We are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between NDC, the City’s development partner, and the TPSS Co-op regarding a sub-lease of the parking lot at Takoma Junction. Per the agreement, the Co-op will assume operational control of the parking lot when the Ground Lease between the City and NDC commences on September 1, 2018. The lot will remain available to the public for parking at no charge during the term of the sub-lease, which is expected to last until construction commences.

Come join your neighbors & our officers at Takoma Beverage Co from 8:00 am to 10:00 am for a free COFFEE WITH A COP on Fri, 7/13.

It is a chance to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers in your community in a casual and relaxed setting. All are welcome!

The Takoma Park Recreation Center (7315 New Hampshire Avenue) will be closing the gymnasium and fitness room beginning Wednesday, June 27 through approximately Sunday, July 1 for gym floor renovations.

During this time New Ave Adventure Camp participants will meet at the Recreation Center daily and will be transported to Piney Branch Elementary School for camp, returning to the Recreation Center each day by 4pm.

Chief Antonio DeVaul announces that Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart has been appointed Police Chaplain for the Takoma Park Police Department.

“It is an honor to have Rev. Dr. Fisher-Stewart as our official department Chaplain. Her compassion and expertise will be an asset to our agency and the City of Takoma Park,” said Chief DeVaul.

Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart currently serves as the assistant pastor at Calvary Episcopal Church in Washington, DC.  A native Washingtonian, prior to accepting the call to ordained ministry, she retired from the Metropolitan Police Department as a captain and then taught at the university level.  Her area of special interest is the history of policing as it intersects with race in America. She is the founder of the Center for the Study of Faith in Justice at Calvary which conducts research and creates a safe space for the discussion of issues that vex both society and the church and is the president for the Washington, DC, chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians.

Rev. Dr. Fisher-Stewart is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College (BS), the University of Maryland (MS, Ph.D), American University (MS), the University of the District of Columbia (MA) and Wesley Theological Seminary (MTS).  She was the 2015 recipient of the Director’s Award, Episcopal Evangelism Society and, in 2017, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of divinity from Colgate University.

Rev. Dr. Fisher-Stewart is the mother of a son, David, who is her heart.

“As a long-time resident of Takoma Park, I am honored to be working with my police department and I thank Chief DeVaul for the opportunity to serve,” said Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart.

Whether you own or manage rental property in the City, are a tenant yourself, or have just heard others talk about licensing rental properties, we want your feedback.  What do you know about the program? How do you feel about the process? What do you think landlords should know?  What should the City require of rental property owners? Are tenants protected?

Please take five minutes to answer a few questions and make your ideas known.  https://tinyurl.com/tkpklicensing

The City of Takoma Park was sad to learn of the passing of Mayor Kate Stewart’s mother, Kathleen B. FitzGerald, on the evening of Friday, April 27th, 2018. Ms. FitzGerald was born in Brooklyn, New York where she raised her three children. For the last sixteen years, she resided in Florida and taught U.S. History at River Ridge High School and spent time with her eight grandchildren. The family requests that in lieu of flowers please send donations to Gulfside Hospice (https://www.ghppc.org) in her name.

Kate Stewart, Mayor, Takoma Park, Maryland, has been appointed as vice-chair of the National League of Cities (NLC) 2018 Race, Equity and Leadership (REAL) council.

This council has the lead responsibility for developing NLC’s strategic focus on eliminating racial disparities, healing racial divisions and building more equitable communities. The appointment was announced by NLC President Mark Stodola, mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas.

“I am honored to be part of a group charged with building stronger and more just communities,” said Mayor Kate Stewart. “The NLC Race, Equity and Leadership Council’s work to address inequities and bridge community divides is as inspiring as it is essential.”

As a council member, Stewart will play a key role in shaping REAL’s agenda and developing innovative methods to advance racial equity in America’s cities and towns.

“Serving on NLC’s REAL Council is one of the most effective ways for a local official to advocate for racial equity in cities across the country and in Washington,” said NLC President Stodola. “I am thrilled to have Kate Stewart join a team of local leaders from around the country working to craft our platform on racial equity and to solve one of the most pressing challenges facing our communities.”

The leadership of this year’s REAL council will consist of Co-Chairs LaWana Mayfield, Councilwoman, Charlotte, North Carolina, John Ostenburg, Mayor, Park Forest, Illinois and Vice Chair, Kate Stewart, Mayor, Takoma Park, Maryland.

For more information on NLC’s Race, Ethnicity and Leadership Initiative, visit: http://www.nlc.org/real.

The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. www.nlc.org

The City of Takoma Park (“City”) invites qualified firms to submit proposals to supply the City’s residents, staff, and businesses with 100% renewable energy in an opt-in basis. A contract will be awarded to one or more highly qualified and experienced firm(s) with a strong record of supplying renewable energy for both residential and commercial accounts in the Pepco service territory. Takoma Park will publicize and actively promote the chosen supplier(s) to residents and business.

The City wishes to help residents and businesses switch to 100% renewable energy in an easy, convenient way. The current number of companies offering consumers renewable energy is large, and navigating contract terms, pricing in an unfamiliar market, and overcoming worries about fraud can be difficult barriers for consumers to overcome. By conducting research on rates, business reliability, and contract terms through this RFP, the City will make it easier for people to switch to 100% renewable power with confidence with the selected company(s).

Takoma Park has a deep commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions city wide. The city has long purchased 100% wind electricity through renewable energy credits for its own operations. In 2014 the City adopted a Sustainable Energy Action Plan with seventeen key strategies to reduce emissions. In 2016 the Mayor signed the Global Covenant of Mayors, and in 2017 pledged to uphold the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.  The City reports the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) annually, and is actively seeking new opportunities to reduce emissions and improve sustainability city-wide

In 2017 Takoma Park won 3rd place in the national Georgetown University Energy Prize competition for reducing energy use. Over 20% of homes in Takoma Park participated in a yearlong Neighborhood Energy Challenge in support of the competition, with over 170 homes earning a Green Home Certification, showing enthusiastic support for energy efficiency.

All electricity accounts in Takoma Park are served by Pepco. In 2015 36,859,651 kWh was consumed by residential accounts, and 55,834,236 kWh was consumed by commercial accounts.