Every five years, the Maryland Municipal League surveys our 157 cities and towns to update our municipal services and programs database. This information allows MML's staff to identify which cities and towns provide which specific services, programs and benefits. This is especially important for the League's research and legislative staff when preparing testimony on legislative issues, fielding calls from the press, and responding to other member city and town inquiries.

The survey was sent out via e-mail a month ago to all city/town hall e-mail addresses on file with the League. A copy of the Services Survey is also posted on MML's website and can be viewed by clicking on www.mdmunicipal.org/documents/survey.pdf. If you do not recall receiving a copy of the survey, please contact either Jessica Barnes or Candace Donoho at MML by phone at 410/268-5514 or by e-mail at jessicab@mdmunicipal.org or candaced@mdmunicipal.org. The survey can be completed and returned via e-mail to jessicab@mdmunicipal.org or standard mail to MML at 1212 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. No faxes please.

Responses to 2010 Municipal Services Survey received to date: Aberdeen, Barclay, Bel Air, Berlin, Berwyn Heights, Betterton, Bladensburg, Boonsboro, Bowie, Brentwood, Brunswick, Burkittsville, Centreville, Charlestown, Chesapeake City, Cheverly, Chevy Chase, Chevy Chase Section 5, Church Creek, Church Hill, College Park, Crisfield, Cumberland, Denton, District Heights, East New Market, Easton, Elkton, Emmitsburg, Federalsburg, Frederick, Friendsville, Frostburg, Gaithersburg, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, Greenbelt, Hagerstown, Hampstead, Hancock, Indian Head, Kensington, Kitzmiller, La Plata, Landover Hills, Laurel, Laytonsville, Loch Lynn Heights, Mardela Springs, Martins Additions, Middletown, Millington, Morningside, Mount Airy, Mountain Lake Park, Myersville, New Carrollton, New Windsor, North Chevy Chase, Ocean City, Queenstown, Perryville, Pittsville, Poolesville, Preston, Queen Anne, Rock Hall, Rockville, Rosemont, Seat Pleasant, Sharptown, Sharpsburg, Smithsburg, Somerset, Sudlersville, Takoma Park, Taneytown, Trappe, Union Bridge, University Park, Upper Marlboro, Vienna, Westminster, Williamsport, Woodsboro.

As part of the League's ongoing effort to recover lost municipal state shared revenues, all municipalities were recently mailed a "State Shared Revenues Recovery Action Kit." This kit includes copies of both the resolution that was passed by the membership at the annual convention as well as a 'template' resolution to be adopted by every municipality. The League plans to use the adoption of these local resolutions as part of MML's just-launched revenue recovery public relations campaign. Therefore, it is important that EVERY municipality adopt this resolution and return a copy to MML as soon as possible.

Please be sure your city or town places the adoption of this state shared revenues resolution on your next municipal council or commission meeting agenda. Once your city or town has adopted the resolution, please send a copy of the adopted resolution to MML President Gary Comegys at the MML office address, 1212 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. Copies of the entire Revenue Recovery Kit can be found by clicking on the following link: 2010 SSR Recovery Kit. For more information, please contact Candace Donoho at the League office by telephone at 410/268-5514 or by e-mail at candaced@mdmunicipal.org.

If you attended MML's summer convention, you're one step closer to receiving your Banner City/Town designation. Banner Cities/Towns are municipalities that not only actively showcase to the community what municipalities are all about, but also maximize their MML membership by participating in chapter meetings, training and other programs. The first criterion was attendance at the 2010 annual summer convention, next is attendance at the 2010 Fall Conference.

If you've participated in the conferences, chapter meetings and MML programs like Municipal Government Works month in the past but never completed the Banner City/Town Participation Form, don't miss out for 2011.

Download the participation form at Banner City from the MML Website and begin logging your activities to become a 2011 Banner City/Town, now.

This year's fall conference promises to be a very exciting event. Since 2010 is an election year, the conference will move to Maryland's capital city. The conference will begin on Thursday, October 21 and run through Saturday, October 23. In addition to seven workshops, six of which are either Academy core or elective courses, three candidate forums will be held on Friday, October 22.

As always, the membership will have the opportunity to discuss and consider for adoption the League's 2011 legislative priorities. The MML Board of Directors will meet on Thursday morning, October 21 and the Maryland Mayors Association will meet later that same day. The conference will be held at the Annapolis Loews Hotel. The League is pleased to report that for the fourth year in a row, conference registration rates have not been increased. Registration information is in the July/August issue of Municipal Maryland and is also posted on MML's website. We look forward to seeing you in Annapolis in October.

The Maryland Governor's Grants Office has posted an audio recording and presentation slides of its recent "Preparing for a Recovery Act Audit" training. The session was co-hosted by the Governor's Grants and StateStat Offices, along with the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy and featured some of the top federal officials responsible for management and oversight of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The information presented in the session will be of benefit to any municipality preparing for an ARRA audit, which may be the case even if your jurisdiction is as a sub-recipient of this federal funding. The session is posted in the Governor's Grants Office training library under the What's New heading at www.grants.maryland.gov. Speakers' presentations are included with the audio, and audio time markers are indicated next to presentations to enable the viewer to follow along.

As part of the Watershed Assistance Grant Program (WAGP), the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Department of the Environment are partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a special funding opportunity for green streets and other urban green infrastructure projects. Local governments and non-profit organizations in urbanized watersheds located in the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland and the Anacostia River Watershed are invited to submit requests for urban green infrastructure-driven technical planning and design assistance associated with watershed restoration projects. For more information, see www.cbtrust.org/site/c.miJPKXPCJnH/b.5457627/k.463C/Watershed_Assistance.htm. Deadline is September 24, 2010.

This year, in order for us to get applications to the NLC on time, applications are due to MML by Friday, October 15; prior to the Denver Congress of Cities (November 30 - December 4). It is particularly important for applicants interested in serving on NLC Steering Committees to submit their applications by the October 15 deadline. You must be an NLC direct member city to serve on a Steering Committee. If you were on an NLC Steering Committee last year and are interested in serving or need more information, please contact Kimberly Cetrone at KimberlyC@mdmunicipal.org.