On is the win.

A guy who overcame advertising.

A young brown boy from projects.

And I'm celebrating for not just me from many others that have changed out of situations of adversity.

This is where it all started.

This is where I used to work.

Maybe 10 years ago.

This was my station.

Being raised in with a culture of women of hairdressers that I was that I looked up to growing, I was heavily equipped.

I used to sit in hair salons and watch the ladies work, and I really learned a lot about being a hairstylist with my mentors in front of me.

I mean, I have clients like Rihanna, Nikki Minaj, Kelly Rowland, Yarisha Hiddy.

I like Grammar's hair, I like confidence.

Yeah, I could have slept on and lived in and ruffled up.

I told myself that I could dream, and I told myself that I could in a situation where I was I wasn't supposed to.

And so me standing here today is a huge honor because when I started my journey, I had no idea that this could be.

And so that's why we're gathered here today to address that problem.

And we have great news for a great American city, great news for the great city of Annapolis, which is after many years, FEMA has released the $35 million in funds.

$35 million in funds.

That includes the $33 million that was part of the original City of Annapolis grant, and an additional two and a half million dollars to help with related upgrades for stormwater management.

And this has been the result of work of Team Maryland.

And you're going to hear from so many people who were part of that effort.

But there were also many more who are represented here today that you won't hear from, but who you see here and others who could not join us today, including somebody who could not join us today, Mayor Buckley, the former mayor of Annapolis.

And it was his vision that really set this project in motion.

And I heard from him last night.

He said he couldn't be here.

I think he's taking one of his kids to college, but he was just thrilled, of course, uh, that we were able to secure these funds.

And to the new mayor, Mayor Lippman, and to the council, city council here in Annapolis.

Thank you.

Thank you for carrying on that vision with absolute perseverance.

I was just telling the mayor that I have right here a text message that I received from him on Valentine's Day, coincidentally.

And it was an SOS message.

And it began, I am writing because we are at a critical point in the city dock project.

And he went on to outline the huge challenges they would face if the FEMA funds didn't come through.

He also was putting together contingency plans because he understood the importance of this project.

And he said in that text message if we don't get started and try to keep this on time, we're gonna see some of these businesses close.

So thank you, Mayor Littman for moving with that urgency, and that lit another fire under all of us who are members of the Maryland federal delegation.

And I can say that in the Senate, we immediately renewed our push, which has been ongoing, and directly contacted DHS and FEMA and said, we really need you to release these funds, and we need it yesterday.

And we got the appropriations committee in the Senate involved, and not surprisingly, there are other members in the House and the Senate who've also had projects held up by FEMA, and so there was a growing backlog, but also growing frustration at what was happening uh with backlogs for projects all over the country.

And so all of that pressure built and the dam broke, and the good news is Christy Nome is out, and the funding for the Annapolis dock is in.

But we have with us today uh John Sarbanes, Congressman John Sarbanes, who was absolutely tenacious, absolutely tenacious when it came to making sure that the city of Annapolis had what it needed and was constantly pushing and pushing.

And of course, former state senator and now Congresswoman, Representative Alfred, she's been pushing really hard.

And thank you to other members of the District 30 delegation and everybody who's been involved in this effort over years.

Uh, to Stuart Pittman, your county executive.

You've been just an amazing partner, amazing partner, and all of us know the resources need to come from the city, they need to come from the county, they need to come from the state, and yes, this critical piece needed to come from the federal government.

And so I'm also pleased that we're here and with the continuing support from the governor and the governor's team.

Uh, you're going to hear from our secretary of the department of emergency management, Russ Strickland.

But thank you for what you're doing in this project, but also the other emergency projects around the state and FEMA.

And this wouldn't have happened without everybody gathered here and many more people.

And never giving up.

This is an example of perseverance and persistence at work, and that requires everybody pushing from their own angle and their own point of leverage.

So without further ado, let me now turn it over to somebody who's been pushing really hard for this, first in the Maryland legislature and hit the ground running in the United States Congress, Sarah Alfreth.

Well, thank you to Senator Van Holland for being Team Maryland's quarterback in the federal delegation, but also as you see behind me, the epitome of Team Maryland when we say it's not just the federal delegation, it starts with our local partners, our county partners, our state partners, and of course uh the federal team.

Y'all, this is a day that I I gotta tell you.

Um I try to be an optimist in this work.

I think you have to be.

I wasn't sure this day was gonna happen, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, first of all, this is my umpteenth City Doc press conference.

I think we've all been here many, many times to announce really great news to announce state funding, 18 and a half million in state funding to announce uh almost 10 million dollars in federal earmarks, to announce the resilience authority, to to mark uh Congressman Sarbeans.

We were here uh sorry, there's too many tall people behind me.

Uh we were here during one of the biggest floods, I think the fourth biggest flood on record, standing right here surveying the urgency of now.

And that's that's where I want to just start.

Um, rising seas aren't going to wait for bureaucracy.

I think we see that every single day.

And as the senator said, this is more than just a climate adaptation project.

It has real implications for Annapolis's past, present, and future.

Obviously, the historical impacts of this project, what we are preserving as the former United States Capitol, uh, really important uh year that we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation.

But we also recognize the more challenging and difficult pieces of our history that we need to honor and respect and share and tell.

The fact that where we are standing is a is a UNESCO site of remembrance because it was a site of the transatlantic slave trade.

We also have an a deep obligation to tell the stories in the city, not just of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, but also the folks who worked the water, the immigrants, the families who lived right here and made Annapolis what it is today.

Obviously, this moment is important because we have to preserve this city dock for our economy as well.

All of the small businesses you see around here, every time there is a major flood, we are all on the phone checking in, making sure they have what they need, making sure we're corralling the state resources and local resources to get them what they need.

Obviously, this is important for the present because of our United States Naval Academy.

And and rising seas do not respect what is city land versus what is federal land.

And so what happens here very much impacts what happens there.

And of course, to the aldermen from Eastport, you know better than anybody when the rising seas cut off compromise street.

That is a real emergency management challenge for the people of ESport.

Obviously, the moment of now, as we address climate change across this country, is so real, and it can sometimes feel overburdened.

We we feel overburdened, it's just such a large problem.

Where can we even start?

Obviously, this started almost a decade ago with a vision from Mayor Buckley and the city council and the the staff at the city who knew that this was not a nice to have, this was a must-have, not just then, but knowing that the seas will continue to rise each and every year.

Um it's often said that success has a thousand fathers.

I'd like to also believe there's a few mothers tucked in there as well.

Obviously, to Mayor Buckley for his vision, the city council for their dedication, the staff.

I also want to thank the hundreds of Annapolis citizens who participated in I don't know how many charreds y'all had to make sure almost 300 opportunities for the public to weigh in here.

That's so important in this moment.

To county executive Pittman, who has just been a champion and making sure that we are all staying on task and on target.

I so appreciate you.

The state delegation, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the state funding started under former speaker Mike Bush.

He had the vision, he knew and he wanted to respond with state dollars being the capital city.

Um and he started the trend that I was had the privilege of picking up.

I know Delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, Senator Henson.

Make sure we in every single budget make sure we are delivering for this project.

To the federal delegation, I'm so grateful that Congressman Sarbanes is here.

I also called Senator Van Carden um the other day to share the good news.

There's not a lot of good days of good news in this job.

Senator Van Holland, you didn't tell me that when I first ran.

But he was thrilled and he wished he could be here today.

I want to give him thanks and credit as well.

Um it's been said that that Mayor Littman Um has taken this project and been so thoughtful and so strategic as we met this critical moment.

And I too received that SOS text message in February.

Um being on the Armed Services Committee, the Naval Abor Naval Academy Board along with uh Senator Van Holland.

He asked, can we involve the Navy?

And so uh that was my role to play in this orchestra of support that we all lent here is to call the Pentagon and call the Navy and remind them that the rising seas will also impact the readiness of our United States Naval Academy.

And they made a call as well.

There were so many calls that were made in the month, Mr.

Mayor, since you sent that text message, and I always want to thank you for your vision and your commitment.

And we're gonna hear in a minute from uh Secretary Strickland from MDEM, who has also been just a champion of this throughout multiple administrations.

I want to thank you for your support.

You're also on our call sheet any time we get a major flood, so I want to thank you and your team for that.

Um and without further ado, I want to thank my predecessor who um has has been dedicated and focused to this work uh for his 18 years serving in the United States Congress.

I'm so grateful to be able to call him and turn to him for advice more often than I thought I would uh in this Congress, but I'm so grateful to my friend Um Congressman John Sarvance.

Thanks very much, Sarah.

This this is a great day.

I'm gonna be brief.

I promise, you know, if you let a former member of Congress up to a podium, they could go forever.

Um but uh first of all, let me salute Team Maryland, uh, Senator Van Holland, Congresswoman Sarah Elfith, representative of the third district of Maryland.

I love saying that.

Um to Jared, uh to Stewart, to everybody who's been part of this.

I also want to give a shout out to to Gavin Buckley.

Um I got a lot of SOS from Gavin over the years.

Um, so I've got a whole text string there, but thank you, Jared, for kind of picking up the ball and and carrying it.

It means so much to Annapolis, it means so much uh to Ann Arnold County, to the state.

This is an example of people coming together in a very, very powerful way.

This was a Rubik's Cube from the beginning.

I mean, it had so many different and continues to have so many different interlocking parts that require special attention.

Um so getting these resources finally over the finish line is just it's it's a huge win.

And it demonstrates, I think, and and you mentioned this here a moment ago, um, the resilience of the people of Annapolis.

I mean, stepping up how to conceptualize this, what what would it mean to execute it, putting all the phases together that you're now gonna see kind of rolling out over time.

That that was a huge accomplishment.

And then the last thing I want to say is this kind of a project, this kind of a resilience project, um, in the context of what we know are going to continue to be uh increasing challenges coming at us in terms of climate change and weather disruption and so forth, is going to be a model for how you do these things around the country.

And Annapolis has always been a leader, it's always been a model, it's always kind of uh taken the lead nationally on innovative creative approaches.

This is another example of that.

Um it's gonna be a tough slog through the execution, uh, but I know one that's gonna be successful.

So, congratulations to the people of Annapolis, to to Team Maryland, to everybody who got us to this point, is gonna keep moving it forward.

And obviously, very much um at the reins for this process uh going forward is going to be uh Mayor Littman.

I want to thank him for all his great work and bring him up.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Thank you.

My name is Mayor Jared Littman, and on behalf of the city council members and I, it is our great honor and pleasure to thank and receive the 33 million dollars plus the two and a half million dollars for FEMA.

And I just I am so relieved, frankly.

I know uh your my sleep isn't everyone's concern, but I've been sleeping a lot better the past couple nights, uh knowing that this money was uh is coming.

And this is the obviously the evolution of work from so many individuals, and they've been mentioned, but I just want to point out how our city staff continue to slog away at the financial, the technical, the environmental reviews, meeting every deadline, answering questions from FEMA.

It was a long process and it seemed to evolve, and they stepped up and they've met all the uh burdens and and uh requests.

And their dedication has absolutely ensured our success.

To go over the funding of this huge engineering and infrastructure project, we have 24 million dollars from the concession agreement related to the building of uh Hillman Garage, 10 million dollars from the state of Maryland, and I I see uh our delegate uh uh delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, and our uh state Senator uh Henson being represented here.

4.8 million dollars in congressional earmarks, although not called earmarks anymore, two million dollars from the county, and today's 33 million, plus the two and a half million from FEMA, plus the city's bond money to ensure and that we now have all the funding in place to see this project through.

This is a major investment in protecting our historic waterfront local businesses, and ensuring that our residents can continue to enjoy this wonderful area that we all love for generations and generations to come.

This is an investment in the future of Annapolis.

I want to acknowledge we have a lot of partners, and I I recognize the city is the small player here, and so we have a lot of people I want to thank.

I first want to call out the current and former city council members who stood by former uh Mayor Buckley and I throughout this process.

They all received lots of phone calls of if this, then this, and the council, it was unanimous in supporting our efforts to move forward.

Of course, our thank you, Council members.

Of course, uh I want to thank our federal delegation, Senator Van Holland, uh, Senator Alserbrooks who couldn't be here today, Representative uh Elfrith, and of course, Representative uh Sarbans, who's always been a good friend.

Thank you all so much for your support.

Our governor and his team have been hugely instrumental as well.

So I thank Governor Moore and MDEM Secretary Strickland for your support, the number of phone calls and conferences strategizing all along, and of course, again, I want to call out our our state delegation, Senator Henson, delegates Jones and Baylor.

I think delegate Jones gets the award for latest phone call on this matter on a Friday night in particular, too.

So thank you for being available.

Um County Executive Pittman, you've always stood behind and helped strategize, and I know that I can count on you as well.

Thank you so much.

Mayor Buckley, I know had this vision, and now the hard work of going from vision to turning into reality, but that doesn't get started without the initial vision.

So I thank you, Mayor Buckley.

Couple of individuals that don't get a lot of limelight, I want to call out.

Um City Manager Buckland, I want to thank you.

Project Manager Eileen Fogarty seeing this through.

And public works director, Burr Vogel.

Someone who never calls out for attention, but is a friend and a leader on this whole project, Matt Fleming and the resilience authority.

Thank you for your appreciation.

He's one of those guys that when we strategize of who needs to do what, he's like, I got it.

I got it.

I got it.

Thank you, Matt.

Appreciate you.

Looking ahead, I want to call out all the individuals who are involved.

We all got involved in public service because we wanted to do good for the community.

We're we are doing our best to serve the city council for Thursday, July 16th, 2026.

City Council for Thursday, July 16th, 2026 will be called to order at 4 30 p.m.

That's time.

Would everyone willing and able please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance?

Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republican stance, one nation under God, indivisible for liberty and justice for all.

The first item on the agenda is ID 14426, Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative.

Thank you.

We have Dr.

Andrew York and Vincent DeMarco.

Please uh come on up.

We're happy to have you join us today.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

With me also is Julius like Dr.

Julius Schleiko is the member.

Have a seat and make sure you speak into the microphone and then re say what you just said.

All right, sorry.

And the mics are always on.

You don't need to press anything.

Just talk into the mic.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Mayor, members uh of the council.

My name is Vinny DeMarco.

I'm the president of the Maryland Health Care for All Coalition.

Uh Dr.

Andrew York, who's the chair, uh who's executive director of the prescription drug affordability board is walking into the building right now.

Should be here in a second.

And with me also is Dr.

Julius Slaiko, who's a member of the prescription drug affordability board.

Thank you.

Uh we have an hour set aside for the whole presentation.

We like to divide it in half.

Hopefully, this is not news to you, where you have a half hour to present whatever you want to present, and then we have a half hour for the council to ask questions, and then we have another presentation starting at 5 30.

Well, thank you, and we probably won't need all that time.

We we appreciate this very, very much.

I just want to make sure.

Am I working this?

How do I oh the laptop?

I thought you were asking about the mic.

Oh, Mr.

Tower.

Are you having trouble with the laptop?

Yeah, I'm just wondering how do I move to another.

Ah, there you go.

Okay.

I think I can handle it.

So uh well, th thank you all uh very, very much.

Uh again, I'm Vinny DeMarco.

I'm the um president of the Maryland Health Care for All uh coalition, and we work on making uh quality affordable health care affordable for everyone.

We've been around since uh 1999.

This is not my first time before this council.

We've been here before talking about all sorts of issues and making requests for support, which oh, and there's uh there's Dr.

Andrew York.

Um request for support, which uh the uh council has always given us, and we've made a lot of progress in Maryland.

Um I also want to recognize my good friend John Tower, your chief of uh historic preservation, who also did on a 30-mile bike ride with me at 5 a.m.

this morning.

So uh and uh we're still alive to talk about it.

Uh but um thank you again for having us.

One of our major accomplishments uh was in 2019 when uh we got enacted the first in the nation uh prescription drug affordability board.

And um we built a powerful broad coalition to get that done because it wasn't easy, and there was a reason no other state had done it.

Uh big pharma opposed it big time and basically put a stranglehold on the whole country to do something about it.

However, we were able to overcome that, and thanks in part to people like yourselves, because this city council of Annapolis endorsed it, and many other local uh jurisdictions.

Your wonderful county executive Stuart Pittman was one of our strong supporters, and one of our uh most effective advertisements was a TV ad with Stuart Pittman and Barry Glassman of Harford County, the bipartisan approach showing how this is important.

So I want to first start by thanking uh you all uh and everybody in Maryland for making this happen.

To step back a little, um drugs don't work if people can't afford them.

And we all know that um uh the problem of high cost drugs is very, very serious.

And um uh 43 percent of uh people just can't afford the drugs they desperately need.

Either they're uninsured or their co-pays are so high, and for many reasons, they leave the drugs on the table or have to make decisions to cut uh uh other things they need, their rent, school for their kids.

We've heard stories that are just heartbreaking of uh this this problem.

Also, we all suffer because 25 percent, maybe a third of our pre health insurance premiums are because of high cost drugs.

So even if you have a plan that covers your drugs completely, you're paying for these high-cost drugs through your higher insurance premiums because of them.

And local governments and state governments are really strapped because of these high cost drugs.

Stuart Pittman, who I talk about this all over the country, says that in Anorola County, you all spend twice as much on the cost of drugs for local employees than on libraries.

That does not have to be that way.

And forever, it's not been that way in other nations.

In other nations, France, Britain, everywhere else, Canada, when the drug companies say, I'm just making these numbers up, why not want to charge you 100,000 for this drug, they say that's nice, you can charge that, but we're only paying 20,000.

That's the way it's worked in other countries.

But not here.

Until Maryland's prescription drug affordability board and the National Inflation Reduction Act under President Biden, until those two laws, we did not do that.

We just let them charge whatever they want.

And I will never forget one of my heroes, Elijah Cummings, when he was chair of the House Oversight Committee, had a hearing of top drug executives.

And he was grilling them on why are you charging so much?

And one of them had just raised a drug by 5,000 percent that was desperately needed for people.

And he said, why did you do that?

And his answer to Congressman Cummings was, because I can.

And that's what that's been the way they've been thinking.

Well, luckily now in Maryland and nationally for Medicare, that's not the case anymore.

And what we want to do today is give you an update on where we are with the prescription drug affordability board.

And I'll give a a broad order overview, and Dr.

York can give you uh a lot more details, and then answer, answer your answer your questions about it.

The public always supports the prescription drug affordability board overwhelmingly, Democrats, Republicans, all over the state, people understand the need for uh for this legislation.

This is just who the board is.

Um this is the board today, with the chair being Van Mitchell, former delegate from Charles County, former health commission, health secretary of Maryland, a terrific man who did a great job setting the board up.

He is resigning, and there's gonna be a new board chair uh soon.

But he's been there since 2019.

One of his best decisions was hiring Dr.

York, who we'll talk about in a second, is great.

And then we have um Dr.

George's Benjamin, who's the head of the uh uh uh American Public Health Association, uh uh a Dr.

Jerry Anderson, a prominent Hopkins professor of knows everything about drug pricing, Dr.

Juliet Slico from University of Maryland, and um uh and Dr.

Um uh uh uh Dr.

Steven Rockauer.

Uh so those are the members, uh members of the board, and then um uh Dr.

York is their executive director.

Um there have been challenges and obstacles, and one of the challenges has been that our former governor basically slow walked things and vetoed a critical bill to provide funding for the board.

And I mentioned these things because our opponents are saying this board's been around since 2019 and hasn't done anything yet.

Well, a lot of that fault lies at the foot of Larry Hogan, who just really slow walked it, vetoed the critical funding measure, which legislature overturned, but that delayed things tremendously.

