Politics & Government

On the Agenda: Rockville City Council Expected to Adopt Budget

The proposed budget is about $2 million bigger than what was formally introduced in March.

The Rockville City Council meets 7 p.m. Mondays at City Hall. Here’s a look at tonight’s agenda:

Action | The Council is expected to adopt the city’s 2014 fiscal year budget.

The proposed $114 million budget is nearly $7 million bigger than the current budget and about $2 million more .

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The version that will come before the Council on Monday includes more funding for several nonprofits and incorporates much of what Councilman John F. Hall Jr. suggested during a budget work session on April 29—including a 2 percent pay raise for city workers and adding two officers to the city’s police force.

The budget will take affect on July 1, 2013. Here are some highlights of what else is in the proposed budget:

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  • The city will spend less on construction projects. The budget for capital improvements is $67 million, about $3 million less than the current budget. It's a decrease of roughly 4.5 percent.
  • Property taxes will stay the same, at 29.2 cents per $100 of assessable value.
  • The proposed budget would eliminate the equivalent of 7.5 full-time positions—though Matthews has said the affected positions were already vacant and, in other cases, workers would be transferred to other city jobs. In general, personnel expenses account for more than half of the city’s expenses in the proposed 2014 budget.
  • The trash the rate would be set at $372 per single-family home, per year. There will also be fees for people who don’t return garbage and recycling bins. Trash revenue is projected to account for $6.1 million in the proposed budget.

The full budget report is available at the city’s website

Executive session | The Council will meet in closed session at 6 p.m. in order to:

"… consult with counsel to obtain legal advice and to consult with staff about pending litigation regarding the administrative appeal filed by William A. Pumphrey and James Pontius."

The Council is expected to reconvene at 7 and is scheduled meet again in closed session at 9:20 p.m. for the city’ manager’s performance evaluation.

Discussion | City staff is seeking direction on the city’s Citizens Forum policy. Citizen’s forum is the part of the meeting where public comments are offered.

There have been concerns over the use of technology. Generally, the City does not permit the public to present documents or images on the screens during Citizens Forum, according to a staff report. 

But the recently renovated Council chamber has a document camera that can project images onto the television and dais screens. Images can also be broadcast directly on Rockville 11. 

The mayor and Council will also discuss whether speakers could present and display information via Apple TV.

Consent Agenda | The following items are on the consent agenda this week:

  • A proposed $2.5 million asphalt re-pavement contract to two businesses—Baltimore-based Manuel Luis Construction Co. Inc. and M. T. Laney Co. Inc., of Eldersburg.
  • A proposed $3 million contract for fixing sidewalks, curbs and driveway aprons to three businesses— AJ Romano Construction Inc. of Laurel; Olney Masonry Corp. of Beltsville; and Manuel Luis Construction Co. Inc. of Baltimore.
  • A proposed $500,000 contract to obtain sanitary sewer flow data in various parts of the city. The contract would go to RJN Group (RJN) of Baltimore.
  • A proposed $377,188 contract to supply and install playground equipment at David Scull Park. The contract would go to Montrose Park to Playground Specialists Inc. of Emmitsburg.

Proclamations | May 20-24 is National Public Works Week

In celebration of the city’s sixth annual Public Works Week, Rockville residents are invited to an equipment show on Thursday, May 23, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the outdoor pool parking lot of the Rockville Municipal Swim and Fitness Center at 355 Martins Lane.

Visitors will have the chance to see the types of trucks, equipment and machinery that public works staff use daily.


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