It's a packed agenda this Monday.

Mayor Littmann will open with the State of the City Address — always a worthwhile window into where City leadership sees things heading. From there, we move into the formal introduction of the FY2027 Budget. The budget documents aren't yet publicly available in the Legistar system at the time I'm sending this, but I'll be watching closely as they come in — budget season is the most consequential time of year for how your tax dollars get spent, and I'll keep you updated as we dig in over the coming weeks.

The Council is also expected to vote on the confirmation of a new City Manager and City Attorney. Yolanda L. Lewis is the Mayor's pick for City Manager — she brings over 20 years of government executive experience, most recently at the Meadows Institute, and previously as Chief Administrative Officer for Fulton County, Georgia. Anthony Kupersmith is nominated as City Attorney, an Annapolis-based attorney with a background in municipal, land use, and environmental law. I'm currently inclined to support both confirmations, but as always, I'd welcome your input before I vote.

There's also a fund transfer for the Mayor's Deputy Chief of Staff position on the consent calendar — FT-10-26 — that I intend to pull out for a separate, transparent vote. This is the mechanism that would fund the position the Council approved a few weeks ago. I voted no at the time and have reservations about burying this in a consent calendar without discussion. The Finance Committee is meeting at 6pm before the full Council meeting, so expect some floor discussion on this one.

A couple of community items worth highlighting as well: Anne Arundel County has released Safe Routes to School Accessibility Studies — I've included the details below, and I encourage you to take a look if you have kids or live near a school route. And with Earth Day right around the corner, there are local celebrations and volunteer opportunities coming up that I hope you'll consider joining.

As always, I've laid out the full agenda below with my current thinking on each item. Public testimony can be submitted at annapolis.gov/testimony, and the meeting begins at 7pm.

Stay healthy and safe,

Rob

Next Council meeting – 4/13/26 (agenda)

This meeting starts at 7pm and will be televised on local cable, YouTube, Facebook, and the City website.  You can submit public testimony at http://www.annapolis.gov/testimony. This will be an in-person meeting.

Public Hearings

• CA-1-26 - Updating Requirements for Publication of the Charter and Code of the City of Annapolis. CA-1-26 repeals the existing Charter section requiring the City to codify ordinances in print at least every ten years, replacing it with updated publication rules that assign responsibility to the City Clerk and Office of Law, and explicitly permit electronic formats — removing any mandatory print requirement in the process. I have requested an amendment that seeks to preserve a physical print requirement by ensuring at least one printed copy of the Charter and Code remains available to the public in the Office of Law, updated annually and available during business hours.
• O-6-26 - Oversight of the City's Firing Range. Ordinance O-6-26 amends the Annapolis City Code to add the Police Chief as an authorized approver — alongside the Mayor — for who may use the Annapolis Police Department's firing range on Taylor Avenue. The range remains reserved for sworn Police Department employees, with limited exceptions for other trained groups or police departments, while private guard forces remain prohibited under all circumstances.

Other business – Consent Calendar

• FT-10-26 – Transfer of debt services excess to Mayor’s Office to pay for Deputy Chief of Staff - I plan on removing this from the consent calendar (the consent calendar is a block of action items that approves all items in it with one vote, which we can also remove with only one vote). Besides the fact that it hasn’t gone to the Finance Committee yet for review, this is the fund transfer that would enable the Mayor to pay for and hire the Deputy Chief of Staff position that the Council passed a few weeks ago. I voted no at the time, and am unsure how I’ll vote for this meeting, but at the very least I think this should be a transparent vote; not something buried on a consent calendar. I believe the Finance Committee is meeting at 6pm before the Council meeting to discuss, so I’m sure there will be some floor discussion on what their recommendation may be, and in order to have a discussion we must remove it from consent calendar.
• ID-70-26 - Fiscal Year 2026 city of Annapolis audit - Auditor’s report on reviews of the city's financial statements to ensure they follow laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements.

Legislation being introduced on first reader

FY2027 budget

• O-8-26 - Annual Budget and Appropriation and Property Tax Levy
• R-10-26 - FY 2027 Annual Fees Schedule
• R-11-26 - FY 2027 Annual Fines Schedule
• R-12-26 - FY 2027 Position Classification and Pay Plan
• NOTE – At the time of publication, these documents are not available to the public or Council in the legistar system.

