Mayor and Council to Discuss Programs for Affordable Housing and Independent Living
At its Monday, August 7, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss the 2023 Compensation Commission Report. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are contracts for lighting and water supply maintenance and repairs, tree planting at RedGate Park, among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on the Rockville Villages Program, Rockville Housing Enterprises, and 2023 State Legislative Wrap-up by Delegate Joe Vogel.
The Villages Program in Rockville was established in December 2016 in King Farm based on a Boston-based program whose mission is “to provide information and services, sponsor recreational and educational activities and foster a strong sense of community so that older adults in central Boston neighborhoods can live their lives to the fullest independently in their own homes.” In Rockville, Villages in various stages of development in East Rockville, Town Center, West Rockville, Wootton’s Mill, Orchard Falls (working title), New Mark Commons, Lincoln Park, and Twinbrook. The Villages Facilitator produces a monthly newsletter that is distributed electronically to nearly 600 recipients (subscribe for free!).
The City of Rockville established Rockville Housing Enterprises (RHE) in 1955 to as an independent agency to address affordable housing in the City. It currently owns and operates 80 apartments (“housing units”) and 450 housing units participate in its Housing Choice Voucher program (allows households to rent in the private market with rental assistance). RHE also partners with employers and service providers in the community to help participants obtain jobs and services, such as childcare, transportation, job training and employment counseling, and financial coaching. They have just launched the RHE Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit subsidiary dedicated to resident-oriented initiatives such as down payment assistance, disaster relief, and energy conservation. More details starting on page 10.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 261-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08072023-6979.
Next meeting on September 11 (Council will be taking a break). On the agenda is a report on the community policing advisory board and a public hearing on increasing the number of Councilmembers need to request a public hearing. Expect the election season to begin in earnest by the time this meeting happens.
Clouded Judgment? Mayor and Council to Discuss Vape Shop Regulations
At its Monday, July 31, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss a park impact fee for new residential developments, taxes for FY2024, amending the responsibilities of the Cultural Arts Commission, and extending the moratorium on vape shops. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are contracts for improvements to the King Farm Farmstead. This regular meeting will be preceded by a Closed Session to discuss the retention of a business (in an unusual move, the public may join the audio conference by phone).
In March 2023, the Mayor and Council adopted a nine-month moratorium on vape shops (businesses that dedicate more than 25% of its floor area to the sale, display, or use of electronic cigarettes; business with less than 25% of floor space dedicated to e-cigarettes are not affected). This moratorium expires on December 27, 2023, so the City is considering whether to adopt new regulations for vape shops or extend the moratorium. There seem to be ten vape and/or tobacco shops located in the city limits, primarily along Hungerford Drive and Rockville Pike (MD 355) along with numerous convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven), grocery stores and other retailers that sell cigarettes and electronic smoking products. Interestingly, the federal government adopted legislation in December 20, 2019 that increased the minimum age of the sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old (somehow at 18 you have enough intelligence to vote, get married, or join the army but not enough smarts to buy a cigarette).
It’s unclear why the moratorium was implemented or what the Council is attempting to control, but if it’s to keep children from smoking, this may be the wrong solution. The staff report reveals that, “most underage vape/e-cigarette users do not purchase vapes from vape shops…Numerous studies show that the majority of underage users purchase or borrow vape pens from friends, purchase them online, or purchase them from convenience stores or grocery stores where age verification may be more lax.” Are e-cigarettes worse for your health than cigarettes, thus require additional regulation? Are national laws so insufficient that Rockville needs its own unique response? Somehow, this reminds me of Footloose. More details starting on page 141.
The Mayor and Council is considering revised responsibilities for the Cultural Arts Commission with troubling consequences for citizen involvement. This change is happening at the behest of the Cultural Arts Commission to promote “inclusivity and cultural richness” but they may not have noticed that the revised responsibilities also disempowers them. As proposed, the Commission will no longer review the budget for the Civic Center (where performing and visual arts are primarily presented in Rockville) nor review the design of all new City-owned cultural facilities. Instead, their primary responsibilities are to advise and make recommendations to the Mayor and Council, not encourage, assist, foster, or work. How often will the Mayor and Council ask for their advice or recommendations? The Commission is becoming more passive, less active. More details starting on page 135.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting. More details in the 214-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07312023-6977.
Next meeting on August 7 with a presentation by Delegate Joe Vogel and an update on the Rockville Villages Program.
County Gets Largest Share of Property Tax. Is It Worth It?
