Dear Neighbors:
As we enter into budget season, this is our first of three weeks with double City Council sessions. This week and the two following weeks we will meet on both Monday evenings and Wednesday evenings.
Tomorrow night's meeting will be devoted exclusively to a work session on the City's proposed capital budget. Following is a link which includes detailed information about the proposed capital budget in these areas: equipment replacement; park development; infrastructure improvements; facilities; and information technology (including City TV). https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2016/council-agenda-20160411.pdf
On Wednesday, we have a full agenda which includes a public hearing starting at 7:30 PM on the proposed budget. This is an excellent opportunity (though by no means the last chance) to offer comments on the budget. Here is a link to the entire proposed budget: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/finance/budgets-and-financial-documents/proposed-budget/FIN-20150401-proposed-budget-fiscal-year-2017.pdf
I encourage residents to attend this hearing and/or the future sessions on the budget. It will be very valuable for me to hear your thoughts on the appropriate levels of spending and the tax rate (there will be additional public hearings on both topics on April 25).
Other agenda items for Wednesday's session include a meeting with representatives of the Police Employees' Retirement Plan Committee (that starts at 6:30); a public hearing on the proposed ordinance to Restrict the Commercial Use of Plastic Single-Use Carryout Bags; further discussion about the library renovation; an update on the Flower Avenue Green Street Project; and a discussion on the Franchise Agreement with Comcast relating to cable television in the City (which includes a memorandum of understanding with Montgomery County). I will provide more detailed information about the Wednesday meeting agenda in a separate email.