Category Archives: Takoma Park Newsletter

Category for original news items as well as Takoma Park Newsletter articles that are copied into takomaparkmd.gov as web content.

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Dollars and Sense: Approaching Fiscal Year 2020

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By Jason Damweber, Deputy City Manager

Developing an annual recommended budget is the single greatest  responsibility of a City administrator. It is a complex and ongoing task involving many stakeholders that culminates in the Council’s adoption of a document that reflects their priorities and the difficult decisions and compromises negotiated throughout the process. The annual budget is a tool used to plan for and reflect the balancing of resources with many competing needs.

As we gear up for the thick of budget season, we wanted to share information about the process, highlight challenges we expect to see, and begin engaging residents. After all, in the end, it is YOUR budget!

The Process in a Nutshell
While staff refers to late winter and early spring as “budget season,” the budget process is really ongoing throughout the year. We wrapped up and submitted the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2018 in October, the same time as we entered the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 and began planning for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20).

In the past couple of months, staff committees have been meeting to review technology investment requests from departments and identify replacement needs of vehicles and other capital equipment. The City Manager and Deputy City Manager have been meeting with Councilmembers to gather feedback and ideas in preparation for both the upcoming Council Retreat meetings (where the Council establishes their priorities, including what they’d like to see in the upcoming budget) and the budget development process.

Looking forward, we’ll have the Council Retreat Meetings, staff work of developing preliminary departmental budgets, revenue projections, and development of a Capital Improvement Plan budget. Using this information coupled with the Constant Yield Tax Rate (more on this later), which we usually learn from the State in mid-February, we develop the City Manager’s Recommended Budget. The Recommended Budget reflects the costs of providing services and programs aligned with the Council’s priorities and the tax rate necessary to fund the work. In other words, where the money comes from and how it will be spent.

From there, Council will have a series of budget work sessions, a budget open house, a public hearing on the Recommended Bud- get and tax rate, and ultimately will adopt the FY20 budget and tax rate.

What We Know and Expect
Even if we “held the line” on the services and programs the City provides and did absolutely nothing new, the process to develop the budget would still be a challenge. In addition to expected increases in personnel and operating costs we have to project and account for, we also have to respond to changing assessments of home values and what those changes mean for the tax revenue that the City uses to provide services and programs. Additionally, we have to account for potential changes in revenues from sources other than property taxes, like funds received through the County or State. On the expenditure side, there are always changes that must be accounted and budgeted for. More on all of this below!

Revenues and the Budget
Revenues to the City come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to:

  • Real property taxes: the taxes paid by property owners on the assessed value of their property
  • Utility fees: taxes paid by public utilities on their property within the City
  • Intergovernmental payments: payments to the City from different levels of government or government agencies, such as grants or reimbursement payments for services provided by the City that would otherwise be provided by the County
  • Income taxes: the City’s portion of State-collected taxes applied to taxable income
  • Charges for particular services: charges for particular City services that are not taxes, such as inspection fees, fees for Recreation programs, passport services, etc.
  • Fines and forfeitures: funds received when the City institutes fines or realizes funds through the sale of forfeitures (the vast majority of these revenues are from fines related to speed cameras)
  • Many people don’t realize that real property taxes – the taxes paid by property owners on the assessed value of their property– make up less than half of the City’s total revenues. In fact, only 39 percent of revenues in the current fiscal year’s budget are derived from real property taxes.

So what do we expect regarding revenues as we head into FY20? At this point it is difficult to say, but we should have a much better idea in late February. While intergovernmental revenues have been flat for some time (we believe we should be receiving much more from the County, but that’s the subject of a different article!) and are relatively easy to project, the City does not receive information on the total impact of changes in assessed property values until February. Around that time, we receive notice of the Constant Yield Tax Rate from the State. The Constant Yield Tax Rate is the tax rate the City would charge in order to receive the same (constant) dollar amount in property tax revenue. In other words, if assessments increase then the Constant Yield Tax Rate would decrease to net the same amount of revenue.

Given the regional trends we have been seeing, it’s probably pretty safe to assume that property values have increased. In fact, in the City of Takoma Park they have increased over 17 percent since FY14. If the trend holds true, then the Constant Yield Tax Rate will be lower than the current tax rate. However, pegging the City’s tax rate to the Constant Yield also means that we wouldn’t bring in enough property tax revenue to cover increased costs to provide services and programs.

