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Council debates moving ambassadors and community grant programs into police operations; sponsors say aim is to save officer time
Summary
A finance committee amendment would allocate $250,000 for an Adopt‑a‑Community grant program and $100,000 for a Downtown Ambassadors program within the police department; council members raised questions about recurring funding, procurement and program administration.
The council reviewed a finance committee amendment reallocating $250,000 for an Adopt‑a‑Community grant program and $100,000 for a Downtown Ambassadors program under the police department using anticipated turnover savings.
Budget staff and aldermen said the change does not increase the department's total funding but reallocates costs within the police budget from salaries and benefits into supplies and special projects lines so the programs can be administered. "The understanding that the police department is not fully staffed ... taking into account that it is likely that they will not fully spend the budget that is allocated and that, recognizing that is what is providing the savings that is funding this amount," a finance representative said.
Aldermen pressed for clarity on program administration and procurement. One sponsor said the Downtown Ambassadors program — which had previously been funded through a state grant to a downtown nonprofit—should be competitively awarded rather than automatically granted to a single organization. "My intention with this is ... for these funds to be, competitively awarded. Right? It would not necessarily ... have to go to the downtown Annapolis partnership," the sponsor said.
Council members raised three recurring concerns: (1) whether the program funding should be one‑time or recurring; (2) whether moving the programs into the police budget is the correct administrative home; and (3) risk of duplicative grant funding since multiple city grant programs and line‑item amendments propose funding nonprofits. Aldermen asked staff to return with recommendations on procurement, award mechanisms, and whether the city should instead channel funds through existing community grants programs to reduce administrative burden.
Ending: The council did not finalize a decision but instructed finance and department staff to provide a clearer proposal showing who would administer the programs, whether funding is one‑time or recurring, and options for a competitive process before finalizing the amendment.
