Mayor & City Council

MINUTES Regular Meeting of the College Park City Council Tuesday, December 22, 2020 7:30 p.m. – 8:07 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, this was a virtual meeting. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Dennis, Esters, Day, Rigg, Mackie and Mitchell. ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager; Teresa Way-Pezzuti, Director of Human Resources; Adam Rosenbaum, Student Liaison. Mayor Wojahn opened the virtual Regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT: This was Mr. Somers’ final meeting. He provided the City holiday schedule and gave a report on the COVID-19 assistance grants. AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:  20-G-202 Rigg/Day - Add to Consent: Approval of a Special Council meeting on Monday, January 11 with WSSC about sewage backflow. Motion passed 8-0.  Approve the agenda as amended, Rigg/Mitchell. Motion passed 8-0. PUBLIC HEARING A. Council proposal for Permit Restricted Parking on Beechwood Road, east of US 1 to Rhode Island Avenue, to be enforced Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., with a two-hour allowance, and reconsideration in two years. Mr. Miller said complaints have been received from residents of Beechwood Road about non- resident parking on a regular basis which is negatively impacting the residents. He described the location and the enforcement hours that are proposed. Public Comment: Jennifer Cibor, resident: She sees construction workers parking daily and the number is increasing. It has turned a neighborhood street into a parking lot, creating hazardous conditions. She supports the zone. David Stepp, resident: Supports the parking permit zone. He also thinks they need speed bumps. Councilmember Rigg will follow up with him. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes December 22, 2020 Page 2 Adam Rosenbaum, resident: He has also seen the construction workers walking back to their cars parked on Beechwood. Mr. Cibor, resident: In the evening the construction workers sometimes congregate on the street to socialize before they leave. Sometimes there are 4 workers to a car. There being no further public comment, Mayor Wojahn declared the public hearing closed. CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Mackie and seconded by Councilmember Rigg to adopt the Consent Agenda which consisted of the following: 20-G-198 Approval of Minutes from the November 17, 2020 Regular meeting; the December 1, 2020 Worksession; and the December 8, 2020 Regular Meeting. 20-G-201 Approval of 2021 Mayor and Council appointments to COG Boards 20-G-202 Approval of a Special Council Meeting on Monday January 11 from 7 – 8:30 with WSSC and the community about sewage backflow. The motion passed 8-0. ACTION ITEMS 20-G-199 Council action on the proposal for Permit Restricted Parking on Beechwood Road, east of US 1 to Rhode Island Avenue, to be enforced Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., with a two-hour allowance, and reconsideration in two years. A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Day to establish a residential permit parking zone in the 4500 & 4600 blocks of Beechwood Road, with residential permits and visitor passes being provided to the residents therein at no charge, with enforcement being Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with ‘2 Hour Limit’ parking for non-permit holders, and that Council reconsider permit parking after two years. Councilmember Kabir asked about the construction. Councilmember Rigg suggested that in the future the Council may want to ask where developers plan to park their workers or help them develop a parking plan. Mr. Miller has been in touch with the Bozzuto foreman. Mr. Rosenbaum wondered if the University could rent spaces to construction workers as well. The motion passed 8-0. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes December 22, 2020 Page 3 20-G-200 Award of Contract in RFP CP-21-04 for Executive Search Consultant to Baker Tilley US, LLP of Tysons, Virginia, in an amount not to exceed $24,500, subject to review of the City Attorney. Ms. Way-Pezzuti reviewed the staff report and the RFP process for this consultant. The City Attorney provided the final contract. Councilmember Kennedy asked about adding a resident engagement task to the contract, and whether it should be added now. Ms. Ferguson said there is a provision to allow additional work to be negotiated at the stated rate, so if the Council wants to move in that direction, we can follow up with the consultant. Ms. Way-Pezzuti said the survey would cost $5,000. Council is interested in focus groups. Councilmember Mitchell thought that resident engagement was part of the initial contract and didn’t think it would be an additional cost; she thought it was part of the process. The scope of work does say “key stakeholders,” so it seems to be included. Ms. Ferguson said we should make our expectations clear. A motion was made by Councilmember Kennedy and seconded by Councilmember Rigg that the City award a contract to Baker Tilley US, LLP of Tysons, Virginia as Executive Search Consultant, in substantially the form attached, in an amount not to exceed $24,500. The contract shall be reviewed by the City Attorney, and the City Manager (or Interim City Manager) is authorized to sign the contract. Councilmember Kennedy added that this was a great group of finalists but that Baker Tilley stood out above the rest. The motion passed 8-0. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Day to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed 8-0 and the meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m. _____________________________________ Janeen S. Miller Date City Clerk Approved