The true charm of pedestrianism does not lie in the walking, or in the scenery, but in the talking. The walking is good to time the movement of the tongue by, and to keep the blood and the brain stirred up and active … the supreme pleasure comes from the talk.

–Mark Twain

The idea sprang from a chance encounter with a veritable parade of students behind the Community Center. The teacher’s explanation of what this stream of happy, chatty kids was all about was the kernel for what has become the culmination of a year of work — We Belong Here: The Takoma Park Equity Walk.

“It’s Unity Day! We are walking for Unity Day,” she yelled above the students’ voices. Unity Day is about anti-bullying — these kids were outside in the late October sun, talking and smiling as they walked for a cause.

That became the goal: with a $1500 grant from America Walks, create a place for students and their teachers and parents to feel free to play and talk about things that matter to them. We would create a tool kit to accompany the walking route to guide teachers and parents through the many topics related to equity, but specifically race, gender and disability.

The pandemic gave the project a new dimension. Our students needed a socially-distanced activity to help fill their days. The scope of the project would be modified to ensure completion by Fall.  A second route was added in another Takoma Park neighborhood on Anne Street. Materials and methods were chosen to conform with current protocols.

In late May, we witnessed the death of Geroge Floyd and the national outcry that elevated the Black Lives Matter movement. There was an even greater responsibility to get it right. We Belong Here: The Takoma Park Equity Walk provides an opportunity to talk, think, read, examine your own beliefs and actions.

The theme of belonging emerged out of a conversation with Kori Johnson, the Community Engagement Manager for Safe Routes to School Partnership. The content of the project was reviewed by many, most notably the Montgomery County Public Schools Equity Initiatives Unit. Their examination and feedback provided the green light to proceed. They even said, “The Equity Walk is a fantastic idea and we are excited to actually go on the walk and do the activities with our loved ones.”

Now we have an outdoor activity that families can enjoy in a socially distanced way. They have a place to talk and a platform to jump into the learning and growing that follows.

We have an online interactive map that can be easily accessed via a QR code on a mobile phone.

We have a tremendous reading and resource list pulled together by our very knowledgeable librarians from the Takoma Park Library.

Soon a helpful brochure will be available for those without the use of a cell phone. All this can be viewed on the We Belong Here page on the City website in order to plan your visit to the engaging, fun and educational activity we call We Belong Here: The Takoma Park Equity Walk.

Let’s get walking. Let’s get talking.

If this brisk fall weather has you longing to curl up with a good book, you may be wondering, what’s next on the new Takoma Park Library project?  Are we getting close to a Council vote?

City staff and RRMM Architects are working through the multitude of design decisions needed to arrive at a final construction estimate for the new library.  We have entered the Design Development Phase of the project – see the diagram below – now that we completed the schematic design on the library exterior.  As you may recall, RRMM Architects presented three schematic options for the library exterior to City Council on July 8.  The second option, the flat roof and simple sunshades design emerged as the clear winner after public discussion.  It is projected to be the least costly of the three options.

RRMM Architects then put final touches on the Option 2 exterior and site plan using City Council feedback and public survey comments.  Key changes requested by City Council included a pedestrian route from Philadelphia Avenue to the front entrance, the addition of brick sections in the glass façade, and signage on the side of the building facing Philadelphia Avenue. You can view a flyover of the new exterior here.  The flyover shows the full view of the proposed library’s architectural integration with the Community Center beginning at Maple Avenue and Grant Avenue.

In addition to exterior design development, the RRMM construction team is working with City staff on interior design elements.  They completed a Building Code analysis and met with Public Works staff to go over details of the mechanical systems in August.  Their geotechnical engineers drilled borings to determine technical specifications for the building foundation.  Library and Information Technology staff have been providing feedback on items such as the size of the server room, the Computer and Mac lab layouts, and access to emergency exits.

The Design Development Phase of the project is a pivotal juncture for making decisions on the green aspects of the design, particularly the energy usage model.  City Council directed RRMM to explore green design elements to make the project as sustainable as possible, given the site limitations and existing budget.  RRMM is currently filling out the LEED scorecard, which is a checklist of the design elements required for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification.  The more points checked off on the scorecard, the higher the green building rating (LEED Platinum being the highest).  A number of LEED points are still being researched by RRMM as to feasibility, costs, and trade-offs.  Some LEED points are easily achievable; others would add cost to the project and require direction from City Council.