The annual “Real Property Consolidated Tax Bill” is hitting mailboxes in Rockville and while most residents and businesses will be grumbling about the bites taken by state and local government, it’s also a time to reflect on the value we receive as a community in exchange. After all, taxes largely support police, fire protection, schools, libraries, parks, recreation, sidewalks, and roads—aspects of everyday life that make it safer and better. There’s lots more behind the scenes that we don’t notice until we need them, such as building safety inspections, animal control, voting, utility payment assistance, and affordable housing.
That’s all good but we should also consider how much each government agency receives and if we are getting our money’s worth. For Rockville residents and businesses, the lion’s share of property tax is taken by Montgomery County and the least by the State of Maryland, yet I more often see complaints about services directed at the City of Rockville and rarely at the County. Indeed, for most of Rockville, Montgomery County is invisible even though it’s headquartered in Rockville.
It’s time that Rockville ask more of Montgomery County and ensure we are receiving adequate and satisfactory services for the incredible amount of tax money we send their way. We especially need to make our needs, interests, and expectations known to the Councilmember Sidney Katz (who represents Rockville) and Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz, Evan Glass, Will Jawando, and Laurie-Anne Sayles (the four At-Large representatives). These are fulltime positions with a salary of $156,284, so we can easily expect a lot from them.
Councilmember Sid Katz is perhaps the least active of the 11-member board, spending most of his time at ribbon-cuttings, photo ops, and groundbreaking ceremonies. Even his “Sidney in the News” section of his website is moribund with only one news item for 2021, one for 2022, and none for 2023. Sigh.
Should the Mayor and Council Give Themselves a Raise?
At its Monday, July 17, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss whether to ask voters to lower the voting age, allow non-citizens to vote, adopt term limits for council members, adopt ranked choice voting, and create representative districts for council members. They are also considering an annexation of 1202 Seven Locks Road (an office building south of Wootton Parkway near Seven Locks Plaza); a revision of the maximum rental rate for Moderately Priced Housing; adoption of Floating Zones; affordable housing on North Stonestreet Avenue in Lincoln Park; and a letter to the County Council regarding rent control. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are agreements for employee retirement management, workers’ compensation, and water quality management, among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on the final Rockville branding initiative and compensation for council members.
Many residents assume that the Mayor and Council are volunteers, but they are considered “part time” positions and given an “annual stipend” of $37,560 for the Mayor and $30,483 for council members. Ten years ago, it was $25,750 for the Mayor and $20,600 for council members. They are also issued a laptop computer and printer; can request office supplies, furniture, and equipment; have access to all City facilities at the same rate as City staff; and have access the City’s health, dental, vision, and life insurance at their own expense. To consider whether this should change or remain the same, the Compensation Commission conducted a city-wide survey that received 95 responses (of which 56% felt that the current compensation was reasonable; the rest were mixed) and a public forum (only two residents provided comments). They also compared stipends with other jurisdictions (Gaitherburg’s Mayor is paid $37,560 and Frederick’s is $105,937–but that’s a fulltime position), but did not consider the income of Rockville residents ($57,336 per capita; $116,031 per household; 7% live in poverty according to the US Census Bureau). The Commission is recommending that the annual stipend increase at the same COLA rate given to City staff; increase the travel allowance for council members according to the Consumer Price Index and for the Mayor by 10% to $6,600 (travel for Sister City events is provided elsewhere in the budget). Otherwise, no additional benefits (e.g., no additional funds for cell phones). The Commission also discussed the role of the annual stipend on attracting candidates for council. More details starting on page 50 of the agenda.
Interested in running for Mayor or Council? Right now there are two candidates for Mayor and nine for Council. There were 13 candidates for Council in 2019. The deadline for petitions is Friday, September 8. More details at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/2262/Running-for-Office.
Coming up on the next agenda is a report from Rockville Housing Enterprises, allowing accessory apartments as a conditional use in single family residential zones, revising the responsibilities of the Cultural Arts Commission, and extending the moratorium on vape shops.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 463-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07172023-6963.
Mayor and Council to Choose New City Logo and Change Election Campaigning
At its Monday, June 11, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss election campaign materials, referendums on voting eligibility, and repealing Covid vaccination requirements. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are construction contracts, grant authorizations, a zoning ordinance rewrite ($294,530), and planting trees and shrubs ($393,570), among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on the state legislation session wrap-up for District 17 and the City’s Branding Initiative.
