City Council

1 CITY OF COLLEGE PARK 2 MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL 3 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING 4 JANUARY 22, 2024 5 6 MINUTES 7 8 Present: Mayor Bianca Motley Broom; Councilwoman Jamelle McKenzie, Councilman Joe 9 Carn, Councilwoman Tracie Arnold and Councilman Roderick Gay; Interim City 10 Manager Emmanuel Adediran; City Attorney Winston Demark; City Clerk Shavala 11 Ames 12 13 Absent: None 14 15 Special Called Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 16 17 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Good evening. Welcome to the special called meeting of the Mayor 18 and City Council of the City of College Park. I'm Mayor Bianca Motley Broom, we have a full 19 quorum present with Councilmembers McKenzie, Carn, Arnold and Gay. So, at this time at 7:00 20 p.m. I will call the meeting to order restating and reincorporating my objections to the omnibus – 21 22 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: Point order, point of order Mayor – 23 24 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: yes. 25 26 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: This governing body voted unanimously on both the January 27 2nd and January 16th meetings that agenda items would be sounded by the City Clerk and to ensure 28 the integrity of the decisions of this council tonight's agenda and all subsequent agendas should be 29 carried out in that manner. So, can we just proceed with the meeting. 30 31 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Thank you Councilmember McKenzie. I'm restating and 32 reincorporating my objections to the Omnibus motion and ordinance 2024-1 that was passed by 33 this council at our last meeting. Madame Clerk, could you please go ahead? 34 35 CITY CLERK AMES: The first and only item on the agenda is City Manager Employment. 36 37 1. City Manager Employment 38 39 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Thank you Madame Clerk. At this time I will turn the presiding 40 duties over to the Mayor Pro Tem. 41 42 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: Motion. I'd like to make a motion. 43 44 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Go ahead. 45 Special Called Meeting Page 1 of 6 01/22/2024 46 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: Okay. On January 16th with discussion. Rather a motion with 47 discussion I should say and has the Mayor Pro Tem accepted the gavel. 48 49 COUNCILMAN GAY: I decline. 50 51 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: Well I'd like to make a motion at this time. 52 53 City Attorney entered into the Council Chambers 54 55 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Good evening Mr. Denmark. I've relinquished presiding duties to 56 the Mayor Pro Tem as I wish to speak to this conversation. 57 58 CITY ATTORNEY: The Mayor Pro Tem may elect not to assume the gavel. 59 60 COUNCILMAN GAY: I’d elect not to assume the gavel at this time. 61 62 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: I would turn those over to Councilmember Carn. 63 64 COUNCILMAN CARN: No you will not. You're here you're going to -- no thanks. 65 66 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Mr. Denmark 67 68 CITY ATTORNEY: Yes. 69 70 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: In regard to my ability to speak when I am not presiding over these 71 meetings, I wish to do that. Is that permissible or am I prohibited from speaking altogether. 72 73 CITY ATTORNEY: Under the ordinance passed by the city council, the mayor does not participate 74 in deliberations. The mayor presides over deliberations and that's consistent with section 1-8 of 75 the charter which states that the mayor presides over deliberation in consistent with Robert’s Ruled 76 of Order. The presiding person does not participate in deliberation and the city council has 77 essentially adopted that provision in Robert Rules and made it a part of the city's ordinances and 78 so the Mayor presides over the deliberations of city council and under the new ordinance the Mayor 79 does not participate in a debate or the deliberations. You could pass the gavel to the Mayor Pro 80 Tem or colleague if they were inclined to accept but it's their decision. 81 82 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: And if I wish to participate in discussions? 83 84 CITY ATTORNEY: That would be inconsistent with the ordinance that the council passed. 85 86 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Thank you sir. Councilmember Arnold, I will pass the gavel to you. 87 88 COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD: I decline. 89 90 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Councilmember McKenzie, I will pass the gavel – 91 Special Called Meeting Page 2 of 6 01/22/2024  92 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: I decline because I'm the one that's made the motion Mayor 93 and I'm making a motion with discussion so I'm unable to do that ma’am. 94 95 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: What is your motion? 96 97 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: Okay. My motion is I would like to make a motion to vacate 98 and resend the vote of the January 16, 2024 meeting terminating the employment of Stanley 99 Hawthorne for cause. 100 101 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Is there a second? 102 103 COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD: Second. 104 105 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Thank you Councilmember Arnold. We'll start with discussion, 106 Councilmember McKenzie. 107 108 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: Yes ma'am. Thank you. On January 16, 2024 this body voted 109 to terminate the employment of City Manager Stanley Hawthorne for cause. That vote was 110 prompted by a series of conversations where Mr. Hawthorne expressed his belief that certain 111 legislative initiatives contemplated by the city council would make his success as city manager 112 impossible. In discussions with city officials and community members, Mr. Hawthorne expressed 113 and even to myself his intent to desire -- to desire and his desire to resign as city manager as a 114 consequence of these contemplated initiatives. But before Mr. Hawthorne could negotiate formally 115 and announce his resignation from the city, this body took action at the January 16th meeting to 116 terminate him and that was part of my abstaining because there was a confusion there but upon a 117 reflection that action was premature. 