The Downtown Annapolis Partnership is a result of a merger between the privately managed Annapolis Business Association and the City run Main Streets program. The merger, while well intended, simply removed any clout the business community had in the City and put it in the hands of City management.
While Reed did not work directly for the City, the lion’s share of their funding (including and specifically) her salary was funded by the City. When the first Executive Director resigned, the City flexed their muscles and put hiring a replacement on hold until they made the decision to move forward.
We have learned that The Downtown Annapolis Partnership was currently in discussions with the Inner West Street Business Association to merge these two organizations. It is unknown if or how Reed’s departure will impact this.
