Last Saturday was a lot of fun. The 41st annual Annapolis Cup was won by the midshipmen in a stunning upset. Just before heading over to kick that off (or tip or tap or whatever you call the beginning of a croquet match), I went to the grand opening of a new restaurant downtown: Blowfish Poké Hawaiian Grill.

Blowfish is a perfect example of the tenacity our small businesses SHOULDN'T need. It took them almost 8 months to get open in Annapolis. During the same time, they opened a space in Rockville in less than 3 months. That time means lost revenue, wasted rent, and fewer options for residents. Huge barriers to entry shift our business make-up towards big corporations and away from small business owners like Ben and Philip. We've got to make it easier for people who love Annapolis to invest in Annapolis!

I want you to read my opinion piece in The Capital and below laying out my top priority for this coming city budget: rebalancing us towards commonsense maintenance and away from new projects.

2025 is not 2024. While the city has made important investments, now is the time to turn towards maintaining them and fulfilling the core functions of city government, like roads and sidewalks.

More important than you reading my opinion, I want to hear yours. On April 23 at 6 pm, I will be having a budget town hall in the Parish House at St. Anne’s, and I hope all Ward One residents will attend to learn more about the proposed budget that the mayor will release Monday and to share your priorities.

Yesterday, I got in a whole new batch of yard signs, just in time for them to match your spring flowers—like Linda’s does here. You can request one here, and we’ll get it out to you very soon.

It’s an exciting time of year as we begin spring. I kicked off the season by kicking my socks off and into a bonfire at the Annapolis Maritime Museum yesterday; pretty soon, we’ll be back out on the water. And with the arrival of spring comes Maryland Day and lots of great activities around Annapolis. Maryland Avenue shops are encouraging folks to stop by this weekend to celebrate.

It’s Annapolis’ St. Patrick’s Day, and everything is green! My tulips are coming up, daylight savings time just kicked in, and you might even be able to see some buds on the trees. One other thing that will be getting greener: our Severn River watershed, which was selected to be targeted with restoration funding as part of the Whole Watershed Act—a state law sponsored by then-Senator Elfreth that I helped develop in my day job.

There’s a pretty good chance I’ve knocked on your door since you read my last email. In just the past two weeks, I’ve covered most of the consistent voters northeast of Cathedral Street. You also may have gotten a letter in the mail from introducing myself. And if that’s why you’re reading this newsletter today, welcome!

I spent much of yesterday—along with friends and volunteers—knocking on your doors to introduce myself and hear from you directly. Issues residents talked to me about included housing affordability, getting city dock done, and the slow pace of permits for home improvements. Expect to see me at your door sometime very soon—even if it’s sleeting.

Since September, Harry Huntley has worked tirelessly for the people of Annapolis. Following the resignation of Eleanor Tierney, the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee held a vote to select a replacement alderman for Ward One of Annapolis.

Annapolis Ward One Alderman Harry Huntley kicked off his campaign for a full term on the city council at McGarvey’s Oyster Bar packed with supporters, including Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth, Ward One Residents Association President Craig Harrison, local business owners, and other residents from King George Street to Spa Road.

It’s still brutally cold out, but we’ve made it through the darkest ten weeks of the year, and the light is in sight. This week’s cold has been beautiful on our waterways but ugly on city infrastructure like water mains. Thanks to a resident calling me yesterday and a diligent Public Works crew, we were able to get this break at the corner of Fleet and East Streets taken care of expeditiously yesterday. Sara gives the repair job two thumbs up!

I have always said that my priorities regarding the city dock project are to unpave paradise and preserve it for posterity.

It’s been over a month since I have actually had a city council agenda to send out. To all the new readers, welcome to my normally-biweekly newsletter describing issues before the city council and notable news in Ward One. Please share this with your neighbors and share your thoughts with me.

Top things to know about tomorrow’s snow.

So many of us have much to celebrate this holiday season, and we should enjoy those parties, marshmallow toastings, and other opportunities for cheer. But it’s important to remember that we have neighbors who are struggling. Yesterday, I presented a city council citation (center photo) to the Anne Arundel County Coalition to End Homelessness at their “Longest Night” memorial for people who were homeless and died in the past year. The ceremony was deeply moving, and the list was far too long.

“Let’s make it happen.” Whether in my career, at home, or on the city council, I strive to just plain get it done. Sometimes issues residents bring me can take months of coordination or legislation to resolve, but other times it just takes showing up and jumping in—together. That’s what the awesome folks from Save Our Trees realized in 2022, and since then, they’ve removed invasive vines strangling over 6000 trees around Annapolis. I was happy to join them this weekend and then later in the day do my own little clean-up at Amos Garrett Park.

Happy Thanksgiving! It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year. As we enter the season of thankfulness and joy, please remember to keep your neighbors in mind. Invite someone who might be lonely to Thanksgiving dinner, buy a little present for an acquaintance you want to get to know better, and always shovel your walk if Christmas turns out to be white. Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for lots of events to show your holiday spirit.

“It’s utterly unserious, and even a non lawyer can find the grammatical and logical errors in these three pages,” Alderman Harry Huntley, a Democrat representing Ward 1, said Tuesday.

Last weekend’s Slaughter Across the Water was such a joy to be apart of. In Julien Jacques’ photo above, you can see me leading the Annapolis side for tug #2. While the official result was a draw, we still made sure those traitorous Eastporters don’t have bragging rights for the next year. My favorite part of the event was meeting the many dedicated volunteers who make this happen every year and have raised close to a million dollars for local charities. Whether you tugged, volunteered, or just showed up to watch, thanks for participating in this fun tradition!