Rockville has been named a “Banner City” by the Maryland Municipal League. Sponsored by Comcast, the program recognizes municipalities whose elected and appointed officials are the league’s most engaged members. According to the MML, the Banner City/Town program fosters an environment where officials feel that their activities make a difference.
Category: Government (Page 2 of 23)
Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton delivered a statement on behalf of the Mayor and Council, Monday, in which they condemned unanimously the police-involved death of George Floyd, following his arrest by Minneapolis police officers.
The Mayor and Council stands in solidarity with others across the country seeking to end the injustice of racism.
In Rockville, “we celebrate our diversity and we stand for inclusion,” Newton said, reading from the joint statement.
The city prides itself on being a safe place for all people, and officers from the Rockville City Police Department, city staff and elected officials are committed to maintaining that.
“This requires more than rhetoric,” Newton said on behalf of the Mayor and Council. “It requires a culture of inclusion and action to uphold our values.”
The Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing on a draft of the Park Road and North/South Stonestreet Avenue Area Comprehensive Master Plan Amendment, via videoconference during their June 8 meeting.
The Mayor and Council recently took action to protect residential renters during the COVID-19 emergency, passing an ordinance to temporarily suspend rent increases at licensed rental properties through July 31.
Under the new legislation, no rents may be raised through July 31. From Aug. 1, until 180 days after the state of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is lifted, rents may be raised by no more than 2.6%.
The Mayor and Council are scheduled to vote Monday, May 11 on adoption of a city budget that responds to economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining the same level of service to Rockville’s residents.
The vote will follow a final work session on Monday, May 4. See the left column of this page for information about how to follow Mayor and Council meetings.
The proposed budget keeps the general fund at the same level as the current fiscal year. The $84.6 million general fund supports the largest portion of the operating budget, and includes spending reductions considered by the Mayor and Council in response to the pandemic.
The city’s current real property tax rate of $0.292 per $100 of assessed valuation would remain the same. All residential and commercial property owners pay this tax. Rockville has not increased its property tax rate in more than 25 years.
Water, sewer, stormwater management and recycling and trash service would also remain at their current rates.
The proposal would eliminate step or merit increases for all city employees but preserve a 1% cost-of-living adjustment for employees below the department head level. It would freeze hiring except for essential positions. Two new police officers would be the only new positions created.
City Manager Rob DiSpirito presented a $144.2 million budget proposal in February that outlined the city’s priorities for Fiscal Year 2021, which begins July 1. He proposed adjustments to the budget in April after the onset of the pandemic led to a state order shutting down most businesses.
Visit www.rockvillemd.gov/budget for more information.
Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton will deliver a livestreamed update before each Mayor and Council meeting, and the meeting itself will include an update by Mark Landahl, Rockville’s emergency manager, on the city’s COVID-19 response.
The meeting will be conducted by teleconference and be broadcast live on Rockville 11 and via livestreaming at www.rockvillemd.gov/rockville11, and will be available on demand beginning Tuesday at www.rockvillemd.gov/videoondemand.
Comments for community forum will be accepted in writing. Email mayorcouncil@rockvillemd.gov by 2 p.m. Monday to submit comments.
Find the Mayor and Council agenda at www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter.
The potential fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the city’s finances and the economy has led the city manager to consider adjustments to his proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget.
The Mayor and Council will wind down their budget work in April, in preparation of adoption on Monday, May 4.
This article has been updated to reflect a new deadline to apply and also an additional July 13 public hearing before the Mayor and Council.
The Mayor and Council are seeking Rockville residents to serve on a Charter Review Commission that will review and recommend changes to Rockville’s founding document — the charter.
The charter, established in 1860 with Rockville’s incorporation, is a legal document similar to a constitution that empowers the city to pass ordinances, in accordance with state laws. The document establishes the city’s corporate limits and outlines how the city is organized and conducts business, such as the terms and number of elected officials, holding elections, levying taxes, adopting ordinances and providing services.
City of Rockville facilities will remain closed to the public through Friday, April 24, and city events, classes, programs, rentals and activities are canceled through Thursday, April 30, in response to Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive orders related to COVID-19 in Maryland.
The parks are open, but lights at City of Rockville outdoor courts and sports fields will remain off during evening and nighttime hours, beginning Saturday, March 21.