Expenditures and the Budget
So now we have a sense of where City funds come from, but how are they spent? A good place to see the types of services and programs the City provides is the page on the City’s website called “City Services: Your Dollars at Work” (takomaparkmd.gov/about-takoma-park/city-services-your-dollars-at-work). If we look at the total budget as we did with revenues above, expenditures break down into the following key areas:

  • Personnel: wages and benefits
  • Capital outlay: costs for capital items like infrastructure and facility improvements, vehicle replacement, equipment replacement, technology improvements, park development, and stormwater management
  • Services and charges: most operating costs other than those for personnel and capital outlay such as contracted services, licensing fees, non-capital small equipment, internal services (telephones, copying, postage), etc.
  • Debt service: payments for the principal and interest on loans to the City
  • Supplies: costs for office supplies, uniforms, vehicle fuel, construction and road repair materials, ice-melt, etc.
  • Other: a catch-all for items that don’t fit neatly into the other categories, such as costs to conduct elections, conferences and training for staff, professional association membership dues, employee recruitment, special events and programs, etc.

If we look at expenditures from just the General Fund (that is, removing special revenues/expenditures provided for a particular purpose, the speed camera fund, and the stormwater management fund), total expenditures drop down to $31,522,928, and break down as indicated in Figure 4.

Something worth noting about these FY19 budgeted expenditures is that Capital Outlay does not typically make up such a large  percentage of the budget. It can jump around a lot from year to year depending on what major projects are occurring or major equipment purchases are expected.

Personnel Costs
As noted above, even if we don’t add any staff, services, or programs, we can generally expect our costs to go up some each year. At the time this article was being drafted, it was not clear whether there would be a proposal to add or eliminate any positions. We also were not yet aware of the changes to costs for benefits like employee healthcare, which can fluctuate drastically from year-to-year. What we do know is that our staff members are our greatest assets and personnel costs make up about 49 percent of the City’s total budget, or 58 percent of the general fund budget.

So…if we assume that we will continue to have 168.86 Full Time Equivalents – the term used to represent the equivalent of the number of employees working full time – and hold the cost of benefits constant, we can expect to see an increase in personnel costs (wages) of somewhere in the ballpark of about three percent. This is a blend of a base increase and some merit pay. A three percent increase, which is in line with increases for local government workers nationally, equals some- where in the ballpark of $548,000. On top of that increase, it is reasonable to expect that employer costs for benefits will also increase slightly, though it is difficult to guess.

Operating Costs
Similar to personnel costs, it’s reasonable to assume that even if we continue to provide the same level of service and programs, the costs for doing so will increase. This is largely due to increasing prices for things like supplies, small equipment, contracted services, etc. That said, we are always looking for efficiencies, and occasionally are able to spend less than previous years on operating costs in certain areas. We also always have the option of discontinuing certain services or eliminating programs, but that could mean taking away something that residents have come to greatly appreciate or even rely on. This is all part of the annual balancing act. When we know more about Council’s expectations and any new priorities, departmental budget requests, and the Constant Yield, we’ll have a better sense of the extent to which we’ll need to hold the line, or change, eliminate, or add services and programs.

Debt Service
Debt service is one of the few areas where we have a good sense of what costs will be in the future. When we borrow money, we lock in a particular interest rate and can plan for spreading costs out over the term of the loan. For that reason, we don’t expect any surprises regarding our debt service payments on outstanding loans. Those loans include bonds used to pay for major Community Center renovations, construction of the Public Works facility, major transportation projects (Ethan Allen Gateway Streetscape and Flower Avenue Green Street), and planned Library Renovations.

Capital Outlay
As noted above, “capital outlay” refers to costs for capital items like infrastructure and facility improvements, vehicle replacement, equipment replacement, technology improvements, park development, and stormwater management. Most of the items in the “Capital Improvement Program” are things that we have known for at least a few years we would need to purchase.

For some items like vehicles and equipment replacement we may be able to realize some savings in the short term by pushing expenditures out if, say, a vehicle is in better shape than expected at the time we planned to replace it. On the “flipside,” sometimes vehicles and equipment may not last as long as we’d hoped. And for capital items involving construction, cost estimates developed one year could change significantly by the time a project goes out to bid. We have seen this recently as federal trade policies have caused dramatic fluctuations (mostly increases) in the costs of construction materials. A real-life and nearby example is the City of Gaithersburg’s planned public safety building. They expected to pay about $15 million on the project until very recently, and now they are looking at an $18 million price tag because of increases in the costs of steel!

