City Offices and Facilities Closed on Thursday, November 28, through Sunday, December 1 for Thanksgiving Holiday
Thursday, November 28, trash, food waste, and recycling routes will be collected on Wednesday, November 27. Friday, November 29, trash, food waste and recycling routes will be collected on Saturday, November 30.
Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) in partnership with the City of Takoma Park will be hosting four community meetings in February and March to seek input and share information about the proposed project, located at the intersection of Ethan Allen and Carroll Avenue.
Public meetings will be held to solicit community input on specific design elements for the Takoma Junction redevelopment project. The two meetings will be identical in content and opportunity for feedback. Choose the option that works best for your schedule.
Meeting Times:
The first set of meetings will look at the topics of form and character with market and retail ideas:
Thursday, February 23, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Fire station meeting room, 7201 Carroll Avenue
Sunday, February 26, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Azalea Room, Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue
The second set of meetings will look at public realm and access and mobility:
Thursday, March 9, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Azalea Room, Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue
Sunday, March 12, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Fire Station meeting room, 7201 Carroll Avenue
Purpose of the Meetings:
Learn more about the project, including details about the site, program elements, potential accesspoints, and retail concept.
Provide feedback on NDC’s concept and give input on selected aspects of the project including material, character, scale, and public realm integration.If you plan to attend please call (301) 891-7119. RSVPs would be appreciated but are not required.
Are you ready to buy a home, but not sure where to start? You can take the first step by attending this free first-time home buyer seminar led by the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), a HUD certified housing organization.
You will learn the entire home buying process from how to obtain a mortgage to understanding the terms of the loan. Upon completion of the session, you will receive a Certification of Completion, allowing you access to low interest loans.
First-Time Home Buyer Seminar Saturday, May 6, 2017 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912
Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, please contact the Housing & Community Development Department at (301) 891-7119 or email us at housing@takomaparkmd.gov. Continental breakfast and light lunch will be provided.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a blog on City matters and there is plenty to blog about! Change in the federal government and the challenges stemming from the change have been a focus of the Council and staff over the past month and will affect our budget projections for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY 18), which begins on July 1. There are many unknowns about how new federal actions might impact the City’s budget. This uncertainty notwithstanding, a City budget must still be prepared and adopted over the next few months.
Before going into budget matters, though, I want to talk about something exciting for Takoma Park…
Takoma Junction Development
The redevelopment of the City’s lot on Carroll Avenue in Takoma Junction is moving to its next step – hearing from the public on what should be on the site and how it should look. It’s your turn to help make this project a success!
The Council’s Takoma Junction Community Consultation Advisory Committee has announced two sets of meetings to gather input and feedback. (There is also the opportunity to share your thoughts online.) At the first set of identical meetings, you will be asked 1) what architecture, materials and massing do you wish to see for the building? and 2) what types of retail uses would you like to see on the site?
These first meetings are this week – Thursday, Feb. 23 from 7 – 9 pm at the Fire Station Meeting Room, 7201 Carroll Avenue and Sunday, Feb. 26 from 3:30-5:30 pm in the Azalea Room of the Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue. Both meetings will cover the same information, so you only need to attend one of them.
At the second set of identical meetings, you will be asked 1) how will you access the site and what problems do you foresee in moving around and through the site? and 2) what types of improvements are you looking for along the sidewalk, streetscape and in any public area of the site? These meetings are scheduled for Thursday, March 9 from 7-9 pm in the Azalea Room of the Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue and Sunday, March 12 from 3-5 pm at the Fire Station Meeting Room, 7201 Carroll Avenue. If more input is needed on some or all of the topics being covered, there will be more meetings. All of this information is available on the City’s website at: Takoma Junction Redevelopment.
FY 18 City Budget
Senior staff are compiling expected fixed expenses for the coming year and identifying costs associated with Council priorities identified at the Council’s two retreats in January. My workload from now through March is heavily focused on proposed budget preparation, resulting in the presentation to the Council of the proposed budget on April 5. Once presented, the Council spends the next six weeks hearing from constituents and discussing the budget items in budget work sessions. The budget ordinances are adopted on May 10 and May 17, but the real decision making is done by May 3. Your voice is important. Please take time to review information that will be presented in the April edition of the Newsletter, come to the first ever Budget Open House on the evening of April 6 to ask questions, and communicate with the Council at public hearings and by email in April.
