Mayor & City Council

SPECIAL SESSION MINUTES College Park City Council Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Davis Hall, 9217 51st Avenue 10:16 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Brennan, Dennis, Day, Rigg, Kujawa and Mitchell. ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Terry Schum, Director of Planning; Dan Alpert, Student Liaison; Julia Nikhinson, Deputy Student Liaison. Councilmember-elect Maria Mackie was also in attendance. During a regularly scheduled Worksession of the College Park City Council, a motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Day to enter into a Special Session to consider matters that are time sensitive. The motion passed 8-0 and the Council entered into Special Session at 10:16 p.m. The possibility of the Special Session for item 19-G-155 was listed on the Worksession agenda. Item 19-G-156 was added to the Agenda. ACTION ITEMS: 19-G-155 Approval of a demolition contract for 4500 Knox Road - Katie Hearn and Bill Rowland from Redgate and Matt Weirich from Davis Construction: Mr. Gardiner gave an overview: we have vacated 4500 Knox, utilities have been cut off, and the retail space will be vacated by the end of the year, so the City Hall project is moving forward. The initial RFP for a construction manager envisioned the demolition to occur as part of the construction phase of the project. We realize now that we need to pull the demolition piece of the project out of the construction phase so that it can move forward now so as not to delay the project. Davis Construction has been on board for 10 months. The request to Council is to move the cost of demolition out of phase 2, construction, which won’t be approved until spring, and move it to the pre-construction phase (now) so it can happen sooner. The costs are in line with earlier estimates so there is no change in the overall cost of the project. This will just keep the project on schedule. Ms. Hearn said we are trying to start work a little sooner in order to meet our finish date by pulling a small piece (2%) out of the big project and starting now. We will be spending this money either way. The University has approved this and is ready to move forward. This cost will be split 50/50 with the UMD. Ms. Hearn added that we are in for permits now. A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Day to authorize the City Manager to sign a contract change order in the amount of $534,472, after review by the City Attorney, with James G. Davis Construction Corporation for the abatement and demolition of the City Hall site. There were no comments from the audience. College Park Worksession Minutes December 3, 2019 Page 2 Councilmember Brennan requested a comparison on the website of what was budgeted vs. what was spent on this project. Ms. Hearn clarified that the change order is for $534, 472, but the City is responsible only for half of that. The motion passed 8-0. 19-G-156 Approval of a letter to the State Board of Public Works requesting a delay in the I-495/I-270 widening project A motion was made by Councilmember Kabir and seconded by Councilmember Mitchell to authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the Board of Public Works requesting the Board to delay action on the I-495/I-270 widening project. Councilmember Kabir said many residents sent emails to Comptroller Franchot with their concerns that BPW was fast-tracking the project. As a result, the BPW vote has been delayed. It is timely to send this letter. The letter is in the red folder and an amendment has been proposed based on the action by BPW today. There were no comments from the audience or the Council. The motion passed 8-0. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Brennan to adjourn the Special Session, and with a vote of 8-0, Mayor Wojahn adjourned the Special Session at 10:27 p.m. __________________________________ Janeen S. Miller Date City Clerk Approved