April 27, 2025 Newsletter
Happy Sunday, Ward One
Thanks so much to everyone who went out and beautified our community yesterday for Greenscape! In the photo above, I joined Historic Annapolis at the Paca House gardens for American Battlefield Trust’s “Park Day,” which happened to coincide. Earlier in the morning, I was cleaning up the flower beds at Lafayette Park, and in between I fueled up at Chick & Ruth’s (egg and cheese on everything bagel with tomato and lettuce (some are calling it the “Harry Huntley”)).
Using some brawn to pull invasive vines from trees was a welcome respite from a brainy week of spreadsheets and hearings while the Finance Committee has been carefully scrutinizing the mayor’s proposed budget. It’s a good reminder that there are a lot of different ways to make our city better.
Here are the top 3 things you need to know in Annapolis:
It’s budget season! Read below for my thoughts, and share yours directly to me or during the public hearing on the budget ordinance at tomorrow’s council meeting.
Today has lots of great activities going on outside, including the Spring Sailboat Show, Inner West Street’s Taste of Spring, and a fire prevention fair.
On Thursday, local Democratic leaders, like Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien, are hosting a fundraiser for me and Ward 3 Alderman candidate, Keanuú Smith-Brown.
Updates from Harry
I love how engaged our community is with local government.
Dozens of people showed up last Wednesday evening to talk directly with me and their neighbors about the city budget. Some great questions were asked. Some strong feelings were shared. I’ve had people tell me this week that they’re watching the budget hearings and taking notes on particular issues that matter to them. There are a lot of communities where that does not happen.
The award for most detailed and insightful questions sent to me (so far) has got to go to Mr. Tom Berger. Tom, I will get you all those answers! I also want to thank whomever at the town hall suggested I ask each department leader “If you had to cut 10% from your budget, where would that come from?” Starting Thursday, I’ve been doing exactly that, and it has provided a very helpful picture of what generic calls for “cuts” would mean for real city services like ambulance response times.
Thursday afternoon, the council reviewed the proposed capital budget, which is actually 50% less than it was last year. The capital budget will likely be where the council can make the biggest difference for my pledge of rebalancing us towards commonsense maintenance. I have already identified a few projects that look to me like their funding would be better spent on redoing roads and sidewalks.
As we enter week 2 of budget hearings, I will continue to focus on making the most fiscally responsible budget possible, on ensuring all investments generate returns in improved quality of life, and on verifying that every dollar budgeted is spent in the most cost-effective manner. Whether you’re sending me an email, tuning into a hearing, or speaking at the council meeting on Monday, I truly appreciate you being part of this process with me.
This week and every week, I’m grateful for the honor of representing you and our whole community. Never hesitate to contact me at harry@harrymhuntley.com.
City Council Agenda
Call To Order
Mayor Buckley
Invocation
Alderwoman Finlayson
Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Buckley
Roll Call
City Clerk Watkins-Eldridge
Approval of Agenda
Update from Mayor
Mayor Buckley
Reports by Committee
Comments by the General Public
Remember, you can come to any city council meeting to tell us about what’s important to you and your neighborhood!
Consent Calendar
Public Hearings
O-10-25 Annual Budget and Appropriation and Property Tax Levy -
This is the budget. If you’ve heard me say it once, you’ve heard a thousand times: My top priority is to rebalance it towards commonsense maintenance. This is your opportunity to come to the council meeting and share your budget priorities.
O-11-25 Arts in Public Places Commission Update and Revisions-
This moves the Arts in Public Places Commission in code to put its oversight under the Planning and Zoning Director instead of the Recreation and Parks Director; Planning and Zoning has much more experience with staffing boards and commissions. We’re hopeful this will help the AIPPC develop more clear processes and accomplish some of their outstanding work like choosing some art for Westgate Circle. I appreciate the arts community members who have been pushing for changes and sharing their suggestions to make this legislation better.
R-17-25 2025 Transit Development Plan for the City of Annapolis-
This approves the City of Annapolis Transit Development Plan that is updated every five years. I hope you’ll take a look at it and share your thoughts.