As soon as Governor Wes Moore took over, he said, I'm gonna make the PDAB work, put money there where it was needed, made sure they had everything they needed.

So thanks to the leadership and commitment of Governor Wes Moore, the board has now uh been able to make uh make progress.

When was that start when was that up?

What's that?

When is that of when the board was starting able to start making progress?

Well well, uh 2023, when the governor came in, he injected some a million additional dollars to make up for delays caused by uh uh Governor Hogan.

Uh and um I I think that that played a key role in the board being able to move forward and do its uh do its job.

Um and um uh let me just before we turn into details of what the board's done.

I want to discuss the the the kind of arguments that we hear from big pharma about why we shouldn't do this.

The thing they say most is we need these high prices uh to fund research.

We can't do the research on life-saving drugs.

We all want those life-saving drugs.

But the fact of the matter is, research we commissioned by public citizens shows that in 2022 on the top 10 drug companies spent 22 billion more on uh re on advertising, those ads you see all the time, and profits and profit making then on research.

So that's where they spend their money.

The drugs can be made more affordable, and they could still have uh the money for for research.

They actually say sometimes, if you do this, we'll leave the state, because they have big footprint in Maryland, particularly in Montgomery County and Frederick.

But the day after the board basically said they were gonna set an upper payment limit on some drugs, Astronetica that next week that a press conference with Governor Moore expanding their footprint in Maryland uh dramatically.

So that that doesn't fly either.

And then the the argument that we hear that we really is most upsetting to me is when people say, uh I uh I please don't do an upper payment limit because I'm my I won't get my drug, they won't be able to uh do the research for my drug, but we know they can just still do the research, they have plenty of money, and a lot of the groups that say that are frankly funded by pharma.

They're pharma front groups, and it's really sad that we we hear these stories.

But the real problem patients have is they can't afford the drugs.

Um this is a description of the cost review process, which I'll turn to Andy to describe in more detail in a second for you.

Um, but what I want to get to before turn it over to Andy is what they've done and how exciting that is.

Since the beginning of this year, uh the board has set what proposed regulations, which are right now in the Maryland Register being commented upon, to set what's called upper payment limits for two drugs, Jardians and Ozempik.

Now, at the present time, the board's authority is limited to upper payment limits for state and local governments.

Can't help everybody.

But under a law passed in 2025, one year after they set upper payment limits for two drugs for state and local governments, they can help everybody.

And that'll be January 1, 2028.

We we hope that in September, at their September meeting, they will issue final regulations on those two drugs, Jardians and Ozempic.

And as this shows, this chart shows that the Jardian's upper payment limit will save state and local governments $320,000 a year.

The Ozempic upper payment limit will save state and local governments $5.8 million a year.

And I want to emphasize that is only for the diabetes use of OZMPC.

That doesn't even count, take into account the weight loss use of Ozempic.

In fact, many state and local government entities, I don't know if it's true here, don't allow their employees to use Ozempic for weight loss because it's too expensive.

And the great gentleman named Ben Schmidt, who's the head of the teachers association in Howard County, testified before the board that the Howard County schools said you can't use Ozempic for weight loss because it's too expensive.

Well, we're hoping that after this upper payment limit is put into place, Howard County and other local jurisdictions will be able to more broadly allow Ozempic uh to be used.

Our our experts did an analysis on what will happen January 1, 2028 when the board can expand to everybody.

For Jardians, the savings will be up between 9 and 16 million a year.

And for Ozempic, between 113 and 165 million a year.

That's a lot of money.

Now, when we were advocating for these laws, the other side, one of the arguments they make is yeah, if the PDAB saves this money for insurance companies, they won't pass it on to consumers.

Well, one of our key witnesses was our wonderful Maryland Insurance Commissioner, Marie Grant, who basically said, I will make them do that, because she has the authority to do that with her rate setting and all the rest, because insurance companies are regulated, and when the PDAB sets these upper payment limits, they will be passed on to consumers.

So these actions on Jardians and OZEP are really, really uh exciting and important.

Um, and uh I want to just before I turn it over to Andy, talk with you about a couple of of next steps uh that are very important.

Uh one is we at Maryland Healthcare for All want to help the board to reach out to the public to your constituents and let them know two things what the board has accomplished, and to ask them what are the high cost drugs that are hurting you?

What are the high cost drugs that are hurting you?

Let the board know that so the board can set upper payment limits if it if it's reasonable to do so for those drugs.

To do that, we are going to have a series of um public forums across the state uh this fall.

Our first one has already been set for September 9th at 6.30 p.m.

in uh Baltimore City with Mayor Brandon Scott and City Council President Zeke Cohen.

We would love to have one in Annapolis.

We would love to have one jointly with you and your county exec, whatever however you want to do it.

We've done several with Stuart Pittman that have been very successful.

So one takeaway I'd like to work with your team after this meeting, if you're interested, to set up such a forum for people in Annapolis and broader and rundown county to come hear what the board's done and um and tell us, tell the board what drugs are causing you issues.

And in the packet that uh Ian passed around that I that we handed out, there's a flyer, which uh Ian has an in and on uh online for you, which we've put together to ask people that question.

Tell us what is what drugs are hurting you, and we'll pass that information on to the board so they'll know uh how to help you.

So that's number one takeaway.

Number two involves the 2027 uh legislative session.

The board has been doing tremendous work and has accomplished these uh two uh upper payment limits, which are gonna be wonderful.

It takes a lot of time, and we want to help move that process along a lot, and there's a way to do that.

The federal government in 2022 enacted the inflation reduction act, which allowed for the first time the federal government Medicare to negotiate with the drug corporations and set what they call a maximum fair price for what Medicare will pay for um uh for drugs.

The amount of upper payment limit for Jardians and Far and Ozempic is set at those lim numbers.

So we use that already.

Senator Don Guy from Manreno County and delegate Jen White Holland from Baltimore County are going to put in a bill next year that simply says if the federal government sets a maximum fair price for a drug, our board could set an upper payment limit without having to go through this long process.

They still have to make a decision.

But theoretically, they could set a lot of them because the work has already been done.

I mean, CMS has hundreds of employees, no offense to Andy and his great team, but they have five employees, they have hundreds doing this, and they've done a good job.

And I want to emphasize this.

I do have a lot of qualms with the Trump administration on health care, a lot, but not on this issue.

They are doing a good job of implementing the the Biden law.

So it's a Biden law implemented by Biden and Trump that's working to set these maximum fair prices.

We want to say in Maryland, if they've set this maximum fair price, then our board can take that and say, okay, we approve it here, and we could save hundreds of millions of dollars for state and local governments and many hundreds of millions of dollars for the broader public quickly.

Um so we're we're hopeful that that will pass at some point when there is legislation.

We will come back to you and ask for your support, ask Mr.

Mayor for you to testify in favor, and we we hope that um that will pass in 2027 and and make uh make it easier for the board to help all of us.

So um that is all I have.

Um maybe it's best to turn it over to Andy before questions, whatever you want, Mr.

Mayor.

Is that uh why don't we pause and see if there are questions and just I'm not seeing anyone uh ultimate hunting?

I'm gonna do the classic.

This is a comment, not a question.

But you uh mentioned the cost that the the cost of weight loss drug is prohibited for some cities, and I will tell you that is the case here.

Okay.

We covered them up until June 30th, and as of July 1st, we no longer do because exactly because of the cost.

Well, that's good to know.

Well, as of July, January 1, 2027, there will be an upper payment limit on what you pay for that drug, and hopefully that can change that policy, like in Howard County.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

So do I understand correctly that currently the city can't participate in the board to get the reduced costs as of January 1, 2027, the city can.

And Andy can talk to you about that.

Absolutely.

As of January 1, 2027, and any lo nobody no only state and local government entities can.

School boards, state and local governments, but everybody else has of January 1, 2028, potentially.

But January 1, 2027, local entities like Annapolis can benefit from this.

Mr.

Mayor and members of the council, thank you so much for the opportunity to speak with you today.

Um, one of the mics closer to you.

Yeah, I'll go with this one.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Um, and we're very excited to have one of our board members, Dr.

Julius Lecker, uh, here to join us.

Um my name is Andy You work, I'm an exec uh the executive director of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

Um, and we are a state agency dedicated to making prescription drugs more affordable for Marylanders.

Um we thank the Maryland Healthcare for All Coalition for their um advocacy and and uh organization here.

Um we are a separate entity, kind of speaking for ourselves here.

Um we uh so the main work that we do is these cost review studies.

Our board has um completed the cost review stuff, they've selected six drugs, um Jardian Sparcega, OZEP, Trelicity, Skyrizia, and Dupixant.

Um, they've completed the cost review studies on three of those drugs and set upper payment limits for two of those drugs.

Um that service is available to our local government partners.

Um we've been working with the Maryland Municipal League to try to reach out to each of the different HR groups.

And the way that this would work is that every employee health plan, every state and local government entity has an employee health plan that they use for their employees.

And we put a provision in the contracts that basically says that they comply with upper payment limits.

So there is a step that needs to be taken.

You were asking how do you how does a uh city participate in this?

Um there's a step we need to take.

Starting in 2028, all state and local government contracts will be required to include this provision.

For 2027, folks can opt into that.

So we will work with your HR team to see if it's a good fit for your team at this time.

Um and then so that process is continuing.

Um we expect to start the next round of cost review studies early in early 2027.

So uh we do want input from our state and local government partners to identify drugs that are causing challenges for you guys.

So we do uh look forward to collaborating with you on that.

And then uh the upper payment limits are a tool in the toolbox, but we're also trying to do everything we can right now to help patients.

So if you do have residents or um constituents that are having trouble forward in their drugs, they can reach out to us directly.

Um our email is access.pdab, p d a b at Maryland.gov.

And there are existing resources that we can use to help our Maryland patients.

So we do want to be uh of service to you and your constituents as well.

Great.

Presentation concluded.

I didn't want to make an assumption.

Yep, okay, any further questions, Alderman Smith Brown?

Yes, thank you all for all the work you do to make sure that uh not only our pharmaceutical companies are being held accountable for the what they're doing and skyrocketing prices to the people that are sickly and need us uh the most, but just in your everyday and caring about the average in all of us, and we appreciate that um for the health and betterment of all of us.

Um healthcare for all, we need it.

And I know that's something I've worked with Alderman Huntley on for years advocating and pushing for health care for all.

So good to see we can finally in our capacity here do something about it.

The question I also had is aside from the um the support in lowering costs for people, uh, what is the educational aspect in weaning us off of just pharmaceuticals in general?

Do you all work in that capacity, or is it just solely focused on lowering prescript prescription drug costs?

Um it's a great question.

Um so Dr.

Sletko is actually a professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

That's where I did my training as a pharmacist.

Um I would say most pharmacists and most clinicians prioritize the appropriate access to drugs.

Um there's something as you know, probably called it's called polypharmacy, where it's like a pharmacy prescribing cascade where you prescribe a drug to treat the side effects of another drug.

And one of the most important things a clinician can do is is make sure you're on the fewest number of drugs that you can be on.

So I I think um that's a clinical issue.

Um, but we work very closely with our pharmacy partners and clinic clinical partners to you know pass that message on.

So I want to go back to I'm sorry, were you finished?

Oh, I'll throw this in here right quick.

Um when it comes to drugs such as Ozempic, we've heard so much about these uh weight loss drugs, uh particularly for diabetes, et cetera.

Um what when we talk about the educational aspect, do we also look at the consequences of these drugs as well?

Um, because there's just so much out there uh that is kind of deterred people from taking it or even encourage people to take the celebrities and all this is just so much.

And so, how do we um educate our people on that?

Um I would say that's probably outside of the scope of the board.

Our goal is to ensure that if a patient is trying to get access to the drug, they can access it in an affordable way.

So um I I think it's an important point that you bring up, but generally outside of the scope that we're doing.

So it's it's uh we're not advocating for patients to get onto drugs or off of drugs.

Um, but if they are on a prescription drug that they need and they can't afford it, that's where we come in.

Yeah.

Alternately for the question.

Thanks.

So my question is just to your point about January 1, 2027, we would be able to do this.

What do we have to do?

Tell me like that.

So we would work with your HR, your HR team, um, and then you can amend your existing and employee health plan PBM contract.

It gets very technical, but basically there's a uh an agreement that you have, and someone is administering your pharmacy benefit for you.

We need to add a provision that basically says you will comply with Maryland state laws, and then we provide support to that HR team and um the entities that are working on the behalf, generally the health plan or the pharmacy benefit manager.

Um and the way it works is nothing changes in the supply chain.

So again, this can turn into a long course on how pharmaceuticals are reimbursed.

But um I'm I'm interested to hear it.

Yeah, yeah.

So the way it works, and I'll just use um Dargians as as an example.

Um, right now it has a list price of about 550 dollars.

So that means your health plan, the state the your your city health plan pays out 500 to the pharmacy.

The pharmacy had purchased it for 495 dollars, wholesaler bought it for 490.

But um the PBM gets a uh something called a rebate from the manufacturer for about probably 300.

So to you, it's always felt like a 200 drug, if that makes sense.

So $500 goes out the door the door, but like the accountants on the back end say this drug only cost us 200.

The amount that we're setting is that second part, the 200.

So we're saying it should be 100.

I mean, I'm just throwing numbers out right now, but it should be 150.

So what we do is we help your you as an eligible governmental entity, we hope you get an additional 50 dollars on that rebate.

Does that make sense?

So that's how so, but it's a contracting exercise with your with your employee health plan.

And is that something that the prescription drug affordability board you you all have the capacity to work with our HR staff to make sure they're able to take care of that?

Correct.

That's really that's wonderful to hear.

Yeah, and we'll reach out to your team.

We it's um it's yeah, getting to the city level is like we kind of go down the not down the list, but um, we go through the municipal leagues and it's a it's a very large list servers, you know.

You know, I'm just saying we are bigger than some counties.

Yeah, so I want to be fair enough.

I want to be bigger above those counties, but uh it's fine if you have us below it on it.

So all right.

No, but we look forward to reaching out to you.

Thank you.

They've received an email from us.

I'll have to check on like what the status of that is.

Yeah.

And a new HR director for about a month or so.

So um just want to make sure depending on when you sent it out, it may or may not have reached uh to your right uh is assistant uh city manager or deputy uh city manager Vicky Buckland and and city manager uh Yolanda Lewis.

Um I was pointing you out first, uh Ms.

Buckland, because you have the most experience, I think, of the eight the um health aspect of this.

So um given your your background from Montgomery County.

So but between the two of you, I assume I obviously you're both paying attention if you could follow up with um Mr.

Hall and make sure he has the information he needs to help our employees.

Can I can I ask a quick question?

Sure, go ahead.

Um in your experience, does it make a difference whether a jurisdiction is shelf self-insured or not?

It does not.

Both are both are possible.

Now, one thing we have seen is some jurisdictions are like part of coalitions, so like some cities will be on the same, like a will share a contract.

So with those kinds of circumstances, it's kind of case by case, but yeah, we can work through all circumstances.

Yeah.

Because their uh advice on how to benefit from this wasn't legislation.

I was more looking the two of you to move us forward.

So that was kind of where my question was going too is do we need to do something?

Yeah.

Uh Alder Woman, also Johnson.

Thank you, Major.

Um, I was just one email address that you gave out.

We can reach out to you.

Um mine is Andrew.org at Maryland.gov, and just keeping on speed dial, I'm happy to help.

But when you have patients um or constituents, you want to send them to access ACCESS.pdab PDAB at Maryland.gov.

And then we we directly plug them into resources.

Okay, thank you.

And also um Aldman answered question by prescriptions, prescriptions, yes.

Uh, this is a very well-known drug that people are using, is in demand.

So yeah, be good if we can get the costs down, yes.

I agree.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor.

So your question, I guess I'm gonna dig into the savings a little bit.

Um you have some large aggregates for governments, but I'm wondering if you have any other examples from local government, but also like based on our size, but but also presumably those savings primarily come over the period of time once is if you drive down the the top end of the the costs for these prescription drugs, presumably it's because the over time the municipalities can look reduce their rates that they're charging to the employees, right?

Is that most where the where the savings are and how if that's the case, how long does it take for some of these jurisdictions to kind of catch up?

Is that most where the where the savings are and how if that's the case, how long does it take for some of these jurisdictions to kind of catch up and is it enough to have them realize a substantial reduction in their rates?

It's basically a per unit savings.

So you so we publish this, we call it the upper payment limit amount, which is a dollar value, and currently you're paying more per unit.

So it's like a per unit dollar value.

So basically the savings come with the you do the use of that drug.

So the more that you're using that drug, the more savings there is.

So it's like a and and we have these in some of our framework documents for but for Ozempic, it might be like a three or four percent savings that you would expect compared to what you have.

Now that savings is based on the average um market price.

Some people are paying more, some people are paying less, so it could be a larger savings for you.

It's gonna be kind of contract by contract.

Um so I'm not sure if that did that answer the question or yeah, and I and I admit I don't really know the intricacies of how health insurance works, but I guess for jurisdictions when we do have to pay for essentially our employees' um prescription drug care costs.

Is there a point where the jurisdiction has to pay for like a remaining is there like a deductible for jurisdictions when they do that, or is it all covered by insurance for those?

It's gonna be plan specific.

So there's self-insured where like you have a large enough budget that you just pay, like the claim comes to you and you as the city pay, or you can be fully insured, and that's when you are getting uh you pay an insured uh like a premium or a flat amount to manage your pay your your um employees.

So it depends.

I I'm not sure of the exact circumstances on yours, but for self-insured, it's like very clear, like you're paying this dollar out the door, and now you're saying like paying four percent less for um the fully insured, which means the insurers kind of managing the risk, they it should have an impact on your premiums um and and deductibles and things like that.

Um, but it's gonna be a case-by-case basis.

Thank you.

Alderman Smith Brown.

Yes, um, thanks again.

Do you all have uh maybe a little overview of how you select the prescriptions that you um choose uh for expanding access and reducing prescription drug costs?

So great question.

So we're actually gonna be we're we're updating our process for next year.

So um it's gonna look slightly different.

But basically, the board gets um we call it a dashboard, but it's like an Excel document with about a dozen different things, different different criteria.

So one is like the overall cost to the state, the one is uh like cost for state and local governments, it's a list price.

So they have um yeah, about a dozen different data points, and then you can filter by each of those data points, and each board member selects their priority list, submits it to the board chair, the board chair then publishes that list, and then we we get public comment on that list, and then uh also our stakeholder council advises on it.

Um I think what we're talking about doing moving forward is on the front end the board will say we are gonna prioritize the highest overall spend.

So, for example, Medicare's negotiation, there they have a list of drugs that they negotiate, and it's basically those ones are basically just ranked by top spend to Medicare.

So that's like one way you could do it, but then you can also do per per unit.

Some drugs are like very expensive with that, not that many patients, some are not that expensive, but have a lot of patients.

So there's a bunch of different ways you can organize it.

Up to this point, the board has kind of each board member has personally selected their drugs, pass it on to the board chair, board chair publishes that list.

Um, but we will probably have kind of a prioritization exercise moving forward.

Um I'm sorry, the most important thing I should have said is one of the important data points that they can consider is references from patients, so patients telling the board that they can't afford those drugs, and then also state and local governments um should have a direct line to us notifying us that there's drugs that you so that that's gonna be an important data input for us, is if if the city comes to us and says, you know, please look at this drug, it's causing problems for us.

So absolutely, that's exactly what I'm also thinking when you talk about having town halls or group sessions, and we have come on the city of Annapolis is very elderly, um, and we are shifting um into passing on to the next generation.

