As posted on the City website,
In advance of their annual retreat on January 20, the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council will hold a special work session to gather citizen input on the 2007 Strategic Plan. The televised meeting will take place on Monday, January 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 31 South Summit Avenue.
Covering everything from transportation planning and public safety to recreation programs and emergency preparedness, Gaithersburg’s Strategic Plan helps each department focus resources and measure progress and effectiveness in all areas of operation. Throughout the year the Mayor and Council receive regular updates on items outlined in the plan.
The January 8 meeting will include a review of the eleven Strategic Directions outlined in the 2006 Plan and will highlight proposed changes for the coming year. To provide a framework for discussion, City staff will also present municipal trends and a financial overview.
“We encourage citizens to come forward with both short and long term goals for Gaithersburg,” said City Manager David Humpton. “Through this very open process we hope to identify key issues that the Mayor and Council can then discuss in-depth at their annual retreat.”
Following the retreat the City Manager will finalize the document and present the formal 2007 Strategic Directions at a subsequent Mayor and Council meeting.
A copy of the 2006 Strategic Plan is available below. The Draft 2007 Strategic Plan will be posted on the website in January. For more information please contact the City Manager’s office at 301-258-6310 or cityhall@gaithersburgmd.gov
The 2006 strategic plan can be found here.
I think that the City Manager, Mayor, and Council should add an item to their strategic plan. That is to analyze why, six months after three families were burned out of their homes on May 6th, there is so little progress toward getting their homes fixed.
Read this: http://www.towncourier.com/TheTownCourier/Gaithersburg/BD435533-BC3F-4E0E-A86A-BA5269D66583.html
Then read this:
Lakelands Fire Victims Desperate for Help
By Sonya Burke
Several Lakelands residents displaced in a fire last May are pleading with Gaithersburg officials to help them jump-start the reconstruction of their homes.
“We desperately need help,” said Amy Greaser, who owns one of the Cross Green units that was damaged by the fire sparked by a discarded cigarette. Greaser and her husband recently bought a new home even though they are still making payments on their Cross Green Street condominium.
“We have been very patient. We are asking for help so the reconstruction process can get started,” said Greaser.
Guess what? There is almost no change since the September article.
Our city government should be ashamed that this has happened on its watch. While they do not have the authority to conduct the construction, they have the bully pulpit and yet not one word from Mayor, Manager, or Council. I guess that three families votes don’t matter much.
Call Greg Ossont at 301-258-6330
David Humpton at 301-258-6310
Ask them what they are doing to help our neighbors. Remind them that at their pay grades we expect goals to be achieved so don’t settle for a list of tasks that they have performed.
Silent Rider,
Could you provide more information about what has transpired since August? According to This Story in the Gazette, and hinted at in this council meeting (skip to 17:40 into the video), the problem at that time seemed to be related to a dispute between two architects over access to the plans for the building. It appears that the condo association had hired a different architect than had been used by the builder. The new architect didn’t have the plans for the building that would be required for a reconstruction permit, and the old architect had, for whatever reason, not yet shared the plans with the new architect. The City had a copy of the plans — from what Amy Greaser said in the council meeting, it sounds like either the Condo association or the new architect had at some point given the owners an excuse about how the City had “lost” the the plans — but were not allowed to provide them to anyone but the original builder.
So from what was reported in September, this sounds like a private dispute among a number of parties — the various architects, builders, property managers, homeowners, etc., and the City was just waiting for a proper application that they could approve. Having had experience with issues that aren’t as simple as they seem when one reads press accounts, I would be interested in knowing how the reality is different than this, and what the City has done (or not done) — other than withhold plans that they were legally required to withhold, or insist that the permitting process be followed — to keep these people out of their homes for another three months. Thanks.
Silent Rider,
By the way, at least for me the link you gave to the Courier article comes up with a “404 page not found”. However, an acquaintance of mine had a copy of the December issue, which also has an article, again by Sonya Burke, about the situation. (Were you referring to this in your first paragraph?) From the December article, it still appears that various private parties involved — especially the architects — have been major contributors to the delays. Again, I’d be interested if you could provide additional information about what is actually going on in that situation.
OK, gaithersblog, here is what I have found out for you about the fire that occurred on MAY 6:
Gaithersburg City officials, while not directly responsible for rebuilding the homes of over one dozen of our neighbors nonetheless seem to be oblivious to their plight. Preferring to focus on Day Labor Centers and building parks to rolling up their sleeves and making sure that innocent victims are take care of. Here is what the public record shows:
On August 21st of this year, the following minutes were posted about the Mayor and Council meeting:
“Amy Greaser, Lakelands resident, stated she and her family were forced from their home for 3-1/2 months due to fire. She expressed concern that no timeframe for reconstruction has been received, only excuses from the builder and condominium association. Planning and Code Administration Director Ossont responded that the City is not necessarily responsible for the reconstruction of the homes, but will investigate and speak with both the contractor and insurance agency.”
