I hope you are enjoying the unseasonably warm weather these past few days. My family and I had an outing yesterday when we attended the Annapolis march for women's rights. Beautiful weather for such an important gathering.

I have a few updates I'd like to share with everyone.

Council meeting/hearings Monday

This Monday there is a City Council meeting. There will be public hearings on ordinances dealing with the following:

• A revision to the City’s Ethics code. This brings our law into compliance with some new State laws and is not really a major revision.
• An authorization of extending water service to two houses down Arundel on the Bay Road. This is so a property owner can remove a deteriorated house and replace it with two.
• An abandoned vehicles ordinance that makes it easier for the City to issue fines and deal with vehicles that have been abandoned and are detrimental to the safety and welfare of the general public.
• O-5-18: Lease of the Market house to New Market. (see my comments below on this topic)

Please feel free to send me any comments on the above legislation.

No legislation is up for a final (i.e. 3rd reader) vote at this meeting.

Market house update

As the Capital detailed, the market house vote last week was very complicated. But in the end, we are only moving forward with one lease: New Market. What this means is that this Monday, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed lease (as opposed to commenting on the concept and best & final offer at the previous meeting). Then the Council will take the public testimony into consideration as we deliberate at our standing committee meetings, where we will iron out any remaining details of the lease and have a final vote hopefully at our first meeting in February. For those who are really obsessed over the Market House deliberations, you should soon be able to view our work session from this past Wednesday where we spoke with the lease negotiation team.

Greenscape - Celebrating 27 years of beautification in the City

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and the City of Annapolis invite you to help make Maryland’s capital city a beautiful place during 2018. This year’s GreenScape will take place on Saturday, April 21. GreenScape is a volunteer effort that encourages individuals and organizations to plant and maintain native flower and vegetable gardens in public spaces throughout the City. The City provides plant materials, mulch, trash bags and gloves, and in turn, members of the community volunteer to make a difference in Annapolis. Organizational meetings will be held Tuesday, February 6 and Tuesday, March 6. Both meetings will be held at 6 p.m. at the “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center located at 273 Hilltop Lane in Annapolis. If you are unable to attend the meeting on Tuesday, February 6, you can download the order form at www.annapolis.gov/GreenScape. Complete the form and e-mail it to Marisa Wittlinger at [email protected]. For more information, please visit www.annapolis.gov/GreenScape.

That’s all for now! Please share with any neighbors whom you feel would like to stay updated on Ward 7/City Council issues.

- Rob