SUBJECT: MTA BUS CHANGES
To: Maryland Mass Transit official:
Baltimore City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke gave me your name to receive
comments on planned MTA bus changes. I am also sharing these comments with
others in the Baltimore community who may be interested. I will post this
Email on my weblog which is located at https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/

I first experienced urban mass transit while stationed with the U.S. Air
Force outside London, England. This included heavy rail trains, the London
Underground or Tube and the familiar double-decker red buses that provided
transportation to small communities not served by railroad. Later I lived in
New York City with its dense population served by the extensive subway
system.

I now live in the Charles Village neighborhood of Baltimore and rely
exclusively on the MTA bus system for transportation. I also travel
periodically to Washington, D.C. using the Maryland State MARC train.

I use public transportation because of a combination of preference and
poverty, having been prematurely separated from my employment with the State
of Maryland. If I owned a car, it would probably be a junker for errands,
trips to Washington, and some social occasions.

When I first saw the proposed MTA changes I felt a moment of panic, but when
looking at them in detail, I saw that most of them would work for me. I
would be able, for instance, to take advantage of the increased number 11
buses to Greater Baltimore Medical Center even on weekends, there to connect
with the 55 that would carry me into Towson where I years ago rented a U.S.
Post Office mail box on the possibility that downtown Towson might take off.
This connection would work well for me.

I also am looking forward to the reintroduction of the light rail north of
Mount Royal that would allow me shop the big box stores and attend the
movies at Hunt Valley. When precisely will the light rail be completed?

Some specific suggestions:

NUMBER 61 BUS - Instead of doing away with the 61, let the 11 take its place
by turning west at Northern Parkway and picking up Roland Avenue to
University Parkway and then south.

HAMPDEN SHUTTLE BUG, NUMBER 98 - Instead of doing away with the 98 extend
its area of service to Charles Village by continuing on University Parkway
then south on the Charles Street service drive. This would connect the
Hampden and Charles Village neighborhoods and, if the 98 went down Union
Avenue, to the Woodberry Light Rail stop would give Charles Villagers access
to both the north and south light rail lines.

Although ridership at the moment may be light, I would expect it would grow
when Johns Hopkins University completes its 800 student dorm on Saint Paul
and 33rd Street. At the same location, the development firm on Struever
Brothers, Eccles & Rouse is planning to build luxury condominiums. The
shuttle also provide these populations with transportation to The Rotunda
Shopping Center which is to be renovated.

PUBLIC RELATIONS - I believe the Ehrlich administrations could do a better
job of justifying and promoting these changes. I have several times visited
The William Donald Schaefer Tower on Baltimore Street where a map of the
proposed changes is mounted on an easel. Why not post the changes on the
Internet with an opportunity to make comments?

A similar approach to taking the changes to the community could be to send a
State employee to shopping centers, churches and schools with a computer
displaying the proposed changes. The employee could discuss changes with the
public and enter their comments into a database. A literature rack could
also be made available.

When the complete light rail is back in service, celebrate its return. An
event could be held in the BWI airport at the southern end and the northern
end in Baltimore County with appropriate county officials and publics
involved.

Such an event might feature Comptroller William Donald Schaefer wearing a
trolley conductor’s uniform and perhaps ringing a trolley car bell and
conducting a brass band. This would also be a way of recognizing Mr.
Schaefer for initiating the light rail.

Beyond the changes, it might be good to look at destination marketing and
promoting the use of the public transportation system by publics not now
using it. This might include an increased emphasis on MTA security.

Email to Steiner Radio Show on Proposed Convention Center Hotel
From: Allan In Charles Village

I am against the proposal to build a new city financed convention center hotel. If the demand existed, the private sector would be interested.

Better we have a temporarily underused convention center than a large new hotel and convention center that both need to be filled.

Baltimore might market to smaller conventions combining convention attendance and family vacations.

An interesting promotion might be:

WE’RE NOT WASHINGTON D.C. BUT WE’RE CLOSE ENOUGH (AND WE’RE CHEAPER)

with a list of things a family can do while the father (or mother) attends their convention.