But maybe that's a part of the long conversation as we reach out to our constituents or residency and asking them to provide some feedback so when you come back to us and you're looking to partner further, uh, we could provide that to you.

So that'd be great in the new year and all.

Thank you.

And and Mr.

Alderman, we we would love to work with your team on doing a forum here in Annapolis to accomplish just that.

Thank you for coming.

Uh, I think especially because Snaplis does not have any drug manufacturing in its uh city limits, but yet we have a lot of employees and citizens and residents who uh use drugs that we're all I think could be uh 100% supportive of your efforts to reduce our prescription drug costs.

So thank you for coming tonight.

Thanks for your work in the field.

Uh we're big advocates for public health.

Ms.

Mayor, uh, can I just ask a at the end for uh we did this in Baltimore County also?

Can we get a picture with you guys for our Facebook page?

I I even volunteer my friend John to take the photo.

Sure.

If Julia and Andy and I can come up there and sure, why don't we all assemble uh in front of the dice?

Actually, have to do important.

I think somebody's obviously getting together.

Nobody wants too much.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Mary.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Yeah, before getting out to the other.

Oh, okay, good.

Mr.

City Attorney, will you please uh call the next item on the agenda?

The next item on the agenda is ID 14526, Annapolis Arts District.

Thank you.

We have Randy Cohen, the VP of Research for Americans for the art.

Yes.

No?

The schedule changed.

I didn't want to say that any of you looked at the Randy, but it was trying to make assumptions.

So those who who are here, why don't you come have a seat?

Uh join us, and once you have a seat, if you can um state your name, names for the record, and um let us know what our business is today.

Sure.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm Carol Denny.

I am the vice president for the Annapolis Arts District.

I'm here today with Holly Hendrickson, our new executive director and our president Laura Price.

We're here to tell you a little bit about where we've been and where we're going.

Holly is our recently hired director and has a great strong vision for us for the future that we wanted to share with you.

One of the things that you'll be seeing is this Annapolis Arts Plan, which is something that the arts district worked on pretty uh extensively last year.

We tried to bring together all the members of the arts community, so not only individual artists, but also arts organizations to talk to them about kind of what they needed, where they wanted to be, what their vision for the future was, and bring all those opinions together in one document that would kind of lay out some steps, action steps for the future of the arts in the city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, Mayor Lipman and Council members, glad to be here.

And we just want to be sure to thank you for your continued support over the years.

It's been really wonderful.

Um we're excited to move forward on to the next chapter with our new executive director, Holly Hendrickson.

Hello.

Good evening, Mayor Littman and City Council members, and thank you again for your time and continued support of the arts district over the years.

As Laura mentioned, uh my name is Holly Hendrickson, and I'm the new executive director of Annapolis Arts District.

I'd like to start with a few numbers.

So in 2024, Andirondel County welcomed 7.2 million visitors who spent 4.3 billion dollars in our local economy.

That is not an abstraction.

That is our restaurants, our shops, our hotels, and our historic streets.

And an important reason these people came and why they stay a little longer once they arrive is arts and culture.

It's the galleries on West Street.

It's live music spilling out of a doorway.

It's a mural that makes someone stop and take a photo, a live cabaret show, or a summer Shakespeare series.

So how can we help these attractions thrive and boost local tourism even further?

First, a little history.

Under the state's arts and entertainment districts program, which is a policy tool created in 2001, specifically to use arts activity to drive local economic development.

Because of that designation, artists and property owners within the arts district boundaries have access to real financial incentives.

That includes property tax credits for renovating space for arts use, an income tax subtraction for qualifying resident artists, and an exemption from the state admissions and amusement tax for arts enterprises.

I came into this role with a career built on the business side of the art world, not just the creative side.

And since 2007, I've worked in galleries and arts management, learning firsthand what it actually takes to turn creative work into a sustainable business.

Looking at this organization through that lens, it's exactly what led me to the vision I'd like to walk you through tonight.

Here's the shift we're in the process of making.

The arts district is more than a geographic location.

It aspires to provide arts leadership and support across the entire city of Annapolis.

That starts with the board.

We're expanding it and we're diversifying it, so it includes the best local minds from business, education, hospitality, and civic life, not only from the arts community itself.

Under that board, we want a robust network of volunteers, ambassadors of the arts district, showing up at every local arts event, not just the marquee ones.

They're there to represent us, to ask organizers where we can help, celebrate their wins, and be a listening ear and a connector to resources when someone needs them.

That's presence, not just promotion.

Our vision for the arts district is to be a platform, a megaphone for Annapolis artists and organizations so that they can succeed on their own terms, not just within the district bounds, but across the entire city.

As part of a rebrand we're discussing right now, we're looking at dropping the district from our name and simply rebranding as Annapolis Arts.

It's a small change, but it speaks to our mission of promoting the arts all across Annapolis, and in doing so, driving real economic development.

We were established in 2008 with a small board and an even smaller staff.

The city has continued to support us in the years since then, which we greatly appreciate.

However, with our new mandate to represent the entire Annapolis arts community, we have an increased need for resources to help us grow.

By 2028, which will be our 20th year, we have a new vision for what this organization can be, and we're asking this council to help us get there.

It hasn't adjusted for the cost of full-time staff, which this organization desperately needs to do the job in front of it.

What we need is straightforward, a stronger and more diverse board, more visibility within the public, more resources for artists and arts organizations, and full-time staff who can work on this and in this every single day.

With increased investment in the arts, we can expand programming beyond a defined district and into every neighborhood that wants it.

We can put real marketing muscle behind artists and organizations who are already doing great work here, but often going unseen.

We can activate underused spaces, storefronts, alleys, corridors, and turn them into reasons for people to walk just one block further downtown.

When creatives are successful, the city benefits twice, culturally and economically.

And every bit of local arts programming has the same effect.

More people, more reasons to stay, and more reasons to spend.

Nationally, 53% of Americans say they factor a destination's arts and culture into where they decide to vacation, and 70% say the arts improve the image and character of a community.

It's a pattern that plays out anywhere in a city that treats its living arts scene as part of its identity, not just an afterthought to its history.

On a personal note, I was in New Orleans this past January, and I've always loved that city, not only for its history, architecture, and food, but for its rich art and music scene.

Not unlike Annapolis, New Orleans was a historic port town with charming architecture, a walkable downtown area, and plenty of character.

But when people talk about why they really love New Orleans, they talk about much more than that.

They talk about the galleries on Royal Street, the music coming out of every other doorway on Frenchman Street.

A living art scene sits right on top of the history there.

And it's a genuine part of why New Orleans reads as more of a destination than its history alone could ever produce.

The same can be said of Annapolis.

We have a prolific historical foundation and a rich tradition in both visual and performing arts that visitors can discover.

We have the raw material already.

What we're asking for is the investment to build on it, the way other cities are already doing.

In fact, you don't have to look outside of Maryland to see this work.

The arts are a much bigger part of Maryland's economy than most people realize.

That's a bigger share of our state economy than most people would guess.

And it's not just about the people who work in the arts.

It's about what arts attendees spend once they're out the door.

The most recent national arts and economic prosperity study found that the average attendee spends $38.46 per person per event beyond the cost of admission.

So that's on dinner, parking, a babysitter, a drink afterward, maybe two.

That's up 22% from five years earlier, right in line with inflation, which tells us that this spending pattern is durable, not a fluke.

Nearly a third of arts attendees nationally are traveling in from outside of the county, and they spend even more once they're there, an average of $60.57 beyond admission.

More than three quarters of them say they made the trip specifically for that arts event.

That is exactly the kind of visitor this city wants more of.

Someone who came here on purpose and is already reaching for their wallet.

We also know from decades of work in this field that artists and creatives generate social impact that no other industry does.

University of Pennsylvania research has found that a high concentration of the arts in a city leads to greater civic engagement, more social cohesion, and lower poverty rates.

Their work is part of what actually holds a community together.

But we also know artists rarely have the resources to promote themselves.

That gap is exactly where this organization needs to step in.

More arts activity draws more visitors.

More visitors mean more hotel stays, more dining, and more retail spending.

And that spending becomes tax revenue that funds the services this city runs on.

We already know this works at the county level.

Anna Rundle County's tourism economy supported over 27,000 jobs and generated 460 million dollars in state and local tax revenue in 2024 alone.

And Maryland's 29 arts and entertainment districts generated 136 million dollars that same year.

Arts and culture are a direct contributor to visitor economy, not a side effect.

Investing in the arts district isn't a cultural expense line.

It's an investment in the same visitor economy that already generates hundreds of millions of dollars a year for this region.

I want to be personal for a moment.

I joined the arts district because I saw real opportunity here.

I bring a fresh set of eyes, new energy, and a background that deeply understands both the creative as well as the business sides of this field.

I believe this city can be known for a lot more than history sailing and crab cakes.

I believe Annapolis can be a genuine cultural destination, the kind of place where the arts are part of why people visit, not an afterthought once they arrive.

Getting there takes structure, accountability, and the right level of investment.

I'm asking this council to help make that possible.

This is a real inflection point.

We have a robust foundation, a board we're actively strengthening, and a clear, evidence-based case for what's possible if we invest in it.

This is about moving from a collection of individual efforts to a coordinated, visible citywide arts ecosystem.

One that shows up in the numbers as clearly as it shows up on the street.

We're for the city's support that has brought us to this point.

And we're ready to build on it in a way that matches the scale of what's possible and that earns your continued trust every step of the way.

We see the arts district as a partner in this city's goals around economic development, tourism, and community life.

The arts bring people downtown, support local businesses, and create opportunities for residents and visitors to connect with the city and one another.

Just as importantly, many of our community's arts experiences are free and open to everyone, from watching plain air painters at work to enjoying festivals like the Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival.

These events help ensure that the arts are accessible across all economic backgrounds, while partnerships between artists and nonprofit organizations continue to enrich the lives of residents, visitors, and underserved communities.

The data is clear that investment in the arts pays dividends many times over.

It strengthens our economy, enriches our neighborhoods, and enhances the quality of life that makes Annapolis such a special place to live and to visit.

We're excited about what we can accomplish together.

I'd like to thank you again for your time, and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for the presentation.

I have a question.

What's the relationship between the Naples Arts District and AI PPC, especially once reformed?

And behind the question behind the question is it's funding.

So obviously a lot of money is going from the hotel tax already to arts towards AIPPC.

That's that's really the question of what's your access to that money.

It's it reformed.

Yeah, exactly.

Exactly.

Um we're curious to see how we can work together for sure.

And I know we've gotten some financial assistance from them, some help.

Sorry, say that last part again.

We've gotten some financial help from them.

So yeah, we're hope, we're hoping we can move forward and have a positive relationship.

You have a business plan that um establishes how you intend to generate revenue and spend that revenue.

Say we're we're looking to partner.

We're not looking to um uh produce events.

That's not what what we do.

We don't have the bandwidth to do that.

We're mostly looking to really partner and support the other arts organizations.

So, do you have anything to add to that, Carol?

No, I think that our goal.

Microphone, microphone, please.

I think our goal is to be the convener for the artists and the arts groups, advocate for them, promote them, find out what they want to do.

But we are not a funding organization, and we really have had kind of minimal connection with AIPPC.

We're two separate groups.

I'm still trying to understand it.

Um, this is a very impressive list of uh people who are behind it.

Um talked to Mr.

Collins prior to his uh departure and about the development of this, so I don't mean this as any sort of negative at all.

I'm just trying to understand if we have a functioning, well-functioning functioning AIPPC with all of money, it seems like there would be collaborative, and uh it seems like there's some duplication here.

So I'm trying to understand, and again, I'm not trying to be negative at all.

I think we could definitely have a stronger relationship with the new commission, however, that you know, um evolves.

But um again, we're not a funder.

I'm the the understanding that I have is the commission is the funding.

It is, yeah.

So I think that we're we're kind of approaching it from two separate angles.

And so, how would you say those two angles are different?

So they're they're funding group for sure, but they're also I think providing some direction.

And so, how would you distinguish the two organizations other than that they obviously have some funding?

I I'm not sure that there has been a lot of direction.

I I I I wouldn't call that something the commission has been doing.

Um, I I see them more as a funding group.

It's hard to kind of predict what direction they're gonna go in.

And we didn't, you know.

Um I'm hopeful that this one will be successful.

Um we're gonna do everything we can to have, like I said, have a nice partnership with them.

Um I don't know that they'll be helping all of the organizations in the same day that we the way we we would as far as a business plan, like you said, a marketing plan.

You know, that's kind of stuff we want to focus on to support them.

That last part again.

That's kind of the thing that we want to uh focus on to support them.

Thank you.

Um Alderman Huntley and then Alderman Savage.

To use an analogy from our last meeting, AIPPC is like the insurance company.

They're they're paying for the drug.

These guys are like the doctor.

They're figuring out how do we comprehensively support having a healthy art community.

Does that sound fair?

Thank you, Harry.

Uh so I had a couple different things.

I've I've looked at your guys' handout before, and I think this is an updated version of it, right?

This is a pretty new one.

This is new, yeah, not updated, but yes, yeah, six months old.

Um, yeah, I think maybe it was a little more than six months ago.

I lost thought.

So uh I had a couple of things on here I wanted to ask you about specifically, and just hope you can talk a little more on these.

Um what is this uh percentage for the arts initiative, and and in particular said something about requiring portion of development budgets be directed to city arts.

We hear development used in a lot of different ways.

Can you just explain to me more what you mean about that concept?

Can you rephrase that question?

Sure, absolutely.

So the line on here is um that you guys want to work with the Annapolis City Council to implement a percentage for the arts initiative, and that that would require a portion of development budgets to go to the arts.

When you say development, what do you mean?

I think we are talking about real estate development companies who come in and you know develop a parcel.

Um, I know in in larger cities, for example, Philadelphia, it's part of city regulations that that person has to invest a certain percentage of the overall cost of that project in art, and maybe that's maybe that's a single artwork, you know, maybe it's a bigger project, but it that money is you know uh devoted to the arts.

Thank you.

I wasn't sure, like I said, we hear development in a lot of different contexts, just wasn't sure what you meant there.

Um I'm really excited about this one around creating a database of repurposable spaces for the arts.

That's something that we could we could absolutely use, and it would be a great opportunity for our cities to have to collaborate with you guys.

Is that uh aspirational thing, or is that something that's already in the works or something that's already completed?

What's the progress like on that?

With our our uh previous executive director, um Eric had tried to keep up um the listings on our site of what's available.

The the problem we ran into is the um the rates of the rental space and um the property value and that kind of thing.

Um we're still that's still kind of a challenge.

Um I that's all I have to say about that.

But I think we'd be looking to update that database in the future and make it more of a usable resource.

I think what we have available now on our website is a little bit out of date.

So um one of the the other areas that I'm bringing to the arts district is uh tech background, so I'm hoping we can develop some uh real tangible resources for that that people can leverage.

Oh yeah, I guess I could have put it also just as a comment that I think it's a great idea.

Um my last question for you one of the things that I think we see uh you guys are the experts, but that I see in arts districts is they start in areas that have relatively affordable spaces for artists to live, and then they get hip, and also we don't build enough housing, and so then they get really expensive.

And I think you kind of talk about this.

You talk about a sport affordable space development, which is obviously artists' studios, production spaces, but also it's the artists have to live somewhere.

And I'm uh just hoping you can talk a little bit more on what you'd like to see the city do to support artists being able to live here.

I think you touched on a real pain point that's been under discussion, at least since I joined the organization, um, which is that you know, the arts district initially is a geographical location, and within the geographic location, there's a lot of obstacles in terms of affordable real estate.

Um, when developers have come in, they're not helping with that up to this point.

So obviously we'd like to see that change, but in addition to that, something we've we've talked about is um taking the steps necessary to expand the district so that we have access to more areas.

Um that's something that we're still we're still starting to dig into.

So and I'm green, so I'll pass it over to my board members.

Uh no, I'm you know, I think that we have looked um particularly at uh um the possibility of some new development, maybe add ones on Spa Road that might be uh uh an excellent opportunity to provide studio space, housing space, rehearsal space.

We hear that from a lot of artists, like we just need a place to go to rehearse.

Um so maybe there's an option there, and it could conceivably involve expanding the boundaries of the arts district.

We have a certain limit on how much further we can grow, but I I think it might be possible, and it's definitely something we're looking at.

I'll just throw out I think there's there's some cool places, there's a lot of cool industrial spaces that are not part of the arts district, they could be the next uh natural place to evolve into that.

So really appreciate you guys are already thinking about this stuff.

Thanks for coming and talking with us today.

Thank you.

What are the pros and cons of having a expanding or not expanding an arts district?

Question go ahead.

Well, I think that you know, the um what has come up in our conversations with the artists and arts organizations is space.

It is really a challenge for everybody, and I think that the um the move to expand the arts district is is just to kind of address that immediate need.

But I think that there are many places in this city, like Harry said, with you know, industrial areas and other places that might be available that we would also like to look at.

But but expanding the district would be part of our our uh what does that what's the impact of expanding the district?

Why not make the whole city the arts district?

What's the pro there's gotta be a I assume that's a benefit, I assume there's a cost, but I don't know if either is that ramp up my with my Ramset hat on.

We we we are not part of the arts district.

A lot of people think we are.

Um we bring in a lot of money um with our ticket sales.

So that is one of the benefits of if you have an event space.

Um so that's that's a an effect of the not I see the benefits of having an event space.

I just Annaplus arts district is very specific thing, and I'm not sure why it is that specific thing, and why not make it bigger?

Is there a downside?

You mean why not make the geographic area bigger?

No, I don't think there's any downside to that at all.

It's just that we we're limited by the state and how much more we can add to our existing parcel.

I think there's a maximum size that it could be set by the state.

Yeah.

Uh my my gut instinct uh answer to that question is you know as a geographic location, there are um financial incentives that we're able to offer for arts organizations within the geographic location.

Um with our expansion to Annapolis Arts instead of Annapolis Arts District.

Obviously, we're looking to provide additional benefits outside of the geographic location, but the more organizations we can fit within the geographic location, the more actual you know, fiscal benefits we can offer.

And I think we're just bumping up against um a roadblock in terms of the the real estate availability in the area that we have right now.

Thank you.

Alderman Savage, then Alderwoman, also Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, so first of all, I certainly see the value in the broader initiative you're you're you're considering right now.

Um I think that's certainly beyond the scope of the Arson Public Plays Commission as far as just their capabilities and staffing.

Um but I do want to go kind of in the direction the mayor was going to back up a little bit because if um just to get clarity, I think your organization originally was set up presumably to support their current arts district that was set up in 2008.

I think it was authorized by the state sometime around then the city set it up, but we didn't actually designate it until a number of years later.

But is that correct?

Yeah, 2008.

I believe.

Um as far as the expanded vision, I guess my one concern with that be what would happen with the original arts district.

Because there's, you know, it goes most it's it's ward one and west street, it goes down a bit into I think ward five four, right?

Near the uh Bates um the Bates Community Center.

And then it goes, I think ward two, a little bit old fourth ward, parts of goes up a little bit towards the the park and garage there, uh goes out further west street, and then it includes the design district, right?

No, is that separate?

That's separate.

It includes areas of Clay Street, so West parts of West Street down to um, but not not the Western, not MC3.

But not the Western, not MC3.

So it's it's wonky.

The design district something completely different.

Separate.

Okay.

What is it, tax incentive or something along those lines in the city code for the district itself?

Um but I but I guess so.

I guess what I'm getting at is just are you worried a bit about diluting as far as the focused benefit that you provide on the arts district.

If you're going broad citywide, that's much different than supporting this very very specific arts district that we have the funding initiative in the state trying to direct us towards you want to rephrase it, maybe I think um sorry, I think that that um the arts district is its own, you know, designated group by the state.

