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Welcome to my blog, which features frequent updates on local Takoma Park issues, including City Council meeting agendas, plus occasional commentary on national news and politics.

Agenda for October 12, 2022 City Council Meeting & More

Dear Neighbors:

Here’s a link to the October 12, 2022 City Council meeting agenda: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-october-12-2022/. Beyond this week’s meeting, there will be two more Council meetings in October (on the 19th and 26th), after which we most likely won’t be meeting formally again until after the election. We’re scheduled to meet on November 16 to receive official election results from the Takoma Park Board of Elections, and the new Council will be sworn in on November 21.

This week, we start with a closed session at 6:00 PM to discuss matters related to the Takoma Junction Redevelopment, including consulting with the City Attorney to obtain legal advice and consulting with staff and the City Attorney on pending or potential litigation. 

The regular meeting, which starts at 7:30 PM, will begin with proclamations on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and on Walk & Roll to School Day, followed by public hearings on updating the Charter amendment process and amending the Charter relating to the Personnel Appeals process. Then we’ll vote on accepting a State grant to assist the 112 Lee Avenue tenant association with purchase and renovation of their building; a resolution concerning a contract with an outside labor consultant; initial votes on the Charter amendments which are the subject of the public hearing (with final votes expected October 26); a vote on changes to our local Ethics Ordinance (with the final vote anticipated next week); and the final vote on a resolution authorizing installation of a speed hump on Kentland Avenue. In the work session there will be a staff presentation on the Complete Safe Streets Committee recommendations and related issues. For information on all the agenda items see below.

There are two ways to comment at the meeting: speaking in-person at the Community Center or commenting remotely. That second options requires sign-up by 5:00 PM on the meeting day:  https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9hhtY_aKT327yKCsxPneOQ. You can watch the meeting on City TV (RCN -- 13, HD 1060; Comcast/xfinity -- 13, HD 997; Verizon Fios -- 28), on the City Council Video Page; on YouTube, or on Facebook.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

We’re in election season, with races for Mayor and City Council.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, though the election will be conducted primarily by mail-in ballots. Voters can also place their ballots in drop boxes located at the Community Center and the New Hampshire Avenue Recreation Center, or vote in person at the Community Center on Election Day.  All City registered voters should have already received a notice by mail with basic information on the election, and will be receiving a mail-in ballot in the next week or so. For more on the election, including who the candidates are, how to register, how ranked choice voting works, etc., use this link: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news/city-election-information/. You can see recordings of City-sponsored candidate forums here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/

Please note the Takoma Park election is completely separate from the State of Maryland election, which includes races for Governor and other statewide positions; State Senate and Delegates; County Executive, County Council and other County positions; and U.S. Congress. You can find information on the State election, including mail-in ballots, early voting locations, polling places and more here: https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/index.html. For anyone who votes in-person, the polling places for the Maryland State election (mainly in local schools) and the Takoma Park election (the Community Center) are different.

PROCLAMATIONS

Indigenous Peoples’ Day:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/mayoral-proclamations/2022/pr20221012_indigenous-peoples-day.pdf

Walk & Roll to School Day:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/mayoral-proclamations/2022/pr20221012_WRTSD.pdf

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND AMENDMENT PROCESShttps://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20221012-1267.pdf. The Council will be voting this week and in two weeks on changes to the Charter and the Charter amendment process. These modifications are mainly to ensure the Charter matches other recent changes in City and State law. See below in Voting Session for more details.

UPDATE FROM SEPTEMBER 28 COUNCIL MEETING

ARPA Update: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/supplemental-documents/ARPA-Presentation-20220928.pdf. City staff made a presentation on the status of the various components of our ARPA spending plan, which you can see through the above link. Among the questions I raised in the discussion was how quickly the direct financial assistance to lower income residents would be able to be delivered, and the answer from staff was that the partner we’re working with on the program expects all the funds are likely to be distributed by the end of the year. If you’d like to watch the presentation and Council discussion it starts at the 1:16 mark in the September 28 Council video, accessible here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/. My portion of the discussion starts at 2:11:20.