After earlier discussions with staff, including the City’s Sustainability Manager Gina Mathias, RRMM Architects and Deputy City Manager Jessica Clarke opened discussions with the Committee on the Environment (COE) on September 24^th to receive additional ideas and input from members of the community.  The COE viewed the unfinished LEED scorecard and most recent iteration of the building design.  In the next few weeks, City staff will review LEED elements line by line with RRMM.  City staff will take the COE’s comments from September 24^th into account as we look to reach the highest LEED certification possible.  Once RRMM has completed the LEED scoring and energy usage model, we will circulate for further public comments.

The RRMM principal working on our Library design is a LEED Accredited Professional and well versed in IGCC compliance.  Sustainability has been one of the hallmarks of RRMM designs; RRMM has overseen 21 projects that were certified LEED Gold or higher.  We are confident that with their guidance and community input, we can arrive at a new library design that fits within our budget while achieving the high sustainability objectives our Council and community expect.

Once the Design Development Phase is completed, we will be able to get a baseline construction cost estimate, plus cost-saving options as requested by City Council.  We expect to be ready to present the final design, construction cost, and LEED Scorecard, along with public comments, to the incoming City Council in late November.

If you have any questions, you can contact Deputy City Manager Jessica Clarke at jessicac@takomaparkmd.gov.

The State of Maryland has extended the deadline for applications for the following tax credits until October 31. 2020.

Homeowners Tax Credit:

For those with lower household income compared to their property tax bill.  Sliding scale, household income up to $60k, see tables. Applies to city taxes as well.

• Visit: Homeowners Tax Credit

Renter’s Tax Credit:

State programs for renters with lower household income compared to the share of their rent that’s assumed to go toward property taxes.  Sliding scale, see tables.  Up to $1,000 rebate. Applies to city taxes as well.

• Visit: Renter’s Tax Credit

More information about tax credits for Takoma Park residents.

I feel it is important to continue reaching out to the community to address the incidents occurring across the country and clarify what we are doing here in Takoma Park. The negative national incidents involving police across our country have affected the way all police are viewed by some. We are not immune to the concerns and effects here in Takoma Park. I wanted to share some of the things we are doing here in Takoma Park so the public would have a better understanding of our police services in Takoma Park.

Over the past three years, we have refocused the culture of the police department from a warrior mentality to a guardian approach.

• This involved changing the evaluation/reward system to emphasize community engagement and problem-solving, rather than arrests and citations.
• We have moved away from focusing on low-level drug offenses and other non-quality-of-life offenses and now are focused on serious crime and quality of life issues.
• We have also refocused our community outreach programs and engagement with our youth. Programs such as our Homework Club, Youth Explorer program, Community Academy, Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out and other community engagement programs have helped strengthen the bond between our staff and the community.

This outreach has been a struggle during the global pandemic. However, we are doing our best to stay engaged via zoom and other social network platforms.

We have adjusted our operational policies to reflect best practices. For example, our use of force policies are in line with recommended best practices. See my message on #8CANTWAIT. Just as important as having good policies is the need to ensure those policies are followed and holding those accountable for violating policy.

• All of our officers wear body-worn cameras as well as have video recording devices in their vehicles. This allows encounters with the public to be recorded and reviewed should an issue arise and for training purposes.
• We are also reinforcing the duty to intervene for all of our staff. We are committed to holding officers accountable for actions that are inconsistent with the values of our police department and community.

Besides the extensive training our officers receive, all of our officers will be going through the Active Bystander for Law Enforcement Training sponsored by the Georgetown University Law/Shepard Mullin ABLE Project.

• Overview of the training
• Overview of the training TPPD staff received in 2019/2020

We have expanded our recruiting efforts to be more effective in attracting people of color, and women. We now have a diverse workforce that mirrors the demographics of the city as a whole. Staff in our police department speak six different languages, with twelve fluent in Spanish. Not only do we have a diverse workforce, but we also have staff that wants to be here for the right reasons.