If we expand our focus to Annapolis arts and we're talking about kind of involving the whole city, that doesn't take away our mandate to administer the arts district by the state.

So it's still part of what we're doing.

Right, right.

But I'm just wondering if that's going to dilute your ability to support that, your focused ability to support that district, because you're proposing now to look at the entire city, which is benefit in some way, right?

As far as getting a diversity of art through the city, but it also kind of again gets away from the original intention of the district itself.

I well, actually, I don't know what the state's original intention was, but do you happen to know what the original idea was?

Well, it was to support economic development within a you know, an underserved area, is my understanding initially.

Um your question about dilution is an interesting one, and my thought on that is you know, we are right now very limited with the number of arts organizations we can support that are actually physically within the district.

Almost all of the major arts organizations outside of Maryland Hall and a few select others are actually outside of the district bounds, and with the lack of affordable real estate and spaces for artists and arts organizations to come into I think the consensus was it's easier to expand so we can support more of the actual arts organizations than to continue this fight of trying to get more arts organizations into an area that just isn't sustainable for them.

Does that kind of answer your question?

Yeah, I and I think that might be another conversation with the city as far as what we might be able to do, besides just giving direct money, and I'm not dismissing that, but another one would be just what can we do to support I I don't know, some subsidy to help bring down the the that the property value or the cost of the properties for some of the artists who may want to take advantage of the arts district.

That's a different type of funding, which could still use a similar model, perhaps, as far as getting a fund that's supported by developers, but um we're open to all of that.

I mean, I I think at this point, you know, we want to be able to support as much of the Annapolis arts scene as possible.

And with the limitations we have now, we just feel that um you know, we want to be able to expand those boundaries, if not physically, then at least, you know, in theory, so that uh with with marketing and with um you know ambassadors on the ground at the events, connecting artists and arts organizations with resources, you know, anything that we can do, I think is is more useful than keeping our focus on that one strip of of West Street because until we have a subsidy or something like that in place, we're really you know, we're bumping up against uh some walls with that that's not insignificant.

Yeah, yeah.

And in terms of you know, essentially just getting getting some money from the city or forum or from in this case, probably Arson Public Places Commission.

Um, because well, back up a little bit, you know, we were there was talk maybe oh I don't know, six, seven years ago about creating the fee you're talking about, but then the state ended up deciding just to preempt us and do it anyway with the with the um portion of the hotel tax.

But um any case, if you're talking about getting some money from the Arts Public Plays Commission, I think we would need to see, at least personally, I would want to see something along the lines of what the mayor was alluding to as far as uh um some kind of document that shows what your what your plan is, what your goal is is because we do need to that's one thing that has been concerned lately with the Arts and Public Places Commission is to make sure that they do have the diversity, geographic diversity as well as economic as far as where we see art getting funded in the city.

Um and so I think that's where it would be helpful to see.

Well, what is your vision as far as where exactly where do you value that type of diversity in the community as far as the art uh artistics?

Um but also um yeah, what's your what's your vision?

What's your plan, right?

Um, where's because this is good an opportune time as we're looking to overhaul the Arsenal Public Places Commission, so certainly glad that you're coming to talk to us now.

There's the timeline on that.

The new commission update.

Well, it's we the public hearing just closed um this past Monday.

Uh I think it should be coming to us going to commit.

It's on the agenda for July 27th, uh, to be heard.

And before then it's going to uh the rules committee that Alderman.

Um sorry, county uh Smith Brown chairs.

And so his committee will be comparing them uh considering a number of amendments.

Yeah, but but it may sit in that committee for up to 90 days, so it might not come back to council till it might not come back to the council until um September, October.

But also the commission is it's on the agenda for July 27th.

And no, city code mandates 90 days.

If the committee can sit on it for 90 days, I'm just thinking.

The commission itself is also required to be reformed by mid-August.

So they have to be put back in place according to the ordinance we passed by mid-August.

Um appreciate your time.

Uh Alder Woman, also Johnson.

Do you still have something?

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Um this um organization for the arts council.

Um great granddaughter dances for uh a expression dance group, and they have a shop out on Solomon's Island Road here in Annapolis, and they have um recitals every June at Anarona Community College.

And I would love for them to be able to come be part of some of your arts, because they have great recitals.

And um, I pay good money for her to dance, and I won't see her dance.

I want to see my money, you know.

So um, because it's expensive, and I can relate to how you are talking about it.

Um, but it's great for the children though, you know, and it brings out a lot of people, and you can't get your money back, you know, when you have recitals and all.

But um, will you be inviting other groups to be part?

You know, come down and participate, which do sometimes because they've been in business.

For a while, I think the impression was that the arts district was just murals around town, but we're trying to really expand that to all forms of art.

Good, good.

Because they've been in existence over 20 years.

Yes.

Well, we should make sure we get her information.

Sure.

And I can um we can just share information and just talk with her and see what she says.

Yeah, yes, I appreciate it, and thank you all for coming.

Thank you.

Further questions.

All right, I guess looks we're it looks like we're gonna conclude a little early.

Thank you so much for your presentation.

Um, appreciate you keeping us educated on the Annapolis arts district.

Thank you all very much.

Thank you to you.

Mr.

City Attorney, please present the next item on the agenda.

The agenda has been completed.

All right.

Is there anything else for the good of the order?

All right.

Um hearing nothing, the session is adjourned.

Please be mindful of your trash and recycle placement to avoid fines.

I've seen so many stars at Cards Beach.

Car's Beach?

It'll go down in history, one of the most beautiful places there were.

When Chuck Curry came to town or James Brown came to town.

There was so much parking that you only had.

We saw people that got tired of waiting in traffic and they get out and walk and run because all the big stars came here.

They would sneak in, you know, through some type of fence.

I don't know where this fence was, but you know, it because it gets so crowded.

And people would sneak in some type of way just to come and see the, you know, different um entertainment.

We didn't have to go anywhere to see James Brown, Edward James.

All the big name stars came right here in our back door.

It was just a joy for time.

It was for me for me and a lot of other blacks.

It was it was just a joyful time.

When we when we got up from work sometime, we went to Carl's Beach.

You know, but Carl's Beach is uh wow.

It was a center attraction for everybody, special blacks.

It was a center attraction.

When the community was segregated, it's the only place that really Afro America's coming and have a day of fun.

Ever since my first visit here I can remember uh the the people dancing on the on the concrete pavilion with the in the sand uh on the on the on the pavilion and those leather soles made of just think grinding sound.

But it was a rhythmic sound that uh that is still what me down.

I I am chickled today to be to be sitting here and hearing music and looking out in the bay.

Uh it brings back a lot of memories.

They had rise, birds, wheels, uh, murder round, the cotton candy.

They made a big dance hall where we see hopels on the bands saying and it would be it would be broadcast live.

Tonight, tonight tonight, the happy atoms and people came from all over.

Come down, Carl's fire beef.

And we came for the cars for the beach reunion, and this is a great reunion.

This is where it all started from.

The grounds.

And I I don't know, it's just heavenly to be here today.

It's it's awesome.

And I'm just so delighted to be here to see this.

Before there was woodstock.

It was cars beach.

We talk about James Brown.

Stevie Wonder.

Jimmy Hendrix.

This is the place.

We're 70,000.

We come from New York from the Carolinas to Annapolis.

You know, we talk about our history a lot in Annapolis, but we only talk about one history.

And this amazing piece of history that happened for three decades is gonna be here for the next generation to learn about a we need to pay homage to our history and our ancestors.

You know, this is bringing home back to us.

You remember the carousel, you remember the fan stand.

So this is bringing that dream to a reality.

And it's a beautiful thing that we see today as I say is a microcosm.

What we see at Cars Beach is a perfect example of that.

It's the state, it's the citizens that all come together.

It's very much a team effort.

Tell him he belongs to me.

Tell him that I still can love tonight, tonight, tonight.

And that tonight goes on perpetually.

Keep celebrating tomorrow and the next day.

Keep encouraging one another.

Don't stop, just keep going.

And if you see my love, tell him that I'm sorry.

I will do anything to get him back into my heart.

Hey, down, hear them geese.

They're flying high through this crystal shimmer of that October sky.

Just like them, I'm flying away down the muddy waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

So come on, Captain, raise that mane.

Can't wait to get back again to Annapolis on the bay.

I can see the domes and spires of my little town rise from the horizon like the jewels on a crown.

In Annapolis on the bay.

So meet me at the city dock and give us a hug.

We will shuffle off to Middletons and have some fun.

Crab pot steaming, we can pick us a few.

I'll shuck the oysters if you make the stew.

So come on, Captain, don't maybe wait.

It's no ill wind that blows us away to Annapolis on the bay-up, hey hey, hey, sal de ahí, salí de la basura.

Primero levantamos todo y lo colocamos dentro de la bolsa de basura.

Luego lo atamos y lo colocamos dentro del contenedor de basura.

Lo tapamos.

Ya que estamos, aprovechamos andamos también el recyclado.

Esta bolsa no tiene que estar in a reciclado.

Evaciamos todo esto.

Nuevamente colocamos la capa.

Este cuchillo de metal.

Form, tum in cuenta that when you sack the basura, these are the forms of editing that they're avisos or they have a multa.

Hello, I'm Ken White with the Annapolis Fire Department.

This week's theme for fire prevention week is surf up safety in the kitchen.

So this holiday season, here's some tips from the Annapolis Fire Department that can help you serve up safety in the kitchen.

Tip one, when frying, boiling, or simmering, stay in the kitchen.

Never leave the home and always use a timer.

Tip two, if a grease fire starts, never try to extinguish with water.

Use a lid to cover over the pot, turn the burner off, and wait till the pan cools down.

Tip three, always keep your cleaning and cooking surfaces free of any clutter.

And tip four, remember to always keep it three foot distance around the cooking area, a three feet kid zone, as I like to call it.

And remember, if you're unable to control the fire, get out of your house and dial 911 immediately.org.

Stay safe, Annapolis.

Hi, I'm Megan.

I'm here at City Hall to talk to you about the Golden Pass.

If you're 55 and older, the Golden Pass is a great opportunity for you.

For just 20 a month, you can park for up to two hours a day on Maryland Avenue, Main Street, or the Mills Home and Garage.

Without using a promo code, the pain machine, or even an app.

Just park and walk away.

All week this week, May 11th through the 15th, from 9 a.m.

to 12 p.m.

I'm here if you have any questions.

Thanks.

Hey, get out of here.

Looks like I have to do proper trash placement and cleaning again.

If you put your trash out, please place it into a bag.

And tie the bag up and place it to a watertight receptacle with your address placed on it so they can be seen from the street that in your property for proper road collection.

As a matter of fact, this recycles done all wrong, also.

If you decide to place your recycling in a bag, please bring your bag to the receptacle and take all items out of the bag and place them into the can.

And make sure the lid is closed, please.

Let's bring back in the trash monster so I can show you things that are not recyclable.

See, it's 40% non-recyclable right now.

This is non-recyclable.

This is non-recyclable.

The metal utensils are not recyclable.

Please be mindful of your trash and recycle placement to avoid fines.

Well, welcome everybody.

An historic city where George Washington resigned his military commission symbolizing the transfer and peaceful transfer of power and making it clear that in America we have no kings.

A city that's not afraid to tell all of its past, including its role in the slave trade.

In Annapolis, people learn from our past.

They don't try to whitewash and hide their past.

A city that is the home, the proud home of the Naval Academy, a city where millions of people from all over the world come every year, but also a city that, because of climate change, has really been hurt by the flooding hitting these small businesses, impacting tourism, impacting the boat show.

And so that's why we're gathered here today to address that problem.

And we have great news for a great American city, great news for the great city of Annapolis, which is after many years, FEMA has released the $35 million in funds.

That includes the $33 million that was part of the original City of Annapolis grants and an additional two and a half million dollars to help with related upgrades for stormwater management.

And this has been the result of work of Team Maryland.

And you're gonna hear from so many people who were part of that effort, but there were also many more who are represented here today that you won't hear from, but who you see here and others who could not join us today, including somebody who cannot join us today, Mayor Buckley, the former mayor of Annapolis.

And it was his vision that really set this project in motion.

He said he couldn't be here.

I think he's taking one of his kids to college, but he was just thrilled, of course, uh, that we were able to secure these funds.

And to the new mayor, Mayor Lippman and to the council, city council here in Annapolis.

Thank you.

Thank you for carrying on that vision with absolute perseverance.

Coincidentally, and it was an SOS message.

And it began, I am writing because we are at a critical point in the city dock project.

And he went on to outline the huge challenges they would face if the FEMA funds didn't come through.

He also was putting together contingency plans because he understood the importance of this project, and he said in that text message if we don't get started and try to keep this on time, we're gonna see some of these businesses close.

So thank you, Mayor Littman for moving with that urgency, and that lit another fire under all of us who are members of the Maryland federal delegation.

And I can say that in the Senate, we immediately renewed our push, which has been ongoing, and directly contacted DHS and FEMA and said, we really need you to release these funds, and we need it yesterday.

And we got the appropriations committee in the Senate involved, and not surprisingly, there are other members in the House and the Senate who've also had projects held up by FEMA.

And so there was a growing backlog, but also growing frustration at what was happening uh with backlogs for projects all over the country.

And so all of that pressure built and the dam broke.

And the good news is Christy Noam is out, and the funding for the Annapolis dock is in.

And let me just thank other members of the federal delegation who are part of the because the city, we we took our lead from the city from their vision.

But we have with us today uh John Sarbanes, Congressman John Sarbanes, who was absolutely tenacious, absolutely tenacious when it came to making sure that the city of Annapolis had what it needed and was constantly pushing and pushing.

And of course, former state senator and now Congresswoman, Representative Elfrith, she's been pushing really hard.

And and thank you to other members of the District 30 delegation and everybody who's been involved in this effort over years.

Uh to Stuart Pittman, your county executive.

You've been just an amazing partner, amazing partner.

And all of us know the resources need to come from the city, they need to come from the county, they need to come from the state, and yes, this critical piece needed to come from the federal government.

And so I'm also pleased that we're here and with the continuing support from the governor and the governor's team.

Uh, you're going to hear from our secretary of the department of emergency management, Russ Strickland.

But thank you for what you're doing in this project, but also the other emergency projects around the state and FEMA.

So, as you can see, this is really uh a team Maryland Day.

And this wouldn't have happened without everybody gathered here and many more people, and never giving up.

This is an example of perseverance and persistence at work, and that requires everybody pushing from their own angle and their own point of leverage.

So, without further ado, let me now turn it over to somebody who's been pushing really hard for this, first in the Maryland legislature and hit the ground running in the United States Congress, Sarah Alfreth.

Well, thank you to Senator Van Holland for being Team Maryland's quarterback in the federal delegation, but also as you see behind me, the epitome of Team Maryland when we say it's not just the federal delegation, it starts with our local partners, our county partners, our state partners, and of course uh the federal team.

Y'all, this is a day that I I gotta tell you.

Um I try to be an optimist in this work.

I think you have to be.

I wasn't sure this day was gonna happen, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, first of all, this is my umpteenth City Doc press conference.

I think we've all been here many, many times to announce really great news to announce state funding, 18 and a half million in state funding to announce uh almost 10 million dollars in federal earmarks to announce the resilience authority to to mark uh Congressman Sarbanes.

We were here uh sorry, there's too many tall people behind me.

Uh we were here during one of the biggest floods, I think the fourth biggest flood on record, standing right here surveying the urgency of of now.

And that's that's where I wanted to start.

Um, rising seas aren't going to wait for bureaucracy.

I think we see that every single day.

And as the Senator said, this is more than just a climate adaptation project.

It has real implications for Annapolis's past, present, and future.

Obviously, the historical impacts of this project, what we are preserving as the former United States Capitol, uh, really important uh year that we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation.

But we also recognize the more challenging and difficult pieces of our history that we need to honor and respect and share and tell.

The fact that where we are standing is a is a UNESCO site of remembrance because it was a site of the transatlantic slave trade.

We also have an a deep obligation to tell the stories in the city, not just of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, but also the folks who worked the water, the immigrants, the families who lived right here and made Annapolis what it is today.

Obviously, this moment is important because we have to preserve this city dock for our economy as well.

All of the small businesses you see around here, every time there is a major flood, we are all on the phone checking in, making sure they have what they need, making sure we're corralling the state resources and local resources to get them what they need.

Obviously, this is important for the present because of our United States Naval Academy.

And rising seas do not respect what is city land versus what is federal land.

And so what happens here very much impacts what happens there.

And of course, to the aldermen from Esport, you know better than anybody, when the rising seas cut off compromise street, that is a real emergency management challenge for the people of Esport.

Obviously, the moment of now, as we address climate change across this country is so real, and it can sometimes feel overburdened.

We feel overburdened.

It's just such a large problem.

Where can we even start?

Obviously, this started almost a decade ago with a vision from Mayor Buckley and the city council and the staff at the city who knew that this was not a nice to have, this was a must have, not just then, but knowing that the seas will continue to rise each and every year.

Um it's often said that success has a thousand fathers.

I'd like to also believe there's a few mothers tucked in there as well.

Obviously to Mayor Buckley for his vision, the city council for their dedication, the staff.

I also want to thank the hundreds of Annapolis citizens who participated in I don't know how many charrettes y'all had to make sure almost 300 opportunities for the public to weigh in here.

That's so important in this moment.

To county executive Pittman, who has just been a champion and making sure that we are all staying on task and on target.

I so appreciate you.

The state delegation, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the state funding started under former speaker Mike Bush.

He had the vision, he knew, and he wanted to respond with state dollars being the capital city.

Um and he started the trend that I was had the privilege of picking up.

I know Delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, Senator Henson, make sure we in every single budget make sure we are delivering for this project.

To the federal delegation, I'm so grateful that Congressman Sarbanes is here.

I also called Senator Ben Carden um the other day to share the good news.

There's not a lot of good days of good news in this job.

Senator Van Holland, you didn't tell me that when I first ran.

But he was thrilled and he wished he could be here today.

I want to give him thanks and credit as well.

Um it's been said that that Mayor Littman Um has taken this project and been so thoughtful and so strategic as we met this critical moment.

And I too received that SOS text message in February.

Um, being on the Armed Services Committee, the Naval Aboard Naval Academy Board along with uh Senator Van Holland.

He asked, can we involve the Navy?

And so uh that was my role to play in this orchestra of support that we all lent here is to call the Pentagon to call the Navy and remind them that the rising seas will also impact the readiness of our United States Naval Academy.

And they made a call as well.

There were so many calls that were made in the month, Mr.

Mayor, since you sent that text message.

And I just want to thank you for your vision and your commitment.

We're gonna hear in a minute from uh Secretary Strickland from MDEM, who is also been just a champion of this throughout multiple administrations.

I want to thank you for your support.

You're also on our call sheet any time we get a major flood, so I want to thank you and your team for that.

Um and without further ado, I want to thank my predecessor who um has has been dedicated and focused to this work uh for his 18 years serving in the United States Congress.

I'm so grateful to be able to call him and turn to him for advice more often than I thought I would uh in this Congress.

But I'm so grateful to my friend um Congressman John Sarbanes.

Thanks very much, Sher.

This this is a great day.

I'm gonna be brief.

I promise, you know, if you let a former member of Congress up to a podium, they could go forever.

Um but uh first of all, let me salute Team Maryland, uh, Senator Ryan Holland, Congresswoman Sarah Elfith, representative of the third district of Maryland.

I love saying that to Jared, uh to Stewart, to everybody who's been part of this.

