Tuesday, April 16, 2013
A recent story in The Sentinel renews the debate over access to a report on the investigation into workers' claims of harassment and discrimination.
Rockville residents' complaints have revived the discussion over access to a report investigating former city employees’ claims of harassment and discrimination by supervisors. In a recent story published in The Sentinel, former Rockville mayor Steve VanGrack and Andrea Bernardo, campaign manager for former city Councilwoman Anne Robbins, said the Rockville City Council should have access to the report. If the mayor and council do not review the report, an individual or committee should do it on their behalf, some have suggested. “When there is a call into question by several city employees into what is going on the mayor and council absolutely have to come in and find out what is going on,” VanGrack told The Sentinel. The Sentinel’s …
Monday, February 4, 2013
A vote on a contract for stormwater management is also on the agenda.
A discussion of the structure and scope of a financial advisory board, votes to authorize the sale of city bonds and recognition of partners in the city’s annual holiday drive are on the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday. A closed-door session will be held at 5:30 p.m. before the regular business meeting. The purpose, according to the agenda, is "to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice; and to consult with staff, or other individuals about pending or potential litigation” regarding alley abandonment. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11. Financial advisory board The council is scheduled to continue its discussion of the creation, structure and duties of a financial …
Monday, January 28, 2013
A meeting with Regal Row merchants over parking issues precedes Monday's meeting
Votes on a plan to include historical and cultural sites in Rockville in the county’s “heritage area” master plan and a discussion of how plans for Town Center redevelopment are approved are on the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday. The council also will hear a quarterly update from Rockville Economic Development Inc., the economic development arm of the city. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11. Council members will meet with Regal Row merchants before the scheduled council meeting, at 6 p.m. in the Black-Eyed Susan Room, to discuss parking concerns associated with the ongoing construction of the Cambria Suites mixed-used project. Construction of the mixed-use project has…
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
An editorial in The Gazette says residents 'deserve answers.'
An editorial in The Gazette on Wednesday renewed the call for the City of Rockville to release details into an independent probe of former city employees’ claims of harassment and discrimination by supervisors. “Releasing the report, even with large sections redacted, would go a long way toward reassuring city residents about the management of its government,” the editorial said. Click here to read the full editorial from The Gazette. The city paid $190,000 to the law firm Saul Ewing, LLP to conduct the investigation after The Sentinel published a series of articles detailing complaints by former employees. The investigation found “no unlawful conduct,” on the part of the city and, as outlined in a city news release on Nov. 28, “…
Monday, January 14, 2013
A vote on changes to the city bid process also is on deck.
The final report by the city’s Charter Review Commission, three public hearings and discussions of proposed changes to the city’s ethics ordinance and the city’s bid process are on the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday. The council also is scheduled to hear an update from the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11. Charter Review Commission report The council is scheduled to hear the final report from the city’s Charter Review Commission. The commission’s recommendations, outlined in the report, include: The commission also recommended several changes to increase voter participation in city elections. Some changes would be automatic should the …
Friday, December 21, 2012
Rockville and Montgomery County facilities will be operate on modified schedules over the holidays.
All Montgomery County and City of Rockville facilities will be closed and no programs will operate on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Holiday hours for city facilities are as follows: Recycling and refuse collection for Monday and for Dec. 31 will not be affected. Collection for the remainder of each week will shift forward one day, with Friday collection made on Saturday. The city also is recycling cut and artificial Christmas trees. Click here for details. Parking will be free at city-owned meters and garages on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. For payment information on Rockville Town Square parking garages, go to rockvilletownsquare.com/parking. For more information about city facilities or programs call 240-314-5000 or visitwww.rockvillemd.gov…
Monday, December 17, 2012
A vote on a legal services contract is also on the agenda.
A presentation by Montgomery County Councilman Philip M. Andrews, a stormwater management ordinance, presentations on financial audits for fiscal 2012 and on city contracting and a vote on a legal services contract highlight the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday. The council also is scheduled to vote on the purchase of three new refuse trucks and the purchase of playground equipment to replace equipment destroyed in a fire at Rockville Civic Center Park last month. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11. County Councilman Andrews presents Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg, who represents Rockville on the Montgomery County Council, is scheduled to address issues of mutual …
Monday, December 10, 2012
A discussion of the Financial Advisory Board is also on the agenda.
Previews of the fiscal 2014 city budget and of state legislative priorities for the District 17 delegation to the General Assembly and a public hearing on a plan for heritage tourism highlight the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11. Budget preview The council is scheduled to hear a preview of the budget for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1. The preview will focus on council members’ answers to budget surveys, which city staff use to determine budget priorities. Staff will discuss operating funds and factors that may influence revenue and expenditure estimates. “Financial pressures such as employee benefit costs and aging infrastructure, …
Monday, December 3, 2012
Budget issues dominate the agenda, which also includes REDI board reappointments.
The budget takes center stage as a report on the productivity of city staff, a presentation on the implications of budget cost-cutting and a discussion of the creation of a Financial Advisory Board highlight the Rockville City Council’s agenda for Monday. The council also is expected to reappoint five members to Rockville Economic Development Inc.’s board. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will be broadcast live on Rockville 11. Productivity report The council will hear a report on the productivity of city staff over the past five years. Staff has served an increasingly large number of residents spread across expanding city limits, a staff report said. Rockville’s population grew from 47,388 to 61,209—a 29 percent …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Report includes recommendations to improve communication and human resources practices.
An independent investigation into former City of Rockville employees’ claims of harassment and discrimination by supervisors found “no unlawful conduct,” the city said in a news release late Wednesday. The city retained the law firm, Saul Ewing, LLP, in May to conduct the internal review of the city’s personnel policies and procedures after The Sentinel newspaper published a series of articles detailing complaints by former employees. A former city building inspector told The Sentinel that the city had become “a toxic environment” in which to work. Former city employees said managers were required to change performance evaluations, supervisors made racist comments and, in one case, an employee’s medical history was openly discussed, The…
CP
10:24 am on Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Just because nothing "unlawful" was discovered doesn't mean some action should not be taken with respect to City staff. There are people in positions of authority and power that have no right being in those positions, and there are people totally incompetent of managing or supervising subordinates. The City should be ashamed, and citizens rightly incensed, if all that comes out of this $190K … more ›