Red Line (Baltimore) - Red Line Community Compact

Red Line Community Compact

This document, signed by city and state officials, and 72 leaders of community organizations on September 12, 2008, describes how they intend to build and operate the Red Line for the benefit of Baltimore and its communities. The Community Compact emphasizes four main points:

• Put Baltimore to work on the Red Line: encourage and promote local and minority contract participation.

• Make the Red Line green: include green space and environmental improvements into the project.

• Community-centered station design, development and stewardship

• Reduce impact of construction on communities

Mayor Sheila Dixon appointed leaders from city government, non-profit and citizen groups, and the business community to a 40 member steering committee to implement each part of the Community Compact. The Red Line Community Compact Steering Committee held their first meeting on February 19, 2009; the group is scheduled to meet quarterly throughout the life of the project.

The decision at the meeting on December 11, 2008 was disputed at another Advisory Council meeting on July 9, 2009, where 11 members were present. A six to five vote favored rescinding the previous decision for Alternative 4C. Council Chair Angela Bethea-Spearman ruled that the motion to rescind failed, because the vote was less than a 2/3 majority. She cited "Robert's Rules" as the criteria for requiring a 2/3 majority and denying the rescision.