Council Agenda: Pumphrey Parking, the Budget and Proclamations

A final vote on an ordinance to block the Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Home from building a parking lot, the final public hearing on the city’s fiscal 2013 budget and a budget discussion are on the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday.

The at . The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11.

Pumphrey parking

In a 3-2 vote on April 16, the council moved to reverse  that was intended to allow  to build a parking lot on property adjacent to the existing funeral home.

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The council is scheduled on Monday to take a final vote on an ordinance that would disallow the parking lot construction.

The proposed lot drew 40 speakers at a public hearing on March 26 and generated .

Budget work

The council will hold a final public hearing on the city budget for fiscal 2013, which begins July 1.

A budget discussion also is scheduled.  is $107 million. The proposed capital budget is $75.1 million.

Updated budget numbers reflect a net increase of $352,190 available for the council to allocate in the operating budget, according to a city staff report. The net increase reflects higher-than-expected tax duplication revenues from the county, totaling $316,670, and $98,280 in savings through contracts for auditing, Internet services and natural gas, which is expected to be awarded on Monday.

On April 30, the council voted to add $62,760 to the proposed operating budget for the Art In Public Places program. Click here to read more on the program in The Gazette.

City staff is providing a “budget balancing tool” that will ask the council whether it wishes to include funding for the following: 

• A barrier in West End Park to block noise from Interstate 270. (Cost: $111,000 in fiscal 2013 and $773,350 in future years.)
• Improvements to . (Cost: $160,000.)
• A bathroom at (Cost: $10,000 to complement state aid).
• A green building tax credit program. (Cost: $60,000.)
• The Rockville Chamber of Commerce’s program. (Cost: $20,000.)

The council also could consider moving operating funds to offset borrowing in the capital budget. 

A final work session, if needed, will be held May 14.

The public record will remain open for written testimony until 5 p.m. on May 17.  Written testimony may be submitted by email to mayorcouncil@rockvillemd.gov or by U.S. mail to the Mayor and Council, Rockville City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850.

To review the proposed fiscal 2013 budget see:

• The budget summary in the April edition on Rockville Reports.
• The “It’s Your Money!” page on the city’s Web site, which includes budget documents and materials from past budget previews.
• Hard copies of the budget plan, available at the and libraries and at .

The council is scheduled to adopt the budget on May 21.

Proclamations aplenty

The council also will recognize children winning bicycles through the city’s TERRIFIC bike program and will award proclamations declaring:

• Rockville Bicycle Awareness Month;
• National Kids to Parks Day;
• National Police Week; and
• Poppy Day.

Closed-door session

The council is scheduled to hold a closed session before Monday’s meeting to discuss a legal matter regarding the .