Mayor & City Council

MINUTES Regular Meeting of the College Park City Council Tuesday, June 15, 2021 7:30 p.m. – 10:33 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, this was a virtual meeting. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Dennis, Esters, Day, Rigg, and Mackie. ABSENT: Councilmember Mitchell. ALSO PRESENT: Bill Gardiner, Interim City Manager; Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk; Yvette Allen, Assistant City Clerk; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Robert Marsili, Director of Public Works; Terry Schum, Director of Planning; Teresa Way-Pezzuti, Director of Human Resources; Steve Halpern, City Engineer; Katie Hart, Community Development Coordinator; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Bridgette Johnson, Economic Development Manager; Megha Sevalia, Student Liaison. Mayor Wojahn opened the virtual Regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Councilmember Kabir commented on the Community Police Meeting and announced the Duvall Field Design meeting tomorrow night. Councilmember Esters announced the Berwyn District Civic Association meeting on Thursday, June 17. Councilmember Mackie acknowledged Father’s Day, and asked residents to pick up litter to protect the Chesapeake Bay. Councilmember Rigg acknowledged the last day of school for public schools and said it has been a difficult year for students, faculty, staff and parents. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT: Mr. Gardiner reviewed the new regulations regarding bulk trash; said College Park/UMD will not host a fireworks display for Fourth of July; announced the Duvall Field Design Meeting and the Mosquito Workshop. A question was asked about the meeting hosted by the County Executive with the new Police Chief. PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS: Mayor Wojahn read the Proclamations for Pollinator Week, Chesapeake Bay Awareness Month, and Juneteenth, and said he will participate in the Juneteenth Commemoration on the UMD Campus tomorrow. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes June 15, 2021 Page 2 Mayor Wojahn read the Proclamation honoring Jack Robson for his many years of service as Chief of the Board of Election Supervisors and Chair of the Airport Authority, and presented him with the Key to the City. Mr. Robson made remarks. AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Kabir to add the following to the Consent Agenda:  21-G-83 Letter supporting CB-46-2021, County legislation to increase the rain check rebate tax.  21-G-84 Letter to WSSC asking for their response to our earlier letter. The motion passed 7-0. A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Day to approve the agenda as amended; motion passed 7-0. PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS: Mary King, resident: The City’s Tree and Landscape Board has relied on a report by the consultant SavATree as the basis of their recommendation to Council for a tree ordinance. The report has many flaws, which she outlined. Dave Dorsch, resident: Repeated his previous request that the City work on connecting Rhode Island Avenue to Campus Drive while we still have the chance. He doesn’t think thru-traffic will be a problem. PRESENTATIONS: Ms. Johnson presented the annual Economic Development Report (attached). Mr. Gardiner provided an update on the Strategic Plan (attached). This is the first update on the Strategic Plan since Council approved it in January. Jessica Brown and Jeff Parks from Performance Breakthroughs, Inc. participated in the discussion. CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Esters and seconded by Councilmember Mackie to adopt the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following: 21-R-08 Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Adopting The Recommendation Of The Advisory Planning Commission Regarding Variance Application Number CPV-2021-04, 9022 49th Place, College Park, Maryland, Recommending Approval Of A Side Yard Setback Variance From The Prince George’s County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 27-442(E) Table IV Which Specifies A Minimum Side Yard Setback Of 8-Feet In The R-55 Zone To Construct A Second-Story Addition. 21-R-09 Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Adopting The Recommendation Of The Advisory Planning Commission College Park City Council Meeting Minutes June 15, 2021 Page 3 Regarding Variance Application Number CEO-2021-01, 4714 Howard Lane, College Park, Maryland, Recommending Approval Of A Variance From City Code §87-23 C To Permit The Construction Of A 4-Foot-High Front Yard Fence. 21-G-79 Approval of FY ’21 Community Services Grants in the amount of $2,500 each, for the College Park Nursery School and Neighbors CONNECT. 21-G-80 Award of Miscellaneous Concrete Maintenance and Asphalt Resurfacing Contract CP-21-05 in substantially the form attached to NZI Construction Corporation in the amount of $850,000. 21-G-81 Approval of annual appointments to City Advisory Boards and to the College Park City-University Partnership. 21-G-82 Authorization for an agreement, subject to the City Attorney’s approval, for the City to provide the necessary pruning for two trees in the dedicated 6-foot right-of-way (ROW) between 6910 and 7000 Wake Forest Drive that has not been accepted by the City, in return for the adjoining property owners filing a petition to abandon and vacate the ROW. 21-G-85 ADDED to Consent: Letter supporting CB-46-2021, County legislation to increase the rain check rebate tax. 21-G-84 ADDED to Consent: Letter to WSSC asking for a response to our earlier letter. The motion passed 7-0. ACTION ITEMS 21-G-83 Approval of annual program for FY ’22 under the City’s Program Open Space (POS) allocations Ms. Schum reviewed the staff report. The City’s annual program is due June 18. A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Esters that the City’s Program Open Space Annual Program for FY ’22 include an allocation of $867,687.90 for acquisition and $590,370 for development projects, per staff recommendations. There were no comments from the audience. Councilmember Kabir asked about next steps and if we can get the community’s input. Ms. Schum said for an acquisition to occur, the City Council would need