As we near the end of this miserable, moist month of May, the sun is finally shining and we can get out and play and then…do some outdoors spring cleaning!
On my walk in to work today, I saw several properties that needed mowing, and I saw trash and standing water along the sidewalks. Please take some time this week to do the following:
Pick up litter on and around your property
Look for standing water where mosquitos may breed (gutters, flower pots, toys and furniture outside, etc) and dump out the water; this can be a great scavenger hunt for kids – see the list of places to check on Emergency Manager Ron Hardy’s blog post about mosquitos and the Zika virus.
Mow grass, cut back overgrown bushes, and cut vines growing up trees
We’ll get Takoma Park’s spring cleaning done just in time for summer!
As the school year ends and young people clean out their school lockers, please consider recycling school supplies in good shape by dropping them in bins available in June in the Takoma Park Community Center so that they can be given to others for use next fall. We’ll have the bins available for several weeks, including during the Community Conversation on Youth Success, to be held Saturday, June 18 from 12:30 to 4:00 PM.
My spring cleaning involves clearing my office of all of the budget preparation materials I no longer need. Budget preparation is a major activity of my office and department directors between January and May each year. I want to thank my staff for their good work on preparing the budget for Council consideration. We were helped by the Council setting priorities in February, giving strong direction for budget recommendations and for structuring the Council’s discussions. The Mayor’s blog on Dollars and Cents gives a good overview of the Council’s decisions for a final Adopted Budget.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have a question, suggestion or complaint, or if you would like me to come to a community organization meeting. I learn so much about our wonderful community with each interaction.
The City Council has just concluded one of its most important functions – passing a budget. The City’s budget is a quantitative expression of our plans for the upcoming year. It embodies in dollars and cents the goals and priorities we are working toward.
The Process: How We Get a Budget
Every year in early April, the City Manager submits a recommended budget to the City Council for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. The Proposed Budget is considered by the City Council through a public process of hearings, Council work sessions, and final adoption in late May. The Adopted Budget sets the tax rates and guides the expenditure of funds by the City throughout the fiscal year, July 1 through June 30. You can view the City Manager’s proposed budget and budget presentations here.
The foundation for our budget discussions began back in January when the Council established the 2016 Priorities. The Priorities document also provides a listing of major projects, initiatives, and ongoing activities that the Council and City staff will continue to work on and established a framework for the Council as it looked at the budget.
Tradeoffs
During our many discussions about the budget, we debated trade-offs and considered the best ways to address residents’ needs and priorities given the resources available.
The City’s main source of revenue is property taxes. And this year, after much deliberation, the Council set the rate at 56.75 cents (per $100 of assessed value). This is lower than last year’s rate of 58.50 cents. The current tax rate is higher than the constant yield tax rate of 55.18 cents which means the City will have $345,211 more in property tax revenue than we had last fiscal year.
All of us on the Council understand that while we are setting the budget for the City, individuals and families are doing the same for their own households. Therefore, it was central to our discussions to ensure fiscal responsibility while delivering on the services residents rely on and have come to expect, and at the same time address the needs and priorities for the future. For more information on the tax rate and assessments and for helpful information about applying for tax credits, please see this blog by the City Manager.
Priorities
So what is in the budget? The budget advances the following established priorities of the City Council:
A Livable Community For All
Fiscally Sustainable Government
Environmentally Sustainable Community
Engaged, Responsive & Service-oriented Government
Advance Economic Development Efforts
The part of the budget I am most excited about and glad we started this year is the Housing Reserve Fund to address the affordable housing needs in our community. We have put $400,000 in the fund and in upcoming meetings the Council will enact, by ordinance, criteria and procedures as are necessary to operate the Housing Reserve. This reserve grew out of the Council’s priority discussions and the Community Conversation on Affordable Housing we held in February. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we further develop plans for the fund.