–end of minutes–
Obviously Ossont has not made any headway as evidenced by……
These excerpts from the December 2006 issue of the Town Courier reporting on a meeting held November 13th:
Fire Victims Are Still Out in the Cold
by Sonya Burke
“I can’t believe its has been this long,” said Danielle Dolan, who has been living in temporary rental housing since the day of the fire.
For over an hour, Cross Green residents fired questions at the managers, the condo’s builder, the new contractor, and a city code official hope to get answers about what has taken so long and when the nightmare would be over. Still no one could provide residents with a definitive timeline on when re-construction would begin and how much time it would take.
“These two units should be able to be occupied prior to reconstruction of the other four units,” wrote Gaithersburg’s Planning and Code Administration Director Greg Ossont in a memo to the Mayor and Council dated October 31. At press time, it was unclear if or when that would happen.
“I don’t think anything was accomplished,” said Greaser. “I felt there were no answers. It’s been six months. It doesn’t make sense. Who’s responsible?”
–end of article–
Again the City leaders show themselves to be aloof and more focused on building parks and pools for the Kentlands than worrying about other less fortunate residents of Gaithersburg.
The City Manager tonight reported on the $650,000 park built in just a couple of months on property not even owned by the city. He made a commitment to provide three nights a week of police coverage for Kentland’s Market Square at no charge to Beatty Management. But not a word about the more than one dozen residents burned out of their homes. It is a question of priorities.
The reality is that if they had contacted the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection at 240-777-3636, they would have found a proactive, resourceful group of people who are results oriented.
There are historical problems related to the Planning and Code folks in Gaithersburg that have cost residents and tax payers for their lackluster approach to their work. More on that later.
Even City Councilman can no longer hide their frustration with the lackluster performance of this administration.
In the recent edition of The Town Courier, John Schlichting is quoted saying,
“I am extremely frustrated that I haven’t been able to move this forward…My dissenting colleagues continuously use the excuse that we can’t rush this, and I know we must do this well, but we are clearly dragging our feet without a deadline…As elected caretakers of our city, we have an awesome responsibility to plan the future of our neighborhoods.”
The Courier reporter, Sonya Burke, goes on to say, “Despite top billing on the strategic direction list in 2006, another calendar year ends this month with…no future date on which it might be held.”
Please show up at the meeting and ask the Mayor, Council, and City Manager to simply do what they say.
This city is dynamic and requires constant adjustment on the city’s part to the myriad of changes that occur as we grow and change. Yet as the changes increase the responses decrease.
To this failure of leadership I suggest this quote for consideration. It is from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes (German Playwright, Poet, Novelist and Dramatist. 1749-1832)
“Then indecision brings its own delays,
And days are lost lamenting o’er lost days.
Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute;
What you can do, or dream you can, begin it;
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
Silent Rider -
$650 K ??? Who does own the property???
Ms.Burke…. Maybe a little investigative reporting on this??? If it’s private property it sounds like it’s improper to have police assigned there.
I ask that all reading this consider the following:
Our entire country is founded on the principle that competition yields the highest quality results. Whether in sports, the economy, or politics.
But the weak mayor strong manager structure all but eliminates competition. Specifically, the mayor’s job is paid so poorly that our current mayor often runs unopposed - the epitome of no competition. There is a synergy between the mayor and city manager that does not yield the highest quality result. Instead, it yields lopsided priorities for Kentlands/Lakelands at the expense of other less connected neighborhoods.
I would love to see a discussion of how other cities are run that are of equivalent size and budget.
Comments?
Here is some input that Herndon voters gave their Mayor and Council regarding the reduction in quality of life as a result of their town being flooded by people who were violating Federal immigration laws, they booted them out. Let’s tell our Mayor and Council that we want action not their normal shuffle. Every man, worman and child in Gaithersburg spends $762.74 on City Government, and I for one could care less how we compete with Six Flags for water parks. I want a safe city!
Read the Post story below about how citizens can take control of their local governmenet:
Herndon Zeroing In On Illegal Immigrants
Policies Could Affect Police, Businesses
By Bill Turque
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 28, 2006; A01
Herndon’s decision Tuesday night to seek federal training for some of its police officers so they can enforce federal immigration law is part of a long-term effort by a new mayor and Town Council to aggressively curb the presence of residents who are in the country illegally.
