Councilmember Bell wins Maryland 250 grant for city civics academy; council approves letters of support for local groups

Council Member Erica Bell told the mayor and council that a Maryland 250 grant will fund a six-week City Civics Academy offering weekly evening voter-education workshops. The program will cover voter registration, the role of local elected officials, public safety, transportation, planning and zoning, and outreach aimed at increasing civic engagement among marginalized groups.

Bell said partners are expected to include Gatekeepers and the NAACP and that the grant funds will be used for modest expenses such as refreshments and outreach. Council discussed recruitment methods, including posting information on the city's Facebook page and outreach to county public schools; staff agreed to follow up on whether the sessions could include county or school officials without triggering the city's open-meeting constraints.

Separately, council approved drafting and signing four letters of support for local organizations seeking funding: the Dolman Black Heritage Museum, the RW Johnson Community Center, Magnolia Daycare, and a request from USMH for streaming-technology upgrades. Council members gave general approval for the letters to be drafted and signed by the mayor.

Bell said the grant-funded programming should be completed by the end of October; staff will coordinate logistics and outreach.