Dear Neighbors:
Here’s a link to the agenda for the February 9, 2022 City Council meeting: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-february-9-2022/. There’s one vote this week: the final vote on the budget amendment to which we gave initial approval last week. In our work session, we’ll continue our discussions on Ward redistricting and on the ARPA spending plan. For more on these agenda items see below.
Sign up for public comments by 5:00 PM on Wednesday: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kJDLl4d6TkSRLo1Q4AZ-vw. The meeting can be viewed on City TV (RCN -- 13, HD 1060; Comcast/xfinity -- 13, HD 997; Verizon Fios -- 28), on the City Council Video Page; on YouTube, or on Facebook.
COVID UPDATE
The Takoma Park COVID-19 Data Dashboard now includes data through Friday, February 4. Unlike the previous dashboard which updated weekly when the City received data from the County, because we are using data directly from the State, the dashboard will update each business day with new case and vaccination data on the 20912 zip code.
We are still awaiting updated data from the County on City-level case rates, but have received updated data on the at least first-dose vaccination rate in Takoma Park, based on vaccination rates in the Census tracts that make up Takoma Park. As of January 24, the at least first-dose vaccination rate in the City now stands at 81%, compared to 71% as of November 29 (the last time we received this data from the County). The County believes that some of this change is due to better data cleaning, and not just increases in the City's vaccination rate.
Residents are again advised that they can now order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests kits from the US postal service at this link. Throughout the month of February, the City will be providing free, walk-in COVID-19 PCR tests at the Takoma Park recreation center on New Hampshire Avenue every Wednesday from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
The at least first-dose vaccination rate in the 20912 zip code increased from 75.7% last week to 76.2% this week, and the fully-vaccinated rate increased from 65.7% to 66.1%.
Cases have continued falling in the 20912 zip code, the County, and State. There were 25 new cases of COVID-19 in the 20912 zip code between January 28 and February 3, a 60.9% decline compared to the previous week. In Montgomery County, case rates have continued declining; new cases are again down 81% in the last 14 days this week. Hospitalizations in the County began declining in the same time period, and are down 32% (hospitalizations and deaths tend to lag cases); the County's test positivity rate is also down at 13%. In nearby DC, cases are down 72% in the same timeframe, and down 74% in Maryland.
There were no new deaths reported in the 20912 zip code since last week, leaving the total at 42 since the start of the pandemic.
Other Important COVID resources: Vaccines for children ages 5 - 11: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news-alert/covid-19-vaccines-are-now-available-for-children-aged-5-11/; vaccines for those who are 12 and older: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/ or State Vaccine Website; Testing: Montgomery County Testing Sites; Food aid: Submit an online request for help with food resources or call 240-777-0311. Also, the City is partnering with the Salvation Army to help residents with water, gas and electric bills. Send an email to: housing @takomaparkmd.gov or call 301-891-7119.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Peter’s Virtual Office Hours, Wednesday, February 9, 2:00 - 4:00 PM: Residents can “stop by” within the two hour block on Wednesday, and I’ll be able to talk with people one on one sequentially. Here’s the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87200122412?pwd=OG1yV01YckdoblpaK1RZYmNyVUw2UT09
Montgomery College Leggett Math-Science Building Construction Update, February 8: https://mcblogs.montgomerycollege.edu/tpss-math-science-building/virtual-project-update-forum-february-8-2022/. This project update begins at 6:00 PM. Representatives of the College and construction team will share information on the status of construction and an overview of upcoming work, and be available to answer questions. RSVP to join in the Zoom meeting.
Youth Council Winter Clothing Drive: https://takomaparkmd.gov/public-notices/takoma-park-youth-council-winter-clothes-drive/. In partnership with Adventist Community Services, the Youth Council is sponsoring a Winter Clothing Drive. Donations of coats, gloves, hats, sweaters and other winter clothes can be dropped off at the Rec Center, Police Department, or Community Center lobbies through March 6.
Let’s Play America’s Mid-Winter Play Day, Sunday, February 13: https://www.letsplayamerica.org/upcomingevents. This fun annual event for the whole family will take place in-person from 1:00 - 4:00 PM at the Community Center.
Free Tax Preparation Assistance Starting February 16: https://takomaparkmd.gov/public-notices/rsvp-aarp-free-tax-aide-program/. In partnership with AmeriCorps Seniors and AARP, Montgomery County is offering free tax preparation assistance for low and moderate income residents.
Spring Plant-A-Tree Orders Accepted Through February 21: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/public-works/tree-care-and-resources/. The City offers discounted tree plantings for private property for the spring and fall planting seasons. This program is focused on native shade trees.
Invasive Species Forum, March 1: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/252041842937. To coincide with National Invasive Species Awareness Week, Climate Action Coffee and the City are hosting a panel discussion and Q & A on invasive plant species from 12:00 - 1:30 PM. Featured speakers will provide an overview of invasive plant species in our region, why we should care about them, and how to identify and remove them. Updates on State legislative action to curb the spread of invasive plants will be followed by a Q & A session.
Applications for Community Quality of Life Grants, March 16 Deadline: https://takomaparkmd.gov/public-notices/city-of-takoma-park-community-quality-of-life-grant-program-now-accepting-applications/. These grants -- up to $10,000 -- are for projects providing access to arts and sciences in Takoma Park. The City encourages applications for arts and sciences programs that promote workforce development and entrepreneurial skills for low and moderate income residents.
VOTING SESSION
Budget Amendment: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2022/council-20220209-1.pdf. The Council periodically adjusts the budget to reflect fiscal changes due to expenditure slow-downs caused by staff shortages, delays in project implementation, unanticipated cost increases, etc. This amendment has a net impact of an additional $114,000 in expenditures. I plan to vote in favor of the amendment as I did last week when the Council approved it unanimously on the first reading vote.
