January 26, 2025 Newsletter
Happy Sunday, Ward One!
t’s still brutally cold out, but we’ve made it through the darkest ten weeks of the year, and the light is in sight. This week’s cold has been beautiful on our waterways but ugly on city infrastructure like water mains. Thanks to a resident calling me yesterday and a diligent Public Works crew, we were able to get this break at the corner of Fleet and East Streets taken care of expeditiously yesterday. Sara gives the repair job two thumbs up!
I hope you can join me this afternoon for my campaign launch at McGarvey’s with Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth and WORA President Craig Harrison. The event is 3-5 and open to the public. In my speech you’ll hear why I’m running, who I am, what we’re fighting for, and how we’ll win.
Here are the top 3 things you need to know in Annapolis:
On Monday, the council will consider R-3-25, reiterating support for the city dock project. I will be proposing an amendment to make totally clear that this is just about the park and resilience aspects that have already been approved, not the welcome center.
There’s a public hearing Monday on renewing the lease of the city-owned radio tower to WRNR.
The county’s budget town hall will be 6-8 pm on February 4th at Annapolis High School.
Updates from Harry
Last Thursday (the 16th) kicked off the city council’s budget season. This year, at the suggestion of our budget staff, I decided to do something a little different. Before the mayor develops his budget, I organized a work session for council members to share their top priorities. The idea is to find consensus goals the mayor may not have thought of so that they can be included in the budget when it’s presented, rather than scrambling to make amendments later.
The priorities I presented are rebalancing our budget towards commonsense maintenance (of roads, sidewalks, parks), improving customer service for residents, and making downtown feel safer and more welcoming. Remember that this is just for the budget, so something like parking, which is one of my priorities generally, is not included because the solutions will not be mostly monetary.
At the work session, I shared data I’ve compiled that show the city’s current sidewalk replacement budget for the entire city would only allow for about 2.5 blocks of brick sidewalk to be replaced a year. At 2025’s pace of resurfacing roads, it would take 13 years to repave all the road segments rated as 2 or below out of 20—even if no roads worsen in that time. We can do better, but it will require some tough choices.
On a more fun note, I’ll be working for an increase in the city’s budget for Christmas decorations next year, which has not been keeping up with inflation.
Some of the priorities that I heard multiple members of the council agree on included:
Sidewalk maintenance
Staff support for greater oversight
Taking care of our most vulnerable residents
Economic development
Public safety, including resiliency and road calming
I intend to sit down with the mayor in the next month to ensure the budget he will present to the council on April 14 adequately considers these priorities that have the votes to be included sooner or later.
This week and every week, I’m grateful for the honor of representing you and our whole community. Never hesitate to contact me at harry@harrymhuntley.com or aldhuntley@annapolis.gov.
City council agenda
Call To Order
Mayor Buckley
Invocation
Aldermen Savidge
Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Buckley
Roll Call
City Clerk Watkins-Eldridge
Approval of Agenda
Petitions, Reports and Communications
Update from Mayor
Mayor Buckley
Reports by Committees
Comments by the General Public
Remember, you can come to any city council meeting to tell us about what’s important to you and your neighborhood!
Citations
ID-14-25 Citation: Annapolis Santa Run
I'm really excited for this one! I participated in the Santa Run this year to get toys to needy kids and requested this citation for our hard-working firefighters who volunteer to make this happen.
Re-Appointments
AP-44-24 Re-Appointment - Mr. Robert Hruby - Building Board of Appeals
AP-45-24 Re-Appointment - Mr. John Jay Schwarz - Building Board of Appeals
Supplemental Appropriations $50,000 & Above
SA-24-25 Reforestation Fund - Planning & Zoning - FY2024 Reforestation Fund Balance/Contractual Services
Fund Transfers
FT-6-25 General - Department of Recreation and Parks (Pool) - Contractual Services - Supplies & Other
Public Hearings
O-2-25 WRNR Radio Tower Lease With the City
The proposed lease with WRNR would allow the existing radio tower to be used while making clear that the City is providing the tower in “as-is” condition. The lease therefore does not force the City’s hand with respect to downstream costs. The revenue from the lease is modest.
Ordinance Second Readers
O-35-24 Fair Cannabis Employment Practices
Many of you have described to me issues in the city–such as the need for traffic calming–that have funds allocated in the budget but that lack staff to actually implement the solutions. City government has too many open positions. While this is caused by a variety of reasons, I have been thinking about anything we can do to address the root problem here. This legislation will bring Annapolis in line with Governor Moore’s recent executive order by ending most pre-employment cannabis testing for potential city employees. Staff will still be prohibited from using cannabis (and other drugs) on the job but will now be evaluated for that in a more accurate way. Nothing in the legislation supercedes state or federal law.
O-31-24 Mobile Food Service Vendors' Signage
This ordinance establishes sign requirements for food trucks. I'm undecided on how I'll vote on this. I see the need for some regualtions, but I also don't want to over-regulate these small businesses. I hope you'll share your thoughts with me.
Resolution Second Readers
R-3-25 City Dock Resiliency Project
Most of you saw my statements two weeks ago on this resolution. I want our city dock project to be able unpaving paradise and preserving it for posterity. This resolution reiterates the council's support for exactly that. I'll be offering an amendment to make it completely clear that this is only about the park and resilience portions of the project, which have received approval from all city processes--not the new harbormaster building, which still needs approval from the Historic Preservation Commission.
Adjournment
Other news you can use
Until tonight, the circus is in town! The last two shows are at 2 pm and 5 pm today, then the show is shipping up to Philadelphia.
As of this past week, remember to bring your reusable shopping bags. Annapolis’ plastic bag reduction policy is now in effect and mirrors the rules that were already in place in the county.
My next coffee shop tour stop will be 8 am on January 29th at Cafe Olé. We’ll likely take our coffee on the road, so bundle up and get there by 8:05!
On January 30, 31 & February 1, there will be Community Listening Sessions at "Pip" Moyer Rec Center to give Annapolis residents an opportunity to share their opinions and help shape long-term planning for the historic Carr's-Elktonia Beach property.
The City County, and Bay Trust are partnering to provide small community-based grants (up to $5,000) to help communities increase the number of trees in their neighborhoods. Apply here.
County Executive Pittman and Councilmember Rodvien will host a town hall on the county budget: 6-8 pm on February 4th at Annapolis High School.
Please send me any events or other information you’d like advertised to your neighbors.
Have a great week, everyone!
Harry
Source: hhttps://us17.campaign-archive.com/?u=92cd145597ae97327ab17fc38&id=2717ae9554
