This is David Jenkins, your host for Crosswalks, Smart Growth, Stronger Communities, podcast and videos, now available on YouTube, YouTube Music, and Substack. This is a good summary of the County’s required update to the 2026 Comp Plan, including What is a Comprehensive Plan, 2016 Plan background and the timeline for preparation/approval, and the critical public engagement process. References: 2026 Charles County Comprehensive Plan Update, May 2025Charles Cou...
After completing a rewarding four-year term on the La Plata Town Council, I’m excited to rebrand and expand the La Plata Ward 4 Update podcast and YouTube channel. Page 2 - The new platform, Crosswalks: Smart Growth, Stronger Communities, will bring fresh stories, expert conversations, and thoughtful insights on the issues that shape how we grow and live — planning, transportation, housing, economic and community development, and more. Crosswalks focuses on how La Plata, Charles County, and S...
Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views of the Town of La Plata. This is the fourth in a series of podcasts about the Town Council’s review of the FY 2026 Operating, Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and Enterprise Funds (water, sewer, sanitation, stormwater management) proposed budgets. This episode is about the Town Council’s discussion of the proposed Capital Budget The sources for this podcast/video are materials provided to the Town Council...
This is a quick video providing clarification and context about campaign finances from questions and comments from recent La Plata Town Council candidate forums. When filing as a candidate, a Certificate of Nomination, Financial Disclosure Statement, is required and includes: Schedule A – Real Property Interests Schedule B – Interests in Corporations and Partnerships Schedule C – Interests in Non-Corporate Business Entities Doing Business with the Town...
What is Ex Parte Communications? When decision-making processes (e.g., in local government) give the appearance, real or imagined, of being one-sided or prejudiced, and therefore, full due process is not provided to the public. This is important to ensure impartiality and fairness by the Planning Commission and Board of Appeals as they review projects for consistency with the Town Ordinance, the 2020 Comprehensive Plan, and other requirements. To ensure our consideration &...
The 4/5th Democratic Club hosted a La Plata candidate forum at the Green Turtle, La Plata, on Monday, April 14. All candidates attended: Mayor, Jeannine E. James (incumbent), Ralph Wayne Winkler Ward I, Paul C. Guttenberg, David Winkler (incumbent) Ward II, Richard Gilpin, Patrick McCormick Ward III, Tarinna Olley, Gregory Sampson, Jr. Ward IV, Tyjon C "TJ" Johnson – unopposed Questions were provided to the candidates before the forum. Forma...
Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views of the Town of La Plata. This is the third in a series of podcasts about the Town Council’s review of the FY 2026 Operating, Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and Enterprise Funds (water, sewer, sanitation, stormwater management) proposed budgets. This episode is about the Town Council’s third review and discussion of the proposed Operating Budget and the proposed FY 2026 Fee Schedule. La Plata YouTube Meeting Link...
Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views of the Town of La Plata. This is the second podcast series about the Town Council’s review of the FY 2026 Operating, Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and Enterprise Funds (water, sewer, sanitation, stormwater management) proposed budgets. This episode is about the Town Council’s second review of the proposed Operating Budget, and first review of two proposed draft versions of FY 26 Enterprise Funds (Water, Sewer, Sanit...
Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views of the Town of La Plata. This is the first in a series of podcasts about the Town Council’s review of the FY 2026 Operating, Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and Enterprise Funds (water, sewer, sanitation, stormwater management) proposed budgets. This episode is about the Town Council’s first review of two proposed draft versions of the FY 26 Operating Budget at our March 18, 2025, Town Council meeting. Opera...
This is David Jenkins, La Plata Town Council member from Ward 4 and your host for this podcast and video, now available on YouTube, and YouTube Music. This is an excerpt from my last article for the forthcoming Spring 2025 Town Newsletter - my hopes for the incoming Town Council, in place May 10, 2025. It's been a privilege and honor to serve on the Town Council. I am proud of the progress we have made working together to improve La Plata’s quality of life. Also update on: ...
An update about: 2025 La Plata Town electionsTown Manager Selection processLinks: YouTube Video 2025 Election Candidates
My Facebook Page (David Jenkins, Ward 4 Update) and podcast/video series (La Plata Ward 4 Update) are evolving to become Crosswalks, providing an independent, factual look at planning and development in Southern Maryland. Crosswalks will continue to bring you information, - from land use and zoning to economic development, housing, transportation, and infrastructure. I will break down the policies, projects, critical issues, and decisions that impact and shape our region, communities, and d...
When David Jenkins, La Plata, Maryland Town Council member, attended the Local-Motive session “Parsing Through Your Local Budget to Find Some Real Answers”—co-presented by Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns and Michel Durand-Wood, author of the Dear Winnipeg blog—he left with a new mission: to take a hard look at his own city’s finances. Inspired by the session, David worked directly with Michel, who helped him build spreadsheets, translate Canadian concepts to the American context, and uncover cri...
This is the next episode in a series of podcasts and videos about La Plata’s budget, which aims to provide transparency and information as the Town Council prepares the FY 2026 budget. This episode is based on work by Strong Towns’s priority campaign – Transparent Local Accounting - “Local government should be the place where residents collectively shape their cities. But to do that, you need clear, accurate, accessible information about your local finances. Local governments must be properl...
This episode is about the need for a La Plata Economic Development function. At the December 10, 2024, Town Council meeting, Town of La Plata Ordinance 24-20, Tourism Zones was introduced as a first reading. This is based on State enabling legislation enacted by the Maryland General Assembly in 2024, House Bill 1281/Senate Bill 0014 (Maryland Code, Local Government § 18-401), which enables municipalities to create tourism zones to encourage the growth and expansion of tourism-related busi...
The first episode in this series about La Plata’s budget was posted on December 16, 2024, and talked about the preparation of the FY 2026, including the calendar of Town Council meetings, basic budget definitions, the different funds, revenue sources, and expenditures (how money is spent), and the Captial Improvement Plan (CIP). This and later episodes provide information and transparency as the Town Council prepares the FY 26 budget. This episode provides additional information ...
This episode and later ones will provide information and transparency as the Town Council prepares the FY 26 budget, which includes the operating budget, enterprise budget (water, sewer, trash/sanitation, stormwater management), and capital improvement plan (CIP). References: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Town Budget Adopted Town of La Plata Calendar of Events Preparation and adoption on the Town FY 2026 Budget
This episode provides the results from La Plata’s 2024 National Community Survey, presented to the Town Council at our September 20, 2024, meeting. In April 2024, the Town engaged Polco to conduct the National Community Survey (NCS) to ascertain public perceptions of La Plata and its general livability. The NCS consists of standard questions asked of all municipalities and a limited number of custom questions provided by the client which may be tailored to ongoing or anticipated conditi...
This is David Jenkins, La Plata Town Council member from Ward 4 and your host for this podcast and videos, now available on YouTube, and YouTube Music. This episode is about questions and frustration from many Town and County residents about a new 7-11 gas station starting construction at Rosewick Corner. Future podcasts/videos: Why La Plata should have an economic development/placemaking function Best practices by other towns in Maryland, from my attendance at the Maryland M...
This is a follow-up to my August 13, 2024, podcast and video – Speed and Traffic, and the article in the latest Town newsletter. There is a need for traffic calming options and a community/town cooperative program in our residential neighborhoods. This is needed to reduce speeding and prevent a tragedy from happening. Two recent incidents in Clarks Run - first, last week, a car did not stop when a school bus deployed its STOP sign as children got on the bus at Scarlet Oak and Eas...