Last week, the City received the 2017 Constant Yield valuation that is prepared by the State. For the City to receive the same amount of real property tax revenue next year as is expected this year, the City’s real property tax rate would need to drop from 56.75 cents per $100 assessed valuation to 53.58 cents. If the tax rate were to stay the same, the City would be expected to receive approximately $711,000 more in FY 18 as in FY 17 (to put that into context, our total budget is about $30 million). I will not know until late March what tax rate I will recommend to the Council. It is a serious challenge to identify the expected ups and downs of all of the revenues and expenses to come to a bottom line that is focused on achieving the Council’s goals. Most of the City’s revenue comes from Takoma Park taxpayers. I deeply respect the need for prudent fiscal management and efficient delivery of services for our residents.
Council Priorities
Every department in the City government is committed to fulfilling the Council Priorities, just updated for the coming year. Whether it is serving Takoma Park residents with a smile no matter their background or age, working with a neighborhood group on plans for a park or sidewalk improvement project, keeping residents safe from crime, developing affordable housing strategies or working on long term economic development initiatives, all City staff are focused on the priorities set by the City Council for the coming year.
The Council’s Priorities are aggressive and our standards are high. However, we have relatively few staff for the number of services we provide and – I sometimes hate to admit this – we are human, so we’re not always perfect. Please let me know if you have recommendations on how we could better meet the Council’s Priorities or do our jobs better. I want to hear from you. Please contact me at SuzanneL@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7229. If you’d like to make an appointment to meet with me, please contact my Executive Assistant, Peggye Washington, at PeggyeW@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7230.
The Takoma Park Grants Review Committee is now accepting letters of inquiry from organizations seeking funding through the City of Takoma Park’s FY 2018 Community Grants Program.
The Community Grants Program is designed to provide financial support for specific projects occurring between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. These projects and events must improve residents’ qualify of life by providing greater access and opportunities for participation in the arts and sciences.
A letter of inquiry is required for all interested applicants. To be considered for funding, letters of inquiry must be submitted electronically to grants@takomaparkmd.gov on or before 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 13, 2017.
Organizations are strongly encouraged to review the Community Grants Program guidelines found on the City’s website prior to submitting the letter of inquiry. For a full listing of requirements and necessary documents, please visit the City of Takoma Park’s website.
For question or more information, please contact the City of Takoma Park’s Housing and Community Development Department at 301.891.7118 or grants@takomaparkmd.gov.
On Saturday, February 4, during Takoma Park’s “Sanctuary City Teach-in,” Poet Laureate Merrill Leffler shared an original poem entitled “Together, We.” This cento or collage poem featuring a collection of over 14 different voices examined just what it means to “be American.”
This poem is a beautiful way to continue the conversation surrounding immigration and what it means to be a sanctuary city. Read the words and decide what “Together, We” means to you. How will you celebrate our togetherness? Will you embrace the beauty of our differences and similarities?
(You can also listen to Merrill read the poem below, starting at 4:22.)
The changes which could have the most impact on Takoma Park residents and visitors include:
F1, F2 Chillum Road: Reduced rush hour service frequency to every 35 minutes
J1 Bethesda-Silver Spring: Eliminate service
J5 Twinbrook-Silver Spring: Eliminate service
We understand that many of our residents rely on public transportation on a daily basis, and want to make sure that your voices are heard. Please visit the WMATA public survey to let them know your thoughts on the proposed changes.
The City of Takoma Park has a 30 year commitment to protecting its widely diverse community as a Sanctuary City.
During the 1980’s, local churches began offering sanctuary to some of the thousands of refugees fleeing brutal civil wars in El Salvador and Guatemala. This led to a series of supporting resolutions initiated and adopted by then Mayor Sam Abbott and the Takoma Park City Council.
In 1985, the ordinance was passed officially making Takoma Park a “Sanctuary City.” Affirmed and amended several times, the last in 2007-08, the Takoma Park Sanctuary law (Municipal Code, Chapter 9.04) prohibits City police and other City employees from asking Takoma Park residents about their citizenship or immigration status. It also prohibits them from cooperating in the enforcement of federal immigration laws that could lead to the deportation of residents.
The dedication to our immigrant residents continues today. In his message to the City on Nov. 11, Takoma Park Police Chief Alan Goldberg said,“Our Constitution specifically prohibits a ‘National Police Force.’…We have no interest or authority in the deportation of immigrants. The mission and commitment of the Takoma Park Police Department is the safety and welfare of all our residents….”
