Charles Village
Community Benefits District Management Authority
Board Meeting
Minutes
Present:
Gary Letteron Derek
Demaree Ron
Jason Pyeron Bob Cooke Jennifer Burdick Allan Garsky
Paul Burk Jay Orr Kirsch Jones Tamara Payne
Jeff Millard
Also Present: David Hill; Telina Jenkins; Steve Gewirtz
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order with a quorum present at
Agenda:
The agenda was submitted for approval by Mr. Griffin. Mr. Letteron motioned approval, Mr. Millard seconded, and the agenda was approved with unanimous consent.
Minutes:
After corrections, the meeting minutes for the March Board meeting were approved by unanimous consent. Ms. Burdick motioned to approve, Mr. Millard seconded and the minutes were approved with unanimous consent.
Executive Director Report:
Mr. Hill presented his Director’s reporting. Highlights include:
· Surcharge Tax Revenue of $25,140 was received in March (February receipts) bringing the total to $485,169 (year to date) of the expected $621,860 (annual revenue).
· The Spring Meeting on the Financial Plan for FY2011 was held 3/23/10 attended by 35 residents and Board members. The meeting was advertised as required in newspapers, and also in the CVCBD newsletter and website.
· Sanitation Services: The Sanitation Team removed record 3,878 bags of trash likely due to the remnant issues from the February snow storms. We also completed a new video highlighting the Fall Leaf & Snow Removal Campaigns.
· Safety Services: The Coordinator of Safety Services conducted 3 workshops including a special Gang-Violence related workshop with attendance of 12. Low attendance attributed due to the date (Saturday prior to Easter holiday). Another workshop has been requested and will be scheduled.
· The CVCBD sponsored a Historic Tax Credit workshop attended by 25-30 (standing room only the in CVCBD conference room) facilitated by Johns Hopkins, Executive Director of the Baltimore Heritage.
· Mayor’s Clean up Day will be the upcoming Saturday. The CVCBD will not be providing the containers as the City preferred the local associations make the ‘ask’ versus the CVCBD.
Committee Reports:
Mr. Griffin reviewed each Committee’s membership and asked Board members to consider their commitment to attend because the number of members determines the required number for a quorum. He reminded Board members that each can attend any committee meeting as a guest, but not as a voting member. Also he stated that Board members may request to be added as a committee member later.
The following committee memberships were approved by the Board by unanimous consent:
Program Committee Members: Ms. Nelson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Orr, Mr. Burk and Mr. Garske.
Governance Committee Members: Mr. Millard, Ms. Erickson, Mr. Griffin, Ms. Burdick, and Mr. Pyeron,
Finance Committee Members: Mr. Millard, Ms. Erickson, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Demaree, and Mr. Pyeron.
Finance Committee:
Mr. Millard reviewed the financial statements for February. The balance sheet showed no significant change and the income statement is in good shape. Facilities expense has a negative variance ($7,116) but, since this is due entirely to the inclusion of “Depreciation Expense” ($8000) which is not a “real” cash outlay, Mr. Millard said the negative variance is not impactful. He noted that total Overhead shows a positive variance of $12,588, and that Year to Date Income has a positive variance of $31,944.
Mr. Millard then reviewed the Proposed Budget for FY 2011. The Proposed Budget in the Board Packet reflects a few changes from the one presented at the Spring Meeting. The changes include:
· Higher payroll taxes and service fee expenses (due primarily to a review of expected higher state payroll tax expenses and actual fees incurred year to date), and
· A new line item of Rat Abatement expense of $10,000 (added because a grant for the program was denied and there was public response asking for help with the issue).
Despite these increases in expenses, the proposed budget still allows for a positive variance of $31,795.
Mr. Millard introduced and motioned for the Board to
accept the Resolution for the FY2011 Budget.
Mr. Griffin read through the complete Resolution. Ms. Burdick seconded the motion. There were no comments or objections. By a show of hands, all Board members voted
in favor to adopt the Resolution unanimously.
Mr. Millard introduced and motioned for the Board to
accept the Resolution for the Surcharge Tax Rate. He noted that there was no change in the
current rate of $0.12 per $100. Mr.
Griffin read through the complete Resolution.
Mr. Letteron seconded the motion.
There were no comments or objections. By a show of hands, all Board members voted in
favor to adopt the Resolution unanimously.
Program Committee:
Mr. Burk reported that he had been nominated and elected to Chair the committee. Since the committee meeting had been held the night previously (April 12), the committee members had not seen the minute meetings which Mr. Burk reviewed and handed out. Highlights of the meeting included:
· Overview of the committee’s responsibilities by David Hill
· New Business – Security
o Update on recent violent crime: Mr. Hill told the committee that the two most recent murders on Greenmount Avenue were not apparently related to the previous gang related murders in the southern part of the District.
o CVCBD will help to organize and will be participating in the upcoming Solidarity Walk down Greenmount Avenue on Saturday 4/17 to be attended by the Mayor, Council President and various other City officials.
o In response to the gang related murders, the CVCBD held a Gang Information Workshop Saturday 4/3 which will be offered again.
· New Business of Sanitation
o Alley cleaning – Mr. Hill told the committee that the budget for FY 2011 includes adding two new sanitation workers who will form an “Alley Team” to clean the alleys once a week.
o Dumpster oversight – The committee discussed problems with contractors versus residents utilizing dumpsters meant for residents.
o Concrete Trash bins – The committee discussed the issues related to replacing the concrete trash baskets with wire ones. The cost of 20 new wire baskets is included in the proposed budget for FY 2011.
· Other New Business – role of CVCBD reauthorization process. Noted that Bob Cooke was leading the reauthorization effort and letters of support from community members and associations are being requested for the June City Council hearing.
Governance Committee:
Mr. Pyeron reported as Chair of the Committee noting that committee had no new agenda items and had mapped out fiscal year agenda.
Mr. Orr reported he attended no meeting, and thus has no
update.
New Business:
No new business.
Public comments:
Mr. Stephen Gewirtz commented that due to the recent 6 murders, residents were afraid to go outside day or night. Mr. Gewirtz referenced a Baltimore Sun article that noted that Federal Hill bar owners are trying to purchase more security. He also stated that the CVCBD had nearly no safety program. Mr. Gewirtz recommended abolishing the current CVCBD programs altogether, cutting out administrative expenses and the current sanitation program and instead contracting with the City to hire off duty police officers who would patrol the District. Mr. Gewirtz proposed that a Board member would volunteer to negotiate and administer this contract.
There were no other public comments.
A motion to adjourn was approved by unanimous consent at