Want to know what can you expect with Rhonda Pindell Charles in office as the Mayor of the City of Annapolis? Click a topic to read more below!
Finance --Putting Your Dollars to Best Use (published January 2025)
Plans for Improvement to Communication, Efficiency, and Accountability; Professional Development; and Partnerships and Collaboration --Empowering Employees to Better Serve Residents (published February 2025)
Our City’s Health, Welfare, Resilience, Sustainability, Technology, and Vitality (published March 2025)
Finance --Putting Your Dollars to Best Use
January 2025
For the first 2 years in office, instead, I plan to accept the Alderwoman’s annual salary of $18,459, plus $1.00, and as time progresses, determine how we can best use the remaining almost $160,000 over this 2-year period. This will probably require a change in the City Code with a sunset date.
Plans for Improvement to Communication, Efficiency, and Accountability; Professional Development; and Partnerships and Collaboration --Empowering Employees to Better Serve Residents
February 2025
Introduction
The City of Annapolis has almost 41,000 residents, approximately 4,200
businesses, over 3 million visitors per year, and under 600 employees with about 50 of them being seasonal and/or supplemental/part-time. And add to these facts the additional responsibilities that come with being a State capital, as well as a State capital that is the closest of any other state—proximity-wise—to the nation's capital, which is the heartbeat of the world.
Additionally, the City’s “National Community Survey” that was taken and reported in 2023 and 2024, with a very high response rate among all demographics, placed the City in the range of a “Grade B”. Also, a City “Employee Survey” is forthcoming, which should provide us with additional and salient information, responses, and input.
Furthermore, we recognize that issues and concerns change from day to day, even moment by moment, and that priorities can change instantly. And so we must be able to immediately pivot and not be rigid (remember COVID and Tornado Ida?!), that issues and concerns are ever-evolving, that they are not stagnant at all; and that we must stay current and up-to-date, i.e., what
may be important at this moment, could totally change in a heartbeat, including as administrations constantly change. With that being said—
Communication, Efficiency, and Accountability
Under a Pindell Charles administration…
I plan to keep every at-will employee and they are the ones in our leadership positions.
This decision is based upon continuing all of the great work that is currently going on in our City. I call it: “continuity of government”. Because learning on the job is not always efficient nor continuous.
I plan to meet with each Alderperson individually on a monthly basis. I have found that communication is extremely important among colleagues especially. And these regular connections are vital to the efficiency of running a City.
I plan to meet with each Director and Deputy/Assistant Director (the Director’s “Number 2”), these 2 persons together, on a monthly basis. I have found that communication is extremely important among staff especially. And these regular connections are vital to the efficiency of running a City. Additionally, as a member of and a City Council representative on the Audit Committee, Departmental Performance Measures and the Strategic Plan will be discussed. Also, the Comprehensive Plan 2040 will be reviewed and studied regularly.
I plan to meet with every Director and Deputy/Assistant Director (the Director’s “Number 2”)—our City’s Leadership Team, as a group, either every other month, or quarterly, or every 4 months/tri-annually.
I plan to meet with the City Manager and/or the Assistant City Manager regularly.
I plan to ensure that the City Manager and the Assistant City Manager are a strategic part of these Director and Deputy/Assistant Director meetings.
I plan to meet with the members, as a group, of each City Board and Commission on a yearly basis. For example, this meeting could be scheduled the 1 hour prior to their regular meeting time.
I plan to reinstitute, on a more regular basis, quarterly Closed Work Sessions with the City Council to discuss with our Office of Law pending litigation and other legal and/or policy matters.
I plan to continue to listen to our residents, businesses, and even our visitors—possibly extending the public testimony at City Council meetings to 4 minutes, rather than the current 3 minutes.
I plan to have Directors and/or their Deputies/Assistant Directors available on Zoom during our City Council meetings in order for them to be aware, in real time, of the testimonies of residents, businesses, and visitors, and possibly to be able to respond, in some form or fashion, to these testimonies in real time.
Also, currently Directors and/or their Deputies/Assistant Directors attend City Council meetings in person when there is legislation on the agenda that affects/impacts their Departments. However, I can certainly explore them attending these meetings as well via Zoom rather than always in person.
I plan to meet with each Ward, in-person, accompanied by their Alderperson, at least 1-2 times per year at a convenient location in their Ward—asking each Ward’s leadership, volunteers, residents, and businesses to encourage widespread attendance and participation. And to have our Directors and/or their Deputies/Assistant Directors available, in-person, at the meetings. We will be asking each Ward to submit their concerns to the City ahead of time in writing, and timely, so that the appropriate Department(s) can be represented at these in-person meetings; however, no questions or inquiries will be ignored if the concerns are not submitted ahead of time in writing.
