Dear Neighbors:
The City Council will be meeting two more times (on July 21 and 28) before our August break. Here’s a link to this week’s Council meeting agenda: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-july-21-2021/. We’ll have our final vote on the contract for a re-districting consultant, plus the first votes on the budget amendment and the Purchasing Code changes (with final votes next week). We’ll also be voting this week on the Garland Avenue subdivision resolution and on compensation adjustments for City staff. In the work session, the topics to be discussed are a contract for sports officiating; a discussion on Council-appointed committees (with some preliminary decisions on phasing out or eliminating certain committees); whether to continue the Laurel Avenue Streetery; and appointments to the Youth Council. For more on the agenda items see below.
Sign-up for public comments by 5:00 PM on Wednesday: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iuJKgf5ASFW98F5p3Pjejw. You can 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.
COVID UPDATE
The Takoma Park COVID-19 Data Dashboard has been updated with data through July 15, 2021. Key data points:
· There were 4 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Takoma Park in the last week, bringing the city's total to 1,732. The 7-day rolling average of new cases per 100,000 residents in the county and city also ticked-up slightly in the last week.
· The total vaccinated residents in Takoma Park increased by 212 and the total number of residents with at least one vaccine increased by 214 in the last week, bringing the total number of fully-vaccinated residents to 12,664 (71.7% of the city's population) and the total number of residents with at least one vaccine to 14,439 (81.7%).
· There were no new deaths due to COVID-19 reported in the 20912 zip code in the last week.
You can use this County site to find vaccine locations: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/. You can also sign up for vaccines through the State Vaccine Website. For testing options see the Montgomery County Testing Sites. There will be a free vaccine clinic this Wednesday, July 21 from 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM at the Crossroads Farmers Market, on Anne Street near the intersection with University Boulevard.
STORMWATER FEE UPDATE
Residents should have received a mailer from the Public Works Department with the specific fee for your property. As I’ve noted in previous blogs, the purpose of the new fee is to move away from a system in which every single family property owner pays the same flat fee, regardless of the extent to which their property has impervious surfaces on it. The new fee structure is aimed at taking into account the amount of impervious surface, with tiered fee increases as the amount of impervious surface goes up. Even with this more refined calculation, the new fee structure won’t capture every aspect of a property’s contribution to untreated stormwater. For example, hills or other uneven terrain, more or less vegetation, etc. can affect how much untreated stormwater flows off a given property, and those features aren’t captured in the new fee structure. However, larger homes, bigger driveways or parking areas, wider walkways and the like will now be taken into account.
Since this is a new initiative, there will be some errors, and residents may wish to challenge certain measurements on their properties. If you have any questions, please email or call Public Works: publicworks@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7633. You can also fill out the appeal form (see below). Per Public Works, since this is the first year of the program there is no time limit for appeals. However, the amount listed for your property on the mailer has been shared with the County tax office. So for any corrections this year, the City will be sending a refund check directly to the resident. In future years, the expectation is that corrections can be done prior to the information being sent to the County. While errors should be corrected, I’d add that the tiered system is based on $25 per 500 square feet of impervious surface. So an error of as much as 500 square feet, which is the size of some medium-sized driveways, would affect the fee by only $25. Public Works has also stated that -- although the impervious area map may show some properties as containing sidewalks or city roads -- the staff has removed those areas from the calculation.
As I mentioned in last week’s Council meeting, I’m very concerned about another other aspect of the new fee structure. On the part of Holly Avenue where I live, the property lines on the interactive map are off, and residents may as a result have incorrect fee calculations. To be clear, this isn’t a County plat problem -- the property lines superimposed on the properties are inaccurate on the map. In my case the map shows almost all of my driveway as being located on my next door neighbor’s property, with a corresponding miniscule impervious fee charge for my driveway. I don’t know how widespread this property line problem is, but I’ve brought it to the attention of City staff who in turn are checking with County officials. I’ll be looking into it further myself. You can see video of the discussion of these matters through the following link, briefly at the 23:30 mark and then a lengthier exchange starting at 30:20: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/
If anyone has concerns about where we are on this subject or about other aspects of the new fee system not directly addressed above, please let me know. For other details you can consult the FAQs posted in the City website: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/public-works/stormwater-management-program/stormwater-fees-frequently-asked-questions-faq/. Here’s a link to the interactive map, with the details for each property: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/public-works/stormwater-management-program/. Residents who wish to appeal their fee may do so by using this form: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/public-works/stormwater-projects/StormwaterFee-Request-for-Correction.pdf.
STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION -- SAFETY ISSUES
City staff, the City Council, and a number of residents have been advocating for pedestrian and automobile safety improvements in Takoma Park roadways managed by the State Highway Administration. In Ward One the State Highways are Philadelphia Avenue, Carroll Avenue and Piney Branch Road. While a few improvements have been made in our area, (in some cases with the assistance of our State legislators), progress has been frustratingly slow. For example, SHA did finally agree to lower the speed limit from 30 to 25 mph on the portion of Philadelphia Ave. running from Piney Branch Rd. to the Silver Spring border, but it took a couple of years. They have also placed a full red light at the intersection of Carroll and Tulip Aves. However, they have agreed to make or consider a number of other safety improvements along Philadelphia Ave., on which we haven’t seen action.
This includes improvements at the intersections with Chicago Ave., Piney Branch Rd., Holly Ave., Cedar Ave., and Park Ave (not to mention repairing the damaged railings on Philadelphia). Even if all of those improvements are put in place, I’d like to see us enhance speed limit enforcement on the hill coming down to Piney Branch Rd., and I’ve raised that matter with our Police. In addition, SHA is looking at some safety upgrades on Carroll Ave. near the Old Town commercial area, and there are also safety issues around the intersection of Piney Branch Rd. and Eastern Ave. And that’s just in Ward One! There are similar concerns elsewhere in the City.
The Mayor, my Council colleagues and I are continuing to urge SHA to move forward on these and other safety improvements. I’m hoping we’ll be able to meet in person soon with agency representatives to underline the importance of taking action quickly. We’ll also be strategizing with our State legislators about how best to make progress in these areas.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-special-meeting-tuesday-july-13-2021/. The Task Force presented its recommendations to the Council in a special session last week. You can read their report through the above link, and also see their presentation, and the initial Council discussion which followed, here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/. I’m impressed with the amount of work and thoughtful consideration the Task Force members put into these recommendations in a relatively short period of time. I would be very interested in hearing residents’ thoughts on the several dozen ideas they have put forward.
Retirement Celebration for Children’s Librarian Karen MacPherson. You can celebrate the career of retiring Children & Youth Services Coordinator, Ward One’s own Karen MacPherson, at El Golfo Restaurant on July 22 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. At this event, 20% of the proceeds from food and drink purchases will go to Friends of the Takoma Park Maryland Library. Mr. Gabe, who appears regularly in the Library’s Circle Time, will be performing outside.
KEY UPDATES FROM LAST WEEK’S COUNCIL MEETINGS
Hillwood Manor Rehabilitation. We heard from Montgomery Housing Partnership (now known as Making Home Possible) in a special Council session about their plans to rehabilitate this apartment complex located just off New Hampshire Avenue. As is common in projects of this type, the financing is complex and comes from various sources. MHP has requested that the City contribute to the costs of the work, and that’s something we’ll be looking into. Having the City involved in this type of effort -- particularly in this case because it would preserve affordable housing units -- is in line with our Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan, and I agree conceptually with the idea of the City helping out financially. However, we’ll have to carefully consider the details of how we might do that. You can see video of MHP’s presentation and the Council discussion here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/
State Legislative Priorities. Each summer Takoma Park -- along with other Maryland cities and towns -- can recommend to the Maryland Municipal League up to three legislative proposals we’d like MML to prioritize for the next legislative session in Annapolis. The City is of course free to advocate on its own for other priorities as well. The recommendations to MML are due by July 30, and later in the year the organization will formally select its priorities. We’ll be voting on our submission to MML in our July 28 meeting, and in last week’s discussion the Council coalesced around two main areas to recommend for State legislative action: housing (including affordable housing and protection of renters) and climate change. You can see the presentation from our legislative advocate Ann Ciekot, and the subsequent Council discussion, starting at the 58:21 mark in this video: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/
Acting City Manager Comments. You can read Acting City Manager Jessica Clarke’s official comments from last week’s meeting here: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-manager/ActingCM_Comments/acm-comments-20210714b.pdf
VOTING SESSION
Re-Districting Contract: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-1.pdf, I’ll be voting for this contract to help the City consider Ward re-districting options once the updated Census data is available later this year.
Budget Amendment: The background materials on this agenda item were posted shortly after I completed writing this blog, so I’ll send out a separate message with those details. The Council discussed the budget amendment in last week’s meeting. The amendment reflects the need to transfer from last fiscal year to the current one some budgeted expenditures which were held up for various reasons. It also includes some initial allocations connected to ARPA, the massive Federal aid legislation under which the City will be receiving over $17 million (we received the first half of those funds earlier this month). The ARPA monies can be used primarily for assistance in responding to COVID, though it can also be used for some infrastructure work, including stormwater projects and broadband expansion.
A big question is how quickly we can start getting ARPA funds out the door, with the Federal and State guidelines for use of the funds not yet finalized. The proposal presented by the staff last week (https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/Documents/Budget-Amendment-FY22-presentation.pdf) calls for hiring personnel along with technology upgrades to help administer the funds. The staff proposal also includes money for eviction prevention and assistance, which I think is a good idea. In our Council discussion I urged that funding be provided to help address food insecurity, another significant need at this point. I’m hopeful we’ll be able to add that to the budget amendment. In the fall, when we have our new City Manager on board, we’ll be better able to make further determinations on how to use our ARPA funds.