118 119 While Mr. Hawthorne separation from the city was inevitable, he was leaving. The better course 120 would have been to allow him to resign which was stated in his intention and based on these facts 121 I repeat my motion to vacate and resend the vote of January 16 2024 terminating the employment 122 of Stanley Hawthorne for cause. 123 124 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Council member Carn? 125 126 COUNCILMAN CARN:: No discussion. 127 128 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Councilmember Arnold? 129 130 COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD: No comment. 131 132 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Councilmember Gay? 133 134 COUNCILMAN GAY:: No comment. 135 136 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: We'll move to a vote. All those in favor? 137 Special Called Meeting Page 3 of 6 01/22/2024 138 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE, COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD, and COUNCILMAN GAY: 139 Aye 140 141 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: All those opposed? 142 143 COUNCILMAN CARN: Opposed. 144 145 ACTION: Councilwoman McKenzie motion to vacate and rescind the vote of the January 16, 146 2024 meeting to terminating the employment of Stanley Hawthorne for cause, 147 seconded by Councilwoman Arnold, Councilmembers McKenzie, Arnold and Gay 148 voted in favor and Councilman Carn opposed and motion carried. 149 150 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: All right so Councilmembers McKenzie, Arnold, and Gay are in 151 favor. Councilmember Carn is opposed. The motion passes. Do we have any additional business? 152 153 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: I'd like to make another motion Mayor. I would like to make 154 the motion to accept Mr. Hawthorne’s letter of resignation effective today January 22,, 2024 and 155 to approve the resignation and general release agreement no negotiated and agreed by or agreed 156 with by Mr. Hawthorne. I'll say that again the motion is to accept Mr. Hawthorne’s letter of 157 resignation effective today January 22, 2024 and to approve the resignation and general release 158 agreement negotiated with and agreed to by Mr. Hawthorne with no discussion. 159 160 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Is there a second? 161 162 COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD: Second. 163 164 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Any discussion Councilmember McKenzie? 165 166 COUNCILMAN CARN: No ma'am, no discussion. 167 168 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Councilmember Carn? 169 170 COUNCILMAN CARN: No. 171 172 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Councilmember Arnold? 173 174 COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD: No. 175 176 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Councilmember Gay? 177 178 COUNCILMAN GAY: No. 179 180 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Mr. Denmark, what is the agreement? 181 182 CITY ATTORNEY: I forwarded the agreement to the Mayor and Council on over the weekend. 183 Special Called Meeting Page 4 of 6 01/22/2024 184 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Could you read it? 185 186 CITY ATTORNEY: It’s an 11 page agreement. 187 188 COUNCILMAN GAY: I make a motion this time that it not be read – 189 190 City Council Chambers gallery was in unrest 191 192 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and 193 gentlemen. 194 195 COUNCILMAN CARN: It's a public document everyone can read who wants to read it. 196 197 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: It can be published. Can it? Can it not be published? 198 199 COUNCILMAN CARN: We can do a FOIA for you. 200 201 COUNCILMAN GAY: I have a motion. 202 203 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Yes sir you do have a motion that it not be read. Is there a second? 204 205 CITY CLERK AMES: I'm sorry Madame Mayor, there's a motion already on the floor. 206 207 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Thank you Madame Clerk. What's the motion? 208 209 CITY CLERK AMES: The motion is --- 210 211 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: I'll read it for you. Motion is to accept Mr. Hawthorne’s letter 212 of resignation which we all received this weekend, but it is effective today January 22, 2024 and 213 to approve the resignation and general release agreement negotiated with and agreed by Mr. 214 Hawthorne. That is the motion. 215 216 COUNCILMAN GAY: There’s already a second? 217 218 CITY CLERK AMES: Yes. 219 220 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: there was already a second and we were in discussion. 221 222 COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE: I have no discussion. 223 224 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Mr. Denmark, could you read it please? 225 226 CITY ATTORNEY: Madame Mayor, I believe that reading this agreement would not be 227 appropriate. This is an agreement that's been negotiated between the City and Mr. Hawthorne, and 228 it would not be appropriate to read this agreement publicly. 229 Special Called Meeting Page 5 of 6 01/22/2024 230 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: Prior to execution? 231 232 CITY ATTORNEY: At least at a minimum, yes. 233 234 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: All right. All those in favor? 235 236 ALL COUNCILMEMBERS: Aye. 237 238 MAYOR MOTLEY BROOM: That is unanimous. Do we have any other further business? Hearing 239 none, the meeting is adjourned. 240 241 ACTION: Councilwoman McKenzie motion to accept the letter of resignation from Stanley 242 Hawthorne effective January 22, 2024 and to approve the resignation and general 243 release agreement negotiated with and agreed by Mr. Hawthorne, seconded by 244 Councilwoman Arnold and motion carried. 245 246 Special Called Meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m. 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 CITY OF COLLEGE PARK 255 256 257 258 ________________________ 259 Bianca Motley Broom, Mayor 260 261 ATTEST: 262 263 264 ________________________ 265 Shavala Ames, City Clerk Special Called Meeting Page 6 of 6 01/22/2024