Jimmy's Ward Report - Sunday, May 18, 2008
Public Hearing On Budget Scheduled for Tues. May 20thAnother reminder to come to the public hearing scheduled for this Tuesday.
This is the time for you to tell the Council how you feel about taxes in our town and budget priorities:
I am repeating some of the important items and questions that I listed in my last report:
1) Should the Council keep the tax rate the same? The current rate is .79. Because of the increased assessments of the houses in our city, this will bring in about $300,000 in additional tax revenue. Most of that revenue is necessary because of inflation and employee cost of living wage increases and possible cutbacks from the state and county because of the current economic recession. Each penny reduction would entail a $34,000 decrease in revenue.
2) Should we expand the hours the police station is open? The current budget proposes to expand the hours the police station is open from 9 to 5 (Mon-Fri) to 9 AM to 11 PM (Mon-Fri). In order to do this we will have to hire another 1 ½ employees that will cost the city (with benefits) between $80,00 and $100,000.
3) Should the city purchase a new trash truck? We had so many problems last year with delays in trash pick-up because one of the trucks was out of service, that the City believes it will be necessary to purchase a new truck. This would cost the city $33,000 a year in installment payments.
4) An additional public works employee to keep our downtown clean on weekends and do other litter pick-up? This has been a top priority with residents and would cost the city an additional $40,000.
5) Should we keep additional property in reserve in order to purchase properties on Rhode Island Avenue? Development costs money and if we want to renovate the old library building (3409 Rhode Island Ave.) and play a major role in how the 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue develops, we will need money to pay for the debt incurred if the city decides to float a bond for these purchases.
6) How about more money for tree removal, landscaping and summer youth programs?
Needless to say, the City of Mount Rainier cannot do everything and also lower the tax rate so we have to decide what should be the priorities.
Only two residents came to the last Council meeting. For a community that prides itself on its political and social activism, it is disappointing that so few people attend City Council meetings. We hope you attend and tell us how you feel about the issues so we can do a better job representing you!
Gateway CDC’s Nick Francis to Leave Organization
Nick Francis, the executive director of the Gateway Community Development Corporation, will be stepping down. I have been on the Board of Directors of the CDC for the last two and a half years and I will sorely miss Nick’s contribution to Gateway and to furthering development in our area. I am pasting below excerpts from the CDC press release and Nick's personal comments about his leaving.
Gateway Press Release
“After more than ten years of service, first as a volunteer and board member, then as the organization’s first executive director, Nick Francis is departing Gateway Community Development Corporation (Gateway CDC) on July 31.
“During Francis’ tenure, Gateway CDC led a broad-based coalition of partners to organize the creation of the Gateway Arts District, which includes four Maryland municipalities – Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood and Hyattsville.
“Under Francis’ tenure, Gateway CDC played a key role in creating:
· Mount Rainier Artist Lofts – 44 units of artist live/work space and commercial space including Artmosphere Café and H&F Fine Arts gallery
· Brentwood Art Center – opening in June, home to an arts education facility, galleries and affordable artists’ studios
· More than 50 artist residencies in five local schools, one of which helped with Hyattsville Middle School gaining arts magnet status
· Annual Arts District Studio Tour showcasing artists and arts education organizations
“Also during Francis’ tenure, the organization teamed up with other partners to develop:
· Joe’s Movement Emporium – Mount Rainier’s town center hub of dance, music and theater
Prince George’s African-American History Museum & Cultural Center at North Brentwood (scheduled to break ground in 2010) – the future home to preserving and interpreting the history of African-Americans in Prince George’s County
Two projects with HIP (Housing Initiative Partnership) involving 56 units of affordable artist housing in Hyattsville and Mount Rainier
“The CDC also runs arts and education residencies including steel drum instruction for Northwestern High School, a world percussion ensemble at Hyattsville Middle School, and an after-school program at Queens Manor Garden Apartments. Under Francis’ leadership, a series of special events were initiated, including an Eco-Arts Festival in partnership with Joe’s Movement Emporium and others. The Gateway CDC also sponsors local initiatives, including a peace camp run by the Little Friends for Peace, a local currency project called Anacostia Hours, a youth story circle program and various public art projects.
“In 2004, Francis was awarded the Bridge Builders Award presented by the Partners for Livable Communities, a Washington, D.C., based organization that consists of governors, mayors, county executives, city managers, bank officials and journalists from around the country whose goal is to focus on culture as a resource to create better communities for citizens.”
Nick’s Statement:
“It is with a mix of sadness and anticipation that I announce to friends and colleagues my intention to step down as Gateway CDC's Executive Director in order to pursue other opportunities in the nonprofit community development sector.
”Needless to say, it has been a wonderful opportunity to work on the Gateway Arts District and other CDC projects in Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood and Hyattsville. The creativity, energy and basic good will of individuals and families that live here is truly extraordinary -- extraordinary, rewarding, and reassuring.
“Reassuring in that it feels really good to see over and over again that when residents are provided the opportunity to work together on large, complicated and difficult projects that benefit the community - even though all they are extremely busy, have a million other things to do and other pressures in their lives - they eventually and inevitably roll up their sleeves and just get down to it with a great deal of cooperation, creativity, respect, and - most rewarding - humor! It is the participation and actions of so many over the years - volunteers acting individually and collectively - that fueled the creation of the Arts District and the completion of so many CDC projects. We are truly blessed to be able to work with such good people in such a small, connected community. I hope that is something we remain thankful for and never take for granted.
”Looking back, It was eight years ago that I started as Gateway CDC's first staff person and it's been over ten years since I began as a Gateway CDC volunteer. As I drive up and down the Rhode Island Avenue corridor, I feel a strong sense of pride seeing that most of the projects Gateway CDC members originally envisioned are either complete or significantly underway.
”Although I am announcing my departure now, I won't be leaving my post until later this summer. The Gateway CDC board has begun a planning and candidate search process that we hope will conclude by early fall. My next move - my next job - will be in the nonprofit sector but is not completely confirmed. I'll know more several weeks from now. Since Gateway CDC is a small nonprofit, I wanted to announce as soon as I possibly could to give my colleagues as much time as possible to plan and recruit as carefully as they can”.
For those of you who do not about the Gateway CDC:
Established in 1997, Gateway Community Development Corporation, a membership organization, seeks to revitalize the three municipalities of Mount Rainier, Brentwood and North Brentwood to create a healthy, safe, attractive, vibrant and well-educated community enriched by the presence of artists and arts organizations, where diversity and environmental stewardship is embraced as an asset. Gateway CDC uses civic engagement, arts resources and leveraged partnerships to advance commercial and residential development and expand programs and services to residents and business owners in our communities.