Fourteen nonprofit organizations will be receiving grants to support programs and services that enhance the quality of life for Rockville residents, including:
- Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, $120,000
- Rockville Science Center, $60,000
- Rockville Housing Enterprises, $52,820
- Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts, $48,830
- Rockville Little Theatre, $18,000
- Rockville Musical Theatre, $18,000
- Victorian Lyric Opera Company, $17,200
- Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, $10,000
- F. Scott Fitzgerald LIterary Conference, $6,700
- Main Street Connect, $6,000
- Bender JCC of Greater Washington, $6,000
- Women Who Care Ministries, $5,000
The City Council is considering an Eleventh Amendment to the Interim Management Agreement for Rockville Town Square, the a 12.5-acre mixed-use development located in the heart of Rockville City Center, and is encompassed within the area bounded by Beall Avenue, Hungerford Drive, Middle Lane , and North Washington Street. On September 26, 2022, Morguard acquired from Street Retail, the fee simple interest in all of the commercial retail properties in the Rockville Townsquare (RTS) Mixed-Use Development. Although a long-term Management Agreement is desired by both the City and Morguard, both parties need additional time to engage further. As such, staff recommends that the Mayor and Council authorize and direct the City Manager to execute the Eleventh Amendment to the Interim Management Agreement, thus extending the term of the Interim Management Agreement to June 30, 2024. This would continue the agreement that the City will not assess a property tax in exchange for management and maintenance of the Plaza and sidewalks by Morguard. More details starting on page 636.
The City Council is considering a long list of changes to city elections, including:
- Amending definition of campaign materials to include campaign websites, emails, text messages, and other electronic communications.
- Establishing a second vote center at Thomas Farm Community Center and ballot drop boxes at City Hall, Montrose Community Center, Rockville Senior Center, and Twinbrook Community Center.
- Prohibiting electioneering within 50 feet of an outdoor ballot drop box.
- Independent communications and advertisements must include a notice stating that they have not been authorized by a candidate or candidate’s committee.
- Aggregate campaign contributions are no longer limited to $2,000.
- Requiring electronic filing of all Campaign Finance Reports, but permitting the Board of Supervisors of Elections to waive that requirement, on request, for good cause.
- Requiring clear and conspicuous disclaimers on campaign materials stating whether the material has been paid for or authorized by a candidate or political committee, and if not, identifying the person who did pay for the campaign materials, but also including an exception for materials on which disclaimers cannot be conveniently displayed.
- Requiring all campaign materials to state that they are paid political advertisements and to identify the person who paid for the advertisement.
The Council is also considering a series of advisory questions to submit to voters in November about lowering the voting age to 16 years, allowing residents who are not U.S. citizens to vote, introducing a limit of three consecutive terms (12 years) for Mayor and Councilmembers, ranked choice voting, and establishing council districts.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 704-page/127 Mb agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06122023-6935.
Parental and LGBTQ+ Rights Advocates Face Off at Confused Moms for Liberty Rally in Rockville
At today’s Moms for Liberty rally held at the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education meeting in Rockville, a diverse group of attendees gathered to express their views. Moms for Liberty oppose MCPS curriculum and the adoption of books that present diverse perspectives on personal identity and relationships. Reporters observed that many anti-rally participants appeared to be from local mosques, dressed in Muslim attire, while the pro-rally crowd sported rainbow-themed clothing and accessories, signifying their support for LGBTQ+ rights.
The atmosphere remained calm until around 10:30 am when music from “Footloose” started playing, prompting the pro-rally side to dance and enjoy themselves. Chants from both sides filled the air, with the Moms for Liberty participants calling for “Religious Freedom” and “Protect Our Children,” while the anti-rally side responded with “Love Is Love” and “Protect All Children.” As the event progressed, the anti-rally side appeared to adopt tactics from the pro-rally group, initiating their own chants.
Members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring joined the anti-rally side, displaying a large banner. Conversations between the two sides took place, highlighting the varying perspectives on sex education and parents’ rights. As the rally continued, some attendees found the situation increasingly peculiar, with both sides chanting similar messages. The event showcased the diverse opinions present within the community and the importance of open dialogue—and that the arguments are incredibly confusing.
City Council Campaign On Its Way with Ten Candidates
The 2023 campaign for Rockville Mayor and Council officially started on May 11 when the Board of Supervisors of Elections (BOSE) certified the petitions of Mark Pierzchala for Mayor and Izola Shaw for Council. As of May 25, there are currently two candidates for Mayor and eight candidates for Council—a total of ten people running for office.
- Candidates for the Office of Mayor
- Monique Ashton (currently on Council)
- Mark Pierzchala (currently on Council)
- Candidates for the Office of Council
- Kate Fulton
- Barry Jackson
- Ricky Mui
- David Myles (currently on Council)
- Paul Scott
- Izola Shaw
- Marissa Valeri
- Adam Van Grack
That’s low compared to 2019 (13 people) and 2015 (11 people), so I suspect more candidates will be added, especially with the number of seats on Council increasing from four to six. Indeed, Harold Hodges’ petition for Council is expected to be certified in June but I’m guessing that incumbents Bridget Newton or Beryl Feinberg won’t run again if they haven’t already submitted petitions. The deadline to submit petitions is Friday, September 8. If you want the latest information, the City Clerk’s office is maintaining a list online (BOSE meeting minutes and videos are not always available).
