The BPW considered and approved the following requests and recommendations at its meeting on September 20, 2023:

Baltimore City

• A request to enter into grant agreements for grants totaling $300,000 to the Board of Directors of the Banner Neighborhoods Community Corporation for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Banner Neighborhoods Community Center. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 1 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda);
• A request to certify matching funds and enter into a grant agreement for a $1,080,000 grant to the Board of Trustees of Mercy Health Services, Inc. to assist in the design, construction, renovation, and equipping of the renovation of the OB/GYN facilities in the Mead Building. The Grantee has submitted documentation of sufficient funds to meet the matching fund requirement for this project (Item 8 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda);
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to provide a $190,213 grant to Blue Water Baltimore from the agency’s Resiliency through Restoration Initiative to construct one rain garden and one bioretention facility at Saint Agnes Hospital. This will reduce impacts from urban flooding and treat stormwater from a campus building and parking lot.  This program was developed to address escalating risks to Maryland communities and public resources from extreme weather and climate-related events (Item 7.A of the Secretary’s Agenda); and

• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $750,000 grant to the Board of Directors of Choo Smith Youth Empowerment, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Choo Smith Youth Empowerment Property. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 3 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Charles County

• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $62,500 grant to the Board of Directors of the Lifestyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Southern Crossing Commercial Kitchen for the Homeless. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 10 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Frederick County

• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $150,000 grant to Frederick County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the county landfill compost pad. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 5 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda); and
• A request to enter into grant agreements for grants totaling $300,000 to the Board of Directors of Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Building. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 2 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Prince George’s County

• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $23,670 grant to the Board of Education of Prince George’s County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of Crossland High School’s weight room.  There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 11 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Queen Anne’s County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to provide $86,264 in grants under its Resiliency through Restoration Initiative for the following projects:
  • County Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County: $24,750 to design a 200 linear foot living shoreline on the Chester River at Ferry Point Park, Kent Narrows (Item 7.B of the Secretary’s Agenda); and
  • West View Shores Civic Association: $60, 514 to design a 675 linear shoreline on the Lower Elk River in Earleville (Item 7.C of the Secretary’s Agenda).

St. Mary’s County

• A request to provide a $206,048.77 grant to the Southern Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Board (SMRCDB) from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of a 117.38-acre conservation easement in the Mattapany Rural Legacy Area (Chreky property).  Acquisition of this easement will protect agricultural and forested lands, approximately 1,880 feet of shoreline along St. Inigoes Creek, and over 900 linear feet of forested buffers along an unnamed tributary to St. Inigoes Creek. The easement will be held by the United States of America (which is also contributing funding, as is St. Mary’s County) and SMRCDB.  Easement value: $4,529.97/acre (Item 5A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and

• A request to provide an $84,985.80 grant to SMRCDB from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of a 53.35-acre conservation easement in the Mattapany Rural Legacy Area (Cari property). Acquisition of this easement will protect productive agricultural and forest lands and 2,715 linear feet of vegetative stream buffers along St. Mary’s River and unnamed tributaries and wetlands. The easement will be held by the United States of America (which is also contributing funding, as is St. Mary’s County) and SMRCDB.  Easement value: $6,110.27/acre (Item 4A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Wicomico County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $193,500 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Wicomico County for the following projects:
  • Indian Village Park: $99,000 to resurface and restripe the basketball court as well as replace the court’s pole supports, backboards, rims and fencing (Item 2A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
  • San Domingo Park: $94,500 to resurface and stripe the basketball court and install new perimeter fencing around the park (Item 2A.4 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $90,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Wicomico County to resurface, stripe and install appropriate ground covering for fall protection on the tennis court at Nick Meyer Park (Item 2A.3 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $67,500 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Wicomico County for new playground equipment at Adkins Mill Park (Item 2A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Worcester County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to grant $22,000 of Program Open Space statewide funds for the acquisition in fee simple of 16 +/- acres (M&E LLC property) in Worcester County. This mostly forested property is located along the Pocomoke River and will be managed by Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service as an addition to Pocomoke River Wildlife Management Area.  This acquisition will expand public recreational opportunities for hunting and birding and provide a buffer for Forest Interior Dwelling Species habitat recognized by the National Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area.  This IBA is the premier site for Forest Interior Dwelling Species habitat on the Delmarva Peninsula, and hosts significant populations of multiple at-risk bird species (Item 3A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).