R-20-25 FY 2026 Annual Fees Schedule -
This resolution specifies fees that will be charged for the use of City services for Fiscal Year 2026. Most of the notable changes are in Planning and Zoning, including applications for building new developments and for rental licenses; these will fund three new positions in the department that should make permitting and inspections happen much faster. This does also include the proposed increases to sewer, water, trash, and watershed restoration fees; these seem high to me, and the Finance Committee will be getting a presentation next week on why they’re proposed to rise.
R-21-25 FY 2026 Fines Schedule -
This resolution specifies fines that will be charged for Fiscal Year 2026. Fees (above) are what you pay for a service, and fines are a penalty paid for some kind of violation. The main changes here are dramatically raising and adding fines on unapproved demolitions, violations of stop work orders, and similar infractions. One fine that caught my eye: You can theoretically get 90 days in jail for your first time caught drinking a beer in public; that’s way too harsh!
Resolution Second Readers
R-2-25 Demonstration Program to Build Green Roofs on City Bus Shelters-
This resolution requires the City Manager to establish a demonstration program to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of green roof bus shelters and to include them in the FY2026 City budget. I like green roofs as much as the next guy--probably a lot more, considering my horticulture background. But this is the kind of thing that I want to rebalance our city budget away from; we need to focus more on maintaining our sidewalks and less on (admittedly, very cool-sounding!) new projects like bus stop green roofs. Also, the Environmental Commission had some reservations. So, I do not intend to support this resolution.
R-15-25 Friendship City Relationship with Frankston, Australia -
The mayor of Frankston visited Annapolis a couple months ago and followed up asking us to become “friendship cities”. A Friendship City is a less formal designation than 'Sister City' and does not entail any particular obligations apart from a mutual intent to share ideas and goodwill. Frankston is a coastal city of about 100,000 people. I see no reason not to support this.
R-19-25 Memorial Honoring the Life and Legacy of the Late U.S. Representative Parren J. Mitchell-
This will create a memorial at Pip Moyer Rec Center in honor of the late U.S. Representative Parren J. Mitchell (D-MD), the first African-American elected to Congress from Maryland. The memorial is fully paid for with private donations.
Adjournment
Who’s presenting before the Finance Committee this week?
This week the Finance Committee will hear presentations on the budget from these units of city government:
Emergency Management
Central Services
Police
Public Works (general fund)—This is roads, sidewalks, snow clearing, anything that’s not water, sewer, trash, or watershed restoration
Public works (enterprise funds)—Enterprise funds are like the Post Office; they’re sort of businesses within government because they should be self-sustaining. Public Works’ enterprise funds are water, sewer, refuse, and watershed restoration
Finance
You can watch them all on the city’s YouTube.
We were scheduled to get presentations from organizations seeking community grants, but there were so many who applied that we’ve shifted to having them record a brief video and upload it for us to watch. For the first time ever this year, I’ve asked each of our city unions to briefly present on the budget; I believe it’s helpful to get the perspective of employees closest to the work to complement that of our directors.
To facilitate effective discussion, council members should show up prepared with questions for the department heads, based on reviewing their sections of the budget. I’d also love to hear questions that you have for these leaders about their proposed budgets. Feel free to reply to this message to share questions you would like me to ask. Thanks to those of you who already have.
Other news you can use
Today until 3 pm is the Fire Prevention Fair at the Eastport Fire Station
Also until 3 pm today is the Inner West Street Association’s Taste of Spring, which has the first block of West Street opened to pedestrians.
It’s the Spring Sailboat Show!
The Annapolis Book Festival is May 3, 2025 at the Key School. It’s totally free and open to the public.
On May 1 at 6 pm, I’ll be having a fundraiser with my friend, Keanuú Smith-Brown, who’s running for alderman in Ward 3. I hope you’ll join us!
Please send me any events or other information you’d like advertised to your neighbors.
Have a great week, everyone!
Harry
Source: https://mailchi.mp/3462cbe8191f/testify-about-the-budget-at-tomorrows-council-meeting?e=ed8f4cd705
