January 24

Hello Eastport

1. Major Snow/Ice Storm Is Coming Tonight. The weather forecasters are predicting a major storm, but as it is for snowstorms in the Annapolis area, it is hard to predict how much snow and, in this case, the mix of snow and ice. The forecasters are also predicting freezing temperatures for a week after this storm, meaning that the snow and ice will stay around for a while. This storm will be disruptive.  

2. City Has Been Preparing: The City staff has worked all week preparing for this storm:

• Mayor Littmann has been leading the effort to ensure the city’s response is on point.

• The Office of Emergency Management has been leading coordination with all city departments.

• The Emergency Operations Center is at an “enhanced” level as staff monitors weather conditions and response.  

• The Annapolis Call Center is operational throughout this event for non-emergency questions related to the winter storm and City services. Annapolis residents can call 410-260-2211. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.

• Public Works had more than 1000 tons of salt and 11,000 gallons of brine on hand and began brining the streets Friday - the goal is to hit as many streets as possible. Annapolis has 27.9 miles of snow emergency routes, 19.6 miles of snow connector routes and 45.5 miles of other smaller streets.

• The City’s Snow Emergency Response Plan includes 41 vehicles and five contractors available for snow plowing.

3. State of Emergency:  As of noon today, Mayor Jared Littmann declared a State of Emergency in Annapolis to ensure access to critical resources during both the response and recovery phases of the storm. On Friday, Gov. Wes Moore declared a State of Emergency for Maryland. At the City’s request, the State of Maryland has provided two units of the Maryland National Guard with high-clearance vehicles to assist the City specifically with transportation as needed due to the storm. These units will always be accompanied by City employees.

4. Phase II Snow Emergency: The City has three levels of snow emergency declarations. The city will declare a Phase II Snow Emergency as of 8:00pm tonight which means:

• No parking on Snow Emergency Routes. Vehicles must be moved.  

  • Four City-owned garages (Park Place, Knighton, Gotts, and Mills Hillman) are free for residents after 4pm Saturday.

  • Because parked cars are one of the biggest challenges for snow crews, vehicles that remain on Snow Emergency Routes after 10pm on Saturday may be towed at the expense of the vehicle owner.  

• Plowing and cleanup take longer because of the need to plow and REMOVE snow

• Cleanup timeline: Snow Emergency Routes cleared by 30 hours; Connectors by 42 hours; Tertiary by 66 hours

5. Please Clear Sidewalks: This is about Eastporters being Eastporters. PLEASE shovel your sidewalks; if your neighbor is not home or needs some neighborly help, please shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk. Shoveling throughout the storm as well as at the end will make the challenge less daunting.

• Annapolis City Code requires property owners to clear adjacent public sidewalks (including sidewalks in the side and rear of properties) of snow and ice within three hours after snow or sleet has stopped falling (or by 11 a.m. following an overnight snow event). In 2025, the Annapolis City Council passed an ordinance that increased the fine for noncompliance to $100 per day.  

• The City’s effort to use contractors to shovel sidewalks is focused on routes for children to get to school. It is not designed to replace, and does not have the capacity to replace, our neighborly responsibility.  

• But Eastporters don’t need the City to tell us to be good neighbors – that is what makes Eastport such a great place to live. Please help your neighbors.  

6. Refuse and Recycling Pickups: Monday’s trash and recycling pickups have been cancelled. At this time, expect Monday to shift to Tuesday and Tuesday to shift to Wednesday.    

7. City Council Meeting postponed: Monday’s meeting has been postponed until next Monday, 2/2/26, at 7:00pm.

8. Best Info Resources:  

• Prepare Me Annapolis: Stay informed of city alerts by downloading the Prepare Me Annapolis app on your phone, click on "Be prepared," then scroll down to "snowstorms and extreme cold" to get real-time alerts and information.  

• Annapolis Snow Information: For information on Annapolis’ general policies for snow, plowing, and declarations of snow emergencies, visit www.annapolis.gov/730/Snow-Information.

• Track Snow Plows: The City of Annapolis uses SnowPaths, an online tool that provides real-time GPS tracking of snow plowing and road salting operations during winter storms. The interactive, mobile-friendly map shows when roads were last serviced and highlights priority routes.

• Power Outages: Baltimore Gas and Electric has informed City officials that they are prepared to handle potential outages due to icy conditions from the storm. Report outages by calling 877-778-2222, texting OUT to MYBGE (69243), or visiting the “Report an Outage” portal online: bge.com/outages/experiencing-an-outage/report-an-outage

• Report an Issue in Annapolis: Report infrastructure problems such as potholes, water main leaks, downed trees that block roads or sidewalks, blinking traffic lights or more through the City’s service request portal, which allows users to submit concerns and track their status in real time, or call 410-263-7970, during regular hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm); after hours, weekends, or on holidays, use the 24-hour line, 410-224-2140.

• Snow Information: For information on Annapolis’ general policies for snow, plowing, and declarations of snow emergencies, visit the Snow Information page on the City’s website: annapolis.gov/730/Snow-Information.

