City Council

160 Duke Of Gloucester City of Annapolis Street Annapolis, MD 21401 Special Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Monday, January 25, 2021 7:00 PM Mayor John T. Chambers, Jr. City Council Chambers Virtual Meeting A virtual meeting is when people, regardless of their location, use video and audio to link up online. Virtual Meetings allow people to share information and data in real-time without being physically located together. Call to Order Mayor Buckley called the Special Meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Invocation Given by Alderwoman Finlayson. Pledge of Allegiance Led by Mayor Buckley. Roll Call Tonight's roll call began with Alderman Paone. Present: 9 - Mayor Buckley, Alderwoman Tierney, Alderman Paone, Alderwoman Pindell Charles, Alderwoman Finlayson, Alderman Gay, Alderman Schandelmeier, Alderman Savidge and Alderman Arnett Approval of Agenda Alderman Gay moved to approve the agenda as amended to a City Council Citation to Stacy & Mike Gullette; and to add a section to tonight agenda for Legislative Actions on Second Reader, and in that section add R-1-21 Condemning the Attack on the U.S. Capital Building on second reader. Seconded. CARRIED on voice vote. Ceremonial Items ID-3-21 City Council Citation - Captain John Muhitch, Annapolis Fire Department -17th Annual Annapolis Santa Run- This Informational Item was presented. ID-15-21 City Council Citation - Stacy & Mike Gullette This Informational Item was presented. City of Annapolis Page 1 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Petitions, Reports and Communications A. Update from the Mayor Mayor Gavin Buckley, Special City Council Meeting (virtual) Mayor’s Remarks 25 Jan – 7 p.m. Good evening everyone. Let’s talk vaccines. This vaccine is our way out of this pandemic, and I encourage residents, when it is your time, go take the vaccine! In the meantime, we need to continue following pandemic protocols: wear your mask, wash your hands and watch your distance. Now to vaccine clarifications. The City of Annapolis shares a health department with the county. The county receives the vaccine for distribution to both county and city residents from the state department of health. We are at the mercy of the state’s allocation of vaccine, right now about 5,000 doses per week, although Dr. Kalyanaraman said that today that allocation was cut to 3,300 doses. We are further limited in the distribution by the Centers for Disease Controls “Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’” these are established “ethical principles for allocating supplies of the Covid-19 vaccine.” They determined that the higher the risk group, the sooner they should get the vaccine. First - 1A - were health care workers and public safety. Our Annapolis public safety team were included in this group with about 80 percent of our fire department and a little more than 70 percent of our police department receiving the vaccine as well as 100 percent of our Office of Emergency Management staff. Also in this group are nursing home or congregant housing residents. That is defined as people housed together with a shared kitchen. These locations have not only a high rate of virus spread, there is a correspondingly high mortality rate. CVS and Walgreens are taking care of this group as assigned by the state Department of Health. As they closed the work on group 1A, about two weeks ago, the state announced movement to 1B. In Anne Arundel County, the health department limited initial eligibility to the most vulnerable of that group – ages 75 and up. They asked for registrations and the response was robust. As of today, we have about 10,000 of that group remaining, and then the health department will move on to the rest of 1B. At 5,000 doses a week, that will take another couple of weeks to close out, with less vaccine, it will take longer. The other individuals on 1B are teachers and continuity of government. That includes the members of the City Council here and the county council as well as government employees needed to maintain vital functions. Today, Governor Hogan announced that the state can move to 1C, which includes adults ages 65 to 74, and essential workers in grocery, restaurants, postal service, labs, and manufacturing. The county can’t move to that group until they finish up 1B. It is unclear if there are other jurisdictions that are able to go to 1C, but it isn’t Annapolis or Anne City of Annapolis Page 2 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Arundel. Yesterday, Dr. Fauci suggested that the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine might be approved in the next couple of weeks which will be good news. We will get to the other side of