Dear Neighbors:
There’s no City Council meeting this week, but I wanted to provide an update on last week’s meeting, and also mention some important upcoming events, several of which are happening this week.
The Council will meet on November 3, 10, and 17. Among the agenda items for those meetings will be Council compensation; appointments to resident committees; recommendations from the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force; Ward redistricting; and apartment window guard legislation. We’ll have a special session on December 1 with our Maryland State delegation on legislative priorities for 2022, after which the Council will take a break from formal meetings until January. I’m continuing to urge that we provide additional monies from our Federal ARPA funds (beyond what we have already allocated to help prevent evictions and address food insecurity) for assistance to those who are facing financial challenges owing to the pandemic. I’d like to see the Council take action along those lines this year, with the understanding that we’ll be making plans for more long-term use of our ARPA funds next year.
Here’s a link to the agenda for the November 3 Council meeting, on which I’ll be providing more information in a separate blog: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-november-3-2021/
COVID UPDATE
The Takoma Park COVID-19 Data Dashboard has been updated with data through October 21: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=42a594afc3ad4c59ba7b1ca9965b7837. Key data points and information noted by City staff:
· Since last week, the at least partially-vaccinated rate for the 20912 zip code increased 0.26% to 64.8%, and the fully-vaccinated rate for the zip code increased 0.23% to 58.9%.
· There were 19 new cases of COVID-19 among Takoma Park residents reported since last week. While the rate of new cases for the county has been slowly declining since mid-September, the City's has remained relatively stable above the county's rate.
· The hospitalization rate due to COVID-19 in the County declined 9% in the last two weeks, while deaths in the County have increased slightly in the last two weeks.
· In the State of Maryland, despite representing more than 60% of the population, the fully-vaccinated represent just 23% of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 and 28% of cases.
· A recent report also suggests that it may be harder for vaccinated people to spread COVID-19 than previously reported by the CDC: "In all these cases where you have these big breakthrough infections, there's always unvaccinated people in the room,' [Ross Kedl, an immunologist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine] says."
· There were no new deaths in the 20912 zip code due to COVID-19 since last week, leaving the zip code's total at 42 since the start of the pandemic.
Other COVID resources: Vaccines: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/ or State Vaccine Website; Testing: Montgomery County Testing Sites; Tenants having trouble paying rent: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/SNHS/rent-relief.html or https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/housing-and-community-development/contact-us/; Food aid: Submit an online request for help with food resources or call 240-777-0311.
UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK’S COUNCIL MEETING
Hillwood Manor Renovation: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20211020-1.pdf. The Council unanimously approved $250,000 in Housing Reserve funds for this renovation project led by Montgomery Housing Partnership.
Resident Committee Appointments: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20211020-2.pdf. As we move toward completion of the comprehensive reform of our resident committees, boards and commissions, the Council voted on appointments to six panels: the Board of Elections, the Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs, the Ethics Commission, the Tree Commission, the Nuclear-Free Committee, and the Noise Control Board (the appointments for those last two bodies are provisional, pending further discussion of their structure and mission). In last week’s meeting we also had a separate discussion on appointments to the six remaining committees, and we will be voting on them in our November 3 meeting. This includes appointments to the Arts and Humanities Committee, the Emergency Preparedness Committee, the Grants Review Committee, the Recreation and Community Engagement Committee, the Sustainable Maryland (Green Team) Committee, and the Sustainable Investment and Banking Task Force (which will be a short-term group).
One of the main goals of the reforms and the new appointments is to have an overall committee membership which is more diverse and reflective of the City’s population. While I didn’t have any particular objections to the appointments to the six initial committees, I didn’t feel there was sufficient time to review the draft list for appointment to the second group of six. As a result, I thought it was difficult to assess how we were doing in terms of the overall level of diversity. So I chose to vote “present” on last week’s appointments, which were approved on a 6 - 0 vote.
Election Planning: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/Documents/BOE-Update-to-City-Council-20211020.pdf. The Board of Elections made a presentation to the Council, outlining their recommendation for a mail-in voting system again next year, along with other proposed changes to our local election procedures primarily relating to various reporting requirements and document submission dates. Among the concerns I raised were the racial equity impacts of a mail-in system, the importance of having more transparency in the tabulation of mail-in ballots, and whether we can provide more details for would-be candidates on the technical details of setting up a campaign.
