Category Archives: News Alert

Category for Takoma alert items.

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

Takoma ARTery Launches New Artist Directory

 

The Takoma ARTery arts group has launched a new artist directory featuring artwork and info about local artists. The creation of the directory was funded in part by a grant from the City’s Arts and Humanities Division to support the local creative community, their small businesses, and economic development in Takoma Park.

“The City of Takoma Park has a long track record of supporting the arts through our Takoma Park Arts events series and a wide range of public art projects,” Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith said. “We also work with local arts organizations, and the Takoma ARTery has done a lot of great work in a short time bringing artists together to support their livelihoods.”

A group of volunteers started the Takoma ARTery during the COVID-19 pandemic to feature artwork by local artists in underused storefronts in downtown Takoma Park and at the Takoma Junction. City grants also helped fund the group’s start-up costs and the ARTery’s first art fair that was held last summer outside the Takoma Park Community Center.

“The financial and staff support from the City have helped transform the ARTery from an innovative pandemic-related arts project into a vibrant artist community which is boosting the creative economy,” ARTery co-founder Eleanor Landstreet said.

Artists will be charged a $70 annual fee to be featured in the directory to help offset the ARTery’s ongoing expenses. Some fee waivers will be available based on income. There is more info on the ARTery website.

 

 

 

News Alert

In-Person Meetings Return to the TKPK Community Center in March

 

City Council Meetings

The City Council will begin meeting in the Auditorium of the Takoma Park Community Center in March starting Wednesday, March 9. Meetings will be conducted in a hybrid format, with the City Council and most staff typically present in the Auditorium. Participation on Zoom will continue to be an option for community members who do not wish to or cannot attend meetings in person.

For members of the public who wish to comment on Zoom, we will continue to request registration on Zoom before 5 pm on the day of the meeting.

The public may view the meetings on City TV (RCN – 13, HD 1060; Comcast/Xfinity – 13, HD 997; Verizon Fios – 28), on the City Council Video Page of the City Website; on YouTube, or on Facebook.

Please note the City’s Mask Mandate is still in effect. 

 

Other Public Meetings

City Boards and Committees can continue to meet on Zoom or may resume in-person meetings. However, we encourage providing a Zoom option even if meetings are held in the Community Center. Several meeting rooms are equipped with Smartboards that enable a hybrid virtual/in-person meeting. View the City Council, Board, Commission, and Committee Meetings page to see the complete list of upcoming meetings.

 

Receive Weekly Agenda and Meeting Notice Emails

Individuals interested in receiving a weekly Council agenda and committee calendar update by e-mail can sign up by emailing Clerk@takomaparkmd.gov.

 

ADA Notice

The City of Takoma Park is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities can fully participate in public meetings. Anyone with a disability who wishes to receive auxiliary aids, services, or accommodations at a City of Takoma Park public meeting or public hearing is invited to contact Jessie Carpenter, City Clerk, at jessiec@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7267 as early as possible.

 

Arts & Humanities, News Alert

New Artwork by Veterans on Display at the Takoma Park Community Center

Uniting US Art Exhibition

Takoma Park Community Center

7500 Maple Avenue

On view until April 20

New artwork by veterans from across the country is on display at the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Avenue. The exhibition was organized by the City’s Arts and Humanities Division and the Uniting US organization, which helps veterans and their families create art as a means of healing and financial support. The exhibition opened last year, and new artwork has been installed to provide an opportunity for more veterans to share their work.

“Art can provide an important avenue for healing from past traumas,” said Brendan Smith, the City’s arts and humanities coordinator. “The  City of Takoma Park is proud to support veteran artists as a means of thanking them for their service and sharing their creativity with the public.”

The artwork is on view on the second and third floors of the Community Center. Sculpture and other mixed-media work can be seen in display cases near the library.

Proceeds from all art sales benefit the artists, and the exhibition will be on display until April 20. You can hear interviews with some of the featured artists in this City TV video from the opening reception last year. You also can learn more about Uniting US and purchase artwork at unitingus.org/city-of-takoma-park.

Artwork image: The Three Graces by Ted Berkowitz

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

“Paper or Plastic?” Artwork Installed in the Takoma Park Community Center

Crafted from plastic newspaper delivery bags and reused straws, a large art installation with an environmental message has been suspended from the ceiling in the Takoma Park Community Center.

The artwork by D.C. artist Jessica Beels critiques our careless consumption of disposable products which can cause serious environmental harms. Beels fused dozens of plastic newspaper delivery bags into 20 colorful flag-like grids which are connected by straightened metal clothes hangers and reused plastic straws.

“I am intrigued by the large destructive environmental impacts caused by our small decisions,” Beels said. “Newspaper bags and straws often aren’t recycled, and they can become microplastics in our oceans where they can disrupt entire ecosystems.”

The artwork was purchased by the City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Division using public art funds.

“We’re excited to add this meaningful artwork to the City’s permanent art collection,” Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith said. “The installation illustrates the City’s commitment to public art and protecting the environment.”

The installation was previously displayed at the Takoma Park Community Center in 2019 during the Art of Evolution exhibition. It will be on display indefinitely in the atrium at the community center at 7500 Maple Avenue. The center’s operating hours are posted on the City’s website.

