Bowie · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bowie public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Impaired driving and traffic safety
DUI crashes are up 20% even as DUI arrests rose 52%, and the city has only one drug-recognition expert. The department hopes to build a dedicated traffic unit as staffing recovers, and wants residents to keep calling in concerns.
Wastewater treatment plant sludge pumping station upgrades
The city piggybacked on an Anne Arundel County contract with Robert F. Beall & Sons Inc. for emergency, weekly, monthly, and annual wastewater pumping and hauling — a sign the city is relying on outside hauling to keep sewage moving.
Senior gym-walking fee
Seniors who have walked the city gym for free for years now face a $50 gym card fee in the current budget. Helen Clark, 88, spoke on behalf of a group of walkers asking the council to restore free access; council may add an agenda item soon.
MD 197 widening and fencing repairs
The MD 197 widening from US 50 to MD 450 is at 50% design. Councilmember Truesdale also asked staff to revive the long-delayed fencing repair along MD 197 near the Omni building at Carlington Road, unfixed for four years.
Old Bowie Arts and Entertainment District
Inncuvate's two-year effort to turn Old Town Bowie into a craft-manufacturing 'maker district' is gaining traction, with a $100,000 state TEDCO award, a planned lease of the old firehouse, and proposals for a commercial community land trust. Councilmembers debated how to connect the effort to surrounding development and draw Bowie residents in.
IT Modernization and Revenue Diversification
Bowie endorsed the state task force studying how counties and municipalities raise revenue — an effort that could affect where city money comes from in the future.
Police vehicle purchases and testing services
The council cleared the way for buying seven police vehicles and upfitting services through state and county contracts, plus $51,000 for outside police testing services. No competitive bidding was required for the vehicle purchases.
Proposed group home at 12403 Cambridge Drive
Neighbors learned a corporate investor bought a home across from their houses and is converting it into a residential facility for five individuals with mental disabilities. They want answers on who operates it, parking and signage, city oversight, and occupancy timing.
Thrive Small Business Grant Program criteria
Business owner Joanne Marshall Hobbs challenged her denial from the city's Thrive Small Business Grant Program, arguing the criteria favor brick-and-mortar expansion over consulting and technology firms. She asked the council to review the evaluation criteria.
Fees for nonprofit meeting space and block party permits
Millie Hall of Concerned Citizens of Prince George's County said nonprofits are being charged $50 an hour for meeting space despite the Ken Hill building being intended for nonprofit use, forcing her youth financial literacy program to Crofton. She also flagged the block party permit fee jumping from $25 to $50.
State legislative session and municipal funding
The city's lobbyists outlined a $71 billion state budget with growing out-year deficits, a failed bill that would have preempted local zoning, and a transportation grant fix that didn't pass — putting roughly $100 million in local transportation funding at risk statewide. Mason's Law will require Bowie to inventory open drainage inlets by 2027.
$2.25 million in county funding for Bowie projects
County Council Member Tim Adams announced roughly $2.25 million secured in the county's FY2027 budget for Bowie — parks, a possible aquatic center, a new gymnasium, the ice arena, and planning for the Town Center and Racetrack/Church Road areas.
FY2027 CDBG Annual Action Plan
Federal block grant money will keep funding home rehabilitation for income-eligible homeowners, the workforce development center at the Kenhill Center, and fair housing education.
Arby's at Mill Branch Crossing
A new Arby's with drive-through is coming to 3480 St. Lola Lane as part of the bigger Mill Branch Crossing development, expected to open spring or summer 2027 along with urgent care, a Dunkin', and a planned grocery store.
Small business support partnerships (MWBC and Bowie BIC)
Two business-support nonprofits reported their FY26 results — MWBC served 67 Bowie businesses; the BIC worked with 98 — and Councilmembers pressed for clearer ROI data on the city's roughly $150,000 annual investment in the BIC.
Police Misconduct Conviction
A former Bowie police officer has been convicted of attempted murder for shooting at a man in 2024. It’s a major accountability moment for the department—and a reminder that police misconduct can carry criminal consequences, not just internal discipline.
City Scholarship Funding Elimination
Education Committee member Alethea Smalls urged reinstatement of scholarship funding for students with financial need. The council agreed to consider a proposal to redirect $10,000 from the BCPA increase to the Education Committee on June 1.
Police Force Cost Debate
Heike Nyland blamed past administrations for not funding the police force they created; Councilmember Brady countered that rejected tax increases over 15 years would have generated $30 million more.
Summer Sunset Concerts and International Festival Cuts
Mary Ellen Winlund argued the concert series and International Festival are community investments, not discretionary spending, citing their role in food pantry donations and community cohesion.