I also want to give a shout out to to Gavin Buckley.

Um I got a lot of SOS's from Gavin over the years.

Um so I've got a whole text string there, but thank you, Jerry, for kind of picking up the ball and and carrying it.

It means so much to Annapolis, it means so much uh to Ann Arnold County, to the state.

This is an example of people coming together in a very, very powerful way.

This was a Rubik's Cube from the beginning.

I mean, it had so many different and continues to have so many different interlocking parts that require special attention.

Um, so getting these resources finally over the finish line is just it's it's a huge win.

And it demonstrates, I think, and and you mentioned this here a moment ago, um, the resilience of the people of Annapolis.

I mean, stepping up, how to conceptualize this, what what would it mean to execute it, putting all the phases together that you're now gonna see kind of rolling out over time.

That that was a huge accomplishment.

And then the last thing I want to say is this kind of a project, this kind of a resilience project, um, in the context of what we know are gonna continue to be uh increasing challenges coming at us in terms of climate change and weather disruption and so forth, is going to be a model for how you do these things around the country.

And Annapolis has always been a leader, it's always been a model, it's always kind of uh taken the lead nationally on innovative creative approaches.

This is another example of that.

Um it's gonna be a tough slog through the execution, uh, but I know one that's gonna be successful.

So congratulations to the people of Annapolis, to to Team Maryland, to everybody who got us to this point, is gonna keep moving it forward, and obviously, very much um at the reins for this process uh going forward is going to be uh Mayor Littman.

I want to thank him for all his great work and bring him up.

Thanks.

Good morning.

Thank you.

My name is Mayor Jared Littman, and on behalf of the City Council members and I, it is our great honor and pleasure to thank and receive the $33 million plus the two and a half million dollars for FEMA.

And I just I am so relieved, frankly.

I know uh your my sleep isn't everyone's concerned, but I've been sleeping a lot better the past couple nights, uh knowing that this money was uh is coming.

And it this is the obviously the evolution of work from so many individuals, and they've been mentioned, but I just want to point out how our city staff continue to slog away at the financial, the technical, the environmental reviews, meeting every deadline, answering questions from FEMA.

It was a long process and it seemed to evolve, and they stepped up and they've met all the uh burdens and and uh requests.

And their dedication has absolutely ensured our success.

To go over the funding of this huge engineering and infrastructure project, we have 24 million dollars from the concession agreement related to the building of uh Hillman Garage, 10 million dollars from the state of Maryland, and I I see uh our delegate uh uh delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, and our uh state Senator uh Henson being represented here.

4.8 million dollars in congressional earmarks, although not called earmarks anymore, two million dollars from the county, and today's 33 million plus the two and a half million from FEMA, plus the city's bond money to ensure and that we now have all the funding in place to see this project through.

Right.

This is a major investment in protecting our historic waterfront local businesses, and ensuring that our residents can continue to enjoy this wonderful area that we all love for generations and generations to come.

This is an investment in the future of Annapolis.

I want to acknowledge we have a lot of partners, and I I recognize the city is the small player here, and so we have a lot of people I want to thank.

I first want to call out the current and former city council members who stood by former uh Mayor Buckley and I throughout this process.

They all received lots of phone calls of if this, then this, and the council, it was unanimous in supporting our efforts to move forward.

Of course, our thank you, council members.

Of course, uh I want to thank our federal delegation, Senator Van Holland, uh, Senator Alsa Brooks, who couldn't be here today, Representative uh Elfrith, and of course, Representative uh uh Sarbans, who's always been a good friend.

Thank you all so much for your support.

Our governor and his team have been hugely instrumental as well.

So I thank Governor Moore and MDEM Secretary Strickland for your support.

The number of phone calls and conferences strategizing all along.

And of course, again, I want to call out our our state delegation, Senator Henson, delegates Jones and Baylor.

I think delegate Jones gets the award for latest phone call on this matter on a Friday night in particular, too.

So thank you for being available.

Um County Executive Pittman, you've always stood behind and helped strategize, and I know that I can count on you as well.

Thank you so much.

Mayor Buckley, I know had this vision, and now the hard work of going from vision to turning into reality, but that doesn't get started without the initial vision.

So I thank you, Mayor Buckley.

A couple of individuals that don't get a lot of limelight, I want to call out.

Um City Manager Buckland, I want to thank you.

Project manager Arlene Fogarty seeing this through director in chief Kevin Simmons and David Mendel from Office of Emergency Management and Public Works Director Burr Vogel.

And Public Works Director Burr Vogel.

Someone who never calls out for attention, but is a friend and a leader and this whole project, Matt Fleming and the Resilience Authority.

Thank you for your appreciation.

He's one of those guys that when we strategize of who needs to do what, he's like, I got it.

I got it.

I got it.

Thank you, Matt.

Appreciate you.

Looking ahead, I want to call out all the individuals who are involved.

We all got involved in public service because we wanted to do good for the community.

We are doing our best to serve the public.

And as uh Congresswoman Elfrith mentioned, there are some tough days where when our efforts to do good are not necessarily treated as such.

I just want to let all of us take have all of us take a moment to appreciate the enormity of today's milestone.

This is the this is the result of your hard work, your focus on serving your constituents and seeing the big picture of what can be done when we join together.

And so I just want you all to pat yourselves on the back, pat each other on the back, take a moment to appreciate this.

I know that there have been a lot of press conferences.

I am so looking forward to having a ribbon cutting where we could say, come on, and it's not last minute and hurried.

This work is absolutely just beginning.

I know that just because we now have the money in the bank, it's not all smooth sailing.

But I know with the team behind me, they've all demonstrated they're willing to answer the call, be involved, be supportive, either quietly or publicly, whatever is needed to get the job done, and that's huge.

That is absolutely huge.

It is my absolute honor to lead Annapolis's efforts through this, and again, I thank all of the partners involved in this work.

I'm so excited to help deliver the City Doc project for all of us.

And with that, I want to introduce my friends and our county executive, Stuart Pittman.

Well, first, just congratulations to everybody.

I'm not gonna go through everybody and do all the same thanks all over again, but congratulations to all of us.

We should be having a huge party right now.

Uh maybe this is maybe we will later.

Um I had a meeting on my schedule today that got canceled.

My scheduler told me the mayor's office canceled our meeting on Friday, didn't say why.

And then I got a text message, not the SOS one, got that too, but I got the good text message from Mayor Littman.

And um the joy, I mean the ability to sleep.

Um that meeting was about we're in the middle of our budget process.

We're in the middle of our capital budget process.

We managed to squeeze two million out last year, you know, with the help of um um councilwoman Rodvian uh for this district for particularly the Wilcome Welcome Center as part of this project to get it over the finish line.

But not having the Fiat Ma money would have meant that the project would have been scaled back.

Um the mayor had all kinds of contingency plans, and his contingency plans included more money from the county, I think.

Um so it was a big relief to have that meeting canceled.

Um I want to I wanna I want to particularly thank our our delegation, um, Congresswoman Alfred, our senators, and every the the whole team.

Um but I think I think in this time we don't we've almost lost faith that we have a partner in the federal government and particularly in FEMA.

It has been so frustrating and sad and terrifying in some cases to have FEMA no longer a partner.

And and um, but these folks didn't give up.

These folks continued to work relationships that they had, relationships in places we don't even know want to know who they talk to to get this thing across the finish line.

Um but but thank you.

Just thank you for not giving up in a time where we all just want to fight, fight, fight.

Sometimes we also have to get in there and negotiate and and manage to get some wins.

And for the for the public, for the residents of Anorundal County, who are so looking forward to coming into Annapolis and and seeing this beautiful, beautiful public space.

It's gonna be like a park for the whole county, which is why I'm open.

I've been open to investments in it is with county dollars.

Um it is it is just like a little bit of sunshine.

We haven't had sun all week.

Um but it's a little bit of sunshine and a dark time, and that in fact, government can work and things can get done.

So just thank you and and let's celebrate.

This is a wonderful wonderful day.

Congratulations.

And I also want to acknowledge um the the former mayor, um Gavin Buckley, for the work that he did um to get us to this point.

You know, his name would have been Mud if if if FEMA money hadn't showed up, right?

I mean, you gotta blame somebody, but now his name is not Mud, it's back to Gavin Buckley, and we can all celebrate next.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you very, very much.

Uh this is a celebration.

I really I like that term.

Um, I first like to thank Governor Moore and Maryland's congressional delegation for your unwavering support of this critical project.

Uh I'd also like to recognize the city of Annapolis for their leadership and persistent advocacy to see funding awarded, and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Team who adeptly shepherding this project through many stages of approval.

Now I'm going to go off script for a second because there were two words that were mentioned here today.

Resilience and modeling.

And emergency management's responsibilities, although many times at the back end of the crowd, just kind of watching and making sure everybody's safe, but it's before, during, and after a disaster that we're involved.

This is before.

And before is mitigation, and mitigation is the center of the universe.

We're really, really good at response and immediate recovery, but mitigation is that which will improve for all the businesses in the area and will make a difference of almost a dollar invested a six dollar return when it comes time for recovery.

So I think that is so so important, and I appreciate the words that folks have used.

So the mission of Maryland Department of Emergency Management is to proactively reduce these disaster risk and reliably manage consequences through collaborative work with Maryland's communities and partners.

In Maryland, emergency management is a system of systems.

We are the counties and the local jurisdictions coupled with the state, working with our state agencies and partners, and with our private sector partners.

We cannot do it alone.

No one can, and it's only through that system of systems that we do it.

The Annapolis City uh dock hazard mitigation project is an excellent example of this type of work of everyone coming together.

So the investment today comes a result of years of partnership and collaboration with the residents, business owners, and governments at every level.

And I have to say, we've been talking about it started in 2019.

I started in state emergency management in 2004.

This was a discussion then.

It was a discussion of flooding back into the 1700s for Ellicott City.

And when it comes time for a model, this will not only be a model, but there's another really, really good model in Frederick City that started with Agnes.

And it took 20 years to build, and about three or four years ago, there was a flooding event, and it worked.

It worked.

So we know that this funding will bring a significant return on investment for every dollar invested, as I mentioned, we'll save six in re disaster recovery.

And while the dollars matter, what really matters is our community and our survivors.

That's where our focus is.

So the hazard mitigation efforts on this scale mean more days that residents and visit visitors can enjoy Maryland state capital and the beautiful waterfront, more days that local businesses have to grow and thrive, and fewer days spent mucking out livelihoods and homes, or wondering if the next storm or king tide will be worse than the last one.

So this proof is this project is proof that together we can do things which shape a more resilient Maryland where communities thrive and where no one is left behind.

So from the emergency management community to all of you, one congratulations.

Two, thank you.

And number three, we're not leaving.

We are not leaving until it's done.

And we'll be here for another 20 years to make sure it works so we can write that down.

All right.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for taking uh th thank you, Mr.

Secretary.

Uh thank you, Team Maryland.

Um, before we take questions, I do want to acknowledge a few other folks.

And Sarah mentioned um my former partner and colleague, Ben Cardin.

He was also tenacious about this project, and we worked very closely together.

And just like Congresswoman Elfrith picked up the baton from John Sarbane's uh in the House, um, Angela Alserbrooks is helped pick up that baton in the United States Senate.

So I just want to thank her.

She could not be here.

So let's give them both a round of applause.

So we're happy to answer any questions.

And if not, we do have a check, cash it fast.

Any questions?

Can you respond to the letter that you sent to the Trump administration regarding the Legionella?

I'm sorry.

I couldn't.

Can you respond to the um the letter you sent to the Trump administration relative to the Legionella?

Oh, can we talk to you after about?

I'm happy to do one-on-one or whatever.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Okay.

Check.

All right.

Shall we uh all you mentioned one of the person I forgot to course?

I also want to call out Lieutenant General Superintendent of the Naval Academy, uh, Mike Borschulte.

Who was incredibly helpful and wanted to acknowledge his thing his efforts as well.

What do you get in the middle here?

It was carried.

We talk about James Brown.

Stevie Wonders.

Jimmy Hendrix.

This is a place where seventy thousand would come from New York, from the Carolinas to Annapolis.

You know, we talk about our history alone in Annapolis, but we only talk about one history.

And this amazing piece of history that happened for three decades is gonna be here for the next generation to learn about We need to pay homage to our history and our ancestors.

You know, this is bringing home back to us.

You remember the carousel.

You remember the fan stand.

So this is bringing that dream to a reality.

And it's a beautiful thing that what you're seeing today as I say is a microcosm.

What we see at Cars Beach is a perfect example of that.

It's the state, it's the citizens that all come together.

It's very much a team effort.

Tell them he belongs to me.

And that tonight goes on perpetually.

We are here on an episode celebrating the boy who harnessed the wind.

A guy who overcame at birth.

A young brown boy from project.

And I'm celebrating, but not just me from many others that have came out of situations of adversity.

This is where it all started.

This is where I used to work.

Maybe 10 years ago.

This was my station.

Teach me how to schedule.

You better be the work boys out of all the others as well.

Being raised in with a culture of women of hairdressers that I was had that I looked up to growing up, I was heavily equipped.

I used to sit in hair salons and watch the ladies work, and I really learned a lot about being a hairstylist with my mentors in front of me.

I mean, I have clients like Rihanna, Nikki Minaj, Kelly Rowan, Yari Shahidi.

I like Glamorous hair, I like confident hair.

I like how this been slept on and lived in and ruffled up.

I told myself that I could dream, and I told myself that I could in a situation where I was I wasn't supposed to.

And so me standing here today is a huge honor because when I started my journey, I had no idea that this could be.

But I kept going and I kept doing here.

I'm getting the keys of the city.

On behalf of the city of Annapolis, we present you with the keys to the city.

And I love what I do.

I love Annapolis.

I want to be able to create space for younger individuals to be empowered, to be uplifted, to find mentorship, and to really strategize ways to really uplift.

And so I am gonna start a nonprofit here in Annapolis.

I'm gonna pair up with all of my mentors, and we are gonna come with something spectacular.

It means more to me than the accolade.

It's really about the order for me.

It's really, I'm really honored and grateful.

And that's what it means to me.

It's really I have a lot of humility for what my ancestors gave away for.

And when you get there, you leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you find an Eastport on the bay.

They're a laid back crew.

They're in old Eastport.

They go to work all summer long in deck shoes and shorts.

And if you want a millionaire's elbow to rub, he's got the shabbiest deck shoes down at Marbaduke's pub.

Or go around the corner to Leon's barber shop and have the mayor himself take a little off the top in Eastport on the bay.

So let me get across, Mr.

Bridgetender, and leave it up for good for all that I care.

The crab pot steaming, we can pick us a few, and I'll shuck the oysters if you make us do.

Crabbing and sailing with characters galore.

It's a land of pleasant living surrounded by shore.

Yuppies with puppies walking side by side and things ain't changing except for the tide.

So come on over, leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you'll find in Eastport on the bay.

I've seen so many stars at Cars Beach.

Call Beach.

One of the most beautiful places there were.

When Chuck Curry came to town or James Brown came to town.

There was so much parking that you only had.

We saw people that got tired of waiting in traffic and they get out and walk and run because all the big stars came here.

They would sneak in, you know, through some type of fence.

I don't know where this fence was, but you know, it because it gets so crowded.

And people would sneak in some type of way just to come and see the you know different um entertainment.

We didn't have to go anywhere to see James Brown at a game.

All the nickname stars came right here in our back door.

It was just a joy for time.

It was just for me, for me and a lot of other blacks.

It was it was just a joy for time.

When we when we got off of work sometime, we went to Carl's Beach.

You know, but Carl's Beach is uh wow.

It was a center of attraction for everybody, especially blacks.

It was a center of traction.

When the community was the segregated, it's the only place that really Afro-Americans come there and have a day of fun.

Ever since my first visit here, I can remember uh the people dancing on the on the concrete pavilion with the in the sand uh on this uh on the on the pavilion and those leather soles made a distinct grinding sound, but it was a rhythmic sound that uh that is still with me down.

I am tickled today to be sitting here and hearing music and looking out in the bay.

Uh it brings back a lot of memories.

They had rides, first wheels, uh murder round, the cotton candy.

They had a big dance hall where we see hop atoms on the bands saying, and it would be it would be broadcast live.

Tonight, tonight tonight, the happy atoms, and people came from all over come down, cause and sprawled beef.

And we came for the cause battle beach reunion, and this is a great reunion.

This is where it all started from the grounds.

And I I don't know, it's just heavenly to be here today.

It's it's awesome.

And I'm just so delighted to be here to see this.

When you snap your fingers and wick your eye, I come running to you.

There ain't nothing that I can do.

It was such a beautiful thing.

It was it was a place where you had a beautiful time.

Llame a 9-11 immediately.

Acuérdese of property detectors de humo mensualmente.

I got in practice.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, this year we're bringing in a women's team, so go blues, kill it this season.

Hey Annapolis, it's go time.

On demand transit that takes you where you want to go.

It's fast, it's easy, and it's an affordable way to get around Annapolis.

Going to the doctor, it's go time.

Going shopping, it's go time.

Exploring Annapolis, it's go time.

It's easy to schedule your ride.

Use the app or call transportation dispatch at four one zero two six three seven nine six four.

Set your pickup and your destination, and we'll be right there.

Simply track the bus on the app so you'll know exactly when we'll be there to pick you up.

Pay once you are on the bus.

Just two dollars per ride and only one dollar for seniors.

Or you can use your daily, weekly, monthly, or annual bus pass.

Getting around Annapolis is easy with Annapolis go time.

On demand transit.

See you on board!

Hello, Annapolis, it's Mayor Gavin Buckley here, and we are about to start the blues soccer season at the end of this month.

I can't wait to be out there with you.

The atmosphere is electric, and just when you thought it couldn't get any better, this year we're bringing in a women's team, so go blues, kill it this season.

Before there was blitz stock.

Law those legends.

We talk about James Crowd.

Stevie Wonders.

Jimmy Hendrix.

This is a place.

We're 70,000.

We come from New York from the Carolinas to Annapolis.

You know, we talk about our history a lot in Annapolis, but we only talk about one history.

And this amazing piece of history that happened for three decades is gonna be here for the next generation to learn about a we need to pay homage to our history and our ancestors.

You know, this is bringing home back to us.

You remember the carousel, you remember the fan stand.

So this is bringing that dream to a reality.

And it's a beautiful thing that what you're seeing today as I say is a microcosm.

What we say at Cars Beach is a perfect example of that.

It's the state, it's the citizens that all come together.

It's very much a team effort.

Tell him he belongs to me.

Tell him that I still deepen in love.

Tonight, tonight, tonight, and that tonight goes on perpetually.

Keep celebrating tomorrow and the next day.

Keep encouraging one another.

Don't stop.

Just keep going.

And if you see my love, tell him that I'm sorry.

Into my eye.

Hello, I'm Ken White with the Annapolis Fire Department.

This week's theme for fire prevention week is serve up safety in the kitchen.

So this holiday season, here's some tips from the Annapolis Fire Department that can help you serve up safety in the kitchen.

Tip one, when frying, boiling, or simmering, stay in the kitchen.

Never leave the home and always use a timer.

Tip two, if a breeze fire starts, never try to extinguish with water.

Use a lid to cover over the pot, turn the burner off, and wait till the pan cools down.

Tip three.

Always keep your cleaning and cooking surfaces free of any clutter.

And tip four, remember to always keep a three-foot distance around the cooking area.

A three-feet kid zone, as I like to call it.

And remember, if you're unable to control the fire, get out of your house and dial 911 immediately.

And never forget every month to test your smoking arm, have an escape plan and practice your escape plan.

