Mayor & City Council

MINUTES College Park City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 9, 2024 7:30 p.m. – 10:49 p.m. This was a hybrid meeting: Online via Zoom; In-person in the Council Chambers of City Hall. PRESENT: Mayor Kabir; Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell; Councilmembers Hernandez, Hew, Esters, Whitney, Mackie, Adams and Rigg. ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Kenneth Young, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk; Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney; Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services; Miriam Bader, Director of Planning; Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator; Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager; Ryna Quinones, Communications & Events; Michael Williams, Economic Development Manager; Gannon Sprinkle, Deputy Student Liaison. Mayor Kabir opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Councilmember Hew announced a lunch for Seniors at Al Huda school. Councilmember Esters announced the Lakeland Civic Association meeting. Councilmember Mitchell announced state benefits for transit commuters. Councilmember Mackie reminded seniors about the City’s senior tax credit. Mr. Mirani said they have been working with the SGA on the legislative session. Mr. Sprinkle announced a safe stride fundraiser. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT: Mr. Young asked Council if they would move the June City Council meeting from Tuesday, June 4 to Monday, June 3 due to a conflict with the ITGA opening reception at City Hall. Council agreed. He introduced the new Director of Public Services, Jatinder Khokhar. Mr. Khokhar introduced himself to the Council. College Park City Council January 9, 2024 Page 2 PROCLAMATIONS: Mayor Kabir read the tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: Councilmember Whitney moved item 24-G-02 from Consent to the action agenda for discussion (no vote required). Motion by Councilmember Mitchell, second by Councilmember Mackie, to approve the agenda without amendment, passed 8-0. COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON CONSENT AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS: Mary Cook, resident and Chair of the Veterans Memorial Committee: Spoke in opposition to the dissolution of the Veterans Memorial Committee. They are a group of volunteers who feel strongly about the ceremonies they plan to honor our veterans on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. They plan their ceremonies each year with heartfelt and personal significance. Blaine W. Tom Davis, resident and member of the VMC: He has been on the VMC for more than 20 years. He wants to see the committee continue. They are supposed to always have a member of the American Legion and VFW on their committee. He doesn’t want to see any changes. CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Esters and seconded by Councilmember Hew to adopt the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following: 24-G-01 Approval of the submission of the grant application for the '2024 Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety' Grant, for installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) in the Hollywood Neighborhood. Additionally, approve the allocation of $100,000.00 in City Capital expenses for the fiscal year 2025 to fund this project, with a twenty percent cost-share match. 24-G-03 Consideration of staff recommendation to replace a yield sign with a stop sign at the intersection of Dewberry Lane and Limestone Place 24-G-04 Consideration of staff recommendation to replace a yield sign with a stop sign at the intersection of Davidson Street N and Limestone Place 24-G-05 Consideration of staff recommendation to replace a yield sign with a stop sign at the intersection of Davidson Street S and Limestone Place College Park City Council January 9, 2024 Page 3 24-G-06 Consideration of staff recommendation to replace a yield sign with a stop sign at the intersection of Wofford Lane and Limestone Place 24-G-07 Approval of minutes from the October 24, 2023, November 7, 2023, November 14, 2023 and December 5, 2023 Council meetings. 24-G-09 Approve the purchase and installation of License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology from AIMS Parking Management for a fourth City vehicle in the amount of $48,757.40 funded from CIP #162002 The consent agenda passed 8-0. ACTION ITEMS: 23-G-189 Follow up on the Petition request for permit parking on Gettysburg Lane Mr. Miller reviewed the staff report. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell moved to postpone this item until the March 5, 2024 meeting. Councilmember Mackie seconded the motion. Councilmember Rigg asked for the reason of the postponement. Mayor Pro Tem Mithcell replied that we are working through some legal issues. The motion passed 8-0. 24-G-08 Consideration of requests for funding from the Business Assistance and Façade Improvement Grant, and the Business Retention Assistance Fund Mr. Williams said we are continuing to support businesses that were displaced by the closing of the Campus Village Shoppes. He reviewed the staff report and the requests for funding. Mayor Kabir asked for the funding situation. Mr. Williams said the FY 24 budget was $75,000, and so far we have spent $53,000 on three businesses (Laser Essentials, UPS Store, and Taqueria Habanero). Councilmembers expressed concern about spending more than the amount that is budgeted for this item. There is a possibility of additional revenue coming from the additional 3 cents of tax on commercial properties in the City, but the exact amount is still to be determined. Can some of these requests wait for the FY ’25 budget? College Park City Council January 9, 2024 Page 4 Councilmember Whitney wants an itemization on the requests from Krazi Kabob for each additional kitchen and for the vocational program, so that if something doesn’t move forward, we can pull those funds back. Councilmember Adams asked us to be creative in how we approach these incentives. Perhaps we can purchase $25,000 of gift cards for Prime Time to distribute to residents so they can try out the new business. Mr. Young said the program is intended to be flexible. They look at the type of business, cost per square foot, cost of build-out. Council expressed interest in seeing both more structure to standardize the evaluation of requests, and also a wider array of incentives that can be offered. For instance, low-interest business loans; the gift card idea. Motion by Councilmember Esters, second by Councilmember Adams, to fund the following grants: Taqueria Habanero 75K, Krazi Kabob $125K, College Park Prime Time $25K. Councilmember Adams said $203K of the 3-cent increase would be spent to fund these grants. Amendment #1: Hernandez/Mitchell: Amend the $75K for Taqueria from $75K to $50K. Vote on Amendment #1: The motion failed 1-7 (all but Hernandez opposed). Vote on Main Motion: Yes: Hew, Esters, Whitney, Mitchell, Mackie, Adams, Rigg No: Hernandez Motion passed 7-1. 