June 2026 Community Meeting

Type of meeting: 
Community
Meeting date: 
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Status: 
DRAFT

Welcome

Neighborhood Development (ND) opened the meeting and introduced Maryland State Delegate Robin Lewis as the guest speaker.

Guest Speaker: Delegate Robin Lewis

Delegate Lewis shared that transportation is one of her primary interests and noted that she gets around without owning a car. She lives near Patterson Park and spoke about enjoying the many free concerts and community events held there.

She has served as a Maryland State Delegate since 2018, representing District 46 alongside three other members of the district's legislative team. She explained that Maryland's General Assembly is responsible for passing state laws and making decisions on issues such as the state budget, education funding, healthcare, and transportation.

District 46 legislative team:

  • Delegate Luke Clippinger

  • Delegate Robin Lewis

  • Delegate Mark Edelson

  • Senator Bill Ferguson (President of the Maryland Senate)

Delegate Lewis emphasized that the district team works closely together to help residents address concerns, whether they involve neighborhood issues such as trash collection and vacant lots or broader legislative matters.

District 46 Overview

Delegate Lewis described District 46 as one of Baltimore's most diverse districts, encompassing neighborhoods from the Baltimore Harbor through Brooklyn, Curtis Bay, Cherry Hill, Westport, Otterbein, Downtown, Mount Vernon, and nearly 40 neighborhoods that border the harbor.

She also shared her background in international public health, having worked on three continents in 14 countries before being recruited to Baltimore by Johns Hopkins University. In 2018, she became the first African American elected to represent District 46.

Community Questions

Inspector General Access to Information

Concerns regarding the Baltimore City Inspector General's ability to access and share information under current laws.

Delegate Lewis explained that the state legislative team has been working to amend portions of the Public Information Act. Because the General Assembly is currently out of session (meeting annually from January through April), no legislation is being passed at this time, but she agreed the issue deserves further review.

She also encouraged residents to stay connected with local elected officials, including City Councilmember Felicia Porter, noting that city and state officials must work together to solve community problems.

Legislative Update

Delegate Lewis highlighted legislation passed two years ago requiring courthouses to provide accommodations for lactating women after identifying gaps in existing policies.

Red Line Transit Project

Current status of the Red Line project.

Delegate Lewis responded that:

  • The project is not dead, but plans continue to evolve.

  • Community advocacy remains important, and residents should continue letting elected officials know they support the project.

  • She recommended connecting with Transit Now, an advocacy organization founded by Paul Stern, which recently organized approximately 300 advocates to highlight the importance of transit funding.

  • Residents interested in transportation issues were encouraged to participate in Transportation 101 through the Maryland Transportation Alliance and to sign up for newsletters from Senator Chris Van Hollen and Senator Angela Alsobrooks.

She noted that the largest challenge facing the Red Line is securing federal funding, as transportation funding is currently a significant obstacle.

Nicole also shared concerns about middle school students who rely on public transportation to get to school.

Community Updates

South Baltimore Gateway Partnership

Updates:

  • Community Grant applications open July 1.

  • Technical review appointments begin August 14.

  • Applications will be available August 28.

  • A new online portal has launched, requiring all applicants to create new accounts.

  • Information is available on the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership website.

Annou:

  • The 10th Anniversary SoWeBo Gateway 5K along the Middle Branch Trail and Cherry Hill.

  • Limited free registration for a July 12 boat tour.

 

Association Business

Nicole confirmed that a quorum was present with Clarissa in attendance and reminded members to disclose and recuse themselves from any conflicts of interest when appropriate.

Community Mural Project

Washington Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard mural project- lead artist Josh.

Josh shared that he is excited to create artwork that reflects the Ridgely's Delight community and appreciates the opportunity to be involved in the neighborhood.

  • Community input is essential to the mural's design.

  • A neighborhood survey was distributed the previous week and additional responses are encouraged.

  • The mural will reflect the energy and spirit of the community.

  • The project team decided to use grant funding to ensure the artist is fairly compensated while also covering future maintenance costs.

Mural Fundraiser

Susan introduced plans for a fundraising campaign featuring T-shirts and sweatshirts to help raise approximately $2,500–$3,000 for the mural project.

Additional details include:

  • Designs will be featured in the neighborhood newsletter.

  • Interested volunteers should contact Susan.

  • A QR code on promotional materials will link directly to the community mural survey.

Alima also plans to conduct additional neighborhood outreach to encourage residents to complete the survey and help shape the mural's final design.

Billy will oversee donations to ensure all fundraising is handled appropriately and in accordance with association procedures.

Tree Pit Expansion

The contract for the tree pit expansion project has been signed, and work is expected to move forward soon. Volunteers will be needed for planting once installation begins.

Community Garden

Members expressed interest in developing a community garden adjacent to the mural site.

BGE Fence Update

An update was provided regarding BGE's proposed fencing project. A lawsuit filed by Denear challenging the fence remains pending, with the judge yet to issue a decision.

The Ridgely's Delight Association previously submitted a letter supporting opposition to the proposed fencing.

Social Events

Residents were reminded to watch Ridgely's Delight social media pages for information about upcoming neighborhood happy hours and community events.

Approval of Minutes

A motion was made to approve the May meeting minutes.

  • Motion: Nicole

  • Second: Clarissa

The motion carried.

Adjournment

Susan made a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded, and the meeting concluded.

Attendees:

Nicole Dungee
Clarissa Howison
Julia Dumont
Josh Burggraf
Deb O’Neil
Kate Leitkowski
Sandy Anderson
Bill Reuter
Sy Saulynas
Linda Hanson
Billy Hufnell
Farzana Muhib
Susan Clayton
Norra Hart
Maggie Schmidt
Paul Rubenson
Lindsay Chudzin
Bobby Walsh
Alima Samba
Celine Brundridge
Navi Singh
Warren Dungee
Katri
Sharon Reuter
 

Guests: 

Delegate Robyn Lewis
Hannah George Sharp,  SBGP