Mayor & City Council

WORKSESSION MINUTES Tuesday, May 3, 2016 Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. – 10:29 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Nagle, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich (arrived at 7:35 p.m.), Day, Cook and Kujawa (arrived at 7:31 p.m.) ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Terry Schum, Director of Planning; Jill Clements, Director of Human Resources; Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager; Steve Beavers, Community Development Coordinator; Cole Holocker, Student Liaison; Adler Pruitt, Deputy Student Liaison. Mayor Wojahn opened the Worksession at 7:30 p.m. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT:  Power outage at City Hall last week; we are working on a generator for City Hall to prevent the problems we had  Grass over 12” is a violation of City Code; the City has issued 124 citations for tall grass YTD  Public and Right-Of-Way mowing begins Thursday  May Municipal Scene came out today – call us to receive it by regular mail.  Red folder items  Schum: Launch of bikeshare program with UMD called “mbike” is Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. at the Stamp Parking Garage. AMENDMENTS/APPROVAL OF AGENDA:  For item #5: Add closed session at end of the meeting re: acquisition of real property for a public purpose (Kabir/Brennan). 5-2-1 (Cook and Nagle opposed, Kujawa abstained).  Approve agenda as amended (Stullich/Dennis) 8 – 0 – 0. AGENDA ITEMS: 1. Discussion of an amendment to the Property Use Agreement with Fishnet (Class B, Beer and Wine License), 5010 Berwyn Road, College Park, Maryland 20740, for a Growler (Refillable Container) Permit. Guest: Ferhat Yalcin Patrons asked if they could take beer home but under their existing license, it was not allowed. This allows people to take home their beers on tap – they are microbrews and beers not readily available. Council said the restaurant is an asset to the community and we want to see it thrive. Consent. College Park City Council Worksession Minutes May 3, 2016 Page 2 2. Discussion of security cameras City-wide, Guests: Stewart Witt, Tania Mancilla, and Damon Whitlow, Hitachi Hitachi bought Avrio Systems (the prior vendor) and has made recent improvements regarding camera failures. They have a new subcontractor to correct glitches and improve reliability; in the process of implementing software to ping each device to make sure it is functioning. Staff is planning to submit another grant application to GOCCP; provide feedback on the proposed new camera locations. Consider signage campaign to make people aware of surveillance. Consider a monitor in the DPS office that shows all camera shots on a screen to ensure proper functioning of the cameras. 3. Discussion of permit parking survey results near the Metropolitan development (now called The Boulevard at 9091) Jim Miller reviewed survey results. Not an overwhelming response in favor. Next step: take public comment on a proposal for permit parking south of Delaware to Blackfoot. Comment on area and hours. 4. Award of Contract for Compensation Study, Jill Clements, Director of HR: Last done in 1993 or 1996. Issued an RFP. Responses in the $14K - $85K range. Recommend award to Management Advisory Group. MAG is at $35K; budget is $50K. Project will take 4-5 months and involve all employees. Consent. 5. Discussion of Hollywood Gateway Park project-Terry Schum, Director of Planning: The City purchased the corner lot several years ago; the house has been boarded up. The park project is 100% designed and we have obtained the stormwater management permit. Project has not been put out to bid or construction permits applied for due to the issue of the extra lot, so the project has been on hold. Project is fully funded by grants, but they are time limited. We do not have an updated cost estimate or annual maintenance costs. Further discussion later in closed session. 6. Discussion on Calvert Hills Community Garden and approval of an agreement with WMATA – Steve Beavers: Reviewed staff report and options. Council OK with Option #1 – continue to work with WMATA but defer garden this year. 7. Proposed amendments to City Code Chapters 15, 110, 125, and 157 to clarify sidewalk snow removal requirements, update Chapter 157, create a separate Chapter 115 to consolidate fire safety laws from Chapters 125 and 157, provide for a fine and make conforming changes – Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney This started as a need to conform two conflicting parts of the City Code regarding when you have to remove snow from the sidewalk. Then decided to move various fire safety laws located in other Chapters into one new Chapter – Chapter 115. Also added provision to address runoff – prohibition on altering the course of the flow of water from one property to another. Introduction (Nagle). College Park City Council Worksession Minutes May 3, 2016 Page 3 8. Requests For/Status of Future Agenda items  Future W/S re: raising the Pride Flag at City Hall for the month of June – May 17 W/S (Brennan)  Future W/S to review fines; also, are there any amendments from the Code Enforcement subcommittee of the NQOL that need to be addressed? (Brennan)  Revisions to the NQOL committee  Future W/S to establish a “homeowners resources” fund to provide a long-term loan to residents for home repair projects and secure it with a lien on their property (Nagle)  Review the duties of our Election Board – would they handle debates? (Nagle) 9. Appointments to Boards and Committees  Reappoint Lisa Miller and Paul Carlson to NQOL  Resident Hall Association has expressed an interest in adding a member to NQOL – wait and handle this when you do a comprehensive revision of the NQOL committee 10. Mayor and Councilmember Comments  Stullich: Primary Election Issues: Report of long lines to vote at Ritchie and Stamp-1 hour 20 minutes wait to check in; parking tickets given out at Ritchie; they ran out of provisional ballots. Consider a letter to the Prince George’s County Board of Elections.  Kabir: Four Cities Meeting, Hollywood Farmers Market opening, Community Clean up on 5/21  Nagle: Subcommittee of NCPCA/CP Boys and Girls Club will look at upcoming changes to Duvall Field  Holocker: New Student Liaison Chris Kiosian  Mayor: Proclamation about Immigrant Heritage Month; Start-up shell – card buddies attach to back of phone for credit cards. 11. City Manager's Comments: N/A ____________________________________________ Janeen S. Miller, CMC Date City Clerk Approved