There has been a recent concern for rises in fu and COVID cases across the United States and an increased number of hospitalizations. Flu cases are very high in 45 of the 50 states, but new COVID cases are still considered low in a majority of states based on new cases per 100,000 people. Maryland is considered a very high state along with some of our neighboring states for flu cases, but low for COVID with 91% of the state’s population vaccinated for COVID.

People with the flu and COVID-19 at the same time can have more severe disease than people with either flu or COVID-19 alone. Anyone who feels sick should stay home and get tested. The flu and COVID share many of the same symptoms even though they are two separate contagious respiratory illnesses. Common symptoms
include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/having chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea (more frequent in children with flu, but can occur at any age with COVID-19)
• Change in or loss of taste or smell, although this is more frequent with COVID-19.

As of December 7, 2022, the 7-day average of weekly new COVID cases (65,569) increased by 49.6% compared with the previous 7-day average (43,825). The new variants are very contagious compared to the original COVID virus.

Winter weather will keep many of us inside and closer together. Our best defense to prevent serious illness and hospitalization from the flu or COVID is to get vaccinated, and practice good hygiene by washing hands, using sanitizer, and coughing into your sleeve. Talk with your health provider if you have questions and seek immediate medical help if you begin to suffer from severe breathing difficulties.

Montgomery County: County officials recommend precautionary measures such as wearing masks to slow transmission, protect the most vulnerable populations, and keep hospitalizations down as COVID-19 cases rise in the region. County cases have steadily risen, doubling since the recent low on November 28. Free home COVID-19 test kits are now available for every household.

This article was featured in the January 2023 Newsletter. Visit the Takoma Park Newsletter webpage to see the full list of past newsletters.

For the fifth year in a row, Takoma Park received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its current fiscal year budget.

“In order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as a financial plan, as an operations guide, and as a communications device,” said Michele Mark Levine, Director of GFOA’s Technical Services Center, in a press release. “This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. Its attainment represents a significant achievement by the organization.”

The award was created in 1984 by the GFOA to “encourage and assist state and local governments to prepare budget documents of the very highest quality that reflect both the guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting and the GFOA’s best practices on budgeting,” according to its website.

“It requires a lot of hard work from everyone,” says Susan Cheung, Takoma Park’s finance director. “We always have a nice design on our cover sheet on the budget document to make it look different and fresh each year. It’s a lot of work and collaboration between our department, other department heads, the city manager, and the city council.”

“Through the years, Takoma Park has improved its budget year-over-year,” says Cheung. “At our first attempt at submitting to GFOA, we got it,” says Cheung. “It was an extremely proud moment because it was all the work between my budget specialist and myself to achieve those high standards. We want to have improvement every year on our budget, and we’ve done better each year since our first budget award.”

Takoma Park scored “Proficient” or “Outstanding” in each of the GFOA’s category expect for one, Long-range Operating Financial Plans.

“We’re trying our very best and looking into the criteria to get this award and want to make improvements every year,” Cheung says. “Most of the budget award criteria we were mostly proficient, and we wanted to be outstanding. The last item that we’re trying to improve is long-range financial planning. So we’re working with a company to work on long-term financial planning and are hoping to have a proposal for the city council in the spring.”

The GFOA says that around 1,800 state, city, and county governments, as well as special districts, school districts, and more have been recognized for transparency in budgeting.

“We want the budget to be presentable and easy to read for residents,” says Cheung. “Finance staff will do a lot of graphs and comparisons and make sure all the information is presented nicely. The most important part of the Table of Contents is the automated link so you can click the link and navigate the 400-page document and jump directly to the area you’d want to look through. Even if a resident doesn’t have a financial background, they should be able to
read the budget.”

The GFOA represents public finance officials in the U.S. and Canada and strives to advance excellence in public finance, according to its website. For more on the award, visit GFOA’s website. To check out Takoma Park’s budget, visit the Budgets and Financial Documents webpage.

This article was featured in the January 2023 Newsletter. Visit the Takoma Park Newsletter webpage to see the full list of past newsletters.

