Dear Neighbors:
First, a reminder that there’s a Council session tonight (June 7) at 7:00 PM on the proposed Montgomery County Building Energy Performance Standards: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-special-meeting-agenda-monday-june-7-2021/.
And here’s a link to the agenda for the June 9 City Council meeting: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-june-9-2021/. The Council will meet first in a closed administrative session at 6:00 PM to discuss relocation benefits in the new City Manager’s contract. The regular meeting, starting at 7:30 PM, includes these votes: a resolution expressing appreciation for the City’s senior staff leadership team; amendments to the Takoma/Langley Crossroads Development Authority enabling legislation; the Community Quality of Life Grant recommendations; extension of our existing auditing services contract; rescission of the emergency authority granted to the City Manager during the pandemic; and resumption of in-person proceedings by the City’s quasi-judicial committees.
In our work session, we’ll discuss a contract for a summer program provided by Lunch and Learn, and continue our discussion on reforming Council-appointed resident committees. In addition, the City Manager will make a presentation on the American Rescue Plan Act (the Federal pandemic relief legislation, under which the City is in line to receive over $14 million). The meeting will also include recognition of graduating Youth Council members; a proclamation on Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week; and a presentation on the Maple Avenue Complete Streets Project. There are additional details on the agenda items later in this blog.
Sign-up for public comments is open until 5:00 PM on Wednesday: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IQsUS3pIQKGCI2VA3XnCRQ. The public may view the meeting on City TV (RCN – 13, HD 1060; Comcast/xfinity – 13, HD 997; Verizon Fios – 28), on the City Council Video Page of the City Website; on YouTube, or on Facebook.
Upcoming City Council Schedule: Next week, there will be a special session on Monday, June 14 focused on the boundaries of the proposed Minor Master Plan at the former Washington Adventist Hospital site, and in the area along and near portions of Maple Avenue: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-monday-june-14-2021/
TAKOMA JUNCTION
The Council meetings on June 16 and 23 will feature important discussions on the Takoma Junction development, with a crucial vote planned for the June 23 meeting on a resolution expressing the City’s views on the project to the Montgomery County Planning Board.
Here's a link to a statement outlining the plan, which includes sub-links to background material prepared by staff: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news-alert/upcoming-council-review-of-takoma-junction-redevelopment-site-plan/, and here’s agenda information for the June 16 meeting: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-june-16-2021/. That June 16 meeting will be a work session, which means there will be a discussion without formal votes. For the vote on June 23, the background material includes several options for the resolution, including a disapproval option.
I’ll be providing more information and offering my thoughts on the development in the coming days, and I will also work on responding to the emails I’ve received on this topic since the schedule was announced. Meanwhile, I think it’s important for me to talk directly with residents about the Junction project, so I’m scheduling the following meetings for that purpose:
June 9, 10:00 AM - Noon, Office Hours outdoors in the Laurel Ave. Streetery, by the Post Office
June 15, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, virtual community discussion (Zoom details to be circulated later)
June 17, Noon - 2:00 PM, Office Hours outdoors in the Laurel Ave. Streetery, by the Post Office
June 21, 7:00 - 8:30 PM, virtual community discussion (Zoom details to be circulated later)
COVID UPDATE
As COVID cases in our area continue to decline, the City is moving toward re-opening our facilities and programs. City Manager Suzanne Ludlow’s recent blog contains general information on the re-opening schedule: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news-alert/takoma-park-reopening-schedule/. There are more details in her official remarks from last week’s Council meeting: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-manager/city-manager-comments/2021/cm-comments-20210602.pdf. Most County restrictions, including mask wearing in a wide range of settings have been lifted. For full details consult the County website: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/reopening/.
All State residents age 12 and up can be vaccinated. You can register at the State Vaccine Website. It includes information on pharmacies and other locations giving vaccinations without appointments. You can also try the Montgomery County webpage or call their number: 240-777-2982). For testing options, please see the Montgomery County Testing Sites.
Montgomery County is holding vaccination events this week at Sligo Seventh Day Adventist Church, 7700 Carroll Avenue. Use the parking lot on Greenwood Ave. No appointments are needed. They use the Pfizer vaccine, so anyone 12 years of age and older is eligible. Dates and times: Monday through Friday, June 7 - 11, from Noon - 7:00 PM. The County is also hosting walk-up vaccination sessions at the Silver Spring Civic Center this month on the following dates and times: June 8 - 11, 4:00 - 8:00 PM; June 12 - 13, 1:30 - 5:30 PM.