There are also often new needs and expenditures that come up during the development process. Of course, these types of requests are viewed more favorably by the City Manager and Council when part of the justification for the expense involves cost-savings down the road.

Reserves
For many years, we have used an unwritten standard that there should be at least $3 million in unassigned funds in the General Fund at the time of budget adoption. That amount had been identified as an approximation of the funds needed to cover monthly cash fluctuations over the course of the fiscal year. It also provided a reasonable amount of cushion in the event of an emergency or disaster. However, over the years personnel costs and the overall budget increased to the point where $3 million was less than comfortable. The “industry standard,” per the Government Finance Officers Association best practices, is for unassigned reserves to be 17 percent of the total General Fund Revenue or Expenditure amount or a minimum of two months of regular operating expenditures.

In May of last year, the Council adopted a reserve policy stating that unless a special situation justifies a lower amount, they would adopt a budget that reflected this minimum reserve level (based on General Fund Revenues). In the event of a special situation, which would be explained in a public statement, they would strive to reach the mini- mum level within three years.

The good news here is that we ended FY18 with a larger unassigned fund balance than we expected. This was due to unexpected savings due to staff vacancies and postponement of certain major projects (for example, the Library Renovations which were put on hold temporarily when we learned that a new floodplain study would have required). The flip-side is that much of what was not spent last year will be carried over into the current year to be spent, so it’s not all actually “savings.”

The Bottom Line
Very few people like it when they have to pay more in taxes. Government officials (who are also human and also pay taxes!) are acutely aware of this fact. We do our very best to understand the needs, interests and priorities of members of the community and develop a budget that balances all these things. While it’s a task with many factors and considerations, there are really two primary, related levers when it comes to the General Fund: taxes and services. In a budget year where we can expect increases in the cost of providing services, tax revenue will need to increase in order to maintain service levels and programs. If we do not increase taxes, service levels will need to be reduced and/or pro- grams eliminated.

If the expectation is that the City continues to provide the same level of services and programs, there is little wiggle room in the budget to make changes or cuts. Our staff and budget are very lean. We do not have “fluff.” This means we cannot add services or programs without adding staff unless we discontinue other services or programs. A reduction in tax revenues will require cuts to services and programs. Cuts to programs usually mean cuts to staff. Most of our staff members wear a variety of hats, so if a position is cut, there could be ripple impacts to other services or programs. Additionally, we have debt obligations that must be met if we are to remain in good financial standing, capital purchases that must be made if we are to continue collecting solid waste and clearing snow, staff members who must be paid…you get the idea.

Hopefully you now have a better sense of the budget process and the many considerations that need to be weighed and balanced as it is developed. As we enter budget season, we welcome your feedback, input and ideas.

Additional Resources
The annual budget is a forward-looking planning document developed by staff that includes proposed expenditures and the revenue sources that will be used to cover those expenditures for a given fiscal year. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), on the other hand, is backward-looking, prepared by independent auditors, and includes actual rather than estimated/projected dollar figures from the previous year(s). In order to get a full picture of the City’s financial standing and plans, one should refer to both the adopted budget document and the CAFR. These documents are available on the City’s Budget and Financial Documents page of the City’s website: https:// takomaparkmd.gov/government/ finance/budgets-and-financial-documents.

This article appeared in the January 2019 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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Tree Ordinance, tree canopy, and outreach improvements

By Takoma Park City Councilmembers Cindy Dyballa, Kacy Kostiuk, and Peter Kovar

When you ask what people think about Takoma Park, one of the attributes mentioned most often is our trees. A satellite image taken in spring or summer instantly reveals the intensity of our tree canopy. Some residents have trees in their yards dating back to before B. F. Gilbert began planning a new community that was “high up – near heaven” (reputed to be the translation of the Native American word “Tacoma”).

It’s no accident we still have such lush greenery in our city. For many years, we’ve had strong advocates for tree protection and equally strong laws. And today, we have an ever growing awareness of how trees help slow climate change by removing carbon dioxide, storing carbon, and reducing energy use in nearby buildings, as well as providing other critical ecological and social benefits. Not to mention they provide shade and look amazing! When the City Council conducted its annual priority-setting process earlier this year, we pledged to take the following inter-related actions:

  • Formulate tree canopy goals to strengthen and expand Takoma Park’s commitment to growing its canopy and helping address climate change
  • Review our Tree Ordinance policies and processes to address resident concerns and ensure alignment with canopy goals
  • Explore improved approaches for education and outreach to the community with a focus on tree retention, maintenance, and growth

