Dear Residents,

Next Wednesday night, October 16, the Takoma Park City Council will be considering a Resolution adopting the 2019-2030 Takoma Park Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan (HEDS Plan).

If the plan is adopted, it will represent one of the most significant steps taken by the Council in decades to position the community for a healthy future. The only two other major efforts that rise to this level of significance since I began working for the City 26 years ago are the supporting of the construction of the Purple Line light rail system 20 years ago and the establishment of our City’s sustainability program in 2015.

The Resolution to be considered begins with strong statements about a fundamental right to housing. For a small municipality in an expensive metropolitan area, it will take an enormous effort for Takoma Park to preserve existing moderately-priced housing, produce more housing for residents at various incomes, and to protect residents from discrimination and displacement.

While there are strong objectives and strategies in the Strategic Plan regarding housing – including the continuation of the rent stabilization program – one of the major ways to move Takoma Park forward is to assist and promote businesses and business development. This is an area where we have not been as strong over the years. We need economic health and growth in the commercial sector to reduce the City’s dependence on residential real property tax. We also have many, many residents without good jobs or sufficient business income. They need workforce development, entrepreneurial programs and business assistance to be able to stay and thrive in Takoma Park.

Throughout the Resolution and Strategic Plan are provisions that show the Council’s commitment to consider every action through a race equity lens and to take into account the climate change resiliency needs of our community.

Please read through the materials for the October 16 Council meeting and share your thoughts with Council. If adopted, staff will assemble and share implementation plans, indicators of success, graphics and presentation materials to move the Strategic Plan forward and clearly communicate the Plan with the public.

Tax Duplication

One way to make Takoma Park a more affordable community is to finally get Montgomery County to pay fair tax duplication rebate payments. (Go here for more info.) County Executive Marc Elrich – who used to be a Takoma Park City Councilmember – has the responsibility to put the correct rebate payment amount in his proposed FY2021 budget.

County Executive Elrich is holding budget forums right now around Montgomery County. This is the time to tell him that a fair tax duplication payment for Takoma Park must be included in the next County budget. The next two forums are at 7 pm on October 21 at the Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center and on October 30 at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

The County Executive is providing a presentation on “Outcome Based Budgeting” as part of the forums. One “outcome” should be fairness. No taxpayer should be paying two governments for services they only get from one. Not paying a fair rebate hurts our collaborative efforts to help keep housing affordable, build climate change resilience, and protect the public. County Executive Elrich knows this and setting the payment amount is in his court.

Please attend an upcoming forum or send an email to the County Executive, copying the Takoma Park City Council, and say the time is now for the County to pay a full tax duplication rebate payment to Takoma Park.

Other Matters

There is an enormous amount of work being done by the City Council and City staff right now. Work on the Tree Ordinance and tree canopy, the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, multiple construction projects, and lots of day-to-day maintenance, programs and services are underway. It can be hard to stay up on all of the important projects – let alone the fun things! If you haven’t already, please sign up to receive the Takoma Insider weekly e-newsletter. It is interesting and useful.

Best wishes for a happy and productive Fall!

Dear Residents,

Happy Fall!

With public schools opening on Tuesday and the City Council returning from their summer recess on Wednesday, September 11, City staff is gearing up for a VERY busy fall.

I have compiled a summary of some of the more interesting projects or issues that are underway. Most of them are likely to affect you one way or another. And, to keep on top of all things Takoma Park, I encourage you to sign up for the weekly Takoma Park Insider, if you haven’t already. It’s always good to be in the know!

Now, before I go into some of the exciting work that is before us, I ask all of you to do some end-of-the-summer homework:

• Check to make sure you and your family are prepared for storms or other emergencies. With climate change, emergency preparations and vigilant property maintenance are more important than ever.
• Do you have your supplies to rely on for three days in a power outage?
• Do you know your escape routes and meeting-up place if you have a fire?
• If you have trees on your property, have they received proper maintenance by a licensed tree care professional within the last two years?
• If you have a home, are your house gutters clean and do the paths for stormwater go away from your home and not onto the neighboring property?
• Have you eliminated breeding places for mosquitos?
• Help make sure children can walk, bike, or bus safely to school.
  • Check to make sure sidewalks are clear of overgrown vegetation.
  • Practice coming to a full stop at stop signs. (I’ve seen a number of cars just rolling past stop signs lately!)
  • If you have children who will be heading to school next week, walk or bike the route with them and make sure it’s safe and they know safety rules.
  • Report any overgrown vegetation or unsafe locations to the City so we can issue a Courtesy Notice or correct a problem.
• Sign up for emergency alerts, City notices, etc so you can be informed. We have great options to let you know if roads are closed, emergency weather is on the way, if classes are canceled, or if there is an imminent danger that might affect you. We also have information on fun programs or opportunities that help make living in Takoma Park great!