Email To Marc Steiner Show, WYPR - April 13 - Your Show Today on State Group Homes for Children
(NOTE: The Steiner show was discussing BALTIMORE SUN articles on State Group Homes For Children)

As a former public relations director for the Baltimore City Department of
Social Services, I know how difficult it is to recruit homes for foster care
and adoptive children. As part of our recruitment efforts, I even produced a
weekly TV program titled "A Child Is Waiting".

Since that time, I believe communities have changed and recruitment is
undoubtedly more difficult. I suggest the State consider State operated
group homes administered by State employees who would certainly be paid less
than private administrators. You don't have to call them orphanages.

As public relations director for the Maryland Association for Mental Health,
I helped close State mental hospitals. I wonder if those facilities could be
put to use as children's homes. Some of them had rural locations but there
is nothing wrong with that.

The important point made in today's BALTIMORE SUN is that these problems did
not originate with the Ehrlich administration.

Allan Garske https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/

I Am Not The Dawson Family
The Dawson family of Baltimore was burned to death for attempting to combat
drug trade in their neighborhood.

For complaining about the drug trade in my Baltimore neighborhood of Charles
Village, I lost a business which was publishing an arts calendar tabloid
called THE CHARLES STREET PAPER in the early 1980s and in 1989 I was fired
from my employment with the State of Maryland.

Subject: Baltimore's New Police Commissioner March 14, 2005
To: Sheila Dixon, President, Baltimore City Council Dear Ms. Dixon: I note that today the City Council is scheduled to vote on the confirmation of Leonard D. Hamm as Baltimore police commissioner. To view my comments on this appointment, please visit to my weblog at I think Mr. Hamm will be a good choice as he will bring much local experience to the job. I also approve of his tactic of going after high crime individuals in high crime neighborhoods. This tactic seems to be working in Washington, D.C. Let us not forget that when Mayor O'Malley was elected, the Baltimore City Police Department had 50,000 unserved warrants and Homicide detectives had to wait in line to use the unit's sole computer. Also, it was not too long ago that the Baltimore Police Commissioner was appointed by the Governor of Maryland. We certainly do not want to return to those days. I am sharing this Email with my neighborhood contacts, the media, and other elected officials.

Baltimore's New Top Cop
To: Mary Pat Clarke, Councilman, 14th District.

RE: Baltimores New Top Cop

FROM: Allan W. Garske, 3101 Guilford Avenue, agarske@hotmail.com,(410) 880-2483

Congratulations on your election as City Council representative for Baltimore's new 14th District.
I was pleased to see that a new website for the City Council was up immediately after your confirmation last week.

I enjoyed attending the recent Candidates' Forum at the Waverly Branch of The Enoch Pratt Free Library and also was able to hear your hour long radio interview with Anthony McCarthy.

I have some thoughts to share about the Forum and also about some of the other issues you discussed. However, since an early item for Council consideration will apparently be the possible approval of Mayor O'Malley's choice of Acting Police Commissioner Leonard D. Hamm, I wanted to share with you some questions regarding Baltimore city policing.

1. One of the successes of recently fired Police Commissioner Kevin Clark's administration was the formation of a squad to clear the city corners of drug dealers. Would Commissioner Hamm if approved continue that approach?

2. Witness intimidation has been a problem in bringing drug dealers to justice. What approach would Commissioner Hamm take to this problem? How should citizen complaints of criminal activity be handled? How should citizen complaints about criminal activity by police be handled?

3. What changes if any would Commissioner Hamm make in how the police relate to the community in terms of public relations?

4. Commissioner Hamm after retiring from the Police Department worked in security for Morgan State University and the Downtown Partnership.

The education industry in Baltimore is a thriving aspect of the city's economy. What suggestions would Commissioner Hamm have to improve security for the city's college students. (On the Homewood campus we have had a recent unsolved student murder. The 1989 murder of JHU coed Brigitte Phillips still goes unsolved.) Also, what role should City police take in policing the Baltimore Public Schools.

Some controversy has been raised about the operation of street surveillance cameras by the private police of the Downtown Partnership and the Charles Village Community Benefits District. Does Commissioner Hamm feel these cameras should be operated by the regular Police?

Please share this Email with whoever you think might be interested. I will post it on my Weblog which is accessible at: https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/

PR Resume
Allan W. Garske
3101 Guilford Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21218-3420
Mail: Box 27442, Baltimore 21285-7442
agarske@hotmail.com (410) 880-2483 Weblog:
https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/

PROFILE

Writer, editor, photographer, public relations specialist able to produce
and place material in a variety of media.

