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Interesting things in this agenda include:

• A “Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Attorney to Prosecute Municipal Infractions on Behalf of the City”.
• Another postponement in the effective date of the Anti-Solicitation Ordinance.
• Staff asking for guidance on the preparation of a new text amendment City Code allowing afternoon teas at Bed and Breakfasts in the City.

From the City’s website:

Agenda (REVISED) - Mayor and City Council Meeting, 3/3/2008
Posted 2/29/2008

City of Gaithersburg
AGENDA FOR A REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
- REVISED
MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2008, 7:30 P.M.

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. INVOCATION

Reverend Roger Goodwin, Jr., Unity Christ Church

IV. CONSENT ITEMS
(resolutions for approval by the City Council that do not need discussion)

1. Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase Ramp Structures for the Skate Park ($72,414)

   Background Material (pdf format)

2. Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Award a Contract for the B&O Station Brick Repair and Tuck Pointing Project ($65,000)
   Background Material (pdf format)

3. Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Attorney to Prosecute Municipal Infractions on Behalf of the City
   Background Material (pdf format)

V. APPOINTMENTS

Resolution of the City Council Confirming Appointments and Reappointments by the Mayor to the Communications Committee, Community Advisory Board, Cultural Arts Advisory Committee, Education Committee, Environmental Affairs Committee, Ethics Commission, Gaithersburg Senior Council, and Multicultural Affairs Committee

Background Material (pdf format)

VI. PRESENTATIONS

Certificates of Recognition Presented to the Quince Orchard High School Boys Indoor Track 4A State Champions

VII. PUBLIC APPEARANCES

(public is invited to speak on any subject that is not a public hearing topic on tonight’s agenda – each speaker three minutes)

VIII. FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL/ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Board/Commission/Committee Vacancy Update
• Upcoming City Events

IX. FROM THE ACTING CITY MANAGER

X. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND REGULATIONS
(ordinances, resolutions, and regulations to be introduced or adopted following appropriate procedures required by the City Code, or resolutions that may require discussion by the Mayor and Council prior to approval)

1. Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Submit an Application to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Relating to Designation of Areas Within the Olde Towne Central Business District as a State of Maryland Enterprise Zone
   Background Material (pdf format)

2. REVISED - Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Changing the Effective Date of Ordinance No. O-7-07 (Anti-Solicitation) Adopting Section 15-9, and Providing for Future Changes to the Effective Date by Resolution
   Background Material (pdf format)

3. Resolution of the Mayor and City Council Authorizing the Acting City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a First Amendment to the Annexation Agreement With Crown Farm Village, LLC (X-182)
   Background Material (pdf format)

XI. POLICY DISCUSSION AND STAFF GUIDANCE

Z-310, An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Gaithersburg Granting Approval for Amendment to Previously Approved Sketch Plan Application X-182 and Approving a New Sketch Plan Identified as Application Z-310 for Land, Known as the Crown Farm, Located at the Southwest Side of Fields Road, Bounded by Sam Eig Highway to the Northwest and Omega Drive to the Southeast Containing Approximately 178 Acres of Property Zoned Mixed Use Development (MXD)

Background Material (pdf format)

XII. FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, CITY ATTORNEY AND OTHER STAFF

Guidance on a Memorandum Dated February 27, 2008, Proposed Text Amendment, Section 24-167B of the City Code
Background Material (pdf format)

XIII. ADJOURNMENT

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THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
WILL BE HELD MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2008, 2007, 7:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 31 SOUTH SUMMIT AVENUE

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UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING AND WORK SESSION ITEMS
This list is not all-inclusive, and does not reflect priorities or scheduling

But is intended to provide a glance at future items to come before the City Council.

March 17 Meeting:

Presentations:
GREAT Award – Recognizing Educational Achievements

Public Hearing:

Joint, MP-1-08, Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District Special Study Area

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In Sunday’s Washington Post, Ombudsman Deborah Howell wrote a bit about the Post’s approach to the topic of illegal immigration, including their hostility to the terms “illegal immigrant” and “illegal alien”, as well as their fondness for labeling opponents of illegal immigration as “anti-immigrant”.

Having written some about this subject in the past, I thought I’d chime in on what she had to say.

Ms. Howell writes:

A few “anti-immigrant” references have popped up in recent stories — and shouldn’t have. The Post also went astray in a March 18, 2007, story about a federal raid on a New England plant; the story reported on what happened to illegal immigrants swept up in the raid but never quoted immigration officials. I also worry that advocacy groups on both sides of the issue are quoted uncritically.