Beels creates sculptural work which usually addresses environmental themes. Her work has been shown at Strathmore Mansion, Black Rock Center for the Arts, and other venues. You can see more of her artwork at materialworld.studio.

News Alert, Public Notices

ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Staff-Recommended Spending Plan

Staff-Recommended ARPA Spending Plan

Based on a six-month needs assessment, project review, and project prioritization process, staff has identified 20 projects that are being recommended to the City of Takoma Park City Council utilizing ARPA/SLFRF in the amount of $13,495,100. The Staff-Recommended Spending Plan is now available for public review and comment.

The Staff-Recommended ARPA Spending Plan (Spending Plan – (updated 1/19/22) was presented to City Council on January 12 during the regular session. Now, we want to hear from you!  Do you think the staff spending plan meets the needs of Takoma Park residents?  Do you have questions or thoughts on how the City should spend the ARPA funds?

We have several opportunities coming up for discussion and public comment and we hope you can join us.  See dates, times, and registration links below. For more information on upcoming public feedback opportunities, visit the City Council Upcoming Agenda page and the ARPA Webpage to learn more.

Discussion and Public Comments

Past meetings:

Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Public Hearing – Hosted by the City Council during its regular sessions


Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Hosted by the City Council during its regular sessions


Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Community Meeting on Staff Recommended ARPA Spending Plan


Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Public Comments and City Council Meeting
Hosts include City staff and City Councilmembers

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

New Memorial Park Banner Celebrates Women’s Power and Diversity

Liliane Blom with her new banner at Memorial Park 

The City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Division commissioned a new banner celebrating the power and diversity of women which is installed at Memorial Park.

The banner features a painting titled Late Summer by Rockville artist Liliane Blom from her Four Seasons series highlighting women of different ages and ethnicities in settings representing the different seasons. The banner includes a portrait of Baltimore R&B and gospel singer Alton Scarborough with a floral background.

“We’re proud to display this banner as a sign of the City’s commitment to racial diversity through the creation of public art that enlivens our community,” Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith said.

The new banner will be on display indefinitely at Memorial Park located across the street from the Takoma Park library at 101 Philadelphia Avenue.

The banner replaces a temporary banner of another painting from the same series titled Mid Autumn that depicted a portrait of Nepalese-born Karuna Skariah, an educator and mother who lives in Ellicott City. That banner was part of the #ArtHappensHere project which celebrated the reopening of the local creative economy after pandemic-related closures.

The women featured in the Four Seasons series “embody nature, the seasons, and the great circle of existence,” Blom said.

“Four Seasons showcases women of many ages (from 14 to 90) and ethnicities, including immigrants to our state representing nine countries on five continents. The circle is at the heart of this series with women as the champions of the environment at its center,” Blom said. “The series embodies the beauty and value of all ages and ethnic groups and is intended to combat stereotypes and ageism in  both subtle and powerful ways. It reminds us that nature and humans are intimately and eternally entwined, and we need to protect the earth.”

You can learn more about some of the City’s public art projects on the City’s website.

News Alert, Public Notices

City of Takoma Park enacts vaccine policy in compliance with OSHA ETS

 

With the emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant, COVID-19 continues to pose a very serious health risk, especially to those individuals who are not fully vaccinated. The City’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy (the “Policy”) is in the best interest of the City and all employees in order to most effectively address the pandemic.

The City of Takoma Park, in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (OSHA ETS), and to promote the health and safety of the City workforce, residents, and visitors, adopts a COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy (the “Policy”).

The Policy requires that all City employees, independent contractors, interns, and temporary workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to approved accommodations, including receipt of any additional doses of a COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., booster) in a manner and schedule consistent with this Policy as informed by CDC guidelines.

Vaccination & Booster Requirement

All City employees, independent contractors, interns, and temporary workers must be fully vaccinated
against COVID-19 no later than February 9, 2022.

To be fully vaccinated by February 9, 2022, an employee or other covered person must:

  • Obtain the first dose of a two-dose vaccine no later than January 19, 2022 (Pfizer) or January 12, 2022 (Moderna); and the second dose no later than February 9, 2022; or
  • Obtain one dose of a single dose vaccine no later than February 9, 2022.

In addition, covered individuals who are eligible to receive a booster must obtain the booster as follows:

  • If currently eligible for an approved COVID-19 booster, you must obtain the booster by February 9, 2022; and
  • If not currently eligible for an approved COVID-19 booster, you must obtain the booster within 30 days of becoming eligible for a booster per CDC guidance.
Other Items to Note

Time to Receive Vaccination
Employees may take up to four (4) hours of work time during the workday per dose to receive vaccination and a booster.

Time to Recover from Vaccine Side Effects
Employees may utilize up to two (2) workdays of sick leave, if needed, because of side effects from the COVID-19 vaccination/booster that prevent them from working.

City of Takoma Park Vaccination Policy

Purpose
Vaccination is a vital tool to reduce the presence and severity of COVID-19 cases in the workplace, in communities, and in the nation as a whole. The City has adopted this Policy to comply with OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard on Vaccination and Testing, which encourages full vaccination of the workforce against COVID-19, and to promote the safety and wellbeing of others.

