During the
three terms of office of Mayor Donjuan L. Williams, the City
of Glenarden has achieved many significant accomplishments.
In Fiscal Year 1998, the administration reduced total city
debt by forty eight percent. This was accomplished through a
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure Bond in the amount of $251,218.00. Storm
drainage problems were corrected in areas of Ward III during
Fiscal Year 1997, and on McLain Avenue in Ward II.
The Williams
Administration recommended and City Council
approved restructuring of the city's debt which
saves the city a substantial amount of money.
Under the administration of Mayor Donjuan Williams,
we certainly have become a city ready to step
into the new millenium. Listed below are accomplishments
that have been reached through this dynamic
leader and his administration.
Community Relations
- Due to his long standing working relationship with Governor Parris Glendening, Mayor Williams secured 1.2 million dollars in the Governor's 1999 Supplemental Budget for the acquisition and renovation of the American Legion Building on Martin Luther King Jr. Highway.
- G.I.V.E. (Glenarden Inspires Volunteer Efforts) Program - which promotes giving support through donations of food and clothing to those less fortunate in the City of Glenarden. It also promotes volunteers providing other services; i.e., tutoring, hospitality or bereavement services, and sharing of interests to children and seniors.
- Mayor's Scholarship Award Program. This program awards monetary scholarships to high school students living in Glenarden with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Awardees are also given priority to participate in the Glenarden Summer Youth Employment Training Program.
- Established the Mayors Reading Program. A special program designed to allow the city employees to go out on city time once a month to read to students of Glenarden.
- Established the city chaplaincy program. Three ministers respond with Pastoral care to those in the community who are sick, bereaved, and in need of assistance.
- The reestablishment of "Black Top Basketball" tournaments/leagues and the traditional "Mardi Gras Dance."
- The establishment of Glenarden Community Service Day in which the city government and private partners help families in need of home repairs for one day.
- Gained City Council approval of major renovations to the Gold Room (new carpet and drapes and mirrors).
- Upgraded
the cable TV studio, new character generator, equipment
and full time director.
Implementation of a successful First Annual Golf Tournament for the city's Department of Family Services. - The City's Cable Television received the "Telly Award" for the video of the Mayor and Council Delegation's trip to Nigeria which gathered ideas for trade.
Technology Improvements
- Most Administrative personal computers were upgraded to state-of-the-art Pentium processors, and outfitted with the latest word processing software Corel WordPerfect Suite 8 and Microsoft Office 97. New computers were purchased so that every city employee that needs a computer has one.
- All Administration Computers are networked, and on the Internet.
- The Alert Software System for the Glenarden Police Department was obtained through a Department of Justice Grant, which allows officers to input crime dates on laptop computers while in patrol vehicles.
- Procurement of new state-of-the-art accounting software
which is recommended and approved by the Government
Accounting Software Board (GASB) and is currently used by
municipalities nationally and in the State of Maryland, is
being recommended to City Council.
Equipment Purchases and Upgrades
- In 1995 a dump truck was purchased for the Public Works Department.
- Two 1996 police cruisers purchased for the Police Department.
- Major office renovations and creations to City Hall.
- A Kodak Duplicator Copier was obtained which allows the Administration to handle bulk copying needs which were previously handled through outside short term contractors.
- The Administration moved forward by obtaining for the city's
use a major credit card to do business effectively and
efficiently.
City
Employment