Pumphrey Lot, CCT And A Lack Of Consent At The Mayor and Council Meeting 12-13-10

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.

Budget Hearing Draws Testimony (Mayor and Council Recap, December 6, 2010)

As always, when Rockville’s Mayor and Council meet, we try our best to provide a useful recap of the key points.

This week’s meeting (December 6) featured the introduction of next year’s budget . . . and a public hearing on same.

We don’t cover every last blow-by-blow, we just try to hit the highlights. If we omit something you think should be included, please consider writing up a quick note about and submit it to hello@rockvillecentral.com.

The meeting began with a brief foray into executive session to discuss the annual performance evaluation of City Manager Scott Ullery. Really and truly, it was brief: about 6 minutes.

City Manager’s Report

• Last week we learned that Moody’s and S&P reaffirmed City’s AAA bond rating. The rating agencies cited strong local economic base. Formal financial management policies and conservative principles, and the financial reserve.
• The city has received notice today that Beall Elementary capacity feasibility study is being launched by the school district. There will be a series of four meetings upcoming starting on December 16 at 7pm. (the next meetings will be on 1/6, 1/20, 2/10). The City will publicize the information as it comes in from the school board.
• Noted that there has been recent interest in the issue of traffic and transportation commission’s decision on permit parking at King Farm – the right time would be to take this issue up and act within 30 business days (by January 18, which would mean it could be taken up at the January 10 meeting). Evidently, Ingleside had requested a permit parking area, but the commission denied it.

Appointments

• Board of Appeals: Stephen Ravas (Appointment as member through December 1, 2013)
• Board of Supervisors of Elections: David Celeste (Reappointment as Chair through December 1, 2011)
• Cable Communications Advisory Committee: Theola Poole (Appointment as member until November 30, 2012)
• Environment Commission: Kris Dighe (Reappointment as Chair until December 1, 2011)

Citizens Forum

Anyone can speak at Citizens Forum. The best way is to call ahead at 240-314-8280, but typically if you just show up you can speak too. If you speak, please consider sharing your remarks with Rockville Central so we can consider publishing them in full.

• Jeremy Martin: Speaking on behalf of Traffic and Transportation Commission. Three recent fatalities on Rockville Pike make it clear pedestrian safety is a life or death issue. Commission feels these acutely. Many factors contributed to the fatalities, and many have been improved. But we need to avoid the next fatality. Motorists should keep an eye out and report problems. Also need to ensure pedestrian safety projects are adequately funded. Second issue is neighborhood connectivity. Unfortunately have not been successful in this area. Commission offers its assistance in addressing this issue.
• Steve Koeppler: Speak in support of green tax incentives for commercial buildings.
• Carrie Clabunde: On behalf of Rockville Advisory Bike Committee, spomke about plans for a 2011 Carl Henn Memorial Bike Ride. A community garden loop route that starts and ends at farmer’s market, 10-12 miles in length. July 23 or July 30.
• Spencer Isko: Spoke on behalf of the Bicycle Advisory Committee about bicyclist and motorist education.
• David Berrigan: Spoke in favor of a full time pedestrian and bicycle coordinator being funded in the FY 2012 budget.
• Carl Harger: Spoke about shifting funds to better help people who are struggling economically.
• Susan Prince: Spoke on the subject of Pumphrey’s parking lot. She is personally opposed to the text amendment allowing the parking lot, because she feels it will not alleviate the problems it claims to. She feels that little has been done to date to sincerely seek alternative solutions or to bring all the parties together to seek consensus.

First budget public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2012 Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Program

In October and November, the Mayor and Council got a preview of the FY2012 budget proposal. (Part I and Part II.) Tonight was the public’s chance to weigh in. The public record for the budget will stay open through May 20, 2011.

• Eric Siegal: On behalf of Rockville Chamber of Commerce. Spoke in favor of tax incentives for green and sustainable building practices. There is also a considerable need for incentives that go beyond just energy retrofits.
• John Moser: President of the Scholarship Foundation of the City of Rockville. Wishes for the City to increase its contribution to $10,000 (from $5,000) because the need has gone up considerably.
• David Borchard: Spoke in favor of the incentive property tax credit. 85% of the buildings that will be in existence in 2020 have already been built. “We can’t build our way to a sustainable future,” he said.
• Reeve Brenner: Speaking on behalf of the Rockville Association for Recreational Equality – thank you for the Bank Shot court in Mattie Stepanek Park. (Brenner is the inventor of Bankshot Basketball.)
• Nancy Breen: Chair of the Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee. A full time bike and pedestrian coordinator is needed for the City of Rockville.
• Chris Noonan Stern: Speaking on behalf of people who use the Swim and Fitness Center, as the chair of its advisory committee. 300,000 people use the facility every year. The outdoor bathhouse must be upgraded and maintained. It is used by over 700 people each day.
• Tom Weco: Expressed enthusiastic support for the staff position fo pedestrian and bicycle safety.
• Jim Vitale: Spoke about a more macro perspective. Social Security and other public benefit programs have been frozen for two years. Suggested Rockville do the same – freeze its budget. (A conceptual discussion on principles ensued.)

Review & Comment – First Quarter FY 2011 Financial Report

The Mayor and Council received the Q1 financial report. There was limited discussion.

(At this time Mayor Marcuccio left to give testimony on a Montgomery County bill. Those remaining chose as their Mayor Pro Tem Councilmember John Britton.)

