March 2 Community Garden Work Day

March 2 Community Garden Work Day

This past Sunday afternoon I joined the organizers of the Mount Rainier Community Garden for their regularly scheduled meeting. Spots are still available for those who are interested in having a garden plot of their very own!

The location is Richardson Park, on 31st Street between Windom and Arundel Roads, and plots available will be 4 feet by 10 feet (that's a really nice size for a community garden!)

There will be a volunteer work day this Saturday, March 2, 10am - 2pm, and the first Saturday of every month thereafter.

More information on how to get involved is available at:

http://www.mountrainiercommunitygarden.org/ (under construction)

Contact by email

Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 Mayor and Council Meeting

Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 Mayor and Council Meeting

AGENDA

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UPPER LEVEL

7:00 PM

                                                                 New Business

M-NCPPC Presentation on Mount Rainier Parking Study (download)

   Faramarz B. Mokhtari, Ph. D.

            The Prince George’s County Planning

            Transportation Planning Section

Resolution appointing Supervisor and Election Clerks to Mount Rainier Election Board (First Reading/Vote)

Vote to approve expenditures for roof at Public Works Garage
Vote to approve Support Letter for Prince Georges County Memorial Library System

Work Session Discussion Items

Audit Draft Report                                                        Diane Mock and Associates

Recycle Bins                                                                Bill Updike

Storm Drain Paint Project                                            Brent Bolin

Amount of City Budget Shortfall

Amount of City Budget Shortfall

From a report by the City Treasurer:

The Assessable Real Property Base has gone down by $57,757,585.  The Constant Yield Tax Rate (CYTR) for the City is $0.9272.   The City will receive less real property taxes by approx. $456,000 in FY 2014.

For the Fiscal Year 2012 budget year (FY12) all of the taxable real property in the city was assessed at about $376 million. That means the projected $58 million decrease in the real property tax base represents a loss of just over 15% of the city's property value.

City Budget Calendar and February 12, 2013 Public Meeting

City Budget Calendar and February 12, 2013 Public Meeting

Citizens should be aware of the city council's meeting schedule for the FY14 budget process. As I feared last year, we are anticipating significant loss of property tax revenue due to the latest round of decreased assessments on property in the city. Unfortunately we do not expect the actual numbers from the state for several more weeks, but the city treasurer is projecting a revenue shortfall in the range of 7-8% of the city's total budget.

At my request the council added a meeting on February 12 to give citizens an opportunity to dialogue with the council regarding your priorities for your city government. It is unfortunate that we won't have accurate revenue numbers on hand to guide the discussion, but given the size of the budget hole we are projecting I believe we need to have a serious dialogue about city services and what citizens want from the city. We can't have our cake and eat it too.

I hope you will come out February 12 and make your voice heard.

FY 2014 Budget Calendar

Tuesday, February 5, 2013	Staff Presentation to Mayor and Council on revenue and expenditure analysis based on current property assessments and other data
Friday, February 8, 2013	Deadline for all City Departments (including Bunker Hill Fire Department to submit FY 2014 budget requests to City Manager.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013	Special Meeting of the Mayorand Council to hear public comment on budget priorities
Thursday, February 21, 2013	Deadline for Notice to Port Towns Gazetteabout FY 2014 Budget Presentation Scheduled for March 5, 2013.  Notice to appear February 28, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013	Notice in Port Towns Gazetteabout March 4, 2013 FY 2014 Budget submission and March 5, 2013 Budget Presentation.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013	Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council; City Manager presents proposed FY 2014 Budget and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for all city departments
Tuesday, March 19, 2013	FY 2014 Budget work session and discussion on proposed constant yield tax rate
Thursday, April 4, 2013	Deadline for submission of April 11, 2013 display ad on proposed Constant Yield Tax Rate and  notice of public hearing on FY 2014 Budget
Thursday, April 11, 2013	Notice in Port Towns Gazetteabout Public Hearing on proposed FY 2014 Budget and Constant Yield Tax Rate scheduled for April 23, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013	Mayor and Council Meeting;special work session on FY 2014 Budget

Tuesday, April 23, 2013	Public hearing and public comment on proposed FY 2014 Budget and Constant Yield Tax Rate;Special Meeting for First Reading on FY 2014 Budget
Tuesday, May 7, 2013	Mayor and Council Meeting;Second Reading and Vote on FY 2014 Budget and Constant Yield Tax Rate

February 5, 2013 Mayor and Council Meeting Agenda

AGENDA

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2013

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UPPER LEVEL

7:00 PM

Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance

Review and Approval of Agenda

Review and Approval of Minutes

Official Reports

            Mayor

            Council

            City Manager

            Department Heads

General Public Comment (limited to three (3) minutes per person per subject matter)

MNCPPC- General Plan Briefing for 2013

Markita Bryant – applicant for membership on the Youth and Recreation Committee

Jacqlyn Riposo – applicant for membership on the Youth and Recreation Committee

Matt Mcgamity – applicant for membership on the Youth and Recreation Committee

New Business

Resolution appointing members to the Youth and Recreation Committee

Resolution appointing Bryan Knedler to the DRB Committee

Storm Drain Painting Project

Council expected to vote to adjourn to go into Executive Session to discuss the Singer Building and Land Distribution Agreement regarding the 3200 Block of Rhode Island Avenue Development