Although the COVID-19 health emergency is keeping our City facilities closed to the public, City staff are continuing to serve Takoma Park residents. We are working hard to keep information up-to-date on our webpage, we answer your phone calls and emails, and we often meet with residents in virtual meetings on a number of subjects.

Recently, there have been some questions about Public Information Act requests and other requests for information. If someone has a question about a project, they can go to the City’s website and look under Initiatives (for example, Takoma Junction Development Review or Bus Stop Improvements), or they can directly contact the staff person associated with the project. City staff readily answer many questions a day from residents and Councilmembers. If certain information is not on our website and we realize it is of interest to more than a few people, we add it to our website or we do a social media campaign or a Takoma Park Newsletter article to get the word out. We work hard to be responsive to residents’ questions and concerns.

Sometimes, there is interest in the production of records (such as copies of emails or financial data or Police reports), which qualifies as a Maryland Public Information Act request. Pursuant to the provisions of State law, we produce records that have been requested. Sometimes the collection of the records is time-consuming, so a charge* is required for more than two hours of work, recognizing that some large requests could take staff away from other duties.  In these cases, staff of the City Clerk’s or City Attorney’s office communicates with the requester to see if there is a way to modify or narrow the request to limit the cost of the work involved in producing the records. This is the approach outlined in State law. In having these communications, we frequently learn that the requested records may not actually be the best way to obtain the information and we can help the requester get the information they need in a different way or for a more precise time period.

* Here is more information on fees. (The City’s fee waiver process is handled by City staff and necessarily follows the statutorily prescribed process.  With respect to a fee waiver, the statute requires that one be requested.  The request must be made with specificity as to why it should be granted, but that is only the first step in the process.  The second step under the statute is whether the applicant meets the criteria for a waiver.  Under the Maryland law the criteria may be met if the applicant for the fee waiver is indigent (an affidavit of indigency is required in support).  Alternatively, after the official custodian considers the ability of the applicant to pay the fee and other relevant factors, the custodian may grant the request if the custodian determines that the waiver would be in the public interest.  Maryland cases are sparse on the public interest analysis.  Maryland’s Attorney General’s Public Information Act Manual recommends reviewing federal Freedom of Information Act cases regarding the public interest analysis.  The nature of the analysis applied by the federal courts depends on the basis for the fee waiver request).

If you’re having difficulty finding the information you are interested in, please call the main City’s phone number at 301-891-7100, the City Clerk at 301-891-7267, or the City Manager at 301-891-7229 or SuzanneL@takomaparkmd.gov.

During these challenging times, different questions may arise, but we are still here to help!

Dear Takoma Park Community,

The uncertainty and enormity of the COVID-19 pandemic hangs over us all. Although there are many unknowns that make planning even for the next few weeks — let alone the next year — harder than usual, we are committed to ensuring the long-term wellbeing and safety of all Takoma Park residents.

As members of the Takoma Park City Council, we have been working since early April on the FY2021 City Budget. We extend our deep appreciation to the work of the City Manager and staff during this time. We knew from the first presentation on April 6^th that the proposed budget needed to be revised to take into consideration the health crisis, and we have learned much more about the health and economic situation since then.

Over the past few weeks, we have discussed and posed questions about the City Budget and heard from many residents about their priorities and concerns. As we work to finalize the budget, we’ve come together to summarize some of the overarching goals we have identified over the past few weeks.

There is still more discussion and difficult decisions for the Council to make on the budget. We have differing views on various specific line-items in the budget, but our discussions over the past weeks have shown a common commitment to ensuring that City funds are managed responsibly to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our community now and into the future.

As the City, we are the first line of defense for those most impacted and vulnerable during this crisis. By acting quickly and with sufficient resources, we can help more people stay in their homes and keep businesses afloat while we wait and advocate for assistance at the county, state, and federal level.  We also know that while this crisis impacts everyone, the magnitude of the impact is not equal, further exposing the racial injustices that we must address as a City.

Our focus for the remainder of FY2020 and as we consider the FY2021 budget must be to provide for those residents, staff, and businesses most impacted and vulnerable during this very difficult time.

Therefore, we are prioritizing:

• Resources to enable the City to continue to provide financial support for residents including rent, HOA fees, utilities, medical care, food, and other needs.
• Resources to increase workforce development assistance to residents who have been laid-off or forced to job transition.
• Support and assistance to our small businesses and business associations.
• Resources to support the City’s frontline staff who are working hard to provide critical support and services to the community during the pandemic, including hazard pay.
• Resources and flexibility to shift how our staff and government operates to meet the needs of residents now and into the future.
• Continuation of funding for public safety initiatives.
• Continue and explore expanding targeted property tax assistance programs.
• Maintenance of healthy reserves to ensure the City has resources to meet unexpected challenges.

To meet the goals above, we support the following and continue to explore other options:

• Reductions and cuts to the proposed budget to reach a tax rate not exceeding the current rate of 53.97 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
• Suspension of funds for large public gatherings and savings from unused overtime for police and public works for such gatherings.
• A hold on filling some staff vacancies.
• A hold for at least the first quarter of the year on certain expenditures that can be re-evaluated throughout the year.

While we agree on these overarching goals and direction, we are each still looking at specific line items that may be included in the budget, cut, or placed on hold for at least the first quarter.

A budget is our roadmap for the work we do in the City. Unfortunately, the road ahead is filled with much uncertainty. We must, therefore, have a budget that is flexible enough to allow us to respond to the unknown ahead and keep our main priorities – the wellbeing of our residents, businesses, and staff – front and center.

