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Hey folks! Alderman Brooks here. The August break is over and city government is meeting again. 

Our next council date is on August 14th at 7:00 PM. Before that meeting, there are some important updates that I wanted to share. After reading the book “Smart Brevity” I also wanted to try and restructure my newsletter in a new format I’m calling “5 Alerts for Ward 5.” Please let me know your thoughts on the new formatting.

Here are the alerts!

1. 🚧 Spa Road Construction, Road Closures, & Detours

Starting September 9 through October 9 the below portion of Spa Road will be closed for water and sewer work along with repaving. As a result traffic will be rerouted through Hunt Meadow Drive.

• Construction will begin each day at 9:00 AM and finish at 3:00 PM.
• The road will be open when construction is not taking place.
• After completion of this portion temporary repaving will occur. 
• More permanent repaving along the entirety of Spa Road and Harness Creek Road will occur upon conclusion of this project.
• This project is under the approval and supervision of the State Highway Administration. Announcements can be found here. 
• If there are any changes or adjustments to this I will provide immediate updates.

2. 🏗️ City Dock Construction; On Budget & Ahead of Schedule

Last week I joined Mayor Littmann for a tour and press conference of Annapolis City Dock. The project is on budget and ahead of schedule. The current expected timeline is:

• December 2026: Naval Academy to reopen Barry Gate.
• March 2027: Reopening the boardwalk along Ego Alley to pedestrians.
• July 2027: The opening of City Dock Park and the completion of the Maritime Welcome Center.
• Summer 2027 to Spring 2028: a revised Phase Two plan that limits closures along Upper Dock Street, the top of Ego Alley, and on Compromise Street.

This project is essential.

•  "Doing nothing cost downtown merchants about $1.3 million in 2018, and that was not a particularly bad flooding year. When there are more days of flooding, or flooding causes damage and disrupts operations for weeks at a time, that is unexpected and very costly, with no end in sight. We have an end in sight." - Mayor Jared Littmann.

Annapolis has been and is continuing to support our small businesses on Dock Street during this project. At the requests of these businesses we have;

• Rerouted our Magenta Shuttle to have a dedicated stop on Dock Street. 
• Deployed electric carts to Dock Street from Mills Hillman Garage. 
• Installed wayfinding banners and wraps along the construction fencing guiding visitors to Dock Street. 
• Altered traffic flow on Dock street and added pick up and drop off zones directly in front of shops.

There’s too much cover about the project in this letter. If you want to learn more, you can watch the video here or read the press release here.

3. Cyber Attack at Anne Arundel Medical Center 🏥 

On Monday, August 31st Lumminis Health, which includes Anne Arundel Medical Center and its surrounding clinics, suffered a cyber security attack. Representatives from Lumminis Health reached out to council members to provide a current update.

• The emergency department is still open. The hospital is in constant communication with EMS to coordinate regarding capacity and conditions.
• Most routine appointments are being seen. Patients with questions regarding appointments can call (443) 222-0913 for current information.
• Luminis Health is posting updates here.

4. Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth Constituent Resource Fair 🗃️

Need help with a local, state, or federal issue? Then join Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth on Thursday, September 10th at 5:30 PM. 

• Federal, State, local, and non-profit partners will be there to help neighbors and provide resources.
• To RSVP and learn more you can click this link.

5. 💲Ward 5 (& 7) Budget Town Hall 

Annapolis is hosting a series of town halls on the city budget. A budget shows a government’s values and these town halls are an opportunity for residents to learn the budget process, see how decisions are made, and share their priorities for next fiscal year.

• The town hall will be on Wednesday September 16 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM
• Location is the Pip Moyer Rec Center, 273 Hilltop Lane, Annapolis, MD 21403
• Registration is not required but if you register we can better prepare for your questions and needs.
• You can RSVP here!

🚨Bonus Alert! This long weekend is brought to you by the hard working folks of organized labor. I’m going to be grilling some union made dogs with a union made beer. You can check below for great union made products for your Labor Day cook out, or learn more here! 

Happy Labor Day! 

Brooks for Annapolis
https://www.brooksforannapolis.com/