Now to what is on tap for Fall, 2019.

Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan – A draft plan has been prepared for City Council consideration in September after almost four years of research and public outreach.  The Staff is already working on some implementation steps and looks forward to the adoption of a final plan. Key goals are to have a City with a range of safe, high quality, and stable housing options affordable for residents of varying incomes as well to plan and prepare for development in the City while maintaining the special character and diversity of Takoma Park. The plan is also guided by race equity and environmental sustainability goals.

Flower Avenue Green Street – While we’ve been planning for the complete overhaul of Flower Avenue between Piney Branch Road and Carroll Avenue for years, visible work on the street has now begun. For the coming year, there will be one-lane closures while utility work is done, and bioretention areas and new sidewalks are installed. This is a very significant project for Takoma Park and our region.

Sustainability and Climate Action Plan – Our existing plan is being updated and we want your input! We will have an online survey, a public workshop on Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 pm in our Community Center Auditorium and several focus groups. The plan is scheduled to be completed in November to help guide our community to greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions while increasing resiliency to climate change.

Takoma Park Library Renovation – Council has approved design work up to the construction drawing stage. Changes to the concept plans are being made to raise the floor out of the flood plain, but the exterior configuration remains similar to the one that has been well-received by the community. We need to have a library that meets ADA regulations, has an HVAC system that works, and that has the facilities to function as a modern public library for Takoma Park. As the drawings are refined, we will be able to get more accurate cost estimates and make design adjustments as needed.

Updating of the City’s Tree Regulations and Protection of the Tree Canopy – The Council, staff, Tree Commission, and Committee on the Environment have been working on updating the City’s tree regulations while pursuing greater protection of the tree canopy in Takoma Park. There will be a number of Council discussions on this, referring to the many public comments that have been received and the recent report on the status of the tree canopy. The Council will be jumping right in on this topic beginning September 11.

Takoma Junction Development and SHA Intersection Improvements– The City’s development partner, Neighborhood Development Company, is continuing in the plan review process with Montgomery County for the Takoma Junction Development project. At the same time, the Maryland State Highway Administration is following up on its Takoma Junction Vision project, taking comments from the public outreach done in the spring and looking at options for intersection improvements. Stay tuned on both projects.

Takoma Park Recreation Center Redevelopment – The City of Takoma Park recently became the property owner of this facility that we have operated on New Hampshire Avenue since 1997. We will be contracting for a public process to determine how to redevelop the property to ensure that City goals are met for recreation, as well as for housing or other economic development needs. In the meantime, its fitness room is a great place to get in shape, and there are a host of fun programs operating out of the Center. Stop by!

Future of Washington Adventist Hospital Property – The Emergency Department and acute care patients were moved to the new White Oak Medical Center on August 25. Some patients and services remain in the hospital until space is ready for them at the White Oak facility next summer. A new Urgent Care facility opened in the former Emergency Department. (It is for minor ailments and injuries and open 24 hours per day, seven days a week. For more serious medical issues, call 911.) Washington Adventist University intends to purchase the hospital property, but almost any use requires zoning changes. Reuse of the site is years away. Once the hospital is completely moved, most of the property is likely to be subject to property taxes at least until new exempt uses are approved. The Takoma Park City Council is on record as wishing to see community needs met at the site, such as housing, medical care, and/or education.

Election Changes – With the move of City Council elections to even years beginning in 2020, the City Charter needs updating and procedures are being worked on. Information will be in an upcoming Takoma Park Newsletter. And, don’t forget, 16 and 17-year-olds can vote in the City of Takoma Park elections. We were the first in the nation to allow this!

For information on these and the many other major projects going on around Takoma Park, check out our City website under Initiatives. We have details and contact information for many projects.

Some smaller items:

Dispatch Space Improvements – There will be improvements made to our Police Department this fall. The Community Center’s Atrium floor will be filled in, providing room to expand the Police Department’s very cramped Dispatch office. While construction is underway, Dispatch will be moved elsewhere in the building but we will remain open.