Safeguarding and building trust are key community values. Mayor Kate Stewart affirmed the City’s support for its immigrant neighbors. “We are a City that welcomes those who are the victims of economic upheaval, terrorism, or violence regardless of their national origins and that refuses to demonize Muslims. We are a City that upholds the right of ALL people to live their lives with dignity and respect.”
In a commitment to affordable higher education within our community, the City Council has passed a resolution authorizing the distribution of City of Takoma Park scholarship funds for Montgomery College students.
By passing the resolution, the council has granted $5,000 to Montgomery College to be used for five, $1,000 scholarships. Students granted the scholarship must qualify for financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and reside in the City of Takoma Park (though do not have to be a U.S. citizen). In addition to need and City residential criteria, preference will be given to those students who have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 and are participants in the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program.
“I am pleased to have been able to create this scholarship fund for Takoma Park residents to pursue higher education. In our first installment we are excited to have partnered with Montgomery College. I also plan that future installments of this scholarship effort will be broadened throughout the state of Maryland and the funding amounts will continue to grow. I am appreciative of the Mayor and my esteemed City Council colleagues for their support,” said Councilmember Jarrett Smith.
A Community Conversation with Miguel Fraga, First Secretary for the Cuban Embassy – Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 4:00 PM
Our community has a rich history with Cuba and the Cuban people. Recent changes in the relationship between Cuba and the United States (namely, the reestablishment of diplomatic relations) have created increased opportunities for people-to-people exchange and government-to-government negotiations.
Where is the relationship between Cuba and the U.S. going? How do the elections and the recent passing of Fidel Castro impact this relationship? What does this all mean to our local community?
Join Mayor Kate Stewart, County Executive Isiah Leggett, County Councilmember Marc Elrich in a community conversation with Mr. Miguel Fraga, the First Secretary for the Cuban Embassy. During the conversation, Mr. Fraga will share with us his thoughts on these questions plus many others.
This will be an interactive conversation, with plenty of opportunity for Q&A.
On Saturday, February 4, the City of Takoma Park and several community organizations will host a public forum, Takoma Park: Sanctuary City — Then & Now. The program will explore the City’s 30-year-old Sanctuary ordinance and its amendments, and will underscore the City’s ongoing commitment to protect its immigrant residents under the letter and spirit of the law. Takoma Park is one of 300+ sanctuary jurisdictions throughout the nation.
The teach-in, sponsored by the City of Takoma Park; the Mayor Sam Abbott Living Legacy Project of Historic Takoma, CASA de Maryland, and Takoma Park Mobilization, will take place at 3:00 p.m. at the Takoma Park Community Center – Sam Abbott Citizens’ Center, 7500 Maple Ave. in Takoma Park.
The program will feature a wide range of speakers, including City, county, and state officials, as well as members of immigrant legal rights and service organizations. Among the participants are: Takoma Park Councilmember Terry Seamens; Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich; Takoma Park Police Chief Alan Goldberg; City Manager Suzanne Ludlow; Maryland State Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez; CASA Executive Director, Gustavo Torres; Denyse Sabagh, Esq., Partner, Duane Morris; and Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart.
In the early 1980’s, local churches began offering sanctuary to some of the thousands of refugees fleeing brutal civil wars in El Salvador and Guatemala. This led to a series of supporting resolutions initiated and adopted by then Mayor Sam Abbott and the Takoma Park City Council. In 1985, the ordinance was passed making Takoma Park a “Sanctuary City”. Affirmed and amended several times, the last in 2007-08, the Takoma Park Sanctuary law (Municipal Code, Chapter 9.04) prohibits city police and other city employees from asking Takoma Park residents about their citizenship or immigration status. It also prohibits them from cooperating in the enforcement of federal immigration laws that could lead to the deportation of residents.
Safeguarding and building trust are key community values. Mayor Kate Stewart warmly affirmed the City’s support for its immigrant neighbors. “We are a City that welcomes those who are the victims of terrorism and violence regardless of their national origins and that refuses to demonize Muslims. We are a City that upholds the right of ALL people to live their lives with dignity and respect.”
Attendees will have the opportunity to speak and question the panel.The event will also include Takoma Park Poet Laureate Merrill Leffler and singer Rudy Arredondo. The program is free and open to the public.
Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) in partnership with the City of Takoma Park will be hosting four community meetings in February and March to seek input and share information about the proposed project, located at the intersection of Ethan Allen and Carroll Avenue.
