Annapolis Capital Punishment

A Regular Meeting (i.e., Legislative Action) of the Annapolis City Council will be held on January 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The Council meetings are broadcast on Comcast channel 99. I understand that the meetings will now also be broadcast on Verizon, but I don’t know the channel number.

Below is the agenda for the meeting with a brief description. I have added comments in italics and underline after a few of the items.

CHARTER AMENDMENT

CA-01-08 1st R. City Administrator [Israel] – For the purpose of clarifying the role of the Mayor as chief executive officer and the City Administrator as chief administrative officer; enhancing the supervisory powers of City Administrator with respect to departmental directors; barring the Mayor and Aldermen from directing the work of departmental directors; providing that the dismissal of the City Administrator must be approved by the mayor and four or more aldermen; requiring the Mayor to include funding in the annual operating budget to provide professional and administrative assistance to the aldermen; and generally relating to the powers and duties of the elected and appointed officials. I have some specific concerns about this amendment, but I do support the idea of professional management for the city. The Rules Committee will hear this and I will urge that that meeting be held in the evening so that more of you will be able to attend. I will send out a blast email as soon as I know the date, time and place of Rules meeting.

ORDINANCES

O-53-06 2nd R. Creation of King Street Business Parking District [Israel] – For the purpose of eliminating the eight hour parking restriction on King George Street and instead creating a King George Street Business Parking District where owners and employees of Maryland Avenue may park for longer than two hours and parking for others is limited to two hours between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. every day of the week. It is my understanding that this will be withdrawn from the agenda. If not, I will follow Alderman Israel’s lead as this is an issue for his Ward.

O-14-07 2nd R. Improving Fire Prevention and Protection – For the purpose of saving lives, reducing injuries and reducing property damage that could result from fires in the Historic District by adopting the National Fire Protection Association Code for Fire Protection of Historic Structures. During the public work session on this matter the Fire Department opposed this legislation. They do use the NFPA code in part, but they also use guidance from other national organizations. They would prefer to use their professional judgment rather than be micromanaged by the Council. They also suggested that passage of this Ordinance might open the City to suit. For these reasons, I will vote to oppose.

O-27-07RevisedC 2nd R. The Promotion of Reusable, Recyclable and Compostable Materials – For the purpose of establishing that the goal of the City is to encourage residents and business owners to use reusable and recyclable materials and to purchase goods from companies that practice energy use reduction and sequestration of carbon dioxide; to establish an Environmental Review Committee to review existing practices of the City to assure that the its policies and procedures foster the use of materials that are compostable, recyclable, and reusable, to assist the various City offices to ensure that contracting procedures do not discriminate against reusable, recycled, or environmentally preferable products with sufficient justification, to evaluate environmentally preferable products to determine the extent to which they may be used by the City and its contractors, to review and revise contracting procedures to maximize the specification of designated environmentally preferable products where practicable, to facilitate data collection on purchases of designated environmentally preferable products, and to monitor compliance with a number of environmentally friendly standards and practices; and all matters related to the use by the City of environmentally friendly standards and practices. In my view, this ordinance should not be on the agenda at this point because the Council voted to hold another public hearing on these matters and that has not yet occurred. In addition, several Aldermen have indicated that they will offer amendments, but have not done so at this point. While this legislation is not ready for prime time, when it is ready, I’m inclined to vote for it.

O-39-07 2nd R. Fire Suppression System Required for Certain Buildings in Historic District – For the purpose of saving lives, reducing injuries and reducing property damage that could result from fires by requiring that any construction or renovation in the Historic District that requires a building permit and that has a value of ten or more percent of the value of the building shall have a fire suppression system throughout the building providing that this section does not take effect until certain State and /or Federal tax credit legislation is enacted. I support this legislation, but because of the clause stating that it will not take effect until after the passage of state and federal tax changes, I fear it will never go into effect.

O-44-07 2nd R. Noise Ordinance – For the purpose of adopting with amendments the State of Maryland noise standards. I support this legislation and will vote to pass it. I will keep an eye on it to determine if it is too restrictive or too lenient.

