Baltimore has its first “Infrastructure Czar.” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced the creation of the new Mayor’s Office of Infrastructure Development (MOID). Matthew Garbark is the Baltimore City Infrastructure Czar, effective July 18.
Scott said the new office will “coordinate major capital projects, support agencies in project delivery, and maximize our ability to go after federal funds.” He said Garbark “brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise, especially around city infrastructure, to this new role, and I am fully confident he is the right person to lead this new agency and usher in a new era of equitable infrastructure development in Baltimore.”
“I firmly believe we are well-positioned to receive significant federal infrastructure investment,” said Garbark. “This investment is critical because it not only improves our physical assets; it also provides skilled, high-paying work for so many of our residents.”
MOID will report directly to the Chief Administrative Officer and be primarily responsible for coordinating and supporting agency leaders focused on identifying, administering, and managing federal infrastructure projects and grant programs. The office would advise Baltimore City government agencies on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act federal grant application development process, regulations, and systems that impact the procurement and Board of Estimate approval process. The primary scope of the office will be to:
- Serve as the main point of contact for state and federal infrastructure spending and reporting requirements.
- Establish citywide standards, policies, and processes to deliver high-priority projects in an efficient, strategic, and accountable manner.
- Define and maintain project management standards and introduce economies of scale in executing capital projects.
- Support agencies in project delivery while providing strategic oversight, coordination, and guidance on the procurement and BOE processes.
- Establish grant oversight and compliance protocols to ensure state and federal award reporting requirements are being met.
- Coordinate major capital projects, supporting agencies as needed, and leading/managing projects.
Garbark has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, University College. He has more than 15 years of experience working for the State of Maryland and Baltimore City. Since 2019, Garbark’s been Deputy Director for the Baltimore City Department of Public Works. During that period, he was Acting Director between February 2020 and April 2021.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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