EV Chargers – You may notice changes to some of our Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers around the City. Pepco will be operating some of them now that the City’s contract with the company EVI has expired. In BY Morrison Park, the four old Level 2 (slower) EV chargers will be removed. Two new Level 2 chargers will be installed and the other two parking spaces will not have EV chargers. The new Level 2 chargers will require payment. It is likely that all Level 2 chargers will move to become chargers requiring payment. Level 3 (fast) chargers already require payment.

Stormwater Fees – Based on Council discussions this past spring and a consultant’s study, we will be looking to revamp the way we charge for stormwater management, with the possibility of changing the current uniform residential fee to a stepped fee that is higher for properties with more impervious surface and lower for those with less impervious surface, similar to our system for commercial and institutional properties. The topic will be addressed at the September 11 City Council work session.

New Staff! – With the tight labor market, there has been quite a lot of turnover of City staff in the last few months. I am delighted to report that a number of key vacant positions have recently been filled, most helpfully, our Human Resources Director position. We are so happy to have Ms. Tracy Smith on board in that position. Another key position being filled is our Victim/Witness Assistant in the Police Department. Other positions being filled include a Planning Intern, a part-time position in our Finance Department, and many Recreation positions for our before and afterschool programs.

I haven’t even mentioned the exciting arts programming and fun events that are on board for this fall. Again, sign up for notices so you can take advantage of every opportunity for enjoyment and to meet new friends.

On a personal note, I had a nice short vacation with my son earlier this month. As I visited several places, I noticed how really cutting-edge Takoma Park is, despite being a small community. I truly appreciate the dedication of Councilmembers, Committee members, and City staff in helping make Takoma Park a special place for all residents.

Have a happy and safe fall 2019!

Suzanne Ludlow

A letter from Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart on behalf of the Takoma Park City Council regarding the opposition of the proposal to establish a facility for unaccompanied minors on Laurel Street, NW.

The Takoma Park City Council shares Mayor Bowser’s and Councilmember Todd’s concerns about this proposal. Read the letter, click here

Tonight is the first of two Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) Takoma Junction Vision Study community meetings regarding the Takoma Junction roadways, Philadelphia Avenue (MD 410) and Carroll Avenue (MD 195). This session, Part I – Crafting a Vision Statement, runs from 6 pm to 8:30 pm and is open to all.  Next Monday’s session is Part II – Bringing the Vision to Life; June 10, 6 pm – 8:30 pm.  Both sessions will be held at the Takoma Park Seventh Day Adventist Church, 6810 Eastern Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20012

I hope you will participate in these meetings. And, I hope you will include a healthy business district as part of the “vision” for the Junction. While the City can assist businesses in a number of different ways, there are two areas that SHA is best able to address:  the configuration of the intersection, and accommodation of truck deliveries for the area businesses.

Intersection Configuration

At a meeting that SHA held with Takoma Junction businesses, there was a statement made by the meeting facilitator that “residents don’t want a change to the intersection.” The intersection is failing now, according to SHA’s own traffic metrics as well as two recent traffic studies. Several business representatives noted that they would like to see a change in the intersection to make it work better. But, what was not said there, and what seems to have been forgotten in recent months, is this: under Montgomery County law, without a change in the intersection configuration, NO area business will be allowed expand its building by even 1000 square feet or by a change to a use that increases traffic demand by even one car.

I have heard from some folks that, rather than the two-story neighborhood commercial building that is proposed for the City’s lot, they would prefer a smaller building, a park, or an expanded TPSS Co-op. None of that would be allowable under County law unless significant intersection improvements are made. Improving crosswalks and bike facilities alone will not be sufficient to meet the County law regarding traffic.

How does this work elsewhere in Montgomery County? Montgomery County exempts whole commercial districts from its traffic requirements! But areas with small independently-owned businesses are left with burdensome requirements that hinder their success. I am not asking to have the area become exempted from the County law, but as a community, we need to recognize how the commercial properties in the Junction are and will be constrained by this law if the intersection configuration is not addressed in the near future. And, because the intersection is failing now, real infrastructure improvements need to be made.