Thank you again to the staff and to residents who have provided their input throughout this process.

Mayor Stewart
Mayor ProTem Seamens
Councilmember Kostiuk
Councilmember Searcy
Councilmember Dyballa

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1970s. As a child, my mother would send me to the corner market to pick up groceries. I had a list that I would hand to the owner, stretching on my toes to reach over the counter. He would hand me back a bag of groceries and add the total to my mother’s account.

These memories of growing up and the small businesses that made my neighborhood feel like a community are a big part of why I wanted to raise my family in Takoma Park.

Takoma Park businesses are a huge part of our lives. From the first time, my children went to the Co-op by themselves, to their first haircuts at Shampoo (and now at Scissor & Comb), to ordering flowers for special occasions from Park Florist, to always taking my mother to Mark’s Kitchen and then for ice cream when she visited, to ordering from Red Chilis or Sardis for Friday night movie night, or being able to find amazing jollof rice at Mansa Kunda or Patrick’s in the Crossroads; Takoma Park businesses and the people who own them are part of what makes this City home.

For a City of 2.4 square miles, we have an incredible number of diverse, independently run small businesses. You can buy fabrics at Sarah’s Fabrics, children’s clothes at Discount Mart, cowboy boots at El Alazan Western Wear, tea sets at JK Mart or have a dress custom made at McDoris Fashion and Fabric and so much more. These businesses, owned and run by our neighbors and friends, play a big part in creating a sense of community in our City. They add to the uniqueness and character that we love in Takoma Park.

And, right now, they need us.

Across the City, our businesses are struggling as they try to stay afloat through the current crisis.

There are also many small businesses and sole practitioners who don’t have a storefront but who provide vital services to our community, including educational consultants, dentists, optometrists, and physicians. And, we cannot forget our vibrant creative community of artists, photographers, designers, dancers, and musicians.

We really pack a lot into 2.4 square miles!

As Councilmember Searcy stated at a recent Council meeting, one of our jobs right now as a City is to come together to make sure our small businesses can weather this crisis. To ensure we can see as many as possible of these businesses re-open and resume their work, we need the assistance of the federal, state, county, and city governments and our community. This is truly going to take all of us.

In particular, many of the businesses in our community face barriers to accessing the relief funds available from the federal and state government. The difficulty of navigating complex applications and the lack of existing relationships with banks and lenders put many of our small businesses at a disadvantage in applying for relief. This makes the funds and staff assistance we can provide at the City level even more vital.

Over the last few weeks, the City has undertaken a multi-layered campaign to support small businesses in Takoma Park.

The “Takoma Together Campaign” highlights three ways that the community can assist businesses during this trying time.

The Takoma Park Together (#TogetherTKPK) Campaign

Working with Laura Barclay of Old Town Business Association, City staff were able to quickly get up and running the Takoma Park Citywide Small Business Mini-Grant Program. We received over 100 applications for grant assistance of up to $3,000. Requests came in from local businesses ranging from home-based businesses to 49-year long-standing businesses across varying industries. At the writing of this blog, we have been able to provide assistance to a third of the businesses. We are counting on our community for additional support.

Donations can be made online:

Support local businesses that are raising money for the mini-grants program.

• No Plan Press has created three unique posters featuring designs promoting the Takoma Park Together campaign. 100% of the profits from the sale of these limited-edition posters will benefit Takoma Park’s Citywide Small Business Mini-Grant Program and the Old Takoma Business Association’s (OTBA) Micro-Grants Program
• Order online at No Plan Press online to purchase an exclusive “Takoma Park Together” poster. 
• Coming soon, plants by Indigro Plant Design!
• Buy a Meal from a “Takoma Park To-Go” Restaurant and TAG Your Favorite Takoma Park Together Mural on Social Media (#TogetherTKPK)
• Thanks to a partnership with ChalkRiot, up to 40 small chalk murals and designs will be created on sidewalks and walkways around the City in the next two months to identify our To-Go businesses and brighten the daily walks of our residents. Chalk murals will be created in and around restaurants listed on the “Takoma Park To-Go” website as a demonstration of our ongoing support and commitment to our beloved small businesses.

I want to recognize some of the amazing work of individuals and businesses. This is by no means a complete list of all those who are coming together to help, so please send me more stories!

Small businesses stepping up for community:

• Old Town Business Association continued its micro-grants program to assist businesses in Takoma DC, and in Old Town, and Takoma Junction during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Food donations: Takoma Beverage, Middle Eastern Market, Cielo Rojo, and others.
• Emergency donation of toilet paper to Victory Towers: Girl and the Vine and Takoma Beverage
• Stepping up to assist with social distancing and providing resources: Old Town ACE Hardware, Takoma Park Farmers Market, Crossroads Farmers Market, OTBA, Takoma Park/Silver Spring Co-op, Aldi, and Red Apple Farmers Market
• Rental assistance: Urciolo Properties – rent assistance for businesses in Old Town and Takoma Junction
• Thank you to all who have stepped up to donate to the City’s mini-grant program:
  • 26 family and friends online and 142 fundraising posters ordered from – No Plan Press
  • Crossroads Development Authority
  • Neighborhood Development Company

There is still a lot of uncertainty about when businesses will be able to get back up and running. Our small businesses are a vital part of what makes Takoma Park a great place to live. Let’s make sure they can survive and thrive in the future.