Mayor & City Council

MINUTES Regular Meeting of the College Park City Council Tuesday, April 8, 2014 7:30 p.m. – 8:41 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Fellows; Councilmembers Kabir, Wojahn, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich (arrived at 7:45 p.m.), Day, Hew and Mitchell. ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Joe Nagro, City Manager; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Jill Clements, Director of Human Resources; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Peggy Higgins, Director of Youth, Family and Senior Services. Mayor Fellows opened the Regular Meeting at 7:30 p.m. Councilmember Hew led the Pledge of Allegiance. Minutes: A motion was made by Councilmember Brennan and seconded by Councilmember Day to approve the minutes of the Special Session of March 18, 2014, the Regular Meeting of March 25, 2014 and the Special Session of April 1, 2014. The motion passed 7 – 0 – 0. Announcements: Councilmember Mitchell announced that the April meeting of the Prince George’s County Municipal Association would be held here in College Park, on Thursday, April 17. Councilmember Day congratulated the Lady Terps on making it to the final four. Councilmember Dennis said the next meeting of the Lakeland Civic Association would be this Thursday, April 10, at the College Park Community Center. Councilmember Brennan reminded everyone about an upcoming community meeting about bulk solar purchasing presented by Community Power Network at City Hall on April 16. He also reminded people about the Mayor’s Water Challenge; College Park is currently in third place nationwide. Councilmember Wojahn announced that the North College Park Civic Association would meet on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Davis Hall. Councilmember Kabir said that Councilmembers from Districts 1 and 4 would host a Budget Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, April 23 at Davis Hall. Amendments to the Agenda: None. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2014 Page 2 City Manager’s Report: Mr. Nagro updated the Council on the selection of a retreat facilitator per the memo in the red folder. He said that there is no need for the second budget Worksession this coming Saturday. He reported on the turn-out at the Public Works Yard last Saturday. Student Liaison’s Report: Ms. McGrath reported on the SGA’s participation in “Big Ten on the Hill” – they hosted people from many Big Ten schools to lobby on Capitol Hill. Comments from the Audience on Non-Agenda Items: Grant Klein, Arlington, VA: He works for Community Power Network, a nonprofit that helps communities go solar by organizing bulk solar purchases. He described what they will cover in their meeting at City Hall next week, which is sponsored by both the UMD Office of Sustainability and the Committee for a Better Environment. The collective buying power can reduce the cost to the homeowner by 25-30%. PRESENTATIONS: Mayor Fellows presented Certificates of Recognition to Master’s Graduate Interns Kristin Dusch, Deonte’ Williams and Ania Zganiacz, and thanked them for their service to the Department of Youth, Family and Seniors Services during the past year. Each intern made remarks on their experience working at YFS. Peggy Higgins introduced Jeany Cadet, the Coordinator of the Lakeland STARs and College Park Scholars program. Ms. Cadet said this is the 18th Year of STARs Program and the 20th Year of College Park Scholars. She introduced the three student coordinators Hannah Breakstone, Marisha Singh and Caterina Marzella. Mayor Fellows presented certificates to the College Park Scholars and the Lakeland STARs students. [The Council took a brief recess at 8:10 p.m. and reconvened at 8:30 p.m.] CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Wojahn and seconded by Councilmember Kabir to adopt the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following: 14-G-42 Approval to fund the Market Master position for the Hollywood Farmers Market and marketing/advertising expenses up to $1,500 with FY ’14 funds through June 30, 2014. The motion carried 8-0-0. ACTION ITEMS 14-G-43 Award of contracts for FY ’15 employee health, liability, workers compensation, and dental insurances. A motion was made by Councilmember Stullich and seconded by Councilmember Day to award the following contracts for health, dental, workers’ compensation, and liability insurances for FY 2015: Contract with Benecon, benefits administrator for Maryland College Park City Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2014 Page 3 Local Government Healthcare Cooperative, for employees’ health insurance at a budgeted cost of $837,435; Contracts with MetLife and DentaQuest for dental insurance at a budgeted cost of $ 43,187; Contract with Chesapeake Employers Insurance Company for workers’ compensation insurance at a budgeted cost of $146,935; Contract with Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT) and affiliates for general liability, public officials' liability, auto, property, boiler and machinery, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorists protection insurances at a budgeted cost not to exceed $148,810. The total budgeted cost of all contracts is $1,176,367. The contracts submitted for approval and award were negotiated using authorized informal purchasing procedures including brokers, agents, and staff research and therefore require an extra-majority vote of the Mayor and Council. Councilmember Stullich stated that the City used a broker to research the health and dental contract information submitted for Council’s approval. The options for both insurance products have been evaluated and compared to assure that the City is purchasing products that are acceptable to the City and its employees at competitive prices. Our health insurance has been self-insured through the Maryland Local Government Health Cooperative sponsored by the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT) since April, 2012. This year health premiums will increase by 7.7%. This was offset by a decrease in Workers Compensation insurance rates, resulting in an overall increase of 4.5%. There were no comments from the audience or from the Council. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. 14-O-01 An Emergency Ordinance Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Amending The Franchise Agreement With Comcast Of Maryland, Inc. A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Wojahn to approve Emergency Ordinance 14-O-01, which extends the Comcast of Maryland, Inc., cable television franchise with the City to allow continued negotiations for renewal of the franchise. Councilmember Dennis stated that the City entered into a cable franchise agreement with Jones Communications of Maryland, Inc., on April 24, 1999. The franchise, which was transferred to Comcast, has a term of fifteen years. The City is participating with the County and other Prince George’s municipalities in a joint negotiation with Comcast. A new agreement is expected by September. An extension of the current franchise agreement will allow this process to be completed. No substantive changes to the existing agreement are proposed at this time. The College Park Cable Commission voted on January 9, 2014 to recommend that the City extend the franchise for this purpose. This is to be adopted as an emergency ordinance so that the extension will be granted prior to expiration of the franchise term. A vote of six Council members is required to adopt. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2014 Page 4 There were no comments from the audience or from the Council. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. 14-R-07 A Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park To Establish The College Park Aging-In-Place Task Force. A motion was made by Councilmember Mitchell and seconded by Councilmember Wojahn to adopt 14-R-07, a Resolution to establish an aging-in-place task force. Councilmember Mitchell stated that adoption of this resolution is an objective in the 2010-2015 strategic plan to “Strengthen well-being of residents that seek assistance through youth, family and seniors programs” and the FY 2014 Action Plan action recommendation to “Create a seniors aging-in-place ad hoc committee of the Council to explore options for the creation of an aging- in-place program in College Park to help seniors remain in their homes.” There were no comments from the audience or from the Council. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. 14-G-44 Appointments to Boards and Committees A motion was made by Councilmember Mitchell and seconded by Councilmember Day to reappoint Suzie Bellamy to the Animal Welfare Committee, appoint Bonnie McClellan to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (resident), appoint D. J. Alston to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (National Pan-Hellenic Council representative), appoint Gloria Aparicio-Blackwell to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (University of Maryland rep), appoint Marsha Guenzler-Stevens to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (University of Maryland rep), appoint Matthew Supple to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (University of Maryland rep), appoint Christine Nagle to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (resident), appoint Major Dan Weishaar to the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee (representing the PGPD). The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. COUNCIL COMMENTS: None. ADJOURN: A motion to adjourn was made by Councilmember Kabir and seconded by Councilmember Brennan. With a vote of 8 – 0 – 0, Mayor Fellows adjourned the regular meeting at 8:41 p.m. ____________________________________________ Janeen S. Miller, CMC Date City Clerk Approved