People skills include ability to work with government administrators and
staff, elected officials, community groups, association management and
volunteers.

Establish positive ongoing relations with the press. Press contacts have
included THE BALTIMORE SUN, THE WASHINGTON POST, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT,
NBC NETWORK NEWS

Anticipate and function effectively in "crisis" situations.

INTERNET

Using Internet, created Emailing list of press, politicians and community
groups to receive news releases and opinion pieces. To view weblog archive,
go to https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/

PUBLIC RELATIONS

As state-level public relations director counseled county and city mental
health chapters on publicity and fund raising.

Assisted in educational meetings for Maryland General Assembly, Brooklyn
(New York) medical professions.

Conducted public education programs in Baltimore and Brooklyn.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

As public relations director for the Baltimore City Department of Social
Services produced A CHILD IS WAITING television program designed to recruit
foster care and adoptive homes.

Arranged for and produced weekly radio program.


PRINT MEDIA

Design, write and edit newsletters, brochures, annual reports, magazines.
Supervise writers, photographers, designers, printers.

EMPLOYMENT

Baltimore City Department of Social Services
Maryland Association for Mental Health
Brooklyn Tuberculosis & Health Association

EDUCATION

DEGREES:

JOURNALISM BA, RADIO-TELEVISION SPECIALTY,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

ASSOCIATE BA
Devils Lake Junior College, Devils Lake, North Dakota

SEMINARS:

GLOBAL PR BLOG WEEK 1.0
http:// globalprblogweek.com

CRAFTING THE OP-ED: EXPERT INSIGHTS ON GETTING YOUR PIECE PUBLISHED,
The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore

MOVING A PUBLICATION ON-LINE
Society of National Association Publications (SNAP), Washington, D.C.

LATEST TRENDS IN NEWSLETTERS,
The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

MILITARY

USAF Weather Observer stationed in England near London.

Print Resume
Allan W. Garske
Weblog: https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/
3101 Guilford Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21218-3420
Mail: Box 27442, Baltimore 21285-7442
agarske@hotmail.com (410) 880-2483


INTERNET & COMPUTER

Familiar with Macintosh computer. Using Internet, created Email list of
press, politicians and community groups to receive news releases and opinion
pieces.
To view weblog archive, go to https://allan366.tripod.com/AllanG/


PRINT MEDIA

Develop design and content for annual reports, brochures, magazines and
newsletters, advertising supported when appropriate

Supervise writers, photographers, designers, printers, advertising staff

As an entrepreneur published THE CHARLES STREET PAPER, advertising supported
monthly tabloid size arts paper with 15,000 free circulation in Baltimore
city

In order to strengthen Baltimore's Charles Village community, as volunteer
changed THE CHARLES VILLAGER newsletter into tabloid size advertising
supported neighborhood newspaper with 5,000 circulation

Editor for trade magazines AIRPORT/SERVICES MANAGEMENT,
GREATER AMUSEMENTS, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST,
and TV TIMES, a television listing magazine similar in format to TV GUIDE

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

As public relations director for Baltimore City Department of Social
Services produced A Child Is Waiting TV program to recruit foster care and
adoptive homes. Arranged for and produced radio program

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Establish positive ongoing relationships with press. Anticipate and function
effectively in "crisis" situations. Press contacts have included U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT,
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, NBC NETWORK NEWS, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

As state-level public relations director for the Maryland Association for
Mental Health counseled Maryland county and city mental health association
chapters on publicity and fund raising

Assisted in creating educational programs for the Maryland General Assembly,
Brooklyn (New York) medical professions, Baltimore and Brooklyn publics


PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos used in publications, exhibits and television programs

WRITING

Publication copy, TV scripts, entertainment columns, feature stories, film
and theater reviews

EMPLOYMENT

Baltimore City Department of Social Services
Maryland Association for Mental Health
Brooklyn Tuberculosis & Health Association
Minnesota State Department of Business Development

EDUCATION

DEGREES:

Journalism BA, Radio-Television Specialty,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Associate BA,
Devils Lake Junior College, Devils Lake, North Dakota

SEMINARS:

Global PR Blog Week 1.0
http: globalprblogweek.com/archives/the_events

Crafting The Op-Ed: Expert Insights on Getting Your Piece Published,
The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore

Moving A Publication On-Line,
Society of National Association Publications (SNAP), Washington, D.C.