Unattended cooking is a leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

For more information on tips on how you can serve up safety in the kitchen, visit WW dot fireprevention week.org.

Stay safe, Annapolis.

Hey Annapolis.

It's go time.

On demand transit that takes you where you want to go.

It's fast, it's easy, and it's an affordable way to get around Annapolis.

Going to the doctor, it's go time.

Going shopping, it's go time.

Exploring Annapolis, it's go time.

It's easy to schedule your ride.

Use the app or call transportation dispatch at four one zero two six three seven nine six four.

Set your pickup and your destination, and we'll be right there.

Simply track the bus on the app so you'll know exactly when we'll be there to pick you up.

Just two dollars per ride and only one dollar for seniors.

Or you can use your daily, weekly, monthly, or annual bus pass.

Getting around Annapolis is easy with Annapolis go time.

On demand transit.

See you on board, you know.

There's a little place across Spa Creek.

You get there when you shuffle down Compromise Street, cross the bridge or paddle through the harbor, it's the opposite side of Annapolis proper.

And when you get there, you leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you'll find an Eastport on the bay.

They're a laid back crew, they're an old Eastport.

You go to work all summer long in deck shoes and shorts.

And if you want a millionaire's elbow to rub, he's got the shabbiest deck shoes down at Marbaduke's pub.

Or go around the corner to Leon's barber shop and have the mayor himself take a little off the top in Eastport on the bay.

So let me get across, Mr.

Bridgetender, and leave it up for good for all that I care.

The crab pot steaming, we can pick us a few, and I'll shut the oysters if you make us do.

Crabbing and sailing with characters galore.

It's a land of pleasant living surrounded by shore.

Yuppies with puppies walking side by side and things ain't changing except for the tide.

So come on over, leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you'll find an Eastport on the bay.

It'll go down in history, one of the most beautiful places there were.

A day of fun.

Ever since my first visit here, I can remember uh the people dancing on the on the concrete pavilion with the in the sand uh on this uh on the on the pavilion in those leather soles made of distinct grinding sound, but it was a rhythmic sound that uh that is still woke me down.

I am tickled today to be to be sitting here and hearing music and looking out in the bay.

Uh it brings back a lot of memories.

They had rides, first wheels, uh murder round, the cotton candy.

They had a big dance hall where we see hop outs on the bands and saying, and it would be it would be broadcast live.

Tonight, tonight tonight, the happy atoms, and people came from all over, come down Cause and Spirals Beach.

And we came for the Cause Spirals Beach reunion, and this is a great reunion.

This is where it all started from the grounds.

And I I don't know, it's just heavenly to be here today.

It's it's awesome, and I'm just so delighted to be here to see this.

When you snap your fingers and wick your eye, I come running to you.

There ain't nothing that I can do.

It was such a beautiful thing.

It was it was a place where you had a beautiful time.

Like I say, Cogs Beach live forever, and it's in our hearts, and you'll live in our hearts forever.

I said sugar park.

We are here in Annapolis today celebrating the boy who harnessed the wind.

A guy who overcame adversity.

A young brown boy from Project.

And I'm celebrating, but not just me from many others that have came out of situations of adversity.

I mean, I have clients like Rihanna, Nikki Minaj, Kelly Rowan, Yari Shahidi.

I like glamorous hair.

I like confidence.

And so me standing here today is a huge honor because when I started my journey, I had no idea that this could be.

Hey, get out of here.

Looks like I have to do proper trash placement and training again.

If you put your trash out, please place it into a bag.

And tie the bag up and place it to a watertight receptacle with your address place on it so they can be seen from the street to the end of your property for proper road collection.

As a matter of fact, this recycle is done all wrong also.

If you decide to place your recycling in a bag, please bring your bag to the receptacle and take all items out of the bag and place them into the can.

And make sure the lid is closed, please.

Let's bring back in the trash monster so I can show you things that are not recyclable.

See 40% non-recyclable right now.

This is not recyclable.

This is not recyclable.

The metal utensils are not recycling.

Please be mindful of your trash and recycled placement to avoid fires.

So come on, Captain, don't maybe wait.

Este cuchillo de metal tampoco.

All right.

Well, welcome everybody.

We're gathered here in a great American city, the great city of Annapolis, the sailing capital of the world, an historic city where George Washington resigned his military commission symbolizing the transfer and peaceful transfer of power and making it clear that in America we have no kings.

They don't try to whitewash and hide their past.

A city that is the home, the proud home of the Naval Academy.

And so that's why we're gathered here today to address that problem.

And we have great news for a great American city, great news for the great city of Annapolis, which is after many years, FEMA has released the $35 million in funds.

That includes the $33 million that was part of the original City of Annapolis grants and an additional two and a half million dollars to help with related upgrades for stormwater management.

And you're going to hear from so many people who were part of that effort, but there were also many more who are represented here today that you won't hear from, but who you see here and others who could not join us today.

Thank you for carrying on that vision with absolute perseverance.

Um I was just telling the mayor that I have right here a text message that I received from him on Valentine's Day.

Coincidentally, and it was an SOS message.

And it began, I am writing because we are at a critical point in the city dock project.

And he went on to outline the huge challenges they would face if the FEMA funds didn't come through.

He also was putting together contingency plans because he understood the importance of this project, and he said in that text message if we don't get started and try to keep this on time, we're gonna see some of these businesses close.

So thank you, Mayor Littman for moving with that urgency, and that lit another fire under all of us who are members of the Maryland federal delegation.

And I can say that in the Senate, we immediately renewed our push, which has been ongoing, and directly contacted DHS and FEMA and said we really need you to release these funds, and we need it yesterday.

And we got the appropriations committee in the Senate involved, and not surprisingly, there are other members in the House and the Senate who've also had projects held up by FEMA.

And so there was a growing backlog, but also growing frustration at what was happening uh with backlogs for projects all over the country.

And so all of that pressure built and the dam broke.

And the good news is Christy Nome is out, and the funding for the Annapolis dock is in.

And let me just thank other members of the federal delegation who are part of this because the city, we we took our lead from the city from their vision.

But we have with us today uh John Sarbanes, Congressman John Sarbanes, who was absolutely tenacious, absolutely tenacious when it came to making sure that the city of Annapolis had what it needed and was constantly pushing and pushing.

And of course, former state senator and now Congresswoman, Representative Elfrith, she's been pushing really hard.

And and thank you to other members of the District 30 delegation and everybody who's been involved in this effort over years.

Uh to Stuart Pittman, your county executive.

You've been just an amazing partner, amazing partner, and all of us know the resources need to come from the city, they need to come from the county, they need to come from the state, and yes, this critical piece needed to come from the federal government.

And so I'm also pleased that we're here and with the continuing support from the governor and the governor's team.

Uh, you're going to hear from our secretary of the department of emergency management, Russ Strickland.

But thank you for what you're doing in this project, but also the other emergency projects around the state and FEMA.

So, as you can see, this is really uh a team Maryland Day, and this wouldn't have happened without everybody gathered here and many more people, and never giving up.

This is an example of perseverance and persistence at work, and that requires everybody pushing from their own angle and their own point of leverage.

So, without further ado, let me now turn it over to somebody who's been pushing really hard for this, first in the Maryland legislature and hit the ground running in the United States Congress, Sarah Alfreth.

Thank you.

Well, thank you to Senator Van Holland for being Team Maryland's quarterback in the federal delegation, but also as you see behind me the epitome of Team Maryland when we say it's not just the federal delegation, it starts with our local partners, our county partners, our state partners, and of course uh the federal team.

Y'all, this is a day that I I gotta tell you.

Um I try to be an optimist in this work.

I think you have to be.

I wasn't sure this day was gonna happen, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, first of all, this is my umpteen City Doc press conference.

I think we've all been here many many times to announce really great news to announce state funding, 18 and a half million in state funding to announce uh almost 10 million dollars in federal earmarks to announce the resilience authority to to mark uh Congressman Sarbeans.

We were here uh sorry, there's too many tall people behind me.

Uh we were here during one of the biggest floods, I think the fourth biggest flood on record, standing right here surveying the urgency of of now.

And that's that's where I want to just start.

Um, rising seas aren't going to wait for bureaucracy.

I think we see that every single day.

And as the senator said, this is more than just a climate adaption project.

It has real implications for Annapolis's past, present, and future.

Obviously, the historical impacts of this project, what we are preserving as the former United States Capitol, uh, really important uh year that we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation.

But we also recognize the more challenging and difficult pieces of our history that we need to honor and respect and share and tell.

The fact that where we are standing is a is a UNESCO site of remembrance because it was a site of the transatlantic slave trade.

We also have an a deep obligation to tell the stories in the city, not just of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, but also the folks who worked the water, the immigrants, the families who lived right here and made Annapolis what it is today.

Obviously, this moment is important because we have to preserve this city dock for our economy as well.

All of the small businesses you see around here, every time there is a major flood, we are all on the phone checking in, making sure they have what they need, making sure we're corralling the state resources and local resources to get them what they need.

Obviously, this is important for the present because of our United States Naval Academy, and and rising seas do not respect what is city land versus what is federal land.

And so what happens here very much impacts what happens there.

And of course, to the Alderman from Eastport, you know better than anybody.

When the rising seas cut off compromise street, that is a real emergency management challenge for the people of E-sport.

Obviously, the moment of now as we address climate change across this country is so real and it can sometimes feel overburdened.

We we feel overburdened, it's just such a large problem.

Where can we even start?

Obviously, this started almost a decade ago with a vision from Mayor Buckley and the city council and the the staff at the city who knew that this was not a nice to have, this was a must-have, not just then, but knowing that the seas will continue to rise each and every year.

Um it's often said that success has a thousand fathers.

I'd like to also believe there's a few mothers tucked in there as well.

Obviously, to Mayor Buckley for his vision, the city council for their dedication, the staff.

I also want to thank the hundreds of Annapolis citizens who participated in I don't know how many charts y'all had to make sure almost 300 300 opportunities for the public to weigh in here.

That's so important in this moment.

To county executive Pittman, who has just been uh a champion and and making sure that we are all staying on task and on target.

I so appreciate you.

The state delegation, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the state funding started under former speaker Mike Bush.

He had the vision, he knew and he wanted to respond with state dollars being the capital city.

Um and he started the trend that I was had the privilege of picking up.

I know Delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, Senator Henson, make sure we in every single budget make sure we are delivering for this project.

To the federal delegation, I'm so grateful that Congressman Sarbanes is here.

I also called Senator Ben Carden um the other day to share the good news.

There's not a lot of good days of good news in this job.

Senator Van Holland, you didn't tell me that when I first ran.

But he was thrilled and he wished he could be here today.

I want to give him thanks and credit as well.

Um it's been said that that Mayor Littman um has taken this project and been so thoughtful and so strategic as we met this critical moment.

And I too received that SOS text message in February.

Um, being on the Armed Services Committee, the Naval Board Naval Academy Board along with uh Senator Van Holland.

He asked, can we involve the Navy?

And so uh that was my role to play in this orchestra of support that we all lent here is to call the Pentagon to call the Navy and remind them that the rising seas will also impact the readiness of our United States Naval Academy.

And they made a call as well.

There were so many calls that were made in the month, Mr.

Mayor, since you sent that text message, and I always want to thank you for your vision and your commitment.

We're gonna hear in a minute from uh Secretary Strickland um from MDEM, who has also been just a champion of this throughout multiple administrations.

I want to thank you for your support.

You're also on our call sheet any time we get a major flood, so I want to thank you and your team for that.

Um, and without further ado, I want to thank my predecessor who um has has been dedicated and focused to this work uh for his 18 years serving in the United States Congress.

I'm so grateful to be able to call him and turn to him for advice more often than I thought I would uh in this Congress, but I'm so grateful to my friend um Congressman John Sarbanes.

Thanks very much, sir.

This this is a great day.

I'm gonna be brief.

I promise, you know, if you let a former member of Congress up to a podium, they could go forever.

Um but uh first of all, let me salute Team Maryland, uh Senator Ryan Holland, Congresswoman Sarah Elfith, representative of the third district of Maryland.

I love saying that to Jared, uh to Stewart, to everybody who's been part of this.

I also want to give a shout out to to Gavin Buckley.

Um I got a lot of SOS's from Gavin over the years.

Um so I've got a whole text string there, but thank you, Jerry, for kind of picking up the ball and and carrying it.

It means so much to Annapolis, it means so much uh to Ann Arnold County, to the state.

This is an example of people coming together in a very, very powerful way.

This was a Rubik's Cube from the beginning.

I mean, it had so many different and continues to have so many different interlocking parts that require special attention.

Um so getting these resources finally over the finish line is just it's it's a huge win.

And it demonstrates, I think, and and you mentioned this here a moment ago, um, the resilience of the people of Annapolis.

I mean, stepping up how to conceptualize this, what what would it mean to execute it, putting all the phases together that you're now gonna see kind of rolling out over time.

That that was a huge accomplishment.

And then the last thing I want to say is this kind of a project, this kind of a resilience project, um, in the context of what we know are gonna continue to be uh increasing challenges coming at us in terms of climate change and weather disruption and so forth, is going to be a model for how you do these things around the country.

And Annapolis has always been a leader, it's always been a model, it's always kind of uh taken the lead nationally on innovative creative approaches.

This is another example of that.

Um it's gonna be a tough slog through the execution, uh, but I know one that's gonna be successful.

So, congratulations to the people of Annapolis, to to Team Maryland, to everybody who got us to this point, is gonna keep moving it forward, and obviously, very much um at the reins for this process uh going forward is going to be uh Mayor Littman.

I want to thank him for all his great work and bring him up.

Thanks.

Good morning.

Thank you.

My name is Mayor Jared Littman, and on behalf of the city council members and I, it is our great honor and pleasure to thank and receive the $33 million plus the two and a half million dollars for FEMA.

And I just I am so relieved, frankly.

I know uh your my sleep isn't everyone's concerned, but I've been sleeping a lot better the past couple nights, uh knowing that this money was uh is coming.

And it this is the obviously the evolution of work from so many individuals, and they've been mentioned, but I just want to point out how our city staff continue to slog away at the financial, the technical, the environmental reviews, meeting every deadline, answering questions from FEMA.

It was a long process, and it seemed to evolve, and they stepped up and they've met all the uh burdens and and uh requests.

And their dedication has absolutely ensured our success.

To go over the funding of this huge engineering and infrastructure project, we have 24 million dollars from the concession agreement related to the building of uh Hillman Garage, 10 million dollars from the state of Maryland, and I I see uh our delegate uh uh delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, and our uh state Senator uh Henson being represented here.

4.8 million dollars in congressional earmarks, although not called earmarks anymore, two million dollars from the county, and today's 33 billion plus the two and a half million from FEMA, plus the city's bond money to ensure and that we now have all the funding in place to see this project through.

Right.

That was amazing.

This is a major investment in protecting our historic waterfront, local businesses, and ensuring that our residents can continue to enjoy this wonderful area that we all love for generations and generations to come.

This is an investment in the future of Annapolis.

I want to acknowledge we have a lot of partners, and I I recognize the city is the small player here, and so we have a lot of people I want to thank.

I first want to call out the current and former city council members who stood by former uh Mayor Buckley and I throughout this process.

They all received lots of phone calls of if this then this and the council, it was unanimous in supporting our efforts to move forward.

Of course, our thank you, Council members.

Of course, uh I want to thank our federal delegation, Senator Van Holland, uh, Senator Alsa Brooks, who couldn't be here today, Representative uh Elfrith, and of course, Representative uh uh Sarbans, who's always been a good friend.

Thank you all so much for your support.

Our governor and his team have been hugely instrumental as well.

So I thank Governor Moore and M Dem Secretary Strickland for your support.

The number of phone calls and conferences strategizing all along.

And of course, again, I want to call out our our state delegation, Senator Henson, delegates Jones and Baylor.

I think Delegate Jones gets the award for latest phone call on this matter on a Friday night in particular, too.

So thank you for being available.

Um County Executive Pittman, you've always stood behind and helped strategize, and I know that I can count on you as well.

Thank you so much.

Mayor Buckley, I know had this vision, and now the hard work of going from vision to turning into reality, but that doesn't get started without the initial vision.

So I thank you, Mayor Buckley.

A couple of individuals that don't get a lot of limelight, I want to call out.

Um City Manager Buckland, I want to thank you.

Project manager Eileen Fogarty seeing this through director in chief Kevin Simmons and David Mendel from Office of Emergency Management and Public Works Director Burr Vogel.

Someone who never calls out for attention, but is a friend and a leader in this whole project, Matt Fleming and the Resilience Authority.

Thank you for your speech.

He's one of those guys that when we strategize of who needs to do what, he's like, I got it.

I got it.

I got it.

Thank you, Matt.

Appreciate you.

Looking ahead, I want to call out all the individuals who are involved.

We all got involved in public service because we wanted to do good for the community.

We're we are doing our best to serve the public.

And as uh Congresswoman Elfrith mentioned, there are some tough days where when our efforts to do good are not necessarily treated as such.

I just want to let all of us take have all of us take a moment to appreciate the enormity of today's milestone.

This is the this is the result of your hard work, your focus on serving your constituents and seeing the big picture of what can be done when we join together.

And so I just want you all to pat yourselves on the back, pat each other on the back, take a moment to appreciate this.

I know that there have been a lot of press conferences.

I am so looking forward to having a ribbon cutting where we could say, come on, and it's not last minute in a hurry.

This work is absolutely just beginning.

I know that just because we now have the money in the bank, it's not all smooth sailing, but I know with the team behind me, they've all demonstrated they're willing to answer the call, be involved, be supportive, either quietly or publicly, whatever is needed to get the job done, and that's huge.

That is absolutely huge.

It is my absolute honor to lead Annapolis's efforts through this, and again, I thank all of the partners involved in this work.

I'm so excited to help deliver the City Doc project for all of us.

And with that, I want to introduce my friends and our county executive, Stuart Pittman.

Well, first, just congratulations to everybody.

I'm not gonna go through everybody and do all the same thanks all over again, but congratulations to all of us.

We should be having a huge party right now.

Uh maybe this is maybe we will later.

Um I had a meeting on my schedule today that got canceled.

My scheduler told me the mayor's office canceled our meeting on Friday, didn't say why.

And then I got a text message, not the SOS one, got that too, but I got the good text message from Mayor Littman.

And um the joy.

I mean the ability to sleep.

Um that meeting was about we're in the middle of our budget process.

We're in the middle of our capital budget process.

We managed to squeeze two million out last year, you know, with the help of of um um councilwoman Rodby and uh for this district for particularly the Welcome Welcome Center as part of this project to get it over the finish line.

But not having the Fiat Mah money would have meant that the project would have been scaled back.

Um the mayor had all kinds of contingency plans, and his contingency plans included more money from the county, I think.

Um so it was a big relief to have that meeting canceled.

Um I wanna I want to particularly thank our our delegation, um, Congresswoman Alfred, our senators, and every the the whole team.

Um, but I think I think in this time we don't we've almost lost faith that we have a partner in the federal government, and particularly in FEMA.

It has been so frustrating and sad and terrifying in some cases to have FEMA no longer a partner.

And and um, but these folks didn't give up.

These folks continued to work relationships that they had, relationships in places we don't even want to know who they talk to to get this thing across the finish line.

Um, but but thank you.

Just thank you for not giving up in a time where we all just want to fight, fight, fight.

Sometimes we also have to get in there and negotiate and and manage to get some wins.

And for the for the public, for the residents of Anorondo County, who are so looking forward to coming into Annapolis and seeing this beautiful, beautiful public space.

It's gonna be like a park for the whole county, which is why I'm open, I've been open to investments in it is with county dollars.

