The American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) reporting deadline is April 30, 2024. All NEUs who have received ARPA funding are required to submit this annual report, which covers expenditures incurred between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. For NEUs who report quarterly, the report will cover expenditures during the period of January 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024. Keep in mind that the Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) continues to support Maryland municipalities to inform them of their reporting responsibilities throughout the month, including through individual phone calls beginning this week. 

This year’s fourth grade "If I Were Mayor I Would..." essay contest winners were able to capture the volunteer readers and finalist judges’ attention with their dynamic essays. Volunteer readers were enlightened with new ideas to take to their own municipalities, on how to better their Maryland communities, sometimes forgetting that the ideas came from a nine-year-old.

Please join us in congratulating the eleven winners of MML’s If I Were Mayor, I Would…essay contest, their teachers, and the municipalities they represent:

MML is keeping in close contact with the Moore Administration and relevant stakeholders regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge tragedy. 

For any of our Bay coastal towns who have shoreline and debris concerns, please utilize the following hotline to report any washed up items likely from the incident to +1-410-205-6625.

MML's priority bill, HB 282, had its hearing in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on March 26, after passing through the House chamber. As a result of amendments added by the House the bill now allows municipalities that do not maintain a police force to use a trained technician, as opposed to a law enforcement officer, to review speed camera images and sign citations. MML will continue to advocate for passage of this legislation through the Senate. For questions, please contact Bill Jorch, [email protected].

This week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced $3.33 billion in grant awards for 132 projects through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot and Neighborhood Access and Equity discretionary grant programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. The funding is for communities that were cut off by transportation infrastructure years ago that left many neighborhoods without direct access to opportunities such as schools, places to worship, medical offices, and jobs.

The Department of Transportation is awarding 72 Planning grants, 52 Capital Construction grants, and 8 Regional Planning grants.

Our team is excited for our national award-winning conference this June and I think you will be too when you see the new enhancements.
 
At the 2024 MML Summer Conference, we have increased ways to engage and participate for all attendees. Taking the lead from our members on survey feedback, you will see a new spotlight on Maryland’s municipalities including our new, MML Main Street.

MML Main Street is a chance to engage with 30 member municipalities in a featured exhibit area at the conclusion of Governor Moore’s (invited) closing speech on Tuesday afternoon. From one corner of the state and across our waterways and to the mountains, this will allow member municipalities to showcase their home right there in Ocean City.

As the 2024 General Assembly session winds down, it is time to start thinking about submitting legislative action requests (LARs) for the 2025 session. The basis for MML's legislative priorities, LARs are ideas for a legislative fix submitted by a member municipality, MML chapter, or MML department for the Legislative Committee's consideration. MML will make the LAR form available on April 1, a few weeks earlier than usual. 

2024 priorities formed from LAR submissions include authority to create local tourism zones, providing options for who may review speed camera images, and expanding the services included in the admissions and amusement tax.

Now that we are more than halfway through the General Assembly session, bills are starting to move. Below are a few transportation-related bills, supported by MML, all of which have already received favorable reports by their respective committees and passed out of their chamber of origin. 

HB 43 - This bill is slightly amended from the version initially introduced and now includes a few additional guardrails. It now allows local governments to designate roads under their jurisdiction as roads on which golf carts may operate, under certain conditions; the road must be 30 MPH or lower and the golf cart must operate only between dawn and dusk unless it has State Highway Administration (SHA) approved lights, drive on the far right of the lane, and contain no more passengers than there are seats. This new authority would allow a new and unique transportation option to local governments.

MML’s priority legislation, HB 1281, to allow municipalities to self-designate Tourism Zones will be heard in the House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, February 29.

Modeled off a successful program in Virginia, this MML priority bill would authorize local governments to provide an array of local tax credits or waivers to businesses that aid in expanding tourism. This program would not only bolster the ability of jurisdictions to attract and retain community-oriented businesses, especially for those that lack access to other incentive programs, but to directly expand the State’s general revenue fund and attract new visitors to Maryland.

League priority bill SB 14 has received a favorable with amendment report from the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee ahead of the important crossover deadline. The crossfile, HB 1281, has been voted out of its subcommittee and is expected to have a vote in the full House Ways and Means committee soon.

As a refresher, these bills would enable Maryland’s 157 municipalities to establish Tourism Zones, bringing in new visitors, future residents and helping to attract new tourism-related business to cities, towns, and villages across the state. For more information and a recap on the hearing, please see our press release.

On the heels of yet another $250 million revenue writedown, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee’s budget report voted on Friday, March 8 did not adopt a recommendation to cut local Highway User Revenues (HURs) to 9.6% indefinitely.

Local governments currently receive 15.6% of Highway User Revenues, 2.4% of which is dedicated to municipalities. That figure was scheduled to increase due to MML priority legislation passed a few years ago. The DLS recommended cut to 9.6% is consistent with the major cuts made in 2009 that saw municipalities receive just 0.4%.

#MMLCon24 isn't just another event; it's a convergence of minds, a platform for change, and an opportunity to shape the future of Maryland's cities and towns and support the 2 million Marylanders who call a municipality home. As we gear up for thought leadership, inspiration and community service, be a part of the local government solution in Maryland.

Why Sponsor?

Digital and On-site Exposure: Secure sponsorship now - and your brand gets pushed out now, ahead of the conference and on-site. Website, email, social media and an app.  

• High-Visibility Events: From the opening and closing general sessions to keynote presentations, your brand will be prominently featured, leaving a lasting impression.
• Lead Generation: Decision makers from local government to our counterparts at the state and federal level attend this conference - bring your box of cards and get ready to connect.
• Beyond the Convention Center: Want to have your brand on the Boardwalk in front of vacationing families from across the Mid-Atlantic the week before July 4? We got you covered.

Click here for sponsor opportunities. Let us help you secure an MML sponsorship package to meet your specific business goals and create lasting relationships.

For more information contact, Felicia Banuelos.  

Check out the latest information on federal transportation grants, including municipal eligibility and application deadlines, using the U.S. Department of Transportation's Competitive Grant Funding Matrix. 

Grant programs of specific interest to MML members may include:

Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 2nd, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Annapolis, MD, for an all day Smart Growth Summit.The event will be led by the National Center for Smart Growth in partnership with Maryland Department of Planning, Maryland Municipal League, and Maryland Association of Counties.

To finalize the exact amounts that the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) Committee should allocate for each grant program, the Committee is seeking eligible entities' responses to whether they would like to sign up for the offered programs. The deadline to respond to this survey is: Friday, March 22nd, 2024.

Responding to this survey is imperative so that the SLCGP Committee can make final determinations on the allocation of precise dollar amounts for each program. 

Call for Grant Proposals - $140 Million Available for National Coastal Resilience Fund 2024

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will award approximately $140 million in grants to create and restore natural systems to increase protection for communities from current and future coastal hazards and improve habitats for fish and wildlife species.  The goal is to enhance protection for coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural coastal hazards and to improve habitats for fish and wildlife.  The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will make investments in planning, design, and implementation of natural and nature-based solutions.