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Despite the City Council voting not to televise or tape last weekend's retreat at Glenview Mansion, one councilman did so anyway.

Councilman Piotr Gajewski brought along a video recorder that he quietly set up in a corner and turned on as the two-day work session to lay out the council's vision and priorities began Friday night.

The video camera remained on during the marathon Saturday session, which lasted from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Gajewski had sent an e-mail to his peers last week saying he would tape the sessions because "a few individuals" had said they would not be able to attend the weekend work session.

At last week's City Council meeting, Councilmen Mark Pierzchala and Gajewski voted to televise the meeting, but Mayor Phyllis R. Marcuccio and council members John Britton and Bridget D. Newton voted against televising the retreat.

Britton said a work session should have a more relaxed atmosphere where brainstorming could happen, but cameras would not allow that to happen.

"I'm on both sides," Newton said. "I believe in transparency but I also believe it will stifle conversation."

Marcuccio said she would be fine with taping the session to make a record of the meeting, but she "really [did not] want to do it live."

In two separate votes, the council broke 3-2 in favor of not televising or taping the session, with Gajewski and Pierzchala losing both times.

Mayor lauds chamber

for its ‘renaissance'

Mayor Phyllis R. Marcuccio told the Rockville Chamber of Commerce last week that she was happy to see it experiencing a rebirth.

She addressed about 50 members of the chamber at its Good Morning Rockville event Jan. 13 at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College.

"I want to congratulate the chamber for having had a real renaissance," she said. "You have just blossomed."

The Rockville Chamber of Commerce eliminated its paid director position in December 2007 because of financial constraints. Board members took on duties of the executive director, from keeping members abreast of legislative issues to representing the chamber at public events.

A part-time director was hired last spring.

The chamber invites the city mayor to speak before the membership at least once each year, said Jeffrey Miller, immediate past president of the chamber.

"The relationship between the mayor and council and the business community is an important one, particularly given the role the chamber has played in the Buy Rockville campaign," Miller said, referring to the campaign to get customers to support Rockville businesses.

Marcuccio also talked about how the economy was affecting new business development and expansion in the city.

"It looks like we're at a spot where we have to take a hiatus," she said. "Nobody can borrow any money."

She added that even in such difficult economic times, "we must continue to work forward, but we can't sacrifice what makes us who we are."

Marcuccio also said she has noticed a see-saw effect between Rockville Town Center and the Rockville Pike business corridor over the years.

"As one goes up, the other goes down, back and forth," she said.

Rockville is unique in that it has those two distinct commercial districts that are in continuous competition with each other, she said.

Next council meeting

to be held in Twinbrook

The City Council will hold next Monday's meeting at the Twinbrook Community Center.

It will begin at its regular time, 7 p.m.

Mayor Phyllis R. Marcuccio said in her inaugural address that she planned to bring the council to several neighborhoods around the city to increase community involvement in local government.

This is the first off-site meeting the City Council has had since Marcuccio's election in November.

Items on the agenda include introduction of a zoning text amendment for charging a fee in lieu of providing public space and discussion and instructions to staff regarding a white-tailed deer management task force.

The Twinbrook Community Center is located at 12920 Twinbrook Parkway.