ANNUAL REPORT

2017 — 2018

MARYLAND’S CITIES & TOWNS • LEAD

Advocacy in Maryland’s General Assembly in 2017-2018

3,101 bills were introduced

Of the 18 bills MML supported, 12 passed.

Of the 19 bills MML opposed, 18 were defeated or amended.

Of the 15 bills MML supported /with amendment, 4 passed.

MML’s Legislative Victories

• Highway User Revenues: WE DID IT!! After many years spent working to recover

municipal Highway User Revenues (HURs) lost when Maryland’s economy first

started to decline in 2009, the League successfully advocated for the passage of

legislation that will restore approximately 85% of municipal transportation monies

for five years beginning in fiscal year 2020. This was achieved largely through the

significant and ongoing hard work on the part of MML’s leadership, Board of

Directors, Chapter leadership, Chair and members of the MML Legislative

Committee, and the membership at large.

• Public Information Act (PIA): The League introduced legislation to protect

personal information provided by residents seeking to receive routine information

and emergency notifications from their municipal governments. The legislation

now allows a PIA custodian to deny inspection of a distribution list that includes

the physical address, email address, or a telephone number of a resident.

• Small Cell Infrastructure: Permitting and Siting: In one of several attempts to

preempt municipal authority encountered during the 2018 General Assembly

session, MML was successful in working with stakeholders to fend off extremely

damaging and precedent-setting legislation that would have completely

undermined a municipality’s ability to control the location and aesthetics of small

wireless cell towers within municipal boundaries.

Public Engagement in 2017-2018

9,747 average unique web page views per month.

1,736 Twitter Followers

681 Facebook Page Likes

79 LinkedIn Followers

23 YouTube Channel Subscribers

60 Banner Cities/Towns

City Hall Selfie

Maryland joined the nation in participating in a social media campaign to bring attention to cities and towns. Working closely with the City of Gaithersburg, the League galvanized member cities encouraging them to take selfies in front of municipal facilities to showcase their services. On August 15, 2017 City Hall Selfies trended on Twitter and Maryland was the victor of State with the Most City Hall Selfies (and has a small plaque to prove it). The City Hall Selfie initiative brought out the fun in us all and united Maryland in celebration of city/town life.

So You Want To Be A Municipal Official?

As more people are drawn to public office, the League finds itself on the end of questions from potential candidates trying to teach themselves how the job works. In an effort to assist our member municipalities in bringing these potential officials up to speed, League staff designed a pamphlet to explain the fundamentals of municipal governing. The Maryland Municipal Clerks Association (MMCA) agreed to keep copies on hand and provide them to individuals when they file for office during the city’s election cycle. We hope this will play a part in educating officials and giving them a running start should they be elected to serve.

MGW Wednesdays

In an effort to build on social media interaction to increase engagement, the Engagement and Outreach committee launched MGW Wednesdays. Every Wednesday during November’s Municipal Government Works Month members were asked to post pictures on Twitter and Facebook showing their staff and residents in action. From a Snowman in Laurel promoting upcoming holiday events to bags of food on the ready for needy families during Frederick’s food drive, cities and towns showed its services are at the “heart” of Maryland.

Affiliate Training

The leadership of MML’s departments and chapters gathered at the 2018 summer conference to learn about the MML Affiliate Memo, a document outlining the benefits of and best practices to sustain affiliate groups. The document is designed to help with continuity in department and chapter operations. The annual training features topical presentations to help streamline operations and provides an opportunity for the leadership of MML’s affiliate Chapter and Departments to network and share best practices.

Conferences in 2017-2018

2,020 Total Conference Registrants

41 Courses Offered

The Fall Conference – October 11-14, 2017

244 registrants at the fall conference.

79 municipalities represented.

Maryland Mayor's Association (MMA) Conference – February 1-2, 2018

The Summer Conference – June 10-13, 2018

1,810 Summer Conference Attendees

129 municipalities represented

35 Training Events offered during the Conference

Education & Research in 2017-2018

Over 900 municipal officials participated in MML

Training

41 courses offered during the year at both MML

Conferences.

83 new registrants in the Academy for Excellence in Local

Government (AELG) Fellows Program administered by the University of Maryland.

616 municipal graduates since AELGs inception in 1998.

Other Training Opportunities

Orientation for Municipal Officials:

AELG Graduate Class on Community Development:

Education Initiatives

Academy for Excellence in Local Governance Torchbearer Program:

Beginning with the 2018 MML Summer Conference, graduates are now eligible to participate in the Academy “Torchbearer” Program. Torchbearers are those graduates that strive to further their learning beyond the core Academy curriculum. Participants receive award points for attending Academy graduate classes and participating in other educational and leadership opportunities.

Hometown Emergency Preparedness Ad hoc Committee:

Partnered with the state’s Opioid Operational Command Center and Maryland Public Television to create four public service announcements (PSAs) featuring four Maryland Mayors and broadcast regionally throughout the state. These PSAs highlighted the magnitude of the crisis facing our communities and provided resources for those seeking assistance.