Introduction of Ordinance to Approve Zoning Text Amendment TXT2010-00228

Yes, this is the Pumphrey’s Amendment. (Will allow the funeral home to build a parking lot on adjacent land.) This vote is for introduction of the amendment – the actual vote will come next week. That said, the vote was in favor of introduction.

The next Mayor and Council meeting is December 13. See you!

Councilmember Gajewski Town Hall December 16

Piotr Gajewski at his first town hall

As he does on about a quarterly basis (and has done for some years), Councilmember Piotr Gajewski will be holding a “townhall meeting” at City Hall where anyone who is interested can come and engage him on City issues. This is a good way to get to know a councilmember as an individual rather than just as a member of a legislative body.

The details, from the City:

Rockville City Councilmember Piotr Gajewski will host a Townhall meeting on Thursday, Dec. 16, at 8 p.m. in the Black-Eyed Susan Room at Rockville City Hall.

The agenda for the meeting will include a discussion of recent Mayor and Council action items, as well as an open forum for residents to ask questions or share their views on Rockville-related issues and projects. The meeting will not be televised.

The meeting will be held at Rockville City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave. For more information, call the City Clerk’s Office at 240-314-8280.

Workshop On Energy-Efficiency Incentives, Residential Tax Credits Expire

The City of Rockville along with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection are hosting a two-part workshop focused on energy-efficiency incentives businesses, multi-family properties and other organizations.

The workshops will be held on December 13, 2010 at Glenview Mansion:

8 to 9 AM Participating in the Pepco C&I Energy Savings Program Trade Ally Network
Contractors, auditors, architects and others should attend this event to learn how to become part of the Trade Ally Network. Once approved by the Program, registered trade allies are listed in the Pepco directory and get an important business leg-up in delivering services under the program.

9:30 to 11 AM–Receiving Cash Incentives for Energy-Efficiency Improvements
Learn how to access incentives that provide cash for businesses, multi-family and other organizations to make energy-efficiency improvements. Property owners, business owners, property managers, boards of trustee members, maintenance staff and others should attend this event to learn more about how the program works and hear success stories of organizations that have upgraded their properties with the help of Pepco programs.

Government staff may be available to discuss other incentives and programs. Space is limited, so you must RSVP to eric.coffman@montgomerycountymd.gov if you are interested in attending.

Consultants who are part of the Pepco Commercial/Industrial Program will provide an overview of the incentives implemented under the Governor’s EmPOWER Maryland initiative to assist organizations in overcoming the first costs of energy-efficiency improvements.

The EmPOWER Maryland initiative was created to reduce energy consumption by 15% by the year 2015. To help achieve this goal, the Maryland Energy Administration encourages residents to adopt the combination of energy savings measures that are most appropriate for their home. In many cases, these measures do not require a large financial investment.

As part of the EmPOWER Maryland legislation, Maryland’s five utilities offer many programs to save your home or business energy — and money. Programs include lighting and appliance rebates for homeowners, home energy audits, commercial lighting rebates, and energy efficiency services for industrial facilities. Each utility offers slightly different programs.

Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credits For Residential Properties Expire Soon

If you have been thinking about getting tax credits for energy efficiency in your home, these credits will expire at the end of this year. Suitable projects include an insulation job, heating and cooling system replacement, or new windows.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides a tax credit for 30% of the cost or up to $1,500 towards specific energy-efficiency improvements for residential properties in 2009 and 2010. On many products you may also be eligible to receive rebates from programs provided by utilities including Pepco.

However, if you are considering an solar or geothermal system, no reason to panic these credits are slated to be available until 2016.

The DOE Energy Savers Program has published a helpful fact sheet on the federal tax credits.

New Courthouse Creates “Death Ray”

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

ABC 7/TBD has a news report about our new District Court House. Apparently the south-facing wall of windows reflects the sun to such a high degree that people on the street feel the heat.  The reflection is actually burning the people and plants below. Picture a handheld mirror frying ants scurrying around on the ground — but on a much larger scale.

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

As we know, many in Rockville weren’t happy about the over-sized building in the first place. Now we’re facing the “death ray” on our brightest days.

Rockville City staff with basement offices facing the building have had to add shades on their windows in City Hall due to the glare.

A construction worker brought the situation to the State’s attention. Now the Maryland Department of General Services needs to work with the architect, AECOM, to find a solution. Adding a non-reflective coating to the windows might solve the problem.

Think about the solar possibilities here! Really, this should be a solar-powered building!

Have you noticed the effect of the “death ray” windows?

Trucks, Traffic And China At The Mayor And Council Meeting 11-22-10

This week’s Mayor and Council meeting was so short, it might have been a record when it ended at 9:25 PM. We provide this brief summary of each meeting to keep you informed.

Present: Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio, Councilmembers John Britton, Bridget Newton, and Mark Pierzchala.

City Manager’s Report

Scott Ullery passed along timely and encouraging information from the Maryland Chief of Police Association. Through 2009 the number of people injured in automobile accidents has declined and fatalities are fewer than last year and the year before in Maryland.

The brand new Chamber of Commerce “Rockville Rewards” program launched and we are all encouraged to purchase a card to help 15 area nonprofits. Marketing consultant, Jane Meyer explained the membership cards will offer two types of deals for either everyday savings or more substantive weekly offers from local businesses. Each card is $25 and the details are now available at RockvilleRewards.com.