Deliveries

In historic neighborhood commercial areas, deliveries were made to the businesses from the street or from a back alley. In Takoma Park space is limited and the topography is difficult behind the properties. The only location for deliveries for most of the properties in the Junction is from land that is part of the State Highway right of way.  How can these deliveries be accommodated, while protecting residential areas and also ensuring pedestrian and vehicular safety in the area? What real options are available to accommodate grocery, restaurant, and package delivery businesses in the Junction?

The Junction intersection is a difficult, congested area now. “No change” is not an acceptable option; without any improvements, the traffic will only continue to worsen and the area will be less hospitable to pedestrians, transit users and business patrons. The current delivery situation is dangerous and illegal, and presents on-going and growing challenges.

SHA has similar districts across Maryland and many talented engineers and designers. This is their opportunity to be creative and show how historic main streets and their businesses can survive and evolve and remain the heart of their communities.

There are many opinions about certain aspects of use and development in the Junction area. What I think most of us can agree on, however, is that Takoma Park wants a healthy, vibrant and safe business community at the Takoma Junction. Let’s strongly urge the Maryland State Highway Administration to do the work to get us there.

Dear Residents,

Last Friday night I was talking with a niece of mine who just completed her first year as an elementary school principal in Tucson, Arizona. She had a wonderful but challenging year, as it included her school’s participation in a special Harvard program that coaches race equity in education.

In speaking with her, she lamented the greatest challenge she and her staff face: the teaching of her students to “Be Kind” is being undercut to a greater degree than ever by what the students hear at home and through social media.

We discussed how adults also are impacted by biting listserv or social media posts before factual information is gathered, or the posting of information that is known to be wrong or exaggerated just to make a point. What is overlooked is that real people may be unfairly criticized and the thought of “Be Kind” is not modeled for the children and others in our community.

A Shout Out

Kind words and respect and civility generally don’t get as much attention. So, I’d like to give a shout out to a person who wrote to me and several Councilmembers this past week about her concerns about a film sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Commission. She made an inquiry, identified her concerns and communicated effectively and civilly about them. We were able to investigate the situation and look at the advertising materials. There was a determination that we should indeed clarify that the City is not necessarily endorsing the point of the film. Her communication is facilitating additional discussion about how films, lectures and artwork are chosen, presented and characterized, and we will be learning through the dialogue. That is the Takoma Park I truly appreciate.

I also want to give a shout out to the folks who first go to the City’s website when they have interest in or concerns about a project or a policy. I frequently get email comments from them about how much detailed financial or plan information they found on the website – to an extent that is much greater than other jurisdictions. Reporters, in particular, are astounded. Folks appreciate how the work is explicitly tied to Council goals, and project manager contact information is provided if there are additional questions. Often, suggestions for additional information are made and we are able to improve our project pages for other users. We also strive to find new and creative ways to effectively communicate about the work being done by staff and Council.

I know that City staff and I are not perfect. We make mistakes and we can always improve. I admit when we fall short. My staff and I try to address the immediate problem and find ways to minimize it happening again. I deeply appreciate when a resident contacts me or a Councilmember directly about a problem with a staff person or a project. I can follow up and determine if training, discipline, or a different approach would address the problem. Or, if there is more to the story, I can inform the resident of the larger context. Whether staff violated a policy or did not have a friendly tone in an interaction, I take complaints very seriously.

I, myself, have had to be reminded to “Be Kind.” Sometimes so much is going on that it takes a nudge to think about our own actions and demeanor. I have been working on that and I appreciate the person who called me on it.

Appreciation

One of the great joys of my job is to pass on compliments from residents about staff. I am fortunate to receive quite a few, sometimes about actions I had never heard about – like a staff person taking an extra minute to provide a hand to a resident when it was needed. Thank you to those residents who have taken the time to express appreciation and let us know about the good work!

I am grateful to have a wonderful staff to work with and a Council that cares about the community and about collaborative approaches to implementing the Priorities they have set. People often imagine that we are a large government, but the number of City staff is quite small for all of the work we do. In many cases, we have just one employee for a certain specialty (one civil engineer, one arborist, one communications specialist). Still, I appreciate that our staff consists of a mix of newer employees and experienced professionals from many different backgrounds. That mix allows for great discussions about best approaches to addressing problems or work projects. In particular, I love the interest in working with the community using the race equity lens the Council has endorsed.

The Councilmembers work hard, both individually and collectively, and receive little financial compensation for their long hours. It is clear they love Takoma Park and want to help make it better and keep it special. I particularly appreciate the commitment they have for sharing information and to spending time hearing from residents and business owners.