At the Oct. 24 Council meeting, we discussed a schedule for moving forward on these points, with a goal of completing the work by May 2019. A crucial part of the plan is ensuring many opportunities for engagement by residents and input from staff members and Council-appointed committees

Tree Ordinance

The Council has asked the Tree Commission and the Committee on the Environment to review the ordinance and recommend areas for updates and improvement. The following are some areas the Council has initially identified for review based on resident feedback: What decisions can, and cannot, be appealed

  • Definition of “hazardous” and “hardship” and waiver policies
  • Timeframes for various actions
  • Fees and tree replacement requirements, including for multifamily buildings
  • Procedures for emergencies, including emergency tree fund

Tree Canopy

The Council asked the Commission and the Committee to review tree canopy data and identify recommended goals. Both panels have previously urged the Council to establish a formal tree canopy goal. Older, mature trees are dying, and a 2014 review showed that tree canopy coverage in Wards 4 and 6 lags behind other areas. The disparity between wards connects with the City’s commitment to racial equity.

A tree canopy goal would help prioritize how to provide residents throughout the City appropriate access to the many benefits that flow from a healthy urban forest. Canopy data compiled on our behalf by Montgomery County is now undergoing a rigorous academic review, after which we’ll be well positioned to start considering longer term canopy goals and policies.

Education and Outreach

The third component of our strategy is focused on helping residents gain a better understanding of tree health and maintenance. Professional arborists recommend that residents think about tree care as seriously as they focus on home maintenance, but many property owners aren’t aware of how best to promote tree health and extend life through regular pruning and watering, and adding soil amendments. We hope to develop ways of disseminating information of this type to residents, and also improving the accessibility of information about the Tree Ordinance. Throughout this process, resident feedback will be very important. There are many ways to engage and share your views, including:

  • Online Tree Ordinance Comment Form – Fill out this form to share your experiences with the tree ordinance, recommended modifications, and/or questions.
  • Open House/Public Forum – Details will be provided as we make plans this winter.
  • Contact your Councilmember – Residents are encouraged to contact their Councilmembers to share their thoughts and experiences.
  • Public Comments at Work Sessions – The Council will hold multiple work sessions this winter, at which residents can share their opinions during the public comment period. Resources The City’s website includes information and resources on the value of our trees, how to care for them and the tree permit program.
  • Tree ordinance and canopy review project page (including online survey): takomaparkmd.gov/initiatives/project-directory/ tree-ordinance-review-tree-canopy-goal
  • Tree Permits: takomaparkmd.gov/services/permits/tree-permits/
  • Tree Commission: takomaparkmd.gov/ government/boards-commissions-and committees/tree-commission
  • Councilmember contact information: takomaparkmd.gov/government/citycouncil/contact-us

This article appeared in the January 2019 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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“Stop the Bleed”: Be the help until help arrives

By Claudine Schweber, co-chair, Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC)

Having Happy Holidays could mean you helped someone stay alive. Did you know that you have the power to help someone from bleeding to death? Yes, you can stop the bleed.

Uncontrolled bleeding is the number one cause of preventable death from trauma. Therefore, the sooner severe bleeding is controlled, the greater the chance someone has of surviving. The “Stop the Bleed” training program was created by the American College of Surgeons, federal agencies and military personnel in the aftermath of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting to train community members to enhance survival after mass casualties and active shooter events.

This training has been attended by emergency preparedness persons, police and fire departments, high school students, and community members. The campaign to spread the awareness and training about basic actions to stop life-threatening bleeding continues so that the members of the public can take action and make a difference in the case of every day emergencies, shootings, and natural and man-made disasters. Advances in military medicine and research in hemorrhage control provide the basis of the information in the training course. For more information, visit www.bleedingcontrol.org.

What can we in Takoma Park do? Take the one-hour training course on how you can control severe bleeding offered by The Takoma Park Emergency Preparedness Committee. This course offers a video plus hands on experience in the ABC’s of bleeding control: A – Alert, B – find the Bleeding injury; C – Compression (apply pressure). And of course, call 911.

This article appeared in the December 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale Returns for 13th Year

Dec. 8, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Takoma Park Community Center
7500 Maple Ave.
Free event

Why shop for holiday gifts in a mall or on Amazon when you can support local artists and our creative community?

