Week in Review: Storms Down Tree; Budget Process Moves Forward

Another week has flown by here in Takoma Park.  Here's the news in case you missed it:

Stormy weather topped local news at week's end, as thunderstorms with strong winds and heavy rains brought down a tree across a roadway adjacent to Flower Avenue, forcing closure of the road Saturday night.  The tree fell in an area near the 7200 block of Flower avenue, bringing power lines down with it, according to Takoma Park Police.

In government news, the two-month fiscal year 2012 budget process continued this week as the Takoma Park City Council began budget work sessions on the city fund's four parts (general fund, storm water management fund, special revenue fund and speed camera fund). To help you be involved in the process, Patch put together of list important dates to remember:

Timeline:

• Continuing this week - The council holds budget work sessions for each of the four parts of the city fund (the general fund, the storm water management fund, the special revenue fund and the speed camera fund).
• April 25 - Public hearings where residents get to comment on how they'd like to see the proposed budget adjusted.
• After the second public hearing on April 25 - The Council will start deciding how it might want to adjust the budget recommendations.  
• May 16 - First reading of the budget ordinance.
• May 23 - Second reading of the budget ordinance.

The council must act on the budget by May 27 to deliver to Montgomery County by the May 31 deadline, said Takoma Park Deputy City Manager Suzanne Ludlow.

In government/neighborhood news, a garden in which Takoma Park teens could grow vegetables will likely have to wait until 2012, according to Recreation Committee member Kay Daniels-Cohen who is working on that project.  The garden plan is on hold for 2011 as permissions have not been granted by city officials to use the space, Daniels-Cohen said, adding there is still a “fifty-fifty” chance it will go forward this spring.