Purchasing Code: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-4.pdf. The Council has had two discussions this month on proposed changes to our existing purchasing code, which has seen few changes since the year 2000. Among the key proposed changes are increases in the purchase amounts above which Council approval and/or senior staff sign-off would be required, and incorporating social equity factors into procurement specifications. I’m pleased that based on our Council discussions, the proposed changes now include more robust language on social equity as well as more frequent reporting to the Council of larger purchases which wouldn’t require Council approval under the new threshold amounts. However, the new thresholds are still higher than I would prefer.
To be specific, the proposed amendments would raise from $5,000 or $10,000 to $50,000 the purchase amount that would trigger a Council vote, with the City Manager required to sign off on purchases above $30,000. I agree the amount should be increased from the current levels, but I’m not convinced it should go as high as $50,000. Setting the amount for Council approval at $30,000 would be more in line with where other communities of around our size in the region have set their thresholds. So, I’m giving thought to options for lowering the $50,000 threshold, and I may vote against the overall package of amendments if that number can’t be changed.
CONSENT AGENDA (A single vote on the agenda items below. I’ll be voting yes)
Garland Avenue Subdivision: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-5-rev.pdf. The Council previously approved funding for a partnership with Habitat for Humanity to create two affordable housing units at 7402 Garland Ave. Since the project would involve a subdivision of the existing lot, the County Planning Board has to approve it, and the Council has the option of passing a resolution expressing our position on the subdivision. I support the project, so I think passing the resolution is a good idea.
City Staff Compensation Adjustment Proposals: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-6-7.pdf. These proposals would provide for a 1.8% pay increase for one of the City’s two unions (totaling about $35,373), and a 1.8% wage increase for staff not represented by either of the City’s unions (totaling about $74,461). These changes include no step increases or additional steps for “distinguished” performance ratings, both of which are often provided annually.
WORK SESSION
Sports Officiating Contract: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-8.pdf. This contract would cover officiating in the Recreation Department activities requiring referees and umpires.
Discussion on Council-Appointed Committees: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-9.pdf
Based on background analysis and recommendations from a working group consisting of Councilmembers Dyballa, Kostiuk and Searcy, the Council has had numerous discussions over the last several months regarding potential changes to our Council-appointed Committees. The goal is to reform the way the committees operate to improve their effectiveness, and also to move toward committee membership which is more reflective of Takoma Park’s diverse population. The working group has put forward a number of recommendations, which I generally support, to standardize committee procedures and to expand our recruitment efforts.
A second aspect of the working group’s recommendations is the future status of the various committees, some of which they call for retaining, while others would potentially be eliminated, phased out, or repurposed. This is something on which I would like to hear residents’ views. I agree with most of the recommendations, but I’d like to hear more about the possible changes for the Committee on the Environment and the Complete Safe Streets Committee. In addition, rather than phasing out the Nuclear Free Committee, I’d like to explore shifting its focus toward helping us figure out how to transition to a nuclear-free (and ideally fossil fuel free) banking relationship. While we won’t be voting on these changes until the fall, in order to begin recruitment in time for October appointments, the Council will make some preliminary decisions about the committees’ futures this week. So, again, input from residents would be beneficial.
Continuation of Laurel Avenue Streetery: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-10.pdf. With the closure of the northbound lane of Laurel Ave. in Old Town set to expire at the end of September, the Council will be considering a plan to extend the closure for another year, with a structure enabling future one-year extensions beyond that. It’s my view that the Streetery has been successful. There’s been an increased vibrancy in the area, with more walkability. The main areas of concern I had when the closure proposal first came forward (parking for disabled drivers, access to the Post Office, cut-through traffic, and ensuring there’s public space for those who aren’t patrons of the local businesses) have all been adequately addressed in my view. I’d like to see the current arrangement remain in effect going forward, even if the effects of the pandemic continue to ease.
That said, there are some equity considerations I think we should look at. There are commercial areas of the City which -- because the relevant streets are controlled by the State Highway Administration or because of street configurations or traffic patterns -- may be less suited to the kind of closures we have on Laurel Ave. But we should still provide other kinds of support to small businesses in these areas. Indeed, that would be aligned with our Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan. So I’d like to see us more actively commit, potentially through Federal ARPA funds, to the idea of providing other kinds of financial support to small businesses that don’t have the ability to take advantage of areas closed to automobiles.
Youth Council Appointments: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20210721-11.pdf. This discussion is in preparation for our scheduled July 28 vote on appointing new members of the Youth Council.
Please feel free to be in touch with questions or comments about the issues covered in this blog.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
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