Two proposals on the draft agenda for next week’s council session would intensify the town’s scrutiny of private employers. One would require anyone seeking a business license to prove legal immigration status. The other would compel contractors doing business with the town to provide evidence that their employees live in the United States legally.
The measures are likely to enlarge Herndon’s role as a crucible in the national debate on immigration policy — a position that town officials say they were forced into because of inaction by the federal government. The proposals also add fuel to charges from immigration advocates and some residents that Herndon, which has the largest proportion of foreign-born residents of any locality in the Washington area, has become implacably hostile to all immigrants, legal and illegal.
Illegal immigration has been the dominant issue in town politics since summer 2005, when the council voted, after bitter debate, to open a publicly funded center to help workers connect with employers. Before the Herndon Official Workers Center was established, laborers had gathered each morning in a 7-Eleven parking lot to find jobs — an arrangement that neighbors and officials said was chaotic and confusing. Opponents of the center said that by opening it, the town was abetting illegal immigration.
In May, Herndon voters unseated Mayor Michael L. O’Reilly and two council members who supported the publicly funded facility and replaced them with challengers, including new Mayor Stephen J. DeBenedittis, who were highly critical of the idea.
Vice Mayor Dennis D. Husch, one of two council members who voted against the labor center last year, said that the new proposals are still “notional” at this point but that the council intends to send a message that illegal immigrants are not welcome in Herndon.
“These [proposals] may never see the light of day,” Husch said. “But we need to do something.”
Business licenses have traditionally served as revenue-raising instruments, with governments charging owners a set percentage of projected gross sales. But in an advisory opinion this summer, Virginia Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell said local governments can withhold licenses from applicants who are not living legally in the United States.
What the contracting measure would accomplish is less clear. Federal law already establishes penalties for employers who knowingly keep illegal workers on their payroll. Herndon’s own standard contract language also forbids companies that employ the undocumented from working on major projects. Town Attorney Richard B. Kaufman said the council was interested in “beefing up” the language so that it applied to all contractors who provide services to the government.
The council’s 6 to 1 vote late Tuesday authorizes town officials to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to express interest in enrolling some officers in the agency’s “287 (g)” program, a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
If the town is accepted into the program, it would negotiate an agreement covering the scope of the training officers would receive — often in the areas of document identification and cross-cultural communication — and what the law would empower them to do. In general, those who pass the five-week course are authorized to question or detain people they believe to be in the country illegally, according to ICE descriptions of the program.
In a hearing preceding the vote, supporters of the program said it would take criminals off the streets.
“You guys were elected because you said you would take action,” Brenda Kelley, a 21-year resident of the town, told the council. “We all want safe, secure, happy, respectful neighborhoods.”
“Herndon has a chance to lend a helping hand to federal immigration agents,” Stacey Brooks said.
You know, I would rather have 10 illegal immigrants who weren’t commiting crimes in my neighborhood than one legal resident who was going to commit a crime. I suppose immigration issues could be related to some crimes, but I’m not sure focusing on this will help with the real problems. Whatever stops legal residents from committing crimes (or keeps them in jail if they do commit them) will work for illegal immigrants too. Harping on this point will just turn off those on the left who won’t listen to any kind of criticism that is related to immigration.
It sounds like we need to replace all of our law breaking citizens with these law abiding illegal immigrants next to whom Gaithersburg homeowner prefers to live. I will start packing right away. But I can’t move to Mexico, you see my dogmatic buddy, illegal immigration is a felony in Mexico.
I am neither left nor right, neither Democrat nor Republican. But I am certainly law abiding and find ANY law breaking reprehensible. And also, unlike our left winged friends, my mind is open to criticism of my assumptions, ideas that challenge my own, and to learning and growing.
What holds a society together if not respect for common laws. The mere fact that you say, “Whatever stops legal residents from committing crimes (or keeps them in jail if they do commit them) will work for illegal immigrants too.” shows that you are missing your own point. Legal residents are NOT breaking the law, illegal residents are. Re-read what you wrote.
One last thought. Apparently fairness is not a trait exhibited by the “left”. I have friends who are recent immigrants to our country. They came legally. Observing our laws meant that they had to wait SEVEN YEARS, but out of respect for our country they did.
Are you one of the people who cuts in front of other people at Giant Food, do you close in the gap in front of you when others turn on a lane change signal? Is that another criticism that you would rather not hear about as well?
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