The big challenge for the candidates is getting the attention of voters. Yard signs and direct mail will be essential, but it is incredibly expensive (especially as postage rates increase on July 9) and can create a campaign budget that easily crosses the $10,000 line—which can discourage good candidates for office. Candidate for Council David Myles demonstrates the tenacity required when running for office nowadays. In the last election, he knocked on the doors of every voter at least twice. Last week, he already dropped off a brochure at my house.
The big challenge for voters is sorting through the candidates’ slogans and platitudes (lower taxes!, fight crime! end government waste! stop overcrowded schools!—if you hear any of these, choose someone else who understands the issues better). With no local newspaper covering Rockville on a regular basis to provide an independent perspective, voters will have to rely on what the candidates say (hmm, sounds mighty biased to me). It will be the candidate’s postcard in the mail, one of the three candidate forums, meeting candidates as they walk the neighborhood, the Rockville 11 special broadcast, or the City’s voter’s guide. I’ll try to do my part in navigating the noise, so check back regularly. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
The election for Mayor and six Councilmembers to four-year terms will be on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Rockville will conduct its second vote-by-mail election with ballots mailed to all registered voters who live within Rockville city limits by October 13. Ballots must be returned via an official drop box, by mail to City Hall, or in person on Election Day at City Hall and Thomas Farm Community Center. All ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. More details at Voting and Elections on the city website.
Mayor and Council to Consider Loosening Requirements for Accessory Apartments
At its Monday, June 5, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss a FY2024 Budget Debrief and an ordinance to allow accessory apartments (aka Attached Accessory Dwelling Units) in residential zones. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are construction contracts and grant authorization. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on Environmental Excellence Awards, Human Services Advisory Commission, and Monthly Rent Schedule for Moderately Priced Dwelling Units.
Twenty years ago, the Rockville City Council established Environmental Excellence Awards to recognize residents, organizations, and businesses for their extraordinary efforts to improve the community’s environmental and sustainability efforts. Congratulations to Rishi Iyer (a student at Wootton High School who developed an online carbon footprint tool at co2schools.com) and to Mark Wright (for leading efforts to install two pollinator gardens at Christ Church and Christ Episcopal School).
Moderately Priced Dwelling Units are the City’s methods for keeping housing affordable to families with household incomes of less than $64,000-$99,000 (depending on household size). The City regulates the maximum rent allowed and adjusts it annually according to schedules prepared by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For FY2024, the maximum rent is $1,330-$1,900 (depending on the number of bedrooms) for an increase of 12-13 percent compared to the current year.
Attached Accessory Dwelling Units (aka Accessory Apartments) are a second dwelling that is either attached or within the main single family detached house (not to be confused with accessory dwelling units (ADU), which are unattached or separate from the main house–I think). They are currently allowed as a Special Exception by the Board of Appeals and the City is now considering an ordinance that would allow attached accessory dwelling units as a conditional use to streamline the process and provide more housing opportunities. These types of accessory dwelling units are often used by a retired person who wants to downsize, a professional who’s moved to the area, or a college student (that’s how I lived during grad school). The City held public hearings in 2019 and 2021, the City Council discussed it in 2020, and the Planning Commission reviewed it in 2023. The Twinbrook Community Association, Lincoln Park Civic Association, East Rockville Civic Association, and West End Citizens Association support accessory apartments as a conditional use. Lots of interesting comments for and against accessory apartments, but you’ll want to read these carefully because they can refer to AirBnB, VRBO, and attached and unattached dwelling units interchangeably. For more details, including the draft ordinance, see page 232+.
Coming up: new brand for the City of Rockville, amending Chapter 8 “Elections” in the City Code, annexation of 1201 Seven Locks Road, community organization grant agreements, and repealing the requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations for city employees and contractors (page 273+).
More details in the 276-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06052023-6928.
Mayor and Council to Review Policies for Managing Grants, Staff, and Sponsorships
At its Monday, May 22, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will receive reports on the city’s management of its grants, staff vacancies and hiring (p. 186), recreation and parks sponsorship policy (193), and proposed personnel policies and procedures (197). On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are grant agreements for Rockville Senior Center, Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, and the Rockcrest Ballet Center. The Mayor and Council will also issue five proclamations, including the recognition of Eritrean Independence Day on May 24 (do you know where Eritrea is located?).
