Sept. 7, 2014
Jared S. Littmann
Alderman, Ward 5, Annapolis

912 Forest Drive 
(office at K&B True Value)

410-268-3939 (office)
443-926-2399 (cell)


Upcoming Events 
Meeting of the Rules & City Government Committee, Council Chambers

Sept. 9, 5:30 PM
Special Joint Meeting of the Rules, Finance, and Economic Matters Committee, Council Chambers

Sept. 10, 5:30 PM
Second Annual Fundraiser & Inaugural Ward 5 Hero Award
Sin Fronteras Care

Sept. 11, 5:30 PM
Annapolis Conservancy Board Meeting, Pip Moyer Recreation Center

Sept. 11, 7 PM
Ward 8 Alderman Ross Arnett's Town Hall Meeting, Eastport Fire Station 

Sept. 15, 5 PM 
Meeting of the Public Safety Committee, Council Chambers

Sept. 15, 6:30 PM
Meeting of the Economic Matters Committee, Council Chambers

Sept. 16, 5 PM
Meeting of the Finance Committee, Council Chambers

Sept. 16, 7 PM
Meeting of the Housing & Human Welfare Committee, Council Chambers
 
 
Sept. 18, 1:30 PM

Environmental Matters Committee Meeting, Council Chambers    

 

Sept. 18, 3 PM

Work Session of the City Council, Council Chambers

 

Sept. 22, 6 PM 

Meeting of the Transportation Committee, Council Chambers

 

Sept. 22, 7 PM 

Meeting of the City Council, Council Chambers

  

 
The City Council will meet Monday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers.  My 

  

News Since the Last Meeting Email

Director David Jarrell was appointed Acting City Manager   

Director Jarrell is an excellent choice for the Acting City Manager position, as he is professional, knowledgeable, and responsive. However, as the Director of Public Works (Think: City dock, water treatment plant), his workload is full already, so I hope this assignment is short-lived.  

 

Some Q&A with the City's Acting Transportation Director, Agyemang-Duah

Click here. 

 

The City Manager's Memo Report for July is now available.

Kudos to Acting City Manager David Jarrell and his fellow directors for making this reporting a priority. If you want to know what your City departments are doing, check this out. 


Your Views


I welcome Annapolis City residents, particularly from Ward 5, and other concerned individuals to give me their views on issues or to discuss other concerns in person. Please contact me via email with your views or to set up a time to chat in my office at K&B True Value (912 Forest Drive).

Stay in Touch  
I welcome your feedback and questions, and appreciate your help in reaching other Annapolis residents by  to them. Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

Jared Littmann
Alderman, Ward 5, Annapolis 

  

 

Wednesday, Sept. 10
5:30- 7 p.m.
Sin Fronteras Cafe, 2129 Forest Drive

Enjoy the last few days of summer with Latin-fusion cuisine and refreshing specialty drinks without the added pressure of an impending election!

Hosted by Walter Vasquez & Wilmer Romero

  



Regular Meeting of the City Council
Agenda
   
The Annapolis City Council will meet on Monday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., in the Council Chambers. All Council meetings are available online through live streaming and broadcast on Comcast channel 99 and on Verizon channel 34. Below is a synopsis of the agenda. You can access the unabridged version here.

  

AWARDS & CITATIONS

Martha Wood was a community activist from College Creek Terrace who was instrumental in initiating a school lunch program for low-income students, establishment of discipline standards in schools, and reforms at the Housing Authority. The Housing Authority and the City of Annapolis present the Martha Wood Leadership Award monthly to a deserving person or organization in greater Annapolis whose actions strive to improve the local community.
   
The Martha Wood Leadership Award will be presented to Kiyomi Endo, owner of Davis' Pub.

A City Council Citation will be presented to Harris & Sons Hoyas. 

 

PETITIONS, REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

  • Reports by Committee  
  • Comments by the General Public - Early in each Council Meeting there is an opportunity for comments by the General Public. The public may comment on any subject that is not on the agenda for a Public Hearing. Comments during this time are limited to five minutes per person

BUSINESS & MISCELLANEOUS   

 

Appointments - Department Heads and members of the City's Boards and Commissions are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.
 
AP-17-14 - Appointments to the Annapolis Commission on Maryland's Constitution of 1864 and the Abolishment of Slavery 
 
The Mayor has nominated four individuals to the Commission. These individuals are:   
  • Ms. Mary "Terry" Poisson
  • Ms. Tonia Powell
  • Ms. Kimberlee Richardson
  • Mr. Leslie Stanton  
The administration has provided no information about these individuals. If you know them, I welcome your opinion so that I can make an educated vote. Regardless, I expect the administration to provide more information prior to the vote. 

 

PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

This is your opportunity to state your opinion on how we should vote or amend pending legislation. I generally do not comment on matters up for public hearing; I'd rather learn your thoughts.  

 

O-26-14     Special Residential Parking District 2: Shipwright Street - For the purpose of removing the area on Shipwright Street zoned WME and the area adjacent to the WME zone on the southwest side of Shipwright Street from Special Residential Parking District No. 2; and providing that a resident who occupies a dwelling unit in a building located in the WME zone on Shipwright Street shall be eligible for a parking permit in Special Residential Parking District No. 2.    


My Comments: This legislation should not create a significant fiscal impact.

