Pumphrey Lot, CCT And A Lack Of Consent At The Mayor and Council Meeting 12-13-10
Dec 14, 2010 15:53 - 12 Comments
Posted by: Cindy Cotte Griffiths
Department: City Issues,News
Tags: art, budget, mayor and council, MC Recap
Department: City Issues,News
Tags: art, budget, mayor and council, MC Recap
Artwork model from Deirdre Saunder
In addition to providing information on the proposed ice rink’s demise and possible new grocery store in Town Square, Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting included discussions about other changes in Rockville and we’ll try to give you the rundown here on Rockville Central.
Death Ray
First of all, we all need to know that the General Services Department is working on a solution for the “death ray” reflection from the new District Courthouse and they will let the City know as soon as they have something solid!
New Courthouse Square Park Plaza Artwork (Say that one a few times quick!)
When the warm weather hits next summer, watch where you’re walking. This new artwork will be installed on the walking surface of the circular plaza area surrounding the “Spirit of Rockville” fountain-sculpture in front of the Redbrick Court House. This new endeavor, which is kid-proof and skateboard safe, will combine the work of two different artists into one. By unanimous decision, the Mayor and Council approved the award of $35,000 to Deirdre Saunder of Potomac for her porcelain and glass tile artwork and the new walkway will be installed April or May of next year.
Pumphrey Funeral Home Can Build A Parking Lot
By a split 3-2 decision, the Mayor and Council approved the proposed Zoning Text Amendment from Applicant William A. Pumphrey. The proposed ordinance was first introduced at the meeting on December6 and it allows Pumphrey’s to add parking on the empty lot which they own next to their building. Councilmembers Pierzchala, Gajewski and Britton in favor and Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton opposed.
Corridor City Transitway
Although the City’s official stance has been to support light rail rather than bus rapid transit for the CCT, City Manager Scott Ullery pointed out that light rail would entail intersection closures and a lot of horn blowing as the trains go through. The King Farm community has started to respond. At this point, the MD Transit CCT Coalition endorses light rail and the Smart Growth Advisory Group endorses rapid bus transit. The City will continue to support the CCT but will reconsider whether to endorse a rail or bus option as more information becomes available. Most of the right of way has been obtained for the planned route through Rockville. Based on presentation a few weeks ago, Councilmember Piotr Gajewski commented that they were not able to articulate any advantages for the light rail other than it somehow makes the transit more permanent.
The Growth And Water Elements
For months the Mayor and Council have been working on the two Elements required by the State of Maryland which needed to be amended into our Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP). After all the discussion and testimony (especially on school growth and capacity) both the Municipal Growth Element (MGE) and Water Resources Element (WRE) were officially and unanimously approved with very little fanfare.
Consent Agenda
Although items can be removed from the Consent Agenda for discussion and a separate vote, all the items remained on the Consent Agenda. Councilmembers Britton, Gajewski, and Peirzchala voted in favor, while Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton voted against. (3-2 for approval).
Here are the items:
A. The removal of three Art in Public Places sculptures recommended by the Cultural Arts Commission: “Ballgame,” the painted aluminum and steel sculpture located at Dogwood Park; “Eleven Triangles”, the wood sculpture located at Rockmead Park; and “Four Piece Construction/Variations on a Triangle” the painted muslin sculpture located in the Social Hall. All had deteriorated and been restored in the past but the condition of the sculptures merited their disposal.
B. Contract award to the sole bidder, AshBritt, Inc. of Pompano Beach, Florida (which came to our assistance last year) for emergency snow/debris related equipment rental and manpower for an amount not to exceed $2,000,000.00 per fiscal year. This company has the manpower and also equipment (such as generators) to get the City through storm emergencies and disasters. Orders only need to be placed as an emergency need arises and there is no obligation on the part of the City to procure any minimum dollar amount of services. Approval of this contract to puts a system in place in case we need it.
C. Contract award to the lowest, responsive and responsible bidder, CFI Construction Corporation of Rockville in the amount of $4,757,000 for the construction of improvements to the Gude Drive Maintenance Complex. The Gude Drive Maintenance Complex houses the Operations Divisions of the Departments of Public Works and Recreation and Parks. The facility was originally built in 1972 and has not been significantly upgraded over the past 38 years. It is greatly in need of renovation and modernization. The facilities, maintenance buildings, offices, parking areas, at the complex support the staff and equipment that provide many of the most important City services to Rockville residents, including streets and sidewalk maintenance, water/sewer systems maintenance, refuse collection, stormwater maintenance, motor vehicle maintenance, snow plowing, parks maintenance, athletic field maintenance, facility maintenance, forestry, horticulture, right-of-way maintenance, and emergency response.
D. Contract award for the Glenora Tributary Middle Stream Restoration Design Services Bid to Charles P. Johnson and Associates, Inc. (CPJ) in the amount of $205,162 to enhance the Watts Branch Watershed through stream restoration, wetland enhancement, reforestation, and protection of adjacent utilities. This project was recommended in the 2001 Watts Branch Watershed Study as a crucial component to the long-term health of the watershed. This study was recommended by the Watts Branch Partnership and adopted by the Mayor and Council on August 6, 2001.