In the coming months, Council will be continuing discussion of the City’s major initiatives, budget processes, and the challenges we face. These issues affect every Takoma Park resident, so I hope you watch a Council meeting either live or online, check out the information on the City’s website, ask the questions you may have, and share your thoughts with the Council.

Please also feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or invite me to your neighborhood meetings. Except for a vacation in August with my son (that I am really looking forward to!), I will be here for conversation and learning and continued appreciation of all that is Takoma Park.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe summer!
Suzie Ludlow

Last week we learned of the President’s abhorrent plan to use families and children detained by the government on our border as political pawns.

On Friday the Mayor appeared on CNN with this message.

The City of Takoma Park has a 30-year commitment to protecting its widely diverse community as a Sanctuary City.

The dedication to our immigrant residents continues today. In Takoma Park, we stand strong against hate and vitriol that spreads ignorance and misinformation. And once again we reiterate our Takoma Park values:

• We are a City with residents and staff from all over the world and we celebrate and cherish our diversity.
• We are a City that welcomes those who are victims of terrorism, violence, or economic upheaval regardless of their national origins.
• We refuse to demonize individuals based on their place of birth, religion, or race.
• We are a City that upholds the right of ALL people to live their lives with dignity and respect.

Today, in the face of hateful, dehumanizing, and blatant lies being espoused by the current occupant of the White House, we remind the world that in Takoma Park we believe in building strong, inclusive, and healthy communities by ensuring that the rights of all are upheld — immigrants, people of different faiths, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, people of color.

We believe our immigration system should prioritize keeping families together and not tearing them apart.

We believe that every individual has an inherent right to be treated with fairness and justice, not with hatred and bigotry.

We are a City dedicated to forging stronger relationships and creating out of our myriad of differences and experiences one community that stands together.

So our message to President Trump – We Will Take Them.

From the Desk of the City Manager, Suzanne Ludlow

Dear Residents,

At last night’s City Council meeting, I presented the Fiscal Year 2020 Recommended Budget for consideration by the Council. Below are my introductory comments followed by links to budget

documents and to information on how you can share your thoughts with the City Council as they determine the appropriate balance of services and costs for the City of Takoma Park for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2019.

Public participation in the budget process is essential. And, for a budget as tight as this one is, it is very important to share your views on which programs and services should not be cut. People tend to not make comments on elements that they see in a budget that they support – they assume if the programs they like are in a proposed budget, they will stay in the budget. This year, I am proposing to raise the tax rate 2.69 cents just to keep a “maintenance of effort” budget. That means, if there is a desire to have a smaller tax rate, there will need to be cuts in programs, services and, likely, City staff positions. Communicating your thoughts to the City Council now through the April 24 Budget Public Hearing is important so the Council will have the benefit of your views when they do budget reconciliation on April 29.

My opening comments from last night:

I come before you today to speak of responsibility – and the power we have as a team of caring people, caring professionals, to address the work that is before us, and to make the decisions that need to be made.

What is before us? We have a convergence of pressures, projects and opportunities. They are here – all at once.
What is before us?

1. The Purple Line – 20 years ago, I attended a Maryland Department of Transportation open house with my then 4 year old son, and it was clear that there would be a light rail line coming past Takoma Park with positive and negative impacts someday – today the construction is underway.
2. Washington Adventist Hospital – 12 years ago, it was announced that the hospital would be moving to another location, taking away the City’s largest employer and health facility – and the acute care patients are moving to a new hospital in White Oak this August.
3. Flower Avenue Green Street – 10 years ago, Public Works Director Daryl Braithwaite, after learning of the “green street” concept and tired of dealing with lack of attention to Flower Avenue by the State of Maryland and Montgomery County said, “Flower Avenue should be a “green street” – and construction is starting this month.
4. Library Expansion and Renovation – 5 years ago, a study of what a 21st Century library should be was done and plans were begun to renovate the Takoma Park Library so that it would remain a community living room with books and wonderful programs – and, detailed design work is now underway.

What else is happening?

• Jurisdictions on every side of Takoma Park are redeveloping, and new businesses are moving into Takoma Park into some commercial spaces that weren’t as vibrant before.
• Many new families are moving into homes that hadn’t had children in them for years, and schools in the Takoma Park area are bursting at the seams.