Appointments

The Mayor and Council appointed Don Hadley to the Planning Commission and John Beins and Marcia L. Rehm to the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board.

Construction and Cars

The expansion of the fitness facilities at the Rockville Senior Center can begin since the Mayor and Council awarded a contract to CFI Construction Corporation of Rockville for $1,917,000.00 for the work. Also eight 2011 Crown Victorias will be purchased for use as police cars at an estimated cost of $24,960 each for a total acquisition of about $199,680.

Rockville Sister City Corporation’s Report from Trip to Jiaxing, China

Former Mayor Jim Coyle, Sister City delegate to Jiaxing, presented the report and recommendations. Jiaxing seems more interested in development and business rather than cultural exchanges. During the discussion, everyone hoped the cultural exchanges would eventually follow so the relationship was worth pursuing. The Sister City Board will draft a letter to be sent to Jiaxing officials asking them to evaluate the current relationship and the steps they would like to take to move the process forward.

Draft Municipal Growth Element (MGE) To Amend the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan

Staff presented the revised document and received final direction on the draft document which will be returned to the Mayor and Council for adoption at the December 6, 2010 meeting. Mayor Marcuccio asked for an explanation because she wanted to make sure that when the Comprehensive Master Plan is reviewed, that this document could be changed. It was explained that this document will become part of the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan. If the Mayor and Council want to amend the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan in the future, they can.

Community Block Grant Application

The Mayor and Council approved allocating grants from the City of Rockville’s Federal CDBG funds through Montgomery County in the anticipated amount of $304,000, including the allowable 15% of the fund amount for public service agencies which is $45,600. Nine different programs at seven agencies applied with grant requests totaled $160,000 but only three could be chosen for the $45,600 possible:

• Rockville Community Ministries, Elderly and Disabilities Ministries $15,600
• Rockville Presbyterian Church, Rainbow Place $15,000
• Stepping Stones Shelter, Evening Case Management Services $15,000

The rest of the funds would be designated as follows:

• Rockville Housing Enterprises (RHE) for public housing improvements at David Scull Court $111,202
• Rockville’s Single-Family Rehabilitation Program and administration $97,198
• Rehabilitation program staffing $50,000

Truck And Neighborhood Traffic Management

The Mayor and Council discussed the Neighborhood Traffic Management and Truck Traffic on Residential Streets. Excessive traffic volumes on residential streets are undesirable and contribute to increased noise, vibration, and air pollution, in addition to possible deterioration of the streets themselves.

Since the Traffic and Transportation Commission has not reviewed the existing Guidelines for Neighborhood Traffic Management since 2005 when they unanimously agreed that they are adequate and follow national standards, the Mayor and Council decided to have the Traffic and Transportation Commission take another look at the policy.
Councilmember Pierzchala asked for an explanation on the authority of the Mayor and Council with regards to traffic restrictions. They can put truck restrictions on any road.

Councilmember Newton believes there is a right to review the truck use on Great Falls Road regardless of any decisions made when the road went from State to City control. She also believes truck restrictions should be placed on West Montgomery and Redland. Truck traffic on Maryland Avenue makes more sense since far fewer houses face the street, although she is not suggesting Maryland Avenue get truck traffic. She wants all the street traffic in the City reviewed.

Surprisingly, on the map used for the meeting, a section of Great Falls Road was shown to restrict trucks already, so this map designation will be investigated.

Mayor Marcuccio expressed concerns about traffic on Park Road.

City Staff Emad Elshafei pointed out that if truck restrictions were placed on Redland, Great Falls, Maryland, and West Montgomery, we would not be allowing trucks in the City. Councilmember Newton said trucks could use Gude Drive or Key West and go around to Rt. 355.

Councilmember Pierzchala pointed out Gude Drive is abutted by three neighborhoods even though you can’t see them from the street. Residents experience the noise. With the Great Seneca development, Gude will be receiving more traffic in the future. Councilmember Newton said homes don’t front Gude as they do on other streets where they need to enter the street. Councilmember Pierzchala reemphasized that even so, Gude has its own considerations.

City Manager Ullery reviewed the four decisions made during the discussion:

(1.) The Traffic and Transportation Commission will take a look at the Guidelines since it has been five years. (2.) Since traffic issues involve enforcement, the Chief of Police will be contacted to determine areas to target for enforcement. (3.) Additional streets will be tested to determine their current thresholds for traffic. (4.) The agreement and requirements on Great Falls Road will be investigated.

The November 29th meeting has been cancelled so the next Mayor and Council Meeting is Monday, December 6, 2010 at 7 PM with a Public Hearing on the FY 12 Budget.

Report Something Messed Up In Rockville

Here at Rockville Central, we always try to be public-spirited. So, with that in mind, we are unveiling our new “Something’s Messed Up!” service.

See something that’s not right, that could use a little attention? A pothole, a graffiti tag, a streetlight? A tree fell over?

Just report it here.

We will share your reports with the right people in the City of Rockville. (Note that we ask for your email address. We will share that with the City so they can respond, but we will NOT share it with anyone else.)

Courthouse Construction And The Farmer’s Market

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

During the tour of the new District Courthouse last summer, the schedule indicated construction of the building would be completed in December. Over the weekend I noticed the building appeared to be close. Well it turns out, the construction is still on target and the building will be completed in December and opened for use in March 2011.