Read the full policy here.

FAQs

Who is required to be vaccinated by the Policy and when is the Policy effective?
The Policy requires that all City employees, independent contractors, interns, and temporary workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Where can I obtain testing?
There are multiple testing locations. Some options for free testing can be found at:

To see the full list, visit our FAQs page.

 

News Alert, Public Notices

AFSCME Local 3399 and the City of Takoma Park Reach Agreement on Compensation

 

AFSCME Local 3399 and the City of Takoma Park reached an agreement regarding a wage adjustment and other compensation for fiscal year 2022.  The agreement includes a 3% wage adjustment retroactive to July 1, 2021, a $2,500 end of year bonus to employees, and, in recognition of the contribution of frontline workers who continued to work on-site during the pandemic, a $3,400 bonus payment to frontline workers using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

AFSCME members ratified the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on December 14, 2021.  City Council will meet to appropriate the funds agreed to as part of the MOA in January 2022, however, some of the funds have already been approved.  As part of the ARPA Interim Final Rule, premium pay may be provided for employees who physically came to work and were relied upon to maintain the continuity of operations.


Statement from City Manager Jamal Fox

“Both sides worked diligently to find common ground and reach meaningful compromises. We absolutely value our City employees and the critical services they provide to residents of Takoma Park. This agreement recognizes that while also honoring the responsibility we have to ensure City programs are administered efficiently and effectively. I am incredibly proud of the work of our team’s efforts and thank AFSCME’s team for their partnership. The agreement for compensation in fiscal year 2022 is unlike any in the City’s history and recognizes the contribution of all City employees.  These were challenging negotiations, but the agreement demonstrates the success that can be achieved when we work together.  The City looks forward to building upon that success.”

News Alert, Public Notices

Takoma Park One Of 95 Global Cities Named as Climate Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release

 

Takoma Park One of 95 Global Cities Named as Climate Leaders

The City of Takoma Park has been recognized by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) as one of the top 95 cities out of 1,100 cities across the globe, taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, despite the continued pressures of tackling the coronavirus pandemic on local and national economies and societies.

Designed to encourage and support cities to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s Cities A List is based on environmental data disclosed by cities to the CDP-ICLEI Unified Reporting System. A clear momentum in city climate disclosure and action is building – for the first time, over 1,000 cities are reporting their environmental impact through CDP in 2021. Meanwhile, 965 cities received a rating for their climate action from CDP in 2021, a substantial rise on the 591 cities scored in 2020.

“In Takoma Park, we have taken the impact and threat of climate change seriously and have treated climate change as an urgent issue. In 2019, the City declared a Climate Emergency,” Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart said. “We’ve made a very public statement by declaring a Climate Emergency to pursue the necessary steps to address the global challenges, and we are willing to do our part.”

To score an A, a city must disclose publicly and have a city-wide emissions inventory, have set an emissions reduction target and a renewable energy target for the future, and have published a climate action plan. It must also complete a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and have a climate adaptation plan to demonstrate how it will tackle climate hazards. Many A List cities are also taking various other leadership actions, including political commitment from a city’s Mayor to tackle climate change.

“By dedicating ourselves to aggressive actions regarding climate adaption and resilience. We recognize the devastating consequences of inaction. The City will serve as a leader, and we hope to inspire others to do the same,” Stewart said.

###

Contact: 
Gina Mathias
Sustainability Manager
ginam@takomaparkmd.gov
301-891-7623

News Alert, Public Notices

City of Takoma Park Releases Data Explorer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release

 

City of Takoma Park Releases Data Explorer

The City of Takoma Park is pleased to announce the release of the Takoma Park Data Explorer, a one-stop-shop for members of the public to learn more about the City and its residents through data. The Data Explorer provides summary text and visualizations of selected Census American Community Survey data for 2015-2019, including the City’s demographics, racial and economic inequalities, and access to broadband internet among residents.

All visualizations are interactive, letting interested residents go further in exploring Census data. The Data Explorer also compares results for Takoma Park to Montgomery County and Maryland, identifying statistically significant differences in results for the City compared to the state and county.

The Data Explorer is organized into tabs and sub-tabs that users can move between. An “Overall” tab provides a summary of data analyzed throughout the Explorer. The “Methodology” tab includes methodological information and instructions on how to use the explorer. Each other tab is subject-based: Demographics; Race and Ethnicity; Housing; Poverty, employment, and income; and Education, health insurance, and computer-access, with summaries and sub-tabs allowing further exploration. The City webpage announcing the Explorer includes a PDF and a video explaining how to use the Explorer is coming soon!

Each year, the Explorer will be updated with the most recent 5-year American Community Survey data, allowing residents continued access to up-to-date information about their City. Over time, the City may add other visualizations or text to the Explorer, documented in the “Updates and citations” section of the “Methodology” tab. The code used to produce the Explorer can be found on the City’s GitHub page.

###

Contact:
Daniel Powers
Public Administration Specialist
danielp@takomaparkmd.gov
301-891-7232