Another priority area established by the Council and reflected in our budget is additional funds for youth programs. Our Council priority is to identify youth and family programming needs in the community, especially for our more vulnerable residents including but not limited to those in lower income and immigrant families and those with developmental disabilities, and develop approaches to meet those needs. This year the budget has in it funds to support local community groups that work with young people including MANUP and Lunch and Learn as well as funding for additional funds for increased multimedia lab hours (put forward by Councilmember Male), the establishment of a Takoma Park College Scholarship (put forward by Councilmember Smith), and additional Play Days (put forward by Councilmember Kovar). On June 18th we will hold a Community Conversation on Youth Success to continue identifying the needs of young people and how the City in partnership with local organizations can address those needs.
Another significant part of the budget is dedicating resources to economic development efforts. We have allocated $150,000 for these efforts and will be discussing in upcoming months the best use of those resources. Councilmember Schultz has already started to bring forth ideas for Council consideration.
There are also a number of other very important items in the budget such as the carry-over of money from last year to hire a consultant to assist with police-community relations. Thanks to Councilmember Seamens for his continued advocacy in this area. We have also allocated an additional $100,000 over the actuarial-recommended amount needed in our police pension an area that Councilmember Qureshi has been championing on the Council.
There are many other items in the budget including moving forward with developing the renovation plans for the library, the Dog Park construction, playgrounds on Colby Avenue and Sligo Mill Road, sidewalk construction and the addition of 7th and 8th grade girls basketball – to name just a few. For more details please see the City City website’s Budget & Financial documents page.
I want to thank my colleagues on the Council for their hard work and thoughtfulness as we worked through the budget process, residents who provided valuable comments and input, and to our City Staff, especially the City Manager, Deputy City Manager and Finance Director who prepared the budget and answered Council and resident questions.
Tiny Homes are cute, intriguing, and all the rage. You can check a real Tiny Home that TV and film personalities Corbett and Grace Lunsford actually live and work in! The Lunsfords will lead a week of Tiny House Tours and workshops for homeowners, realtors, and remodelers in Takoma Park. As a showcase for their 20-city “Proof Is Possible Tour, ” the Lunsford’s Tiny House is built to the highest performance standards – the most energy efficient, the best indoor air quality, the most comfortable, the most durable, net-zero, and with green materials. With built in sensors to prove it, this house demonstrates best practices that you can do yourself, and explains how to get your contractors to use best practices in your remodeling projects to deliver proven, verified results.
Visit the Tiny House Lab in Takoma Park May 30 – June 3.
…plus it’s really fun to tour!
Visit the Tiny House in Takoma Park May 30 – June 3 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM each evening at the City Parking Lot up at the Takoma Junction, sponsored by ecobeco and the City of Takoma Park.
The Takoma Park Community Center 7500 Maple Avenue
Artist Shanthi Chandrasekar finds fascinating both science and spirituality, especially the ancient Indian philosophy of Tantra which seeks to infuse the divine with the human. Her new exhibit at the Takoma Park Community Center explores the space where the two areas overlap, and there she discovers the magic and mystery for Spandha: Cosmic Vibrations.
Acrylic paintings and multi-media sculptures with handmade paper, wood, clay and stone explore the vibrations in our universe. Ms. Chandrasekar explains, “It is within these vibrations that forms manifest themselves as sound, light, matter, thoughts, and syllables.”
Chandrasekar has had many exhibitions in the in the Washington, DC, metro area and won the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in both 2013 and 2016 for Works on Paper. The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland, awarded her Individual Artist grants in 2009, 2013, and 2016.
Ms. Chandrasekar plays two roles in this exhibition. She is not only the featured artist but also the Atrium Gallery Coordinator at the Takoma Park Community Center. “I thoroughly enjoy this position,” she says. “It is exciting to select artists for the five wonderful gallery spaces in the building and have the art all work well together. The shows address the diverse Takoma Park community, and I try to find local artists from various parts of the world. It is all about bringing the art to the community.”
Spandha: Cosmic Vibrations is free and open to the public through June 30, 2016. Visitor hours are Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 9:30 am, Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, and Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm.
Visit Gallery Exhibits to learn more about the Galleries at Takoma Park.