As part of the process, Maryland Avenue will be closed on Saturday, November 20, between 8 AM and 6 PM in order to shut down an abandoned valve in the water line. Three lanes of Maryland Avenue will be closed between East Jefferson and Vinson Street. Flaggers will direct traffic through that block. There will be no impact to water service to the homes in the area.

Since I live right off Maryland Avenue by City Hall, this is of particular interest to me but if you are going to the last Farmer’s Market of the season, it might be of interest to you too. When driving up Maryland Avenue, you should expect a slight delay and you should turn right on Fleet Street.

Since I’m preparing the big meal for my extended family, I know I’m planning on my annual Thanksgiving trek to the Farmer’s Market for the herbs, pumpkins, potatoes, spinach, cider, and turkeys. This is a one-stop shop for the entire meal. Even if you don’t buy at the Farmer’s Market regularly, you should for this special holiday meal. The quality will make all the difference.

Turkey On Handlebars Is Heavy by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Although I sometimes take my bike, I don’t recommend it for the purchase of a large turkey!

Next Steps For Envisioning Rockville Pike

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Back in 2007, the City of Rockville started a planning process with consultants to develop a vision for the future of Rockville Pike within the City boundaries which has been dubbed Rockville’s Pike: Envision a Great Place.

I wrote about all of the meetings which led up to a charrette. As we know, Rockville Pike is currently zoned for low-density retail and our complaints about the traffic are justified. Even with the slowdown, the Pike has economic possibilities. Throughout the process with the consultants, people talked about the good and the bad about the Pike.

What do you want to see happen on Rockville Pike in the future? Completely mixed-use like Rockville Town Center? Walkable self-contained communities? Big shopping locations with parking? A place to buy everything you need for your family? A boulevard with bike and bus lanes? Lanes for through traffic? Better intersections?

As properties are re-developed over time, the zoning will determine what is built. We can set the direction through the planning process. The goal of the reenvisiong process is “to create a great location for people to shop, work, live, gather and move.”

The City’s contract consulting team, headed by ACP Vision­ing and Planning, is finalizing the draft document developed from the envisioning process. They will be making their way around to our Boards and Commissions and holding many other public meetings to get our opinions. We all will have the opportunity to help define the future of the Pike.

After the consultants release the draft report, it will be presented to the Planning Commission and Mayor and Council, then a public hearing will be conducted with the Planning Commission. Through work sessions, the Planning Commission will refine the plan then forward it to the Mayor and Council for review, approval, and adoption.

Here’s how you can be involved:

In addition to participating in these work sessions, you will have the opportunity to attend an “open house” for discussion with the consultants and City staff.

You should sign up for the emails from the Rockville’s Pike Interest Group by going to www.rockvillemd.gov/rockvillespike.

After the draft plan is posted on the City’s website, you can send comments via e-mail to rockvillepikeplan@rockvil­lemd.gov  or via regular mail to: City of Rockville, Dept. of Community Planning and Development Services,111 Mary­land Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850-2364.

The Pike is too important to all of us to ignore its future or think it’s the State’s responsibility. We can work to create a great place.

Mayor And Council Talk About Development And Zoning For A Change (Mayor And Council Meeting 11-15-2010)

As always, when Rockville’s Mayor and Council meet, we try our best to provide a useful recap of the key points. This week’s meeting (November 15) featured lots and lots of talk about development and zoning!

Here’s our rundown.

City Manager’s Report

City Manager Scott Ullery had two items.

First, a NORAD drill will go on between Midnight and 2am Tuesday. Things could get loud. Secondly, the MC meeting is streamed live on the website but there are intermittent problems. (I was able to link in no problem. Whew.)

Appointments

Dr. Karen Becker was appointed as a member and chair of the Animal Matters Board.

Citizens Forum

Anyone can speak at Citizens Forum. The best way is to call ahead at 240-314-8280, but typically if you just show up you can speak too. If you speak, please consider sharing your remarks with Rockville Central so we can consider publishing them in full.

Carl Harger: Talked about problems he sees with mortgages and foreclosures.

Susan Prince: Speaking in capacity as president of WECA, though not at WECA’s direction. Thank you for organizing the Communications Task Force. Two issues when it comes to development review. 1) Difficult for average citizen to get a handle on the process. It seems to go so quickly. 2) No mechanism for addressing citizen concerns about particular projects. When a citizen raises a concern in an area meeting, there is no incentive for the developer to address the citizen’s concerns.

Jack Gelin: Rockville has grown from a small city to a large city. But we have a bureaucracy that has grown and is no longer needed. Citizens feel alienated. Loss of citizen empowerment can only be solved if you take seriously the Communications Task Force recommendations. They are serious recommendations from serious people.

Proposed Zoning Amendment: Pumphrey Funeral Home

Last month, the Mayor and Council heard pros and cons about allowing the Pumphrey Funeral Home to build a parking lot on the lot next to their main building. This would be a “nonconforming use” that would be intended to alleviate parking problems in the neighborhood.

Tonight the Mayor and Council considered the issue and provided direction to staff on whether to move forward on the it.

Councilmember Mark Pierzchala asked whether there is anything that would prohibit the Mayor and Council from taking the step. (The Pumphrey attorney said no.) He said he is voting for the measure for safety reasons.

Councilmember John Britton said he thought this was an intensification of use, but not a new use. He disagrees that an additional parking lot would change anything about the type of use Pumphrey’s makes of its property.