E. Architectural/Engineering Design Contract Award to WGM of Annapolis for the Phase II Construction Administration of the Gude Drive Maintenance Facility Improvements Project in the amount of $115,300. The Gude Drive Maintenance Facility Improvement Project funds the modernization and expansion of the City’s maintenance facility. The existing facility is in need of expansion, structural rehabilitation and modernization, and requires many improvements to bring the facilities fully into compliance with current building, life safety, accessibility and other applicable codes and standards. Having been originally constructed almost forty years ago, the facility is far too small for the current size of the staff, amount of City vehicles and equipment, storage needs, etc.
F. Contract extension to Specialized Engineering in the amount not to exceed $150,000 through June 30, 2011 for supplemental inspection services. Public Works continues to utilize consultant inspection services from Specialized Engineering as a supplement to City staff. This extension simply approves additional spending authority through the remainder of FY11 in the amount not to exceed $150,000 for a total FY11 authorization of $240,000. The funding for this contract extension will be from the following CIP projects: Asphalt Maintenance 0A11 $110,000; Concrete Maintenance 0C11 $10,000; Cabin John Sewer Rehab 4A45 $10,000; Watts Branch Sewer Rehab 7B45 $10,000; and Sidewalks 6B21 $10,000.
Near the end of the meeting during Old and New Business, Councilmember Mark Pierzchala noted the vote for the Consent Agenda was 3 to 2. He asked for clarity on this matter because if an item should be taken away from the Consent Agenda then it can be removed.
Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio responded that she was voted against the Consent Agenda because it was “a lump” then added she was voting against 8c and 8e about the Gude Drive Maintenance Facility. Both were part of the bond issue.
Councilmember Pierchala continued the discussion by noting that Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton also voted against all of the bonds in a recent decision and he didn’t comment at the time because he was just so stunned. There were six components on bond issue and it would have been useful to know which projects were voted against. Heading into the next meeting when Councilmember Gajewski was away and they had to vote on the senior center expansion contract, he thought it would die 2-2 but it passed 4-0. There were six items on the bond issue and Councilmember Pierzchala would like to know which were not acceptable. One was on refinancing and it saved the City money. The dissenting votes must not have been about the Senior Center because it passed. Another part of the bonds was the new police station. His sentiment was that the Mayor should be clearer.
Mayor Marcuccio responded that she couldn’t recall exactly what he was talking about and she would need a list. As for the senior center, it received considerable funding from the Department of Aging so that at least that picked up some of the funds. The Mayor indicated she would be happy to go back and look at the vote concerning the bonds. Councilmember Pierzchala said that for clarity it should happen.
During the discussion Mayor Marcuccio then added that she doesn’t want to borrow money. Councilmember Pierzchala pointed out the City of Rockville is still AAA and not over borrowing. Borrowing money is a very appropriate way to pay for the improvements. If the Gude Drive facility is renovated, it will last another 40-50 years. Referring to the public work employees he noted, “These are the people who dug us out of 60 inches of snow last year. They deserve good working conditions.” If we’re not going to use bonds then we need to find another way to pay for the improvements because that facility has to be updated. That’s what we owe our employees:
Four of us attended the awards ceremony last week and we had people in safety boots and overalls coming up for awards. They are on the streets everyday and they need good working conditions.
Mayor Marcuccio responded that we are in an economic decline in our country and we need to be careful about how we spend our money, “I am thinking of the fiscal responsibility of the City.” She has heard the argument that we should borrow when the interest rate is low but “maybe we put it off for a year.” The City should not be pressured by low interest rates. She said she is not going to change her mind.
Councilmember Pierzchala believes, “The City can handle it” especially since we heard tonight that the Gude Drive bid came in half a million dollars under the amount expected.
Councilmember Bridget Newton commented that the City could maybe do something else.
Councilmember Pierzchala countered that he has not heard any other suggestions. He wanted to know how long we allow the facilities to continue in disrepair. Although the Mayor said she was being “financially responsible” to not borrow at this point and time, he did not agree:
The City is in strong financial condition. To not take advantage of low construction costs at this moment. To not put our employees in safe working conditions just doesn’t compute. I’m sorry I just find it very cynical.
oh, my word. i appalled at councilmember newton and the mayor expressing these vapid statements as if no one else on the council (or in the city for that matter) is “thinking of the fiscal responsibility of the city.”
these statements are dishonest and downright dangerous. when you look at the items they both vote “no” for, were they to prevail, the city would fail to meet its basic obligations to its citizens — this example shows infrastructure needs but there have been many others.
to my mind, this is no way to “govern” and i find it shameful, just shameful. the mayor has been around long enough to know better and councilmember newton seems to often not even give a reason for her actions. this sounds like economics 101 not an elected body of the second largest city in maryland.
big debates about whether to borrow or not don’t belong in the middle of a consent agenda vote. what we’re getting is mindless pandering on items that are completely appropriate and necessary.
heaven forbid important city business every comes up when councilmember britton, gajewski and pierzchala happen to be away!
councilmember pierzchala, thank you for talking about this deeply concerning issue. and cindy, for such great detail in reporting it!
