Wednesday, February 5
7:30 PM – Auditorium
Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue

The City Council is holding a public hearing on a Resolution on 2020 Climate Emergency Response Framework: From Nuclear Fuel Free to Fossil Fuel Free. All interested residents should attend the public hearing and sign up to speak. (Advance sign up is not required.)

Background Information (from the January 22 Work Session)

January 22 PowerPoint Presentation

Link to Video of January 22 Presentation and Council Discussion
Presentation begins at 3:10:40

Join the Takoma Park Youth Council for a film screening of Heather Booth, Changing the World!

Heather is a leading political strategist about progressive issues and electoral campaigns.

Question & Answer session with Heather will immediately follow the film.

Location:
Takoma Park Community Center
Auditorium
7500 Maple Ave
Takoma Park, MD 20912

Date/Time:
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
7PM

Council Compensation Task Force to be Appointed

The City Council invites residents to apply to serve on a Council Compensation Task Force to review the salary and other compensation for the Mayor and City Council and recommend whether they should be changed.  The recommendations will be considered by the City Council. Any change made to the salary and compensation would be voted on by the current Council and take effect beginning with the Mayor and Council elected in 2020.

The deadline for applications is October 30, 2019. Apply now.

View additional information about the Council Compensation Task Force.

Questions? Contact Jessie Carpenter, City Clerk, at 301-891-7267.

On Wednesday, October 23, 2019, the City Council will hold three public hearings on proposed amendments to the Takoma Park Charter. The hearings begin at 7:30 PM in the Auditorium of the Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park.

A. The proposed amendment to Article III City Council (1) adds a requirement that each voting ward be “compact in form, composed of adjoining territory, and have substantially equal populations,” a requirement currently imposed by the City Code; (2) changes the day of the first meeting of a newly elected Council from the second Monday following an election to the second Wednesday following the election to reflect the Council’s meeting schedule; and (3) eliminates gender binary language.

• Proposed Amendments to Article III – City Council

B. The proposed amendment to Article V Amendment Procedures: provides that the signature requirement for Charter amendment petitions is twenty percent of registered voters at the time of the last election, rather than twenty percent of persons qualified to vote.

• Proposed Amendments to Article V – Amendment Procedures

C. The proposed amendment to Article VI Registration, Nominations and Elections: (1) eliminates the 21-day residency requirement for voters; (2) eliminates outdated procedures; (3) clarifies existing language; (4) eliminates gender binary language; (5) revises deadlines to comport with early voting; (6) provides for election ties to be resolved by lot rather than runoff election; (7) eliminates requirement that election judges be appointed by the Council; (8) establishes a list of voters only registered to vote in City elections rather than a list of noncitizen registered voters; (9) changes references to “citizens” to “residents”; (10) provides that the signature requirement for advisory referendum petitions is twenty percent of registered voters at the time of the last election, rather than twenty percent of persons qualified to vote; (11) provides that the signature requirement for recall petitions is twenty percent of registered voters at the time of the last election, rather than the greater of 1500 qualified voters or twenty percent of qualified voters; (12) requires that signatures on recall petitions be obtained after the most recent election and at least 180 days prior to the next general election; (13) prohibits the Council from reappointing a recalled official; and (14) allows potential candidates to nominate themselves or second their nomination.

• Proposed Amendments to Article VI – Registration, Nominations and Elections

All interested persons should attend the public hearing and sign in to speak. View the full text of the proposed amendments:

See agenda item #4 from the City Council meeting of September 18, 2019 (Continued Discussion of Election-Related Charter and Code Amendments).

For information contact the City Clerk at clerk@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7267.

(Post updated October 6, 2019)

On Monday, August 26, Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care opened in Takoma Park, in the former Washington Adventist Hospital Emergency Department. For many, it can be hard to know when to go to the Emergency Department (ED) or to an Urgent Care, especially in a sudden medical situation. Here’s what you need to know about how to make the right decision for you and your family.

What is the difference between ED and Urgent Care?

The best way to remember if the ED is right for you is if your medical situation or condition is life-threatening. Urgent care centers can handle nonlife-threatening injuries or illnesses and often have shorter wait times and cost less than an ED visit. Urgent care centers are a great place if you’re not feeling well and can’t get an appointment with your primary care doctor.

Many urgent care centers have on-site labs and x-rays and are open daily with extended hours. Urgent Care centers are also able to see most people, ages six months and up.

When should I go to the ED?
An ED may be best for you if you experience any of the following:

• Chest pain
• Broken bones
• Head or eye injuries
• Seizures
• Severe burns
• Animal bites
• Uncontrolled, severe bleeding
• Difficulty breathing
• Signs of a stroke, such as weakness or numbness on one side and slurred speech
• Appendicitis
• Pregnancy-related medical issues
• Changes in your mental state

Remember to always call 9-1-1 if you experience loss of consciousness, signs of a heart attack or stroke, shortness of breath or life/limb-threatening injury.

When should I go to Urgent Care?

Urgent care may be best for you if you have any of the following:

• Allergies, Asthma
• Cold, flu, fever
• Cough
• Minor cuts
• Nausea
• Rashes or other common skin infections
• Sore throat
• Earaches
• Pink eye
• Urinary tract infections
• Stomach aches, nausea or diarrhea
• Sprains or strains

If you have a chronic medical condition, such as diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure or cholesterol, an urgent care center won’t be able to manage your condition. For those types of conditions, see your primary care provider.

How should I prepare for a visit to Urgent Care?

It’s always a good idea to bring a valid ID, insurance card, payment information and known allergies and a list of your medications to any appointment, whether it is with your primary care doctor, specialist or urgent care center. Your list of medications should include how much and how often you take. It’s also recommended to know how much your co-pay is for a visit to urgent care. You can find this out by calling your insurance provider. Most insurance companies cover urgent care visits, but it’s best to know your particular plan’s coverage.

What types of providers will be available at Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care in Takoma Park?

All Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care locations are staffed to handle all urgent care issues. Centers have either a physician, licensed nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant and are under the direction of our medical director. The center will also have on-site x-rays with a licensed x-ray technician available.

How can I be seen at Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care?

The Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care in Takoma Park will be open 24/7 and accepts walk-ins. For more information about Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care, visit AdventistUrgentCare.com.

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

The Parking Management Task Force is a short term task force  appointed by the City Council review parking management in the City, consider policy proposals for parking management, engage community participation in identifying problems and considering policy proposals, and provide advice to the City Council on possible next steps.

City staff will present the Task Force with the data and research on parking management, as well as staff’s suggestions for consideration by the Task Force. Guiding questions for the work of the Task Force will include:

• How should uses of on-street space be prioritized?
• What are the City’s objectives for the City’s right-of-way network?
• How well does the City’s current parking program manage the following:
  • parking meter demand, turn-over and rates?
  • commercial demand for employees and customers?
  • on-street parking space and Residential Parking Permit zones?
  • handicap parking needs?
  • parking enforcement?
• What are the equity issues in the current parking program?
• How can parking be managed to address the City’s concerns about climate change and sustainability?

The City Council will appoint approximately 10 individuals to serve on the Task Force: one member selected by each Councilmember and the Mayor, and possibly representatives from the business community, the accessibility advocacy community, and from relevant City committees such as the Committee on the Environment and the Complete Safe Streets Committee. Appointees will include residents of both single-family houses and multi-family units.

For more information, contact planning@takomaparkmd.gov.

To apply:

• Online Application Form

The deadline for applications has been extended until the Task Force is full.