City Council Meeting - Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Good Evening,

I hope that many of you will join me next Tuesday. 

The Police Department will be holding a community meeting to discuss public safety issues in Ward 1.  Police Department staff will be providing an update on recent incidents in Ward 1 and provide an overall overview of crime stats/trends and security measures put in place to address these trends. 

The meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, from 7 pm – 9 pm at the Takoma Park Community Center, Azalea Room, 2nd Floor, Takoma Park, Maryland.  The meeting will be in-person and a Zoom Webinar will also be available to join and ask questions.

To register for the meeting, the link is:  https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rpnq7VOFSOuRpZsh57G9uQ

If you have questions in advance of the meeting, please send them to Cathy Plevy at cathyp@takomaparkmd.gov with the title, “Ward 1 Public Safety Meeting.”

Thank you,

Shana

City Council Meeting - Wednesday, June 5, 2024

PRESENTATION

1.Quarterly Financial Report – 3rd Quarter (PDF) (10 minutes)

The 3rd Quarter Financial report is being presented by City Manager DiSpirito. 

VOTING SESSION

2.First Reading Ordinance Approving FY 2024 Budget Amendment No. 4 (PDF) (5 minutes)

The budget deficits in this amendment are to account for monies planned for from red light cameras and speed cameras. The SHA was very slow to grant our red light camera installation requests (which they have recently granted). The City’s speed cameras have been extremely effective causing there to be less revenue than planned.  

3 and 4. Resolution Accepting Modified Administrative Regulation Addressing Process to Request, Evaluate, and Advance Traffic Calming & Resolution Accepting Modified Administrative Regulation Addressing Process to Request, Evaluate, and Advance Sidewalk Installations and Rescinding Resolution 2015-32 (PDF) (20 minutes)

After a few small changes, I am prepared to vote in favor of this resolution. I will suggest that a report on equity & efficacy of sidewalk installation and traffic calming devices be presented to the City Council in July of 2025 and 2026. 

WORK SESSION

5. Update on Planning for the November 5, 2024 City Election and Recommended Code Amendments (PDF) (15-minute presentation; 15-minute Q&A)

I appreciate the work that has been done by our dedicated Board of Elections. The recommended amendments are to adjust for: 

1. USPS issues. If we allow ballots to be received until the fifth business day, it delays tablature and cuts it very close on swearing in of elected officials. Also, many ballots show proof of being mailed within the appropriate time frame, other than the meter stamp. This change would allow those ballots to count.  

2.  It seems appropriate to allow candidates to use loans in their campaigns. This provides guidelines on how that would work. 

6. Library Construction Project Update (PDF) (15 minutes)

• Library Construction Update Presentation (PDF) (Revised 6/4)

As per Council’s request, Director Jones is presenting us with a library construction project update. There are no changes here from the last update. She has explained how we are accounting for overages within the project. I will ask her if she can speak to any changes we have made in the project in order to help reduce costs.