Mayor & City Council

MINUTES Special Session of the College Park City Council Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Council Chambers 9:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Fellows; Councilmembers Kabir, Wojahn, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich, 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; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Terry Schum, Director of Planning; Cole Holocker, Student Liaison. During a regularly scheduled Worksession of the College Park City Council, a motion was made by Councilmember Wojahn and seconded by Councilmember Kabir to enter into a Special Session. The possibility of the Special Session was listed on the Worksession agenda. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0 and the Council entered Special Session at 9:45 p.m. ACTION ITEMS 15-G-56 Request for use of Duvall Field Restrooms for a nearby private event This is coming back from last week’s meeting. Mr. Ryan reported that there will be no cost to the City for opening/closing or cleaning the restrooms. Ms. Lazur reported that her homeowner insurance company has agreed to extend her coverage to include the restroom and the park and she provided a copy of the Certificate of Insurance. Ms. Lazur is willing to sign a Hold Harmless agreement provided by the City Attorney. A motion was made by Councilmember Wojahn and seconded by Councilmember Kabir to grant the request for use of the Duvall Field restrooms for a nearby private event. There were no comments from the audience. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. 15-G-60 Approval of a Letter to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission expressing concerns about the performance of one of their contractors A motion was made by Councilmember Stullich and seconded by Councilmember Day that the Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter expressing the City’s significant concerns regarding public safety and the integrity of certain City streets due to the inferior work performed on WSSC contract BR5514A13 by Horton and Barber. Councilmember Stullich said this work started in the spring of 2014. The City has been waiting for a long time for the WSSC contractor to correct their substandard work. It is a public safety College Park City Council Meeting Minutes May 19, 2015 Page 2 concern. We understand that the contractor is in bankruptcy and WSSC is having a hard time getting out of the contract. Ms. Ferguson said the WSSC hearing is scheduled for June 18, where they will ask the bankruptcy judge to allow for the ouster of this contractor. She believes it will be helpful to WSSC to have this letter from the City. City Engineer Steve Halpern has been subpoenaed to testify. There were no comments from the audience. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. 15-G-59 Approval of a Letter to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development expressing the City’s support of the University of Maryland’s application to be a Qualified Institution under the Maryland Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise (RISE) Zone program. A motion was made by Councilmember Wojahn and seconded by Councilmember Day that the Council authorize the Mayor to sign the attached letter expressing the City’s support of the University of Maryland’s application to be a Qualified Institution for purposes of the Maryland Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise (RISE) Zone program. Councilmember Wojahn said the RISE Zone program was created in 2014 to maximize institutional assets and encourage investment and job creation near universities and other institutions that have a strong history and commitment to economic development and revitalization in their communities. Qualified Institutions and local governments develop a strategy to use the institutional assets and financial incentives to attract businesses and create jobs within the zone. The designation of a RISE Zone first requires that an institution submit an application to become a Qualified Institution. The application should show the institution’s intent to make significant financial investments and use its resources and expertise to spur economic development and community revitalization. Once an institution is designated a Qualified Institution, it may submit an application with the local governments to have a RISE Zone designated. There were no comments from the audience. Councilmember Kabir said a resident had a question about the tax implications. Mr. Gardiner said the approval of a RISE Zone is a two-step process. First, the University applies to be “deemed eligible”, which is what is before Council tonight. If the institution is deemed to be eligible by the state, they would submit an application. If that application includes tax credits from the City or the County, then the City or the County have to be part of that application and approve the application. By state law, the minimum tax credit a commercial property could receive is 50% on the increased value the first year and at least 10% of the College Park City Council Meeting Minutes May 19, 2015 Page 3 increased value for each of the following four years. That application will come back to Council for support. The tax credit could be extended if approved by Council. Student Liaison Holocker talked about the local benefits of the Innovation District project including jobs, redevelopment and traffic improvements. This is an exciting opportunity to get involved in a state program. Councilmember Wojahn asked when the application itself would be provided. Mr. Gardiner said the applications cannot be submitted prior to July 1; this first step is simply a request to be deemed eligible. Councilmember Wojahn wanted to see the details of their “intent to make a significant financial investment.” Mr. Gardiner said we can request that. Councilmember Mitchell clarified that tonight’s approval is just for the letter of support that the University be deemed a qualified institution for purposes of the state RISE Zone. Mr. Gardiner agreed and said step 2 – to actually create the RISE Zone – will come back to Council. Mr. Holocker said this isn’t a blanket approval for the University to go develop land without approval of the City. The motion passed 6 – 0 –2 (Mitchell and Kabir abstained). ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Brennan to adjourn the Special Session. With a vote of 8 – 0 – 0, Mayor Fellows adjourned the Special Session at 10:00 p.m. ____________________________________________ Janeen S. Miller, CMC Date City Clerk Approved