The 13th annual Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale makes that goal easy and affordable with more than 30 local artists and artisans gathered at the Takoma Park Community Center on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Unlike some art sales, there is no admission fee, and you will find a broad array of creative gifts for your friends and family (and yourself!), including paintings, pottery, photography, handmade clothes, jewelry, toys and more.

The Holiday Art Sale has become a tradition in Takoma Park that has expanded into a juried competitive event featuring vendors from across the D.C. area, according to photographer Rob Rudick, who started the art sale 13 years ago with Sara Daines, director of the City of Takoma Park’s Housing and Community Development Department. “I like getting all of these great artists together,” Rudick said. “It’s really exciting when everyone is in the community center and their work is up.”

The City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Commission hosts the art sale each year to support the local artist community. City staff also organize many events throughout the year at the Takoma Park Community Center in the We Are Takoma series, including art exhibitions, film screenings, lectures, poetry readings, concerts, and theater. There is more information about our upcoming events at www.takomaparkmd.gov/arts, and you can sign up for the weekly We Are Takoma e-newsletter here.

The art sale represents as many different mediums as possible. “We have some vendors who come back every year, but we also look for new vendors so there is something new every time,” Rudick said. “I talk it up all year long.” During the Holiday Art Sale, the Friends of the Takoma Park Maryland Library will hold their fundraiser where people can support the library by buying new or used books at low prices.

This article appeared in the December 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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LED streetlights approved: City taking its biggest step yet to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

After many years of extensive research, pilot projects, expert consultations and public discussion, the Takoma Park City Council voted unanimously at its Oct. 24, 2018, meeting to move forward with replacing 1,505 streetlights with new high-efficiency LED streetlights. The new LED streetlight fixtures will save the City up to $100,000 per year while also significantly reducing light pollution and municipal carbon emissions.

Pepco has ordered the new fixtures, and installation is expected to begin this month. Due to the number of fixtures being replaced, it is likely installation will continue through the first few months of 2019. The City will post up to date information on the project and implementation timeline here.

Mayor Kate Stewart said of the decision, “Today we take a huge step forward as a community in fighting climate change and reducing our energy consumption. Converting all of our streetlights to LED is the equivalent of eliminating 912,031 miles driven by car, each year. This project will also reduce our light pollution, increase public safety and save us money. Making this switch has been a community effort and is an example of our longstanding commitment to sustainability and innovation.”

The City currently pays approximately $233,000 per year for its streetlights; $180,000 is paid to Pepco for maintenance and operation, taxes and fees; $53,000 is paid to WGL for the electricity use (100% Wind). Based on Pepco’s calculations, the reduction in energy use and maintenance costs will result in annual savings of up to $100,000. The overall cost of the conversion project is expected to be $372,000, and the City anticipates a $260,000 rebate from the Empower Maryland Program, leaving the total cost to the City at just $112,000. Based on the projected annual savings, the program will “pay for itself” in less than two years.

Pepco, which owns and maintains the City’s streetlights, is equally excited about the project.

“We are pleased to partner with Takoma Park in taking these important steps that will result in lower streetlighting costs and provide a safer environment for the local community,” said Jerry Pasternak, Pepco Maryland Region vice president of governmental and external affairs. “LED streetlight technology is one of the many ways Pepco is advancing innovative technologies that are transforming the future energy experience for our customers.”

The LED streetlight fixtures selected for Takoma Park’s project are 3,000K and will range in wattage from 24 Watts for residential streets to 135 Watts in high traffic commercial areas. All of the fixtures will be International Dark Sky Association certified, reducing light pollution in the City. The new LED streetlight fixtures were selected taking into account the Illumination Engineering Society of North American (IES) guidelines for illumination levels and will help create more uniform lighting at the street and sidewalk level, correcting areas that are currently over or under lit. Pepco is also providing additional field-installable shields to address instances where light from the new streetlight fixtures is found to shine directly into the windows of adjacent properties. Once installation is complete, if residents would like to request the additional shielding, they can contact Public Works at 301-891-7633 or publicworks@takomaparkmd.gov.

This article appeared in the December 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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Exercise classes at the recreation center

Now that the weather is becoming less than ideal, exercising outside will be more of a challenge. Here are a few options you may want to consider: Karate, Zumba, Ladies Bootcamp or Teen Fitness. Each of these classes is held at the Takoma Park Recreation Center on New Hampshire Avenue.