We welcome the upcoming review by the public safety task force created by the City Council. It is long overdue that we take a holistic review of our public safety model. This involves more than police; it involves mental health professionals, housing, education, employment, courts, and our incarceration system. Police alone cannot solve this issue. We welcome having mental health professionals on staff or under contract to help respond to the mental health crisis, as well as follow up with victims. We will soon be putting together a request for a pilot program that involves having mental health professionals on staff to address mental health issues.

We have a progressive police department. That being said, we are always open to finding ways that we can better serve our community. As we move forward with the review of what the best public safety model is for Takoma Park, I ask that you not judge our police department by the actions of others but by our actions. I can assure you we are doing all we can to instill a culture that is inclusive, transparent, respectful, and responsive. We want to work with you on this because this our community and we are all in this together!

We are always open to ideas and input on how we can provide equal and equitable service to all of our community members. Have suggestions? Please send them to me at tonyd@takomaparkmd.gov.

The purpose of this project is to develop a Public Space Management Plan to provide a vision, goals, and guidance on how public space will be used and maintained in Takoma Park. This plan will be an update to the City’s 1994 Open Space Plan (amended in 1999).

Public space includes:

• parks, playgrounds and playing fields
• plazas and places to gather like the Gazebo
• natural spaces and wooded areas like Sligo Creek and Long Branch stream valley parks
• streets that may be used for alternative activities like outdoor cafe seating or bike lanes

We would really like your feedback. Tell the City your thoughts on public space in Takoma Park by responding to this short survey.

Learn more about the City’s Public Space Management Plan.

Planning and Community Development staff have created a series of interactive maps as a way to visualize the community through different lenses. These tools will inform decision-making about access to and improvements in public space.

Layers in the Demographic Map allow one to view concentrations of residents based on data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey such as minority populations, the elderly or youth,  households below the poverty level and more.

The Park Inventory Map shows the location of both City and County parks within Takoma Park, what amenities can be found at each location, and a quality rating.  Choose among the available layers to find the nearest picnic table, basketball hoop, or public art.

The Park Quality and Proximity Map overlays the location and quality and types of parks with racial demographics provided by census data.  This map displays the average walking time to all parks in the City from each census block group.

For more information on this and other ongoing programs visit: Planning and Community Development section.

You can view or download the Adopted Fiscal 2021 budget document here.  We recognize the collective effort of Director Susan Cheung, Human Resources Director Tracy Smith, and Budget & Accounting Manager Ronnel Kawaley to finalize the Fiscal 2021 Adopted Budget during this unusual budget year.

What sets this Budget Book apart from previous books, you might ask? First, it highlights how the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the City’s budget decisions. City Council’s budget consideration process occurred during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic amidst the nationwide shutdown. Many adjustments were made to the City Manager’s Proposed Budget to estimate the potential impacts of the pandemic and to adapt City services to the new public health landscape. You will notice blue boxes throughout the Budget Book Department summaries that identify major COVID-19 related impacts on Departments or services.  For instance, hiring for many vacant positions was put on hold to increase funds in the City’s unassigned reserves.  COVID-19 related budget actions are explained in each section.

Second, City staff added new features to provide greater transparency and to make the Budget Book more user-friendly and easier to understand.  To start, if you flip to page 30, there is a new Reader’s Guide to the Budget Book that explains what the various sections of the budget document include, defines the budget table column headings, outlines spending categories, and summarizes changes to the budget book from previous years.  The Reader’s Guide will help you navigate the rest of the book.

In addition, the Fiscal 2021 Adopted Budget Book contains more detail on personnel costs and historical financial information than ever before.  Each department now has an organizational chart and expanded personnel schedules showing full-time salaries by pay grade and position.  There are new data visuals in the introductory sections showing personnel diversity and the types of personnel expenditures Citywide. In each budget chart, we added a change column showing the numerical difference between the previous year amount and the Adopted Fiscal 2021 Budget amount.  In addition, we added ten-year tracking information for many revenue categories and other explanatory information, such as new program descriptions in the Non-Departmental section.

Thanks to these new features, we hope you find this year’s Budget Book to be an improved document that more clearly communicates financial information for residents and for City Council.

Comments on what works well and any additional improvements that may be considered for future budget documents are welcome. Please submit your comments to Deputy City Manager Jessica Clarke at JessicaC@takomaparkmd.gov.