Eleventh House Solutions is recommending that the City adopt a policy to bring consistency and control over grant activities. Currently, grant management is “decentralized throughout the City and are nonexistent in several departments that could benefit from grant funding. This has made grant information difficult to retrieve or track in some departments.” Furthermore, “except for Public Works, no grants or funding program had a system to track the grant’s requirements or conditions. Without these documents, departments risk not complying with grant conditions which could result in the rejection of reimbursement requests or loss of grant funding.” Kudos to the Public Works Department, who were also called out as a “perfect example of how a grants process, although informal, implemented from the top down can expand programming and, therefore, further the City’s mission and priorities.” For more details, see the consultant’s report of findings and recommendations starting on page 33 and departmental comments starting on page 43. One interesting finding is that the City Council’s approval process and August recess can delay agreements by two months (49)—is it time for them to meet year ’round?
According to the Staff Vacancy and Hiring Report (187), two positions are frozen (Human Resources Associate and Principal Network and Cyber Security Automation Engineer) and four on hold pending release (Senior Planner, Information Systems and Cyber Security Engineer, Secretary, Recreation Facilities Clerk, and Maintenance Worker III).
More details in the 395-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05222023-6921.
Rockville City Manager Faces Performance Improvement Plan in Surprise Session
In an extraordinary last-minute Closed Session held on Thursday morning, May 11, 2023, the Rockville City Council put the City Manager Rob DiSpirito into a three-month Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for reasons unknown. Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal, structured process designed to help underperforming employees identify and overcome performance issues. It outlines specific goals, expectations, and timelines for improvement, along with support, resources, and regular progress evaluations to facilitate success and growth.
When the Council came out of Closed Session, Councilmember Monique Ashton quickly moved for the PIP and was supported by Councilmember Beryl Feinberg. Mayor Bridget Newtown rushed for a vote without a discussion, but was interrupted by Councilmember Mark Pierzchala to note that, “I don’t know how the sequence of events unrolled but I’m not going to vote for it. I think things have moved past the point where a performance improvement plan is going to be effective. So I’m gonna vote against it. I had asked to make the first motion but that was not allowed, apparently. I’m not sure where that came from. Thank you.” The motion passed 4-1 with Councilmember Pierzchala voting against. A brief three-minute video is available at https://youtu.be/fIu7e9cHhoo, but of course, the closed session portion is held in secret and it’s unclear how long they debated the issue.
I typically discourage Closed Sessions because they are secret and prevent voters from knowing what’s happening—and Closed Sessions usually deal with major issues. Fortunately, Maryland has an Open Meetings Act to keep council and board meetings available to the public so they can be “in the room where it happens.” A quick introduction is available as FAQs, but here are a fundamentals:
- The Maryland Open Meeting Act lists 15 topics that the City Counci) may choose to discuss behind closed doors under specific conditions. These topics or “exceptions,” include personnel discussions about particular individuals, the receipt of legal advice from the public body’s attorney, and subjects that must be kept confidential under other laws. A discussion on “the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of an employee over whom the Mayor and Council has jurisdiction” is an appropriate reason for the Closed Session on May 11.
- Public bodies must make an agenda available before each meeting, either when notice is posted, if the items of business are known then, or as soon as practicable, but no later than 24 hours before the meeting. There is an exception for meetings held in response to emergencies. This Closed Session was not publicized as an emergency and the the agenda was posted on the city website on May 10 at 5:20 pm, that’s less than 18 hours in advance, so is in violation of the Act. Furthermore, it was not sent out as an email to those who subscribe to the City Council’s agendas (thanks to a blog reader who alerted me to this meeting).
- This meeting was not publicized an emergency, so why the rush? Two councilmembers had difficulties attending in person. Councilmember Myles was absent at the start of the meeting and showed up virtually later. Councilmember Ashton started the meeting virtually and joined in-person by the end. How much of the Closed Session discussion did they miss? Councilmember Ashton didn’t even notice that the vote to go into Closed Session occurred.
Most management leaders will emphasize that employees are the organization’s most important assets so how well are these assets being managed in the City of Rockville? Most of the current councilmembers lack significant experience in supervising employees and the City Council has a poor record of managing its most senior staff. The City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk have each been dismissed during Mayor Newton’s tenure. After a while, the only common denominator to these problems is the City Council.
The City Council needs to provide a better explanation for this decision and how they handle Closed Sessions. Or it’s time to rethink their privilege to serve.
May 21, 2023: This post was corrected to show a vote of 4-1 in the caption of the photo.
Max for Rockville 