24-G-02 Approval of the purchase of the Hitachi Visualization Suite software and professional services to integrate access and control of 28 cellular sites into a central dashboard control screen, in the amount of $56,670.84, subject to contract approval by the City Attorney Mr. Young reviewed the staff report. He added this is not the same as live monitoring of cameras; this is after-the-fact access. This is an upgrade to a cloud-based system that allows local police agencies to access the cameras with proper chain of custody, and provides quick access to monitor camera status and operations. College Park City Council January 9, 2024 Page 5 A motion was made by Councilmember Whitney and seconded by Councilmember Esters to approve the purchase of the Hitachi Visualization Suite software and professional services to integrate access and control of 28 cellular sites into a central dashboard control screen, in the amount of $56,670.84, subject to contract approval by the City Attorney. The motion passed 8-0. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Discussion of consolidating the functions and members of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Committee and the Veterans Memorial Committee in the City Events Advisory Board and to formally dissolve the two committees. Mr. Gardiner reviewed the staff report. Councilmember Whitney asked if we could create defined subcommittees for each of them within the CEAB. Councilmember Esters would like to give the CEAB the opportunity to contribute to the commemorations. Councilmember Hew acknowledged that the MLK committee has trouble reaching a quorum at their meetings, but the VMC is a strong committee. Can events staff attend the VMC meetings to give them some back up? Councilmember Rigg said these events have not changed much in 15 years and attendance has declined; he added how difficult it has been to recruit new members. He supports the proposal. Councilmember Adams sees this as a possibility to enhance these events. Councilmember Mackie is concerned about giving the CEAB more work and making it a larger committee that might have trouble getting things done. We need to be mindful of the associations the VMC has with the American Legion and the VFW. Mr. Young clarified that we are trying to enhance our events, not diminish them. [10:30 p.m., Adams/Mitchell to extend the meeting, passed 8-0.] Concern about when notification was given to these two committees about tonight’s discussion. We should speak to the committee members before bringing this back to Council. Council would like the budget request for Events to include an analysis of each event, the number of people and the cost. Request for staff to speak with members of both committees and return to Council after those discussions. Council wants to make a decision prior to the annual appointments in June so no one has put in an application for a committee that we are planning to dissolve. Consider adding those members to the CEAB. College Park City Council January 9, 2024 Page 6 B. Discussion of Mayor and Council Rules and Procedures – Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney and Janeen Miller, City Clerk Due to the lateness of the hour, Council voted to suspend the rules to move this discussion item to next week. Rigg/Whitney, passed 8-0. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Councilmember Adams: Establishment of the Subcommittee of Council to discuss the vacant and blighted property tax; Subcommittee on use of 3-cent tax increase is ready to present to Council -schedule. The public forum would happen after the Council meeting. Social sports grants - we need to move on that so its in place by the summer. Councilmember Mackie: Student safety task force – add to master list. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Adams, seconded by Councilmember Whitney, to adjourn into a closed session. Mayor Kabir read the closing statement: Pursuant to the statutory authority of Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article § 3-305, the Mayor and Council will meet in a closed session after this meeting for the following purposes: 1) to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of an appointee, employee, or official over whom it has jurisdiction; 2) to consult with Counsel to obtain legal advice, and 3) to discuss a matter of potential or pending litigation. They will not return to open session. The motion passed 8-0, and the meeting was adjourned at 10:49 p.m. Submitted By: Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk Closed Session January 9, 2024 At the conclusion of the January 9 Council meeting, a motion was made by Councilmember Adams and seconded by Councilmember Whitney to enter into a Closed Session. The possibility of the Closed Session was listed on the public meeting agenda. Mayor Kabir read the closing statement and indicated the Council would not return to open session: Pursuant to the statutory authority of Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article § 3-305, the Mayor and Council will meet in a closed session after this meeting for the following purposes: 1) to College Park City Council January 9, 2024 Page 7 discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of an appointee, employee, or official over whom it has jurisdiction; 2) to consult with Counsel to obtain legal advice, and 3) to discuss a matter of potential or pending litigation. They will not return to open session. The motion passed 8-0. The Closed Session began at 10:56 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Mayor Kabir, Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell, and Councilmembers Hernandez, Hew, Esters, Whitney, Adams, Rigg, and Mackie were present. Mayor Kabir was the designated Open Meetings designee. Also present: City Manager Kenneth A. Young; Assistant City Manager Bill Gardiner; and City Clerk Janeen S Miller. City Attorneys Suellen Ferguson and Stephanie Anderson attended a portion of the meeting. The City Attorney reviewed a proposed settlement document in a lawsuit concerning a rental property in the City and provided legal advice to the Mayor and Council. The Mayor and Council reviewed applications for advisory board vacancies. No action was taken. A motion was made by Councilmember Adams and seconded by Councilmember Rigg to adjourn the meeting, and with a vote of 8-0, the Closed Session was adjourned at 11:42 p.m.