Councilmember Bridget Donnell Newton said she was not inclined favorably to the proposal, that adding a parking lot is definitely a new use. She also pointed out that in her view the not enough had been done to creatively come up with other ways to mitigate traffic and parking (for instance, parking at Julius west Middle School or Rockville Presbyterian Church).

Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio said she cannot support the measure for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that there is no turning back. If the property changes hands in the future, the new owner will still have a parking lot. This would be a change from a residential lot to a more commercial lot.

Councilmember Piotr Gajewski spoke up to say that in his view Pumphrey’s had been a good neighbor and wanted to make sure that others did not think differently. (Other members of the Mayor and Council agreed that Pumphrey’s is a good neighbor.)

The motion passed 3-2 (Britton, Gajewski, Pierzchala yes, Marcuccio, Newton no).

More Talk About Zoning, Part One: Communication Task Force Recommendation on Development Review Process

Commission members Noreen Bryan and Elise Gussow presented recommendations from the Communications Task Force, specifically about the development review process. They focused primarily on a set of recommendations about alternative dispute recommendations. This raises a number of issues, while the idea also garnered agreement. Councilmember Britton pointed out that the Planning Commission is, in theory, the body where citizen disputes over development play out – he said this raises the issue of whether we need to rethink our approach to the Planning Commission.

Councilmember Newton pointed out that much of the negotiating give and take begins at the first meeting between staff and developer. They develop a relationship, compromise, and reach agreements. By the time it gets to the Planning Commission, it becomes a done deal. She supports an ombudsman role supported by development fees, to insure that meetings are fair and minutes are accurate. “Lately all we get is the far left and the far right. It’s a little like Capitol Hill.”

Councilmember Britton replied “The Planning Commission should not be afraid of denying applications. It should never be a done deal at the Planning Commission.”

Mayor Marcuccio wondered aloud whether this was too much to expect from volunteer Planning Commission members.”

Councilmember Gajewski said that if the Planning Commission is broken in any way, it needs to be fixed. He suggested that it may be time to begin thinking about compensating members of the Planning Commission. The key, in his view, is ensuring quality people are serving. He also said he was skeptical that a body with teeth could be created that would address disputes after the Planning Commission has reached its decision. He said he likes the idea of an ombudsman, a professional person whose job is to be a contact person for everyone other than the applicant.

Councilmember Pierzchala said that each individual recommendation may make sense, but all together it seems like a bureaucratic mass. He also said he is skeptical of the ombudsman idea. “How does a citizen have a voice?” he said, “is the real question.” He said he would rather focus on procedures.

The report contains many recommendations, and the discussion ranged widely. However, a number of decisions did come out. The Mayor and Council voted unanimously to make the following recommendations:

• Change the City’s “Development Flowchart” to clearly show where citizen input fits in, and to make that point relatively forward int eh process;
• Ensure the City continues to provide all the pertinent documents to citizens when requested, including online (as they now do);
• Make DRC meetings open to the public (and alert them that they are taking place);
• Urge the Planning Commission to abandon the “three minute rule” as it is seen as overly restrictive to citizen input;
• Create a Citizens Implementation Committee to work with staff, board/commissions or others on implementing Task Force recommendations;
• Change the initial public process so that the Pre-application Area Meeting would occur prior to the Pre-application DRC Meeting;
• Change the procedure for the the Post-application Area Meeting so that it is attended by City staff to answer questions but is conducted by the applicant;
• Ensure minutes of all Area Meetings are taken by an objective outside source and paid for by the applicant;
• Ensure that the notice of filing include the date of the DRC meeting; and
• Spell out that public notices should include: the brochure (already implemented), information on the Planning Academy, anticipated timeline, location map, site plan if appropriate, and a brief project description (i.e. 3-4 pages).

More Talk About Zoning, Part Two: Communication Task Force Recommendation on Development Review Process

The next item on the agenda was rooted in an April 26 memo to City staff by Councilmember Pierzchala. His memo sought to clarify a number of issues in the new Zoning code. This kicked off a review by City staff, and a number of clarifications between Councilmember Pierzchala and staff. At the end of the day, there were a number of issues on the table for the Mayor and Council to consider:

1. Clarify the terms “dwelling” and “kitchen.” (Currently, the presence of a kitchen defines a “dwelling.” That means that you can establish a dwelling just by adding a kitchen.)
2. Eliminate height waiver for senior housing in small zones but keep it in large zones.
3. Simplify and streamline the review process.
4. Review all special exceptions for institutional uses in residential zones.
5. Add photos or graphics in development review documents.
6. Clarify what is a “minor” amendment.
7. Simplify review of small-scale projects.
8. Update sign provisions.
9. Various technical corrections.
10. Improve the review process (the final five bullets above).

Staff will draft language that implements these changes and bring it back to the Mayor and Council.

Councilmember Pierzchala brought up a number of issues that he felt still could use some discussion from this memo.

The first is the definition of family. Currently it is

“An individual, or two (2) or more persons, all of whom are related to each other by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, adoption, guardianship or other duly authorized custodial relationship, or a group of not more than five (5) persons all of whom are not related to each other by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, adoption, guardianship, or other duly authorized custodial relationship, living together as a single housekeeping group in a dwelling unit.”

Councilmember Pierzchala would like to reduce the 5 down to 3. “Five unrelated people is piling on,” he said.

City Attorney Debra Yerg Daniel pointed out that this change may tend to cause problems when it comes to equal treatment, as well as the Fair Housing Act. The Mayor and Council did not take action on this issue.