State Legislative Priorities: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/Documents/Takoma-Park-2022-Priorities-DRAFT.pdf. Representatives of Public Policy Partners (the firm which lobbies on behalf of the City in Annapolis) presented a draft of City priorities for next year’s State legislative session. The Council discussed the draft and suggested possible additions, and we’ll work to finalize the document as we move toward the Council’s December 1 meeting with our State legislative delegation. You can see video of the presentation and our discussion starting at 1:57 here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/
Council Compensation: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2021/council-20211020-6.pdf. A majority of the Council, including me, expressed support for increasing compensation in order to lessen the financial barriers lower income or less well-off residents may face in contemplating running for local office. There are several points on which we asked our Human Resources staff to report back to us, but it’s my sense we’re moving toward increasing the compensation for serving on the Council. As noted previously, no increases can take effect until after the next election.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Coffee with a Cop, October 27, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM: This event will be at Starbucks in the Crossroads area, 7960 New Hampshire Avenue. It’s an opportunity to mingle informally with representatives of the Takoma Park Police Department.
Minor Master Plan for Former Adventist Hospital Site: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/housing-and-community-development/planning-and-community-development/minor-master-plan/. The County Planning Office is conducting a Minor Master Plan engagement process on possible uses for the hospital site. The next public engagement opportunity will be on Wednesday, October 27 from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM at the Crossroads Farmers Market on Anne Street, near the intersection with University Boulevard.
Takoma Park Library Mandatory Referral Hearing, October 28: https://montgomeryplanningboard.org/agenda-item/october-28-2021/. The Montgomery County Planning Board will review the Library renovation plans (the Library agenda item is scheduled for around 2:00 PM, though the time table can change). The County Planning Office staff report can be viewed here: https://montgomeryplanningboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Takom-Park-Library-Final-Rpt-sd-with-Attach-EHM.pdf
Trunk ‘N’ Treat, October 29, 4:00 -6:00 PM: The first ever Trunk ‘N’ Treat -- hosted by the Takoma Park Police Department and sponsored by MegaMart -- will take place on Anne Street by University Blvd., where the Crossroads Farmers Market is held. The event, which is for all ages, features spooky fun, games, and raffles, with Halloween themed cruisers, candy, toys, a selfie station and more. Masks are required in the event area, and costumes are encouraged.
Monster Bash, Saturday, October 30, 1:00 - 5:00 PM: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news/monster-bash-is-back-sat-oct-30th/. The City’s annual Halloween festivities, sponsored by the Recreation Department, include a costume contest and parade. The event begins in the Middle School parking lot.
Public Space Management Plan Workshops: The City is hosting a series of community workshops on the Public Space Management Plan. The next workshop is on November 1 at 7:30 PM. Sign-up link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsdOqqrToqGdTcdQZ8bLH_2PXrKCU3MxBA
Friends of the Takoma Park Library Book Sale, November 6, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM: https://ftpml.org/upcoming-events/. The Library is accepting book donations for the sale -- bring gently used books (no textbooks) to the Library during regular hours (Monday - Thursday, 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM, and Friday - Sunday, Noon - 6:00 PM).
State Highway Administration Meeting, Tuesday, November 9, 1:00 - 2:30 PM. The City Council meets periodically with SHA to discuss safety and other issues connected to the State roadways in the City (Route 410/Philadelphia Avenue/East-West Highway, Piney Branch Road, Carroll Avenue, University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue. Residents will be able to observe the meeting electronically -- log-in details to be provided separately.
Emergency Care Packages for Victims of Domestic Violence: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/police/services-and-programs/emergency-care-packages-for-victims-families-of-domestic-violence/. Through November 30, in partnership with the Montgomery County Family Justice Center Foundation, the Takoma Park Police Department will be collecting care packages and/or items to be donated to meet the immediate, critical needs that directly impact the safety, wellness, and/or healing of a victim of domestic violence and/or their children. The above link has details on the kinds of items needed and where to drop them off.
Please feel free to be in touch with questions or comments about any of the matters included in this blog.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
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