Miguel Hernandez

The meeting addressed several ongoing and upcoming community events. Old business included discussions on a clothing drive, the Round House Theatre event, Puzzle Palooza, and a whiskey tasting event, noting attendance figures and feedback for future events. Upcoming events covered in February included the Great Zucchini event, Tiki Night, a movie screening related to civil rights, a Chili Dinner, and the next book club meeting. March planning involved a Jane Austen 250th celebration and an International potluck. April discussions focused on an event with Cliff Sloan regarding the Supreme Court packing, availability for Town Hall usage, and other scheduled events like 'Feast Your Ears' and a historical presentation. Future planning looked ahead to May events concerning retirement community issues, a garden tour, and events with the Lawton Center, as well as ideas for Toys for Tots 2026, a 2026 Tree Lighting, and the Kentucky Derby. New business considered proposals for a poker night and a trivia night.

The meeting included a financial report covering the first half of the fiscal year, indicating revenues near 50% of the budget and operating expenditures at approximately 47%. Staff initiatives involved developing and advertising a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a speed camera system, with Elevate emerging as the preferred vendor after receiving six proposals. The council held a public hearing regarding the installation of two speed humps on East Avenue, despite traffic studies not meeting all policy thresholds, and approved their installation for later weather-dependent construction. A second public hearing was held concerning the installation of a crosswalk on West Avenue, which was approved to improve public safety, especially for children walking to school. Discussions also covered Governor Moore's housing legislation, snow removal compliance by homeowners for sidewalks, and an update on discussions with the State Highway Administration regarding the Bradley Lane safety study.

The council meeting included a review of the monthly financial report, noting expenditures through the fifth month of the fiscal year and a significant tax receipt in November that sets projections for future payments. Staff reported on due diligence for potential speed camera vendors, the delivery of a temporary garage, and an update on the Corso project, which involved the developer switching lenders with a targeted closing date in Q1 2026. Staff also completed a speed study on East Avenue, prepared for fall tree planting, purchased equipment for temporary dog park events, and began planning for the FY27 budget. During public comments, residents discussed concerns regarding speeding on East Avenue, requesting that the speed hump petition be placed on the January agenda for a vote, and there was discussion regarding the fairness of traffic calming measures across town. The council also passed a resolution assigning a liaison for the community relations committee. Finally, a hearing commenced for a variance application concerning a front yard fence and hedge at 6801 West Avenue.

The meeting commenced with a financial report detailing results through January 2026, indicating that operating revenue received (61%) was slightly ahead of operating expenditures spent (55%) for the seven-month period. Capital expenditures amounted to approximately $600,000 for asphalt concrete improvements. Discussion also covered the potential impact of recent snow removal costs on the budget. The Town Manager reported on several staff initiatives, including responses to 2026 housing bills, particularly the Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026, and managing the response to the January snowstorm with potential FEMA assistance being pursued. Other reported items included contract negotiation for a speed camera system on Bradley Lane, review of WSSC's water main replacement project at Zimmerman Park, ongoing service/billing issues with compost crew, and discussions regarding a retaining wall at Bradley Lane and Connecticut Avenue that affects sight lines, which faced resistance from SHA and the Chevy Chase Club. Staff also attended an MML meeting regarding street light ownership, communicated with Delegate Solomon's office about stop sign cameras, collected speed data on EastWest Highway, discussed website updates with the Climate Environment Committee, and began FY27 budget planning and 2026 town election planning. Public comment included strong opposition from the Land Use Committee regarding the poorly written Starter and Silver Homes Act. The Council planned to address the housing bill, climate environment initiatives, and winter storm response further.

Key discussions focused on sub-committee reports across several areas. The Promoting Solar & Residential Electrification sub-committee updated the committee on three available briefing papers regarding electrification and solar panels, with future focus on dissemination to residents. The Website Update sub-committee shared a briefing paper urging the Town Council to consider a website redesign, planning to meet with Town office personnel to understand current platform capabilities and targeting a February Town Council briefing. The Recycling/Composting sub-committee confirmed a MoCo Beyond Plastics presentation event and discussed a recent tour of Waste Management's recycling facility, noting observations and deciding to update and simplify the current recycling flyer based on facility findings and resident actions that improve recovery (e.g., not including batteries or plastic bags). A proposal was raised to request the waste hauler switch collection frequency to allow for dual-stream recycling pickup. The Sustainable Landscaping/Native Plants sub-committee confirmed a speaker event for April and decided against pursuing a Sustainable Maryland Grant due to the onerous process. Other business included planning for a committee table at the Town's Chili Dinner and discussing examples from other municipalities, such as Takoma Park, to define potential roles and duties for a proposed Town Environmental staff person.