to approve a purchase College Park City Council Meeting Minutes June 15, 2021 Page 4 agreement. This motion is to give staff direction to look further into making progress on these projects. There are many more steps needed before anything is finalized. He asked about adding 4700 Edgewood Road to the list. A motion was made by Councilmember Kabir and seconded by Councilmember Mackie to add 4700 Edgewood Road to the acquisition list. There were no comments from the audience. Councilmember Dennis is not in favor of adding this property at this time; we had a long discussion at last week’s Worksession. Councilmember Kennedy is not ready to move forward with this property without having more of a vision for it. Mayor Wojahn asked if we can add this property to the list in the future. Ms. Schum said yes, we can amend the program that is bring approved tonight. Councilmember Mackie would like to see the City do something with the property rather than having a developer get it. Councilmember Rigg said the price is high and he would want to talk about it further. Councilmember Day said we have passed on this property in the past and we shouldn’t add it to the list now. Councilmember Kabir said it is a Catch-22. How else can you get community input and have staff do the research without adding it to the list. Think about what you want to see there. Mayor Wojahn said we can still have those conversations without adding it to the POS list. Roll Call Vote on the Amendment: Yes: Kabir, Mackie No: Kennedy, Esters, Dennis, Rigg, Day. Motion failed 2-5-0 [At 10:30 p.m., a motion to extend the meeting was made by Councilmember Day, seconded by Councilmember Kennedy, passed 7-0.] Vote on the main motion passed 7-0. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Esters to adjourn the Regular Meeting and enter into a Closed Session. Mayor Wojahn read the Closed Session statement: Pursuant to the statutory authority of the Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park are providing notice that they will meet in a closed session after the meeting to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of appointees, employees, or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; to consult with Counsel to obtain legal advice; and to consult with staff, consultants, or other individuals about pending or potential litigation. The Mayor and Council will not return to public session after the closed session ends. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes June 15, 2021 Page 5 The motion passed 7-0 and the Regular Meeting adjourned at 10:33 p.m. _____________________________________ Janeen S. Miller Date City Clerk Approved CLOSED SESSION June 8, 2021 On Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at the conclusion of the Worksession, a motion was made by Councilmember Kennedy and seconded by Councilmember Esters to enter into a Closed Session. Mayor Wojahn read the following closing statement: Pursuant to the statutory authority of the Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Art. § 3-305(b), the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park are providing notice that they will meet in a closed session after the Worksession to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of appointees, employees, or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals. The Mayor and Council will review appointments to advisory boards and the College Park City University Partnership, and discuss a personnel matter. The Mayor and Council will not return to public session after the closed session ends. The motion passed 8-0 and the Worksession was adjourned at 10:09 p.m. At 10:15 p.m., the Mayor and Council reconvened in a Closed Session. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the meeting was held virtually. Mayor Wojahn was the Open Meetings Trainee. Mayor Wojahn and Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Dennis, Esters, Day, Rigg, Mitchell and Mackie were in attendance. In addition, the meeting was attended by Interim City Manager Bill Gardiner; City Attorney Suellen Ferguson; and Human Resources Director Teresa Way-Pezzuti. City Clerk Janeen Miller attended a portion of the meeting. The Mayor and Council reviewed applicants to City advisory boards and discussed an appointment to the College Park City-University Partnership. The Mayor and Council discussed a personnel matter. No action was taken. College Park City Council Meeting Minutes June 15, 2021 Page 6 At 11:07 p.m., a motion was made by Councilmember Kabir and seconded by Councilmember Mackie to adjourn the Closed Session, and with a vote of 8-0, the meeting was adjourned. CLOSED SESSION June 15, 2021 At 10:33 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at the conclusion of the Regular Meeting, a motion was made by Councilmember Dennis and seconded by Councilmember Esters to enter into a Closed Session. Mayor Wojahn read the following closing statement: Pursuant to the statutory authority of the Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park are providing notice that they will meet in a closed session after the meeting to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of appointees, employees, or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; to consult with Counsel to obtain legal advice; and to consult with staff, consultants, or other individuals about pending or potential litigation. The Mayor and Council will not return to public session after the closed session ends. The motion passed 7-0. At 10:36 p.m., the Mayor and Council reconvened in a Closed Session. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the meeting was held virtually. Mayor Wojahn was the Open Meetings Trainee. Mayor Wojahn and Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Dennis, Esters, Day, Rigg, and Mackie were in attendance. Councilmember Mitchell was absent. In addition, the meeting was attended by Interim City Manager Bill Gardiner; City Attorney Suellen Ferguson; and Human Resources Director Teresa Way-Pezzuti. The Mayor and Council discussed the City Attorney’s evaluation. No action was taken. At 11:07 p.m., a motion was made by Councilmember Kabir and seconded by Councilmember Dennis to adjourn the Closed Session, and with a vote of 7-0, the meeting was adjourned.