this but it will take longer than any of us want. I know that our Department of Health is working through this professionally and methodically. For more information on vaccines, we’ve created a shortcut to some important information at annapolis.gov/vaccine. == I want to acknowledge our public safety team for their work and coordination over the inauguration last week. I know that there was a lot of anxiety about the threats that we all heard might be coming to state capitals. Luckily nothing came of it. But I want to commend the efforts of all the people who made sure our residents and businesses were not only safe, but also well informed. This stuff doesn’t just happen. It takes organization, coordination and a lot of long hours. Our Police, Fire, and Office of Emergency Management worked with county, state and federal partners on intelligence gathering and logistics coordination. The team walked flyers around to every business in downtown, informing them of what we knew and giving them contact information to stay updated with the latest information. We offered daily updates on the website, our push applications and social media platforms. Luckily, it all went smoothly and we didn’t see a replay of what happened at the United States Capitol building in Washington DC. I am grateful for their efforts and I know you all are too. == While I am on the topic of policing, I want to update you on some exciting initiatives that have been happening in our City. Some of this is in relation to policing, and what has come to be called “community policing,” but using those words to describe what we are doing might assign in your mind a very conventional and “top-down” approach. Instead, we are calling this the “150 Percent Group” and it is a working group that we have assembled, many funded through grants, so we aren’t necessarily looking to tap taxpayers for this added capacity. I think of this as an opportunity for our City to do things differently. The group consists of at least four members of the Annapolis Police. They are Robert Horne, Bishop Carroll, Dannette Smikle and Castor Redondo. Erin Lee, our new social worker from the City Manager’s office; four members of the Mayor’s staff: Adetola Ajayi, Katy Edwards, Erica Griswold, Asia Wallace and Laura Gutierrez and two staff members of the Office of Emergency Management, MK Seborowski and Nicole Queen. From Annapolis Police, Robert Horne initiated a re-entry program that helps Annapolis residents with vocational training, drug treatment and job placement. Essentially, they connect with individuals who are incarcerated just before they are set to be released. They’re looking at who is going to be coming back to the community. As part of the effort, they have signed on new stakeholders, businesses and individuals who can City of Annapolis Page 3 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 help. Along with Bishop Carroll and Officer Smikle, they make arrangements for workforce development. Right now they are helping to place individuals in HVAC training. They arrange transportation to get them to the training. They find companies willing to hire. They are working with parole and probation to have an office in the police station so that individuals can have a nearby location to go to. This is especially important since transportation can not only be expensive, public transportation can be time consuming. Katy Edwards is handling our LEAD program. That stands for Let Everyone Advance with Dignity, a program funded by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. This program diverts individuals who risk falling into the criminal justice system for victimless or nonviolent crimes. The program requires external buy-in from judges, and the states attorney, among others, because to divert a person out of the criminal justice system and into substance use or mental health or other resource arenas, the judges and prosecutors need to agree with the plan. Supervising the LEAD grant program and heading up our No Harm VIP violence intervention programs is Adetola Ajayi. His team with Erica Griswold will work with individuals in communities to end the cycle of violence. Tola and the Office of Emergency Management team are also working on substance use, addiction and moving people into treatment. Erin Lee is our new social worker in the City and her outreach involves connecting residents with services in the area for food, rental, clothing and financial assistance. In her short time here, she has created a database of charitable resources and helped find mental health resources. She has been connecting with other city outreach workers, like those from the Office of Emergency Management, to form a network of