Um it is it is just like a little bit of sunshine.

We haven't had sun all week.

Um, but it's a little bit of sunshine and a dark time, and that in fact, government can work and things can get done.

So just thank you and and let's celebrate.

This is a wonderful wonderful day.

Congratulations.

And I also want to acknowledge um the the former mayor, um Gavin Buckley, for the work that he did um to get us to this point.

You know, his name would have been Mud if if if FEMA money hadn't showed up, right?

I mean, you gotta blame somebody, but now his name is not Mudd, it's back to Gavin Buckley, and we can all celebrate.

Next, we're gonna hear from the great Maryland secretary of emergency management, Secretary Strickland.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you very, very much.

Uh this is a celebration.

I really I like that term.

Um, I first like to thank Governor Moore and Maryland's congressional delegation for your unwavering support of this critical project.

Uh I'd also like to recognize the city of Annapolis for their leadership and persistent advocacy to see funding awarded, and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Team who adeptly shepherding this project through many stages of approval.

Now I'm gonna go off script for a second because there were two words that were mentioned here today resilience and modeling and emergency management's responsibilities, although many times at the back end of the crowd, just kind of watching and making sure everybody's safe, but it's before during and after a disaster that we're involved.

This is before and before is mitigation, and mitigation is the center of the universe.

We're really really good at response and immediate recovery, but mitigation is that which will improve for all the businesses in the area and will make a difference of almost a dollar invested, a six dollar return when it comes time for recovery.

So I think that is so so important, and I appreciate the words that folks have used.

So the mission of Maryland Department of Emergency Management is to proactively reduce these disaster risk and reliably manage consequences through collaborative work with Maryland's communities and partners.

In Maryland, emergency management is a system of systems.

We cannot do it alone.

We are the counties and the local jurisdictions coupled with the state, working with our state agencies and partners, and with our private sector partners.

We cannot do it alone.

No one can, and it's only through that system of systems that we do it.

The Annapolis City uh dock hazard mitigation project is an excellent example of this type of work of everyone coming together.

So the investment today comes a result of years of partnership and collaboration with the residents, business owners, and governments at every level.

And I have to say, we've been talking about it started in 2019.

I started in state emergency management in 2004.

This was a discussion then.

It was a discussion of flooding back into the 1700s for Ellicott City, and when it comes time for a model, this will not only be a model, but there's another really, really good model in Frederick City that started with Agnes.

And it took 20 years to build, and about three or four years ago, there was a flooding event, and it worked.

It worked.

So we know that this funding will bring a significant return on investment for every dollar invested, as I mentioned, we'll save six in re disaster recovery.

And while the dollars matter, what really matters is our community and our survivors.

That's where our focus is.

So the hazard mitigation efforts on this scale mean more days that residents and visit visitors can enjoy Maryland state capital and the beautiful waterfront, more days that local businesses have to grow and thrive, and fewer days spent mucking out livelihoods and homes, or wondering if the next storm or king tide will be worse than the last one.

So this proof is this project is proof that together we can do things which shape a more resilient Maryland where communities thrive and where no one is left behind.

So from the emergency management community to all of you, one congratulations.

Two, thank you.

And number three, we're not leaving.

And we'll be here for another 20 years to make sure it works so we can write that down.

All right.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Secretary.

Um, before we take questions, I do want to acknowledge a few other folks.

And Sarah mentioned my former partner and colleague, Ben Carden.

He was also tenacious about this project, and we worked very closely together.

And just like Congresswoman Alfred picked up the baton from John Sarbanes in the house.

Um, Angela Alserbrooks' help pick up that baton in the United States Senate.

So I just want to thank her.

She could not be here.

So let's give them both a round of applause.

So we're happy to answer any questions.

And if not, we do have a check, cash it fast.

Any questions?

Yeah.

Can you respond to the letter that you sent to the Trump administration regarding the Legionella?

I'm sorry, I couldn't.

Can you respond to the um the letter you sent to the Trump administration relative to the Janella?

Oh, can we talk to you after about?

I'm happy to do one-on-one or whatever.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Okay.

Time for the real thing.

Check.

All right.

Should we uh also?

Senator Kay.

Yes, of course.

I also want to call out Lieutenant General, Superintendent of the Naval Academy, uh Mike Borg Shulte.

Yes, uh, who was incredibly helpful and just want to acknowledge his things.

Hey Annapolis, it's go time.

On demand transit that takes you where you want to go.

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Going to the doctor, it's go time.

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It's easy to schedule your ride.

Use the app or call transportation dispatch at 410-263-7964.

Set your pickup and your destination, and we'll be right there.

Simply track the bus on the app so you'll know exactly when we'll be there to pick you up.

Pay once you are on the bus.

Just two dollars per ride and only one dollar for seniors.

Or you can use your daily, weekly, monthly, or annual bus pass.

Getting around Annapolis is easy with Annapolis go time.

On demand transit.

See you on board.

Hello, I'm Ken White with the Annapolis Fire Department.

This week's theme for fire prevention week is serve up safety in the kitchen.

So this holiday season, here's some tips from the Annapolis Fire Department that can help you serve up safety in the kitchen.

Tip one, when frying, boiling, or simmering, stay in the kitchen.

Never leave the home, and always use a timer.

Tip two, if a grease fire starts, never try to extinguish with water.

Use a lid to cover over the pot, turn the burner off, and wait till the pan cools down.

Tip three, always keep your cleaning and cooking surfaces free of any clutter.

And tip four, remember to always keep a three-foot distance around the cooking area, a three-feet kid zone, as I like to call it.

And remember, if you're unable to control the fire, get out of your house and dial 911 immediately.

And never forget every month to test your smoking law, have an escape plan, and practice your escape plan.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

For more information on tips on how you can serve up safety in the kitchen, visit WW.firepreventionweek.org.

Stay safe, Annapolis.

It's me, Gavin Buckley here, and we are about to start the blues soccer season at the end of this month.

I can't wait to be out there with you.

The atmosphere is electric.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, this year we're bringing in a women's team, so go blues, kill it this season.

Hear them geese.

They're flying high through this crystal shimmer of that October sky.

Just like them, I'm flying away down the muddy waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

So come on, Captain, raise that mane.

Can't wait to get back again to Annapolis on the bay.

I can see the domes and spires of my little town rise from the horizon like the jewels on a crown in Annapolis on the bay.

So meet me at the city dock and give us a hug and we'll shuffle off to Middletons and have some fun.

Crab pots steaming, we can pick us a few.

I'll shuck the oysters if you make the stew.

So come on, Captain, don't maybe wait.

There's no ill wind that blows us away to Annapolis on the bay.

Well welcome everybody.

We're gathered here in a great American city, the great city of Annapolis, the sailing capital of the world, an historic city where George Washington resigned his military commission, symbolizing the transfer and peaceful transfer of power and making it clear that in America we have no kings.

A city that's not afraid to tell all of its past, including its role in the slave trade.

In Annapolis, people learn from our past.

They don't try to whitewash and hide their past.

A city that is the home, the proud home of the Naval Academy, a city where millions of people from all over the world come every year, but also a city that, because of climate change, has really been hurt by the flooding, hitting these small businesses, impacting tourism, impacting the boat show.

And so that's why we're gathered here today to address that problem.

And we have great news for a great American city, great news for the great city of Annapolis, which is after many years, FEMA has released the $35 million in funds.

Uh to help with related upgrades for stormwater management.

And it was his vision that really set this project in motion.

And I heard from him last night.

He said he couldn't be here.

I think he's taking one of his kids to college, but he was just thrilled, of course, uh, that we were able to secure these funds.

And to the new mayor, Mayor Littman, and to the council, city council here in Annapolis, thank you.

Thank you for carrying on that vision with absolute perseverance.

Um I was just telling the mayor that I have right here a text message uh that I received from him on Valentine's Day.

Coincidentally, and it was an SOS message.

And it began, I am writing because we are at a critical point in the city dock project.

And he went on to outline the huge challenges they would face if the FEMA funds didn't come through.

He also was putting together contingency plans because he understood the importance of this project, and he said in that text message if we don't get started and try to keep this on time, we're gonna see some of these businesses close.

So thank you, Mayor Littman for moving with that urgency, and that lit another fire under all of us who are members of the Maryland federal delegation.

And I can say that in the Senate we immediately renewed our push, which has been ongoing, and directly contacted DHS and FEMA and said we really need you to release these funds, and we need it yesterday.

And we got the appropriations committee in the Senate involved, and not surprisingly, there are other members in the House and the Senate who've also had projects held up by FEMA, and so there was a growing backlog, but also growing frustration at what was happening uh with backlogs for projects all over the country.

And so all of that pressure built and the dam broke, and the good news is Christy Nome is out, and the funding for the Annapolis dock is in.

And let me just thank other members of the federal delegation who are part of it, because the city we we took our lead from the city from their vision, but we have with us today uh John Sarbanes, Congressman John Sarbanes, who was absolutely tenacious, absolutely tenacious when it came to making sure that the city of Annapolis had what it needed and was constantly pushing and pushing.

And of course, former state senator and now Congresswoman, Representative Elfrith, she's been pushing really hard.

And thank you to other members of the District 30 delegation and everybody who's been involved in this effort over years.

Uh to Stuart Pittman, your county executive.

You've been just an amazing partner.

Amazing partner.

And all of us know the resources need to come from the city.

They need to come from the county, they need to come from the state.

And yes, this critical piece needed to come from the federal government.

And so I'm also pleased that we're here and with the continuing support from the governor and the governor's team.

Uh, you're going to hear from our secretary of the department of emergency management, Russ Strickland.

But thank you for what you're doing in this project, but also the other emergency projects around the state and FEMA.

So, as you can see, this is really uh a team Maryland Day.

And this wouldn't have happened without everybody gathered here and many more people.

And never giving up.

This is an example of perseverance and persistence at work, and that requires everybody pushing from their own angle and their own point of leverage.

So, without further ado, let me now turn it over to somebody who's been pushing really hard for this, first in the Maryland legislature and hit the ground running in the United States Congress, Sarah Alfreth.

Well, thank you to Senator Van Holland for being Team Maryland's quarterback in the federal delegation, but also as you see behind me, the epitome of Team Maryland when we say it's not just the federal delegation, it starts with our local partners, our county partners, our state partners, and of course uh the federal team.

Y'all, this is a day that I I gotta tell you.

Um I try to be an optimist in this work.

I think you have to be.

I wasn't sure this day was gonna happen, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, first of all, this is my umpteenth City Doc press conference.

I think we've all been here many, many times to announce really great news to announce state funding, 18 and a half million in state funding to announce uh almost 10 million dollars in federal earmarks, to announce the resilience authority, to to mark uh Congressman Sarbanes.

We were here uh sorry, there's too many tall people behind me.

Uh we were here during one of the biggest floods, I think the fourth biggest flood on record, standing right here surveying the urgency of now.

And that's that's where I want to just start.

Um, rising seas aren't going to wait for bureaucracy.

I think we see that every single day.

And as the senator said, this is more than just a climate adaption project.

It has real implications for Annapolis's past, present, and future.

Obviously, the historical impacts of this project, what we are preserving as the former United States Capitol, uh, really important uh year that we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation, but we also recognize the more challenging and difficult pieces of our history that we need to honor and respect and share and tell.

The fact that where we are standing is a is a UNESCO site of remembrance because it was a site of the transatlantic slave trade.

We also have a deep obligation to tell the stories in the city, not just of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, but also the folks who worked the water, the immigrants, the families who lived right here and made Annapolis what it is today.

Obviously, this moment is important because we have to preserve this city doc for our economy as well.

All of the small businesses you see around here, every time there is a major flood, we are all on the phone checking in, making sure they have what they need, making sure we're corralling the state resources and local resources to get them what they need.

Obviously, this is important for the present because of our United States Naval Academy, and and rising seas do not respect what is city land versus what is federal land.

And so what happens here very much impacts what happens there.

And of course, to the aldermen from Eastport, you know better than anybody, when the rising seas cut off compromise street, that is a real emergency management challenge for the people of Eastport.

Obviously, the moment of now, as we address climate change across this country, is so real, and it can sometimes feel overburdened.

We we feel overburdened.

It's just such a large problem.

Where can we even start?

Obviously, this started almost a decade ago with a vision from Mayor Buckley and the city council and the the staff at the city who knew that this was not a nice to have, this was a must have, not just then, but knowing that the seas will continue to rise each and every year.

Um it's often said that success has a thousand fathers.

I'd like to also believe there's a few mothers tucked in there as well.

Obviously, the mayor buckley for his vision, the city council for their dedication, the staff.

I also want to thank the hundreds of Annapolis citizens who participated in I don't know how many characters y'all had to make sure almost 300 opportunities for the public to weigh in here.

That's so important in this moment to county executive Pittman who has just been uh a champion and and making sure that we are all staying on task and on target.

I so appreciate you.

The state delegation, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the state funding started under former speaker Mike Bush.

He had the vision, he knew, and he wanted to respond with state dollars being the capital city.

Um and he started the trend that I was had the privilege of picking up.

I know Delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, Senator Henson, make sure we in every single budget make sure we are delivering for this project.

To the federal delegation, I'm so grateful that Congressman Sarbanes is here.

I also called Senator Van Carden um the other day to share the good news.

There's not a lot of good days of good news in this job.

Senator Van Holland, you didn't tell me that when I first ran.

But he was thrilled and he wished he could be here today.

I want to give him thanks and credit as well.

Um it's been said that that Mayor Littman um has taken this project and been so thoughtful and so strategic as we met this critical moment.

And I too received that SOS text message in February.

Um, being on the Armed Services Committee, the Naval Abor Naval Academy Board along with uh Senator Van Holland, he asked, Can we involve the Navy?

And so uh that was my role to play in this orchestra of support that we all lent here is to call the Pentagon to call the Navy and remind them that the rising seas will also impact the readiness of our United States Naval Academy.

And they made a call as well.

There were so many calls that were made in the month, Mr.

Mayor, since you sent that text message.

And I just want to thank you for your vision and your commitment.

We're gonna hear in a minute from uh Secretary Strickland from MDEM, who has also been just a champion of this throughout multiple administrations.

I want to thank you for your support.

You're also on our call sheet any time we get a major flood, so I want to thank you and your team for that.

Um and without further ado, I want to thank my predecessor who um has has been dedicated and focused to this work uh for his 18 years serving in the United States Congress.

I'm so grateful to be able to call him and turn to him for advice more often than I thought I would uh in this Congress.

But I'm so grateful to my friend um Congressman John Sarbanes.

Thanks very much, Sarah.

This this is a great day.

I'm gonna be brief.

I promise, you know, if you let a former member of Congress up to a podium, they could go forever.

Um but uh first of all, let me salute Team Maryland, uh Senator Van Holland, Congresswoman Sarah Elfith, representative of the third district of Maryland.

I love saying that to Jared, uh to Stewart, to everybody who's been part of this.

I also want to give a shout out to to Gavin Buckley.

Um I got a lot of SOS's from Gavin over the years.

Um so I've got a whole text string there.

But thank you, Jared, for kind of picking up the ball and and carrying it.

It means so much to Annapolis, it means so much uh to Annal County, to the state.

This is an example of people coming together in a very, very powerful way.

This was a Rubik's Cube from the beginning.

I mean, it had so many different and continues to have so many different interlocking parts that require special attention.

Um so getting these resources finally over the finish line is just it's it's a huge win.

And it demonstrates, I think, and and you mentioned this here a moment ago, um, the resilience of the people of Annapolis.

I mean, stepping up how to conceptualize this, what what would it mean to execute it, putting all the phases together that you're now gonna see kind of rolling out over time.

That that was a huge accomplishment.

And then the last thing I want to say is this kind of a project, this kind of a resilience project, um, in the context of what we know are gonna continue to be uh increasing challenges coming at us in terms of climate change and weather disruption and so forth, is going to be a model for how you do these things around a country.

And Annapolis has always been a leader, it's always been a model.

It's always kind of uh taken the lead nationally on innovative creative approaches.

This is another example of that.

Um it's gonna be a tough slog through the execution, uh, but I know one that's gonna be successful.

So, congratulations to the people of Annapolis, to to Team Maryland, to everybody who got us to this point, is going to keep moving it forward.

And obviously, very much um at the reins for this process uh going forward is going to be uh Mayor Littman.

I want to thank him for all his great work and bring him up.

Thanks for good morning.

Thank you.

My name is Mayor Jared Littman, and on behalf of the City Council members and I, it is our great honor and pleasure to thank and receive the $33 million plus the two and a half million dollars for FEMA.

And I just I am so relieved, frankly.

I know uh your my sleep isn't everyone's concerned, but I've been sleeping a lot better the past couple nights, uh, knowing that this money was uh is coming.

And it this is the obviously the evolution of work from so many individuals, and they've been mentioned, but I just want to point out how our city staff continue to slog away at the financial, the technical, the environmental reviews, meeting every deadline, answering questions from FEMA.

It was a long process, and it seemed to evolve, and they stepped up and they've met all the uh burdens and and uh requests.

And their dedication has absolutely ensured our success.

To go over the funding of this huge engineering and infrastructure project, we have 24 million dollars from the concession agreement related to the building of uh Hillman Garage, 10 million dollars from the state of Maryland, and I I see uh our delegate, uh uh Delegate Jones, delegate Baylor, and our uh state Senator uh Henson being represented here.

4.8 million dollars in congressional earmarks, although not called earmarks anymore.

Two million dollars from the county, and today's 33 million plus the two and a half million from FEMA, plus the city's bond money to ensure and that we now have all the funding in place to see this project through.

All right.

That was amazing.

This is a major investment in protecting our historic waterfront local businesses, and ensuring that our residents can continue to enjoy this wonderful area that we all love for generations and generations to come.

This is an investment in the future of Annapolis.

I want to acknowledge we have a lot of partners, and I I recognize the city is the small player here, and so we have a lot of people I want to thank.

I first want to call out the current and former city council members who stood by former uh Mayor Buckley and I throughout this process.

They all received lots of phone calls of if this, then this, and the council, it was unanimous in supporting our efforts to move forward.

Of course, our thank you, council members.

Of course, uh I want to thank our federal delegation, Senator Van Holland, uh, Senator Also Brooks who couldn't be here today, Representative uh Elfrith, and of course, Representative uh Sardanes, who's always been a good friend.

Thank you all so much for your support.

Our governor and his team have been hugely instrumental as well.

So I thank Governor Moore and M Dem Secretary Strickland for your support.

The number of phone calls and conferences strategizing all along.

And of course, again, I want to call out our our state delegation, Senator Henson, delegates Jones and Baylor.

I think delegate Jones gets the award for latest phone call on this matter on a Friday night in particular, too.

So thank you for being available.

Um County Executive Pittman, you've always stood behind and helped strategize, and I know that I can count on you as well.

Thank you so much.

Mayor Buckley, I know had this vision, and now the hard work of going from vision to turning into reality, but that doesn't get started without the initial vision.

So I thank you, Mayor Buckley.

A couple of individuals that don't get a lot of limelight, I want to call out.

Um City Manager Buckland, I want to thank you.

Project manager Arlene Fogarty seeing this through director in chief Kevin Simmons and David Mandel from Office of Emergency Management and Public Works Director Burr Vogel.

Someone who never calls out for attention, but is a friend and a leader on this whole project, Matt Fleming and the Resilience Authority.

Thank you for your leadership.

He's one of those guys that when we strategize of who needs to do what, he's like, I got it.

I got it, I got it.

Thank you, Matt.

Appreciate you.

Looking ahead, I want to call out all the individuals who are involved.