“This new endeavor, which is kid-proof and skateboard safe…”
How about kid-safe and skateboard-proof?
When you have a baby, you kid proof the house by putting all harmful items up and locking cabinets, etc. so I did mean for the phrase does mean safe for kids. As for skateboard safe - I meant the artwork would be safe from skateboarders not the other way around so thanks for having me clarify!
The tiles are so small that a skateboard should not break them. The artist is local and she will follow through if anything happens to the walkway and maintain it. It is expected that nothing will “hurt” the artwork.
You just caught me wishing more downtown-area surfaces were skateboard-proof!
I hope that Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton take a moment at some point to explain why they voted not to dispose of the three deteriorated sculptures. A number of questions arise: do they want simply to leave them to continue to fall apart or would they advocate appropriating money to restore them?
Also, why did they vote not to enter into an agreement with AshBritt, Inc. (the company that ultimately came to the City’s assistance in last year’s snow storm)? The agreement costs the City nothing unless the City finds itself in need of emergency snow removal help. Without this agreement what is Mayor Marcuccio’s and Councilmember Newton’s plan for an emergency response if the City gets hit with an overwhelming snow storm again?
And why did Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton vote against contracts for such items as asphalt maintenance (the funding for which is already approved in the Capital Improvements Budget which they both voted for less than seven months ago). Do they want Rockville not to repair potholes or do they have a different plan for making these repairs?
let’s not be gratuitously bashing skateboarders, ok? the ones i know, including my son, are respectful of public property and are rarely even in town square-although they have every right to be there. there is an extremely strong police bias against skateboarders, and i can tell you of multiple and in one case serious incidents involving inappropriate police harassment of skateboarders. in many instances they were not even skateboarding-just sitting and talking, which is legal, but told to “move along.” this happened again just last weekend in front of regal.
i invite everyone to support city funding to improve the skatepark so that our teens have a good, up to date and safe place to skateboard. but they have a right to be in town square.
The opinions and statements being made by the Mayor and Councilmember Newton reveal a basic lack of understanding of how municipal and capital finance work, and I was dismayed to see it splashed in the Gazette. Rockville can put on a better face. It looks like trash wars all over again.
don’t blame the messenger. i’m thankful that the gazette and RC are shedding light on how dysfunctionally the mayor and council member newton are behaving. they are accountable to the voters.
trash-wars sounds like trading in gossip and innuendo. that’s not what’s happening here. we have people who were elected to lead and govern, yet appear not to have the tools, skills or willingness to actually do that.
I believe Tom was referring to a specific 2006-2007 political battle which badly split a prior council-the proposed switch from two-day-a-week to one-day-a-week trash collection, aka “Trash Wars.” I don’t think he meant trash talk generically.
lol!
thanks for clarifying that, erik!
Tom makes a good point. Paying cash for capital projects, as is apparently being suggested by Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton requires taxing the current Rockville residents, hoarding our money, and only when enough money is saved (which could take upwards of ten years in some cases) purchasing the needed amenity for cash. There are a number of problems with this, but at least one (which was brought up at my Townhall Meeting a week ago) is that many of us who would pay the taxes now, would actually never benefit from the amenity, as we will have moved on (either out of this life, or perhaps out of the area). Why would we want to be taxed now just to have our money go into the City’s bank account for the next five or ten years?
This is why it makes sense to borrow for large projects. We are not borrowing the money because we cannot afford the amenity (that would indeed be irresponsible); we are borrowing so that we can build the amenity presently, and then pay for it over a number of years as we are using it.
How do we know that we can afford to borrow? This can take a lot of complex analysis, but the good news is that bond rating agencies do this work for us. They are staunchly conservative in their evaluation but, after an in depth analysis, they tell us that we are so strong financially that they encourage us to borrow; and to back up their analysis they award the City with a AAA bond rating – the highest available and only awarded to truly a handful of cities Rockville’s size. And now, more good news: because of this exquisite bond rating, we can borrow at an insanely low interest rate.
For decades, the City of Rockville has funded its capital investments by borrowing. Think of any structure in the City that is City owned: it was likely financed by prudent borrowing. This is how municipalities with a strong tax base improve infrastructure. What is being proposed by Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmember Newton would completely change this approach and indeed, from the practical standpoint, halt all infrastructure work. I, for one, would not vote to collect taxes just so that they can be hoarded in the name of financing some future projects.
Erik - I was indeed referring to the absurd debate over the trash collection change. That debacle helped me cast my votes in the following election. By the way, we’re loving the new trash service, and once a week is great. Maybe we can use some of the money saved to do infrastructure if the Mayor won’t float bonds.
Theresa - I was not upset with the Gazette - I am glad they do such a great job reporting. Just sad that sometimes Rockville looks so goofy in it’s political debates. This is a large city just outside the Nation’s Capital, not some small town in Mississippi.
Councilmember Gajewski - You got my point. Floating bonds for long-term projects results in the beneficiaries of the projects being taxed to pay for them, as it should be. Paying cash forces people to pay for things other citizens use later. Rockville has a AAA rating for a reason.