Mayor & City Council

MINUTES Regular Meeting of the College Park City Council Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. – 9:10 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Nagle, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich (arrived at 7:35 p.m.), Day, Kujawa and Cook. 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; Chris Keosian, Student Liaison; Brandon Carroll, Deputy Student Liaison. Mayor Wojahn opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. Announcements: Councilmember Kabir announced that a Council Internship opportunity has been posted to the City website. Councilmember Brennan announced the monthly Happy Hour at the College Park Aviation Museum on February 15 at 5:30 p.m. Third Thirsty Thursday will be held on February 16 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Ledo’s Restaurant. At 8:00 p.m. on the same night, the Berwyn District Civic Association will meet at Fealy Hall. Councilmember Dennis said the District 1 Police Coffee Club meets tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. at Jason’s Deli. The Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Committee will hold their wrap-up meeting on Thursday. The video of the Tribute’s highlights is being broadcast on the City’s cable channel now. City Manager’s Report: Mr. Somers reviewed the red folder items. The Modular building is still on track for a mid-March completion. The house at the corner of US 1 and Edgewood Road – home of the future gateway park – has been demolished. He reminded people to complete their Community Survey if they received one in the mail. Acknowledgements: Mayor Wojahn acknowledged Carolyn Bernache, Chair of the City’s Education Advisory Committee. Amendments To And Approval Of The Agenda: The agenda was approved on a motion by Councilmember Brennan seconded by Councilmember Day, 8 – 0 – 0. Public Comment On Consent And Non-Agenda Items: James Mulholland, 4015 College Avenue, Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity: Discussed the services that “PhiPsiFriends” can provide to City residents. For more information, visit PhiPsiUMD.com and click on the “service” link. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes February 14, 2017 Page 2 CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Brennan and seconded by Councilmember Dennis to adopt the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following: 17-G-12 Support for the request of the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) for their training exercise to be conducted March 25 – 30, 2017 on the UMD campus and authorization for the Mayor to sign their Letter of Notification. 17-G-13 Approval of annual field use applications by College Park Boys and Girls Club AND Maryland Stingers Women’s Rugby. 17-G-14 Approval of a letter to the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board) recommending the renewal of liquor licenses issued within the City of College Park. 17-G-15 Approval of a letter in support of SB 337, Vehicle Laws, Bicycles and Pedestrians, Use of Crosswalks and of SB 338, Vehicle Laws, Pedestrian Hybrid Signals. 17-G-17 Approval of Minutes: January 17, 2017 Worksession and January 24, 2017 Regular Meeting The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. ACTION ITEMS: 17-G-18 Request for City support for the College Park Community Foundation 5K Race – Jackie Pearce Garrett and Eric Grims. Ms. Pearce Garrett and Mr. Grims reviewed plans for the CPCF 5K race planned for Saturday May 6 through Old Town and Calvert Hills (see PowerPoint). City sponsorship would provide use of the City Hall parking lot and bathrooms, electrical connection, Public Works help, free parking in the City garage for participants, and City Insurance. The proceeds benefit their grant making. A motion was made by Councilmember Stullich and seconded by Councilmember Day to approve City co-sponsorship of the College Park Community Foundation (CPCF) “College Park 5K” Race. There were no comments from the audience. Councilmember Kujawa suggested we include this in the budget each year. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes February 14, 2017 Page 3 17-G-19 Request by the Education Advisory Committee to send a letter to federal representatives in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program – Carolyn Bernache, Chair, Education Advisory Committee Ms. Bernache introduced Ms. Day, Ms. Ellis, and Ms. Mahoney who are members of the EAC. The DACA program provides an alternative pathway for citizenship for the undocumented students that came to the United States as children. Last fall, UMD President Dr. Loh sent a letter supporting the DACA program and stated there are 100 UMD students on DACA status. The number in our public schools is much higher. The Maryland State Legislature enacted the Dream Act which provides undocumented students the opportunity to attend institutions of higher learning once they have shown they meet certain requirements. It is not just anybody who qualifies – they have meet certain criteria. The EAC reviewed Dr. Loh’s letter and support this issue. They are asking the City Council to take action tonight to send a