Latest Trends In Newsletters,
The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Crafting The Op-Ed: Expert Insights on Getting Your Piece Published,
Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Public Health, Baltimore

Moving A Publication Online,
Society of National Association Publications, Washington, D.C.

Latest Trends In Newsletters,
The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.


MILITARY

USAF Weather Observer stationed in England near London.




< Prev Next > Back to Inbox Print View Full Header

MTA on Public Transit
(Note: This is in response to my previous Email.)

Dear Mr. Garske:

I was sent a copy of your email to Marc Steiner, as I am with the
Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). The MTA operates the buses in
the Greater Baltimore area, commuter buses to and from Baltimore and
Washington, commuter trains connecting 8 Maryland counties with
Baltimore and Washington, the Light Rail and Metro Subway, as well as a
paratransit service for persons with disabilities.

The present Administration, while not raising taxes, is providing the
necessary funding to stabilize and improve the existing transit
structure in the State. For example:
The Metro: all cars are completing a mid-life overhaul, and tracks and
tunnels are receiving the attention necessary to maintain their safety &
efficiency.
The Light Rail is completing the double tracking project and adjacent
station improvements to make the line more efficient.
The MARC Train Service recently added bi-level cars (purchased from
Chicago) to improve capacity issues.
The Commuter Bus division has purchased newer, lift-equipped coaches to
lease to our subcontractors.
The paratransit service is in the process of adding up to 100 new
vehicles that will more efficiently transport those persons who qualify
for this service.
The bus division is adding up to 230 new coaches starting this winter,
which will make the fleet 100% accessible and reduce the age of the
fleet. We will retro-fit the older buses with new destination signs.

These and several other initiatives have been funded through directives
from the current State Administration. Secretary of Transportation
Flanagan has been very hands-on in promoting an improved MTA.

This fall, it will be announced that public forums will be held to take
transit the next step, by planning the Red and Green line portions of
the Baltimore Regional Transit Plan. The first set of meetings will be
held with communities in the Social Security to Patterson Park corridor
to begin the planning process of the next phase of the Transit Plan.

To improve the existing bus system, the MTA is concluding a Bus
Efficiency Study as part of a Scheduling Efficiency Review.
Essentially, this looks at every bus line, every bus stop along the line
and the actual running time of the bus. Next year we will begin to
adjust bus routes, running times and bus stops to become more efficient.
If we can be more efficient with the system we have, ridership will
grow and we will be able to expand. First, we are aware that we need to
schedule the buses correctly and put them on the streets as they are
scheduled.

I thank you for your comments, and hope you will begin to see an
improved MTA with the beginning of 2005.

Baltimore Public Transit - Sent to Marc Steiner WYPR Radio Show
You need to talk about the present state of public transit in Baltimore.
Yesterday I rode a bus with no sign so the operator had to announce the
number and destination verbally at each stop. Also the bus rattled as the
shocks were apparently shot.

The buses also need to run on time. The number 8 buses out of Hunt Valley
seem to run in groups so that when one finally does arrive people crowd on
because who knows when the next one is coming. Sometimes the number 11 out
of Goucher seems to disappear.

Despite this, Baltimore transit riders are notable for their patience and
courtesy. And as I frequently remark to operators, "I don't know how much
you're paid, but it's not enough."

Part of the problem is a matter of lax administration, I think. Part is
undoubtedly due to funding. I know Governor Ehrlich ran on a platform of no
NEW taxes, but think he would be better advised to see about RIGHT taxes. He
should talk to State Comptroller William Donald Schaefer about the tax
reforms Schaefer attempted to get passed when he was Governor. For
suggestions in detail, see THE WASHINGTON POST editorial "Maryland Tax
Truths" of August 21.

If Mussolini could get the Italian trains to run on time cannot Ehrlich do
the same for Baltimore buses?

(In effort to promote public discussion, I am sharing this message with my
Emailing list and am also posting it on my Weblog.)