Mr. Williams noted that Joel Snyder would be receiving an award at the County Executive’s ball for the benefit of the arts and humanities.
Mr. Williams announced the City’s Arts and Humanities Day scheduled for October 18. He noted the recent Walk to School Day events in at Piney Branch Elementary School.
Mr. Seamens encouraged people to visit the art exhibit in the City’s Senior Room.
Mr. Seamens noted that the Takoma Park Community Action Group had registered many people. He encouraged the newly registered to vote.
Mr. Robinson announced a tree planting along New Hampshire Avenue on Saturday, October 18. He noted his continued interest in reducing energy consumption in the City.
Ms. Clay asked for the City Manager’s assistance with some ongoing issues with delivery of the Takoma Park Newsletter.
Ms. Clay noted an article about the Strategic Plan in the City Newsletter. She said she wanted to be sure her comments were not taken as assigning blame for not having the plan finalized, but rather she wanted to emphasize what she saw as impediments to pulling together the plan.
Ms. Clay asked for the City Manager’s assistance in dealing with the issue of invasive bamboo on a resident’s property. She said she understood that the City does not want to punitively fine people, but the problem has been continuing for three years and the resident’s complaint is valid.
Ms. Clay commented that she was disappointed that a birthing center was not included in Washington Adventist Hospital’s plan for services at the WAH site.
Ms. Clay asked for the City Manager’s help in facilitating communication between WSSC and the Hospital regarding water line construction on both Flower Avenue and Sligo Creek Parkway.
Mr. Wright announced that a section of Maple Avenue would be closed on October 16 and 17 for road work.
Mr. Wright announced a cleanup in the Old Town area scheduled for October 18.
Mr. Wright asked for an update on houses with significant code enforcement issues in his ward.
Mr. Wright commented that he was also supportive of having a birthing center on the WAH site. He suggested some official correspondence or a resolution on the issue.
Mr. Seamens agreed.
Mr. Williams suggested that a letter be sent to the Hospital regarding the issue.
Pat Loveless, 7620 Maple Avenue, reiterated the deadline for voter registration.
Steve Davies, 6717 Poplar Ave., read a letter requesting that the City Council hold a worksession to discuss phasing out gas powered leaf blowers in Takoma Park (letter attached).
Ms. Matthews referenced the lawsuit that TRG Construction had filed regarding liquidated damages for Phase 2 of the Community Center construction project. At a status hearing on October 10, the suit was dismissed without prejudice. Arbitration on the issues was scheduled for May 12-15.
Ms. Matthews reported that the City’s auditors were available to meet privately with Councilmembers upon request.
Ms. Matthews reported that she expected to receive the draft Municipal Revenue Task Force report by the end of the week. At that point, municipal representatives would be reviewing the draft and providing written comments.
Ms. Matthews reported that the City would need to issue a Request for Proposals for architectural services for the Auditorium project. She said that the City had retained Charron Consulting to provide technical assistance with drafting the RFP.
Ms. Matthews called to the Council's attention modifications she had made since first reading of the ordinance.
Motion to adopt Second Reading Ordinance 2008-41 Authorizing FY09 Budget Amendment No. 1 (as amended since first reading). Moved by Councilmember Wright, seconded by Councilmember Clay. (VOTING FOR: Mayor Williams, Councilmember Barry, Councilmember Clay, Councilmember Robinson, Councilmember Seamens, Councilmember Snipper, and Councilmember Wright)
Second Reading Ordinance 2008-41 (attached).
A. Resolution 2008-75 Endorsing PY35 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Projects (Resolution 2008-74 attached)
B. Single Reading Ordinance 2008-46 Awarding a Contract for Purchase and Installation of a Modular Office in the Police Evidence Bay (Single Reading Ordinance 2008-46 attached)
D. Resolution 2008-76 Appointing Janice Samuels, CMA Medeiros, and Adam Griffiths to the Arts and Humanities Commission (Resolution 2008-76 attached)
E. Resolution 2008-77 Appointing Joel Solomon to the Police Employees’ Retirement Plan Committee (Resolution 2008-77 attached)
Motion to adopt the Consent Agenda. Moved by Councilmember Snipper, seconded by Councilmember Barry. (VOTING FOR: Mayor Williams, Councilmember Barry, Councilmember Clay, Councilmember Robinson, Councilmember Seamens, Councilmember Snipper, and Councilmember Wright)
3C. Single Reading Ordinance Awarding a Contract for Intergovernmental Representative/Advocate to Ciekot and Elliott, LLC
Councilmember Seamens requested that this item be removed from the consent agenda.
Ms. Ludlow introduced Anne Ciekot of Ciekot and Elliott, LLC.
Ms. Ludlow noted that the City had issued an RFP. Two responses were received. Staff had met with principles of both firms and recommended awarding the contract to Ciekot and Elliott, LLC.
Mr. Seamens noted that he was familiar with the other firm responding to the RFP. He stated he would be comfortable with that firm's ability to represent the City.
Motion to adopt Single Reading Ordinance 2008-47 Awarding a Contract for Intergovernmental Representative/Advocate to Ciekot and Elliott, LLC. Moved by Councilmember Robinson, seconded by Councilmember Wright. (VOTING FOR: Mayor Williams, Councilmember Barry, Councilmember Clay, Councilmember Robinson, Councilmember Snipper, and Councilmember Wright; ABSENT: Councilmember Seamens)
Single Reading Ordinance 2008-47 (attached).
The Council discussed the draft document, working from the document as revised by Mr. Snipper.
Mr. Williams noted changes he and Mr. Wright had made in trying to bring together various versions of the plan. He had added a notation about core services provided by the City and acknowledging progress the City has made in some areas.
Mr. Wright said he had added a Gantt chart in acknowledgement of areas that would take more than one or two years to address. Mr. Wright had also added an executive summary.
Mr. Snipper noted his desire to have key indicators tie a performance measure to a City function. He commented that the plan as drafted assumed a biennial resident survey, but he would prefer using performance indicators tied to things the City does.
Mr. Seamens said he would like to see how the plan can tie into the Community Indicators Project.
Ms. Matthews commented that the resident survey was a statistically valid representation of what the community feels. She noted that the many pages of comments received from respondents had translated into action.
Ms. Clay commented on the fiscal assumptions. She, Mr. Snipper and Mr. Wright agreed to come up with revised language.
Mr. Barry expressed concern that there are a lot of priorities that will fall on the shoulders of a few managers. He emphasized the need to treat the plan as a living document and suggested that the City Manager’s quarterly report could be focused on the performance of City staff on the priorities.
Mr. Barry also commented that the communications functions of the City should be front and center.
Mr. Barry said that in the recreation section of the plan, the priorities did not match with the assumptions. He said it would be important for the City Manager and her staff to continually come back to Council and to have the City Manager convey to the staff what is needed to work on the priorities.
Mr. Snipper asked that the City Manager and staff review and comment on the plan, suggest phasing, and provide information on resource needs.
Mr. Wright noted that there is an assumption that the City is diverse but not integrated, but there is no priority to address that. He challenged the Council to think about that issue.
Mr. Wright also commented on the number of priorities. He said they were not mandatory but, rather, recommendations or ideas to achieve the goals. He suggested 10-15 priorities to focus on in five years. Mr. Wright noted the need to remember that if something is pushed forward, something else has to be pulled back.
ADJOURN
The Council adjourned for the evening at 10:35 p.m.