Council Meetings Agendas

Council Meeting of the Mayor and Town Council Town Hall Brentwood, Maryland 20722 Meeting Minutes February 19, 2015 Present: Mayor Rocio Treminio-Lopez _X__, _ Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi _X__, Council Member Jason Barnett ____, Council Member Jennifer L. Murphy _X__ Council Member Victor Olano____ Staff Present: Malynda Hill-Williams, Town Treasurer __X__, Acting Town Administrator George Denny X , Sergeant Kenny Bragg _X___, Fern Williams, Town Clerk __X__, Magdalena Rojas, Town Clerk________ Next meeting: March 3 , 2015 @ 7:30pm I. Organization Call to Order - 7:30pm Moment of Silence Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Rocio Treminio-Lopez additions to agenda, to Old Business add Open Studio Funding, Payment of Town credit card (BB&T), and changing all phone service to Verizon. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to approve the agenda. Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Mayor Rocio Treminio-Lopez I appoint Pierre Malochee as an Election Judge. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to approve the appointment and confirmation of Pierre Malochee, Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Mayor Rocio Treminio-Lopez Swears in Ann Christine Warden as Chief Judge and Pierre Malochee as Election Offical. Public Comment: Jeff Clark, Perry Street: Confused about minutes. Why starting in January the minutes changed, and they don’t meet the State’s Open Meeting Laws. There are a lot of questions that the residents have that I don’t feel like the Council is answering. The closed door meetings are different. I wish the Council would set up a schedule for those minutes. For functional reasons I don’t understand why the old truck wasn’t repaired. Now with the snow the Town could have 1 used the old truck to put salt in. Want notice of agenda posted to Social Media. I am looking forward to the financial statements. Gina Moreland Upshur Street: line item transfers issues not on this agenda? Questions about Landex Project, do we have a written agreement about what will happen to the Rain Garden? Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi –response that agreement happened before I got here, but from what I remember they said every effort would be made to keep and restore that area. I will have to find out. Gina Moreland Upshur Street: at 3901 Perry Street I saw about 8 drums that said Hazardous Waste on them, they are on Town property. I have asked several times about the Ethics Committee, I finally reached out to the State. They didn’t have any information from the Town. Nina Young, Varnum Street: Ethic Commission, why isn’t information available online? Is there an Ethic ordinance? State doesn’t have any information or forms. To my knowledge the Ethic Committee has never met. There are holes in roofs, houses that need to be boarded up, unsafe roofs, and unsafe buildings. There are scammers walking around asking residents to see their Pepco and WSSC bills. Why isn’t anything being done about this? This is of special concern to our seniors, why can’t Code Enforcement and our Police get the word out, and stop these people and ask them if they have a business license. I drove through other Municipalities and no one is as clean as Brentwood! Sergeant Kenny Bragg: response This is the perfect opportunity for community outreach, either through the website as well as the Newsletter, we’ll come up with some recommendations such as using your Smart Phone. If you can safely take a picture of the person and or their car, this will greatly help the Police. Ron Bretemps, Upshur Street: Why are the office expenses so high? Public Comment should come later in the Council meetings. Have agenda available before the meeting. Do we have any guidelines for Handicap parking? Drums behind building on Perry Street, and there is a lot of trash back there as well. We need to enforcement more violations on the Commercial part and not pick on the residents. There is also a rain run-off problem there. Have bids gone out for the sidewalk repair on Windom? The rain garden belongs to Brentwood; we should have control over what happens to it. Town Clerk –Fern Williams Magdalena sent the Mayor and Council her minutes. Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to approve the January 20, 2015 minutes Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi seconded. Motion passed Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to approve February 3, 2015 with one minor change, the amount to pay the bills, Mayor Jennifer Kravassi seconded, all in favor ayes have it. Motion passed. Both minutes were signed. Malynda Hill-Williams, Treasurer Report: Cash on hand report was sent to Mayor and Council. General Fund has $476,716.38, deposits were $186,776.28, Checks $48,326.71, withdrawals $39,472.25, total ending balance $575,693.70. Interest on money market account $12.85, ending 2 balance $189,189.08. Public Safety account deposits $2500.18, balance $544,318.00. Merchant account deposits $1010.00, balance $9,878.52. Cash reserve account interest $9.34, balance of $280,098.17. Total cash on hand $1,599,177.47. Total revenue for the month $178,034.00, total expenses for the month $134,788.00, surplus for the month $43,246.00. I need the documentation for DNR grant. That money should back to the Town. Council Member Jennifer Murphy Where is our gas bill? Malynda Hill-Williams, Treasurer Sergeant Kenny Bragg dealt with that, he has the estimate for that. Sergeant Kenny Bragg: response Contacted PG County, they went to a new billing system, so for 7 months, no one had got a gas bill. I was provided an estimate bill for $8390.00, which covers July 2014 through January 2015, for all of the Town vehicles. It may be a few more months before we get a bill. Malynda Hill-Williams, Treasurer I requested from the State of Maryland the personal and Utility property tax bills so I can calculate our tax bills. Washington Gas made their payment $15,446.00. Some of our businesses never received their 2013 tax bill, I need the State to provide me with that information. Our expected revenue may be much higher than the $85, 000.00 number. New Police SUV is coming in tomorrow, Police clerk has the check to give to the driver. Our bills for the first half of the month total $9946.48. Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to approve the payments of the bills for $9946.48 Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi seconded. Motion passed. Malynda Hill-Williams, Treasurer I would like to continue to pay the BB&T credit card electronically, and the bank would like that. That will ensure the bank doesn’t cut the card off. Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to call BB&T in the morning, get the total pay off and pay the credit card in full Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi seconded, all in favor. Motion passed Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to accept the Treasurer’s report Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Fern Williams-Town Clerk reading Magdalena Rojas Town Clerk report. 1 license Rental Unit $100.00, 1 building permit $25.00, 2 Multi-dwelling fees $31,300.00. Total receivables for 2/3/2015-2/13/15 is $31,425.00. Minutes from January 20, 2015 and February 3, 2015 was sent in. Approved and signed at this Council meeting. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to accept the Town Clerk’s report Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Code Enforcement Report –read by George Denny: Total received to date $3,275.00, sent out 34 vacant home letters, notified 7 home owners of vacant lot owners. 13 fines of $200 each sent to vacant homes, 15 more fines will be sent this week. 51 property complaints issued, 13 rental license applications, 13 parking tickets issued, 10 warning to tow, 1 animal complaint, 2 building and dumpsters permits issued, 6 clean lot notices, 2 stop work notices, 64 lack of snow shoveling violations. 3 Sergeant Kenny Bragg, Police Report The police department collected a total of $1125.00 for impounds. There were 47 parking tickets, 7 warning tickets, 52 State citations, 13 repair orders, 11 premise checks, 6 calls for assistance for a total of 119. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to accept the Code Enforcement report for January 2015 Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed Sergeant Kenny Bragg, Police Report We had 135 calls for service, 75 calls were handled by Brentwood Officers, 60 were handled by PG County Officers, we still don't have 24 hour coverage, but we are getting closer. The new candidate passed her last 3 tests and we are ready to submit her for final certification. She could be on the road as early as March 13, 2015, or latest March 26, 2015. I also reached out to another supply vendor who can get me a vest in less than 30 days. End of report. Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to accept the Police Department report, Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi seconded. Motion passed George Denny-Acting Town Administrator Report did not read or give his report. He gave copies of report to Mayor and Council. I placed a map of 34th Allison, Arundel Road area on the table. Had a meeting with the County's Public works they are going to be completely renovating the 34th bridge area coming this Fall. They are going to close half the bridge at a time. They are only going to allow traffic to come from Queenstown Apartments to Allison Street, but you can't go from Allison Street to the Apartments during the whole process. The purpose for that is so the kids that walk to school can still use the bridge. Most of the work will be done in Mt. Rainer. In Brentwood, the retainer wall near the maintenance building will get a coating of an earth tone color. The flood wall near the 7-11 will be extended, and that will be completely closed off. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to accept the TA's report, Council Member Jennifer Murphy second. Motion passed. Old Business Open Studio Funding Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to give Gateway CDC $2000.00 out of the $2500.00 request for their 2015 Open Studio Tours to come out of line item 5-1245, town grants Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi second, Council Member Jennifer Murphy will challenge that if Gateway can get other municipalities to give $2500.00, that they come back before the Council and they would give the other $500.00. Motion passed Council Member Jennifer Murphy motion to finish and consolidate all the phone lines to Verizon, getting rid of Broadband and AT&T Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi second, all in favor to get this done in 6 to 8 weeks. Motion passed. 4 New Business Use of Town Hall for Meeting Handicap parking Election Support Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to use Town Hall on Saturday February 21, 2015 from 2pm through 4pm, Mayor will open and close the Town Hall Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to approve one parking space reserved for Ms. Renee Burge at 4425 39th Street , and also to approve funding for one reserved parking sign not to exceed $85.00 as previously approved the SHA Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to approve up to $60.00 to provide lunch for the Police Chief interviews on a date soon to be determined from line item 5-4140 Council Member Jennifer Murphy second, all in favor. Motion passed Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi motion to request approval for election support from the County for the Election on May 4, 2015 in the amount of $182.16 from line item 5-2025 in the amount of $182.16 Council Member Jennifer Murphy seconded. Motion passed. Meetings: Public hearing on the Dumpster waiver on Perry Street on March 3, 2015 prior to the Council meeting at Town Hall at 7pm. Council Meeting March 3, 2015 at 7:30 PM Public hearing on hours of operation for Mi Patio hours on March 17, 2015 at 7PM Council meeting March 17, 2015 at 7:30PM Committees: Tree Committee will meet Monday March 2, 2015 @ 7:30 at the Gazebo/Town Hall Green Team meeting Monday February 23, 2015 as well as March 23, 2015 @ 7:30PM Cable meeting March 25, 2015 @ 7:30PM 5 Special Events meeting March 10, 2015 @ 7:30 in Town Hall Fire House meeting March 19, 2015 @ 7:30PM PW Committee March 11, 2015 @ 7:30 in Town Hall Hispanic Committee TBA Announcements: Petition forms for Town Elections are available in the office during office hours. Vice Mayor Jennifer Kravassi moved to adjourn, seconded by Council Member Jennifer Murphy and approved. Adjourned – 10:07 _______________________________ Respectfully submitted by Fern Williams ___________________________________ Approved by Date 6