The practice of martial arts not only boosts physical fitness and teaches self-defense skills, it also improves discipline, focus, confidence and mindfulness. Classes typically cover basic kicking and punching techniques, kata and some sparring drills. Students can expect to be encouraged to challenge themselves while in class. You have will have the opportunity to take advantage of more than 40 years of combined instructor experience.

As a result of taking this class, students said they felt stronger, more agile and confident. You are welcome to observe the class. Stop by the Takoma Park Recreation Center on Mondays or Wednesdays between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The Isshin-Ryu Karate Club has been practicing at the center since 2008.

Looking for an upbeat exciting class that will get your heart rate going? You may want to try our Zumba class. Laura Stewart is a certified Zumba instructor with more than four years of experience. A combination of Merengue, Cumbia, Soca and Reggaeton dance moves, along with some upbeat Latin style music, will move you through the class and make you forget you are exercising. “I love this class,” said Debbie Gibbs, a long- time student. “The music, the instructor and the convenience of the location are the reasons I keep coming back.” Laura will cue you through the workout, so you will know exactly which way to turn and travel. Bring your energy and feel free to sing along to the music and have fun while you burn calories and make new friends.

Ladies Bootcamp is one of the best classes at the Recreation Center. This class is led by a professional trainer, Tony Sharpe from KJ Fitness. Tony has been a trainer for more than 10 years. He will start you off with a dynamic warm up and some indirect stretching. Leg, core and upper body exercises will follow. Some exercises are body-part focused, and others will work the total body. Tony will finish the class with a cool-down session to bring your heart rate back down. Teri Tucker, a faithful student said, “The comradery between classmates is the best thing about the class. It’s like a family.” She loves the way the ladies motivate and encourage one another through the challenging workout.

Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 years old are eligible to join our Teen Fitness class. Stop by the Takoma Park Recreation Center on Mondays at 6 p.m., and our staff will be happy to assist you through a workout. If you are trying to be a part of your school or community team, this class will help you get in shape, improve your footwork and build strength. Exercises using your own body weight by doing pushups, sit ups and dips is a staple of this class along with other challenging exercises that include our floor ladder and hurdles.

Please feel free to stop by the Recreation Center and take a class or sign up for our Fitness Room. Just stop by the front desk, and a staff member will be happy to assist you. There is a complete listing of classes in the enclosed Winter City Guide. Registration for most classes begins Friday, Dec. 14 for Takoma Park Residents and Friday, Dec. 21 for Nonresidents. We look forward to seeing you at the Takoma Park Recreation Center located at 7315 New Hampshire Avenue.

This article appeared in the December 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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At Takoma Park Presbyterian, 125 years of service

By Sean Gossard

For 125 years, Takoma Park Presbyterian Church has grown alongside the community, giving back and striving to speak out against social injustice and be a place of inclusion.

The church celebrated its 125th anniversary with a gala in late October, and each month this year has focused on a different decade in the church’s history. The church’s organist also composed a special anthem for the milestone that premiered during a Sunday service after the gala.

The church’s roots can be traced back to the founding of Takoma Park when congregations originally met in a tent on the site. “Someone would bring an organ in a wheelbarrow,” said Elder Jill Feasley, who joined the church with her husband 25 years ago during its 100th anniversary. “And in winter they would meet in people’s homes.”

“From the 1890s through the 1950s the church mission was very outward. They sponsored refugees and missionaries in other countries.”

In 1888, a few years after the creation of Takoma Park, the city’s founder Benjamin Franklin Gilbert donated land on what is now Maple Avenue for the congregation’s original church building. Several years after the original wooden church was built for non-denominational worship and the congregation began having trouble pay bills, the Presbyterians took over the mortgage and provided a minister.

By 1922, the congregation had moved the church down the road to the stone building that’s there now on the corner of Tulip and Willow avenues. “From the earliest days it was a place for people to go for lectures and plays and where the town council held its first meetings,” Feasley said. “And when the stone sanctuary was built that tradition continued on.”

The high-point of the church came in the early 1950s in terms of membership, when the congregation was around 1,500 people. And by the 1960s, the church began to change its focus and direction. “From the 1890s through the 1950s the church mission was very outward,” Feasley said. “They sponsored refugees and missionaries in other countries.”

But in the 1960s under Minister John Patterson, whose wife Katherine Paterson wrote the children’s book “Bridge to Terabithia,” the congregation took steps to integrate and become more diverse. The congregation now includes families and individuals from all over the globe, including Cameroon, the Congo, India, Jamaica, Russia and South Korea to name just a few.