For COVID information and data specific to Takoma Park, please see the City dashboard: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=42a594afc3ad4c59ba7b1ca9965b7837.
Youth Council Applications. Applications for the Takoma Park Youth Council for the 2021 - 2022 school year are open. Apply at http://bit.ly/youth-council-app by July 11th to be considered. The Youth Council was created four ago as an advisory committee to the City Council, representing the interests of youth in our City government. The Council meets every two weeks to discuss issues pertaining to youth in the City and plan community events providing opportunities for youth to engage with their community. The charter and all meeting agendas and minutes are on the City website. If you’re a Takoma Park resident who is a rising 7th - 12th grade student, please consider applying.
Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week Proclamation: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/mayoral-proclamations/2021/pr20210609_Chesapeake-Bay-Awareness-Week.pdf
Presentation of Maple Avenue Complete Street Project: http://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-1.pdf. Toole Design Group, the City’s contractor on the project, will make a presentation on their recommendations, taking into account community meetings they have held and other community engagement results. As I’ve indicated previously, it’s my sense the project may be a better fit for “lower” Maple (from Philadelphia Ave. to Sligo Creek Pkwy.) than “upper” Maple (from Philadelphia to the DC line).
KEY UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK’S COUNCIL MEETING
Tax Duplication. While the County Council agreed to add additional funds to their budget to help enable Takoma Park and other County municipalities to receive a more fair tax duplication payment, the funds are contingent upon additional revenues being available to the County during the course of the fiscal year. In most years there are additional monies available, so there’s a decent chance Takoma Park will receive a larger payment, but it’s not definite. Thanks to all who weighed in with the County Council. Since the funding situation still isn’t completely locked down, for those who are interested I think it would make sense to express thanks to County Councilmembers, and to urge them to provide the extra money in the event additional dollars do become available. For more on this topic see the City Manager’s comments below.
City Manager’s Comments. You can see Ms. Ludlow’s official comments from the June 2 Council meeting through this link: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-manager/city-manager-comments/2021/cm-comments-20210602.pdf.
VOTING SESSION
Senior Leadership Team Appreciation Resolution: http://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-2.pdf. I agree with the idea of formally expressing our appreciation to Takoma Park’s senior staff leadership team for their hard work and dedication to the City during the very challenging period over the last 18 months. I’ll be voting in favor of the resolution.
Takoma/Langley Crossroads Development Authority Amendments: http://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-3.pdf. I support the proposed fee changes and other amendments to the CDA legislation aimed at making the Crossroads commercial area more competitive with nearby areas. I’ll be voting yes.
Community Grant Recommendations: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-4.pdf. The Grants Review Committee made an excellent presentation last week on their recommendations for the Community Quality of Life Grant program. As I stated in last week’s Council meeting, I’m pleased the Committee has done such a good job of prioritizing racial equity and workforce development in this grant cycle. I’ll be voting for the recommendations.
Auditing Services Contract: http://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-5a.pdf. As I noted in last week’s Council meeting, because by coincidence the firm the City uses for its auditing services -- CohnReznick -- is also the company my family uses for personal accounting services, I’ll be voting “present”.
CONSENT AGENDA (a single vote covering both agenda items):
Rescission of City Manager’s Emergency Authority: http://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-5b.pdf. The emergency authority has only been used once in the last 12 months -- in October -- and with the lifting of most pandemic restrictions it’s appropriate to rescind the authority.
Resumption of In-Person Quasi-Judicial Proceedings: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-5c-rev.pdf. I support the movement to resume in-person quasi-judicial proceedings, so I’m supportive of the resolution. But I am looking more closely at the language on allowing remote participation, to see if any adjustments may be needed to help encourage that option.
WORK SESSION
Lunch and Learn Contract: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-6.pdf
Continued Discussion on Council-appointed Committees: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210609-7.pdf. This will be another in the series of discussions by the Council on reforming our committees, boards and commissions with the goal of making them more effective and more representative of Takoma Park’s population. This week’s discussion is on recruitment strategies to increase diversity, and the need for an extension of current members’ terms to October 15, in order to allow the process to be completed.
City Manager Presentation on American Rescue Plan Act. Background material was not available as of blog-post time.
Please be in touch with questions or comments about any of the issues in this week’s blog.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
Important Privacy Notice: All correspondence, including emails, to or from City of Takoma Park agencies, officials, and employees is subject to the Maryland Public Information Act and may be disclosed to the public.