We all got involved in public service because we wanted to do good for the community.

We're we are doing our best to serve the public.

And as uh Congresswoman Elfrith mentioned, there are some tough days where when our efforts to do good are not necessarily treated as such.

I just want to let all of us take have all of us take a moment to appreciate the enormity of today's milestone.

This is the this is the result of your hard work, your focus on serving your constituents and seeing the big picture of what can be done when we join together.

And so I just want you all to pat yourselves on the back, pat each other on the back, take a moment to appreciate this.

I know that there have been a lot of press conferences.

I am so looking forward to having a ribbon cutting where we could say, come on, and it's not last minute in a hurry.

This work is absolutely just beginning.

I know that just because we now have the money in the bank, it's not all smooth sailing, but I know with the team behind me, they've all demonstrated they're willing to answer the call, be involved, be supportive, either quietly or publicly, whatever is needed to get the job done, and that's huge.

That is absolutely huge.

It is my absolute honor to lead Annapolis's efforts through this, and again, I thank all of the partners involved in this work.

I'm so excited to help deliver the City Doc project for all of us.

And with that, I want to introduce my friends and our county executive, Stuart Pittman.

Well, first, just congratulations to everybody.

I'm not gonna go through everybody and do all the same things all over again, but congratulations to all of us.

We should be having a huge party right now.

Uh, maybe this is maybe we will later.

Um I had a I had a meeting on my schedule today that got canceled.

My scheduler told me the mayor's office canceled our meeting on Friday, didn't say why.

And then I got a text message, not the SOS one, got that too, but I got the good text message from Mayor Littman, and um the joy.

I mean the ability to sleep.

Um that meeting was about we're in the middle of our budget process.

We're in the middle of our capital budget process.

We managed to squeeze two million out last year, you know, with the help of um um councilwoman Rodvian uh for this district for particularly the Wilkham Welcome Center as part of this project to get it over the finish line.

But not having the Fiat money would have meant that the project would have been scaled back.

Um, the mayor had all kinds of contingency plans, and his contingency plans included more money from the county, I think.

Um so it was a big relief to have that meeting canceled.

Um I want to have a I want to I want to particularly thank our our delegation, um, Congresswoman Alfred, our senators, and every the the whole team.

Um, but I think I think in this time we don't we've almost lost faith that we have a partner in the federal government, and particularly in FEMA.

It has been so frustrating and sad and terrifying in some cases to have FEMA no longer a partner.

And and um, but these folks didn't give up.

These folks continued to work relationships that they had, relationships in places we don't even want to know who they talk to to get this thing across the finish line.

Um but but thank you.

Just thank you for not giving up in a time where we all just want to fight, fight, fight.

Sometimes we also have to get in there and negotiate and and manage to get some wins.

And for the for the public, for the residents of Anorondo County who are so looking forward to coming into Annapolis and and seeing this beautiful, beautiful public space.

It's gonna be like a park for the whole county, which is why I'm open, I've been open to investments in it is with county dollars.

Um it is it is just like a little bit of sunshine.

We haven't had sun all week.

Um, but it's a little bit of sunshine and a dark time, and that in fact, government can work and things can get done.

So just thank you and and let's celebrate.

This is a wonderful wonderful day.

Congratulations.

And I also want to acknowledge um the former mayor, um Gavin Buckley for the work that he did um to get us to this point.

You know, his name would have been MUD if if if FEMA money hadn't showed up, right?

I mean, you gotta blame somebody, but now his name is not Mud, it's back to Gavin Buckley, and we can all celebrate.

Next, we're gonna hear from the great Maryland secretary of emergency management, Secretary Strickland.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you very, very much.

Uh this is a celebration.

I really I like that term.

Um, I'd first like to thank Governor Moore and Maryland's congressional delegation for your unwavering support of this critical project.

Uh I'd also like to recognize the city of Annapolis for their leadership and persistent advocacy to see funding awarded, and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Team who adeptly shepherding this project through many stages of approval.

Now I'm gonna go off script for a second because there were two words that were mentioned here today: resilience and modeling and emergency management's responsibilities, although many times at the back end of the crowd, just kind of watching and making sure everybody's safe, but it's before, during, and after a disaster that we're involved.

This is before and before is mitigation, and mitigation is the center of the universe.

We're really really good at response and immediate recovery, but mitigation is that which will improve for all the businesses in the area and will make a difference of almost a dollar invested, a six dollar return when it comes time for recovery.

So I think that is so so important, and I appreciate the words that folks have used.

So the mission of Maryland Department of Emergency Management is to proactively reduce these disaster risk and reliably manage consequences through collaborative work with Maryland's communities and partners.

We cannot do it alone.

No one can, and it's only through that system of systems that we do it.

So the investment today comes a result of years of partnership and collaboration with the residents, business owners, and governments at every level.

And it took 20 years to build, and about three or four years ago, there was a flooding event, and it worked.

So the hazard mitigation efforts on this scale mean more days that residents and visit visitors can enjoy Maryland State Capitol and the beautiful waterfront.

More days that local businesses have to grow and thrive, and fewer days spent mucking out livelihoods and homes, or wondering if the next storm or king tide will be worse than the last one.

So this proof is this project is proof that together we can do things which shape a more resilient Maryland where communities thrive and where no one is left behind.

So from the emergency management community to all of you, one congratulations.

Two, thank you.

And number three, we're not leaving.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Secretary.

Uh thank you, Team Maryland.

Um, before we take questions, I I do want to acknowledge a few other folks.

And Sarah mentioned my former partner and colleague, Ben Cardin.

He was also tenacious about this project, and we worked very closely together.

And just like Congresswoman Elfrith picked up the baton from John Sarbanes uh in the house, um, Angela Alcerbrooks's help pick up that baton in the United States Senate.

So I just want to thank her.

She could not be here.

So let's give them both a round of applause.

So we're happy to answer any questions, and if not, we do have a check, cash it fast.

Any questions?

Yeah.

Can we respond to the letter that you sent to the Trump administration regarding the Legionella?

I'm sorry, I couldn't.

Can you respond to the um the letter you sent to the Trump administration relative to the Legionella?

Oh, can we talk to you after about?

I'm happy to do one-on-one or whatever.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Okay.

Time for the real thing.

Check.

All right.

Shall we uh mention one other person I forgot to tell you?

Yes, of course.

I also want to call out Lieutenant uh General Superintendent of the Naval Academy, uh Mike Bork Schulte, uh, who was incredibly helpful.

And just want to acknowledge his things.

His efforts as well.

What do you get in the middle here?

Ah, y vamos a tener que volver a limpiar todo esto, y ya que estamos aprovechando para hacer una capacitation sobre cómo vamos a colocar bien la basura.

Luego lo atamos y lo colocamos dentro del containedor de basura.

Ya que estamos, aprovechamos andamos también el recyclado.

Y vaciamos todo esto.

Nuevamente colocamos la tapa.

Esto de metal acá abajo no se puede reciclar.

I've seen so many stars at Cards Beach.

Carl's Beach.

It'll go down in history, one of the most beautiful places there were.

When Chuck Curry came to town, or James Brown came to town.

There was so much parking that you only had a superstar.

We saw people that got tired of waiting in traffic and they get out and walk and run because all the big stars came here.

They would sneak in, you know, through some type of fence.

I don't know where this fence was, but you know, it because it gets so crowded.

And people would sneak in some type of way just to come and see the you know different um entertainment.

We didn't have to go anywhere to see James Brown at a game.

All the big name stars came right here in our back door.

It was just a joy for time.

It was just for me, for me and a lot of other blacks.

It was it was just some joy for time.

When we when we got up from work sometime, we went to Carl's Beach.

You know, but Carl's Beach is uh well.

It was a center of traction for everybody, especially blacks.

It was a center of traction.

When the community was segregated, it's the only place that really Afro-Americans come there and have a day of fun.

Ever since my first visit here, I can remember uh the people dancing on the on the concrete pavilion with the in the sand uh on the stone on the on the pavilion and those leather souls made of distinct grinding sounds, but it was a rhythmic sound that uh that is still whoop me down.

I am tickled today to to be sitting here and hearing music and looking out in the bay.

Uh it brings back a lot of memories.

They had rise, first wheels, uh Merkle round, the cotton candy.

They made a big dance hall where we see hop albums on the bands saying, and it would be it would be broadcast live.

Tonight, tonight tonight, the happy atoms, and people came from all over.

Come down Carls and Spirals Beach.

And we came for the Cars Spiral Beach reunion, and this is a great reunion.

This is where it all started from the grounds.

And I I don't know, it's just heavenly to be here today.

It's it's awesome, and I'm just so delighted to be here to see this.

Will you snap your fingers and with your eye?

I come running to you.

There ain't nothing that I can do.

Will you call my name?

It was such a beautiful thing.

It was it was a place where you had a beautiful time.

Like I say, Cogs Beach live forever, and it's in our hearts and you live in our hearts forever.

We are here on Annapolis today celebrating the boy who harnessed the wind.

A guy who overcame adversity.

A young brown boy from Project.

And I'm celebrating for not just me from many others that have came out of situations of adversity.

This is where it all started.

This is where I used to work.

Maybe 10 years ago.

This was my station.

Teach me how to see it.

Being raised in with a culture of women of hairdressers that I was had that I looked up to growing, I was heavily equipped.

I used to sit in hair salons and watch the ladies work, and I really learned a lot about being a hairstylist with my mentors in front of me.

I mean I have clients like Rihanna, Nikki Minaj, Kelly Rowland, Yari Shidi.

I like Grammar's hair.

I like confidence.

I like how this is slept on and lived in and ruffled up.

I told myself that I could dream, and I told myself that I could in a situation where I was I wasn't supposed to.

And so me standing here today is a huge honor because when I started my journey, I had no idea that this could be.

But I kept going and I kept doing.

Here we are today.

I'm getting the keys of the city.

On behalf of the city of Annapolis, we present you with the keys to the city.

And I love what I do.

I love Annapolis.

I want to be able to create space for younger individuals to be empowered, to be uplifted, to find mentorship, and to really strategize ways to really uplift.

And so I am gonna start a non-profit here in Annapolis.

I'm gonna pair up with all of my mentors, and we are gonna come with something spectacular.

It means more to me than the accolade.

It's really about the honor for me.

It's really I'm really honored and grateful.

And that's what it means to me.

It's really I have a lot of humility for what my ancestors did it for.

You get there when you shuffle down Compromise Street, cross the bridge or paddle through the harbor.

It's the opposite side of Annapolis proper.

And when you get there, you leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you find an Eastport on the bay.

They're a laid-back crew, they're in old Eastport.

You go to work all summer long in deck shoes and shorts.

And if you want a millionaire's elbow to rub, he's got the shabbiest deck shoes down at Marbaduke's pub.

Or go around the corner to Leon's barber shop and have the mayor himself take a little off the top in Eastport on the bay.

So let me get across, Mr.

Bridgetender, and leave it up for good for all that I care.

The crab pot steaming, we can pick us a few, and I'll shut the oysters if you make the stew.

Crabbing and sailing with characters galore.

It's a land of pleasant living surrounded by shore.

Yepies with puppies walking side by side and things ain't changing except for the tide.

So come on over, leave your warriors behind and get that laid back feeling that only you'll find in Eastport on the bay.

Hey, get out of here.

Looks like I have to do proper trash placement and training again.

If you put your trash out, please place it into a bag.

And tie the bag up and place into a watertight receptacle with your address placed on it so they can be seen from the streets at the end of your property for proper road collection.

As a matter of fact, this recycle is done all wrong also.

If you decide to place your recycling in a bag, please bring your bag to the receptacle and take all items out of the bag and place them into the can.

And make sure the lid is closed, please.

Let's bring back in the trash monster so I can show you things that are not recyclable.

See, it's 40% non-recyclable right now.

This is not recyclable.

This is not recyclable.

The metal utensils are not recycled.

Please be mindful of your trash and recycle placement to avoid fines.

Hi, I'm Megan.

I'm here at City Hall to talk to you about the Golden Pass.

If you're 55 and older, the Golden Pass is a great opportunity for you.

For just $20 a month, you can park for up to two hours a day on Maryland Avenue, Main Street, or the Mills Home and Garage.

Without using a promo code, the pay machine, or even an app.

Just park and walk away.

All week this week, May 11th through the 15th, from 9 a.m.

to 12 p.m.

I'm here if you have any questions.

If you want to sign up in person, or if you just need a hand, stop by park at the mill's home and garage, we'll validate your parking, and we'll connect in person.

Thanks.

We talk about James Brown.

Stevie Wonder.

Jimmy Hendrix.

This is a place.

We're 70,000.

We come from New York from the Carolinas to Annapolis.

You know, we talk about our history alone in Annapolis, but we only talk about one history.

And this amazing piece of history that happened for three decades is gonna be here for the next generation to learn about a we need to pay homage to our history and our ancestors.

You know, this is bringing home back to us.

You remember the carousel.

You remember the fan stand.

So this is bringing that dream to a reality.

And it's a beautiful thing that what you see today is I say it's a mic and cause.

And that tonight goes on perpetually.

Keep celebrating tomorrow and the next day.

Keep encouraging one another.

Don't stop.

Just keep going.

And if you see my love, tell you that I'm sorry.

Into my eyes.

Hey, Annapolis.

It's go time.

On demand transit that takes you where you want to go.

It's fast, it's easy, and it's an affordable way to get around Annapolis.

Going to the doctor, it's go time.

Going shopping, it's go time.

Exploring Annapolis, it's go time.

It's easy to schedule your ride.

Use the app or call Transportation Dispatch at four one zero two six three seven nine six four.

Set your pickup and your destination, and we'll be right there.

Simply track the bus on the app so you'll know exactly when we'll be there to pick you up.

Pay once you are on the bus.

Just two dollars per ride and only one dollar for seniors.

Or you can use your daily, weekly, monthly, or annual bus pass.

Getting around Annapolis is easy with Annapolis go time.

On demand transit.

See you on board.

You get there when you shuffle down Compromise Street, cross the bridge or paddle through the harbor.

It's the opposite side of Annapolis proper.

And when you get there, you leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you'll find an Eastport on the bay.

They're a laid back crew there in Old Eastport.

You go to work all summer long in deck shoes and shorts.

And if you want a millionaire's elbow to rub, he's got the shabbiest deck shoes down at Marbaduke's pub.

We'll go around the corner to Leon's barber shop and have the mayor himself take a little off the top in Eastport on the bay.

So let me get across, Mr.

Bridgetender, and leave it up for good for all that I care.

The crab pot steaming, we can pick us a few, and I'll shut the oysters if you make us do.

Crab and Salem with characters galore.

It's a land of pleasant living surrounded by shore.

Yepies with puppies walking side by side, and things ain't a chain except for the tide.

So come on over, leave your worries behind and get that laid-back feeling that only you'll find an Eastport on the bay.

Well, welcome everybody.

An historic city where George Washington resigned his military commission, symbolizing the transfer and peaceful transfer of power and making it clear that in America we have no kings.

A city that's not afraid to tell all of its past, including its role in the slave trade.

In Annapolis, people learn from our past.

They don't try to whitewash and hide their past.

A city that is the home, the proud home of the Naval Academy, a city where millions of people from all over the world come every year, but also a city that because of climate change has really been hurt by the flooding, hitting these small businesses, impacting tourism, impacting the boat show.

And so that's why we're gathered here today to address that problem.

And we have great news for a great American city, great news for the great city of Annapolis, which is after many years, FEMA has released the $35 million in funds.

That includes the $33 million that was part of the original City of Annapolis grant, and an additional two and a half million dollars to help with related upgrades for stormwater management.

And this has been the result of work of Team Maryland.

And you're gonna hear from so many people who were part of that effort, but there were also many more who are represented here today that you won't hear from, but who you see here and others who could not join us today, including somebody who could not join us today, Mayor Buckley, the former mayor of Annapolis.

And it was his vision that really set this project in motion.

He said he couldn't be here.

I think he's taking one of his kids to college, but he was just thrilled, of course, uh, that we were able to secure these funds.

And to the new mayor, Mayor Littman and to the council, city council here in Annapolis.

Thank you.

Thank you for carrying on that vision with absolute perseverance.

And it was an SOS message.

And it began, I am writing because we are at a critical point in the city dock project.

And he went on to outline the huge challenges they would face if the FEMA funds didn't come through.

He also was putting together contingency plans because he understood the importance of this project.

And he said in that text message if we don't get started and try to keep this on time, we're going to see some of these businesses close.

So thank you, Mayor Littman, for moving with that urgency.

And that lit another fire under all of us who are members of the Maryland federal delegation.

And I can say that in the Senate, we immediately renewed our push, which has been ongoing, and directly contacted DHS and FEMA and said we really need you to release these funds, and we need it yesterday.

And we got the appropriations committee in the Senate involved, and not surprisingly, there are other members in the House and the Senate who've also had projects held up by FEMA.

And so there was a growing backlog, but also growing frustration at what was happening with backlogs for projects all over the country.

And so all of that pressure built and the dam broke.

And the good news is Christy Noam is out, and the funding for the Annapolis dock is in.

And let me just thank other members of the federal delegation who are part of it because the city, we we took our lead from the city from their vision.

But we have with us today uh John Sarbanes, Congressman John Sarbanes, who was absolutely tenacious, absolutely tenacious when it came to making sure that the city of Annapolis had what it needed and was constantly pushing and pushing.

And of course, former state senator and now Congresswoman, Representative Alfred, she's been pushing really hard.

And thank you to other members of the District 30 delegation and everybody who's been involved in this effort over years.

Uh to Stuart Pittman, your county executive.

You've been just an amazing partner, amazing partner, and all of us know the resources need to come from the city, they need to come from the county, they need to come from the state, and yes, this critical piece needed to come from the federal government.

And so I'm also pleased that we're here and with the continuing support from the governor and the governor's team.

Uh you're going to hear from our secretary of the department of emergency management, Russ Strickland.

But thank you for what you're doing in this project, but also the other emergency projects around the state and FEMA.

So, as you can see, this is really uh a team Maryland Day, and this wouldn't have happened without everybody gathered here and many more people, and never giving up.

This is an example of perseverance and persistence at work, and that requires everybody pushing from their own angle and their own point of leverage.

So, without further ado, let me now turn it over to somebody who's been pushing really hard for this, first in the Maryland legislature and hit the ground running in the United States Congress, Sarah Alfreth.

Well, thank you to Senator Van Holland for being Team Maryland's quarterback in the federal delegation, but also as you see behind me, the epitome of Team Maryland when we say it's not just the federal delegation, it starts with our local partners, our county partners, our state partners, and of course uh the federal team.

Y'all, this is a day that I I gotta tell you.

Um I try to be an optimist in this work.

I think you have to be.

I wasn't sure this day was gonna happen, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, first of all, this is my umpteenth City Doc press conference.

I think we've all been here many, many times to announce really great news to announce state funding, 18 and a half million in state funding to announce uh almost 10 million dollars in federal earmarks to announce the resilience authority to to mark uh Congressman Sarbanes.

We were here uh sorry, there's too many tall people behind me.

Uh we were here during one of the biggest floods, I think the fourth biggest flood on record, standing right here surveying the urgency of now.

And that's that's where I wanted to start.

Um, rising seas aren't going to wait for bureaucracy.

I think we see that every single day.

And as the senator said, this is more than just a climate adaptation project, it has real implications for Annapolis's past, present, and future.

Obviously, the historical impacts of this project, what we are preserving as the former United States Capitol, uh, really important uh year that we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation.

But we also recognize the more challenging and difficult pieces of our history that we need to honor and respect and share and tell the fact that where we are.

The fact that where we are standing.