Stay safe, Frank

January 22

Hello Neighbors

1. City Budget: The City Council will host a work session this evening at 5:00pm to discuss the budget process and the budget priorities for each ward. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on the budget priorities for Ward 8:

• Traffic and Parking projects

• Sidewalk construction and repair

• Improvements to water access parks in Ward 8

• Funding for Annapolis Police Department

  • Additional enforcement, technology additions

  • Bicycle patrols

• Support advancement of the maritime industry

• Truxtun Park Master Plan

  
  

2. City Council Meeting 1/26/26: The meeting begins at 5:45pm, earlier than normal. Here is the agenda for the meeting and it can be watched live or here. Highlights of the meeting are: 

• City Dock Update: This is the Council’s and your opportunity to get an update on the City Dock project.

• Closed Session: There will be a Closed Session on pending or potential litigation pertaining to the City Dock project and then resume the council agenda.

• Public Hearings: 

  • Property Tax - Child Care Centers, Family Child Care Homes, and Large Family Child Care Homes  

    • This legislation will create real property tax credits up to $10,000 for Annapolis childcare providers who own the property where they operate a state-licensed or registered childcare center.

    • I am inclined to support this legislation due to the shortage of childcare opportunities for our young families and am interested to hear the public comments.

  • Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Statement of Performance Standards – The Council will take action to approve the standards.

    • I believe the performance standards need to be significantly improved over the next year but intend to vote yes on these proposed standards because doing otherwise would create an unacceptable delay in the budget process.

• Fire Department’s Strategic Plan: Presentation by our Fire Chief.

  
  

3. Police Department, Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management: Our three public safety agencies provided a tremendous overview of their status at Wednesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting. The meeting can be viewed here.

4. Major Snowfall: The city has been planning all week for this weekend’s storm. Here are several reminders and resources to help us get through the storm:

• Stay up to date: Sign up for the Annapolis’ Office of Emergency Management mobile app, “Prepare Me,” to receive real-time information and alerts, including severe weather updates, damage reports and press releases, via a push notification on your phone’s lock screen.

• For more alerts: Residents can also opt-in to the City’s mass community

  notification system, known as Alert Annapolis, where you can receive emergency alerts via text message, email, pager, or voicemail (if needed). You can opt-in by texting ANNAPOLIS to 38276 or by signing up for notifications here: alertannapolis.civicready.com.

• Snow information on city’s website – Good compilation of information to review before the storm.

• Track the snowplows – The City has a GPS tracking system that provides real-time status updates on road salting and snowplow operations during snow emergencies.

• Snow Emergency Response Plan – Good info about city’s snow removal plan including priority on clearing roads and snow emergency routes. If the City declares a snow emergency, please move your cars if you live on a snow emergency route. The snow emergency routes in Ward 8 can be found here.

• Sidewalk Clearing: City Code, Section 14.24.010 requires property owners to clear the public sidewalk of snow and ice within 3 hours after the snow or sleet

  has stopped falling except when the snow or sleet stopped falling between 3 PM and 6 AM. Then the snow/ice must be removed from the sidewalk before 11 AM. Violation of this code requirement is subject to fines. 

5. Forward Brewing: The Board of Appeals will continue its hearing on Forward Brewing Company’s request for a special exception for outdoor dining on February 3 at 7pm in City Hall. The application, staff report and numerous public testimonies are available here. I encourage you to testify at this hearing if you have a position on the application.

6. Hawkins Cove: The Environmental Matters Committee received an update on Hawkins Cove on January 8 that can be viewed here.

7. Town Hall: We had a great town hall on Tuesday night. Thanks to everyone who participated, and special thanks to Lee Downing of the Eastport Volunteer Fire Company for making it all happen. Here are the slides I used. Watch for a synopsis in the next email.

8. ECA meeting with Mayor Littmann: ECA will host Mayor Jared Littmann at their General Meeting on February 19, 2026, at the Eastport Volunteer Fire Hall.

All the best,

January 15

Hello Neighbors

1. Job #1: I believe the most important aspect of my job as your alderman is communicating with you. This includes hearing your concerns about our neighborhood, thoughts about upcoming legislation, or other ideas you have for how to make Eastport even better. It includes being responsive with information you are asking about. And it includes proactively providing you information you need to know. 

2. Town Hall next Tuesday evening: The purpose of this email is to invite you to our first Ward 8 Town Hall which will be Tuesday, January 20, at 7:00pm at the Eastport Volunteer Fire Hall.

3. Children may attend: We will have a table in the back of the room with an activity if you would like to bring children.

4. Town Halls Plan: I will host or participate in approximately 11 Eastport town halls per year.  Seven months of the year, I will host a Ward 8 Town Hall, sometimes with a guest speaker and always with an opportunity to ask questions. The president of the Eastport Civic Association, Paul Rankin, and I have coordinated that I will not host Town Hall meetings in the four months ECA is hosting General Membership meetings and at those meetings I will provide a brief Ward 8 Update. And Paul and I will coordinate to host Mayor Littmann at our events for the two town halls he has committed to doing in Ward 8. These events will take place at the Eastport Volunteer Fire Hall on the following schedule:

January 20 - Ward 8 Town Hall

February 19 - ECA General Meeting with Mayor Littmann

March - Ward 8 Town Hall

April 23 - ECA General Meeting

May - Ward 8 Town Hall 

June 18 - ECA General Meeting

July - Ward 8 Town Hall 

August - No meeting

September - Ward 8 Town Hall 

October - Ward 8 Town Hall

November 19 - ECA General Meeting

December - Ward 8 Town Hall

I hope to see you on Tuesday! We will start promptly at 7pm.

All the best, Frank