I have known for many years that one day we would be at this place. I just didn’t know it would be this year and I didn’t know we would have such a limited pool of resources with which to address these pressures.

Despite our best efforts, tax duplication remains a major issue. And, this year, as I will discuss, there is the surprise in the large number of properties in Takoma Park that lost value in the most recent State property assessment. While the cost of providing City services is increasing, the citywide net assessed value only increased 0.6 percent for FY20. If the City’s tax rate were to stay the same, we would only gain about $75,500 – the equivalent of installing just 600 linear feet of new sidewalk.

We also have challenges in increased risk from climate change, due to longer duration snow or rain storms. And, there are always surprises – for example, possible changes in federal law regarding cell towers or Sanctuary Cities.

We can address these challenges, though. We have the talented staff, we have the commitment to serve, and we have the excitement of creation, of possibility, of collaborative improvement.

However, we cannot address all of these challenges with a budget that does not increase. So, back to where I began this presentation: I come to you today to speak of responsibility and the power we have as a team to make the decisions that need to be made.

Budget Documents

• FY20 Proposed Budget – note that you can skip to any section via links in the Table of Contents
• April 3, 2019 Budget Presentation
• April 3, 2019 Council Meeting Video
• 2019 City Services – Your Dollars At Work
• Excel spreadsheets of Proposed Budget: Per the note included in the first tab: “The spreadsheets in the three tabs herein contain raw information pulled from the City’s enterprise financial system, which is used to develop the budget. The columns contain both budgeted and actual activity figures beginning in FY 2017 for each of the line items in the City’s budget. The column titled “Defined Budget” is the current fiscal year budget. The column titled “2019-2020” contains the dollar figures included in the proposed budget. Some line items contain descriptions for how the budget funds are broken down for that particular line. “2018-2019 CERT” represents the current fiscal year budget, while “2019-2020 Prelim” represents the proposed budget.”

Budget Schedule:

All meetings are at 7:30 pm in the Takoma Park Community Center Auditorium, 7500 Maple Avenue, unless otherwise indicated.

• April 3 Presentation of Proposed Budget
• April 8 Budget Open House – Takoma Park Community Center Hydrangea Room, 6:00-7:15 pm
• April 8 Budget Work Session on Proposed Budget
• April 10 First Budget Public Hearing
• April 15 Budget Open House – Takoma Park Recreation Center,7315 New Hampshire Avenue, 6:00-7:15 pm
• April 15 Budget Work Session on Options for Service and
• Program Reductions – Takoma Park Recreation Center, 7315 New Hampshire Avenue, 7:30 pm.
• April 24 Second Budget Public Hearing and Constant Yield Tax Rate Public Hearing
• April 29 Budget Reconciliation – This is the meeting where the key decisions on the budget and tax rates are made by Council
• May 8 First Reading Ordinances Adopting the FY20 Budget and Tax Rates
• May 15 Second Reading Ordinances Adopting the FY20 Budget and Tax Rates

To share your thoughts on the budget, please go to  Council Public Comment Form and/or testify at one of the two public hearings on the budget.

Welcome to the first City Manager Staff Spotlight. This will be an occasional quick look at the day-to-day work of City of Takoma Park staff. I hope you find it interesting!

The City of Takoma Park has huge projects and initiatives on the schedule for 2019. Mayor Stewart’s year-end blog discussed many of these major efforts that are related to the City Council’s Priorities. Right now, the Council is in the middle of its Priority Setting efforts for the upcoming year. Information on major projects can be found on the City’s website on the Initiatives link. We try to keep these project pages up-to-date and we list the contact information for each project manager if you have additional questions.

While some City staff work on these large projects, most staff focus on ongoing services such as trash collection, recreation, public safety, finance, human resources, etc. So, what do we do?

This Staff Spotlight is on the Finance Office. The office consists of five full-time positions and one part-time position. Languages spoken by the staff include English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Amharic, Tigrigna, Spanish, French and Thai.

The office is led by Susan Cheung, Finance Director. She manages the staff and oversees all of the City’s financial responsibilities. She provides advice to departments on adhering to best financial practices and adapting to new financial procedures, she oversees City investments, responds to Council inquiries, prepares the management discussion and analysis for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, and works with our IT unit on the financial software systems used by the City. She also oversees the City’s banking and credit card accounts. Unlike many governments, we do not have a separate budget office, so she leads the effort on the financial side of our annual Budget preparation.