Don’t be surprised this winter if you approach the sidewalk to find a street tree with a few less branches than it had before. The Urban Forest Manager and the Public Works Department will be surveying trees on the street in public space and conducting routine pruning in the coming months. Key objectives for this routine maintenance include providing adequate clearance over sidewalks, vehicle travel lanes, and vehicle parking areas. We also prune to ensure adequate sight lines to intersections, traffic signs, and crosswalks. This work is important to ensure that we can have healthy trees on our streets while maintaining safe passage for vehicles and pedestrians.

Pruning is conducted or overseen by the Urban Forest Manager and is kept to a high standard for tree health and structure. The goal is to establish eight feet of clearance over sidewalks and fourteen feet of clearance over vehicle travel lanes. Some shrubs growing in public space that cannot realistically be pruned such that they are compatible with the sidewalk and street may be removed. The same goes for trees that may have been planted or volunteered themselves in the wrong location, such as too close to a utility pole, intersection, or sign. It is important to deal with such problems when the shrub or tree is young to avoid it becoming an increasing nuisance and a more challenging job.

Property owners should also be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure that trees or shrubs growing from their properties are kept pruned to provide adequate clearance. Notices will be left on door handles in cases where private property trees are found to be too low or blocking the sidewalk. We love trees, just not when their branches make it difficult for our neighbors to navigate the sidewalks. With a bit of selective pruning trees, pedestrians, and vehicles can all live together happily.

This article was featured in the December 2022 Newsletter. Visit the Takoma Park Newsletter webpage to see the full list of past newsletters.

You can share your artistic talents or find tiny art to take home at Takoma Park’s first Free Little Art Gallery.

In a concept similar to little free libraries, the Free Little Art Gallery (FLAG for short), is a large box located next to the bus stop at 7667 Maple Avenue where anyone can donate small pieces of art or take art that they like. The box, which is stocked with art supplies, has two small galleries for displaying artwork, complete with easels and small figures admiring the art.

The interactive public art project is co-sponsored by the City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Division and the Operation ARTS Foundation.

“We’re very excited about our first Free Little Art Gallery,” said Brendan Smith, the City’s arts and humanities coordinator. “It provides motivation for people of all ages to create artwork and a public space where they can share it. The design of the little art gallery also celebrates our local Ethiopian community.”

The little art gallery features paintings of traditional Ethiopian woven reed bowls, burlap sections to highlight Ethiopia’s centuries-old connections to coffee, and a font inspired by the Amharic language.

Chyna Mae, Operation ARTS’ president and creative director, painted the little art gallery in Takoma Park, which is the fourth location in their Art MAGNET (Mini Art Gallery Neighborhood Entertainment Tour) project.

“We hope by fostering the ‘make art, take art’ movement, we can help bring people closer together by providing an arena where their stories can be heard and where they can experience the stories of their neighbors,” she said. “This project brings beauty, community creativity, collaboration, education, culture, and tourism to Takoma Park.”

An opening party was held last October where kids and adults made artwork on tiny canvases to fill the little art gallery. “It was wonderful connecting with the kids and families who came to the party, along with folks who were just walking by and stopped to make some art,” Mae said. “We filled the little art gallery in a few hours and are looking forward to seeing more artwork displayed there.”

The project was inspired by artist Stacy Milrany who created a little art gallery outside her home in Seattle two years ago to share art when many public spaces were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little art galleries have sprouted up across the nation, including three in Washington, D.C. You can find more locations at findafreelittleartgallery.com.

Operation ARTS plans to build more little art galleries in other cities in Maryland. Go to operationarts.com for more info.

Takoma Park welcomed its new Housing Manager, taking the reins over the division responsible for ensuring safe, decent, and affordable homeownership and rental opportunities for city residents.

Devin McNally joined Takoma Park from the Sacramento area in October, marking a big move from California’s bustling capital
region.

“That included the area from Sacramento all the way to Lake Tahoe,” he says. “We covered everything from people living in the middle of the woods to Mark Zuckerberg’s mansion. There was always something new.” But the D.C. area enticed McNally with its more progressive policies, particularly in the housing field. “Takoma Park has such a wide housing portfolio,” McNally says. “It’s one of the few places with rent stabilization that’s working to keep people in their homes. The average renter in Takoma Park has been in their apartment 17 years as opposed to around 4 years for the rest of the county.”

