Jimmy's Ward Report's Ward 1 Report - October 18 - Friday, October 19, 2007

Council Passes Pay Ordinance for City Employees



After considerable discussion the Council at a special meeting on October 16th passed a pay ordinance that gave non-union employees a 13% raise over 3 years (7%, 3%, 3%). The raise was long over-due since city employees’ usually get their cost of living pay raise on July 1st.



There was a discrepancy between the proposed pay ordinance and the pay scale in the contract with the Police Union that had previously been approved by the Council. The Mayor and Chief are going to work out the problem with the police union and come back to the Council with a revised pay scale for the unionized public safety officers.



Speed Trial Study on Queens Chapel Road


Council member Alta Morton, the Chief of Police and myself met with a vendor (Optotraffic) who conducted a speed trial study (free of charge) on 25th St. and Queens Chapel Road (just before you get to the Giant Supermarket).



(If anybody would like a copy of the PowerPoint presentation of the speed study, please let me know.)



Using a mobile (4 foot wide) ‘speed enforcer’ that uses laser beams, it monitored over 12,000 cars that traveled Northbound on Queens Chapel Road in a 24 hour period. The study found that over 70% of the cars were going in excess of 10 miles per hour over the speed limit of 25 mph. Over 2,000 cars were tracked at going 20 miles over the speed limit and a number of cars were tracked at going over 60 miles per hour at that intersection. This is of particular concern because it is near the senior citizen facility (Rainier Manor) where many seniors cross Queens Chapel to go shopping at the Giant.



Nationally 31% of all fatal crashes are speed related, and most accidents occur on lower speed local roads. Car accidents and fatalities have been increasing in Prince Georges’ County. In 2005 there were over 3,250 crashes due to speeding and over 600 pedestrians were struck (an increase of over 18% from the previous year).



Right now Maryland law does not permit the use of unattended speed enforcement devices except in Montgomery County. (I’m sure people are familiar with the speed cameras in DC.) There is legislation pending that would permit such devices for traffic enforcement in Prince Georges’ County.



Under the proposed legislation a person caught speeding (going 10 mph over the speed limit) by an unattended speed enforcement unit would receive a $40 citation (with no points). With this kind of mobile unit the city would get $25 and the vendor of the mobile ‘speed enforcer’ would get $15. There would be no cost to the city to lease the ‘speed enforcer’ unit. The mobile unit could be moved to different parts of the city. I think it might be a good way to cut down on speeding traffic in our city. Anybody have an opinion?



Adopt A Tree


With the extreme drought that has been affecting our area, a lot of our city’s trees are in serious trouble. The Council is asking all residents to adopt a city tree (even though it is not on your own property) and water the tree so we can reduce the number of trees that may be in danger.



Anacostia Hours Fundraiser


COME ONE, COME ALL! SUPPORT the ANACOSTIA HOURS FUNDRAISER

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007

FRANKLIN'S RESTAURANT, BREWERY AND GENERAL STORE
1521 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD

Take your family or friends to lunch or dinner, or have a delicious carryout meal at home or shop in the general store. When you are ready to pay, tell the hostess you want to support Anacostia Hours and they will donate 20% of your bill to Anacostia Hours

(Anacostia Hours is committed to establishing a local currency system that promotes local economic strength and community self-reliance in ways that will support economic and social justice, ecology, community participation and human aspirations.)



Gateway EcoArts Festival – Saturday October 20th



10 AM – 5 PM – Bunker Hiill Road – between 33rd and 34th Streets



Celebrate the arts and green living at the Gateway EcoArts Festival. All day, all ages – fun featuring outdoor performances, free workshops, sample classes, vendor market, sidewalk sales and more.