Another issue related to mixed use zones. In such zones it is possible for a zone to go 100% to one use (for instance, residential). Councilmember Pierzchala asked whether the City wanted to require mixed use in such cases.

The response from City staff was that it might be most prudent not to try to control the market. Today, mixed use is in vogue. Down the road, the market may change. By requiring mixed use, this could get in the way of later appropriate development.

Attorney Daniel also pointed out that courts have decided that what is explicitly state din a zoning ordinance controls, notwithstanding what a city’s master plan may call for.

Councilmember Britton said he would not like to mandate mixed use on a per-lot basis, but wants to devise a way to require mixed use in larger areas. Staff will work on this.

Councilmember Gajewski expressed some concern about changing the zoning ordinance so deeply while it is still so new. “Will every new mayor and council make changes like this?” he wondered.

The next Mayor and Council meeting is November 22, 2010.

Today Is America Recycles Day

Recycling Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

At last Monday’s Mayor and Council Meeting, Rockville officially proclaimed our City’s support for America Recycles Day. What does this mean?

Since 1997 it’s the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States. Today more than 2,000 events have been registered from electronics recycling to art exhibits. Keep America Beautiful sponsors the event.

Since Rockville recycles almost everything, this year’s theme, “I Recycle” is very appropriate. As Craig Simoneau, Director of Public Works, professed during the information sessions for our new recycling program, “our old garbage can has become ‘The Cart of Last Resort’. Now our family has containers for all the paper/cardboard and a plastic bag for all the plastic bags/wrappers in addition to our garbage can.

As I wrote in New Refuse and Recycling Program: What You Need To Know, almost everything goes in the big recycling cart.

The absolute best part of the new recycling program is that you don’t have to sort anything. Just throw everything in the cart! Old hard and soft cover books can even be recycled if they aren’t good enough to donate to the library. Pizza boxes can go in even if they have that usual grease stain (however if the box is completely stained you should put in in refuse instead). You don’t need to worry about the numbers on any plastic items anymore. You can even keep the lids or screw tops on the bottles/jars because they will be crushed before they ever make it to the recycling plant. All the paper wrappings from your takeout can go in the cart too, as well as those healthy yogurt containers. If your aerosol can is empty throw it in. If you shred documents, put the shreds in a brown paper bag and roll it up before putting it in the cart.

Some plastic items cannot be recycled. A chemical in the plastic of “clam-shell” containers used for strawberries/blueberries and prepared chicken cannot be recycled and there is no market for this plastic. No automotive fluid or pesticide bottles, PVC piping, vinyl siding, Styrofoam, or water hoses can be put in recycling. These and other items still need to be put in the regular trash.

Even though we have the new recycling program, I still find a few items mistakenly put in the trash can. Today’s a good opportunity to reinforce your recycling habits.

Before we even bring products home we can also make smarter consumer choices by choosing products which are not packaged individually and placing food in reusable containers.

Ritchie Park Elementary began a new program called Waste Free Wednesdays. On one day a week, students bring a completely waste free lunch to win prizes. I’ll admit the first week we went through great effort to make a lunch with a washable sandwich containers and water bottle. I thought I did great job but when my son came home we had failed! I had absentmindedly wrapped one of our forks in a paper napkin so the lunch didn’t qualify! It’s been a very thought provoking weekly exercise which has been inspiring me to be waste free more often.

Here are some ways to make today more meaningful:

• Check what we can recycle in Rockville.
• Take the America Recycles Day Pledge and commit to recycling as often as possible. Spread the word and tell your friends.
• Download the America Recycles Day badge and show your support by featuring it as your Facebook avatar for the day.
• Download the Aluminate™ iPhone App to help boost your aluminum recycling efforts. Alcoa will donate $1 to Keep America Beautiful for every download.
• Commit to recycle, and ask your friends to as well, by making a Dream Machine ‘Bottle Promise’ at www.facebook.com/DreamMachine.

Get more recycling facts, tips and tools at americarecyclesday.org.

Parents Asked To Support the RM Cluster Testimony

RPES Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Many parents have voiced their concern about school overcrowding in the Richard Montgomery Cluster during public meetings in Rockville. Now the time for testimony to the Board of Education regarding the Superintendent’s Recommended FY 2012 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2011-2016 Capital Improvements Program has finally been announced.

Representatives from the Richard Montgomery Cluster will be testifying before the Montgomery County Board of Education on Thursday, November 11, 2010. The time frame for testimony is from 6:45 until 8 PM. The hearing begins at 7 PM. At Monday night’s Mayor and Council meeting, Mayor Marcuccio and Councilmembers Britton and Pierzchala indicated they were willing to provide testimony, so these elected officials will speak first followed by the Cluster Representatives.

The Richard Montgomery Cluster includes Ritchie Park Elementary, College Gardens Elementary, Twinbrook Elementary, Beall Elementary, Julius West Middle School, and Richard Montgomery High School. The testimony will include comments on the MCPS proposal to study the creation of a new school in the RM cluster and the expansion of Julius West. The testimony will also focus on the additions planned for Ritchie Park, Beall, and Twinbrook, as well as the transfer of the Chinese Immersion Program from College Gardens to the new school when it is built.

Cluster representatives have been encouraging parents to attend and show the Montgomery County Public Schools and Board Of Education that the community is very concerned about the growth in enrollment. All of the Cluster’s elementary schools are over capacity. Parents will be advocating for a plan to alleviate overcrowding in the schools within the City limits.

