Board Members Present: Michele Baskin (Secretary), Sam Solomon (Treasurer, on Zoom), Wynn Engle-Pratt (Vice President), Corey Jennings (President,), Chris Billack, Pete Morrill
Staff member – Jennifer McKenzie, Amanda Rothschild
Total Attendees
~ 22, ~ 9 on Zoom
Start: 7:10
End: 8:00
Votes: N/A
Agenda
- Announcement from Wynn Regarding Hopkins and the DSTI building project
- JHU has decided to withdraw their request for a height variance for a taller set of buildings
- Will move forward with the 65 ft by right building that continues further up Remington Ave towards 31st while also including a building at the north corner of Wyman Park Drive and Remington
- This option does not require any zoning variances or ordinances which largely removes opportunities for mandated community input and MOU stipulations around issues that impact our community
- GRIA is still hopeful that JHU will continue to come to the community during the design phase to seek input and negotiate community impacts in good faith
- GRIA will continue to update the front page of the website with updates about the DSTI project and links to JHU’s project website when it becomes available
- Being an Election Judge
- In a Presidential Election cycle year, turnout tends to be higher and Election Judges are really needed to ensure a smooth Primary and General Election process. Primary will be held Tuesday May 14th and the General Election will be held Tuesday November 5th.
- Election judges must be over 16, registered to vote in MD, speak English, willing to work a 15 hour day on the day of an election, attend mandatory training, preferably willing to work outside your regular voting precinct, and able to lift equipment, stand or sit for extended periods of time.
- Regular Election Judges receive $250 for the day of an election and $50 for training, typically arrive within 6 weeks of the election day
- Judges who are comfortable with electronic devices and from parties other than the Democratic Party are really needed to fill out the ranks in precincts. Precincts need to be staffed by judges from two different parties (or non-affiliations) to sign off on most paperwork, so this is a real critical need.
- The more people who sign up to be judges, the more voting precincts can be opened as a shortage in judges leads to consolidation of precincts so that remaining precincts can be still be adequately staffed
- Find more information – https://boe.baltimorecity.gov/boe-election-judges
- To sign up as a judge – bit.ly/boejudge24
- Q&A
- Can you sign up for a partial shift? No, unfortunately you must be able to agree to the full 15 hour election day shift
- Can you do one but not both elections? If the timing of one election does not work for your work schedule, it is possible to simply sign up for the next available election and complete your training then.
- Neighborhood Greening Phase 2 Plan
- Phase 2 tree planting occurred along 28th and 29th in the fall (67 new trees in total), native plants will go in along the those trees in May
- Phase 3: will begin in March or April with Baltimore National Heritage Area grant funding. First areas will be along 300 block of 27th by Church of the Guardian Angel and the intersection at Lorraine and Howard. This will still focus on native tree plantings, expanding existing tree wells, and adding some new tree wells.
- Trying to team with Charles Village and Harwood neighborhoods for a more ambitious grant submission in the fall that would cover more of the side streets in all of the participating neighborhoods.
- Planning for Community Cleanups in 2024
- 2024 will continue with the scheduling of the 3rd Sat of every month at 10 am
- Jan and Feb cleanups were unfortunately canceled due to inclement weather
- Next clean up in March on the 16th
- April cleanup will be held in Lower Remington and sponsored by Clavel
- May cleanup intending to focus on greening
- RemFest Updates
- May 11th from 12 – 9pm, vendor applications opening this weekend, this year will have a 2nd family focused stage (Kevin Sherry & Greedy Reads book readings), Peabody Heights beer sponsor, Ottobar running the main stage, planning to group participating Remington businesses and vendors to make it easier to find and support them.
- Community Announcements
- Kelsey makes an announcement about Zeke Cohen who is running for City Council President
- Yolanda from Miracle Church at 30th and Huntingdon – Easter skits planned for kids on March 31st 9:30 am, pooch praise party! Oct 19th 1:00 pm
- Recap of Land Use Committee votes: #1 – in support of new liquor license for FishNet on 29th in former Chicken Bones site, #2 – Ottobar has now joined the LUC as a voting member, #3 – support the renewal of the Letter of Support for the Request for Proposal (RFP) from Seawall for the Sisson Street Transfer site (originally written in 2019), #4 – in support of a live entertainment license for Vision House on 25th next to Kay’s Place
- CSX issues remain on multiple fronts, the original maintenance agreement is from 1890(!) which is causing issues in determining rights and responsibilities, delays and lack of engagement or communication signals a need to advance up the chain to city council members and state railroad regulatory agencies
- Ability Transit issues – drivers sitting in vans and idling along the Huntingdon curve between 25th & 26th, and along Sisson and Atkinson, need to reach out to see if we can get some changes
- Stacie from the Real Estate Store of Maryland at 2623 Huntingdon – www.realestatestore.com , works with Live Baltimore to promote local home ownership, next trolley tour on May 3rd