June 2025 Community Meeting Recap
Note: Any changes to the minutes should be directed to secretary@upperfellspoint.org.
Hybrid Meeting
Welcome
Leadership introductions: first meeting with the new board in place
Guest Speakers
Delegate Luke Clippinger
Session ended two months ago with a number of challenges faced
State budget with significant shortfalls
Impacted by decisions made in D.C.: waiting to see what Congress passes, particularly with Medicaid as that will impact the budget and the Maryland Model for health care services. If there are significant changes to the Medicaid model resulting in changes passed on to the states, it will create budget pressure.
If the federal government makes changes may have to cut budget again. For now, looks like we’ll get through to the next session.
Del. Edelson: passed a bill to address truancy.
Baltimore City does not follow Maryland state truancy laws where parents are fined.
Del. Clippinger mentioned that in Anne Arundel County, there was a penalty for jailing parents when children were truant, which also doesn’t solve the problem. We have to be relentless in finding and approaching these kids.
Del. Lewis passed a bill addressing jury duty for people who have just given birth to request an exemption to care for a child under 2 years old.
Many other issues were dealt with in the session. There is a newsletter for those who want to read the full legal bills that were passed. You can sign up for Del. Clippinger’s newsletter here.
Helping immigrant neighbors
It is ultimately a federal issue. Federal ICE agents are supposed to contact local police if they’re going to a building to make them aware. It’s not clear that ICE is abiding by that. There are two bills Maryland passed recently: the Attorney General must create guidance for facilities of everyone’s rights and what officials can and cannot do. The other regards data privacy around everyone’s rights with state agencies sharing data. These actions are deeply troubling and the challenges we face across our district where children are not attending school and are scared their parents will not be there when they come home is a big challenge.
Regarding funding to genocide - Del. Clippinger: will look into that.
Councilman Glover’s Office
Putting newsletters and sanitation guides in mailboxes. Passed around the District 13 newsletter, and flyers from DPW on proper disposal of trash.
Street sweeping: targeted blocks for street sweeping who have asked.
Tracking calls: using data to track calls throughout the district.
Question: parking enforcement is effective here, but why can’t we get littering enforcement as well? Who tickets someone for littering?
Will look into it and get back to you. Possibly environmental police, but they do not work within the City.
Officer Reports
Treasurer’s report was given.
Committee Reports
Beautification
Mallory Kuehn - beautification@upperfellspoint.org
Dumpster Day and Cleanup on June 14th at corner S Ann and Gough.
Next evening cleanups on June 24th and July 15th.
Community Garden
Jan Mooney - communitygarden@upperfellspoint.org
No news
EDUCATION
Holly Gonzales - education@upperfellspoint.org
Wolfest was a success. Thanks to everyone that helped or came to the event.
FUND-RAISING
Amy Zemanick - fundraising@upperfellspoint.org
Committee meeting on June 17th at 630pm at Meander Art Bar
LADY DAY WAY
Beth Russo - ladydayway@upperfellspoint.org
Waiting to see designs for pavement art.
LAND-USE
Mark Hoffmann - landuse@upperfellspoint.org
Next meeting on July 7th at 7pm at the Julie Community Center.
The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services will be reaching out to those at Gough and S Broadway.
Working with Verizon to remove unneeded overhead cable.
Safety (sub-committee)
Dan Harrison - safety@upperfellspoint.org
See discussion about cameras noted above
MEDIA
Jan Mooney - newsletter@upperfellspoint.org
Newsletter deadline for July is June 29th at 5pm.
STREETS (Formerly called Traffic & Parking)
Stephen Porter - trafficparking@upperfellspoint.org
Working on a parking survey. Need volunteers to monitor Eastern and S Broadway
We have determined that there are at least 1,000 parking spaces.
A Transportation Guide is being compiled to include a map and services available.
NEW BUSINESS
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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