Library Project Update: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/supplemental-documents/20220928_Presentation_LibraryUpdate_corrected.pdf. There was also a presentation on the Library, with an emphasis on progress at the new temporary site on New Hampshire Avenue. For those who are interested, the Library discussion starts at 2:20 in this link: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/, and my section begins at 2:41:50.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Piney Branch Elementary Pool, Re-opening Ceremony, October 14, 5:30 - 6:30 PM: After over two years of closure due to COVID and infrastructure upgrades, the indoor pool at PBES is now set to reopen for lap and general swimming. Schedule and other information here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec/facilities/aquaticcenters/pineybranch.html

Takoma Park Street Festival, October 23, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Carroll Avenue: https://mainstreettakoma.org/featured-events/takoma-park-street-festival/. This annual event -- rescheduled after postponement due to Hurricane Ian -- will include 150 vendor booths, live music from 18 local bands, food trucks and more.

Home Tree Care 101, October 29, 10:00 AM - Noon, $25 Participation Fee: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/public-works/Trees/2022%20Conservation%20Montgomery%20Trees%20101%20Flyer.pdf. Conservation Montgomery is offering their Home Tree Care 101 class at the Thomas Siegler House and Garden (205 Tulip Avenue). During the class, a Conservation Montgomery arborist will discuss a variety of topics about caring for trees.

Monster Bash, Saturday, October 29, 1:00 - 5:00 PM: PM: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/recreation/monster-bash/. This yearly Halloween season event includes as always the Costume Parade and Contest, plus entertainment, games and more.

Update on Sustainable Banking Committee Recommendations:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/supplemental-documents/CM-Memo-Update_on_Sustainable_Banking%2009.28.22.pdf. This Council-appointed committee made a number of recommendations on how the City could proceed toward ending financial investments with companies which promote fossil fuel use and/or nuclear weapons. The Council formally endorsed the recommendations and called on staff to begin taking action on them. The City Manager issued a memo on September 28 which outlined initial actions the City has taken or may be able to take to advance in this area. This will ultimately be a more long-term effort, and since I am departing the Council in November I’ll have to defer to the next Council on how best to continue moving in this direction.

VOTING SESSION

112 Lee Avenue Tenant Association Grant:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20221012-3.pdf. The Council will technically be voting on a budget amendment to enable the acceptance of a $600,000 grant, which the tenant association will then be able to apply to the purchase and rehabilitation costs associated with the project. I will be voting yes.

Labor Consultant Resolution: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/Resolution-Proposal-Collaborative-Strategies.pdf. The resolution calls for a contract with an outside consultant with the goal of improving relations with AFSCME, one of the unions representing City employees. I’m supportive of this idea, and I’m studying the resolution’s language to see if any edits would be beneficial.

Charter Amendments:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20221012-1267.pdf. We’ll be considering two separate amendments to the Charter (which are the topics of the Public Hearings scheduled for the beginning of the meeting). The amendments would remove the requirement for the City to have a Personnel Appeals Board (which will bring the Charter into conformity with the Council’s earlier decision to eliminate the Board), and make some administrative changes primarily to align the Charter with recent State law modifications concerning how far in advance potential changes need to be announced, how quickly they can be implemented after Council votes, etc. These proposals are not controversial, and I’ll be voting in favor of both. As noted above, this is the first round of votes -- the final votes are planned for October 26.

Ethics Ordinance Amendments:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20221012-8.pdf. With the recent passage of State legislation tightening requirements relating to gifts and other financial arrangements affecting elected officials, the City needs to enact its own ordinance to ensure our language matches up with the State laws. I’ll be voting yes (the final vote should take place in next week’s Council meeting).

Kentland Avenue Speed Hump Installation:  https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20221012-9.pdf. In our September 28 meeting we gave initial approval to installing a speed hump on Kentland Avenue, and we’ll be taking a final vote on it this week. I’ll be supporting the resolution again this week as I did in the previous meeting.

WORK SESSION

Review of Complete Safe Streets Committee Recommendations: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20221012-10.pdf. In 2021 the Committee issued a report with recommendations on policy changes relating to pedestrian and bicycle safety and other related issues. Regrettably, the COVID pandemic and shifts in staffing, among other factors, contributed to delays in deeper consideration of the recommendations. In this session, City staff will make a presentation on the recommendations and also provide an overview of other relevant City, County and State policies and initiatives.

COVID UPDATE

We’re awaiting data updates, which I’ll share when they are posted. Meanwhile, for information on vaccine appointments go to: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/ or State Vaccine Website; for testing: Montgomery County Testing Sites; for food aid: Submit an online request for help with food resources or call 240-777-0311. For help with housing, utility bills, etc. send an email to housing @takomaparkmd.gov or call 301-891-7119. Masks and testing kits can now be picked up at the main reception desk in the Community Center.

Please be in touch with questions or comments about any of the topics covered in this 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. 

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