October 2025 Community Meeting Recap
Note: Any changes to the minutes should be directed to secretary@upperfellspoint.org.
Hybrid Meeting
Welcome
Leadership introductions
Guest Speaker
Dr. Shannon Frattaroli, Director Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, gave tips on how to keep your home and our community safe. She stated that home fires are one of the leading causes of death in Baltimore and most deaths occur when people are sleeping. A few safety tips she mentioned are to 1) ensure your smoke alarms are working and installed on each level (you can get one installed for free by calling 311); 2) Turn off space heaters before leaving your home or going to sleep; 3) Mind your cooking in the kitchen at all times and 4) Install a carbon monoxide alarm.
Discussion
A rep from BGE did not attend but we sent questions ahead of time. The gas line work on Gough/S Ann is to be completed by Dec. 31, 2025, and all neighborhood work by the spring of 2026. The reason for it taking so long is due to multiple projects taking place at the same time (water and electric/gas). Report any issues to BGE at operationpipeline@bge.com
Votes
Jaz reviewed the mural project and what sponsorship entails.
Motion: UFPIA will act as fiscal sponsor for Jaz Erenberg’s mural with the agreement language shared in the Oct. newsletter; motion passed (Y-24; No-0; A-1)
Officer Reports
Treasurer’s summary report was given.
Plan to discuss the proposed 2026 budget at the Nov. meeting.
Committee Reports
Beautification
Mallory Kuehn - beautification@upperfellspoint.org
Last Tues. cleanup (10/14) - meet at 1931 E Pratt at 6pm
Next three Saturdays:
Saturday 10/18: prepare tree beds for new trees.
Saturday 10/25 picking up trash; meet at 9am at 1931 E Pratt
Saturday 11/1: Dumpster Day - thanks to Councilman Glover’s office for providing the dumpster.
Reminder: please water a street tree near you - They’re stressed right now due to lack of rain (25 gallons/wk per tree is needed but any amount is helpful).
COMMUNITY GARDEN
Jan Mooney - communitygarden@upperfellspoint.org
Oktoberfest event: good turnout considering it was moved to Sunday due to the rain and competing with other events. Raised $1,130.
Wolfe St. Academy kids came to the garden as a fieldtrip: 60 kids (ages 4-5) were excited about seeing food grown, flowers and butterflies and bees
EDUCATION
Vacant - education@upperfellspoint.org
Holly stepped down - Need volunteer to lead this Committee
FUND-RAISING
Amy Zemanick - fundraising@upperfellspoint.org
Progressive Dinner: 11/15 - thank you to our 9-10 hosts who volunteered! There are still tickets available - $50/ person for a three-course meal/beverages at three locations in the neighborhood (two homes and dessert at Spa Adagio). Note Zeffy provides us a free platform but you should edit the donation amount to $2. Hosts have been asked to confirm menus soon to be able to send out menus ahead of time. Amy will send out menus to those who have tickets so you can choose where you’d like to go
We also need dessert donations.
Need a co-chair for December-May while Amy is on maternity leave.
LADY DAY WAY
Beth Russo - ladydayway@upperfellspoint.org
243 S. Durham garage mural: Presented design for the new mural of Billie Holiday with a 1940 red cadillac convertible.
Waiting on the City to sign the MOU with the UFPIA. The street mural will include gardenias in front of Ms. Holiday’s old house and a music staff and notes to “God Bless the Child,” one of her most popular songs.
LAND-USE
Mark Hoffmann - landuse@upperfellspoint.org
Encouraged more blocks to have block parties! 100 block of S Chapel does a monthly potluck block party and 300 block of S Chapel just held one with a great turnout
Jazz tours through Lady Day Way - reached out to our local muralists to host tours of jazz spots. See https://www.beautifulbaltimoretours.com/
Discussion of cleanliness, dumpsters overflowing, trash bins outside of businesses, property concerns and outreach.
Working with Verizon and Comcast to remove old overhead wires
Safety (sub-committee)
Dan Harrison - safety@upperfellspoint.org
Currently a few cameras are down with changes to the internet but we are working on it. There is someone on Broadway interested in receiving our last camera.
Possible invitation to have a community “Cop Walk”.
Concerns regarding businesses seeing crime on Broadway. Discussed with police: every time you see something happening, call 911 and insist you want it to be a 911 call (this is from Sen. Ferguson - don’t accept being sent to 311). The more 911 calls they get, the more they are able to respond. Police officers can ask those drinking on the street to empty the open drinking containers; if they are uncooperative, police can ask for an ID and check it in the system.
We’re no longer in the Southeast police district, we’re in the Central Entertainment District. Encouraging police when they clear out people from Fells Point to not stop at Bank Street, keep them moving. This district addressed Federal Hill, Inner Harbor, and Fells Point.
MEDIA
Jan Mooney - newsletter@upperfellspoint.org
Upcoming events
Great Baltimore Lantern Parade 10/25 at Patterson Park at 7pm - don’t miss it!
Running festival is 10/18 - be prepared for traffic delays/ road closures.
World Trade Institute is looking for hosts - their ad is on page two. It’s a great cultural exchange program - make a new friend as well as show them what Baltimore has to offer.
Newsletter deadline for Nov. is 10/26 at 5pm - the last one of the year since there is no meeting in Dec.
STREETS
Stephen Porter - trafficparking@upperfellspoint.org
The Charm City Circulator Green Route has been updated.
The new Streets pamphlet is in the design stage and once printed will be distributed with one of our newsletters.
The CityLink Gold route is $2/ride.
NEW BUSINESS
Tutors are needed at Wolfe St. Academy; contact Heidi Weiss-Beedie, Community School Coordinator, at hweiss-beedie@elev8baltimore.org or 410-868-7771.
Needs assessment: would like to gather information. Please connect for what UFPIA would like to see from the school and vice versa - Heidi Weiss-Beedie, Community School Coordinator, 410-868-7771, hweiss-beedie@elev8baltimore.org
Wolfe St. Academy walking bus came out of an impromptu conversation. Walking School Bus Program Description_10132025.docx
Cranksgiving: family-friendly bike event in the City on 11/22
Bicycle scavenger hunt!
UFPIA has participated for the last seven years, event has been going for 11 years.
Donate groceries to Franciscan Center and Moveable Feast to provide food for people who are in need and homebound.
UFPIA: Fell’s Angels (or UFP) - normally 3 people/ team, and we usually have 5-6 teams who ride in a cluster. It’s $0 to participate plus any funding you’d like to spend toward groceries. Keep an eye on the registration page as it can sign you up for donations.
Contact Kurt Schiller for more information or to join! kwschill@msn.com or 410-499-6674
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Social at Spirits.
To vote on issues at a meeting, you must have paid your current dues (based on calendar year beginning in January), attended 2 of the preceding 11 meetings, live in our boundaries and be age 18 and/or attended UFPIA sponsored events/activities per our Meeting & Voting Regulations.
