise and community engagement. The program seeks to help communities grow economically by promoting business and development, creating jobs, expanding tax bases, increasing property values, and improving quality of life. The program s focus is to give neighborhoods necessary tools to create a Vibrant Street of their own, regardless of population, ethnic composition, location, income, or budget. Find out more at Maple Avenue Chestertown, MD meetings MEETINGS May Southern Maryland Chapter, Indian Head 5 Municipal Attorneys Department, Grasonville 12 Communications Committee, Annapolis 12 Hometown Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee, Annapolis 18 Allegany/Garrett Chapter, Oakland 19 Montgomery Chapter, Washington Grove 19 Prince George s Chapter, North Brentwood 19 Code Enforcement and Zoning Officials Association, Ocean City 23 Washington Chapter June Executive Committee, Annapolis 20 Carroll & Frederick Chapters, Mount Airy 26 Board of Directors, Ocean City 26 MML Orientation for First Time Attendees & Newly Elected Officials, Ocean City 26 Board of Directors, Ocean City 27 Montgomery Chapter, Ocean City 27 City and Town Administrators Department, Ocean City 27 Municipal Attorneys Department, Ocean City 27 Eastern Shore Chapter, Ocean City 28 Municipal Clerks Department, Ocean City 28 Municipal Police Executives Association, Ocean City 28 Municipal Public Works Department, Ocean City 28 Prince George s Chapter, Ocean City 28 Resolutions Committee, Ocean City 29 Board of Directors, Ocean City 29 Convention Planning Committee, Ocean City July Cecil-Harford Chapter, Rising Sun 21 Frederick Chapter, Middletown 25 Washington Chapter, Williamsport 22 May/June 2016 Municipal Maryland

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