And that level of social awareness and diversity has continued through the years at TPPC. When CASA de Maryland, a Latino and immigrant advocacy organization, was founded in 1985 the basement of the church served as its original headquarters.

“CASA may no longer be housed at the church, but we always describe our origin story as one in which North American and Central American activists came together in a church basement at Takoma Park Presbyterian to provide sanctuary and support to those fleeing oppression,” said CASA Executive Director Gustavo Torres.

“We always describe our origin story as one in which North American and Central American activists came together in a church basement at Takoma Park Presbyterian to provide sanctuary and support to those fleeing oppression.”

The building is currently the headquarters of Community Mediation Maryland, which advances conflict resolution through education, training and research. And the Takoma Park Child Development Center, the county’s first day-care center, started there in the early 1980s.

The church also has a “Black Lives Matter” banner that it hangs prominently upfront, carrying on a tradition of speaking out on social injustice that dates back to the 1970s when the church spoke out on apartheid policies and racial discrimination. “We’ve been using the space to speak out on issues,” Feasley said. “Before that in the 1960s, the sign just read ‘Welcome.’ “

They’ve also hosted several Girl Scout troops and for nearly 100 years have been the home and sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 33.

In the past few years, the church renovated its kitchen area and is now working with Takoma Park Silver Spring Community Kitchen to support and empower low-income food entrepreneurs. Now those starting a food business can get training and work out of the kitchen to help cut start-up costs.

“Without the partnership between the church and Crossroads Community Food Network, we wouldn’t be able to offer this critical infrastructure, and many of the food entrepreneurs we serve would need to defer their dreams,” said Christie Balch, executive director of Crossroads, which helps run the kitchen.

Balch says that 11 businesses are now using the kitchen, with many sourcing their produce from farms in Maryland and neighboring states. “They produce food for farmers markets and catering gigs, and many users are low-income, so the space is made available for free,” Feasley said.

The church is also open to Buddhist and Jewish groups as well as meditation classes and Masons. The church’s gym is used by soccer and basketball teams in the winter and as a home court for a couple of nearby schools. “There’s something going on there every day,” Feasley said.

And what’s in store for the next 125 years for Takoma Park Presbyterian Church and its roughly 200 members?

The church currently has an interim pastor, and Feasley says part of that involves revisioning and thinking about what they want to do next.

“We need to think about what kind of church we want to be,” Feasley said. But it seems like its goals for social justice and inclusion will always remain, much like the spirit of Takoma Park itself. And like its mission says, it is a “Church for ALL People.”

This article appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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High-Rise Living … Being Prepared

By Claudine Schweber, Co-Chair, Emergency Preparedness Committee

What do you call someone who lives on the 12th floor and gets up at 5 a.m. each day? A high-riser. All kidding aside, what makes a building a high-rise? That’s the designation for buildings with seven floors or more. According to the U.S. the National Fire Protection Association, a high-rise building is higher than 75 feet (23 meters) or about 7 stories (www.fireline.com).

Do you live on the 8th floor of a building or know someone who does? What would you do if there’s a fire? Where would you go if you needed to get out of the apartment or if you are ill and need to call for help? Do you have flashlights nearby in case the electricity is out? NOTE: Most firetruck ladders only reach to the 7th floor.

Basic safety

  • Whether you just moved in or have lived in a high-rise for years, make sure you have and read the emergency plan for your building.
  • Learn about your building’s safety features, including smoke alarms, sprinklers, voice communication, and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Identify all the exits near your apartment, since the one closest to you may be blocked. Make sure you can open them. Find the special fire doors.
  • Know the evacuation plan. If you will need help, tell management in advance. Plan and practice two ways out of the building. Get on the stay-in-place list if you are not mobile.
  • In cases of evacuation, go outside away from the building. Do not return until the firefighters say it’s ok. If you think someone is still inside, tell the firefighters or other emergency personnel.
  • Stay away from windows, glass, exterior walls, or things that might fall, such as file cabinets or book shelves.
  • Have emergency contact and medical information posted in plain sight.
  • Don’t use the elevators!

Fire safety

  • Unattended cooking is the #1 cause of home fires. Surprised? Stay in the cooking area until you’ve turned the heat off completely. If a fire does start, get out, close the door, and call 911.
  • If you need to test heated doors, use the back-of-hand technique. Instead of touching a door with your palm, gently use the back of your hand to test for heat.
  • Check if your apartment has sprinklers. New building codes require all residential buildings above 100 feet to have working sprinklers by 2019.
  • “Close before you doze.” Keep bedroom doors closed when you are inside. This could prevent smoke from entering the room and give you time to call 911.
  • When calling 911, be sure to clearly give the apartment number. If you cannot get out, make sure to tell the 911 operator immediately.

