Midtown Banner
February 2009
Madison Park
ELECTONICS RECYCLING IN MIDTOWN!
 
The Midtown Community Benefits District in cooperation with the City of Baltimore will be conducting our first electronics recycling collection on Monday  March 23rd.  Our truck will pick up any electronic equipment that residents want to dispose.  This includes computer monitors, televisions, central processing units, computer mice, keyboards, cell phones, printers, power supplies, laptop computers, scanners, computer cables and cords, miscellaneous circuit boards, chips and cards and other computer or electronic related accessories.  The City will pick them up from us at Midtown and dispose of them via companies that recycle the parts and elements.  This is part of our efforts to build more sustainable communities.  We hope the community will find this both good ecology and a way to keep our neighborhoods clean.
 
IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY 
 
 
The District has been stepping up its programs to insure that our neighborhoods remain the safest in Baltimore.  Under the chairmanship of Midtown Board member Michael Molla, the committee is focusing on building partnerships with safety providers, increasing off duty police patrols, promoting safety awareness, improving lighting in public spaces and exploring state of the art camera and communication technology.
 
Police Patrols
The pilot project of hiring off duty police that was implemented in policemanDecember is being evaluated.  Police Department crime statistics show a dramatic decrease in crime within the district during the four week project as compared with the four prior weeks, and as compared with the same period a year ago.  However other factors may have been a part of this improvement such as the very cold temperatures.
 
Midtown will conduct another four week trial later this spring to see if the pattern continues.  If we see consistent improvement in crime reduction, the District will be allocating additional dollars for this effort in our next fiscal year beginning July 2009 through June 2010.
 
Lighting Public Spaces
Midtown's public safety committee recognizes the importance of upgrading street lighting and other sources of lighting.  Midtown is working with the city to evaluate existing lighting and looking to include pedestrian lighting in future streetscaping efforts. We STRONGLY encourage residents and property owners to keep their front vestibules lighted during the night, and to turn on any outside step lights.
 
Recognizing that many of our historic row houses lack front step lighting, the District is looking for programs that will facilitate the installation of architecturally appropriate outdoor fixtures.  A pilot project will be launched this spring in Madison Park where the consistency of building styles will allow benefit of scale.
 
Larceny from Autos
Car break-ins remain the highest criminal activity throughout the district.  Midtown is beginning an educational campaign to keep car owners aware of safe practices. (See safety tips on the right side panel.)
 
 
City of Baltimore Announces
Letters Sent to Home Owners in Error

 
Baltimore, MD (February 10, 2009) - The City of Baltimore has determine that it has sent out a number of Final Bill and Legal Notices to property owners located in the Midtown, Charles Village and Waterfront Management districts, some of which may contain errors. The errors are limited to liens for Special Benefit District tax only.
 
The City is currently reviewing the files to determine the extent of the billing errors and will follow up with affected property owners.
 
The errors will be corrected expeditiously.  Property owners will receive confirmation from the City when the errors have been corrected.  The City anticipates the errors will be corrected well in advance of the March advertisements of all properties subject to the May, 2009 Tax Sale.
 
As soon as more information about this problem is available, the public will be notified.
 
Property owners with questions about the notice can call (410) 396-3987.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTHSam Green
Sam Green,
Midtown Truck Driver 
 
Sam Green who drives the Midtown truck was recognized as our Employee of the Month for his leadership and efficiency.  Mr. Green responds daily to the requests for bulk trash removal throughout the District. He also removes dumping as he finds it. He picks up dozens of bags of trash that our clean team sweeps from sidewalks and gutters.  Sam Green has been with Midtown since September of 2006. Since he moved from being a litter-vac driver to our truck driver, Mr. Green has been able to complete his work independently, reducing the truck staff from two to one, allowing more manpower to be deployed in street sweeping.  His good work is much appreciated!
Issue: 7
Eutaw Place
In This Issue
ELECTONICS RECYCLING
PUBLIC SAFETY
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
PRESIDENTS DAY ALERT
SAFETY TIPS
PRESIDENTS DAY ALERT
 
Lincoln
Monday, February 16, 2009
 
 
There will be no collection of trash, bulk or recyclables in Baltimore City on this day
 
TRASH
Citizens, whose regular trash collection day is Monday, are asked to place their trash out on their next regularly scheduled collection day, Thursday, February 19, 2009
 
MONTHLY SCHEDULED BULK COLLECTIONS
There will be no monthly bulk trash collections on February 16, 2009.  To schedule bulk pickups, citizens should call 311. 
 
Parking meters will be in effect on Presidents' Day.  All other posted regulations must be observed.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO:
  • Remove your keys from the ignition
  • Close all windows and sunroof.
  • Lock all doors.
  • Park in a well lighted area.
  • Take valuables with you or put in trunk.
  • Remove GPS and other accessories such as mounting brackets, charger cords, headsets, etc.
  • Wipe off suction cup marks on windshield
  • Replace cigarette lighter.
  • Keep a record of GPS serial number and manufacturer.
  •  Never leave credit cards or identifying information in your car.
  • Call 911 if you see any suspicious person lurking near your car.
SAVE THE DATE
 
The Midtown Community Benefits District invites you to its Spring Town Hall Meeting
 
Wednesday March 18, 2009
at the
University of Baltimore Business Center
Mount Royal at North Charles Street, 7:00pm
 
Dessert Reception
 
Keynote Speaker:
Mayor Sheila Dixon
 
Public presentation of the District's proposed FY2010 budget for community input
Did you know?
The Midtown Clean Team removed 1,354 pieces of bulk trash from the streets and alleys of the District in 2008.
 
More than 29,100 bags of debris were swept from District sidewalks and gutters. in 2008.

Peter Merles, Executive Director
Midtown Community Benefits District