McNally says that he has three goals to help residents of Takoma Park, including increasing outreach to help tenants understand their rights and landlords know their responsibilities.

“We’re putting together a tenant fact sheet,” he says. “Something quick and short to help with landlord issues or code enforcement, letting tenants know what to do if they smell gas or if something’s broken. We do get lots of questions from tenants, and we want to make sure they have the right information quickly.”

McNally also says he wants to encourage more home ownership, especially through programs like the Home Stretch down payment assistance program that provides financial assistance to eligible families seeking to achieve homeownership.

He says the city is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to subdivide a single-family home into a two-home duplex that is
owned by two lower-income local families.

Another initiative he hopes to achieve is collaborating with the Economic Development and Planning Divisions to help revitalize underserved areas of the community, including the New Hampshire corridor and the area around the old Adventist Hospital.

“We want to think about how housing can be part of the revitalization process of the community,” he says.

An example, McNally says, was the recent success at 112 Lee Ave., where the city, working with Mi Casa, helped the tenants of the building secure $600,000 in state grants to purchase the property.

All in all, McNally is excited to serve the residents of Takoma Park. “I’m looking forward to getting to know members of the community,” McNally says.

This article was featured in the December 2022 Newsletter. Visit the Takoma Park Newsletter webpage to see the full list of past newsletters.

Former Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart presided over her final city council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21, to swear in the newly
elected members and welcome new Mayor Talisha Searcy.

There were plenty of tears and laughs at the meeting, as departing Councilmembers and the mayor said goodbyes and thanks to colleagues and supporters.

Councilmember Searcy took the time to thank her colleagues before being sworn in as Mayor Searcy. “This has been such a collaborative group of people where we may not all agree, but everyone is so solution-oriented that we advance issues in a way that benefits the entire community.”

She also took time to thank Mayor Stewart. “I am so grateful for your mentorship and your tutelage and just really helping me along the way,” she said. “I will truly miss you as mayor, but I definitely look forward to working with you in your new role as County Councilmember of District 4. Thank you all so much.”

Stewart also thanked her supporters, family and colleagues in city government: “First, thank you, so much to everyone, the whole community. I want to start with our city staff, you are all remarkable people. The deep caring you have for our community is astounding to me and I just want to thank from the bottom of my hear, each and every one of you. To my friends and community members who came out tonight. I so appreciate all of your support over the years. To my family, I started this when my kids were in middle school and now one is pretty much done with college and the other is in college. This has always been a family affair. In particular, I want to thank my husband for always being there, even at 3 and 4 a.m. And I want to thank my mother-in-law who has always been a huge source of strength in my life and an inspiration and for making sure my family is fed and I’m taking care of myself.”

Takoma Park residents went to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to vote on a new mayor as well as who would be representing them in the city’s six wards.

Of Takoma Park’s 11,743 registered voters, 5,844 residents 16 years old and above came out on Election Day or voted by mail to cast their ballots for local elections for a total turnout of 49.77%. There were 734 ballots cast in-person on Election Day, 2,771 mail-in ballots received before Election Day and 2,251 mail-in ballots received on or after Election Day.

With 2,974 votes, Searcy was elected as the city’s newest mayor, replacing Stewart, who was elected to a seat on the Montgomery County Council in the new District 4. As for the new council, Shana Fulcher will represent Ward 1, Cindy Dyballa for Ward 2, Randy Gibson for Ward 3, Terry Seamens for Ward 4, Cara Honzak for Ward 5, and Jason Small for Ward 6, according to the city’s Board of Elections.

The regular terms for councilmembers and the mayor is two years. The next citywide election will be in November of 2024. Takoma Park is divided into six wards. The mayor is elected at large. City councilmembers are elected by ward.

