Bowie · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bowie public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Street tree trimming contract
The city is spending $127,400 on trimming trees in public right-of-ways, using a bidding waiver to hire Lewis Tree Service directly.
FY 2027 budget amendment (O-13-26)
The council amended the current-year budget unanimously after a public hearing: $50,000 for a special election, $70,000 for the golf driving range, $835,800 for police equipment, and $110,000 for Public Works repairs.
Senior services business partnership
A local business owner wants to connect Bowie seniors with laundry pickup and chore services, and asked the city for help finding the right programs. The Mayor offered a follow-up meeting.
Peach Walker Meadow development proposal
Councilmember Brady flagged a pre-application meeting on November 9 for a proposal with 57 townhouses and six duplex units on six acres near Amher Meadows, Pointer Ridge, and Lake Meadows — and he's warning neighbors about traffic.
$600,000 Police Radio Grant
The county is moving to an encrypted radio system, and replacing the police department's radios would cost about $1 million. A state grant will cover $600,000 of it.
Route 197 traffic and the Agape Center proposal
The proposed day care on Collington Road sits on already congested Route 197 across from Benjamin Tasker Middle School. Neighbors worry a 24,000-square-foot building with 100+ kids will make traffic, noise, and safety worse; the applicants say their vans stagger pickup times and the road has capacity.
Bowie High School student safety
A teacher told the council about three serious incidents near Bowie High since school started — a fight at Chick-fil-A, a library brawl, and a student robbed at gunpoint. She asked for after-school police presence, youth programs, and possibly a minors policy like Wheaton Mall's. The chief detailed the five officers assigned daily to the school area.
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.
Unresolved easement dispute behind Agape site
Two households use a 20-foot shared right-of-way across the applicant's land, and they say a contract from 1959 protects it. The applicants say the right-of-way is on their property, they're paying taxes on it, and the neighbors block their use. Councilmembers urged both sides to talk before the county hearing.
New public works director welcomed
Damien Lampley joined the city as public works director, overseeing everything from public works operations to the city's water and sewer system.
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 clarified
After pushback from seniors, the city clarified that seniors with an active senior center membership can walk at the gym for free; the $50 fee only applies to general gym use outside senior programs.
Traffic enforcement in residential neighborhoods
Resident John Henry of Pointer Ridge says drivers routinely roll through stop signs, speed on Metroville Road, pass on double yellow lines, and use handheld phones. He wants the city police to coordinate traffic enforcement with the county, as was envisioned when the city force started.
$13.45M water and sewer bond authorization
The city took the first steps to borrow for water and sewer projects — declaring intent to reimburse costs from tax-exempt debt and introducing a $13.45 million bond ordinance.
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.
US 301 congestion and funding
US 301 was largely dropped from the draft priority list because there are no active projects in the city, but councilmembers pushed hard to get it back on. Direction was given to pursue a joint state-county-city conversation, follow up on the federal grant, and reach direct county/SHA contacts.
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.
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.
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.
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.
$16 Million Streetlight Bond
The council authorized borrowing up to $16 million to repair streetlights, replace failing cable, and convert to LEDs. Final sale terms come back for a later vote. Repayment rides on the city's full faith and credit.
Bowie State MARC station joint development
BSU President Aminta Breaux laid out the MARC station redevelopment: roughly 100 acres with potential for 400 housing units, 670 construction jobs, and $108 million in state and local tax revenue, with two development teams selected.
Private economic development corporation for Bowie
Consultant Frank Nero recommended creating a 501(c)(3) public-private economic development corporation, costing at least $2.4 million a year, to finally implement the city's many stalled economic development plans. Councilmembers debated whether the investment pays off, how to fund it amid a structural deficit, and whether Bowie State University should be a central partner.
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.
Property tax rate increase notification
Resident Andrea White criticized the size of the recent property tax increase and the lack of a direct mailed notice to residents, saying her city tax bill is now nearly as high as her county bill. She asked for an official notification letter and more gradual increases in the future.
Bowie Volunteer Fire Department Grant Funding
The city had cut the fire department's program supplement during budget season and considered restoring it. Councilmembers weighed the department's service value against years of underused allocations, ultimately introducing a restored amount at $100,000 instead of $167,000. Recruitment and county support gaps came up too.
$16 Million Streetlight Modernization Program
The council adopted the budget appropriation for a comprehensive streetlight repair, cable replacement and LED upgrade program, to be financed by up to $16 million in general obligation bonds backed by the city's full faith, credit and taxing power. Staff couldn't yet say when work would start or finish.
Youth sports field allocation at Allen Pond Park
Families from the DMV Marksman Soccer Club say their Bowie-based club has been unable to get reliable practice field time at Allen Pond Park, while permits went to clubs outside the city. They want fall field time, a published allocation policy giving priority to Bowie-serving organizations, and a designated staff contact.
Filming permit for city parks
A new ordinance would require a city permit — with a $100/day fee — for disruptive commercial filming in parks. Councilmembers want clearer language so student projects, news crews and family photos aren't caught by rules aimed at Hollywood-style productions.
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.
Early budget preparation and structural deficit
Councilmember Brady wants next year's budget work to start months earlier than usual, given staff begins in November and the city faces a structural deficit. A work session is set for the week of July 27, plus an economic development session in August.
Property tax levy increase and city services
A 36-year resident says his city tax levy jumped about $900 — a 52% increase after a 45% tax rate hike — and says residents were never warned. He wants a management review of services, pointing to trash handling, snow response, and other slippage.
New city leadership — City Manager and District 1 Councilmember
Bowie seated its new District 1 councilmember and hired Angel L. Jones as City Manager, completing a leadership transition after Alfred Lott's retirement.
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.
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.
Paris Baguette incentive grant for Bowie Town Center revitalization
The city is spending $150,000 to lure Paris Baguette to replace Panera at Bowie Town Center, betting it kickstarts revitalization and forces the new owner to fix up landscaping, sidewalks, and facades.
Request to display Pride flag during Pride Month
A PFLAG Bowie representative asked the city to raise a Pride flag at City Hall during June, raising questions about flagpole logistics and whether other flags would follow.
$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.
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.
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.
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.
Senior Center Staffing and Funding Cuts
Multiple speakers opposed cuts that eliminated a long-tenured Senior Center employee's position. Councilmember Truesdale asked for future discussion of Senior Center staffing and budget needs.
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.