City Council Meeting–July19th at 7:30pm

Good Afternoon Ward 1,

It's been very hot and humid and generally "Maryland-y" outside. I hope you are finding a way to keep cool. Please see below for this week's agenda.

Best,

Shana

AGENDA (PDF)

Sign up for public comments over Zoom will be open until 5:00 PM on the day of the meeting. Registration is not required to comment in person.)

PRESENTATION

1. Public Space Management Plan (PDF)

Public Space Management Plan Public Review Draft (PDF)

HCD will present the Public Space Management Plan to the City Council.

VOTING SESSION

2. (tentative) Resolution Designating Resident Agent for Service of Process (PDF)

There are some powers that need to be formally transferred from our previous City Manager to our Acting City Manager David Eubanks.

WORK SESSION

3. FY 2024 Budget Amendment No. 1

I will be proposing a budget amendment to fund overtime for Public Works employees to bring trucks to recreation events such as National Night Out and Let’s Play America playdays.

4. Recommended Amendments to the City Code Chapter 6.16 Landlord-Tenant Relations and Chapter 6.36 Unsafe Buildings – Public Nuisance Abatement (PDF) (rev 7/15)

• Presentation (PDF)

We will discuss an amendment recommended by HCD to ensure that tenants are provided housing in the case that they are displaced by their building being deemed unsafe. In recent years, the City has had to help provide temporary housing for tenants because this safety isn’t in place. Montgomery County requires that landlords provide three months of housing for tenants being displaced. Due to the fact that our city limits rent prices through rent stabilization, staff recommends that we will only require landlords to provide two months of housing. When a landlord provides housing for a tenant, the tenant must continue to pay rent.

5. Proposed Contract with Ministries United Silver Spring Takoma Park (MUSST) to Oversee the Emergency Assistance Program (PDF)

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.

6. Board and Committee Appointment Recommendations (Council Subcommittee on Boards and Committees) (PDF)

We will vote to approve appointments to city committees. Two committees, the Noise Board and Nuclear Free Takoma, are not recommended by the Subcommittee for reappointments at this time and for further discussion on how to ensure that the functions that those committees held are met. Both of those committees have been lacking in diversity and haven’t had members to fill vacancies for many years.

7. Support for Benefit Corporation for Africa (PDF)

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.