Takoma Park uses ranked-choice voting, meaning residents rank candidates in order of preference instead of choosing just one.
The first candidate that receives more than 50% of the vote is then the winner. Rankedchoice voting is meant to ensure that winning candidates have support of the majority of voters. It can also reduce negative campaigning as candidates may benefit by encouraging voters to rank them as a second choice in the event a voter’s first choice does not receive a majority.

Members of the community filled the city auditorium for the swearing-in ceremony, with some paying tribute during public
comments to their departing councilmembers.

Susan Rosenblum, a resident of Ward 3 since 1995, spoke in praise of former Councilmember Kacy Kostiuk, who did not seek reelection for her seat, saying she’s “an example of how leadership does not necessarily mean the loudest voice in the room. Kacy listens, does research, and pushed the issue forward until It’s resolved.”

Robert Lanza, a resident of Ward 1 since 1998, came out to thank Peter Kovar, who was elected to the city council in 2015 and is now retiring. “I want to particularly thank Peter for his office hours, I greatly appreciated you taking the time to talk with your constituents about issues and your decision making,” Lanza said. “Thank you for your service and congratulations on your upcoming retirement.”

Troy Jacobs, of Ward 5, spoke to thank former Mayor Stewart, as well as Kovar, Kostiuk and outgoing Ward 5 Councilmember Jarrett Smith. “Fortunately we live in a jurisdiction where we respect the outcome of votes, strive to bring voice to government and build a more progressive Takoma Park. I thank you very much and look forward to working with the new city council. We’re very excited about it.”

Kelly Gibson of Ward 1 came out to speak highly of Stewart, who was first elected as Takoma Park’s mayor in 2015. “She’s immediately impressive but that’s just the special thing about her and who she is,” said Gibson. “I believe her style of leadership is what makes successful government bodies. Women lead different. We create space for differing opinions, we stay at the table, we don’t back down, we don’t make people feel bad for their different opinions and we never shut them down. Kate is the true illustration of that leadership and I believe Talisha will be as well, I’m very proud of that.”

The other outgoing councilmembers also took the opportunity to give their thanks to their families, the community and their colleagues.

“I’m so grateful to everyone in Ward 3 for the opportunity to serve in this role,” said Kostiuk, who also thanked her family for their support. “It’s been a real honor to represent you and get to know you and be a small part of your life for the past five years. Please, keep in touch with me, I’m still your neighbor, and I look forward to seeing you on the other side.”

Councilmember Kovar also thanked the council, voters, and residents of Ward 1. “Everyone was so welcoming and willing to give me the honor and privilege of representing them, which was incredibly touching,” he said. “We had a relationship that went on for seven years. I also want to thank my colleagues and staff, who were really good at helping me, but also talking me out of bad ideas.”

Stewart also took time to thank the council: “To my colleagues, you all have been so incredibly wonderful. Peter I know of few people who are so unwavering in how they fight for their constituents and their friends and you have been a model of that. Cindy your commitment to climate change and always asking the questions that need to be asked and index cards are things I will miss. Kacy, your patience, smarts and deep kindness are so unique and I’m truly going to miss working with you so closely. Councilmember Seamens, you have been a rock over the years and your search for justice and fairness in our community is something we’ve all benefited from. Talisha, your advice, collaboration and thoughtfulness has been something I’ve so much leaned on over the years.”

Stewart ended her farewell to the council by quoting one of her favorite authors Jacqueline Woodson, “The revolution is like a merry-go-round, history always being made somewhere. And maybe for a short time, we’re a part of that history. And then the ride stops and our turn is over.”

“So, Mayor-elect Searcy, it’s your turn to get on this merry-goround. And with that, I adjourn this city council,” she said to applause. Searcy was then sworn in by Karen A. Bushell, Clerk of the Montgomery County Circuit Court. The new mayor then swore in the next Takoma Park City Council.

She then gave her first words as the new mayor of Takoma Park. “First I want to thank the residents of Takoma Park. I deliberated a lot before putting my foot into the fire, I should say. I look forward to serving our entire city. I believe very strongly that we are all called together for a reason and it’s to lead this great city into its next phase of existence.”

This article was featured in the December 2022 Newsletter. Visit the Takoma Park Newsletter webpage to see the full list of past newsletters.