The testimony will be given at the Carver Center Auditorium (850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville, next to Montgomery College). Parking is available in the lot on the Rt. 355 side of the building and the North entrance is on the right set back slightly from the flagpole entrance to the building. Parents are encouraged to wear or carry their school’s spirit wear, or to bring a handmade sign the size of a piece of paper to show support. Of course, everyone attending is expected to remain quiet during the testimony and leave quietly at the appropriate time.

Many have hoped that the energy recently revealed in meetings at the schools will result in a strong showing before the Board of Education during this opportunity to testify.

City Changes Ordinances Regarding Major Snow Storms

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

After all the snow last winter, it’s no surprise that the Mayor and Council made changes to the snow emergency provisions for accumulations of more than 10 inches.

Park On The Even Side Of The Street

During a snow emergency, vehicles must now be moved to the even-numbered side of the street and stay there during the snow emergency. Vehicles should not to be moved to the odd-numbered side of the street when the snowfall stops and the road is cleared, as has been mandated in the past. Residents very clearly expressed a desire to limit plows coming back down the street which plows in their driveways after the snow stops.

The requirements for parking on cul-de-sacs during snow emergencies is unchanged.

Residents are still encouraged to park in driveways prior to any snowfall. The City may also, depending on the storm severity, invite residents who do not have driveways to park in designated City-owned parking garages and lots during snow emergencies.

72 Hours To Clear The Snow From Sidewalks

The second change gives residents more time to clear the snow from sidewalks when the snowfall is more than 10 inches. We have 24 hours if snowfall is less than 3 inches and 48 inches if it is more than 3 inches. Now, a third tier has been added. If the snowfall is more than 10 inches, we have 72 hours after the end of a snowfall to clear snow and ice accumulation.

Clearing Fire Hydrants

As for clearing snow from the fire hydrants in front of your home, the new ordinance passed has voluntary compliance. This means residents with fire hydrants in front of their homes are being asked to remove snow from fire hydrants within 72 hours after the end of a 10-inch snowfall.

Although residents with fire hydrants in front of their homes are specifically being asked to clear the hydrants, all the neighbors on the street, or even neighborhood associations, could come together as a community to make sure fire hydrants are visible and accessible for the safety of all the homes in the neighborhood.

Fire Hydrant Identification Pilot

Remember the buried fire hydrants? The City will also be starting a pilot program for fire hydrant identification and will be adding poles to some of the 1,370 fire hydrants. Since they cost $15-$16 each, installation on all fire hydrants could cost about $22,000. When plows hit the fire hydrants, repairs are costly and can cost up to $20,000 per season. If the fire department cannot find a fire hydrant, this is also a serious safety issue. Keep an eye out for the new poles.

Mayor And Council Meeting’s About Schools, The Budget, And A Few Other Issues 11/8/10

We always try to keep readers informed about the decisions at the Mayor and Council meetings and this week is no exception!

City Manager’s Report time was turned over to MTA Project Manager, Rick Kiegel about the CCT
People are throwing around the “CCT” acronym but some of the candidates for County Council didn’t even know what it means. It’s the Corridor Cities Transitway for either light rail or rapid bus planned along the I-270 corridor north of Rockville. The CCT route starts at Shady Grove Metro, goes to the Gaithersburg MARC Station, then up I-270 to the Comsat facility though the final alignment has not been decided. Two of the stations would be in the City limits on King Farm Boulevard. Plans for the transitway were in place before King Farm was built. The light rail option would involve warning “honks” at intersections. The CCT study is part of the larger I-270/US 15 Multi-Modal Corridor Study which studies the Corridor all the way past Frederick. These projects involve possible improvements to 30 miles of I-270. If you ever use the I-270 stretch directly north of our City or live in King Farm, you need to pay attention. A public hearing on secondary environmental impact will be held at the Bohrer Park Community Center in Gaithersburg on December 15, 2010 from 4-8 PM.

Recycle!
During the Proclamations, the Mayor and Council proclaimed November 15th as America Recycles Day so let’s make sure we take advantage of Rockville’s extensive recycling program and think about other ways to participate.

Montgomery County Heritage Area
Should Rockville Join the Montgomery County Heritage Area? The Mayor and Council unanimously approved a motion to instruct the staff to explore the City’s participation. No expenses are expected with membership and other jurisdictions such as Poolesville and Brookville are part of the program. The general consensus was that the the investment was sound and would help in our efforts to make Rockville a destination. Councilmember Pierzchala in particular felt it was “Well worth it, in my opinion.” Since minor changes must be made to the Master Plan indicating the goals of the Heritage Area are parallel to the Master Plan, public hearings would be required which, as Councilmember Britton stated, could take five months.

Three Different Documents Concerning the Schools:

Board budget and CIP

The letter to be used as Testimony to the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) regarding the Superintendent’s Recommended FY 2012 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2011-2016 Capital Improvements Program was discussed. The Council included wording to emphasize the need for Twinbrook Elementary’s addition process to go forward. Councilmember Britton noted all the schools in Rockville are over capacity yet a school like Cold Spring on the City’s border is not. Since 100 students at Beall Elementary have waivers, he wants to understand the reasons why these students have been granted waivers. Mayor Marcuccio wanted language indicating the cottages were taking up space used for recess and the additional load to the school is an impact on the entire operation of the school. Councilmember Gajewski warned against including arguments that are common to the whole system believing that the Council should present a unique argument for Rockville. The letter will be broken down into bulleted talking points for the Mayor and Councilmembers Britton and Pierzchala to use when testifying before the Board of Education next this week.