Resolutions

• R-8-26 - Fee Waivers for City Supported Special Events in Fiscal Year 2027 – This would officially designate 16 annual community events — from the Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival to the Lights Parade to Annapolis Pride — as City-Supported Special Events for FY2027, waiving approximately $116,000 in City fees to help these events continue serving our community.
• R-9-26 - Filing of Grant Application with the Transit Administration – This authorizes the city to apply for $3,025,613 in state and federal transit grants to fund bus service, ADA paratransit, and vehicle maintenance for Fiscal Year 2027. This annual grant is critical to keeping Annapolis Transit running, as local matching funds have already been built into the proposed FY27 budget.
• R-13-26 - Compensation of Acting City Manager Victoria Buckland - For the purpose of expressly consenting to compensate an acting city manager when the position remains vacant for six months, and setting an effective date.
• R-14-26 - Confirmation of Anthony Kupersmith as City Attorney – This is the Mayor’s pick for City Attorney. Anthony Kupersmith is an Annapolis-based attorney with over a decade of municipal law experience. He served as County Attorney for Talbot County from 2017 to 2021, acting as chief legal officer and advising elected officials, boards, and departments on legal and policy matters. Prior to that, he served as Assistant County Attorney for Talbot County from 2013 to 2017. He has been in private practice since 2021, focusing on land use, real estate, and environmental law. He holds a J.D. cum laude from William and Mary Law School and has been a member of the Maryland Bar since December 2012, satisfying the Charter's requirement of at least five years of active practice in Maryland. I believe we will be asked to suspend the rules to vote on this on second reader at this meeting. I’m inclined to support this request, pending any input from you.
• R-15-26 - Confirmation of Yolanda L. Lewis as City Manager - For the purpose of expressly confirming the appointment of Yolanda L. Lewis as City Manager. Ms. Lewis brings 20+ years of government executive experience. She most recently served as Executive Vice President at the Meadows Institute, advising elected officials across multiple states on policy and public safety reform. Prior to that, she spent nearly a decade as Chief Administrative Officer for Fulton County, Georgia, managing a $30M+ budget and 300+ staff, where she cut operating costs by 25% while achieving a 97% constituent satisfaction rating. She holds a Master of Public Administration and completed an Executive Leadership Program at Yale School of Management. I believe we will be asked to suspend the rules to vote on this on second reader at this meeting. I’m inclined to support this request, pending any input from you.

Legislation up for Second Reader (i.e final vote)

• O-1-26 - Property Tax - Child Care Centers, Family Child Care Homes, and Large Family Child Care Homes – This would create a real property tax credit of up to $10,000 for child care providers who own the property where they operate — though an amendment on the table would reduce that credit to $4,000 to reduce the fiscal impact to the City. A second amendment would require the City Manager to report annually to the Council on the program's effectiveness. I support both amendments, though I just want to tweak the latter, so it says “City Manager OR THEIR DESIGNEE” as I don’t want to unnecessarily overload the City Manager. Pending any input from you, I’m strongly inclined to support this legislation.
• O-3-26 - Annapolis Harbor Lines at Hawkins Cove - For the purpose of changing the City of Annapolis harbor line at Hawkins Cove to allow for the implementation of the Hawkins Cove Restoration project. I’m strongly inclined to support this, pending in put from you. This will provide a much needed restoration project but also provide water access to an underserved neighborhood. I am a co-sponsor of this legislation.

Community & Political updates

Anne Arundel Safe Routes to School Accessibility Studies

Join the Art in Public Places Commission (AiPPC)!

The City of Annapolis is seeking passionate, qualified applicants to serve on the newly reformed Art in Public Places Commission. The Commission plays a key role in shaping the creative character of our public spaces, and we’re building a diverse, skilled pool of candidates to guide this work.

We welcome individuals with:

• Experience in the arts community
• Management or organizational leadership backgrounds
• Board or commission service experience
• A strong commitment to collaboration and the cultural life of Annapolis

If you or someone you know is excited about supporting public art and community engagement, please consider applying. Apply here

Celebrate Earth Day

Share Your Voice: No Harm Community Feedback Survey Now Open

The Office of the Mayor and the No Harm program are gathering resident input to help shape this year’s Community Service Resource Pop‑Up Tour. Annapolis residents are invited to complete a short survey to share their experiences and help improve services offered across the city.

Your participation ensures the tour reflects the needs of all our communities. The survey is open through May 1, and responses are limited to one per person.

Take the survey and Watch the promo video

Thank you for helping strengthen community support across Annapolis.

Free downtown Annapolis Current e-shuttle

Free, all‑electric shuttles running every 10 minutes make it easier to get around downtown Annapolis on Saturdays & Sundays, 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The service operates in two continuous loops and is designed to connect major parking garages with key shopping, dining, and waterfront destinations.

Open‑air electric shuttles do not operate in temperatures below 40°F, heavy rain, snow, or ice.

Expanded downtown circulator shuttle to support City Dock businesses

Leadership Anne Arundel’s 6th Annual Food (and More) Collection

Board vacancies - Help Shape Annapolis’ Environmental Future

The Annapolis Conservancy Board works to protect natural areas by guiding land donations and stewarding City-owned open spaces—improving water quality, expanding recreation opportunities, and preserving the natural and cultural resources that make Annapolis unique.

The Environmental Commission focuses on the City’s overall environmental health, studying issues like air and water pollution, noise, recycling, and sustainability practices, and making recommendations to the City Council.

If you care about clean water, healthy neighborhoods, and protecting the Bay, these boards offer a meaningful way to make a real impact for our community. Consider applying today! https://www.annapolis.gov/736