letter to our legislators urging continuation of the DACA program. A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Stullich to support the continuation of the Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) order by sending a letter asking the City’s federal and state representatives for their support of the continuation of the program. There were no comments from the audience. Mr. Keosian spoke in support of this motion. He commented that Nelson Mandela said education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. Mr. Carroll spoke in support of this motion. He knows a student at UMD on DACA status who is concerned she may not be able to finish her senior year. Councilmember Dennis said the theme at the Dr. Martin Luther King Tribute, Jr. was “Has The Dream Been Deferred?” and the speaker said education is a portal to advancement. This motion supports this tenet of Dr. King’s legacy. Councilmember Stullich acknowledged the public comments in the red folder and read from Todd Larson’s letter to provide some background about the subject. Councilmember Nagle thanked the EAC for bringing the issue forward. Mayor Wojahn supports the Dream Act and said the dream will be deferred if DACA is eliminated. He requested that the City’s letter be copied to the White House. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes February 14, 2017 Page 4 17-R-01 Adoption of Resolution 17-R-01, A Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Condemning The Ban On Refugees And Immigrants A motion was made by Councilmember Nagle and seconded by Councilmember Kabir to adopt Resolution 17-R-01, A Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Condemning The Ban On Refugees And Immigrants. Councilmember Nagle read the resolution in full. Comments from the audience: Hena Zuberi Siddiqui, 9701 51st Place: Spoke in support of the motion. We need our elected officials to stand with us against efforts to categorize Islam as a political ideology instead of a faith. Zainab Chaudry, Council on American Islamic Relations: Spoke in support of the motion. This will send a strong statement to the City’s immigrants that they are welcome and safe. Jamilla Malik, 6100 Westchester Park Drive: Spoke in support of the motion. She is a public school teacher. Meals provided at school are very important to children; imagine the children coming from war-torn areas who need a meal, a warm place, and a good education. Jameel Aalim-Johnson, 8501 Chervil Road, Lanham, MD, 20706, Prince George’s County Muslim Council: Spoke in support of the motion. Many children are nervous because of the results of the election. This resolution shows them that people are uniting to say this is not the kind of country we want to be. Fatima Hassan, Bowie, Prince George’s County Muslim Council: Spoke in support of the motion. The ban is not in the best spirit of our country or our constitution. Nathan Rickert, 4911 Erie Street: This is the first time he has attended a Council meeting but this issue is incredibly important to him and his family. He sees how local government can play a role in protecting our freedoms. The executive order is not consistent with our government. Patricia Celis Gonzalez, 5105 Edgewood Road: She is from Cuba and converted to Islam. She is thankful to live in College Park surrounded by like-minded people. This is a country that welcomes people who are running away from religious persecution so it is startling to hear this rhetoric. The Muslim community is safe – no drinking, no gambling, no drugs. Goshif, 10401 46th Avenue, Beltsville: This country is all about having a better life. When we follow a leader who is not making the right decisions we end up like that person. That is not who we are. He hopes we stay strong. Councilmember Kabir thanked everyone who came out and who wrote the Council in support of the resolution. He hopes other local jurisdictions will follow suit. This is an important issue and many people are directly or indirectly affected. We are a diverse, welcoming and tolerant community and we will deal with this together. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes February 14, 2017 Page 5 Councilmember Stullich feels privileged as a member of the Council to represent the concerns expressed tonight. In recognition of our shared values and principles of tolerance, respect, and compassion, she wants people to know they are not alone. Councilmember Day said discrimination and the City of College Park do not go together: we are an inclusive community. We must stand up to issues like this and be part of the solution. 98% of the people in this country are immigrants. We can’t allow someone to pick and choose who can come here. He read a quote from Robert F. Kennedy. Mayor Wojahn supports this wholeheartedly. He thanked the Dar-us-Salaam Community for inviting their neighbors to a luncheon last Saturday to learn about their community. The Imam spoke about the contributions Muslims have made to this country and to the City over the years. Muslim teachings require that people treat their neighbors with respect. Now we must protect the people who are seeking asylum here because they are our neighbors. He hopes tonight’s gesture will have an impact. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. 17-G-22 Appointments to Boards and Committees A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Kujawa to appoint Dorie Arbach to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Committee and to appoint Carolyn Bernache to the Seniors Committee. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0. Mayor and Councilmember Reports/Comments: Councilmember Cook attended a session at the Greenbelt library regarding the FBI building which will have a tremendous impact on the north College Park community. The Council needs to protect our residents’ quality of life in north College Park. Councilmember Stullich reported on the Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee Meeting. The on-campus tailgates have seen an increase in attendance: in 2015 there were 1,000 – 2,000 at each event; in 2016 there were 5,000+ at each event, with minimum problems reported. There has been a corresponding positive impact on the Old Town community. The program has been a success. Councilmember Nagle said that sometimes we hear that our Council is divided and we feel like we can’t agree on things, so she was pleased tonight to see the Council come together to support DACA and condemnation of the Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees. It feels good to live in a community that values and welcomes cultural, racial and religious diversity. Councilmember Kabir also attended the Greenbelt FBI meeting. We don’t know the final plan for stormwater mitigation so don’t know the full scale of the impact. Mayor Wojahn said Tuesday February 21 the County Executive is holding a listening session on the County budget where he is planning to speak, and asked the Council to let him know their thoughts. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes February 14, 2017 Page 6 He received a request for free use of City Hall space from Prince George’s Transportation Advocates, a group that advocates for improved transit for low-income people. They are not City-based so wouldn’t qualify for free space. They have a limited budget and would meet infrequently on Saturday mornings. He asked Council if there was any objection. No objection was expressed. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Stullich to adjourn the Regular Meeting and enter into a Closed Session to discuss a personnel matter. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0 and the Council adjourned the Regular Meeting at 9:10 p.m. ____________________________________________ Janeen S. Miller, CMC Date City Clerk Approved Pursuant to §C6-3 of the College Park City Charter, at 9:52 p.m. on February 7, 2017, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the College Park City Council, a motion was made by Councilmember Brennan and seconded by Councilmember Day to enter into a Closed Session to: 1) Consider the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and matters directly related to such acquisition; 2) Consider matters that concern a proposal for a business to locate in the County; and 3) Discuss a negotiating strategy before a contract is awarded. The motion passed 8-0-0 and the Council entered into the closed session at 9:56 p.m. Present: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Nagle, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich, Day, Kujawa and Cook. Absent: None. Also Present: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Terry Schum, Director of Planning; and Chris Keosian, Student Liaison. The Council was joined by Stan Wall and Tanner Dudley from HR&A Consultants for Topic #1. Topic Discussed: Topic #1: A consultant presented an analysis on a property that the City may want to acquire for a public purpose. Council discussed the next steps. Topic #2: Council was updated on the Calvert Road negotiations and discussed the next steps. Action Taken: None. Adjourn: A motion was made by Councilmember Brennan and seconded by Councilmember Day to adjourn the closed session, and at 11:54 p.m. with a vote of 7 – 0 – 0, Mayor Wojahn adjourned the closed session. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes February 14, 2017 Page 7 Pursuant to §C6-3 of the College Park City Charter, at 9:10 p.m. on February 14, 2017, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the College Park City Council, a motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Stullich to enter into a Closed Session to discuss a personnel matter. The motion passed 8 – 0 – 0 and the Council entered into the closed session at 9:18 p.m. Present: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Nagle, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich, Day, Kujawa and Cook. Absent: None. Also Present: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Topic Discussed: Council discussed the compensation of a specific individual. Action Taken: Council voted to approve a stipend to the Deputy Student Liaison. Adjourn: A motion was made by Councilmember Brennan and seconded by Councilmember Stullich to adjourn the closed session, and at 9:30 p.m. with a vote of 8 – 0 – 0, Mayor Wojahn adjourned the closed session.