Good Evening Everyone,
Today our RISE Students and I delivered flyers for an upcoming event that I am hosting to Ward 1 residents. I am holding a tie dye event for Ward 1 on August 27th from 12p-3p to celebrate the last day before MCPS starts. Please bring an item of clothing that you would like to dye.
Below are my notes from this week .
Best,
Shana
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PRESENTATION
Mary Frye, our Urban Forest Manager, will present his updated Urban Forest Master Plan and Urban Forest Manager’s report. I was interested to read in Mr. Frye’s Master Plan that “Resident awareness of soil health preservation and restoration best practices will pay the biggest dividend in long-term urban forest health.” I hadn’t considered that soil health was such an issue for our trees. I am interested to learn more about how we set our canopy goal and when the next time we will assess our canopy coverage.
VOTING SESSION
As was discussed last week, City Staff have recommended that we amend our code to protect tenants in situations where their residences are declared unsafe. Recently, the City has provided financial assistance to displaced tenants. We are updating our code to be more congruent with that of Montgomery County’s, where landlords are required to continue to provide housing to their displaced tenants. It is the recommendation of our HCD Department that due to the limitation of landlord’s profits in Takoma Park from rent stabilization, we would require landlords to provide housing to tenants displaced long term for two months rather than the three months set by Montgomery County’s code.
Most of the changes this amendment makes is carrying over funds that were intended to be spent in FY2023 to FY2024, but haven’t due to project delays. The Acting City Manager has also recommended the reclassifying of our Communications Manager to Communications Director due to the workload and responsibilities she has.
4. CONSENT AGENDA
As I wrote last week, the City is renewing its contract with MUSST to oversee distribution of emergency financial help to low-income residents who face foreclosure, high utility bills, medical needs, and other needed assistance. This funding is now mostly coming from ARPA dollars.
The subcommittee for hiring a new city manager has recommended that we not invest any more time in trying to hire an interim city manager and instead confirm David Eubanks as Acting City Manager until a time where we are ready to permanently hire for the position.
There are some powers that need to be formally transferred from our previous City Manager to our Acting City Manager David Eubanks.
The Benefit Corporation for Africa is asking that the City of Takoma Park co-host an forum to discuss their work benefit corporations which isa blend of for-profit and nonprofit business models with the sharing profits with the community.
WORK SESSION
5. Minor Master Plan Check In
City Staff will update us on the process and see if we have any questions.
6. City Manager Search: Process Update and Search Firm Selection
The subcommittee working on the City Manager search will provide an update to the rest of the City Council.
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