care. Here’s how she recently worked with Laura Gutierrez, the Hispanic outreach liaison from the Mayor’s office. There was a family of 10 who spoke only Spanish. They needed assistance with food and baby supplies. Erin worked with Laura to ensure the family had what it needed. When two Robinwood families were displaced due to fire, Erin assisted in getting the families settled in their new HACA unit, but also helping with school supplies, household items and donated clothing. Erin’s long-term goal is to provide wraparound services to families in need. Add to these, the outreach efforts of the Take Care team. In Annapolis, as in other places in America, COVID has hit the Hispanic and African American communities particularly hard. In 2020, with some limited grant funding through the CARES Act, the City sponsored teams to work on health outreach and resource delivery targeted to black and Hispanic residents. Those efforts paid off. The Department of Health was sufficiently impressed and the team is continuing their work in 2021 with additional funding. You can see why we are calling it the 150 Percent Group - because this is how much success everyone will have if they look to each other as a resource to answer community needs. This is truly a bottom-up approach to problem solving and to helping our residents City of Annapolis Page 4 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 lead richer, fuller lives. Each member of this working group has the freedom to research new ideas and to take on new solutions as problems arise. The group meets with me once a month to provide updates on their progress, but they are in regular contact with one another in between those meetings. We are coming off a particularly difficult year. 2020 was traumatic and we have to ensure that we are providing resources - it has never been more important. I look forward to Annapolis being a model and I look forward to see the success of this group moving forward. Let’s get on with tonight’s meeting! B. Reports by Committee Standing Committee Meetings: Public Safety Committee February 1, 2021, 4:00 PM Rules and City Government Committee Meeting February 2, 2021, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Finance Committee Meeting February 3, 2021, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM C. Comments by the General Public Mayor Buckley stated "No comments were received" Public Hearings PUBLIC TESTIMONY WEB FORM – To view the actual comments, please visit: www.annapolis.gov/publictestimony O-49-20 Drug-Loitering Free Zones - Repeal - For the purpose of repealing certain provisions of the Annapolis City Code concerning loitering in Drug-Loitering Free Zones. Sponsors: Arnett, Gay, Buckley and Savidge Mayor Buckley stated "There was no written testimony received on O-49-20". Mayor Buckley declared the public hearing on O-49-20 closed. O-50-20 Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit - For the purpose of updating certain occupancy periods of Moderately Priced Dwelling Units; eliminating variations on defined terms; providing supplemental regulatory authority to the Director of Planning and Zoning; and generally relating to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Sponsors: Buckley Mayor Buckley stated "There was no written testimony received on O-50-20. Mayor Buckley declared the public hearing on O-50-20 closed. City of Annapolis Page 5 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Alderman Schandelmeier referred O-50-20 to the Housing and Human Welfare Committee. Alderman Schandelmeier - Cosponsor Added O-51-20 Emancipation Day - For the purpose of designating “Emancipation Day” as a City holiday to be observed on November 1st of each year. Sponsors: Schandelmeier, Buckley, Pindell Charles, Finlayson and Gay WRITTEN Testimony Received: 1. Pamela Roblyer, 92 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, Maryland 20401. 2. Jan Cammarata, 112 Howard Avenue, Arnold, Maryland 21012. 3. Jane Lawrence, 519 Burnside Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21403. 4. Michael Dye, 1315 Hawkins Lane, Annapolis, Maryland 21401. Mayor Buckley declared the public hearing on O-51-20 closed. R-1-21 Condemning the Attack on the U.S. Capitol Building and our Democracy - For the purpose of condemning the violent attempt on January 6, 2021, to overturn a free and fair election by domestic terrorists at the urging of President Donald Trump; condemning the unsubstantiated allegations of President Donald Trump and other political figures that incited the riot which led to the death of five people, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick; offering our condolences to the family of Officer Sicknick; proclaiming that our democracy is resilient to such violent acts of domestic terrorism. Sponsors: Schandelmeier, Buckley, Tierney, Savidge and Finlayson WRITTEN Testimony Received: 1. David Rahn,4536 Owensville Sudley Road, Harwood, Maryland 20776. 