O-46-07 2nd R. Lease of Certain Public Parking Lots to FreshFarm Markets Inc. – For the purpose of authorizing a lease of certain municipal property located at 110 Compromise Street aka The Donner Lot and the Public Parking Lot between Fleet Reserve and Fawcett Boat Supplies from June 8, 2008 to June 7, 2009 subject to certain terms, provisions, and conditions, for the purpose of conducting a open-air farmers market. I am very excited about the prospect of having a downtown market that is truly a market, and I will vote to support this lease.

O-47-07 2nd R. Making Permanent Two-hour Limitation for Parking by Nonresidents in Special Residential Parking Districts 1 and 2 – For the purpose, in Special Parking Districts 1 and 2, of making permanent that parking by non-residents is limited to two hours between the hours of eight a.m. and midnight, seven days a week; making the same two hour limitation applicable to Special Parking Districts 3, 4, and 5. As far as I can tell, Ward 8 doesn’t have a horse in this race, so I’ll follow the lead of Alderman Israel. From the hearings I do know that Ward 1 is divided on this issue and this may be withdrawn.

O-48-07 2nd R. Lease of City Dock - Race Across America – For the purpose of authorizing a lease of certain municipal property located in the Susan Campbell Park and City Dock areas to the Race Across America (RAAM), a non-profit entity for period June 15 to June 21, 2008, subject to certain terms, provisions, and conditions, for the purpose of concluding a bicycle race that originates in California. There were no objections presented to this even at public hearings. In addition, the Ward 1 residents and businesses that did testify praise the advanced planning done by this group. I will vote in favor.

The following are on for first reader and, as is my practice, I will await public hearings and committee actions before forming a final opinion.

O-01-08 1st R. Notification of the Public Concerning Sign Applications – For the purpose of expanding from three overlay zoning districts to all zoning districts the requirement that signs must be posted notifying the public that a sign application has been submitted for the posting of a sign.

O-02-08 1st R. Notification of Bisphenol-A (BPA) by Retailers – For the purpose of requiring retailers to notify customers if a product’s container contains bisphenol-A (BPA) through the use of certain signage; assigning the responsibility for implementing and enforcing this ordinance to the Director of Neighborhood and Environmental Programs; establishing penalties for violations.

R-01-08 1st R. Amending Fines Schedule for Notification of BPA – For the purpose of establishing fines for the failure of retailers to post signs notifying customers that a food or beverage container contains bisphenol-A (BPA.

O-03-08 1st R. Lease of City Dock Space to Chesapeake Marine Tours for 2014 – For the purpose of authorizing for fiscal year 2014 the lease of certain municipal property located at the City Dock to Chesapeake Marine Tours, Inc. for the docking and mooring of certain boats at the City Dock.

RESOLUTIONS

R-61-07 2nd R. Motion to reconsider Lincoln Bicentennial Resolution – For the purpose of commemorating President Lincoln’s presence and walk through Annapolis with the erection of a historical marker and to direct the Mayor to appoint a nine member Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. I will vote in favor of this resolution.

R-02-08 1st R. Requiring Microstamping Technology – For the purpose of requesting that the Maryland General Assembly adopt legislation to require that new models of semi-automatic handguns must have microstamping technology that leaves microscopic impressions of the gun's serial number on shell casings that are discarded when the gun is fired.

R-03-08 1st R. Civil Service Classification and Compensation – For the purpose of approving Civil Service classifications and Regular Meeting of the City compensation as recommended in the March 2005 Classification and Compensation Study (“Study”) commonly referred to as the Hendricks Study.

R-04-08 1st R. Assistance to the Homeless – For the purpose of dedicating the revenue derived from designated parking meters to the City’s homeless.

BUSINESS AND MISCELLANEOUS
1. Appointments

2. Budget revisions: GT-10-08 and GT-11-08.


Next City Council Meetings:

Monday, January 28, 2008, City Council Chamber - 7:00 p.m.

Monday, February 11, 2008, City Council Chamber - 7:30 p.m.

As always, you can call me [410 295-9743] or send an email [EastportRoss@aol.com] if you have questions or concerns.


Ross Arnett, Alderman, Ward 8