Kiros Alemseged, Accounting Supervisor processes the City payroll, which is time-intensive, and supervises the 2.5 staff that handle accounts receivable and accounts payable and that provide customer service at the Finance Office window on the third floor of the Community Center.

Alisa Trammell, Budget Specialist works on budget spreadsheets and is the primary compiler of the proposed and final budget documents each year. She also provides significant backup support to other staff in the office.

The Finance Office has a predictable year of busy times:

• January – Preparation of 2nd Quarter Financial Report and the issuance of W2s and 1099 tax forms; heavy work begins on next fiscal year proposed budget
• February – Work on proposed budget and 3rd Budget Amendment; Constant Yield number received around February 14th
• March – Final work on proposed budget, including document preparation; preparation of budget
  amendment before proposed budget document finalized
• April – City Manager presents Proposed Budget to Council; Finance Director assists with material for presentations, Budget Open House, and Council Budget Work Sessions, does research and answers questions as needed; preparation of 3rd Quarter Financial Report
• May – Budget reconciliation done by City Council; Finance Director prepares budget ordinances and transmits final tax rate to Montgomery County for the combined tax billing; staff oversees the issuance of Tax Rebate checks to Takoma Park residents who qualify for them
• June – Final budget document is prepared; Office prepares for the close of the Fiscal Year; the 4th Budget Amendment is prepared; personnel evaluations underway
• July – Beginning of new fiscal year; personnel pay adjustments; preparation of 4th Quarter Financial Report; preparation of 1st budget amendment (mainly includes carry-overs from gap between adoption of final budget and the end of the fiscal year)
• August – Prior fiscal year wrap-up; preparation for the Interim Financial Audit
• September – City Final Audit underway
• October – Preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and Uniform Financial Report (UFR), both due October 31 to State of Maryland; preparation of 1st Quarter
  Financial Report
• November – Presentation by the City’s Auditor and the actuary for the Police Pension Fund to the City Council
• December – Calendar year close-out of personnel-related matters; annual payments to retirement accounts

The Office also works on special projects, such as Socially-Responsible Investing and finance software upgrades.

I am always impressed by how much is done by the Finance Office with so few staff. Compare our 5.5 positions to other area municipalities:

• College Park has 8
• Hyattsville has 5 plus 3 part-time positions
• Greenbelt has 8, 3 of whom are human resources employees, and
• Rockville has 12.5.

I hope you have enjoyed this City Manager Staff Spotlight on the Finance Office. Feel free to contact me with any questions you have about our City of Takoma Park staff and their work. I want to hear from you!

City of Takoma Park street plowing and sidewalk clearing crews made great progress during the day today. Unfortunately, the heavier late afternoon snow showers covered the cleared surfaces.

The Right-of-Way division staff will work again from 6 pm to 6 am tonight, continuing to clear roads and treat areas with a sand/salt mixture. Please note that the temperature is dropping and many roads are very slippery. If you can, please avoid travel on the roads tonight.

It is likely that we will not know until early tomorrow morning if the Federal government will be closed or have a delayed opening due to weather. If the Federal government closes or has a delay in the morning, the City of Takoma Park will follow that decision. We will get the word out through Takoma Park Alert, the website and social media.

On Monday evening, there is a joint meeting scheduled of the City Council and Committee on the Environment. If there are any closings, we will make a decision as to whether or not the meeting should be canceled.

Monday is also a yard waste/Christmas tree collection day. We will do the collections, but please be careful to put materials out in a safe location that can be reached by our Public Works staff. If you can hold onto your yard waste for two weeks (until January 28th since January 21st is the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday), please do so. Regular trash/recycling collections scheduled for Tuesday are expected to take place with no delays.

Providing it stops snowing overnight tonight, all residential sidewalks are to be shoveled by noon Monday. Sidewalks in front of businesses are to be kept clear from 9 am to 5 pm daily. We will be enforcing the City’s laws on shoveling, but we prefer that folks do the shoveling because it’s the right thing to do. Please help your neighbors who may not be able to shovel. We have a wonderfully caring community that helps each other, and we have a commitment to pedestrian safety that, literally, requires many hands to get the work done when the snow falls.

A final note – I am so fortunate to work with so many good City staff that do excellent work. Two twelve-hour nights in a row at work driving snow plows is draining, but our Public Works staff take pride in their skill and their service. Kudos to them for all they do today and every day!