If you cannot evacuate, go to a window if possible, wave a white sheet/towel to alert the firefighters. If you can open the window a bit, hang the white item on the window sill, and close the window. Do not keep window open since that may feed the fire. Thank you to Adam Bearne of the Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department and Jacqueline Davison at Victory Tower for your help with this article. And to the entire TPVFD for always being ready!

Join EPC on WOWD radio for Dear Bea(trice) Prepared at 1 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month.

This article appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Takoma Park Newsletter

In search of more American Indian voices

By Karen MacPherson

November is American Indian Heritage Month. One way that we’ve celebrated for almost two decades is by hosting Eaglebear, who share stories, songs and dances from his Xicano and Apache heritage. This year, our program featuring Eaglebear will take place on Monday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.

Another way we celebrate each year is by putting up a display of books by and about American Indians and encouraging young readers to check them out. In the past few years, we’ve put more emphasis on finding and purchasing books by American Indians as opposed to books about them by authors of other races or cultures. This is both a reflection of the Library’s effort to mirror our local community’s wonderful diversity as well as the larger push for “#OwnVoices” within the children’s literature world.

The #OwnVoices movement calls for more cultural authenticity in children’s books, which means, for example, having more books about American Indians written by American Indian authors – not by authors of other races or cultures. There’s a good reason for this effort. One example: two of the best-known children’s books featuring American Indians are the 1975 Caldecott Medal winner, Arrow to the Sun, written and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, and the 1979 Caldecott Medal winner, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, written and illustrated by Paul Goble. Neither author, however, was American Indian, and in recent years, American Indian scholars have found major flaws in the way Native culture is presented in both books.

While children’s publishers are – after decades of stops and starts – now clearly making a determined effort to search out more authors of color and publish more culturally authentic books, there’s still a long way to go. The latest statistics from the University of Wisconsin’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center show that, of the 3,700 children’s books the Center received from publishers in 2017, only 72 had “significant” American Indian/First Nation content or characters. And, of those 72 books, only 38 were by American Indian/First Nations authors and/or illustrators.

However, there are some wonderful children’s and teen books by American Indian authors that have been published in recent years, and we are happy to purchase them for the Library. One great source of information about the best American Indian books for kids is the blog American Indians in Children’s Literature, created and maintained by Debbie Reese, a children’s literature scholar and member of the Nambe Pueblo in New Mexico. Using Reese’s lists of recommended books, we are building our Library’s collection of #OwnVoices American Indian books.

Among our newer books by American Indians are picture books such as We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Bowwow Powwow by Red Lake Ojibwe author Brenda Child; the award-winning kids’ novel, How I Became a Ghost, by Oklahoma Choctaw author Tim Tingle; and #Not Your Princess: Voices of Native American Women, a collection of stories, poems and artwork by women authors of various tribes. These are just a few of the new books we have by American Indian authors. Come browse our collection and check some out!

This article appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

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Register Your Owner-Occupied Group House

An Owner Occupied Group House is a single-family home:

  • Occupied by the owners or a family members as their primary residence; and
  • One or more unrelated individuals who pay rent or share the costs of utilities.

The ability to rent out a private bedroom and then share common space in single-family homes creates affordable housing opportunities in our terrific Takoma Park neighborhoods as well as providing income for homeowners.

These houses are not considered rental properties by the City, although they are required to be registered. This is the same registration that is required for homeowners who rent rooms in the homes they live in through short-term services, such as Airbnb. Registration lasts for three years, expiring December 31 of the third year.

Register in three easy steps
  1. Complete a brief application, on the City website.
  2. Pay the $50 registration fee.
  3. Pass an inspection conducted by City staff to ensure the home meets health and safety standards.

The inspector will test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, both of which need to be either hard-wired or the ten-year, tamper-proof type. They will verify that each bedroom has a key- operated lock on the exterior and a thumb turn on the interior and as well as a window that provides safe exit in case of a fire or other emergency. The inspector will also check that the cooking and sanitation facilities are in good working order. This inspection is repeated at the time the registration is renewed, every three years.

Do you have questions about the registration process or want to verify that your group house is already registered? Contact Housing and Community Development at 301-891-7119 or housing@ takomaparkmd.gov.

This article appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.