Mayor & City Council

MINUTES Special Session of the College Park City Council Council Chambers Tuesday, March 18, 2014 PRESENT: Mayor Fellows; Councilmembers Kabir, Wojahn, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich, Day, Hew and Mitchell. ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Joseph Nagro, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney. During a regularly scheduled Worksession of the College Park City Council, a motion was made by Councilmember Wojahn and seconded by Councilmember Brennan to enter into a Special Session to act on a legislative matter that is time sensitive. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0 and the Council entered into a Special Session at 10:33 p.m. The possibility of the Special Session was listed on the Worksession agenda. ACTION ITEMS 14-G-36 Support for HB 1265 – Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2014 A motion was made by Councilmember Wojahn and seconded by Councilmember Mitchell to send a letter in support of HB 1265 – Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2014. Comments from the audience: Janeen Miller, 14 Lakeside Drive, Greenbelt MD: She has a personal interest in this bill and feels it is only right that a college student who is graduating from college and going out to seek employment and housing have the same protections as anyone else would have. She urged Council’s support. Councilmember Wojahn said the bill prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in matters of housing and employment. He cited statistics of discrimination and harassment. Councilmember Kabir forwarded comments he received from residents. In principle he supports the non-discrimination aspect for employment and housing; however, he shares some concerns he heard during the senate debate specific to public facilities – bathrooms and locker rooms – that are currently gender specific for privacy reasons. Crimes could happen in the bathroom if a transgendered person uses the restroom of the opposite gender. He would be more comfortable supporting this bill if it had language specifically excluding public facilities. Councilmember Brennan said this bill has nothing to do with bathrooms and to suggest that it does is baseless and borders on fear mongering. This is about housing and equal employment. People sometimes find seemingly legitimate issues to mask their prejudices. When we insert those baseless assertions into legislation it harms those individuals in our community. Councilmember Wojahn does not understand Councilmember Kabir’s suggested amendment because this bill does not do that. This is a simple matter of treating people with respect. Special Session of the College Park City Council March 18, 2014 Page 2 Councilmember Kabir said he does not want to open up something that might have a negative impact on our families or make them uncomfortable. Councilmember Mitchell called the question. The motion passed 7 – 1 – 0 (Kabir opposed). ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Mitchell and seconded by Councilmember Day to adjourn the Special Session. With a vote of 8 – 0 – 0, Mayor Fellows adjourned the Special Session at 10:50 p.m. _______________________________________ Janeen S. Miller, CMC Date City Clerk Approved