WORK SESSION
Redistricting (use main agenda link at the beginning of this blog to access redistricting links): The Council had been scheduled to hold a work session on redistricting in last week’s meeting, but because the ARPA discussion went until about midnight, we postponed that agenda item to this week. There will be a public hearing on redistricting at our February 16 Council meeting, and we’re now expected to vote on a final Ward map at our February 23 and March 2 meetings.
At present we have on the table for Council consideration three maps developed by our outside consultant, though it’s unlikely any of those precise maps will end up as our final redistricting plan. I anticipate the Council will make changes, using these maps as starting points and taking into account the comments and recommendations we’ve received from residents. There are multiple links to review for this discussion, all of which are accessible through the main agenda link at the top of this blog.
As I mentioned in last week’s blog, because the draft maps are drawn based on Census Blocks -- which helps ensure we have accurate population and demographic data for Wards -- in some cases that means neighborhoods or streets which are currently in the same Ward may end up being divided between two Wards. I’m hopeful that, in at least a few cases, the Council will agree to make exceptions to the Census Block principle in order to keep neighborhoods together.
One such case I’m working to address is keeping Darwin Avenue and 8 homes on the north side of Grant Avenue in Ward 1 rather than shifting them to Ward 4, which would happen if we use Census Blocks. The affected homes (19 in all) would be physically divided from Ward 4’s residential sections by the parks and schools in the area. I think it makes sense to keep them with the rest of the Hodges Heights neighborhood in Ward 1, as called for in a petition from residents, and again I’ll be pushing for that goal as we continue working on the new Ward map.
Other changes under consideration for Ward 1 include shifting the businesses on the east side of Carroll Avenue (Republic, Ace Hardware, etc.) plus those on Laurel Avenue into Ward 3 or alternatively keeping those businesses in Ward 1 and adding some primarily residential parts of Eastern Avenue, Walnut Avenue and Westmoreland Avenue to Ward 1; moving Victory Tower and the adjacent apartment building plus the homes along Carroll between Columbia Avenue and the Fire Station into Ward 3; and adding several blocks near Takoma Junction including the commercial strip across from the Co-op into Ward 1.
I’d prefer to keep Ward 1’s borders close to where they currently are, and I’m continuing to explore options for doing so, beyond the Hodges Heights changes noted above. But there’s no doubt there will be changes to Ward 1’s boundaries, and I encourage residents to let me know your thoughts on re-mapping options. The scenario remodeling tool enables you to come up with your own maps complete with updated demographic data.
ARPA Spending Plan (use main agenda link at top of blog to access relevant links): This week we’ll resume our reconciliation process on the City’s ARPA spending plan, reviewing proposed expenditures on which there are still questions or a less clear Council consensus on either a specific proposal or its budget amount. We’re tentatively scheduled to formally vote on the ARPA plan in our Council meetings on February 16 and 23.
My preference would be to focus at first mainly on expenditures aimed at providing urgent or more immediate assistance to those who have been most negatively affected financially or in other ways by COVID, or who are most at risk. My primary concern is that if we move forward on all the proposals at more or less the same time, it may take longer for the dollars for the most urgent initiatives to be released. I don’t know at this point if it would be possible to have any type of phasing of the proposals based on a more immediate sense of need, though I am open to considering potential options along those lines.
In last week’s meeting, we had started out with the various ARPA projects divided into four categories: proposals with Council support; proposals with Council support but on which more information was needed; proposals with probable Council support pending more information being provided; and proposals which were more up in the air. They appear in the reconciliation chart included in the agenda material in green, light green, yellow and reddish, respectively.
The Council then discussed each of the proposals and made preliminary decisions, in some cases deciding to hold off until the staff provides additional information. For those on which we sought additional information in last week’s meeting, City staff has provided responses and further details, which again can be accessed through the main agenda link at the start of this blog (scroll down to the Redistricting agenda item in the Work Session). There are also Q & A documents covering previous Council requests for information, background on the Library project, as well as the updated reconciliation chart. Taking into account all of that material and additional feedback from the public, Councilmembers will work to develop a more definitive ARPA list.
As you’ll note from the reconciliation chart, most of the proposed expenditures did enjoy support from a majority of the Council. Here are a few key changes we agreed to make:
· Adding $1.8 million to the community partnership program, some of which will be used for direct payments to needy residents
· Dropping the $1 million Maple Avenue Complete Streets project from the ARPA list
· Dropping the $250,000 Takoma Branch Stream Restoration from the ARPA list
· Doubling the funding for the small business grant program (to $300,000)
· Putting on hold the funding for the Library project until some of the construction cost details are clarified (I’m supportive of the project, but want to see more details on the estimated construction costs)
· Not accepting my proposal to add $250,000 for food security grants (we approved an initial allotment of $250,000 for this purpose last year, but there’s no further funding in the ARPA plan we’re currently debating)
None of the Council’s decisions will be final until the formal votes in our February 16 and 23 meetings. Meanwhile, some of the outstanding points I’d like to clarify before we finalize the plan include setting the amount for direct assistance to needy residents as high as we can get it; ensuring that a substantial amount of the community partnership funding can go to local/area NGOs (including those which address food security issues); conditioning the multi-family rehab and energy efficiency grants on keeping the apartments affordable; and if we proceed with the Community Center Atrium project ensuring that mental health crisis space wouldn’t have to be adjacent to Police Department offices. Please let me know what you think on these and any other aspects of the ARPA plan. You can see video of our discussion on the list of proposals through the following link, starting at the 1:10 mark: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/city-council-video/
Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments about any of the topics in this blog.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council. Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
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