City Hall: New mayor, council members to be sworn in Dec. 7

The inauguration of the Annapolis Mayor and City Council will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, located at 801 Chase Street, Annapolis. Details regarding the ceremony, entertainment and reception will be announced shortly.

If you are a member of a local Girl Scout or Brownie troop, come join the 300 Tapestry Project and Chesapeake Children's Museum for Annapolis History Day on Saturday Nov. 7.

This is the first history day event designed for brownies and girl scouts and includes: songs and dance, crafts, a scavenger hunt, storytelling, historical character portrayals and history 'brought to life' by Annapolis historians.

This interactive day will teach the club members about the city's history while helping them complete requirements for badges and patches. They can also make history by adding their stitches to one of the smaller tapestry panels.

The event is being held at the Annapolis recreation center, located at 9 St. Mary's Street. Cost is $1 per scout participant and you must register by Friday by calling 410-990-1993.

The City of Annapolis is introducing a significant change in the process for residents who get the 2 hours of free parking at city garages. The city is beginning an annual renewal program.

Everyone participating must fill out a form and verify residency before being eligible to receive two free hours of parking per day at any of the city-owned garages (one garage per day).

To get an application, log on to www.annapolis.gov and click on "Parking" under "Local Information." You can also stop by any of the city garages and pick up a hard copy of the application. To obtain your decal, take your completed form to any of the city garage offices during the hours listed below.

Hillman Garage: 410-263-9583, 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays

Gott's Court Garage: 410-263-9749, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays

Knighton Garage: 410-263-7170, 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays

If you are unable to come during one of the designated times, please call the garage to arrange an appointment.

Decals will not be issued by the cashiers and will have an expiration date attached.

All decals are valid from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Only one decal will be issued per person. In order to use the discount, you must write your decal number and name on the ticket before presenting it to the cashier.

For more information, call the Department of Central Services at 410-263-7944.

Meanwhile, the city is about to begin short term repairs to Hillman garage.

The work will entail some minor scraping and painting of the steel, and also some rather significant repairs to one of the stair towers, replacement of the two other stair towers, concrete deck repairs, and repair of some other structural elements.

Scraping and painting work will begin as early as Monday and the stair and concrete work will begin soon after.

The successful bidder and contractor, Contracting Specialists Incorporated, will work from 7 a.m. until dusk Monday through Friday and has assured the city it will employ dust protection, pedestrian safety measures and coordinated work sequence in concert with Park America management personnel. The contractor is expected to finish by mid-April 2010.

During construction, individuals with mobility issues can gain access to on-grade parking, while the city asks others to park on the upper levels until the elevator and "north" stairs are repaired. This portion of the project should be completed by mid-January.

If you have questions, please direct them to the Department of Central Services at 410-263-7944.

Annapolis City Government offices will be closed Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. Regular bus service will run normal routes.

In the meantime, the Annapolis Transit drivers will be out of uniform for a good cause.

On Team Mondays, drivers and other transportation department employees can pay one dollar to wear a jersey or cap of their favorite NFL team. All proceeds will be donated to The Lighthouse Shelter.

"Our drivers have never been able to take advantage of the city's casual Friday charity drive. This is our version of it for them," said Director of Transportation, Danielle Matland. "Twelve dollars isn't a large amount to pay to show team spirit, but it will mean a lot to the Lighthouse Shelter and their efforts, especially this time of the year as the holidays approach."

Drivers are allowed to participate in as many of the NFL weeks as they'd like. However, because it's a fundraising drive, the department has encouraged participants to sign up for the remaining season.

It's time to get out of line, and pay online! You can pay your Utility and Capital Facilities bills online at the City of Annapolis Web site, anytime, and it's free. Go to www.annapolis.gov, look for "Citizen Services" and click on "Online Payments."

Seven new bronze markers honor outstanding individuals whose work in the 1960s contributed to the quality of life we enjoy in Annapolis today.

The contributions range from growing the maritime industry to creating an outdoor theater, from preservation, to civil rights and community fair housing, these seven Annapolitans steered a new course for their City that has left indelible changes on this special place we call home.

Look for these markers on your walks around Annapolis. Locations include: Market Square, Brewer Hill Cemetery, West Street, Annapolis Summer Garden Theater, William Paca House, Fourth Street End Park, Chesapeake Avenue End Street Park and West Washington Street.

Here are a few upcoming events to mark on your calendar during November:

Saturday: Tug of War and Chili Festival, Eastport and City Dock

Saturday: Colonial Dog Show, Hammond Harwood House

Nov. 11: Veterans Day Parade, Memorial Circle

2 p.m. Nov. 29: Santa Sail In, City Dock, sponsored by the Annapolis Firefighters Local 1926.

6 p.m. Nov. 29: Grand Illumination of Holiday Tree, Market Square

Rhonda Wardlaw is public information officer for the City of Annapolis.