Research

846 non-legislative inquiries and research requests

Most frequent topics of inquiries received included:

• Finance 221

• Administration 148

• Elections 90

• Open Government 61

• Personnel 81

• Code Enforcement 60

• Planning and Zoning 70

Publications in 2017-2018

9 Issues of Municipal Maryland published

1,930 Municipal Maryland subscribers

33 e-bulletins distributed

841 e-bulletin subscribers (A new record!)

Municipal Maryland

MML e-bulletin The e-Bulletin is published weekly during the General Assembly session and bi-weekly during the rest of the year. It’s free and the best way to keep up with the latest news.

Operations in 2017-2018

Happenings at 1212 in 2017-2018

MML Team “Comings and Goings”

2017-18 saw several expected retirements of longtime MML Team members

and the addition of two new team members.

- James P. Peck began a transition to full retirement on February 1, after 35 years with

MML.

- Karen A. Bohlen retired on June 30th after 47 years of faithful service.

- Patty Foss Bennie began work with MML as Conferences and Publications Director on

May 1st.

- Candace L. Donoho began a transition to full retirement on June 30th. She celebrated

her 17th year with the League on November 1st.

- Justin Fiore joined the MML Team on January 30th as Governmental Relations

Associate.

- Rylie Shewbridge, the new Executive Assistant to the Executive Director joined us just in

time for the 2018 Summer Conference on June 1st. (Rylie replaces Caleb Wolf who was

named MML’s new Operations Manager, effective July 1, 2018)

MML’s GREEN Project is Completed

A major retrofit landscaping/water retention project at MML Headquarters, made

possible by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, was finally completed during the

year. In addition to the introduction of new trees and plants, permeable pavers and

rain barrels, MML added a new nautical style flagpole and redesigned portico on the

front of the building over a two-year planning and construction period.

Leadership in 2017-2018

Board of Directors:

PRESIDENT: Lawrence “Jake” Romanell,

Councilman, New Market

PRESIDENT-ELECT: Bridget Donnell Newton,

Mayor, Rockville

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Tracy Gant,

Mayor, Edmonston

DISTRICT VICE PRESIDENTS:

District 1 Bruce Morrison, Mayor, Pocomoke City

District 2 Robert Willey, Mayor, Easton

District 3 Catherine E. Pugh, Mayor, Baltimore

District 4 James “Jay” Mattingly IV, Councilmember, Leonardtown

District 5 Ryan Spiegel, Councilmember, Gaithersburg

District 6 Randy A. McClement, Mayor, Frederick

District 7 Daniel A. Colmer, Mayor, Barton

District 8 Brigitte Schmidt, Councilmember, Boonsboro

District 9 Joseph Solomon, Councilmember, Hyattsville

District 10 James L. Eberhardt, Mayor, Perryville

District 11 Perry Jones, Mayor, Union Bridge

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jim Beauchamp, Councilmember, Centreville

Michael Benton, Councilmember, North Beach

Marnitta King, Mayor, Capitol Heights

Jack Heath, Council President, Salisbury

Malinda Miles, Mayor, Mount Rainier

Katrina R. Dodro, Councilmember, New Carrolton

Abby McNinch, Mayor, Denton

Diane Foster, Mayor Pro Tem, Taneytown

Spencer Schlosnagle, Mayor, Friendsville

Emmett V. Jordan, Mayor, Greenbelt

DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES

City and Town Administrators

Miranda Braatz, City Manager, Mount Rainier

Municipal Attorneys

Elissa Levan, Municipal Attorney, Bowie, Brunswick, Chesapeake Beach, Glenarden,

and Westminster

Municipal Clerks

Stacy Wilkerson, Town Clerk, North Beach

Code Enforcement and Zoning Officials

Jamie Braun, Senior Code Compliance Officer, Bowie

Municipal Parks and Recreation

Michele Potter, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Culture, Gaithersburg

Municipal Police Executives

David Rice, Police Chief, New Carrollton

Municipal Public Works

Wilson Cochran, Director of Public Works, New Carrollton

NLC Board Representative (Ex Officio):

Patrick Wojahn, Mayor, College Park

Committee Chairs:

Legislative Committee

Ryan Spiegel, Councilmember, Gaithersburg

Conference Planning Committee

Benn Cann, Mayor, Morningside

Engagement & Outreach Committee

Candace Hollingsworth, Mayor, Hyattsville

Hometown Emergency Preparedness Ad-Hoc Committee

Wayne Creadick, Mayor, Myersville

MML 2018 Strategic Partners

Advocacy Engagement Conferences Education Publications

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Local Government Insurance Trust

Chesapeake Employers' Insurance Company

CIGNA

Comcast

ICMA-RC

Kaiser Permanente

Van Eperen

Benecon - LGIT Health

CGI Communications, Inc.

American Fidelity Assurance Company

Maryland Broadband Cooperative

Musco Sports Lighting

Sprint

Utility Service Partners, Inc.

Council, Baradel, Kosmerl & Nolan, P.A.

Funk & Bolton, P.A.

Maryland Environmental Service

NAIOP Maryland Chapters

PFM Financial Services, LLC

The Traffic Group

Zelnkofske Axelrod

Weyrich, Cronin & Sorra

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