The City Council will pack up its things and take to the road on Wednesday, June 1 to hold the Council meeting at the Takoma Park Recreation Center located on 7315 New Hampshire Ave. The meeting will begin with a reception at 7:00 PM with light refreshments to recognize Immigrant Heritage Month and to give residents an opportunity to meet informally with the Mayor and Council. A main goal of the Council is to engage residents across the City and to make City government more accessible to the people it serves. We want to make it easier for residents who live in different parts of the community to come out, listen, and participate.
An Engaged & Accessible Government
To meet our goal of an engaged and accessible City government, we have started Community Coffees, which occur on Fridays once or twice a month at dining establishments throughout the City. We’ve recently created a call-in option so those who cannot attend a meeting in person due to a disability can have their actual voice heard during the public comment period of Council meetings. Finding alternative venues outside of the Community Center for Council meetings is another option we are trying out.
The owner of Pupuseria El Comalito poses with Mayor Kate Stewart and Ward 6 Councilmember Fred Schultz at an April Community Coffee.
As we do at all of our Council meetings, there will be time in the agenda for public comments. We hope you’ll come out to the Recreation Center on June 1 and tell us what you think! The meeting will be shown live on City TV and on the website, and later available as an archive on the City website. If you have any questions about the meeting and/or change in venue, please contact Jessie Carpenter, City Clerk.
From Lucy Neher, Safe Routes to School Coordinator
Helmets, bike bells, spoke lights had been delivered to Piney Branch ES, Takoma Park Middle School, East Silver Spring ES and Rolling Terrace ES. Parents and school staff got the word out that students should ride to school on May 4, Bike to School Day. The Takoma Park Police Department was on board to help keep riders safe. The weather was checked obsessively.
Bike to School Day 2016 in Takoma Park was a huge success!
And then then the email came:
Subject line: Biking tomorrow. Message: “Assuming the weather holds, Lev will be there with his bike and t-shirt. He remembers you saying he’d ride in it…”
LEV! Lev from the iCan Shine Bike Camp wanted to ride to Piney Branch with me on Bike to School Day!
Lev, a student on the Autism Spectrum at Piney Branch, was a rider at the Safe Routes to School hosted iCan Shine Bike Camp in the summer of 2015. Lev worked hard for five days on specially adapted bikes to learn how to ride independently. His Mom bought him a super cool white and neon green cruiser bike of his very own. By the last day of the camp, he graduated to his own bike and earned his day-glo iCan Bike t-shirt. I invited him to ride with me on Bike to School Day the following spring.
Safe Routes to School Coordinator Lucy Neher & iCan Bike Graduate Lev pose for the camera
…and Lev remembered. His Mom contacted me. I arranged for a bike to ride myself. She shared that he was on the phone telling his aunt about it before bedtime. “This is the first year I’ve been a good enough biker to ride in it. I’ve been a good biker for, oh, ten months now.” So Lev showed up at the meeting point, just like the other kids, and Lev set out on his own steam, just like the other kids and Lev rode up Maple Avenue to school, just like the 70 other kids from Piney Branch. Lev and I rode together. “We’re riding to school together,” I shouted. “I’m trying as hard as I can,” he yelled back.
The iCan Shine Bike Camp will be June 27 – July 1, 2016. Registration open for riders and volunteers. Once again, Takoma Park will host the iCan Shine Bike Camp for students with special needs. Maryland residents between the ages of 8 and 14 are invited to participate free of charge. The camp will be held at Takoma Academy, 8120 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, June 27 – July 1, 2016. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.
Two great events are coming up courtesy of our Lifelong Takoma program including the Volunteer Takoma Community Fair 2016 on May 7! The Volunteer Takoma Community Fair is a great way to find ways to make a positive impact right here in Takoma Park!
“Building Community Connections”: Come out to the event to learn about volunteer opportunities that are available with local nonprofits and the City.
This event is being hosted through the City of Takoma Park’s Lifelong Takoma Program. Its’ purpose is to connect volunteers with city programs and community nonprofits who may need their help. Residents of all ages and abilities who have interest in volunteering are welcome to attend.
Registration will take place on site on the day of the event. The event and food are free!