This is at least encouraging anyway. But note that in the following text:

John Mac Michael of Alexandria wrote: “Your recent article on growing opposition to illegal aliens (immigrants?) in Maryland once again used the familiar ploy of labeling those citizens who oppose illegal aliens as being ‘anti-immigrant.’ This is baloney. There is a clear difference between the two classes, and I certainly welcome those who are here legally.”

The headline should have been more precise. The story also drew fire from pro-immigration activists who said it didn’t make clear that most people appearing at a Mount Rainier City Council meeting favored declaring the city a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants. A correction was published.

which appears at first to be somewhat deferential, the use of the term “pro-immigration activists” to identify those who assert that the coverage of Mount Rainier story didn’t fully disclose the level of support for illegal immigrants. I wonder: did those who complained to the Post about this self-identify as “pro-immigration”, or did Ms. Howell use her own judgment in selecting that label? Because from what she describes here, the activists were advocating for greater rights for the illegal aliens, not for greater immigration per se. Were these not really “pro-illegal-immigrant activists” (or perhaps “illegal immigrant advocates”)? Is not “pro-immigration” just the flip side of “anti-immigrant”? Because a whole lot of people who are in favor of legal immigration are strongly opposed to illegal immigration. In this context, how is it that “pro-immigration” precisely defines the positions of the activists cited by Ms. Howell?

Lastly, I feel compelled to point out this from the final paragraph:

The Post does not use “alien” in news stories and prefers “illegal immigrant.” Even if “alien” is legal terminology, to me, it sounds like someone from outer space.

“Alien” may not sound right to her, but this quote sounds to me as if it had been taken from a satirical “fake-news” article. Really, this is the logic the Post is using?

In any event, I take this article as a good sign that the Post is at least starting to think about the way they report this story. I am concerned, however, that Ms. Howell’s position is a bit on the squishy side. It will bear watching whether anything will change in the Post’s coverage of the illegal immigration story.

Gerald Wilson	Jessica Garcia

The following release was published on the City’s website, while the pictures above were forwarded from the County Police by a Gaithersblog reader.

Suspects Arrested for Thefts from Vehicles
Posted 2/29/2008

Press release provided by the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division

Recently, the 1st District Special Assignment Team began an investigation into a series of thefts from vehicles that had been occurring over the past several months within the 1st District in several areas but primarily in the Quince Orchard area of Gaithersburg.

Through the course of the investigation, a female suspect was developed, and a description of her vehicle obtained. On February 21, the vehicle was observed in an area where thefts from vehicles had occurred. A warrant was obtained. Jessica Garcia, age 18, of the 14500 block of Keeneland Circle in North Potomac, was arrested with her boyfriend Gerald Wilson, age 18 of the unit block of Bayridge Court in Gaithersburg. Several stolen items were located in Garcia’s vehicle at the time of the arrest.

Garcia was charged with four counts of theft under $500 and one count of theft over $500. Gerald Wilson was charged with five counts of theft under $500 and one count of theft over $500 and one count of conspiracy to commit theft under $500. These charges were for thefts that occurred at the end of January and beginning of February. These suspects have also been linked to thefts from vehicle incidents that have occurred in the Kentlands area of Gaithersburg, other locations in Gaithersburg, and in Germantown. Additional charges are pending. Both suspects were processed at the Montgomery County Detention Center and were released.

Search warrants of the two residences recovered hundreds of stolen items to include jewelry, watches, cell phones, laptop computers, iPods, clothing, credit cards, wallets, book bags, CD’s, digital cameras, and other types of electronics. All of these items had been left in vehicles. Detectives are in the process of contacting victims and returning the stolen items. Many of the victims have been able to provide serial numbers of items such as iPods which had been stolen. Anyone who may have been a victim of theft from vehicle in particularly the Quince Orchard community and did not report it to police should call the 1st District Investigative Section at 240-773-6095.

First District Commander Darryl McSwain commented, “I want to commend the excellent work of our Special Assignment Team members, patrol officers, and the others within the department who worked so diligently to find those responsible for stealing hundreds of items. I hope that drivers and passengers will understand how important it is not to leave valuables inside their vehicles.”

Montgomery County Police would like to again remind drivers that these thefts can be prevented if cash and personal property is not left inside vehicles. Educating the public about the importance of not leaving cash and valuables in vehicles has been an on-going priority in all six of the Montgomery County Police Districts.