I plan to request that each Department immediately (within 45 days from Tuesday, November 4, 2025, i.e., by Friday, December 19, 2025) provide a complete and exhaustive inventory that includes a list of projects and initiatives that are: “Urgent and Important”; “Important but not Urgent”; “Urgent, but not Important and can be Delegated”; “Neither Urgent nor Important (which may be minimized and/or eliminated until sufficient staff and/or resources are available)”; and “Miscellaneous/Commentary” (does not fit into any of these categories, along with general comments, etc.). This inventory will greatly assist in determining our City budget and finance needs. For the obvious reasons, this information will be shared interdepartmentally and possibly at Departmental and/or City Council and/or Staff Retreats and/or other meetings.
I plan to be open to creativity when addressing issues.
City Staff and Professional Development
Under a Pindell Charles administration…
I plan to encourage all City staff to plan carefully and strategically for the purpose of taking advantage of the many professional development opportunities when it is economically feasible—recognizing that “no cost” or “very low cost” opportunities are available and plentiful especially in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, as well as regionally and locally—either on-line or in-person; and if cost is prohibitive, then to include such opportunities within their budgets or create our own in-house opportunities using the various tools that are available on-line, etc. (After all, on a variety of issues and matters, the City has been at the forefront of innovative and creative solutions, so we have something to offer to other jurisdictions as well. As an aside, for the 3rd year in a row, the City has been named one of the “Best Christmas/Holiday” cities in this country.)
Staff will be publicly recognized and congratulated for pursuing such outstanding efforts in this area of professional development. With that being said, I do not plan to discourage nor prohibit national or international opportunities.
Partnerships and Collaboration
Under a Pindell Charles administration…
I plan to continue to strengthen and even try to increase all of our County, State, federal, national, and international partnerships on all levels, and in all aspects, and within all City Departments, and even to pursue additional ones. For example, strengthening our partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, especially the City Staff Mentorship Program. And developing a structure to strengthen our partnerships with our area nonprofits and community organizations, including our faith-based entities. Also, continuing our very valuable partnership with our Anne Arundel County Department of Health and other health-centered institutions, as well as health-centered organizations and nonprofits. Additionally, re-establishing regular public meetings and other on-site discussions, along with exchanging information on a regular basis, with our Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA). Furthermore, enhancing our partnerships especially with our City/Anne Arundel County/Baltimore/ Washington, DC area educational institutions of higher learning. And establishing new partnerships and strengthening our current partnerships and interactions with our seniors, veterans, our unhoused population, workforce entities, financial institutions, and other groups and organizations that support our residents and businesses. And we must realize and accept the fact that we plan to work, to some degree, with all administrations.
I plan to meet, as regularly as possible, with our County Executive, County Councilperson, Governor, State Delegation, and Maryland Congressional Delegation.
I am hopeful that we can establish a relationship with Washington, D.C. that benefits our City and surrounding areas.
Our City plans to follow the law. Our City plans to listen to our elected leaders—County, State, and federal. Our City plans to continue to be respectful by providing resources and services to our almost 41,000 residents, approximately 4,200 businesses, and over 3 million visitors per year.
Our City’s Health, Welfare, Resilience, Sustainability, Technology, and Vitality
March 2025
Healthy Living and Wellbeing: Among All City Staff and In All of Our Communities
Under a Pindell Charles administration…
I plan to ask each Director and/or Deputy/Assistant Director, on a rotating staff basis, to assign one mid-level or “boots on the” ground-level staff member to periodically attend a City Council meeting for the purpose of that staff member testifying before the City Council to provide an update and/or highlights from that Department. This is especially directed to the Departments of Transportation, Planning and Zoning, Recreation and Parks, and Public Works; however, all Departments are included. The purpose of this
initiative is to ensure that all levels of staff are informed and engaged in the City’s decision-making processes. And that all City staff are respected for the work that they do, the input that they provide, the contributions that they make, and remain an integral part of the healthy wellbeing and vitality of our City, and that they are seen and heard by our residents, businesses, and even our visitors.
I plan to review all recreation and leisure programming that is currently being provided, and that can and could be provided, to every age and demographic, and make any necessary and fundamental changes, while working with our partners—namely, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, the Anne Arundel County Public Library, and the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks, as well as the City’s Recreation Advisory Committee, and local sports and athletic teams’ staff and youth. Again, for the reasons stated, because sports
and athletics have been professionally proven to be one of the best venues in which youth can participate and positively develop, there should be representation on this Advisory Committee from this discipline, including at least 2 youth representatives.
I plan to continue to encourage the arts, music, entertainment, parades, festivals, festivities, etc., in that all of these initiatives support and enhance our City’s healthy living, wellbeing, and vitality.