 

R-27-14     Authorizing the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade as an Official City of Annapolis Co-Sponsored Event - For the purpose of authorizing the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade as an official co-sponsored City of Annapolis event due to his importance and significance to our country and our community.   

 

My Comments: This legislation proposes to waive $3,000 in fees associated with the event.     

  

LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

 

SECOND READER

Bills on Second Reader are up for discussion and vote. There are no bills on Second Reader on the agenda for Monday night.

 

FIRST READER 

 

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:

O-28-14     An Amendment to Lease of City Property: Boat Shows in Fall 2014 - For the purpose of authorizing an amendment adding 20 City moorings in St. Mary's Cove on Spa Creek for the Fall Brokerage Boat Show to a lease of certain municipal property to the United States Sailboat Shows, Inc., and United States Powerboat Shows, Inc., to conduct boat shows for a certain period of time, subject to certain terms, provisions and conditions; and all matters relating to the amendment of the lease.  

 

R-29-14     Transit Routes and Services - For the purpose of making changes to the Annapolis Department of Transportation's transit services and routes in order to meet the goals and objectives of the fiscal year 2015 budget. 

 
A public hearing on this resolution is expected at the next Council meeting on September 22.
   
R-30-14     Michael Anthony Peroutka - For the purpose of expressing the sense of the City Council's opposition to Anne Arundel County Council candidate Michael Anthony Peroutka's extremist views on civil rights and public education.


BUSINESS AND MISCELLANEOUS

Following First, Second, and Third Readers, the Council considers matters that require a vote but don't need formal legislation. Topics can include appointments, budget revisions, grant allocation, labor agreements, and other items.

Annexation 
   
ID-254-14    Preliminary Review of the Annapolis Neck, LLC/ Samaras Property/ Bay Ridge Road Petition for Annexation - received June 30, 2014
 
The City Code, section 2.52.040, requires the City Council to conduct a preliminary review of a petition for annexation within 45 days. I expect that the petitioner will request that this matter be continued until the next City Council session on Sept. 22. 
       
Reallocation of Funds

ID-275-14    Revisions to Community Development Block Grant Allocations

The Volunteer Center for Anne Arundel County declined the CDBG funds previously allocated to it. The Housing and Community Development Committee, of which I am a member, voted to recommend a reallocation of the funds among several existing CDBG grantees. Pending barring persuasive arguments to the contrary, I plan to support the revision. 
  
Appointments

ID-276-14    Reappointment of Acting Department Directors 
   
The City Charter authorizes the Mayor to appoint Acting Department Directors. However, they may only receive compensation for six months, without the express consent of the Council. The City presently has six Acting Directors and an Acting City Manager, as follows: 
  • Acting City Manager David Jarrell, (was Director of Public Works (PW)), appointed 7/30  
  • Acting City Attorney Gary Elson, (was Assistant City Attorney), appointed 5/21
  • Acting Director of Planning & Zoning Dr. Sally Nash, (was Chief of Comprehensive Planning, Department of Planning and Zoning), appointed 1/6
  • Acting Director of Public Works Marcia Patrick, (was Assistant Director of Public Works), appointed 7/30
  • Acting Director of Recreation & Parks J.P. "Flip" Walters (was Harbormaster), appointed 3/11
  • Acting Director of Transportation Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Duah, from Transportation, appointed 3/21

My understanding is that the administration is nearing the selection of a City Manager and City Attorney, and that it is actively searching for a replacement in Recreation & Parks. There was a failed effort to find a Planning & Zoning Director, and my understanding is that this search is on hold until a new City Manager is named. When these positions are filled, I expect that DirectorJarrell will return to Public Works and Captain Walters will return as Harbormaster.

   

Planning & Zoning:
Dr. Sally Nash is a capable and professional acting director and the City is fortunate to have someone of her caliber willing and able to step up. However, I'm greatly concerned about the length of time since Mr. Arason's departure and the failure to timely find a suitable replacement. Given the administration's efforts at finding a permanent director, and plans for resuming that search shortly, I intend to support a three-month, not a six-month, extension of Dr. Nash's compensation. This is not a critique in any way about Dr. Nash, but rather a desire to maintain the maximum level of interest in finding, ASAP, a permanent director.

 

Recreation & Parks: The mayor appointed Mr. Walters in March, when he appointed Brian Woodward, the then-Director of Recreation and Parks, as the Acting City Manager. At the time, Mr. Woodward was expected to return as Director, and Mr. Walters would return as Harbormaster. It wasn't until the end of July, when Mr. Woodward retired from City service, completely due to health concerns, that the need arose to find a permanent director of Recreation and Parks. Without delay, the administration has begun that search, led by Mr. Woodward, so I will support Mr. Walters' reappointment for six months.
 
Transportation: I am not aware of any efforts by the administration to identify a new permanent director. Transportation is a key department and requires a director to provide leadership and fiscal, operational, and personnel management. Without efforts to name a suitable permanent director, barring persuasive arguments to the contrary, I do not intend to support an extension of the acting director's compensation.

       
Budget Transfers

Budget Transfers involve moving revenue or expenses from one category to another within the approved City Budget for the year. They do not change the overall size of the City Budget.  
 
GT-03-15    Planning and Zoning
 
Planning & Zoning requests a transfer of $475 from P&Z Contract Services to Salaries to increase the hours of a part-time employee while a full-time employee goes on vacation. Pending barring persuasive arguments to the contrary, I plan to support the revision. 
 
 
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