2. Jan Cammarata, 112 Howard Avenue, Arnold, Maryland 2012. 3. FR.Robert Miclean, 73 Franklin Street, Arnold, Maryland 21401. 4.Wayne Adamson, 1225 Van Buren Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21403. 5. Mark King, 40 Sandstone Court, Annapolis, Maryland 21403. 6. Debbie Zelepsky, 5 Eastern Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21403. 7. Michael Dye, 1315 Hawkins Lane, Annapolis, Maryland 21401. 8. Donna Maio, 3685 First Avenue, Edgewater, Maryland 21037. Mayor Buckley declared the public hearing on R-1-21 closed. Amendment the Agenda O-44-20 Employee Organizations - For the purpose of removing the deadline for employee organizations to petition the City for recognition as an exclusive bargaining agent for eligible government personnel. Sponsors: Schandelmeier and Savidge Alderman Schandelmeier moved to amend the agenda to add O-44-20 Adopted on January 11, 2021 for the purpose of reconsideration. Seconded. CARRIED on voice vote. City of Annapolis Page 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 Legislative Actions Second Reader Resolution R-1-21 Condemning the Attack on the U.S. Capitol Building and our Democracy - For the purpose of condemning the violent attempt on January 6, 2021, to overturn a free and fair election by domestic terrorists at the urging of President Donald Trump; condemning the unsubstantiated allegations of President Donald Trump and other political figures that incited the riot which led to the death of five people, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick; offering our condolences to the family of Officer Sicknick; proclaiming that our democracy is resilient to such violent acts of domestic terrorism. Sponsors: Schandelmeier, Buckley, Tierney, Savidge and Finlayson Alderman Gay moved to adopt R-1-21 on second reader. Seconded. Alderwoman Tierney moved to amend R-1-21 as follows: Amendment 1: On page 1, in lines 2 and 20 after “Building” insert “and our Democracy” Seconded. CARRIED on voice vote. Alderman Paone moved to amend R-1-21 as follows: Amendment #2 On page 3, in line #1, delete "WHEREAS, President Donald Trump spread unsubstantiated allegations that the 2020 election was not free and fair; and" On page 2, in line #16, delete "AND, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the allegations about the integrity of our election spread by President Donald Trump and other political figures are unsubstantiated." Seconded. A roll call vote was taken. The motion DEFEATED by the following vote: Aye: 4 - Alderman Paone, Alderwoman Finlayson, Alderman Gay and Alderman Arnett Nay: 5 - Mayor Buckley, Alderwoman Tierney, Alderwoman Pindell Charles, Alderman Schandelmeier and Alderman Savidge Alderman Schandelmeier moved to adopt R-1-21 as amended on second reader. A roll call vote was taken. The motion CARRIED by the following vote: Aye: 9 - Mayor Buckley, Alderwoman Tierney, Alderman Paone, Alderwoman Pindell Charles, Alderwoman Finlayson, Alderman Gay, Alderman Schandelmeier, Alderman Savidge and Alderman Arnett Ordinance O-44-20 Employee Organizations - For the purpose of removing the deadline for City of Annapolis Page 7 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Final January 25, 2021 employee organizations to petition the City for recognition as an exclusive bargaining agent for eligible government personnel. Sponsors: Schandelmeier and Savidge Alderman Schandelmeier moved to reconsider O-44-20 on second reader. Seconded. CARRIED on voice vote. Alderman Schandelmeier moved to adopt O-44-20 on second reader. Seconded. Alderman Schandelmeier moved to amended O-44-20 as follows: AMENDMENT 1: On page 2, in line 10 after “SESSION” insert “FOR THOSE RECOGNIZED PETITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31 PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE EFFECTIVE FISCAL YEAR”. Seconded. CARRIED on voice vote. Alderman Schandelmeier moved to adopt O-44-20 as amended on second reader. Seconded. CARRIED on voice vote. Alderman Schandelmeier moved to adopt O-44-20 on third reader. Seconded. A roll call vote was taken. The motion CARRIED by the following vote: Aye: 8 - Mayor Buckley, Alderwoman Tierney, Alderwoman Pindell Charles, Alderwoman Finlayson, Alderman Gay, Alderman Schandelmeier, Alderman Savidge and Alderman Arnett Nay: 1 - Alderman Paone Adjournment Upon motion duly made, seconded and adopted, the meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m. Regina C. Watkins-Eldridge, MMC City Clerk City of Annapolis Page 8