I plan to develop and implement, along with the experts in this field, and then encourage all children/youth—from birth to age 24—to explore an initiative titled “Passport for Life”, where they are placed on a healthy trajectory, that includes a “checklist” of what they should accomplish by a certain age, e.g., being able to swim by the age of 6; actively participated in at least 1 yearly environmental-related project starting at the age of 8 (3rd grade); having visited a museum by the age of 11; being able to read proficiently prior to entering 3rd grade; having positively reached out to a veteran or veterans’ organization by the age of 11; having volunteered at a senior living facility starting at the age of 18; etc.
I plan to continue the City’s yeoman efforts in combatting substance use disorders among our residents. And when unfortunately, all of these yeoman efforts and programming have been provided, but nevertheless, some of our residents have been “lost along the way”, then I plan to ensure that we increase our City’s yeoman efforts in combatting substance use disorders among our residents so that they too, can pursue healthy living and wellbeing.
In order to assist in accomplishing these goals (and others), I plan to establish an Annapolis “Kitchen Cabinet”. Not necessarily a “formal” City Board or Commission, this entity will be comprised of a variety of Annapolis residents and businesses (approximately 20 at a time), that hail from a plethora of backgrounds, and that will serve on a staggered term/tenure. Led by the Mayor’s Senior Advisor (from an advisory and technical standpoint), their purpose will be to provide information and guidance on a variety of issues that assuredly will be ever-evolving, including what we may face from the White House administration. (And even some anecdotal information can be gathered from visitors.) The “eyes and ears” of those who serve on this “Kitchen Cabinet” will be critical to the success of the Pindell Charles administration.
Financial Health and Support
Under a Pindell Charles administration...
I plan to continue to engage our governmental partners as “co-financiers” as it relates primarily to large City projects and initiatives.
I plan to pursue bond bills when appropriate and other forms of financial options.
I plan to maintain our City’s stellar bond ratings.
I plan to explore the establishment of a Foundation that can support the City
financially—for the purpose of increasing our City’s revenues, where residents, businesses, and many, many others (who may have connections to Annapolis, or not) can contribute (with a tax write-off) tangibly to the vitality of our City in the areas of their choosing and to which they feel the most connected and heartwarming. For example, if 3 staff members within a City Department would like to attend a unique and worthwhile national Conference for the purpose of Professional Development, then the Foundation may be able to fund it when the necessary application process is completed by those staff members. Of if a community organization needs $2,500 to complete a project that will benefit their neighborhood youth mentoring program that involves the youth planting trees. Additionally, this Foundation may be able to apply for and leverage grants in support of the City.
Environmental Health, Resiliency, Sustainability, and Technology (advancements)
Under a Pindell Charles administration…
I plan to continue the very positive and upward and onward trajectory of the work that the City is doing as it relates to the environment, resiliency, and sustainability. With that being said, again, I plan to continue to strengthen and even try to increase all of our County, State, federal, national, and international partnerships on all levels, and in all aspects, and within all City Departments, and even to pursue additional ones, especially
when it comes to the environment, resiliency, and sustainability.
I plan to have our Office of Law, and any other Departments, review and provide me with regular reports/updates/status on the following legislation that I voted in favor of, as this legislation impacts our environmental health, resiliency, and sustainability:
O-38-16 (Forest Conservation Act; Reforestation);
R-22-17 (United Nations Paris Climate Agreement);
O-33-17 (Stormwater Utility Fund);
R-4-18 (Clean energy jobs);
R-11-18 (Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan);
R-46-18 (Stormwater regulations);
R-47-18 (No Discharge Zones);
CA-1-20 (Deputy City Manager, Resilience and Sustainability position
created);
O-14-20 (Plug in Electric Vehicles);
O-29-20 (Small cells systems);
O-36-20 (Discharge prohibitions);
R-8-21 (Digital Connectivity Act);
O-14-21 (Resilience Authority);
O-40-21 (Electric Mobility Plan);
R-7-22 (Pollution discharges);
R-39-23 (Hazard Mitigation);
O-12-24 (Maritime Industry Economic Development);
O-26-23 (Forest Conservation Plan Appeals);
R-14-24 (City of Annapolis Plastic Bag Reduction Act Ordinance and Fines);
O-5-24 (Health and Safety, City of Annapolis Plastic Bag Reduction Act);
R-4-24 (City of Annapolis Comprehensive Plan, for the purpose of
adopting a new comprehensive plan for the City of Annapolis); ETC.
Which of the following improvements would have the most positive impact on you?
0%Healthy Living and Wellbeing
0%Financial Health and Support
0%Environmental Health, Resiliency, Sustainability, and Tech
0%Communication, Efficiency, and Accountability
Read more about past legislation that Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell Charles has sponsored, co-sponsored, and voted on during her tenure on the Annapolis City Council by clicking the button below!