Mayor & City Council

City of College Park Budget Worksession Saturday, March 28, 2020 8:05 a.m. – 2:43 p.m. (Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, this was a Virtual Meeting) MINUTES PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Brennan, Dennis, Day, Rigg, Mackie and Mitchell. ALSO PRESENT: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk; Gary Fields, Director of Finance; Leo Thomas, Jr., Deputy Director of Finance ATTENDED A PORTION OF THE MEETING: Jill Clements, Kiaisha Barber, Teresa Way- Pezzuti, Terry Schum, Bob Ryan, Robert Marsili, Frank Pacifico, Brenda Alexander, Ryna Quinones. Mayor Wojahn opened the Webex virtual meeting at 8:05 a.m. Overview: Mr. Somers and Mr. Fields provided the overview of the FY 2021 Proposed Budget & Revenue by reviewing the PowerPoint. The FY 21 proposed budget is a balanced budget that maintains the tax rate of $.325. The total budget is $21.38M which is an increase of 2.3% ($489,000) over the FY 20 budget. The City will need to hold a Constant Yield Tax Rate public hearing on May 12 because we are not going to maintain the constant yield in FY 21. • Discussion of the impact that the COVID-19 Pandemic will have on the City’s financial situation in the coming year and beyond. • Can we provide a breakdown of property tax revenue between single family homes, other types of residential housing units and commercial properties? Mr. Fields will check with SDAT. General Government and Administration: Mayor & Council budget: • Did we receive a report from the Boys and Girls Club? How can we help them develop a more city-wide program? Future Worksession. • Meals on Wheels has stepped up during this COVID-19 pandemic. We might need to provide additional financial support to them, in addition to other community support organizations like Neighbors Helping Neighbors and the Community Food Bank. Ask them what their needs are. City Attorney: The City Attorney no longer staffs the Cable Television Commission but does work significantly with I-Net and negotiates the franchise agreements with Comcast and Verizon. March 28, 2020 Budget Worksession Page 2 Finance: No questions. Human Resources: • Discussion of the four proposed reclassifications. Communications & Public Relations: • Question about the Blues Festival. Have a future Worksession about this and other City events. There is a feeling that we don’t have consensus yet. • Provide an all-in cost for events that includes staff time in addition to direct expenses to help the Council analyze each event. Information Technology: No questions. Elections Board and Ethics Commission: • Clarification that the Ethics Commission has their own attorney. CIP, Facilities Capital Reserve, I-Net, Property Acquisition, new City Hall, Facilities Capital Reserve, Debt Service Fund: • General questions to clarify what is and is not included in each. Public Services: Parking: • Future Worksession discussion on pay-by-plate and one-hour free parking in the garage, and on proposed increase in meter rate Code Enforcement: • Status of the Code Enforcement Supervisor position. Animal Control: • Should we consider hiring a P/T person for weekends? Council can make the request if they want. Staff is not recommending it. Speed Enforcement: • Speed Camera revenue is decreasing Contract Police: No questions. Planning, Community & Economic Development: Community Development: • Reduction in consulting reflects that City Hall consulting moved to the City Hall project Planning & Zoning: • The Public Art line is funded annually and is currently reserved for new development projects. • Future Worksession: Formalize a policy to provide art on public land, consider an ongoing CIP. March 28, 2020 Budget Worksession Page 3 Economic Development: • Status of Economic Development Coordinator position? The job description is being updated and research is being conducted. It will come back to Council for discussion before adoption of the final budget. CIP: • Discussion of timing of various projects • What was the final cost of the Hollywood Gateway Park? • Are unexpended FY ’20 funds available to add a large table in the pavilion at the HGP? Response to COVID-19: • What should we be thinking about for this budget to help businesses recover from the economic impact of this pandemic? • Some of our current grant programs (façade, interior improvements) could be repurposed • Future Worksession Engineering Services: CIP Streets & Sidewalks: • Discussion of timing of various projects. • Regarding Sidewalks: Request for a comprehensive document that includes all of the City’s sidewalk projects, not just those in the CIP, similar to the Pavement Management Plan. • Edmonston Road sidewalk is being timed to leverage the WSSC work. Design will happen in FY 21 and resurfacing will be done when WSSC completes their work in FY 23. • Pavement Management Plan: o Timing of the Cherokee Street project is dependent on the developer. They are supposed to change traffic patterns and add speed humps. Engineering Operations: • Discussion of lighting in various parts of the City. Youth, Family & Senior Services: Seniors Services: • Proposal to increase Seniors Program Caseworker by .5 - o 66 cases are being managed o Increase in senior social activities • Looking