Our monthly group meeting will be focused on “Food For Thought” at our event in May. Participants are encouraged to bring a light dish or snack to share. Kathie Baker will be facilitating a conversation on nutrition and the group is invited to share their tips on healthy eating. There will be music for listening or dancing. Come prepared to have a good time, make a new friend, try a new dish and join in the conversation! This event is hosted by the Lifelong Takoma Program and the Village of Takoma Park.
Learn about the Takoma Park Police Explorer Post and see if you have what it takes to be one of our newest explorers!
The Takoma Park Police Explorer Post is a partnership through Learning for Life and the Takoma Park Police Department. The objective of this program is for young men and women to begin a foundation of becoming good citizens with a background in law enforcement by learning Honor, Integrity and Leadership.
Service & Discipline
Explorers will work closely with members from many different areas of the Takoma Park Police Department. Participants will undergo classroom lectures coupled with hands on practical exercises to demonstrate knowledge and proficiency. While training can be rigorous, many Explorers find that they leave our post with many of the skills to be good people, citizens and employees in any field while making lifelong friendships.
Those individuals who are dedicated to the program find that they have an advantage in obtaining employment with departments. In fact, many previous Explorers have been hired by other police departments and have had successful careers while promoting within our organization.
Requirements
Minimum age of 15 years old but no older than 20 years upon entry
Maintain a 2.0 GPA
Free of significant or repetitive criminal and traffic violations
Free of alcohol or drug use, including abuse of prescription drugs
Must possess and display a high degree of honesty, integrity, discipline, morals and ethics
Must be able to attend weekly training meetings consistently
Mail your application to participate in the Explorer program to the Takoma Park Police Deparment’s Public Information Officer:
Catherine Plevy Public Information Officer Takoma Park Police Department 7500 Maple Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20912
Links to the application (PDF) are below. The Youth Application should be used if you are 15-17 years old and the Adult Application should be used if you are 18-20 years old.
From Erkin Ozberk, Senior Planner in the Housing and Community Development Department
Takoma Park has many bicycle friendly ammenities like this repair station located where the Sligo Creek trail intersects with New Hampshire Avenue!
You may have noticed more people riding bikes in Takoma Park lately. That’s not just due to the warmer weather but because more people are biking in the Washington area, and in Takoma Park, for commuting, errands, visiting friends, exercise, and just for fun. But don’t just take my word for it, the American Community Survey administered by the Census Bureau reports that commuting by bicycle in the 20912 ZIP code (most of Takoma Park) increased 183% between 2011 and 2014.
While traditionally people biked as a greener way to travel, these days people are turning to two wheels because it is a cheaper, healthier, more enjoyable, and sometimes faster, more convenient way to get around. Not to mention, increased biking has been shown to support local economies, as cyclists spend more dollars closer to home. With May being Bike Month, two great ways to celebrate biking is through Bike To School Day on May 4 and Bike To Work Day on May 20. Both are free community events that attract hundreds of local participants every year, ranging from everyday bike commuters to those who have been saying that this is the year to get back in the saddle.
To address the growing demand for better bikeways, the City of Takoma Park and Montgomery County are working to provide safer and more comfortable opportunities to travel by bike in both the short and long term. In the last year, bike parking at City buildings nearly doubled and Takoma Park’s first bike repair stands were installed at the Police Station and on Sligo Creek Trail. Over the next year, expect to see Capital Bikeshare expanded in the city, with two new stations at the Recreation Center on New Hampshire Avenue and at the Takoma/Langley Crossroads. Plans are being developed in both Montgomery County and the District of Columbia to complete the long-awaited Metropolitan Branch Trail along the Red Line Metro tracks, and the City is applying for grant funding to install lights to improve safety and comfort on our section of the trail. Meanwhile, the Montgomery County Planning Department is working on a Bicycle Master Plan, a longer-term vision with the goal of being the best suburban bicycle plan in the nation.
You can learn more about City’s plans and projects on the Bikeways Program page, as well as how the Takoma Park Safe Routes To School program is teaching safe and confident riding skills to students at local elementary and middle schools.
