This is your opportunity to state your opinion on how we should vote or amend pending legislation.
O-9-14 Capital Budget Fiscal Year 2015 - For the purpose of adopting a capital budget for Fiscal Year 2015; and appropriating funds for expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2015 capital budget.
and
R-12-14 Capital Improvement Program Fiscal Years 2015 - 2020 - For the purpose of adopting a capital improvement program for Fiscal Years 2015-2020 (July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2020).
My Comment: R-12-14 is the City's proposed five-year capital spending plan. O-9-14 is the FY 15 portion of that plan, which gives the City the authority to spend as planned for only that one year. This 2-part legislation provides a planning tool with flexibility to change the future plan from year to year.
O-2-14 Water Service to the Chesapeake Harbour Subdivision - For purpose of authorizing and approving an agreement regarding the provision of water
service to the Chesapeake Harbour Subdivision.My Comment: Chesapeake Harbour is a community outside of the City, but to which the City provides water. This agreement would modify the existing contract between the parties.
O-10-14 Legal Counsel to Board of Supervisors of Elections - For the purpose of authorizing the Board of Supervisors of Elections to engage outside legal counsel during specified periods of time in the municipal election cycle.
My Comment: The proposed authorization would address the potential conflict of interest by the City Attorney when representing the Board of Supervisors of Elections.
O-13-14 Repeal of Police Residency Requirement - For the purpose of repealing the requirement that sworn employees of the Police Department reside within a thirty-mile road radius from the City line.
My Comment: Generally, these types of residency requirements are intended to ensure a workforce that is invested in the community it is employed by. Critics argue that residency requirements encourage political rather than professional hires. Reportedly, this residency requirement has not be enforced in decades, and its elimination would aid in the recruitment and retention of a workforce.
LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
2ND READERS
O-1-14 Single Family Dwellings in C1A Special Conservation District - For the purpose of deeming conforming those single-family
attached dwellings lawfully existing on June 20, 1994, in the C1A Special
Conservation Residence District.
My Comment: As this Ordinance seems to affect only one portion of Ward 1, I'm going to quote the Ward 1 Alderman, Joe Budge, to explain it:
"With the adoption of the Ward One Sector Study, some residential areas in the Historic District such as Fleet and Pinkney Streets, were zoned C1A, Special Conservation Residence District. Single-family attached dwellings with more than two units (such as a row house block) were deemed nonconforming, meaning that they could be repaired or restored, but not expanded."
"The ordinance is proposed in order to grant some relief to property owners of single- family attached structures that are seeking to expand their home. By deeming single- family attached structures conforming for the purposes of expansion, the City recognizes the legitimacy of existing single-family attached units while keeping historic densities by not allowing new housing other than single- and two-family structures. The right of expansion is already allowed for single- and two-family units, and the proposed ordinance would confer this right on townhouse and row house structures."
"An amendment offered by the Planning Commission and modified by the Rules Committee limits expansion of the buildings to upward and to the rear, excluding expansion in the front yard (if any). All expansion plans in the C1A district require review and approval by the Historic Preservation Commission. In practical terms the Ordinance will allow the addition of back porches, sunrooms, and perhaps discreet solar panels on the row houses."
Pending comments to the contrary from you or my colleagues, I intend to support the amended bill.
O-7-14 City Budget Referrals to the Financial Advisory Commission and City Grants to Non-Profit Organizations - For the purpose of authorizing the
referral of the annual operating budget and capital budget with the capital
improvement program to the Financial Advisory Commission upon introduction of the ordinances before the City Council; revising City standards for making operating and/or capital grants to non-profit organizations; and the reporting process for recipients of operating and/or capital grants.
My Comment: This legislation proposes to do 2 things, including (1) codify the present practice of sending the Mayor's budget to the Financial Advisory Commission for review and comment, and (2) modifying the criteria the City uses for issuing grants to non-profits. The Finance Committee reviewed this legislation and proposed that the 2nd section concerning non-profits be stricken from the Ordinance so that it can be taken up at a later date. Rather than separate the Ordinance into 2 pieces, I will propose that the Council postpone voting on this legislation for 90 days to give more time for thoughtful consideration of grants to non-profits.
R-9-14 An Ad Hoc Committee to Study the 2013 Municipal Election and Make Recommendations, If Needed, to Improve the City Code, Structure,
and Procedures for City Elections - For the purpose of establishing an ad hoc committee to study the 2013 municipal election and make recommendations, if needed, to improve the City Code, structure, and procedures for elections in the City of Annapolis.
My Comment: The need for this legislation originated with the Democratic and Republican Central Committees. The entire Council has co-sponsored this legislation, which accurately suggests that the Council unanimously agrees that the recent election should be reviewed for lessons learned and to improve future election processes. However, after comments from the public during the public hearing which argued that voters of no party affiliation be better represented, and analysis during committee review, there are now multiple opinions on how to best establish this committee. Personally, I endorse a committee that has equal representation from Democrats and Republicans, plus strong representation by persons of no party affiliation. It is my hope that in practice and perception, this committee can produce non-partial recommendations to address the concerns that people of all or no party affiliation encountered during the last election.
1ST READERS - ORDINANCE
First Reader is a bill's formal introduction to the Council for consideration. Generally, I will vote in favor of a bill on First Reader, even if I disagree with it, so that the bill may be heard and discussed by the Council and the public. The following bills are being introduced on First Reader:
There are no items on the Business and Miscellaneous portion of the agenda.