for office space for Senior staff offices in the Hollywood Commercial District so the entire seniors management team can be in one fixed location. Right now they move between 3 locations. • Discussion on Neighbors Helping Neighbors unused funding. • City staff is not meeting in person with seniors at this time due to COVID-19 restrictions • Could we investigate AARP free tax preparation services for seniors? Public Works: The following topics were discussed: March 28, 2020 Budget Worksession Page 4 Solid Waste Management: • Food waste composting: There are various options shown in budget: o Pilot for neighborhood pick up in one neighborhood TBD o Search for additional drop-off locations in the City. Not all neighborhoods have potential sites o Outsourcing o Discussion of program expansion options at future W/S o Options for commercial food waste composting Graffiti: • Can staff look for graffiti proactively? Public Works and Public Staff are out in the neighborhoods constantly and we ask them to report when they see graffiti. Street Sweeper: • Any consideration for a small sweeper that can get into hard to reach areas, especially in our commercial districts? Staff to research options. Street Maintenance: • Added funds for increased holiday lights and decorations Design and Engineering: • Looking at enhanced utilization of office space in DPW including the customer service window. Recreational Field Maintenance: • Is there reduced recreational space at Calvert Road School that should be reflected in the budget? Tree and Landscape Maintenance: • Proposing to add an additional groundskeeper. College Park Woods Property: • We will be requesting an amendment to the contract for the Clubhouse to increase it to about $900K • Future enhancements to lighting and parking lot Dog Park Project: • Delay due to working through permits • Hope to get permits by May with advertising shortly thereafter • Hoping for substantial completion by winter Old Parish House Renovations: • Timing on masonry repairs - we will soon issue an RFP for these repairs. • Timing on acoustic panels – we will reach out to some companies and hope to complete by the end of the year. March 28, 2020 Budget Worksession Page 5 Mayor and Council discussion: Council Requests recommended by the City Manager for funding in the FY ’21 budget: 1. “Welcome to College Park” sign along Adelphi Road at Metzerott: $12K. 2. 2 bus shelters (Route 1 near the Dunkin store and on westbound Edgewood Road near Rhode Island Avenue): $12K each = $24K. 3. Basketball court behind Calvert Road School: $30K. Councilmembers Rigg and Day will check with the neighborhood about this location. Additional Council Requests discussed and agreed upon: 4. Prioritization of sidewalk construction: Additional funding, external factors that affect sidewalks, staff capacity for additional sidewalk construction projects. Add $200,000 to the proposed budget to the sidewalks CIP. 5. Additional funding for Meals On Wheels: Add $5K upon confirmation of their need. 6. College Park Community Food Bank at the Church of the Nazarene: Mayor Wojahn will inquire about their needs. Remaining Council requests that are deemed policy discussions should be submitted for a Future Worksession using the form that was recently provided. Miscellaneous: 1. Discussion of ways the City can respond to the economic impact of COVID-19. Develop a clearinghouse of information. Hold a virtual town hall for the City’s businesses. What are other communities doing? Can we help individuals who are self-employed? Enhanced shop local program through the use of gift cards? Consider a placeholder in the budget for future support? The contingency fund could be used for this purpose. Schedule a Future Worksession. List of Budget “Bike Rack” items from above: 1. Report from Boys & Girls Club? How can we help them develop more city-wide programming? 2. Discussion on the Blues Festival and other City events. 3. Discussion on pay-by-plate and one hour free parking in the garage, and on a proposed increase from $.75/hour to $1.00/hour for the parking meter rate. 4. Formalize a policy to provide art on public land, consider an ongoing CIP. 5. Economic Development Coordinator position 6. Economic response to COVID-19 situation 7. Expansion of food-waste composting program 2:25 p.m.: End of Budget Discussion. No need for budget Worksession on Tuesday, March 31. Discussion of whether to close City parks, tot-lots and playgrounds due to COVID-19: Council discussed whether the City should close city-owned parks, tot lots, playgrounds, and fields. Taking a conservative/cautious approach was deemed most prudent. Suggestion to follow Park & Planning’s guidelines: • Close tot lots • Close fit lots • Close basketball courts March 28, 2020 Budget Worksession Page 6 • Keep playing fields open but advise not to participate in team activities • Keep City trails open • The prohibition of no more than 10 people gathered in one place will still apply. ADJOURN: Mayor Wojahn said there will be no budget Worksession on Tuesday night, March 31. Motion to adjourn by Councilmember Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Rigg at 2:43 p.m. Motion passed 8-0. ______________________________________ Janeen S. Miller Date City Clerk Approved