Changes and discussion to two other letters regarding the schools were also discussed: (1.) Response to Dr. Weast’s Letter about “Relocatable Classrooms” which will ask MCPS to work with City officials about issuing the permits for portables. Dr. Weast’s letter states they will not comply with mandatory referral process but State law requires it. (2.) Another letter was drafted to the Montgomery County State delegation regarding their recent Bill proposed to grant the County government exclusive ability to issue permits so the school board would not need to come through the City process at all.

FY 2012 Budget Preview

Mr. Ullery began the process by commenting that the results of the survey of the Mayor and Council are instructive. The Mayor and Council embarked on a lengthy discussion of the budget principles and provided instruction where disagreement existed. A public hearing on the budget will be held on December 6th. January 10th has been scheduled for the budget decision. Councilmembers commented that they reserve the right to change their survey answers as the process goes forward.

• A 1% increase in employee compensation, which was part of the negotiated agreement for the union, will also automatically go to all the staff which has been the long-standing and sound practice in Rockville. In case you aren’t aware, four major categories of staff include 107 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), 56 Fraternal Order of the Police, 12 Executive Staff, and 325 General Administration staff. Although the Council would like to maintain current Health, Pension and Retired Health Employee Benefits, Mr. Ullery agreed that modifications might be needed.
• A majority of Mayor and Council do not agree that the City provide funding for previously approved programs and services at the current levels. Councilmember Britton would like to review this area. Councilmember Newton commented that she reserves the right to change her answer which was “No Opinion” on the survey. Councilmember Gajewski explained that he “Strongly Disagrees” because it looks like the City is facing fiscal austerity and some programs might need to be changed to go forward, such as under-used recreation programs.
• A majority of the Council were not willing to increase the funding for Caregiver Agencies, even by 1% ($5,000). Councilmember Britton wants to increase funding but not a particular amount. Councilmember Pierzchala and Mayor Marcuccio disagree. Councilmember Newton was “No Opinion”. Councilmember Gajewski believes that many are vulnerable and an increase is justified since the need presented each year has been greater than what the City funded and the need is growing. Mayor Marcuccio wants to look at who the City serves and what they will need, but doesn’t want to make a blanket increase to programs. Councilmember Gajewski disagreed that the City doesn’t look at programs because it does every year. Mayor Marcuccio then admitted that these funds are a drop in the bucket to which Councilmember Gajewski agreed and stated again that the City should do more. Councilmember Britton agrees that the City does go through the program needs on an annual basis and can’t imagine any group coming in without a greater need and it needs to be accommodated. Councilmember Pierzchala might agree when sees how funds come out. Mayor Marcuccio again stated she doesn’t know what people will be requesting. The survey results of 2-2 with one “No Opinion” means nothing would be done, though this could be considered again later in the process. As I chair the Human Services Advisory Commission, this principle is of interest to me, hence the long description.
• The Parking Garage situation is headed for even harder times. The planned FY 2012 budget includes a $1.2 million transfer from the General Fund to the Parking Fund to support the parking enterprise. Councilmember Newton doesn’t want to raise parking garage fees. Councilmember Pierzchala wants to keep the transfer at $1 million and if this means an increase he would support it. Councilmember Britton does not support an increase in rates either. Mr. Ullery made mention of future fund concerns and when Councilmember Gajewski pursued an explanation, an estimate of a $1.7 million loss in 2014 and a $2.4 million loss in 2015 were revealed. A gap between revenue and expenditures has always been expected for the parking garages which were to be a catalyst to build out the entire Town Center and the garages were not intended to be self-supporting.
• On the revenue side, the Council agrees the Property Tax Rates will be maintained at $0.292 for Real Property and $0.805 for Personal Property. However, the $100 Income Tax Offset Property Tax Credit may be removed. Councilmember Gajewski described withdrawing it to be equivalent to a tax increase of $100 per household. He clearly stated he would not raise taxes in this manner to maintain the golf course, if that is what we are raising taxes to support. If that is the reason, he will withdraw his support because he believes taxes should fund increases that are absolutely necessary at this time. The Council also discussed bringing the Redgate Golf Course into the General Fund.

All of these issues will continue to be considered during the budget process. All of our elected officials have indicated the City cannot do everything without raising funds.

A Window Into Mayor And Council Budget Priorities

Tonight’s meeting of the Mayor and Council will feature a preview of the 2012 budget. The annual budget process is in its early phases, having recently kicked off.

This year, City Manager Scott Ullery distributed a survey to Mayor and Council members designed to elicit their their thinking behind a range of specific budget ideas. The idea is to develop a set of principles to guide staff as they develop the first-draft budget.

The results of that survey are now public, and they may yield insights that are useful. A table (in PDF) of all the responses, including comments is here.

As I scanned, I found in addition to many areas of agreement, a number of items where there was a clear division: typically one council member marking “strongly disagree” with others clustered in agreement. These areas are interesting, as they provide a good avenue for the Mayor and Council to more fully explain their thinking behind their responses — which can help illuminate what principles are at work.

Thank you to to the City Manager for this good window, and thank you to the Mayor and Council for their thorough and thoughtful response. I look forward to watching the budget process unfold.